Few paragraphs have been borrowed from "Treasures of the Thunder Dragon: A Portrait of Bhutan"
Chortens are minute in size as compared to dzongs, but they are far more
potent in terms of their religious symbolism. Their simple exterior is
in sharp contrast to the riches that are concealed within. A chorten is a
manifestation of deep faith, and a humble act of devotion on the part
of the person who has built it.
Basically, chortens are built to ward off adversities and eliminate evil
forces and also to allow people to gain merit by circumambulation of
chortens. Chortens, as an expression of religious significance,
represent the enlightened mind. Buddhist pilgrims and travellers
circumambulate chortens as meritorious action of reverence. Movement
around the chorten is clockwise, so that the right shoulder is always
towards the chorten. By circumambulating the chorten, it is believed
that one's demerit or delusions will all be washed away. In Bhutan, one
will often come across people, irrespective of age, circumambulating the
chorten. On certain auspicious days, one will see a lot of people going
to the monasteries and chortens to light butter lamps.
For nearly a centry and half Bhutan had not faced any external enemy -
the last time the country had gone to war was in 1864-65, when the
father of the first king, Tongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyel, had routed the
British in the Duar War. Since then, the country had perhaps become
complacent, and taken for granted the peaceful stable lives.
But in 2003, war clouds were gathering. Militant groups from India's
north-eastern region had established their guerilla camps in the dense
jungles of Southern Bhutan, from where they would launch terrorist
attacks across the border. For many years Bhutan Government and the King
had held talks with these militant groups, trying to persuade them to
leave Bhutan, and to stop using Bhutan's territory to attack a country
that was Bhutan's staunch friend. After 6 years of these futile
negotiations, it became clear that the militants were not going to
leave, that they posed a real threat to Bhutan's own security, and that
armed action was unavoidable to expel them from Bhutan. Public opinion
in support of this action had gradually been building up through
discussion in the National Assembly and public meetings in all part of
the country.
Sharing the anxiety of every Bhutanese at this time, the Queen mother
Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck started building a chorten at the Dochula
Pass, as a visible symbol of fervent prayers to the deities to protect
the country at difficult time. On 4th December 2003, the King and his
son Jigyel left Punakha for the battlefront. As Jigyel got into the car
with his father, he said to his mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck "the
war must not be lost by those who are left behind". His parting words to
his mother were that she should be prepared not to see him again, for
if the worst were to happen to his father, he too would not come back
alive from the battlefield.
The king travelled towards the South, addressing public gatherings on
the way, ensuring that the armed forces were adequately equipped and
trained, meticulously planning every detail of the logistics and
strategy for the battle to come. He had no intention of issuing orders
from Thimphu - his place was on the battlefield, beside his soldiers, he
told them, for he regarded them and every Bhutanese citizen as his own
children. They knew that these words came from his heart.
The day the King and Jigyel left Punakha, Queen mother returned to
Thimphu and went straight to Cheri Monastery, high on a mountain at the
northern end of the Thimphu valley. She climbed as fast as she could, to
reach the cave above the monastery where the Zhabdrung, the founder of
Bhutan, had meditated for 3 years. In the silence of the cave, she felt
the Zhabdrung's blessings and reassurance that all would be well, and
left Cheri with a lighter heart, and a clearer idea of what contribution
she could make, at a time when the future seemed so uncertain.
She lost no time in galvanizing the Tarayana Foundation, which she had
set up in May 2003, to take the lead in coordinating civilian efforts.
Within hours, thousands of volunteers had joined in the efforts to help
organize blood donations, set up a blood bank database and make plans
for the rehabilitation of villagers who might be displaced from their
homes near the battlefield. Cash donations came pouring in.
With the relief under way, she set off to the Dochula Pass on 6th
December to fulfil another vow she had taken at Cheri Monastery. She
climbed the snow-covered hillock to the chorten she had built and there
she pledged to build 108 chortens around it, as symbols of her prayers
for the safe return of the King and soldiers. 108 is an auspicious
number for Buddhists, representing the number of prayers that make up a
complete cycle.
The 108 chortens at Dochula called gYul Las rNampar Gyal wai ' Chorten
or the chorten of victory, at an elevation of 3,100m about 16Kms away
from the capital city Thimphu in the lap of nature with snowy Himalayan
ranges looming in the backgroundjust is an example of red-band or
Khangzang chorten. Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck,
commissioned the monument after King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was
victorious in the struggle to dislodge the rebels who were using Bhutan
as a base to raid India.
Chortens can broadly be categorized into 3 types: the Bhutanese style
chorten or Khangzang chorten, the Nepali style and the Tibetan style or
the Jangchub chorten. All 3 types of chorten can be found in Bhutan. The
common one is the Khangzang chorten, which has a red band just below
the eaves. The red band is a distinctive architectural feature of a
Bhutanese chorten. This type of chorten has a broad square base,
elongated middle structure, crowned with a crescent moon and a sun on
the top or sometimes with only a pinnacle.
The 108 chortens at Dochula are built in three layers, the first lowest
level layer has forty five chortens, the second has thirty six and the
top layer has twenty seven built around the main chorten. Before any
chorten is built the ground has to be purified, and so on 8th Dec, the
Je Khenpo came to perform this ritual, called the Senem Kurim. At
various stages in the construction of chorten, certain prescribed
rituals and prayers must be held for it to serve its purpose
effectively, and so it was with each of the 108 chortens that
simultaneously began to take shape. Once a chorten reaches the height of
1m, an opening is made in the ground and symbolic offerings, such as
grains and a bronze vessel filled with butter, are put in. The
construction then proceeds until the next stage, when clay images of
deities, their hollow insides filled with handwritten prayers, are
interred.
In the next stage, which is considered the "vital stage", in erecting a
chorten was the fixing of the sokshing meaning "the life tree of the
chorten". The sokshing, which is believed to provide a link between
heaven and earth within a chorten, is in the form of a long square
wooden pole made from a juniper tree made by an individual who has
appropriate qualities from an astrological point of view. The pole was
painted in red colour and inscribed with sacred hymns and banded with
religious paraphernalia such as gilded images of gods, prayer bells,
small clay stupas, and also precious stones and jewellery. The sokshing
was then wrapped around by silk cloth and then fixed in the partly built
chorten on an auspicious day
Pungthang Dechen Phodrang - The Palace of Bliss
Dzongs reflect the dynamism of Bhutanese history and culture since the
unification of the country. Dzongs are built at strategic locations such
as on hill tops, overlooking the valley or at the confluence of rivers
providing military vantage. They basically consist of Shabkhor that are
buildings rectangular in plan enclosing flat stone paved courtyard, and a
most prominent towering structure called Utse standing at the inner
courtyard containing the shrines of guardian deities and Buddhist
masters.
They were later altered and extended in order to accommodate the
functions under the dual government system. This has presumably led to
development of two very distinct façades of the Dzongs; the outer
façades formed by high and massive battered stone masonry fortification
walls of Shabkhor and the inner façades consisting of sophisticated
wooden structure often finished with elaborate carvings and paintings,
creating ambience suitable for space for civil and state affairs. Dzongs
illustrate the peak of collective architectural achievements of the
people of Bhutan.
Dzongs serve as principal seat of Buddhist school. Most of the Dzongs
were built for gaining influence of particular Buddhist schools and
controlling over the region under the power of the schools. It is said
to be the medieval period in the 12th century when Dzongs were started
to be built in "the southern land (Bhutan)" by clergies of different
Buddhist schools established in Tibet.
It was in 1616 when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the linage holder of
Drukpa-Kagyud Buddhist School arrived at the southern land escaping the
conflict over recognition of the principal abbot of the School in
Ralung, Tibet.
He, later becoming the unifier of Bhutan, started constructing several
Dzongs in the process of gaining control over the country, which was at
that time dominated by clergies and leaders of different Buddhist
schools. Strategic location of the Dzongs is one of the main factors
that have led the successful unification of the country. It is much
elaborated in old literatures describing the prophecies of ancient
saints and auspicious events how the location of the Dzongs was
determined.
The nation’s most revered and important temple was built in 1637 at the
confluence of two mighty rivers, named the Mo Chhu (mother river) and
Pho Chhu (father river) by the charismatic leader Zhabdrung Ngawang
Namgyel who is believed as the re-birth of Tsangpa Gyaray, the founder
of Drukpa-Kagyud School and also an emanation of Avalokitesvara has
great spiritual significance to the people of Bhutan.
In the 8th century, Guru Rinpoche had prophesied that a young man named
Namgyel would come to a mountain that appeared like a sleeping elephant
and build a dzong upon the elephant’s trunk. The Zhabdrung visited
Punakha and chose the tip of the trunk of the sleeping elephant a the
confluence of the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu as the place to build a DzOng.
It's not obvious, but with a bit of imagination you may be able to
visualise the hill as a elephant.
As early as 1326 a smaller building called Dzong Chug (small Dzong)
housed a statue of Buddha here. Zhabdrung ordered Palep to sleep in
front of the statue. While Palep was sleepoing, the Zhabdrung took him
in his dreams to Zangto Pelri and showed him the palace of Guru
Rinpoche. From his vision, the architect conceived the design for the
new Dzong, which, in keeping with tradition was never committed to
paper.
Construction began in 1637 and was completed the following year, when
the building was christened Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of great
happiness). Later embellishments included the construction of a chapel
to commemorate the victory over the Tibetans in 1639. The arms captured
during the battle are preserved in the Dzong.
Inside the mammoth complex are three courtyards separating the major
structures. The first features a white-washed stupa and a spectacular
Bodhi tree that gives shade and represents a strength of nature within
the confines of the mighty man-made walls.
Monks live in residence in the second courtyard and give the space a
distinct reverence, but it's the third where the beauty of the dzong is
at its most lavish. Murals depict the life of Buddha, and gilded statues
and treasures from Bhutan are all kept here. It’s also said that with
years of looting and pillaging, there may be more treasures from Tibet
safely preserved here than in Tibet itself
The utse is 6 storeys high. The gold dome on the utse was built in 1676
by the dzongpen (lord of the dzong), Gyaltsen Tenzin Rabgye. Many of the
dzong's features were added between 1744 and 1763 during the reign of
the 13th desi, Sherab Wangchuk. One item he donated was the chenmo
(great) thondrol, a large thangka depicting the Zhabdrung that is
exhibited to the public once a year during the tsechu festival. A brass
roof for the dzong was a gift of the 7th dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso.
The Machen Lhakhang, a temple inside the Dzong enshrines the mummified
body of the Zhabdrung who passed away in retreat here in 1651.
Dzongchung (or the little Dzong), built in 1328 by saint Ngagi Rinchen
can still be seen opposite the main Dzong. The spectacular Kuenrey
(assembly hall) in Punakha Dzong is open to the tourists.
Beautiful Punakha has been inextricably linked with momentous occasions
in Bhutanese history. On 17 December, 1907, the first king of Bhutan,
Ugyen Wangchuck, was crowned here. Most recently, Punakha Dzong held the
royal wedding of the wildly popular Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) Jigme
Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Druk Gyaltsuen (Queen Consort) Jetsun Pema
in 2011. It served as the capital of the country from 1637 to 1907 and
the first national assembly was hosted here in 1953.
Shifting the government to Thimphu has enabled the Punakha region to
retain the most authentic charm in the country, where terraced rice
fields surround the riverbanks, farmers and their herds live in the
hills, and monks practice archery in the forest.
Frequent fires (five between 1750 and 1849) damaged the dzong, as did
the severe 1897 earthquake. A glacial lake burst on the Pho Chhu in 1960
and again in 1994, causing damage to the dzong that has since been
repaired. Outside the dzong is a memorial to the 23 people killed in
that flood.
Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple
Mythological significance
Trimbakeshwar is considered as one of the most sacred towns in India.
There are many reasons for this belief. Trimbakeshwar is believed to be
the birth place of Lord Ganesha. It is also believed that Trimbakeshwar
was the abode of revered sage Gautama. The sage in order to be relieved
of the sin of ‘gohatya’ worshipped Lord Shiva at Brahmagiri Mountain for
River Ganges to flow down to earth. The wish was granted and Goddess
Ganges took the form of River Godavari and originated from Kushavarta
(Teertharaj) of Brahmagiri mountain at Trimbakeshwar. Hindus believe
that those who visit Trimbakeshwar attain salvation or Moksha and it is
the most ideal place for Shraaddha ceremony (a Hindu ritual for the
salvation of the soul). As per the legends, Lord Rama made his yatra to
Trimbakeshwar to perform shraaddha. Also, as per the legend, a drop of
amrita (immortal nectar) from Amritakumbha spilt at Trimbak.
Trimbakeshwar temple built in Nagara style enshrines one of the 12
Jyotirlingas dedicated to Shiva. The extraordinary feature of the
Jyotirlinga located here is the Linga is three faced embodying Tridev -
Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. All other Jyotirlingas have
Shiva as the main deity. The Linga is crowned with a jewel studded crown
believed to be from Pandavas. The crown is adorned with diamonds,
emeralds, and many other types of precious stones.
Legend has it that Guatam Rishi performed a rigorous ritual of prayer
and penance or tapasya to Shiva on Brahmagiri Hill which rises above the
present-day temple. Pleased with this devotion, Shiva is said to have
blessed him and brought down to earth from heaven the sacred rivers of
Ganga, Gautami and Godavari.
The work of constructing the present temple of Trimbakeshwar was begun
by Shrimant Balaji Bajirao alias Nanasahib Peshawe in 1755 in the first
half of the Margashirsha month (around December) and was completed in
1786. It took 31 years to construct the temple and the cost of 16 lakhs
then.
It has been built as per the Nagara style and has been beautifully
adorned with idols and sculptures, comprising the figures of humans,
animals as well as yakshas. Encircling the Trimbakeshwar Temple is a
colossal wall, made out of stone. In the path that leads to the temple
is a large statue of a bull and one enters the sanctum sanctorum, the
marble idol of Nandi Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva, comes into view.
Kumbha Mela
According to Shiv Maha Purana, it is because of the earnest request of
Godavari River, Gautam Rishi and other gods that Lord Shiva agreed to
reside here and assumed the famous name Trimbakeshwar.
All the heavenly Gods promised to come down to Nasik, once in twelve
years, when Jupiter resides in the zodiac sign of Leo. On this day a
grand fair is organized at this place. Devotees take holy bath in
Gautami Ganga and then seek the blessings of Trimbakeshwar.
6 comments:
Bhoganandishwara and Arunachaleshwara temples - nandigrama
Nestled at the base of the more frequently visited Nandi hills are the
twin temples dedicated to Bhoganandishwara and Arunachleshwara.
1000 years old Bhoganandeeshwara temple dedicated to Shiva and Parvati
is a marvel of sorts, a testament to the intricate Dravidian
architecture. The temple contains essential elements of a typical
Dravidian temple which include the sanctum or ‘vimana’,the ‘mantapa’ or
hall, the towers or ‘gopuras’ and a 'kalyani' or temple tank. Intricate
sculptures and beautiful carvings cover most parts of the temple.
Copper plates found at Chikkaballapur state that the temple was built
by Ratnavali consort of Bana King Vidhyadhara and records a grant to it
in 810 AD. The temple then underwent many additions and modifications,
spread over the rule of around five dynasties. The Chola kings in the
11th century added the roof; the Hoysalas added the marriage hall to the
temple structure and the outer wall and buildings were added by the
Vijayanagar kings in the 13th century.
For centuries it was impregnable until the British stormed it in October 1791 and defeated Tipu Sultan.
Bhoganandeeshwara temple complex houses three temples, Arunachaleshwara, Uma Maheshwara and Bhoganandeeshwara.
Traditionally Arunachaleshwara is said to represent the childhood of
Shiva, Bhoganandeeshwara the Youth, and Yoga Nandeeshwara on the Hill
top, the final renunciation stage.
The Bhoganandeeshwara temple depicts the youthful phase of Lord Shiva.
As youth is the time to rejoice and enjoy life, many festivals are
celebrated in this temple throughout the year. Uma Maheswara temple
depicts the wedding scenes of Shiva and Parvathi. The Yoganandeeshwara
temple located atop Nandi hills, by contrast has no festivals at all as
it signifies Shiva in his renunciation stage. There are significant
carvings in and around these temples.
Each consists of a garbhagriha, a sukanasi and a navaranga. They have
two pierced windows opposite to each other in both the sukanasi and the
navaranga. The four pillars of navaranga in Bhoganandishwara shrine has
intricately carved figures on all sides. The ceiling has ashtadikpalakas
with Shiva and Parvati on the central panel. The base has a frieze of
elephants, yaalis and lions intercepting with each other. Both the
shrines have fine stone shikharas that are almost similar in design.
Between the two shrines is a small intervening shrine dedicated to
Umamaheshwara. In front of this is a Kalyanamantapa built of black stone
very interestingly carved with creepers and birds. The prakara has two
Devi shrines, Kalyana mantapa, Tulabharamantapa and a square stepped
shringi thirtha pond.
Arunachaleshwara Temple
The Arunachaleshwara temple, built by the Gangas, has a unique form of
Lord Ganesha called Simha Ganapathi or Ugra Ganapathi or Herambha
Ganapati. There is a granite idol of Nandi idol in front of the temple.
Uma Maheshwara Temple
Built by the Hoysalas, this temple has the presiding deities Uma and
Maheshwara in the Sanctum. The Kalyana Mantapa is surrounded by four
pillars each of which have a divine couple depicted on them – Shiva and
Parvati, Brahma and Saraswathi, Vishnu and Lakshmi and Agni Deva and
Swaha Devi.
The pillars and walls are covered with intricate carvings typical of the
Hoysalas. The structures are covered in figures of parrots, animals,
creepers and divine figures.
Bhoganandeeshwara
The main Bhoganandeeshwara temple has a majestic Shiva Linga in the
sanctum sanctorum. There is a sculpture in the temple that the locals
believe is that of Raja Raja Chola. But it could be an idol of a
devotee.
“
The historical records state that during tenth century, Raja
Raja Chola invaded this temple and helped himself to the sculptures in
the temple. However, he felt guilty and took the sculptures back, after
which he built a statue of himself in the temple complex,” said a historian.
The pillars are covered in beautiful carvings. The Nandi idol in front
of the Sanctum of this temple is even more attractive than the one in
front of Arunachaleshwara temple.
Vijayanagara rulers added the Kalyana Mantapa and Tulabhara Mantapa.
Shringi Theertha
Shringi Theertha or the temple pond is surrounded on all four
sides by a walkway and a running mantapa. It has steps leading down to
it on all four sides. As per a popular legend, the divine bull Nandi
plunged his horn into the ground to draw out water from the divine Ganga
and created the pond. The pond is said to be the source of South
Pinakini (South Pennar) River.
2 comments:
Kalaram Mandir - Nashik
Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman stayed at 'Panchavati' on the northern
banks of river Godavari for sometime during their 14 years of exile.
Kalaram Temple stands at the place that has become sacred with the
footsteps and the presence of Lord Ram.
The temple was built in 1788 by late Sardar Rangarao Odhekar. According
to a local legend, it is said that Sardar Rangarao Odhekar dreamt that a
black statue of Lord Rama was lying in river Godavari. Odhekar found
the idol in the river and the place where statue the was found was named
‘Ramkund’. The temple derives its name from the statue of Lord Rama
that is black in colour. The literal translation of Kalaram means black
Rama. The sanctum sanctorum also houses the statues of goddess Sita and
Lakshman.
Architecture
Sardar Rangrao Odhekar, under the consultation with Late Sawaee
Madhavrao Peshwa Started the construction of present temple in the year
1780. The main temple was completed by the year 1792 and thereafter the
sabhamandapa, the stilt round the temple and the fencing by the year
1799. The temple built of beautiful black stone has about 96 pillars. It
is said that the expert masons brought best quality stones from Ramshej
Hills near Nashik, tested each block in boiling milk before using it in
construction work.The ‘Kalash’ inside the temple is made of pure gold.
It took 12 years, 20000 workers and 23 lakhs INR to build this
incredibly artistic temple.
Kalaram Satyagraha
The
1920s and the 1930s saw a series of agitations led by Dr. Ambedkar to
get public wells, tanks and Hindu temples opened to “untouchables.”
Kalaram Temple is the very site in the old city where Ambedkar led and
later abandoned a temple-entry movement in the early 1930s.
Dr. Ambedkar said:
"I didn’t launch the temple entry movement because I wanted the
Depressed Classes to become worshipers of idols which they were
prevented from worshiping or because I believed temple entry would make
them equal members in and an integral part of the Society."
Organized by Ambedkar and the local Mahar leaders, the Kalaram
Satyagraha involved thousands of untouchables in intermittent efforts to
enter the temple and to participate in the annual temple procession.
The agitation for entry into the Kalaram temple went on for four years,
from 1930 to 1934. Opposition came not only from the orthodox Hindus but
also from some local congressmen. The outcome of the Kalaram
Satyagraha, however, was not only further disillusionment with the
Satyagraha, with the satyagraha method and the attitude of the congress,
but also a rejection of Hinduism and a strengthening of the separatist
political stance then developing among Untouchables.
Ambedkar discontinued the agitation in 1934 following opposition by
priests, notwithstanding the support extended by Gandhiji. But he fought
a legal battle, along with a peaceful agitation, for the next four
years, and in 1939 ultimately secured entry to the temple for
“untouchables.”
Wandering in the temple courtyard and on the narrow streets around its
precincts, with their small houses, latticed wooden balconies, gnarled
pipal trees, and clay-tiled sloping roofs, it is hard to imagine a time
when access to this temple was so fraught an issue as to become the
watershed after which Ambedkar could never allow himself or his
community to be reconciled with the Hindu mainstream.
Umaid Bhawan - Jodhpur
The last of India's great palaces, Umaid Bhawan, perched high above the
desert capital of Jodhpur is a stunning example of a bygone royal era.
It is one of the largest palaces in the world set in 26 acres, of which
15 are garden. It took half a million donkey loads of earth for the
garden beds, a 100 wagon loads of Makrana marble, 2.5 million quintals
of ice, a million meters of steel conduits, 15,000 running feet of
copper and lead were weighing 200 tons, an electric network of 2500 KW
for the main palace alone and a 300 ton compressor for the
air-conditioning plant. It took more than 5,000 workers 15 years to
build the palace, and is unusual in that it does not use mortar or
cement to bind the stones together. When finished, it was the largest
private residence in the world, with almost 350 rooms. The Maharaja's
family still live in one wing of the palace, and another part of the
palace is open to the public as a museum. Umaid Bhawan Palace sits on
Chittar Hill overlooking Jodhpur and faces the city's other great
palace, the Meherangarh Fort.
The furniture and fittings were originally designed by Maples of London,
(who had decorated the viceroy Lodge in Simla, as early as 1892) in the
Art Deco style that was the pinnacle of fashion in Europe and America
in the thirties. They were dispatched to Bombay in 1942 but, tragically,
the ship carrying them was sunk enroute by the Germans. Frantic efforts
were then made in Jodhpur to manufacture the interiors in the style
required. Fortunately, the Maharaja had in Stephan Norblin, a Polish
artist who had fled war-torn Europe, an amateur interior designer well
acquainted with the work of Art Deco masters like - Emile Ruhlmann. The
Maharaja asked Norblin to paint too, and his spectacular and imaginative
murals in the Maharaja and Maharani suites superbly complement his
decoration, while in the Oriental Throne room, his scenes from the Hindu
epic, Ramayana could not have been better chosen for, as we know, the
Rathores claim descent from Lord Rama, the ideal Hindu king.
Though the Art Deco vogue has lapsed elsewhere, in Umaid Bhawan Palace,
it is perfectly preserved. Occidental in it symmetrical planning and
integration not flawless maintain many Indian architectural styles. Like
medieval Rajput palaces, it is divided into 2 sections, the "Zenana" or
ladies' wing and the "Mardana" or male wing, both with separate
entrances, the former with and enclosed private garden and hidden
passages to the swimming pool and public rooms. Like their predecessors,
the ladies could watch ceremonies, durbars and parties unobserved. The
durbar and banquet halls, the auditorium and the ballroom have galleries
on the first floor where screens were draped for the zenana.
Its central cupola is 105 feet high. With 347 rooms, a throne room for
private auditorium, a ballroom, a library, an indoor swimming pool, a
billiards room, 4 tennis courts, 2 (unique) marble squash courts,
croquet lawns, a marble pavilion, a nursery and garages for 20 motor
cars, the palace is unabashedly magnificent.
The many stylized sculpture and carvings on its caves, parapets and
towers have been thoughtfully chosen. Those of horses speak of the
Rathores' centuries old equestrian tradition, armorial helmets, of their
martial skills, the eagle, their spiritual power and the peacock their
majesty. Sculpture of boar, heads capture the excitement of the sport of
the day pig-stacking and carved airplanes on parapets and railings
celebrate Maharaja Umaid Singh's passion for flying "the latest" as he
used to say "of our recreations".
Above all, it is the presence of the "Monarch's imperial medals carved
on 4'X6' slabs on each side of the cupola, facing Meherangarh in the
west, that makes this palace so uniquely his.
The Monarch
There is about Maharaja Umaid Singh something uniquely exciting, an
extravagance of vision, power not only to dream but even to realize; in
many ways, albeit on a smaller scale, not unlike that of the Mughals. He
enjoyed polo, so he took his own team to England with an army of ponies
and syces and Jodhpur emerged a world polo power. He loved flying so
the Jodhpur aerodrome became an international airport before Delhi, with
3 trans-continental airlines stopping here.
His famine relief policy, which shames many a modern day development
project, gave rise to one of the largest and most magnificent royal
residences in the world and a dam that remained, half a century later,
Jodhpur's main source of water.
Yet there was in him an astonishing simplicity, a grace he was born with
and carried always, whether playing polo at Hurlingham or big-game
hunting in Africa, Salmon-fishing in Scotland or fox hunting at his
sumptuous estate "Arranmore" in Ootacamund (South India). Feted in the
most fashionable of salons the world over he was, as Chief Scout of the
Marwar State Scouts Association, equally at home at a boy scout's camp
on the dusty grounds of his palace! It was this simplicity and humility,
together with his stature and style that earned for the 36th Rathore
rule of Marwar the nickname "The Monarch" and it was always used with
affection and respect.
Jodhpur Polo
The Jodhpur Royal Family first played polo with the Mughals but it did
not become a passion with them till much later, in the 19th C. It was in
1889 that Sir Pratap Sing Regent of Jodhpur invited Col. Stuart Beatson
to help raise the Jodhpur Lancers and with him came the modern version
of the sport. The Rathores took to it as fish to water: here was a
splendid substitute for war. The changes, the riding-off, the frantic
change of horses, it was all there and only 4 years later the Jodhpur
team brought home its first trophy, the Rajputana Challenge Cup of 1893.
In 1897, Sir Pratap traveled to London for the Diamond Jubilee: he took
his team along, amongst the earliest of foreign teams to invade
England. They won many matches there, at Hurlingham and Ranelagh, and
returned with their reputation enhanced, the finest Indian team during
those years.
By the turn of the centry Jodhpur had become an important polo center,
and it would remain so till 1949 (when the city boasted no less than 6
polo fields) rivaling Calcutta, the oldest polo club in the world, by
the sheer number of players.
In 1921 Jodhopur beat Patiala to become champions of all India. That victory was only the beginning.
In early 1925 Maharaja Umaid Singh visited England with his polo team
mounted by an extremely talented team, which included Rao Raja Hanut
Singh, Thhakur Prithi Singh, Ram Singh, Thakur Dalpat Singh and an
Englishman, Capt. Bill Williams. The Jodhpur team had a wonderful
season, beating every team there was to beat, including the US Army, and
winning hte Hurlingham Champion Polo Cup and the Rochampton Open Polo
Cup. At the end of the season Umaid Singh was pleased to donate a new
pavilion to the West Somerset Polo Club, which boasted one of the
prettiest polo fields in England.
Kalgudi (stone temple) at Degulahalli
The Kalgudi at DegulahaLLi believed to be built by Halasi kings is in an
utterly dilapidated condition and is in dire need of repair work. The
various Shiva and Jaina stone sculptures scattered around the temple
ruins bear testimony to the fact that Halasi was a centre of confluence
of Jainism, Vaishnavism and Shaivism during early Kadambas.
"Every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance,
but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and
destruction…without end…For the modern physicists, then Shiva's dance is
the dance of subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual
dance of creation and destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis
of all existence and of all natural phenomena."
- Fritzof Capra (The Dance of Shiva: The Hindu View of Matter in the Light of Modern Physics )
The cosmic dance of Shiva is called 'Anandatandava,' meaning the Dance
of Bliss, and symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction,
as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is a pictorial
allegory of the five principle manifestations of eternal energy —
creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion.
According to Kumara Swamy, the dance of Shiva represents:
'Shrishti' (creation, evolution) - symbolized by the drum
'Sthiti' (preservation, support) - symbolized by abhaya-hastha
'Samhara' (destruction, evolution) - symbolized by fire
'Tirobhava' (illusion) and
'Anugraha' (release, emancipation, grace) - symbolized by foot held aloft
Following paragraphs borrowed from "Sacred Animals of India By Nanditha Krishna"
Nandikeshwara, lord of happiness, was one of Shiva's ganas. He was
also fond of music and dance. He was born to the divine progenitor
Kashyapa and divine cow Surabhi. He married Suyasha, the daughter of the
Maruts. As his life was coming to an end, he prayed to Shiva to
lengthen his life. Shiva granted him both immortality and the chief
position over his ganas. He was given the title "Adhikara Nandi" (or
'authoritarive Nandi'), for it is only with Nandi's grace and permission
that one can enter the temple of Shiva. Adhikara Nandi took on a human
form as a bull-headed human standing on two legs, or even a bull
standing erect on his rear legs.
Nandi's attributes were taken over by Shiva as Nataraja, the lord of
dance. Nandi ceased, thereafter, to be a deity and became the companion
and, later, the vehicle of Shiva. When Shiva dance the tandava, Nandi
accompanied him on the mridangam (a percussion instrument).
There are several other stories about Nandi's origin. According to one,
Nandi was a rishi (sage) who performed such severe austerities that
Shiva granted him the wish of becoming the head of his Ganas.
According to another legend, Nandi was born from Vishnu's right side as a
gift to the Brahmin Salankayana. This was Nandi's forty-ninth rebirth.
Nandi is more than Shiva's vahana or vehicle. As the chief of Shiva's
attendants, he is also the guardian of all four-legged animals. Nandi is
essential to every Shiva temple - the sanctum sanctorum of each temple,
where the deity may be in human or linga form, has an image of Nandi
facing the shrine. The devotee will first touch the Nandi image and ask
for his blessings before entering. Sometimes, Nandi may be as big as or
even bigger than the image within.
Following paragraphs have been borrowed from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ganesha
Historically, Ganesha appeared as a distinct deity in recognizable
form beginning in the fourth to fifth centuries C.E., during the Gupta
Period (c. 320-600 C.E.) of Indian history. His popularity rose quickly,
and he was formally included among the five primary deities of
Smartism, an influential stream of Hinduism that began in the ninth
century C.E. Ganesha appears as a distinct deity in clearly-recognizable
form beginning in the fourth to fifth centuries C.E., suggesting the
emergence of the Ganapatya (Ganesh-worshipping) sect (probably an
offshoot of mainstream Shaivism). The earliest cult image of Ganesha so
far known is found in the niche of the Shiva temple at Bhumra, which has
been dated to the Gupta period. By about the tenth century C.E.,
Ganesha's independent cult had come into existence.
Despite these fragments of information, questions as to Ganesha's
historical origin are still largely unanswered, and many theories
persist as to how he came into being. One theory of Ganesha's origin
states that he gradually came to prominence in connection with the four
Vināyakas, from whom he gains one of his epithets. In Hindu mythology,
the Vināyakas were a group of four troublesome demons who created
obstacles and difficulties, but who were easily propitiated. Krishan is
among the academics who accept this view, and states flatly that Ganesha
"is a non-vedic god. His origin is to be traced to the four Vināyakas,
evil spirits, of the Mānavagŗhyasūtra (seventh–fourth century B.C.E.)
who cause various types of evil and suffering." While none of these gods
are conceived to be elephant-headed, they are held to be responsible
for the creation of obstacles.
Brahmani, Vaishnavi, Maheshvari, Indrani, Kaumari, Varahi and Chamunda or Narasimhi - Saptamtrikas
Following information has been referred from wikipedia -
Matrikas were existent as early as the Vedic period and the Indus
Valley civilization. Matrikas may be non-Aryan or at least
non-Brahmanical (orthodox Hinduism), local village goddesses, who were
being assimilated in the mainstream. Matrikas maybe inspired by the
concept of Yakshas, who are associated with Skanda and Kubera – both are
often portrayed with the Matrikas. The Sapta-Matrikas were earlier
connected with Skanda (Kumara) and in later times, associated with the
sect of Shiva himself. During the Kushana period (1st to 3rd century),
the sculptural images of the matrikas first appear in stone. In the
Gupta period (3rd to 6th century A.D.), folk images of Matrikas became
important in villages. The Western Ganga Dynasty (350–1000 CE) kings of
Karnataka built many Hindu temples along with saptamatrika carvings and
memorials, containing sculptural details of saptamatrikas.
The inconsistency in the number of Matrikas found in the valley [Indus]
today (seven, eight, or nine) possibly reflects the localization of
goddesses. Although the Matrikas are mostly grouped as seven goddesses
over the rest of the Indian Subcontinent, an eighth Matrikas has
sometimes been added in Nepal to represent the eight cardinal
directions. In Bhaktapur, a city in the Kathmandu Valley, a ninth
Matrika is added to the set to represent the centre.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A.) Dargah
O breeze! turn towards Medina (and) from this well-wisher recite the Salaam.
Turn round the king of the prophets (and) with the utmost humility recite the Salaam.
Sometimes pass the gate of mercy (and) with the gate of Gabriel rule the forehead.
Salaam to the prophet of God (and) sometimes recite Salaam at the gate of peace.
Put with all respect the head of faith on the dust there.
Be one with the sweet melody of David and be acquainted with the cry of anguish.
In the assembly of the prophets recite verses from the humble being 'Nizam'.
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia (R.A)
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia's ancestors were from Bukhara (now in
Uzbekistan). After leaving their homeland, the paternal grandfather of
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia -- Khwaja Ali -- and the maternal grandfather of
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia -- Khwaja Arab -- along with their family, came
to India. At first they lived in Lahore, but later they took up their
residence in Badayun (East of Delhi). Khwaja Arab married his daughter
Bibi Zulaitaikha to Khwaja Ali's son Khwaja Ahmad.
Shaikh Nizamu'd-Din was born at Budaun in 1236. He lost his father at
the age of five and came to Ghiyaspur near Delhi, with his mother. Young
Nizamu'd-Din mastered the seven ways of reciting the holy Qur'an. Then
he studied Arabic grammar, commentary of the Qur'an and logic. At the
age of twelve, he received the "turban of excellency." He was so
sharp-witted, wise and understanding that he was given the title
"Debater, capable of defeating the congregation." He became
distinguished in mathematics and astronomy. Later he became the disciple
of the famous saint Shaikh Farid Shakarganj, who introduced him into
the world of Sufism. Later, Sheikh Farid Shakarganj appointed Nizamuddin
as his successor and he was conferred as Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia.
In his lifetime, Nizamu'd-Din was frequently at loggerheads with the
Delhi rulers but was also sought after for advice and blessing. He had
many followers which include the ferocious ruler named Sultan Ala-ud-din
Khilji and Muhammad Bin Tughlaq as well as Hazrat Amir Khusrau, who is
known as one of the most renowned poets of all times.
"
He was not a miracle-monger of the ordinary sort. He never flew in
the air or walked on water with dry and motionless feet. His greatness
was the greatness of a loving heart; his miracles were the miracles of a
deeply sympathetic soul. He could read a man's inner heart by a glance
at his face and spoke the words that brought consolation to a tortured
heart."
In the early period of his Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia experienced great
poverty. Although in Sultan Ghyasuddin Balban's time one could buy
melons for very little money, the greater part of the season would pass
without Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia eating a single slice. One day a pious
woman brought some barley flour and presented it to him. He asked Sheikh
Kamaluddin Yaqub to boil it in a cauldron. At that moment a faqir with a
patched frock arrived and with a loud voice said: "O, Nizamuddin! bring
whatever is present." Then Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia gave all the food to
him. The faqir ate it all and then broke the cauldron. Hereafter he
said: "O, Nizamuddin! You have received the bounties of the invisible
world from Baba Farid and the bowl of visible poverty I have broken. Now
you have become the sultan of both the visible and invisible world."
From that day on, countless gifts started coming and free food was
distributed to hundreds of visitors every day.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia was very generous as can be seen in the
following narration, which can be found in Jami's "Nafhatul Uns". A
merchant of Multan lost all his possessions to a band of thieves. He
told Sheikh Sadruddin, the son of the famous Suhrawardy saint (Shaikh
Bahauddin Zakaria of Multan), that he intended to go to Delhi and asked
for a letter of recommendation to Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. Then he was
told by the great saint that he would receive all the gifts that would
be given from the morning to the chasht (forenoon) prayers. About 12,000
golden and silver coins were received. All these were given to the
merchant. Every day large numbers of gifts used to be received, but they
were distributed before the evening. More than three thousand needy
people used to live on the langar (free feeding).
"In Allah's garden you gather roses,
Being drunk with divine mysteries:
Hazrat Mehboob-e-Elahi -- the beloved of Allah,
O, how I long for the attar of your company
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia represents in many ways the pinnacle of the
Chishti Order of the Sufis. Hazrat Baba Farid, his spiritual guide, said
to him on appointing him as his successor: "Be like a big tree, so that
Allah's creation, the human beings in their vast multitudes, may find
rest and solace under your shadow." This partly explains why he admitted
so many (according to some, including Barani, too many) men into the
Chishti order as his disciples. Another reason has been clearly
formulated in this way: "History, nonetheless, bears out the wisdom of
his open-ended policy . . . To far-flung areas of Uttar Pradesh,
Rajastan, Gujarat, Bihar, Bengal and the Deccan, Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia
sent able disciples well versed in the Chishti practices, yet sensitive
to the needs of the local populace."
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia lived in a small village called Ghiyaspur on the
outskirts of Delhi. He lived there for 60 years. He is also referred to
as Mehboob-e-Elahi, the beloved of Allah. He died in 1325 and is buried
here. Today, Ghiyaspur is better known as Nizamuddin. Muhammad Tughluq
built the tomb and to this day, the place is one of the sacred places of
pilgrimage. Though the original Tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin does not
exist, a nobleman and follower of the Saint named Faridun Khan
constructed this present Tomb structure sometime during the mid 15th
Century AD. This was later renovated and re-decorated by Feroz Shah
Tughlaq and his following successors as well as the following rulers.
The present structure was built between 1562-63 by Faridu'n Khan, a
nobleman with a high rank, and has been added to or repaired later by
several persons.
Hazrat Nizamuddin was so popular that while travelling through this
place, Mughal Emperors like Babar, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah
Jahan would ensure to halt at the Shrine of this Mystic Saint and duly
pay their respect at the Dargah. He was mainly known for his Doctrine of
Sacrifice and Surrendering to the Almighty as well as tolerance towards
other religious sects which greatly influenced people from all cultural
backgrounds and hence had a huge number of devotees following. He also
prophesized that Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq (name also spelled as
Ghiyath Al-Din Tughluq and real name was Ghazi Malik) would never return
to Delhi from his campaign and that is what exactly happened.
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq died on his way to Delhi in February 1325 AD. He
ruled for a short span of 5 years only between 1320 AD and 1325 AD and
was succeeded by his son, Muhammad Bin Tughluq.
The Courtyard is paved with marble where the sacred Shrine, Dargah or
Tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin sits and the grandiose pavilion that you see
today decked with lattice screens or 'Jalis' and arches made of marble
was later added to the shrine by Emperor Shah Jahan. Most of the
devotees and worshippers tie a red thread around these lattice screens
in hope of getting their wishes fulfilled. The imposing dome, ornate
with vertical stripes of black marble with lotus ornamentation was later
added by Mughal Emperor Akbar II.
The Tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin is surrounded by a Mosque and several
Tombs of famous people as it was their dying wish to be buried next to
the Sufi Saint. Other tombs situated inside the complex of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliyaa Dargah belong to Begum Jahan Ara, Shah Jahan's
favorite daughter, and Mirza Ghalib.
Seven hundred odd years later, the dargah still retains the essence of what it must have been like all those years ago.
Reference Sites:
http://www.nizamuddinaulia.com/
http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/
http://khawajagharibnawaz.com/KhwajaNizamuddin.html
Turtuk - Delightful Baltistan Indian frontier village
The barren landscape slowly transformed to green pastures. The chortens
and prayer flags, those ubiquitous landmarks of Ladakh, had disappeared.
The village transformed from Buddhist-Ladhaki to Muslim-Balti both
culturally and linguistically as we drove from Hunder via Panamik to
Turtuk, a delightful hamlet tucked into a narrow Shyok river valley in
the farthest corner of India. It is literally the last village on Indian
Line of border control.
The scenically magnificent main village is up a steep stairway leading
to stone terracing. High on a crag are the crumbling ruins of an old
fort. Turtuk like any other typical Baltistan village perches on
laboriously terraced and fertilised alluvial fans that extend from side
streams onto the banks of the main rivers. It is a tight cluster of
interconnected houses and narrow passageways. Houses of stone and dried
mud-brick with flat roofs of interlaced willow fronds overlain with mud
stand in the shade of giant apricot, walnut and mulberry trees. As with
other Ladakhi/Balti villages, water channels gurgle through the winding
village lanes.
River Shyok (literally "the river of death" in Yarkandi or Central Asian
- probably given by the Central Asian traders who ventured on this
treacherous route for centuries and perished) a roaring, turquoise
torrent rushing to converge with the mighty Indus in Pakistan is the
only thing noisy and brash in an otherwise tranquil and peaceful podunk.
Its water is augmented perennially by the countless little streams
originating from the Himalayan glaciers. One such gushing glacier-stream
cuts across Turtuk, dividing the village into two sides known as the
Youl and Farol. Youl, the original Turtuk village, is clustered below
the old fort and palace on the west bank of the stream. Pharol is the
newer village area among terraced fields on the east bank of the stream.
About 300+ Balti families belonging to Tibetan origin stay happily
together on either sides.
In the Balti language, balti refers to a basement chamber where animals
are housed below the ground-level human dwelling space. Such protective
housing for a necessarily limited number of animals marks the early
Balti people as settled agriculturists. These Tibetan-speaking farmers
might have been known to their Tibetan pastoral neighbors as Balti-pa,
"those who keep their animals in an underground chamber"
In winter the families occupy an 8X10 feet ground floor room with their
animals quartered below in the balti. In summer much of the life and
work of the household takes place on the roof. The village occupies as
little space as possible in order to allow maximum amount of cultivation
in this inhospitable soil. The village is surrounded by small plots of
privately owned land. Although new lands are developed through
communally pooled labour, as the land comes into production it is
divided into individually owned parcels, and villages must travel
farther and farther away from the village to work their fields. The
people continue to reside in the main village, preserving its compact
character.
Being lower in altitude than most towns in Nubra Valley (somewhere
around 3000m), the village is fertile and lush with vegetation.
Agriculture is in its full splendour during the summer months.
Vegetables including cauliflower, tomato, cabbage, spinach, carrots and
greens are cultivated and stored for the long and hard winter. Apricot
trees border every house's fencing. Walnut trees sport green, unripe
fruits. The locals dry up the mature fruits to extract the crispy
walnuts. Ancient Chinese documents refer to Baltistan as 'Apricot Tibet'
and Balti dried apricots were prized as far east as Lhasa.
The Balti, presumably descendants of the Scythians (Saka), form a
majority group among the Muslims of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. They
derive their name from their homeland Baltistan, and they also perceive
their distribution in Kargil, Leh and in parts of Baltistan. They speak
Balti and use the Perso-Arabic script.
The Baltis were Buddhist prior to 1400. At approximately that time, Sufi
teachers converted the Baltis to Islam. Local tradition attributes the
origin of Islam in Baltistan to one or more visits from Kashmir by
Sayyid 'Ali al' Hamadani. There is no historical record of his personal
visit, but his influence, whether directly or through his disciples, is
well established. Some of the oldest mosques in Baltistan are wooden
Khanaqahs, constructed on the unique design of the famous Shah Hamadan
mosque in Srinagar.
But most interesting, the Nurbakshiya Sufi order, derived from Ali al
Hamadani through Isaq al Khuttalani to Muhammad ibn Abdullah (known as
Nurbaksh) was brought from Kashmir to Baltistan. Nurbakshiya Sufis still
prevail in the eastern sections of Baltistan and are numerous in the
Shigar region. The rest of the Balti population, notably in the Skardu
area is predominantly Shia.
Following information has been borrowed from Encyclopaedia of the World Muslims: Tribes, Castes and Communities, Volume 1
A more important social-organisational correlate of Balti hydraulic
ecology is seen in the history of state formation and alien rule in
Baltistan. What are now the three most intensively irrigated regional
centres in Baltistan - Skardu, Shigar and Khapalu - were, from as early
as 740 A.D., the foci of major political development in the upper Indus
Basin. Most likely under the sponsorship of Chinese imperial power in
Turkestani dynasties established rulership in all three regions of
Baltistan. The Amacha family ruled over the sovereign state of Shigar
from some unknown date of origin until 1840.
The Yabgo dynasty was ruling in Khapalu for some time well before 1500
until 1972, when Khapalu was fully annexed into Pakistan. There is a
reason to believe that 'Amacha' derives from Amacas, a title granted by
the Chinese crown to the kings of Khota; and the 'Yabgo' derives from
yabghu, the title of the 8th C Turkic Buddhist rulers of Kundus in the
Tokharistan region of Turkestan.
In Baltistan, these dynasties came to rule under the title cho ('chief'
in Balti/Tibetan). Thus a ruling class of ancient Turkestan origin
(called Kha-Cho, brothers of the Cho) ruled over indigenous
Tibetan-speaking cultivators. The Balti states lost sovereigenity and
were gradually absorbed into the British-Indian empire beginning in
1840, when Zorawar Singh conquered all of Baltistan and Ladakh.
We were honored to meet the Khan of Turtuk, Mohammad Khan Kacho of the
Yabgo Dynasty of Chorbat Khaplu. He is the direct descendant of King of
Western Turkistan that ruled over this area (called Baltistan Chorbat)
for over 1000 years (800AD – 1800BC). His ancestors derived their power
and wealth from Turtuk’s strategic location on a feeder road of the Silk
Route going on to Central Asia via Skardu and Yarkand. The old Khan now
lives a poor life with a young wife and daughter aged 8-10 years who
could be easily mistaken for his grand daughter.
Khan has his own private museum of family artefacts that have been
passed on for generations. A proud historian himself he has written up
the history of his village and compiled the family tree from a cloth
version that was passed from generation to generation. A very humble and
hospitable man, he warmly welcomes one and all to his humble abode and
talks about his royal history with pride in fluent Hindi.
People of Turtuk primarily speak Urdu. Many can converse in Hindi and some Ladakhi. Most also have only a smattering of English.
Myriads of cobbled paths led us to a polo ground in Farol. Horse polo is
the famous game of Baltis and is being played for centuries with gaiety
and fervour. A game of Central Asian origin, it was first played in
Persia (Iran) at dates given from the 6th century BC to the 1st century
AD. Polo was at first a training game for cavalry units, usually the
king’s guard or other elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen, who played
it with as many as 100 to a side, it was a miniature battle.
In time polo became a Persian national sport played extensively by the
nobility. Women as well as men played the game.From Persia the game
spread to Arabia, then to Tibet (the English word polo is the Balti word
meaning “ball”), to China, and to Japan.
Both
parts of the village have a school that is managed by Avalokitesvara
Trust.The trust’s vision is to empower children with the gift of
education, the joy of learning, bringing previously absent opportunities
for a better overall quality of life in the region.
The aim is to enhance the mental, emotional and psychological
development of children within and beyond the education they receive at
school, giving them the best possible foundation for the rest of their
lives.
A land that is not frequented by the tourists manages to cling on to its
slowly dying Balti culture. A visit to this little village sure makes
you feel like you are on top of the world!
Jama Masjid - Champaner
Champaner, a sleepy town, with its crumbling fortifications, is a
tribute to Begada's architectural imagination. The focal point of
Champaner's World Heritage status, is the imposing Jama Masjid. Dating
to 1513, this is one of the finest mosques of Gujarat. The fine
architecture is an unique amalgam of Hindu and Muslim styles of
decoration. This gigantic structure with two imposing minars on either
side of the central entrance to the prayer hall was constructed over 125
years. The minars are a fine blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture.
The mosque is a place of pilgrimage for those who seek blessings from the pir who is buried in one corner of the mosque gardens.
The roof just behind the central dome is filled by a carved slab of
great beauty and ingenuity of workmanship. There are seven mehrabs
(prayer niches) in the back wall of the main prayer hall, the central
being more elaborated. The northern section of prayer hall was separated
by a perforated screen, reserved for ladies from where an extra
entrance was provided. The prayer hall has eleven domes with the central
dome, a double-storied structure, built on pillars in an arcade form. A
pillared corridor goes round the vast court yard.
The mosque stands on a raised platform and comprises a walled structure
with entrances on its north, south and east sides. The eastern entrance
is the main gateway into the building and projects outward in the form
of a wonderful doorway embellished with skillful decoration in stone.
The mosque has a courtyard surrounded by pillared corridors, with the
main shrine at the far end within which are seven mihrabs or prayer
niches. Like the Shahar-ki-Masjid , this mosque also has five arched
entrances, with the central one —higher and more prominent flanked by 30
metre high minarets. This mosque had three oblong mural plaques, one at
the top of the pulpit and the other two on the sides, with engravings
of hymns from the Koran. Of the two minarets, one was damaged by an
intentional gun firing in 1812 by Patankar, a Scindia Governor
considered a “tyrant.”
It was during the reign of Mahmud Begahra a passionate builder, the
famous Gujarat Muslim style reached its apogee. The Hauz-i-Vazu, a large
open-air tank for rainwater harvesting, adjoins the main mosque. Nearby
is a stepped tank that must have been used for pre-prayer
ablutions.Water-wise, Begada created narrow ledges at the base of slopes
to contain downhill streams, leading to interconnected lakes, and
finally to the largest Vada Talav in the plains.
Artisan communities responsible for building Champaner's mosques
practised the regional style of architecture, offering their skills to
the reigning patron, regardless of his faith. Even though figural
representation - a mainstay of temple embellishment was prohibited in
Islamic religious buildings, the artisans had many opportunities to
practice their trade in the profuse aniconic ornamentation. The stone
mihrabs in the Jami Masjid and other mosques had recessed frames with
lintels topped by aedicular niches within which were carved symbols of
plenitude: the sun, pot and foliage. Besides the pot motif (purnaghata),
the mosque and tomb surfaces were ornamented with the vine
(kalpavalli), the bands of diamond motif (ratnapatta), and lotus
medallions (padmasila), which had adorned the surfaces of earlier
temples.
Although the stone carvers and masons worked within a regional design
tradition, learned by imitative practice and passed down from one
generation to the next, their knowledge and skills were employed with a
degree of flexibility and inventiveness. The building patrons and users
were identifiably Hindu, Muslim, or Jain, but while the workers
themselves also had specific religious identities, their art was not
limited by sectarianism but could be adapted as needed. Their building
knowledge and skills were a living tradition imbibed from their
forefathers, not a codified and static text that would prove irrelevant
with changing times and patrons of different faiths.
Among all the UNESCO world heritage sites of India, Champaner is the
least celebrated.This is truly one of India's finest archaeological
sites and yet limelight still eludes it...Which muezzin called the
faithful to prayer at this masjid? I wonder!
7 comments:
Patwa Haveli - Tajmahal of Jaisalmer
In the early 18th Century, the Patwas were struggling to set up their
trade and business in Jaisalmer. The priest of Jain temple advised them
to leave the city and explore options elsewhere. The Patwas left
Jaisalmer never to return. Legend has it that the Patwas became
immensely rich as their business became successful. The business of
Guman Chand Patwa, head of this family, expanded up to Afghanistan in
the west and China in the north. Their business spanned across banking,
finance, silver, brocade and opium trade.
The Patwas were invited by the rules of Jaisalmer to finance the state
deficit. This brought the clan back to the city that they had decided
never to return to. Ghumanmal Bafna , the head of the family decided to
gift each of his five sons a separate and elaborate haveli against the
advise of the priest. Haveli is the term used for a private mansion in
India and Pakistan, usually one with historical and architectural
significance. The word haveli is derived from the Persian word hawli,
meaning "an enclosed place". They share similar features with other
mansions derived from Islamic Architecture such as the traditional
mansions in Morocco called Riads.
An intriguing asset to architectural history, the special quality of the
haveli stems from the fact that it is not a single haveli, but a
cluster of five havelis. The first of the five Havelis known as the
Kothar's Patwa Haveli, named after the present owner, is most opulent
and extrordinarily preserved. It gives a glimpse of the rich lifestyle
of the erstwhile Patwas.
The haveli has rich artistic work in each corner like the gracefully
carved pillars, façade or the balconies (jharokhas), expensive decorated
items imported from various coutnries, murals and interiors that have
derived inspiration from the Rajputi, Mughal as well as the Victorian
architecture. Jaisalmer had different forms of architecture in different
eras. The ancient times saw Rajputana architecture dominating the area
while the medieval period saw a fusion of Rajputana and Islamic
architecture. Most havelis were constructed during this era.
Patwa haveli exhibits an elaborate filigree work on stone. The dexterous
fingers of the stone carvers have created masterpieces of art, better
and minute than those found on the Taj Mahal. It also houses a museum,
where various rooms used by the Patwas, along with their household
items, have been kept intact to provide a glimpse of their lifestyle.
Besides exhibiting the lifestyle of the Patwas, they also hint at their
aesthetic taste.
Mohini Vilas (Mirror Work)
Widely considered as the ‘Taj Mahal of Jailsalmer’, the haveli was
mentioned in Lonely Planet (2009 edition) as the most magnificient of
all the havelis.
"
Most magnificent of all the havelis, its stone work like
honey-coloured lace, Patwa-ki-Haveli towers over a narrow lane. It was
build between 1800 and 1860 by five Jain brothers who were brocade and
jewellery merchants. It's most impressive from the outside. The first of
the five sections is opened as the privately owned Kothari's Patwa
Haveli Museum, which richly evokes 19th-century life. Next door is the
forlorn and empty (apart from pigeons and bats) government-owned haveli.
"
The Patwonji ki Haveli is an interesting piece of architecture and is
the most important among the havelis in Jaisalmer. It was the first
haveli erected in Jaisalmer. The first among the cluster was constructed
in 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa and is the biggest and the most
ostentatious. He ordered the construction of separate stories for each
of his five sons. These were completed in 50 years, indicating the
sophistication and vastness of each structure. All five houses were
constructed in the first 60 years of the 19th century.
The havelis are also known as the "mansion of brocade merchants". This
name has been given probably because the family dealt in threads of gold
and silver used in embroidering dresses. However, there are theories,
which claim these traders made considerable amount of money in opium
smuggling and money-lending. Keeping in mind the climate of Jaisalmer,
the floors are made of mud and wood has been used for the roofs so that
the havelis remain cool in summers and warm in winters. Each haveli has a
diwankhana, guest room, kitchen, basement, staircase, safes etc.
Munim's chamber
The haveli has a Munim's chamber within it. Munims worked as accountants
and secretaries to big businessmen. The Munim was the real
interlocutor for the official business. He was not only the mediator and
spokesman, but also a key personage who could both read and draft
materials and who had a grasp over the realities of the trade. Besides, a
Munim was also required to be discreet and virtuous.
The furnishing of the room was simple, the Munim would sit at one end of
the room with his paraphernalia of typewriter, ink pen and ink stand,
bahi khata (official business accounts), scrolls and scroll keepers to
seal in confidential papers and record the proceedings of business
meetings, make and receive payments and oversee the balance sheet of the
business. At the other end would be a small seating area where the
Patwa seated at the center entertained clients with hookah, food and
drinks and engaged in business dealings. In one corner would be a safe
to store cash and valuables and in the other a picture painting of
Goddess Lakshmi worshipped by all who seek material wealth and fortune.
Visitors would be entertained in the drawing room, situated on the
second floor. At present the drawing room attracts the viewers'
attention with the huge elegant 'surahi' (wine/water container). The
furniture - the superbly carved sofas, chairs, centre table and the side
tables - are characteristic of 19th C rich houses and is marked by
heavy forms and intricacy of design. The office table could be used to
read, write or sign documents while engaged in socializing and
entertainment.
Gold Ceiling in chamber
A chess board is nearby if the party wanted to play a friendly game.
Collectors' items of decorative and functional value play a great role
in the image of the drawing room. Of particular note are the antique
clock, old fashioned cameras and the real master piece is a large music
box. Pictures on the wall enliven the mood of the room, and the mirrors
enchance the light from candles during the evening. A bottle of scented
water was kept handy to be sprinked in the room to refresh the air and
create an ambience.
Chess table in Jivan Vilas
Silver Crafted bed
Dressing Room
The courtyard had a kitchen in one corner with a large trough of water
constructed in the adjoining room. This was filled through an opening in
the outer wall of the room by a camel driver carrying casks filled with
water. In the evening, family members would sit there on cots and
gossip.
The dining room was usually used for private meals in a narrow circle;
not infrequently friends and people of importance were invited.
Traditionally men and women in Rajashtan ate separately, with women
usually eating after men finished. Sitting area is sparsely furnished
with gaddis (cushions) laid out for everyone to sit on the floor (and an
occasional chair) with their thali (plate) in front of them. Food was
then served from the large pots and bowls brought from teh kitchen by
the women of the house, and when finished they would leave their thali
in place to be collected later by the women or the servants and proceed
to wash their hands. Also displayed in the room are large tiffin boxes
perhaps carried by the men to their workplace, which are unusually
interesting.
In terms of food choice, as in all other spects of living the geography
and the availability of food ingredients has major influence on the
Rajasthani cuisine. Lack of agricultural area means lack of green leafy
vegetables, therefore lentils, pulses and legumes are the major food of
choice. Scarcity of water means use of milk, curd and buttermilk in
place of water in the gravy. Add to this a liberal dose of spices to add
colour and taste and what you get is the essentials of any Rajasthani
food preparation.
Ornamental ceiling of Jivan Vilas
The havelis give us a peep into the rigid lifestyle of that society.
Social norms and cooling dictated the architectural style of these
mansions. Usually there were two courtyards — an outer one for the men
and inner for women and children. The first floor balconies, overhanging
the streets, had latticed windows enabling the women to view the
outside world without being looked at. The front of the haveli has 60
latticed balconies so finely carved as if they have been created from
wood than from stone. It has exquisitely carved pillars and extensive
corridors and chambers.
Fans, Locks and betel nut cutters on display
The fortunes of the Patwas started dwindling and consequently they had
to abandon the city again to seek new fortunes in distant lands. They
left the havelis at the mercy of the care takers. Eventually the care
takers became the owners and sold the havelis. The first of the havelies
was purchased by Jeevanlal Ji Kothari, a native of Jaisalmer who like
the Patwas had left the city to explore better opportunities.
Havelis are mysterious - there is much more to what is revealed to the
naked eye! But if one really researches their history, relevance to the
world of culture and the message that these empty mansions shout out, it
is no wonder that many have trekked to India to see for themselves what
they have to offer. It is a mesmerising experience one shall never
forget!
8 comments:
Joger Gerusoppa - Jog Falls - Shivamogga
"Who can stand over this mighty spectacle, says one, and
disbelieve in a Creator? No, says another, the most cogent
position-topographically as well as theologically speaking-is below, in
the pool. One man has been tapping the dark-gray rocks with a little
hammer and hints at geological possibilities. Another laments the huge
waste of "uncaptured" power. A third promises excellent fishing a
certain number of feet above, or is it below? The Falls. One brave
Englishman has, somewhere in the nineteenth century, made a perilous
crossing on foot, through a merciful barrage of rocks, and . . . "how he
perspired"!
- Essay on Gersoppa Falls by Late Armando Menezes
Considered on a global basis, waterfalls tend to occur in 3 principal kinds of areas -
(i) along the margins of high plateaus or the great fracrures that dissect them
(ii) along fall lines, which mark a zone between resistant crystalline
rocks of continental interiors and weaker sedimentary formations of
coastal regions
(iii) in high mountain areas, particularly those that were subjected to glaciation in the recent past.
The most spectacular fall-line waterfalls, include Churchill (formerly
Grand) falls, Labrador - Canada, Jog Falls (Gerusoppa Falls) and Paulo
Afonso Falls - Brazil.
Jog Falls created by the Sharavathi River falling from a height of 253 m
(830 ft) is the second-highest (after the Nohkalikai Falls with a
height of 1100 feet (335 metres) in Meghalaya) plunge waterfall in
India. Located in Sagara, Karnataka Shivamogga District of Karnataka
state, these segmented falls are a major tourist attraction. It is also
called by alternative names of Gerusoppe falls, Gersoppa Falls and
Jogada Gundi.
There are many waterfalls in India that drop from a higher altitude than
Gerusoppa. But, unlike most of such falls, Jog Falls is untiered, i.e.,
it drops directly and does not stream on to rocks. Thus, it can be
described as the First-highest untiered waterfall in India. The
waterfall database gives it 83 scenic points while Angel Falls is at 97.
Jog Falls consists of four distinct falls named Raja, Rani, Roarer and
Rocket. The Raja Falls peacefully streams down; the Rani Falls follows a
winding path, the Roarer Falls bursts out of a rocky stretch, while the
Rocket Falls gushes out in high speed remaining true to its name.
Sharavathi river originates at Ambuthirtha in Thirthahalli taluk, flows
north-west through the Western Ghats forming the Jog Falls before
joining the Arabian Sea at Honavar. Discovered by British explorers 150
years ago, Jog Falls, which is three times higher than the Niagara Falls
in the US, has always been an enigma.
Jog falls was officially discovered by the British travellers in the
1860s. The water inflow into the falls from river Sharavathi has
decreased considerably after Linganamakki dam - one of the biggest dams
in the country was built across the river in 1965. The splendid beauty
of Jog falls reappears only during the Monsoon every year.
The falls surrounded by mist, deep valleys, hundreds of miles of virgin
forest and rolling hills is declared as one of the top ten UNESCO
ecological hot spots in the world. During the colonial days, Sharavati
river separated the British province of Bombay presidency from the
Mysore Kingdom of Wodeyars. The Mysore bungalow was illuminated with
bright lights, thanks to the efforts of the great engineer
Vishveshwariah while the British area was drenched in darkness.
The visitors book at the elegant colonial buildings British Bungalow
(built in 1862, very close to the falls) and Mysore guest house (built
in 1892 facing the falls) have the comments and signatures of British
Viceroys like Lod Curzon, Lord Hardinge, Mount Batten, leaders like
Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore, Sardar Patel, Sir M Vishweshwaraiah,
kings of Mysore, Indira Gandhi, Churchil, Khrushchev, Thatcher.
KSTDC has recently started a laser show at Gerusoppa which is a
spectacular tribute to the glory of Karnataka and the rich culture of
Gerusoppa. On the event of Independence day a special tribute was also
paid to the nation that was received with a thunderous applause by the
audience.
1 comment:
Bandhavapura (Bandalike)
Bandalike also called Bandanike although an uninhabited village now, was
an important place under the Kadamba kings. The Kadambas of Nagarkhanda
were another scion of the Kadamba dynasty. They claimed to be the
descendents of Mayuravarma, the progenitor of the Kadamba family and in
order to show their genealogical connection with the early Kadambas they
styled themselves
'the boon lords of Banavasi-pura'. This
was obviously a mere title, as they were never in continual possession
of this city. Their capital was perhaps the city of Bandahvapura, since
they claimed to be its boon lords. Their personal title seems to be that
of
Mahamandaleswara, and their family God was Shiva. The
place was ruled by Navanandas from 911 to 1510 AD. It was also ruled by
Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Kalachuryas, Hoysalas, Yadavas and Vijayanagar
kings from time to time. The importance of the place is well attested by
the lithic records of the Rashtrakutas (circa seventh-eighth century
AD.), later Chalukyas (circa eleventh-twelth century AD.), Kalachuris,
Hoysalas (circa twelth century AD.), Seunas (circa thirteenth century
AD.) and Vijayanagara (circa fifteenth--sixteenth century A.D.).
Bandavapura was a prosperous centre in the 11th and 12th centuries
during the period of the Chalukyas of Kalyan and was the chief town of
Nagarakhanda-70.
The ruins of the old city that covers an extensive area contains several
dilapidated temples of large dimensions. The many ruins and temples
narrate interesting stories. The inscription found here informs that it
was ruled by the wise Chandragupta Maurya. It was a prosperous agrahara
and a popular pilgrim centre for the Jains even from the beginning of
the 10th century. There is big Jaina basadi on the right side of the
tank named Nagara-kere or Nagaratirtha called Shantinatha basadi.
The Shantinatha Basadi in plan has a garbhagriha, an antarala; a four
pillared mahamandapa and a thirty two-pillared mukhamandapa all in
north-south orientation. The mahamandapa in its southern wall has the
devakoshthas on either side of the sukanasi doorway which is also
provided with perforated jalis, datable to the times of Rashtrakuta
Krishna (Kannaradeva) the temple received endowments by one Jakkiyabbe
who was ruling Bandalike in A.D. 912. This is for the first time we find
women being appointed to such responsible positions. She was a pious
Jain devotee and built a number of temples and basadis in Bandalike.
The epigraphs dated to 1200 and 1203A.D. record that the basadi was
rebuilt by a merchant named Boppa Setti. The sanctum is bereft of Jaina
images. However, a few mutilated Jaina sculptures are found inside.
Trimurathi Narayana Temple
Built
in 1160 A.D., this is a Trikutachala (triple-celled) temple of the
Kalyana Chalukyan period. The superstructure on the northern and
southern shrines are intact and the western one has collapsed. Known for
its elegance and symmetry, this temple in east west orientation has
Shiva-linga in the the western and southern cells and the northern cell
has a sculpture of Vishnu. All the three cells have vestibules with
ornamental doorways flanked by niches. The western cell has well
sculptured simhalata at its antarala doorway.
The Veerabhadra temple
To the north-east of the basadi stands the temple of Veerabhadra which
appears to have been built in the 14th century. The image of the deity
is well executed. It is in the pose of marching to the left, holding in
his four hands a sword, arrow, bow and shield. To the west of the temple
is a mound on which there is an image of Mahishasuramardini in a
standing pose, with eight hands. there is a mutilated image of a four
handed god, perhaps, Vishnu.
The Someshvara temple
In the north-east corner of the old Chalukyan town-site is situated the
Someshwara temple, also known as Anekalsomayya and Boppaswara temple.
This was constructed by Boppa Setti in 1274 A.D. This is an austere
temple with a Garbhagriha, Antarala, and a pillared Mandapa with a proch
in east-west orientation. The entrance doorway is ornate with as many
as four door jambs which at the base has well sculptured Dwarapalas and
apsara figures. The jambs are of ornate variety with creeper
decorations. The lintle at the centre has Gajalakshmi. On either side of
the door are artisticaly sculptured, peforated screens which are
divided by circular small panels bearing relief figures of deities,
yakshas, swans, lions, etc. Between the rows of perforations are the
narrative freizes depicting episodes from the epics of Ramayana and
Mahabharatha. The sanctum is bereft of any images. Inside the
Mahamandapa are six niches, tow flanking the antarala and three each in
the northern and south walls of the mandapa, the central one being
larger.
The following paragraphs in
italics have been borrowed from "
The Foreign Quarterly Review, Volume 19"
On the mountain of Kailasa, when Shiva was sitting in his court,
Chandeshwara stood up in his presence, and saluted him with a single
hand. Parvati Devi, observing it, said to Shiva "Oh, parameshwara, every
one salutes us with both hands. What is the reason that this person
salutes with but one?"
Parameshwara then became ardhanarishwara. Chandeshwara beholding it
remarked "Although foul or fragrant odours may be wafted by the wind, or
the shadow of the sun reflected from a jar of water, yet are they not
one exitence?" So saying, he turned to the right half and saluted it
alone.
Parvati, then being highly enraged, spoke thus "Chandeshwara, I am the
material mask of the spirit; how can you refuse to acknowledge me? You
are under my command as long as you are enveloped with a body."
Chandeswara then became Bhringishwara with 3 legs, at which the Ganas
were surprised, and called him Ganeshwar (the exempted from matter),
Parvati, beholding Shiva said that she had conferred half of her body to
him, and Brahma and Vishnu and the rest were concentered in her; which
then was greater, Bhringishwara or Shiva himself?"
When he grew up, he said to his parents that he was born to them for
their faith to Shiva; and wished to teach the prayers of Shiva to the
disciples in the different regions and he showed them the mode of
attaining liberation. He went to Banavasi and subdued the musicians and
Maya there and obtained the title of Niranjani.
Mayadevi seeks his hand in marriage, but Prabhudeva chooses instead to
lose himself in dhyana or penance. Mayadevi looks for him everywhere,
but eventually, a disappointed princess arrives at Bandalike. Allama
Prabhu, the celebrated saint changes Mayadevi into a divine form. A
temple at Bandalike is dedicated to Mayadevi or Banashankari. Local
devotees worship the goddess as Maha Durgi. It is believed that in the
olden days, this temple was the centre of tantrik rituals by a group of
kalamukhas.
As a number of shrubs and small forest trees have grown around this
shrine due to negligence over a long period, this goddess has gained the
names of Banashankari, Bana Devi and Bandamma. Most probably, the
village also came to be called after this deity as Bandalike.
9 comments:
Madhukeshwara Temple Vanavasaka (Banavasi)
Chaagadha bhogadhakkaradha geyadha nottiyalampinimpugalgaagaramaadha
maanasare maanisar! amthavaraagi puttalenaagiyumeno theerdhapudhe?
theeradhodam maridhumbiyaagi menkogileyaagi puttuvudhu namdhanadhoL
banavaasidheshadhol”
It is a virtue to be born in Banavasi as a human being. If not as a
human being, then one should be born at least as a bee or a cuckoo in
the garden of Banavasi
- Pampa, Kannada poet (born 902 CE)
Banavasi features in Hindu mythology across many eras. It is referred to
as ‘Vanavasaka’ in the epic Mahabharata, suggesting that the town
existed since 4000 B C considering period of Mahabharata. According to
Mahavamsa, a Buddhist text, Samrat Ashoka had sent missionaries to
Banavasi. Legends also say that Kalidasa too visited Banavasi as an
ambassador of Gupta kings. His famous work Meghaduta has references to
Banavasi.
Recognised as the first capital of 'Kunthala’ state (Kunthala refers to
present days Shimoga, Uttara Kannada and Dharwad disricts) when the
Kadamba dynasty ruled over the region from the 4th to the 6th C it was
know by the name ‘Jayanthipura’or ‘Vaijayanthipura’. Huen Tsang the
Chinese traveler-monk who was in India between 630-644 C.E, visited
Konkanapura called Konkanapulo(referred in Chinese scripts)or Banavasi.
Today, river Varada surrounds the town on three sides. Perhaps in
ancient times it was mighty and surrounded the fort on the fourth side
as well. Hence, the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshi II refers to
Banavasi as “Jaladurga” or water fort. The famous European historian
Kittel says that the name ‘Banavasi’ has come from two words ‘Bana’ and
‘Vasi’. ‘Bana’ means forest and ‘Vasi’ means spring.
Madhukeshwara temple, the nucleus of Banavasi, was built by the Kadamba
dynasty. It is believed that Mayura Sharma, the first King of the
Kadamba dynasty built this temple. Madhukeshwara temple is named after
the honey (madhu) coloured Shiva Linga. Though the shivalinga belongs to
the ancient times, it is believed that original shrine was that of
Vishnu.
The main shrine in the Madhukeshwara Temple was built during the nascent
stages of temple architecture. So, it is a very simple structure with
minimal decorative sculptures on the walls and pillars. This
architectural marvel has seen many modifications in later years as every
dynasty which ruled Banavasi like the Chalukyas, Hoysalas and rulers of
Sonda contributed its share over thousand years to its present shape.
This is evident visually as we move from the ornate sculptures into the
sombre simplicity of the innermost sanctum sanctorum. Some splendid
monolithic stone contributions of Sonda rulers like the stone couch and
the porch dedicated to the depiction of the three worlds of existence –
heaven, earth and the nether world. There is a belief that visiting this
temple is equivalent to visiting all of Hinduism’s main temples.
The Sankalpa Mantapa, in front, reveals the influence of the Chalukya
style. There is a seven-foot huge Nandi idol made of a single stone.
The dancing hall was added during the Hoysala period and has exquisite
carving on the pillars and the ceiling. It is here that the legendary
Natyarani Shantala is said to have challenged the famed musician Allama
Prabhu.
There are many smaller idols of different deities around the main
temple, added from time to time in the renovated temple. There are idols
depicting Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu from all their main abodes
including Varanasi, Tirupati and Rameshwaram. There is a striking 'Ardha
Ganapathi' - half idol of Ganesha which literally symbolises the
bachelorhood of Ekadanta standing without the Ardhangi. It is said that
the other half is in Varanasi.
There is also an unusual idol of Lord Narasimha portrayed with two hands
and a peaceful face. The unique feature of this idol is that the eyes
appear to be wide open in dim light and appear to be closed in the
bright light. A five-hooded Naga sculpture dating back to the second
century has an inscription in Prakrit saying that princess Sivaskanda
Nagashri had this installed when she had a rest house for travellers and
a tank constructed at the site.
There are Jaina and Buddhist relics, attesting that Banavasi was
homeland of all sects and creeds. Huen Tsang has recorded that there
were a hundred monasteries of both Hinayana and Mahayana sects with
10,000 Buddhist monks and priests. He further records that a monastery
was dedicated to Sarvana Siddha (Buddha) and a huge sandalwood image of
Buddha- Mitreya at Banavasi had miraculous powers.
As the most ancient city of India, perhaps next only to Varanasi,
Banavasi has been a cultural and religious center for ages. It has a
rich past being the grand capital of the first and one of the mighty
royal dynasties of Karnataka. Buddhist, Hindu and Jaina scholars lived
and worked here. It was perhaps an ideal Indian ancient metropolis
representing endless tolerance and embodiment of unity in diversity to
inspire Pampa to write -
It is a virtue to be born in Banavasi as a human being. If not as a
human being, then one should be born at least as a bee or a cuckoo in
the garden of Banavasi
Tarakeshwara Temple - Viratanagara (Hangal)
Called Viratkot, Viratnagari, and Panungal in inscriptions, Hangal is
locally believed to be a place where the Pandavas lived during part of
their exile from Delhi. Until conquered by the Hoysala king Ballal II
about 1200, Hangal, also known as Hanungal was governed by the dynasty
of the Kadambas who were the vassals of the Western Chalukyas.
Kadambas were the earliest patronizers of Hangal. This small town was
ruled by Kadambas of Banavasi, Gangas, Kalyani Chalukyas, Hoysalas,
Vijayanagara, Adil Shahis and finally Tipu Sultan. Tarakeshwara temple
is a marvel of architectural splendor. It was constructed by Kadambas
and later Kalyani Chalukyas made changes to it.
Assignable to 12th century A.D., the temple faces east & has a
garbhagriha(sanctum sanctorum), an antarala (antichamber between
garbhagriha and the mantapa) a navaranga and a mukhamantapa (main hall)
in the typical Kalyani Chalukya style. The navaranga has entrance on the
East, South and North. The garbhagriha is raised over a multi angled
plinth and houses a linga on a high pedestal. The doorway of the
antarala (vestibule in the form of an intermediate chamber which usually
connects the two isolated parts of the Temple i.e. garbhagriha and
mantapa.) is richly decorated. The two side walls of the antarala are
decorated with Jalandhara (lattice windows work) for ventilation. The
pillars and columns of this temple are lathe-turned which was very
advanced technology for the 12th century.
The ceiling of the eight-pillared hall (mantapa) is carved like a full
bloomed lotus medallion. The four corners of the mantapa are adorned by
miniature sculptures.
The decorated pillars & the carved ceilings of the elaborate
Chalukyan style are a celebration of stone workmanship and architecture.
The kaksashana (balcony seatings) is decorated with scenes from the
Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The sikhara raised over the garbhagriha
(sanctum sanctorum) depicts scenes from the Sivapurana.
Origin of Kadambas
The following paragraphs have been borrowed from The Kadamba Kula - a history of ancient and mediaeval Karnataka by George M. Moraes
There was a Brahman family devoted to the study of Vedas and to the
performance of sacrificial rites. They belonged to the Manavya gotra and
their name of
Kadambas was derived from the fact that
they carefully tended a Kadamba tree which grew near their house. In
this Kadamba family was now born an illustrous and learned Brahman named
Mayurasarma, who together with his guru Virasarma went to Kanchipuram,
the capital of the Pallava kings, to prosecute the study of the Vedas.
There he took part in a sharp quarrel with some Pallava horsemen, and
being enraged at the treatment meted out on this occasion, and
considering it a dishonour to the Brahmanas, he, in the picturesque
words of the Talagunda inscription, "with the ands dexterous in grasping
the Kusa grass, the fuel, the stones, the ladle, the melted butter, and
the oblation vessel, unsheathed a flaming sword eager to conquer the
world". Accordingly, having trained himself in war-like exercises, he
easily overpowered the frontier guards and established himself in the
almost inaccessible forests of Sriparvata (Srisailam, Karnool District).
There he grew so powerful that he was able to levy tribute from the
great Bana and other Kings and caused much havoc by his predatory
excursions. The Pallava kings of kanchi took the field against him; but
he could not be subdued. At last they made a compact with him by which
he undertook to enter their service. Distinguishing himself by his deeds
of valour, he pleased the Pallavas, his master, who finally installed
him as King over a territory extending from the Amara ocean (western
ocean) to the Premara country (Malva), specifying that other chiefs
"should not enter it".
Prof. Kielhorn observes that Kubja the composer of Talagunda inscription
states that Mayurasarma entered the service of the Pallavas by becoming
a dandanayaka or general. This view is supported by the description in
the inscription which states Kadamba family as the great lineage of
leaders of armies (senani) and also that Mayurasarma was anointed by
Shadanana (the six faced god of war) after meditating on Senapati ie.
the general of Gods (Kartikeya).
It is possible that Mayurasharma, also styled Mayuravarma, availed
himself of the confusion prevailing in the country after the southern
expedition of Samudragupta and established himself as an independent
ruler. It is evident from the inscription that Mayuravarma soon grew
sufficiently powerful to impose his suzerainty on the neighbouring
kings. An epigraphical record found at the same village says that he
performed 18 horse sacrifices.
This number seems to be a little exaggerated, after a lapse of 7-8
centuries. Nevertheless, it may safely be maintained that he really
performed one or perhaps a few more, which thus formed the historical
foundation for the exaggerated version of the later records. This was
indeed a great achievement, for it is well known that the great Gupta
King, Samudra Gupta, for instance performed only one.
The outer walls of the temple are articulated with both Dravidian and nagara style of miniature shikaras.
The dynastic symbol of theKadambas was the lion. It is possible that
they borrowed this from the Pallavas, who also had this sign for their
national emblem. The reason for this assumption is that the Pallavas, as
has already been noted were at least for some time the overlords of the
Kadambas. It may incidentally be observed that the dynasty of the
Vishnukundins also had the lion for their symbol, and it is not
improbable that the Pallavas borrowed it from them. The image of an
advancing lion with its right fore-paw raised, its neck erect, mouth
wide open and the tail twirled round is employed as a decorative motif
in several Kadamba temples.
Pangong Tso - Lukung Lake
Nestled between Zanskar in Jammu & Kashmir and Tibet at an altitude
of 15,000 feet is the restricted area of Rupshu. Lying on an ancient
nomad route, Rupshu has sweeping deserts separated by narrow ranges with
lofty passes and is inhabited by nomadic people called Changpas. The
lowest point is at 13,000 feet along the Indus River near the town of
Chumtang. Rupshu has several large, crystalline lakes like Tso Moriri
and Pangong framed in large basins between two ranges of Ladakh and
Zanskar mountains.
Rupshu abounds in myth and legend. Some say that Jesus passed the lost
years of his life in Hemis monastery. Lama Govinda received his second
spiritual, mystical initiation while resting at Thak Thok monastery on
the approach to the Chang La and gypsy Davy and Lady Ba camped for three
weeks at various places along Pangong Lake in the early 1920s. Once,
Lady Ba's horse, Tomar, disappeared with a herd of Kiang(Tibetian Wild
Ass). The best Shikaris were sent to track him, and they did, across two
ranges and a valley. On the third day, Tomar returned seven years
younger.
Kashmir Himalayas are characterised by high snow covered peaks, deep
valleys, interlocked spurs and high mountain passes. A bone rattling
drive of 5 hours from Leh through dramatic mountain roads and mountain
pass Chang-la leads to Pangong lake. Situated at an elevation of over
5270m, Chang-la is a high mountain pass in the Greater Himalayas. Being
snow-covered, it remains closed during the winter season. The pass has a
temple dedicated to Chang-la Baba after whom the pass has been named.
Hundreds of bright Green, Red, Orange and Yellow prayer flags at the
temple flutter in the wind showering the blessings of Chang-la baba on
the tourists.
The icy wind, the lack of oxygen and heavy snowfall makes it difficult
to be at chang-la for long. The road after Chang-la is extremely steep,
leading to the small town of Tangtse. Breathtaking views of the uniquely
textured mountains in this region and the plains stretched before them,
the Intriguing views of barren mountains, fabulous marshlands and a
rare village make the journey picturesque and offer a special treat for
senses.
Passing through the quaint village you might chance upon a herd of
dzomos. Tibetans, Mongolians, and other cultures use dzo and dzomos as
pack animals in high mountain regions, much the same as pure bred yaks. A
rarely used English term of yakow refers to a female hybrid of yak and
domestic cattle, popularly known as dzomor or Zhom. Cultures living in
high elevations, such as the Himalayas, rely on animals with the
strength and physiological characteristics required to carry heavy loads
for long, arduous journeys through rugged mountain conditions. Animals,
therefore, must have the ability to breath the rarified air of high
elevations, as well as the dexterity to navigate difficult mountain
terrain. Compared to purebred yak, dzo are more agile, owing to their
cow ancestry, but without the pulmonary challenges cattle suffer at high
elevations.
In addition to being pack animals, herders also use dzo and dzomos for
more traditional livestock purposes. Since dietary requirements of yaks,
cattle, and hybrids are the same, upkeep for large herds is relatively
simple and allows herders to maximize the usefulness of each animal.
Milk and meat production from bovid hybrids is reportedly higher than
purebred yaks. Meat, milk, and hides not only provide sustenance for
herders and their families, but commodities for resale to others.
Popularly known as Moon land for its outlandish landscape of vast barren
mountains, Ladakh has scant vegetation, and virtually no rainfall.
Animals have to survive in freezing conditions. Despite the hostile
conditions, some wildlife manages to survive. The plains are home to the
Tibetan wild ass or kiang, wild horses (the ones from Zanskar are even
better known), and marmots whose population outnumbers that of humans by
a ratio of 1000:1! Wild horses grazing here ar the backdrop of
picturesque hills make wonderful frames.
Although the once massive herds of speedy Kyang, the Tibetan wild Ass,
are greatly depleted in Rupshu, the Marmot colonies have not visibly
suffered from poaching. In Rupshu, as in the sweeping Deosai plains of
Baltistan and parts of rugged Zanskar, the sizable, sleek Marmots,
larger than the groundhogs they resemble, are the real denizens of this
high mountain desert.
Marmots are generally large ground squirrels and tend to live in
mountainous areas. They typically live in burrows (often within
rockpiles, particularly in the case of the yellow-bellied marmot), and
hibernate there through the winter. Most marmots are highly social and
use loud whistles to communicate with one another, especially when
alarmed. They mainly eat greens and many types of grasses, berries,
lichens, mosses, roots and flowers.
Indeed, as Richelle Mead quotest in "The Indigo Spell"
“Sometimes it's worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination.”
Pangong Tso lake is known for its calm, clear and unending expanse. The
size of the lake is best inferred from the probable etymology of its
name, Pangong, which means extensive concavity. It is 130 km long and 7
km wide.
It is the biggest lake in Asia with its area falling under both India
and China. One third of it is in India and remaining in China. The lake
was once divided between Ladakh and Tibet as early as 1684 under the
Treaty of Tingmosgang signed between the king of Ladakh, Deldan Namgyal,
and the Regent of Tibet. As of today it is shared by India and China.
The Line of Actual Control between Indian and China passes through this
lake. The eastern end of the lake is in Tibet and the dispute-free area
of the lake is the western end. At present, the lake is the point in
India from where intrusions of China can be easily observed.
The mirror-calm water is cold, clear, and extremely salty, holding
sufficient quantity of lime to form a calcareous deposit, which cements
the pebbles together in patches of concrete on its bank. It is believed
that there is a large amount of minerals in the basin of the lake, which
result from the melting of the snow.
Pangong Tso is a clear symbol of nature’s craftsmanship. Its brackish
water plays with sun light to produce different colour effects. The
water sparkles in distinct shades of blue, green, purple, and violet,
being transparent to a good depth.
The lake remains cut off from the rest of the Ladakh for about six
months (winter months) as the road leading to lake across the Changla
pass remains closed for more than six months. The lake remains frozen
for more than three months from the last week of December to first week
of April.
The stark beauty and serenity of the lake has been known to touch a
tender chord in even the most hardened traveler. Pangong comes as a
breathtaking relief in the parched landscape of Ladakh. The haunting
play of light and shadow on the hills around the lake and the sun rays
playing magic with the crystal clear water imparting colours from
turquoise to azure to an amazing irridescent green creates a surreal
effect.
Sitting on its sandy beach and listening to the accentuated cackling of the birds,
feeling the gentle waves caressing your feet, you can't help but hum..
Put on your slippers and sit by the fire
Youve reached your top and you just can't get any higher
Youre in your place and you know where you are
In your shangri-la
Sit back in your old rocking chair
You need not worry, you need not care
You can't go anywhere
Shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la, shangri-la
You will want to return to this slice of heaven in the mountains!
1 comment:
Lamayuru Monastery (bla ma gyung drung dgon pa)
Ancient legend says that at the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, the valley of
Lamayuru used to be a clear lake. King of Nagas and his retinue
inhabited the valley. Bodhisattva Madhyantaka predicted that the lake
would eventually dry up and make way for the construction of a Buddhist
monastery.
Mahasiddha Naropa,a 11th century Indian Buddhist scholar sat in
meditation for many years in one of the caves in Lamayuru, which can
still be seen in the Dukhang. A crack was formed in the hillside
surrounding the lake through which the lake started draining. When the
lake dried out, Naropa found a dead lion lying inside it. On the same
spot, he constructed the first temple of the area, known as the Sengye
Gang (Lion Mound).
Lamayuru gompa, with its medieval village seemingly growing out of the rocky hillside belongs to the red-hat sect of Buddhism.
Lamayuru is perhaps the oldest monastery in Ladakh, thought to be a site
of pre Buddhism Shrine of the ancient Bön religion of Tibet. Historical
accounts relate that in the 10th century the King of Ladakh ordered the
building of Lamayuru and placed it under the supervision of Rinchen
Zangbo. The original gompa was composed of five buildings although only
the central one still stands. The 16th century, Ladakh's King Jamyang
Namgyal was cured of leprosy by a lama from Tibet. In gratitude, the
King gave the gompa to this lama and also bestowed other privileges - no
taxes were collected and the area surrounding the gompa was declared a
sanctuary where none could be arrested. For this reason, Ladakh's still
refer to Lamayuru as Tharpa Ling, the "Place of Freedom".
In the past, the gompa housed up to 400 lamas, but presently lesser than
50 lamas live here, although about 150 lamas belong to the gompa. The
other lamas stay and teach at Lamayuru's daughter gompas located in
outlying villages. Twice a year, all the lamas gather for prayers,
accompanied by three days of masked dancing.
Galdan Tashi Chhuling Gompa [Diskit Monastery]
Diskit Gompa has quite an interesting legend attached to it. It is
believed that a Mongol demon once lived here and was considered to be a
sworn enemy of Buddhism. He was annihilated near the monastery. However,
even after his death, his body kept coming back to the monastery. It is
said that even today the wrinkled head and hand of the demon lie inside
a temple of the monastery, which is filled with fierce Gods and
Goddesses.
The following paragraph is borrowed from
'Research on Ladakh Proceedings of the sixth International Colloquium on Ladakh Leh 1993'
There is very little information on the valley before the 14th C; but
from the time of King Grags-pa-'bum-Ide (2440 - 1440 AD) there are
various historical references. The King's ambitious brother
Grags-pa-'bum is said to have paid a visit to Nubra in the hope of
seizing power. A local ruler, Nyi-ma-grags-pa, reigned there at that
time and it is said that he assisted a Gelugpa exponent,
Shes-rab-bzang-po, who came from the Leh valley to Nubra, where he built
the monastery of Diskit, and installed a statue of Tsong-kha-pa, the
founder of Gelugpa sect. He also visited Charasa village near Tegar and
installed another statue at the Dwensa temple.
The king Tshe-dbang-rnam-rgyal, who came to the throne in the middle of
the 18th C, offered Diskit gompa to the Rinpoche of Thikse and this
arrangement has persisted to this day.
106 feet statue of Jampa (Maitreya) Buddha is located on top of a hill
below the monastery and faces the Shyok river towards Pakistan. It was
built with three main intentions - protection of Diskit village,
prevention of further war with Pakistan and to promote world peace.
According to the chairman of the committee, most of the money for the
statue was collected by local donations. The head of Gelugpa, Ganden
Thipa and Abbott of Rizu monastery, gave 8Kgs of Gold for its
decoration.
Diskit Monastery also known as Deskit Gompa or Diskit Gompa belonging to
the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism is the oldest and
largest Buddhist monastery (gompa) in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh,
northern India.
The Gompa is not in a satisfactory condition. In several portions inside
the Dukhang, there are large cracks in the plaster due to water
penetration. This has lead to the flaking off of beautiful wall
painings. The wall paintings also appear faded because of soot deposits
over them. The Gompa has not been maintained properly for a long time
causing its gradual deterioration. The Gompa has been repaired recently,
and as a result of which, some precious inscriptions have been lost.
Diskit monastery houses about 100 monks and runs a school for the
Tibetan children in its precincts. The school has been upgraded recently
to enable teaching of scientific subjects with support from the Lungta,
a 'Tibet Support Group' (a Non Governmental Organization -NGO) who have
created computer facilities in the school. Lungta has trained the monks
of the monastery in computer skills and in the English language so that
they could in turn teach the children of the school. Further additions
to the school library in the form of dictionaries, encyclopaedias and
English teaching materials are being provided.
Alchi monastery
The text in the following paragraphs have been borrowed from "Buddhist Architecture" - Le Huu Phuoc
Alchi is a famed and historic monastery in Ladakh constructed during the
mature Phase II of the second Buddhist renaissance in the Western
Himalaya; due to its miraculously preserved conditions dating back to
its founding, it is extremely valuable to the study of the evolution of
regional Tibetan architecture. Vajrayana iconography, and the extinct
Kashmiri or Indo-Kashmiri style of Buddhist Paintings. The founder of
this monastery was a Buddhist monk named sKal-Idan-shes-rab from his
inscription discovered inside the Dukhang or Assembly Hall, which is
undoubtedly the oldest building at the site; the discovered fourteen
inscriptions in Alchi have also shed much light into the history and
founders:
In the best of continents, souther Jambudvipa [India], at this
spot, the hermitage of Alchi in sPu-rg-yal's Tibet, land of pure ground
and high mountains, I have built a precious temple with devoted
veneration! To look on the wood carvings and paintings...
composed by the Buddhist monk sKal-Idan-shes-rab[inscription 1]
His [sKal-Idam-shes-rab] birthplace is Sumda... His residence is
Alchi...His lineage [clan] is 'Bro.. He built a temple as a place of
meditation and study [Inscription 2]
He [skal-Idam-shes-rab] studied at Nyar-ma in Maryul [Ladakh]... he is
wealthy... he built a fort and bridge [at Alchi]... in pursuance of the
request to his father, he built this great vihara here at Alchi
[Inscription 3]
The construction of the Sumtsek temple has been ascribed to another
Buddhist monk Tshul-khrims'od, possibly the brother of
sKal-Idan-shes-rab as mentioned among the inscriptions inside this
temple.
That patron and monk, Tshul-khrims'od... [Inscription 6]
In the north part of Jambudvipa [India] is the Land of Snows, the
country of sPu-rgyal's Tibet with its high mountains and pure ground,
filled with religious practioners who possesses the Thought of
Enlightenment. The patron who founded this precious tired vihara
[Sumtsek] here at Alchi of Ladakh, in Lower Mar-yul of Upper Nga-ri
[Western Tibet] was the teacher Tshul-khrims'od. He was of the great and
aristocratic 'Bro lineage'... As the sun and the moon together ornament
the sky, so did the two great 'Bro brothers' [sKal-Idan-shes-rab and
Tshul-khrims'od could be brothers] [Inscription 7]
The date between 1175-1200 CE for the construction of the Dukhang and
Sumstsek seems credible which is also corroborated by the styles of the
murals. The Sumstek was probably erected around Jigten Gonpo's time
whereas the Dukhang was a little earlier based on the style of its
murals and inscriptions.
Anyhow, Drigungpa was presumbably the sect with which Alchi was
associated when it was first founded; nowadays the monastery is in the
custodian of the Gelugpa monks residing in the nearby Likir monastery.
The rectangular site of Alchi is bounded by a mud wall enclosing
encloses the original buildings inside alongwith their sculptures and
murals. The original buildings include the Dukhang and Sumstsek, the
attached twin temples of Lotsawa Lhakhang and Munjusri Lhakhang, Soma
Lhakhang and Chortens. The other buildings were of later additions
including houses, chortens, shrines, sutra halls etc. From the
inscriptions and styles of the murals, the various dates for the most
important buildings at the site can be established.
Dukhang is certainly the oldest building at the site and like the other
buildings, with the exception of the 3 floored Sumtsek, it has a single
story with a flat roof and a parapet painted in continuous red band as
in all other buildings; its wooden entry portal is elaborately carved
liek the Sumtek. The interior contains a single Vairacona image inside
the niche at the back while the surrounding walls and those in the
courtyard are completely covered with murals of mostly Buddhist themes
and a few secular ones depicting royal banquets. The most important
murals are the 7 mandalas of Vairacona, Manjushri and Prajnaparamita;
these are some of teh earliest painted mandalas in the western Himalaya
and Tibet. The oldest extant mandala paintins in the world, which are in
the scroll format, came from Chinese Mogao caves in Dunhuang and Japan
dated in the 9th C. Above the door of the Dukhang is a mural of the
protecting deity Mahakala as in the other buildings, all deities
depicted in the Dukhang murals belong to the yoga-tantra class with
Vairacona as the principal deity in the centre of the mandala.
Sumtsek is probably the most important in terms of tantric iconographies
and symbolisms; it is a 3-storied temple. Its highly ornate portico,
which also contains murals but much faded due to exposure, is supported
by fluted timber columns and half columns or pilasters in the
Indo-Kashmiri Style that faintly resemble the Greek Ionic order and also
the Ajanta Columns, the triangular trussed-like pediments on the
entablature; besides serving as decorative elements, also function as
braces to strengthen the structure against earthquakes. The interior,
which contains a large chorten of a later date in the centre, also
employs the same fluted timber columns as the exterior to support the
mud floors. The 3 miches on the first floor house 3 huge standing
polychrome clay and 4-armed bodhisatvas wearing 5-pointed tiaras with
the tallest image of Maitreya in the back, Avalokitesvara on the left,
and Manjushri on the right; their heads reach all the way to the second
story where openings are cut through the walls in front of their faces
so they can look out to the second floor. On the first floor there are
murals on Maitreya's dhoti depicting Sakyamuni's Life scenes while those
on Avalokitesvara's dhoti are quasi-religious and secular scenes
probably of Buddhist pilgrimage centres in Kashmir and Manjushri's dhoti
contains scenes of the 84- Siddhas. The surrounding walls are murals of
Akshobya, Amitabha and Manjushri as well as secular and religious
personages including the royalty, celestial beings, musicians, et. The
second floor is also completely filled with murals including ten
mandalas of Vairacona, Aksobhya, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi, Ratnasambhava,
Vajrasattva and their various manifestations including female ones; the
others depict paradises of Aksobhya, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi and
Ratnasambhava. Above Maitreya's head are murals of Sakyamuni, above
Avalokiteshwara's is his multi-limbed manifestation adn above
Manjushri's is the multi-limbed Prajnaparamita. The third floor has 3
mandalas of Manjushri, Sakyamuni and Prajnaparamita; the remaining
murals are pictorial eulogies to the lineage of Buddhist monks, both
Indian and Tibetan, who were responsible for the introduction and
founding of the various Vajrayana sects in Tibet. Above the doors of
each floor are murals of ferocious guardian deities with the one on the
first floor depicting Mahakala, the second Yamantaka, and the third
Acala; these are the dharmapala deities like the one above the entry
doorway of the Dukahng. The ceiling of the top floor is constructed in
teh lantern roof common in Central Asia whereas the ceilings of the
lower floors are completely covered in murals of decorative patterns and
non-religious themes. Thus the architectural and inconographical
program at Sumtsek appear to represent a symbolic spiritual progression
from the lower to the higher levels of enlightenment and the Mahayana to
the Vajrayana from the lowest floor to the upper floors. The highest
third floor symbolically consecrates pilgrims and Tantric initiates who
have completed their spiritual journeys by ascending up the floors or
literally entering different mandalas. These symbolic levels of
spiritual enlightenment, as embodied in the arts and architecture and
the ritualized consecration of the initiates have also been suggested
for Borobodur and Kumbum; these are common vajrayana themes throughout
the Buddhist world dated as early as the 8th C and certainly not unique
in Alchi. Among the earliest cases of the implementation of a combined
sculptural and architectural proram to portray the concept of an
architectural mandala occurred in the Ellora caves in India wherein each
of the 3 floors of the Ellora cave 12 had been conceived as a mandala
with Bodhisattva sculptures flanking both sides of a central Buddha.
This mandala arrangement would later be repeated in many western
Himalaya monasteries like the Tabo Dukhang and heare in the Sumtsek of
Alchi; this concept was subsequently transmitted to central Tibet where
it became the imprint of Vajrayana rituals in the multi-tiered
architectural mandala of Kumbum. The inscriptions at Alchi also suggest
such esoteric or Tantric schemes for its buildings.
The patron and onk, Tsul-khrims'od set up these reliquaries of Body,
Speech and Mind. In order to remove bodily impurities and obtain a
'human Buddha-Body', he set up Manjushri as a body-image. In order to
remove vocal impurites and obtain a 'glorius' Buddha-Body, he set up
Avalokitesvara as a speech-image. In order to remove mental impurities
and obtain an 'absolute' Buddha-Body, he set up Maitreya as a mind
image.
From the sky of the non-originated Dharmakaya [Absolute Body] the
unobstructed Sambhogakaya [Celestial Body] appears like a cloud and the
active Nirmanakaya [Physical Body] like incessant rain.
Manjusri was associated with Body and 'human' Buddha-Body, Avalokitesvar
with Speech and 'glorious' Buddha-Body, and Maitreya with Mind and
'absolute' Buddha-Body; thus the 'hunam', 'glorious', and 'absolute'
Buddha-Body can be equated respectively with Nirmanakaya (Physical
Body), Sambhogakaya (Celestial Body), and Dharmakaya (Absolute Body).
Lotsawa Lhakang
This building shares a common wall with Manjushri Lhakhang as both ahve
obviously been constructed about the same time and have simple
porticoes. The mural-filled interior is also supported by fluted timber
columns like in the Sumtsek with its central bay opens to a loft story
above; in the back end is the main polychrome Sakyamuni statue. The
walls contain murals of Avalokitesvara and Amitabha mandalas,
Ringchen-sangpo, Lokesvara, Amitabha and Mahakala above the door while
the remaining spaces are painted with repeated rows of the Thousand
Buddhas theme; the iconography of the deities in these murals belong the
yoga-tantra class as in the Dukhang and Sumstsek.
Manjusri Lhakhang
This chapel also has a simple entry portico like its immediate neighbor
Lotsawa Lhakang; it also has a loft story projecting beyond the roof
above the central bay. This bay is elevated on a high plinth and has
four polychrome clay images of Manjusri on the four sides, each of which
is painted in gold, white, blue and red according to their proper
directions. Unfortuantely the murals have been completely ruined from
rain seepage and they most likely, as one might guess have similar
stylistic and iconographic contents as those in Lotsawa Lhakhang.
Soma Lhakhang
This so-called 'new' temple of a single-storied flat roof has a chorten
in the centre probably added at a later time. The murals on the interior
walls are filled with deities of the yoga-tantra and
anutataryoga-tantra class arranged in rows, a scheme which appears more
formal and rigid than the murals in other buildings; the 3 mandalas of
Amitayus, Sakyamuni, and Vairacona are painted on the left wall along
with Sakyamuni's life scenes, which have clearly diminished in
popularity. Historic personalities liek Santaraksita and Padmasambhava
are also among the figures in the murals; Mahakala is once again found
above the door as a protecting deity.
The murals of the Dukhang and Sumtsek aer the acme of the Buddhist
Kashmiri or Indo-Kashmiri style while the style of their sculptures has
also been derived from Kashmiri bronzes; the Soma Lhakhang murals have
been painted in teh international Indian Pala Style. The Lotsawa
Lhakhang murals, which fuse the Kashmiri and Pala style, are believed to
have been painted later than those in Soma Lhakahang. The Alchi murals
are painted in several modes with slight shading and high lighting to
render volumen, whithout shading using lines to define forms, or the
combination of both. The first mode was characteristic of the Indian
artists at Ajanta whereas the second mode was favoured by the Chinese at
Mogao, above all the Alchi murals show an eclectic mixture of differnt
styles rather than the predomiance or preference over any particular
style. Some of the most conspicuous elements in teh Alchi murals, such
as the lantern roof, mandalas, painted chortens, pearl medallions, along
with the postures and dresses of many figues, are of Central Asian
origins, the exaggeratedly pinched waists and mannerisms of the paired
female dancers also recall the females of the Begram ivories from
Afghanistan and Andhra sculptures of Amaravati and Nagarjuankonda.
Possible Chinese infiltration from Mogao may also be surmised sucha s
the murals of the pairs of female dancers, the acrobatic divers of the
apsaras with feet swinging awkwardly backward and the thousand Buddhas
theme. The use of pastiglia in the Alchi murals would subsequently be
employed in the Kumbum murals in Tibet; the Alchi style might have also
influenced later Indian paintinsgs after the disappearance of Buddhism
in India. The plans of the Dukhang and Sumtsek with their principal
image niches in the back can be traced back to the classic plan of the
Indian Mahayana caves like Ajanta. A few architectural elements such as
the trefoil triangular pedimetns, the Indo-Kashmiri pseudo-ionic
columns, etc. also had earlier Kashmiri precursor. However, the overall
forms of all Alchi buildings conform to the traditional Tibetan
architecture and one must also be careful not to attribute all the
woodworks to Kashmir since wood carcing is also the traditional craft of
the people in the Himalayas and Tibet. Above all, the concepts of
utilizing architecture as a religious instrument and medium in the
process of Tantric initiation and consecration and an aid to spiritual
enlightenment are the cornerstone of the Vajrayana as exemplified in the
Indian Ellora caves, the Dukhang of Tabo in Spiti, the Sumtsek at Alchi
and later Kumbum in Tibet.
Lhachen Palkhar [Leh Palace]
In the early fifteenth century, Dragpa Bumdey, King of Ladakh, built the
first fortifications in Leh as well as a small royal residence along a
mountain ridge high above the town. The king also founded three Buddhist
temples, two within the old town walls, and the other by the palace on
the peak of Tsemo, a nearby mountain. At the turn of the seventeenth
century, Leh became a royal capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Ladakh,
which at the time ruled over most of western Tibet.
It was at this time that King Senge Namgyal built Leh Palace, also known
as Lachen Palkar Palace. According to a local belief, this palace was
originally to be built by his father, but it was king Singge who chose
the site on a ridge (shaped like an elephant's head). The king ordered
an 'important building' to be constructed at this site which could house
his family, his four ministers (kalon) and sixty elders (rGanmi). The
building took 3 years to complete. The king is said to have invited
leading Ladakhi families to settle within the fortified town below the
palace. Remnats of the city walls from that time still exist. This
fortified town was built on the slope of ahill, reflecting the need at
the time to preserve arable land. All over Ladakh and many parts of
Tibet the earliest human settlements were built on the edge of mountains
and hills, as arable land was always scarce.
The massive nine-story stone structure lies at the base of the Tsemo
ridge and towers over the old town. It was designed in the Tibetan style
that was later made famous by Potala Palace in Lhasa. King Senge
Namgyal also constructed massive rammed earth walls around the original
residential area of the old town.
A cruel tale is attached with its completion. The king in order to have
his building unrivalled in the region, got the right hand of the master
mason chopped off.
The palace came under a siege by the Dogras (1836 AD) and during this
seige it was partially destroyed. As a result, the family moved to Stok
and never shifted back, thus making the palace building redundant
thereafter.
The palace is associated with Dosmoche festival. During the festival,
monks from different monasteries from surrounding areas aer invited to
perform rituals to promote peace and prosperity in the region. Sacred
dances are also performed by the lamas of Tagthog monastery on this
occassion.
Physical / Architectural Description:
The palace of Leh is an ensemble of several structures that crown the
ridge of Namgyal Tsemo. Beside the main palace, the ridge comprises
several structures of importance which include the palace fort of Tashi
Namgyal, several religious structures, chortens and royal stables.
The main palace building is undoubtedly the finest example of palace
architecture in the entire Ladakh region. It is one of the most imposing
structures ever built on Ladakhi soil. The palace has 9 levels.
The lower levels have rooms for staff and servants, storage spaces for
animals fodder, wood; dried meat and vegetables. The upper levels had
apartments for the royal family, two small temples, a throne room,
reception halls and rooms for religious purposes. In the middle of the
building, at the fourth level, is a small courtyard (Katog chenmo) which
was the main congregation place for any social or cultural activity.
The main entrance (also the ceremonial entrance to the palace) is at the
third level and located in the north. The entrance is through a large
elaborately carved wooden porch supported by 2 circular wooden columns.
The characteristic of this porch is a carved wooden snow lion. The
first, second and the third levels have small rooms which are mainly for
housing the staff and servants. Besides there are several small stores.
The main corridor at the third level leads to a smaller courtyard on the
fourth level from where one can access a small private temple for the
royal family, the Duk-kar Lhakhang. This small temple is situated in the
north-west corner of the palace. One enters the temple through a small
porch, to go into the Lhakhang. This chamber is square in plan and has
its roof supported over four rows of wooden columns (four columns in
each row). There is a small clere-storey window in the middle of the
roof which ventilates the interior.
From this courtyard a small staircase provides and access to the main
courtyard, the Katog Chenmo, built on the fourth level. This courtyard
faces east thus commanding a majestic panoramic view of the entire Leh
valley. The levels above (fifth and sixth) comprise the main audience
cum assembly hall (Tak Chen) and the main living quarters of the royal
family. This area now is not accessible. This level is characterised by
wooden balconies that jetty out of walls.
The seventh level has rooms where official ceremonies were performed.
This level includes a throne room (Junga Simjung), a temple (Sangyeling
Lhakhang) and the royal chamber facing east (Shar-gi simjung). The
eighth level has a few rooms only whose function could not be
ascertained. The ninth level again has a small temple that comprised a
small room (Tse-simjung). Here worship to Gurlha divinity was performed.
The dominance of the palace structure, however, is due to its sheer
stark facade that dominates the entire Leh townscape as the most
prominent landmark. Its east facade is the most dramatic one whose
battered wall inclines to provide adequate structural strength and has a
series of balconies and windows (small rectangular slits) to break the
sheer monotony of the vast surface. The side and the rear elevations are
in comparison less dramatic. Still these are punctuated with balconies
and windows at upper levels.
The structural system of the building is simple and typical, heavier
base and a lighter top. There have been no foundation system; the
building is directly resting on the granite rock beneath. The material
used is neatly dressed stone having a layer of timber beam alternating
every three metres or so. This creates an efficient framework of timber
beams which counters any lateral movements due to an earthquake. The
upper portion has neat sun baked bricks used as the wall material to
provide adequate lightness and the much needed thermal insulation
inside.
Decorative features:
Not much survives in the palace. perhaps the most exquisite works of art
have been preserved in the fourth level Duk-kar Lhakhang, which houses a
large image of Duk-kar (a thousand armed form of Tara). Sakyamuni and
Padmasambhava. Besides, there are ornamental carvings done on beams and
columns in the hall of audience (Tak-chen) at the fifth level, and
throne room at the seventh level.
Yuma Changchubling [Rizong] Monastery
Yuma Changchubling, better known as the Rizong Monastery was built in
1829. The monastery, founded by Lama Tsultim Nima, follows the Gelukpa
order and is quiet well known for its high standards of monastic
disciplines. The monastery is headed by Rizong Shas Rinpoche III who was
born in Matho and spent most of his initial life in this monastery.
His Holiness Rizong Rinpoche III, one of the most highly respected lamas
alive today, was born in Matho in 1928 and recognised as the
reincarnation of Shas Rinpoche II at 2 years old by His Holiness the
13th Dalai Lama who had predicted the circumstances of the rebirth. The
Rinpoche went to Rizong Monastery at 4 years of age to study and at 17
went to Tibet to continue his studies, joining Drepung Loseling
Monastery, Lhasa, in the mid-1940s. He returned to Rizong in 1959 after
the Chinese occupation of Tibet then went to Dalhousie to study for his
Geshes degree. He graduated, attaining the highest possible degree in
1972.
In Tibetan spiritual circles, he is regarded as a modern-day Milarepa,
having lived a life of simplicity and meditation since his youth.
Two out of the three rooms in the monastery house statues of Buddha
while the third one has a stupa. The painting blocks of the biography of
Lama Tsultim Nima, is yet another highlight of the monastery.
The monastery is unique because it is the only one with no annual mak
dance festival. The monastery believes in laying more emphasis on
individual practices.
The Rizong Monastery is the only one in Ladakh which has a nunnery. The
nunnery, Jelichung, is located little down the monastery.
Following sections are borrowed from
"Being a Buddhist Nun: The struggle for enlightenment in the Himalayas" by Kim Gutschow
Although male monastic community at Rizong was renowned for its strict
adherence to manastic discipline, it could only sustain this religious
ascendancy by requiring indentured services of nuns and laypeople.
Rizong monks might not eat after noon and followed strict rules of
poverty, but they required nuns to labour all day on behalf of the
monastery's economic enterprises.
While most Ladakhi nunneries are independent institutions not directly
attached to a monastery, Julichen is subordinated to Rizong monastery.
Lying in lower Ladakh, Julichen nunnery takes its name, "Great
Apricots", from the rich crop of apricots that nuns process and sell on
behalf of the monastery. Julichen effectively seves as the factory floor
of the monastic corporation. While the nunnery sustains profane needs
of subsistence, the monastery engages in sacred ritual. The nuns serve
as the worker bees in the monastic hive, which is overseen by monks
engaged in their ritual ministrations. Nuns work from dawn to dusk
processing the monastery's vast wealth of grain, apples, apricots and
wool. While the monastery soars skyward at the end of a secluded valley,
far above the distractions of human livelihood, the squat and
ramshackle nunnery sits amid the monastic fields and orchards.
The nuns' quarters are bursting with odd heaps of barley sacks, drying
apricots, woolen homespon waiting to be dyed, abandoned looms and
plowshares in various states of disrepair. Nuns spend mos of their
waking hours working or cooking for the monastic estate, while living in
rooms bereft of religous images.
The most common problems that nuns complained of were a lack of
residential or assembly space, lack of teachers and too little ritual
training. Finally, there was the problem of no permanent endowments,
which forced most nuns to work as domestic or wage labourers rather than
devoting themselves to spiritual study. The nuns gradually began to
express a desire for more study and less domestic drudgery.
Dr Tsering Palmo was the first Ladakhi nun to be trained as a Tibetan
medical doctor. Born at Matho Village, 15kms from Leh (the capital city
of Ladakh) she graduated from the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute,
Dharamsala, in 1993. Upon returning to Ladakh ,in 1994, as a medical
practitioner, Dr. Palmo learned of the miserable conditions of the nuns
and felt emphathetic towards them.
Intially Palmo encountered considerable resistance from laypeople and
local monks. Some laypeople complained that nuns were no longer
available for domestic chores. There was also the pragmatists who said
that withdrawing nuns for rural areas already short of labour would be
disastrous. Some monks thought that she was crazy to educate
"illiterate" nuns who would just be corrupted by coming to Leh or
over-educated for life in the rural nunneries. Lastly, the nuns
themselves thought that she was mocking them when she described the
advanced philosophical training they should receive. Palmo's biggest
complaint was that people refused to take her seriously. She suspected
that they saw her as a newly ordained imposter with little concept of
monastic life in Ladakh after her extensive sojourn among the Tibetans.
Many who were sympathetic to Palmo's message were fearful of openly
subverting the privileges of monks. Palmo listened to their complaints
and refuted them as best as she could. She carried on day after day,
even when people were laughing at her. Recalling the vow of the Matho
princess she had once played so many years ago, she decided she would
dedicate whatever merit she had earned towards the nuns and happily die
for her cause.
Overcoming the subtle opposition of Rizong monks, Palmo expanded the
nunnery and quintupled its membership by 1999. With the permission of
the abbot of Rizong and the assistance of local nuns, foreigners and
wage laborers, she began to construct a new nunnery complex. When Palmo
and her companions first arrived in Rizong, the local monks and
villagers made fun fo them, joking "they have come as tourists and they
will leave after a few months". After a few years, they had built 11
residential cells, 4 teaching rooms, a meditaion hall, a toilet and a
conference hall. The construction was interrupted for fund-raising and
the ordination of several new nuns, all of whom were secondary-school
graduates.
These highly eduacated and outspoken new young recruits had little
desire to perform menial tasks like the ones their elders continued to
do faithfully. As a result, the community of nuns is split. The younger
recruits have adopted a religious curriculum of meditation, Tibetan and
Philosoply while the elders continue to slave on the monastic estates.
The Rizong monks initially blocked Palmo's plan to turn Rizong into a
training institute for Ladakhi nuns, so Palmo found a building in Leh to
house her new Foundation, the LNA. Palmo's Ladakh Nuns Association,
established in 1996, spearheaded a number of projects that increased
eduction, visibility and material status of nuns in Ladakh.
When the highest-living Tibetan Buddhist authority spoke out on behalf
of women, Ladakhi people finally took note. Although the Dalai Lama's
office had ignored Palmo's numerous requests for a public meeting, he
accepted her invitation to give a public talk on women during his 1998
visit. His Holiness spoke to a thronged audience about how men and women
have an equal capacity for enlightment. Local attitudes toward nuns
shifted noticeably after the local media picked up the Dalai Lama's
speech.
Palmo has begun to build her institue with foreign funding. She
envisions a place where nuns can attend teachings or workshops and train
to work in a number of fields - as maternal health workers, traditional
doctors, painters, tailors or handicrafts experts. She wants the
nunneries to become self-sufficient enterprises as well as educational
institutes.
A pilot school begun at Timosgam has begun to offer the standard
Buddhist curriculum to young nuns and vilalge girls. Those who graduate
from CIBS can become teachers throughout Ladakh, Zangskar and Nubra. The
best and brightest students from Ladakhi nunneries have been sent to
Tibetan institues in India in Dharamsala, Mungood, Darjeeling and
Varanasi where they are studying philosophy, Buddhist studies and
Tibetan medicine.
1 comment:
Likir Monastery
The geo-political landscape during 15th C was generally marked by bitter
struggle for control of land. Monasteries in Tibet and Ladakh region
controlled and owned large tracts of land and thereby the agricultural
produce. Conflicts with rival sects of monasteries for political and
material control were pretty common. They had to protect the inhabitants
and the wealth from rival attacks.
Monasteries that flourished during this period evolved as small
fortresses perched strategically on hills, utilising the terrain and
reinforcing it with thick peripheral walls to form a protected inner
core.
Monasteries like Likir played a very important socio-cultural and
political decision making process during the 14th C. The monstery is
located on top of a hill beside the valley of River Indus and has
agricultural fields at the lower level while the monastery complex
occupies the high grounds.
Buddhism revolves around the teachings of Lord Buddha and the Lamas of
the past also hold very important position in the mythology and general
beliefs system. The centrality in source of religious beliefs is
reflected in the overall arrangement of the monastery complex.
The monastery complex contains the main temple and the assembly hall at
the highest plateau of the hill, followed by the monks' quarters,
kitchen and dining space. The village houses are at the lower slope. The
main complex has narrow entry and exit points and has shear wall
surrounding its periphery results in creation of a protected fort like
complex
Likir means “The Naga – Encircled”. The Gompa represents the bodies of
two great serpent spirits [Naga-rajas] Nanda and Taksako. It is believed
to be associated with the Ka-dam-pa order. The gompa was refounded in
the 15th C as a Ge-lugs-pa institution. Lama Duwang Chosje established
the monastery belonging to the Gelugpa [Yellow Hat] sect of Tibetan
Buddhism in 1605 under the command of 5th king of Ladakh Lhachen Gylapo.
The present buildings of the gompa had to be reconstructed during the
18th C in the wake of a fire which destroyed the earlier structure.
Likir enjoys a special status as a brother of His Highness Dalai Lama
happens to be its head Lama who visits the gompa on important pujas.
The monastery also houses a protective deity, located in the interior,
with a golden armor. There are two Dukhangs (Assembly halls) inside the
monastery, one of them relatively new.
The main Du-kahng contains two chortens, Clay Images of three Buddhas -
"Marme Zat" (past), "Sakyamuni" (present) and "Maitreya" (Future),
Tsong-kha-pa with his two disciples. It is also equipped with wooden
racks of volumes of scriptures.
Another newly built Du-khang contains an image of 1000 arms and 11
headed Avalokiteshwara and some new paintains on the side walls
representing benevolent Bodhisattvas and 26 Arhats.
The Gon-khang houses a statue of "Tse-Ta-Pa", the wrathful protector.
Additionally, the impressive murals of "Yamantaka" and "Mahakala" too
adorn the Gon-khang.
Within the old Dukhang are the statues of Bodhisattva (Lord of
everything you see), Amitabha (Buddha of the West), Sakyamuni (the
historical Buddha), Maitreya (the Future Buddha or Buddha of Compassion)
and Tsong-kha-pa (founder of the Yellow Sect-hat).
Hemis Gompa
Cradled in a beautiful valley and surrounded by streams is the 17C Hemis
monastery below the famous cave of Gotsangpa and the Gotsang retreat
center.
The monastery holds the distinction of being the biggest as well as the
wealthiest monastery of Ladakh. Since the monastery was built hidden in a
valley, it was never found by invaders. Also, the farmers of Hemis give
a part of their harvest to the monastery.
The monastery is divided into two parts - assembly hall and the main
temple (Tshogkhang). The historic temple Du-Khang houses the throne of
the Rinpoche and the other historic temple Tshogs-Khang has a huge
guilded statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha decorated with semi precious
stones. The balcony is well garnished with fresco pictures.
The monastery belongs to Drukpa Lineage or the Dragon Order of Mahayana
Buddhism. His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa [conferred with Bharat Jyoti
Award] is the supreme spiritual head. Gyalwa Gotsangpa Gonpo Dorje, one
of the most celebrated yogis in the Himalayas, came to Ladakh in the
13th C and established the Drukpa lineage.
The monastery is an architectural delight, constructed during the period
of Sengge Namgyal. It treasures a beautiful copper gilt idol of Lord
Buddha, sacred thankas, gold and silver stupas and several other
religious objects.
Hemis has more than 200 branches (monasteries) in the Himalayas and more
than 1,000 monks under its care. It is an important living monument and
heritage of Himalayas and its people. The monastery contains the
richest collection of ancient relics.
The huge courtyard is the venue for annual Hemis Festival dedicated to
Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet, and marks
his birth anniversary. The ‘Thangka’ or sacred tapestry depecting Guru
Padmasambhava is decorated with pearls and is displayed in Hemis
festival once in every 12 years. It is said to bestow good health and
spiritual strength. The sacred mask dance performed at the monastery is
the main highlight of the Hemis Festival.
Padmasanbhava [the lotus-born] better known as Guru Rinpoche(precious
guru) or Lopon Rinpoche or simply, Padum in Tibet was born into a
Brahmin family of N-W India in the kingdom of Oddiyaana [modern day swat
valley in Pakistan].
Considered as an emanation of Amitava Buddha and venerated as 'Second
Buddha, he is said to have practiced tantric rituals. He hid a number of
religious treasures including the Bardo Thodol [Tibetan Book of the
Dead] in lakes, caves, fields and forests of the Himalayan region.
"
His two eyes are wide open in a piercing gaze. On his body he
wears a white vajra undergarment and, on top of this, in layers, a red
robe, a dark blue mantrayana tunic, a red monastic shawl decorated with a
golden flower pattern, and a maroon cloak of silk brocade. He has one
face and two hands. In his right hand, he holds a five-pronged vajra at
his heart; and in his left, which rests in the gesture of equanimity, he
holds a skull-cup in the centre of which is a vase of longevity filled
with the nectar of deathless wisdom. Cradled in his left arm is a
three-pointed khatvanga representing the consort Mandarava. On his head,
he wears a five-petalled lotus hat. Wrathful and smiling, he blazes
magnificently with the splendour of the major and minor marks. He is
seated with his two feet in the royal posture."
-- Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
The three points of the trident represent the essence, nature and
compassionate energy (ngowo, rangshyin and tukjé). Below these three
prongs are three severed heads, dry, fresh and rotten, symbolizing the
three kayas.
Thiksey Monastery [Mini Potala]
17 km south of Leh is one of the most beautiful 12 storeys monasteries
of Ladakh - the Thiksey Monastery. Initially, the gompa belonging to the
Gelukpa order was constructed by Sherab Zangpo at Stakmo. Later, his
nephew, Paldan Sherab, established the monastery atop a hill to the
north of Indus River.
As per a popular legend, Jangsem Sherab Zangpo and his disciple Palden
Sherab were performing prayer services to the local deities at Arzoo
valley [3Kms from the present Tiksey monastery]. Suddenly a crow
appeared from nowhere and took away the ceremonial plate with
Tormas[ritual cakes made from chickpea flour] in it. On searching, they
were amazed to find the plate on top of a hillock. The Tormas were
undisturbed or "in perfect order". The duo took it for an auspicious
omen and built the monastery right there and named it Thiksey – meaning
“In perfect order”. The monastery is situated in Thiksey village and the
alternate name of the incumbent of the monastery is also addressed as
Thiksey Rinpoche.
Since the monastery is similar to Potala Palace [former official seat of
the Dalai Lamas] in Lhasa, it is often known as 'Mini Potala'. One of
the biggest monasteries in Ladakh with over 120 resident monks, it has a
world-renowned 40ft tall statue of Maitreya Buddha[Future Buddha].
The statue was built at the behest of His Highness, the Holy Dalai Lama,
when he visited the monastery in 1980. The statue was made under the
guidance, supervision and direction of Kushok Nawang Chamba Stanzin, the
present head Lama of Thiksey monastery. The staue, 15 m tall, clay
statue covered in gold paint, is the largest figure of Buddha in Ladakh
and took the local craftsmen about four years to complete it.
The Gompa contains 10 temples. Below the monastery are chapels and
houses of monks stretching down the hillside. About 100 monks belonging
to the yellow - hat sect of Buddhism.
A temple is also dedicated to goddess Tara with her 21 images placed in glass-covered wooden shelves.
The nunnery or the school for the community of nuns is located within
the precincts of the monastery and is managed by the Monastery
Administration. Nunneries were held in a grossly inferior status and
Buddhist nuns in particular lived in appalling conditions. Awareness was
raised on the status of the nuns in Ladakh in 1990s and Thiksey
received a degree of international attention and support. Ladakh Nuns
Association was established in 1996. This was important in raising the
status of the nuns in Ladakh, to ensure a shift in their functional role
of “servitude and to one of true spiritual practice”. The Chief Lama,
Thiksey Rinpoche of Thiksey Monastery was also important in these
positive developments in the betterment of nuns. The monastery donated
the land for a new nunnery at Nyerma, near Thiksey, at the same place
where the very first monastic seat was established by Rinchen Zangpo,
the Tibetan translator, in the tenth century. The nunnery is now under
the patronage of Thiksey Monastery.
Shanti Stupa - Leh
The Stupa represents Buddha's holy mind, Dharmakaya, and
each part of the Stupa shows the path to Enlightenment. Building a Stupa
is a very powerful way to purify negative karma and obscurations, and
to accumulate extensive merit. In this way you can have realizations of
the path to Enlightenment and be able to do perfect work to liberate
suffering beings, who equal the sky, leading them to the peerless
happiness of Enlightenment, which is the ultimate goal of our life."
-- Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche in Chenrezig Institute, Australia, in September 1994.
Reference:
http://www.stupa.org/stupas.htm
A site is selected to build the Stupa and the earth deities are
addressed to seek the blessings for the site to remove any obstacles.
All people involved in the work should have the right motivation to
ensure that every aspect of the stupa emanates pure mind of Buddha.
Each Stupa rests upon a square base (Lion's seat). The four sides
represents the four qualities of mind namely Love, Compassin, Joy and
Equanimity, that are essential to attain enlightenement. The base is
then filled with jewels, precious texts and relics pertaining to Stupa
building. 5 steps are built on the Lion's seat that represent the
progress of mind towards enlightnment. Each step can be divided into 2
parts that alludes to the 10 levels of Bodisatva realisation.
Bumpa, a round form, that represents the 17 levels of the realm of form,
is built on top of the steps. Depending on the size of the stupa, it
can contain a room for meditation and Puja. If it is small, it will
simply be filled with precious and pure representations of Buddha's
mind.
View of Leh City from Shanti Stupa
A spire forms out of the Bumpa and on top of that sit the ornaments that
together represent the four stages of the formless realm. The inner
contents of the Stupa and the outer manisfestation mirror the pure mind.
A central axis called the Sog Shing, meaning “Life Stick” is made, and
is traditionally carved from Sandalwood or Juniper. However, if it is
not possible to obtain these woods, the wood of any tree which does not
bear poisonous fruit can be used. At the tip of the Life Stick a picture
of the Victory Stupa is made and at its base that of a half Dorje.
Holes are made at the top and base and blessed relics, medicines and
texts are placed inside. The Life Stick is then wrapped in precious
materials and is fixed in place on the Lion’s Seat. It is long enough to
protrude to the Stupa's highest point.
The Stupa is then filled with relics which symbolically pertain to the
utmost purity of mind. It is said that if the Stupa itself is the
representation of Buddhas' body then the Relics are the life force which
flows through it and, as such, are even more vital than its outer form.
View of Leh Palace from Shanti Stupa
Once the Stupa is complete and all the relics are in place, a
blessing ceremony takes place. A gathering of many realised Lamas and
Masters along with Sangha, Retreatants and Lay practitioners is arranged
and prayers and blessings are made to complete the process of the
building the Stupa.
The Benefit of the Stupa emanates far and wide and is said to go on for
Aeons. The positivity generated by such activity is impossible to
measure. Liberation is said to be given by merely hearing about a Stupa,
by touching it, by seeing it, by praying to it, by walking around it
and by eating the offerings that are made to it.
Shanti Stupa - Leh
Sitting majestically on a hilltop in Chanspa, Leh district, Ladakh, in
the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Shanti Stupa is a white
domed Buddhist stupa. It is an elegant stupa built by Japanese monks to
promote world peace and prosperity and to commomerate 2500 years of
Buddhism. It has brightly coloured reliefs on its mid-levels and is
topped by a spired white hemisphere. It is considered a symbol of the
ties between the people of Japan and Ladakh. The Stupa holds the relics
of the Buddha at its base.
The beautiful positioning of this stupa provides a breathtaking
panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. This has become a primary
reason for Shanti Stupa to become a tourist attraction, apart from its
religious significance
1 comment:
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa - Leh
Of the two classifications of Buddhism Philosophies, whose origins
spanned different eras, Mahayana Buddhism is what is practiced in the
Ladakh region since the 2nd Century. The Vajrayana sect of Mahayana
Buddhism is a mixture of the animistic Bon faith and ancient Hindu
tantric practices. Central to the Buddhist doctrine is the eremitic way
of living while focusing on meditating and practicing Buddhist
principles. Gompas or Monasteries came into being to facilitate this
Monastic life of the Buddhists.
Located in the vicinity of villages, aesthetically pleasing
and architecturally interesting gompas provide the focus for the faith
of the highly religious Buddhist people in Ladakh. Gompas are places of
worship, isolated meditation and religious instruction for the young.
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa was founded by King Tashi Namgyal, one of the
Namgyal rulers. Tashi Namgyal is known to have ruled during 15th century
AD. The Namgyal (also called "Tsemo Gompa" = 'Red Gompa', or
dGon-pa-so-ma = 'New Monastery'),a temple, is the main Buddhist centre
in Leh. No longer inhabited, it stands atop the crag behind Leh palace.
The Gompa boasts of a rich collection of some ancient manuscripts and
wall paintings.
One of the most treasured possessions of the monastery is a
three-stories high solid gold idol of Maitrieya Buddha (future Buddha,
also known as the laughing Buddha). It also houses a statue of
Avaloketesvara and Manjushri, approximately one storey high.
Avaloketesvara and Manjushri were the Bodhisattvas of compassion and
wisdom respectively.
Bhandasar temple - Bikaner
Situated at the south-west end of the walled city, Bhanda Shaha Jain
temple is the oldest Jain temple in Bikaner. It was built by a rich Jain
merchant Bhandasa Oswal in 1468 AD before Bikaner was founded and was
completed by his daughter in 1514 AD after his death. It is believed
that 40,000 kg of ghee was used as substitute to water while the
foundation of this temple was being laid and the stones for construction
had to be transported all the way from Jaisalmer. It celebrates the
grandeur of Rajputana architecture. The spire of this temple with its
'Sringas' and 'Upasringas' of decorative shikharas and its guilded
flagstaff, towers high above the rest of the city and can be seen from
far.
The temple is dedicated to Sumatinath Ji, the fifth Tirthankara of the
Jains. The paintings from Jain scriptures on the interior walls and
ceiling of this temple are of much later times. The temple is mainly
famous for wall paintings and usta art. One can see the skyline of
Bikaner by climbing to the topmost floor of this temple.
This three-storeyed structure built of red sandstone is a classic
example of Jain architecture. The pillars of the temple bear floral
designs and stories that depict the lives of the 24 Jain tirthankars.
The temple has beautiful inlay work in gold. The walls and ceiling are
adorned with paintings.
The ground floor has white marble pillars covered with colorful floral
patterns. The sandstone pillars are embellished with beautiful
sculptures. Beautiful miniatures of the sentries of the gods are present
on the first floor. One can also find artistically carved balconies on
the first and second floors. The intricate designs, beautiful frescoes
and sculpted pillars largely attract the tourists to Bikaner.
Usta Art
Usta is a professional caste of artists, and the word Usta derives from
the Persian word Ustad, meaning master or skilled person. Usta art is a
generic term used for the media of Naqqashi and Manoti art practiced by
Usta artisans from the erstwhile Bikaner State in present-day Rajasthan,
India. Naqqashi and Manowati (emboss) is characterised by painting
miniature translucent and opaque watercolour and oil based floral
patterns on objects, camel leather, and architectural elements with
gold. Naqqashi are items that are unembossed gold layers and Manoti are
items that are embossed gold layers. The art of Naqqashi and Manoti
flourished between the late-16th to mid-19th century in the Bikaner
State.
1 comment:
Mallikarjuna temple - BasaraaLu
Following text in italics
has been borrowed from Indian temple architecture: form and
transformation: the karnaata Draavida tradition 7th to 13th centuries Adam HardyAt
the end of the first decade of the 12th C the Hoysalas began more than a
century and a half of prolific temple-building in Southern Karnataka.
At that time the Hoysala rulers were feudatories of the Later Chalukyas,
and they remained so, nominally at least, until 1192 when BallaaLa II
proclaimed himself emperor. Before Hoysala patronage the stone temples
of the region, those of the Gangaas and Nolambas, had been closely
related to the Draavida traditions of Tamil Nadu. But to establish their
own school the Hoysalas looked North to the Chalukya tradition.
Inscriptions
record that at first many artists migrated from both mainstream and
non-mainstream centres in northern Karnataka. Alongside the migrants,
large numbers of local craftsmen would also have been needed.Presumably
they must initially have worked under sthapatis trained further north,
and have transferred to soapstone, the material almost universally
employed for Hoysala temples, the skills which they were used to
exercising in other materials.
The Hoysala style changes
relatively little over the whole period of its existence, from overall
composition down to the shapes of mouldings. Naasi details and subtle
differences in the character of carving point to different sub-schools.
Foundational
inscriptions give much information about patronage. On the whole,
patronage by the kings is rare, more usual patrons being generals,
ministers and merchants, or their wives. It is known that artists would
sometimes contribute towards the cost of a temple.
Shiva temples predominate. Vaishnava shrines are also numerous and Jain temples are not uncommon. 
A
record of Hoysala Narasimha II, dated 1234 AD refers to the grant given
to the service of the god Mallikarjuna by a certain Harihara
Dandanayaka, after causing the construction of the temple for the deity
in the name of his father Mallikarjuna and a tank in the name of his
mother Gujjavve at his birth place BasaraLu (referred as "Basauruvalu"
in inscriptions and 4 records of different periods)
There
are two general characteristics, commonly recognised as distinguishing
Hoysala from later Chalukya temples. The first, in many but not all the
Hoysala works, is an abundance of figure sculptures.
The
second often cited characteristic of Hoysala temples is their
ornateness. It is true that some Hoysala temples are much more ornate
than others, in the sense that their surfaces have been overwhelmingly
richly elaborated, in a way which fully exploits the possibilities of
soapstone. But this is not to say that plainer examples are of a
different style, as if style were determined only by surface ornament.
As ever, there are temples in which every moulding and detail hs been
taken to the final degree of elaboration that the style allows (now a
higher degree than before), while others are partly or entirely in the
smooth, blocked-out state. The style, in the sense of the imprint of a
particular group of artists, may be identical in both cases: only the
degree of elaboration is different.Temple has polyangled
basement and is on a three feet high platform. It has a main
garbhagriha, antarala and two separate garbhagriha on either sides of
the navaranga facing each other. The mukhamantapa has perforated windows
on its wall. Temple has a beautiful Dravidian Shikhara on its
garbhagriha, which houses a Balahari Shivalinga.
The garbhagriha
in the navaranga houses a four and half feet tall, naga-nagini sculpture
and a beautiful Sun God sculpture. There apparantely was a Vishnu
sculpture on the pedestal of the present Serpent sculpture. Shaiva
doorkeepers guard the door.
A record dated 1234 A.D. describes
this temple as one with varieties of sculptures starting from bottom up
to the Kalasa (Pinnacle) in the superstructure dispensing happiness
through its panels of the episodes from Bharatha, creating such
illusions that it stands like the offshoot of Merugiri.
Sculptures
of couples and other several social scenes depict the contemporary
society. Among them the fight between vali-sugreeva in ramayana, ravana
lifting the kailasa mountain, the destruction of fish machine matsya
yantra in mahabharata, kiratarjuna fight, the chakravyuha,Draupadi
rushing forth with garland, krishnaleela scenes from the bhagavatha,
govardhanadhari krishna are beautifully rendered.
The temple
also has an idol of Lord Shiva with sixteen arms dancing on the head of
demon Andhakasura. There is an idol of Goddess Durga with 22 arms and
Goddess Saraswati both in the dancing posture.
The first layer
between the two layers in the walls on the basement is decoraetd with
sculptures of Gods and Goddesses. The layer above this has small
superstructures and decorated pillars. On the walls one can see
sculptures of samudra mantahana, shanmukha, kalinga mardana,hayagreeva
(God with a horse head), dancing lakshinarasimha, yoganarasimha,
abhayanarasimha, lakshminarayana, sun god, harihara, vishnu, vamana,
bali chakravarthi, tripurantaka shiva, brahma-saraswathi, uma
maheshwara, ganapa, nataraja, bhairava, vishnu riding on Garuda, rati
manmata, devi and so on. In addition, parrot belle, maid servants
holding fans are also seen.
Each
of the friezes carries an array of decoration. Going from the bottom
where the temple wall meets the platform, the lowest frieze depicts
charging elephants which symbolise strength and stability, above which,
in order, are horses for speed,friezes with lions which symbolise
courage, depiction of Hindu epics, makara (beasts) and finally a frieze
with hansas (swans).
The two main deities found in Hoysala
temple sculpture are Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in their various forms
and avatars (incarnations). Shiva is usually shown with four arms
holding a trident and a small drum among other emblems that symbolise
objects worshiped independently of the divine image with which they are
associated. Any male icon portrayed in this way is Shiva although a
female icon may sometimes be portrayed with these attributes as Shiva's
consort, Parvati. Various depictions of Lord Shiva show him in action,
such as slaying a demon or dancing on the head of an elephant. He is
often accompanied by his consort Parvati or shown with Nandi the bull.
He may be represented as Bhairava, another of Shiva's many
manifestations.
A
male figure depicted holding certain objects such as a conch (symbol of
eternal, heavenly space) and a wheel (eternal time and destructive
power) is Vishnu. If a female figure is depicted holding these objects,
she is seen as his consort, Lakshmi. In all the depictions Vishnu is
holding four objects: a conch, a wheel, a lotus and a mace. These can be
held in any of the icon's hands, making possible twenty-four different
forms of Vishnu, each with a unique name. Apart from these, Vishnu is
depicted in any of his ten avataras, which include Vishnu sitting on
Anantha (the celestial snake and keeper of life energy), Vishnu with
Lakshmi seated on his lap (Lakshminarayana), with the head of a lion
disemboweling a demon on his lap (Lakshminarasimha), with head of a boar
walking over a demon (Varaha), in the Krishna avatar (as Venugopala or
the cow herder playing the Venu (flute), dancing on the head of the
snake Kaliya, lifting a hill such as Govardhana), with his feet over
head of a small figure (Vamana), with Lakshmi seated on Garuda, and the
eagle (stealing the parijata tree).
There is a 20 feet tall Garuda pillar to the east of the temple. The identity of the Garuda Lenka of this memorial is not known.
An
elite and well trained force of bodyguards known as lenkas (heroes) or
jolavalis (indebted to the king for food) or velavalis (those who stood
by the king at all times)protected the members of the royal family at
all times. They served the king the way the mythical eagle Garuda served
Lord Vishnu and hence were also known as Garudas. Those servants moved
closely yet inconspicuously by the side of their master, their loyalty
being so complete that they committed suicide after his death. The
government erected Garuda pillars, or Hero stones (virgal) in memory of
those bodyguards.
3 comments:
Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary Sikkim
Sikkim's original inhabitants are the Lepchas also called Rongtub (“
the dearest people of Mother Earth”). They named their motherland "
Ney Mayal Lyang" which means
heaven .
A visit to the tiny little thumb shaped pretty Himalayan state
sandwiched between the kingdoms of Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the
east, proves that the Lepchas did not exaggerate. On its northern border
towers the plateau of Tibet and it shares its southern border with West
Bengal.
Being
close to the Tibetan Plateau, the entire valley witnesses long winter
seasons. During this entire period the valley receives heavy snowfall
which further enhances its beauty. The snow capped mountains are like a
fest to the eyes. The far-off mountains stand shrouded in mist.
Singba
Rhodendron Sanctuary is located towards the North of Sikkim, in the
famous Lachung Valley. The sanctuary is bounded on its southern
pheriphery by the Yumthang Valley (dubbed as “
Valley of Flowers”)
known for its alpine meadow and hot springs. It is hemmed in on the
east by high rugged Chuba - Sagochen mountain ranges and on the west by
part of Chomzomei Tso extending upto Lava pass. The sanctuary is known
for its unique abundance of Rhododendron trees and shrubs. In the months
of April & May the entire valley is covered with bright colors of
blossomed Rhododendron flowers. The picturesque Yumthang river silently
flows towards its destination through the sanctuary.
This
beautiful and diverse landscape makes it a trekker's paradise. It seems
as if God himself spends his leisure hours in this less explored and
un-spoilt serene land. Some of the most wild flowers fill up your senses
and enamour you.
3 comments:
Tsomgo [Changu] Lake - Sikkim
Sikkim has 227 small and shallow high altitude lakes. Most of it are fed
by glaciers and considered sacred. The lakes are popularly called as
Chhokha or
Tso or
Chhona (in
Bhutia),
Chho (in
Lepcha) and
Pokhari or
Jheel or
Tal (in
Nepali).
The
ethereally beautiful kilometer long 15 m deep Tsomgo (pronounced
Changu) lake is nestled at an incredible altitude of 12,400 ft.
TSO means lake and
MGO means
head in Bhutia language. The vast expanse of crystal clear water is
situated on the Gangtok-Nathula highway and is revered by the Sikkimese
as sacred. The Nathula pass was part of the famous Silk route connecting
the plains of Bengal with Tibet and from thereon China.
The
lake is also of special significance for the Jhakris [faith healers] of
Sikkim who congregate here annually on Guru Purnima from all over the
state to offer prayers.
Around the picturesque Tsomgo Lake is
woven a rich legend. Sikkimese folk-lore narrates that Tsomgo was
initially at Laten, several km away from the present Tsomgo (lake). One
night an old woman of Tsomgo dreamt that the lake at Laten would shift
to Tsomgo. She was warned to leave the place as soon as possible. The
old lady hastened to inform her other yak herder friends but they paid
no heed.
She
hurriedly milked her dri (female yak) and poured the milk on the ground
for good luck and left the place with her yaks for Lhachungkar near
Thegu. Just before leaving, she saw an inordinately fair lady with
gleaming grey hairs, entering Tsomgo. Immediately the earth turned into
water and formed Tsomgo lake. The two obstinate yak herders are
believed to have been submerged in the lake along with their yaks.
In
the times gone by, lamas (Buddhist monks) are said to have foretold the
future by observing the color of the lake’s water. If the water had a
dark tinge, it foreshadowed a year of trouble and unrest in the state.
Nathula
area has three lakes - Memonchu, Kupup and Tsomgo - and out of three,
reports have shown that the Tsomgo lake is heavily polluted. Tsomgo
wetland is amongst the most productive & biologically rich
ecosystems and also amongst the most endangered. This wetland is a lake
complex joined by some other water bodies Manju I and Manju II.
There
are several shops selling snacks, souvenirs, warm clothes and snow
boots along the periphery of the lake. Basic sanitation and sewerage
facilities are almost negligible, leading in all the human and yak
wastes ultimately percolating down the lake. The experts have observed
that due to low temperature, bacterial decomposition of the wastes is at
a very slow process. Exhaust fumes from the tourist vehicles greatly
damage the rarified air and water resources.
Tsomgo
Lake Conservation Society president Chewang Norbu Bhutia has reported
that when tourism in the state was not so popular, the lake water was
pure and drinkable, but it had become polluted subsequently. The efforts
of the society include sensitising the locals and tourists alike about
maintaining the cleaniness of the lake and its premises, besides
maintaining the tourist amenities and eco-tourism code.
3 comments:
Opéra National de Paris - Palais Garnier - Paris
In France the oldest man is always young,
Sees operas daily, learns the tunes so long,
Till foot, hand, head, keep time with every song:
Each sings his part echoing from pit and box,
With his hoarse voice, half harmony, half pox. - prologue of John Dryden's 1685 Albion and Albanius The
rich history of French music began in 10th century with court songs and
chivalrous music. From this point forward, France has an illustrious
musical history, ranging from Opéra to classical, to pop and rock. While
the first operas that appeared in France during the mid-17th century
were experimental, they was soon met with considerable enthusiasm in
Paris, especially those based on Italian opera of the time. During the
reign of Louis XIV, Italian-style Opéra began to flourish in France. The
Opéra represented French grand Opéra and attracted the upper class.
Entertainment for the upper classThere
would frequently be huge pageants to celebrate occasions such as the
birth of an heir or an empire-building marriage in Italy during the
Renaissance. Members of the aristocracy and hired performers to impress
the nobility of neighbouring states performed at these events.
When
one of King Charles VI's knights married one of the queen's
gentlewomen, he performed in a masque or morisco (masked performance)
called Bal des Ardents or Burner's Ball where he played a Wild Man of
the Forest in a big hairy costume made of flax and pitch. At one moment
when he separated himself from the other five "wild men" to talk to a
duchess, a torch held by an onlooker set the other five dancers on fire.
When the fire spread to the king's costume, the duchess smothered it
with her train. All but one of the other five dancers died from their
burns.
Christina of Sweden, the kings of Denmark and Poland, the
princes of Germany and Italy, the Holy Roman Emperor, all had their
Ballets. Even the taciturn William of Orange, later William III of
England, danced in a Ballet de la Paix at the Hague in 1668. France was
no different. Where the French king led, the courts of Europe followed.
Evolution of BalletMen
wearing wigs and bloomers with hard shoes and women wearing heavy
long-skirted gowns took part in the dance that also had equestrian
demonstrations and mock combats!
As ballet advanced and became
more dance and less speaking over the next fifty years it stopped being
something that was only offered in court and was offered to paying
audiences. Also during this time, the nobility, including King Louis
XIII, performed in roles ranging from the hero to the lowest scum in the
ballet, lending prestige to the portrayal of evil parts. A number of
stage works informed the creation of Opéra. It did not remain tied to a
single geographic area, and fast became one of Italy's chief exports.
Ballet receives royal patronage in ParisCardinal MazarinLouis
XIV's interest in dancing was strongly supported and encouraged by
Italian-born Cardinal Mazarin. Louis XIV made his ballet debut as a boy.
Louis accomplished his most memorable feat as a dancer in 1653 when he
was just a teenager. He performed a series of dances in
Le Ballet de la Nuit . He appeared as Apollo the Sun God for his final piece and he came to be known as the Sun King.
LullyCardinal
Mazarin promoted Italian influences in the French spectacle.
Jean-Baptiste Lully, a Florentine, arrived in Paris at age 14 to serve
as an Italian tutor to Louis XIV's cousin, Grande Mademoiselle
Anne-Marie-Louise d'Orleans. Having distinguished himself as a violinist
and dancer, he left to take a position in Louis XIV's court in 1652.
Lully
composed court ballets with Isaac de Benserade - including the one
performed at Louis' wedding. He became one of the king's favorite
dancers and rivaled the king as the best dancer in France. He continued
to gain importance in the court and in 1661 he was appointed
surintendant and compositeur de la musique de la chambre du roi.
Académie Royale de DanseIn
1661 Louis established the Académie Royale de Danse in a room of the
Louvre, the world's first ballet school. The king attended a party put
on by the finance minister to show off his new home in the country. The
king was greatly by the entertainment put up. He thought that the
finance minister was a treasonous servant and arrested him. He then
hired the ballet master Molière, the home's architect, and the gardener.
In 1662 Lully was granted the title maître de la musique
de la chambre which placed him in regular contact with the king. With
his directorial duties dispersed to others, Lully began working with the
playwright Molière on a series of comédies-ballets -- a new genre
combining spoken comedy with singing and dancing.
MolièreAt
court, Molière and Lully collaborated, with Molière choreographing and
Lully composing the music for ballets. By the end of the decade, Lully
witnessed the first attempt to perform opera in Paris.
Académie d'Opéra et Académie Royale de MusiqueIn
1669 Louis, (still Louis XIV), established the Académie d'Opéra which
was renamed as Académie Royale de Musique a year later. Pierre Perrin
and Robert Cambert were given royal permission (a "monopoly") to stage
operas. Then, in 1670 the king, past his physical prime, retired from
dancing, allowing other, better dancers to take lead roles. Though
Perrin and Cambert were bankrupt three years later, Lully was keenly
aware of the possibilities and persuaded the king to transfer the
monopoly to himself.
In 1672 Lully established a dance academy
within the Académie Royale de Musique. This dance company survives today
as the ballet of the Paris Opera - the world's oldest continuously
running ballet company.
Lully accidentally stabbed his foot in
1687 with his time marking stick and subsequently succumbed to the
injuries. At this time, ballet was normally performed in a theatrical
form known as opéra-ballet by the same productions as opera. The music
academy that Lully had run set the standard in the opéra-ballet, which
people attended for the dancing as for the music. L'Europe
Galante(1697), the composer of one opéra-ballet suggested making the
opéra-ballet more popular by lengthening the dances and shortening the
skirts of the now common female dancers.
Through the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, the Paris Opéra occupied a succession of buildings:
Première Salle du Palais Royale, from 1673
Salle des Machines du Palais des Tuileries, from 1764
Deuxième Salle du Palais Royale, inaugurated in 1770
Salle de la Porte Saint-Martin, from 1781;
Théâtre des Arts, from 1791 and
the Salle Le Peletier, constructed from 1820-21 on rue Le Peletier. The Salle Le Peletier was destroyed by fire in 1873.
Palais GarnierAll
the previous halls, since the foundation of the Académie Royale de
Music, had been either of temporary construction or had been destroyed
by fires. Hence Napoleon III decided to build the Grand Opera in 1858.
An
architectural competition was organized for the new opera house in
1860. Charles Garnier's design was selected out of the 171 entries. He
created an Opera House and stage in the traditional Italian style
inspired both by the Grand Theatre in Bordeaux built by Victor Louis in
1870 and by the Italian and French villas of the 17th and 18th
centuries. The passages, halls, foyers, staircases, and rotundas occupy a
far larger area than the theatre itself. This was to facilitate hosting
the festivities of the Emperor's entourage and of elegant audiences
from the moneyed and social élite, for whom a night at the Opera was a
pleasant excuse for meeting people and renewing acquaintances.
A
water table was discovered at the site when the construction started in
1861 and it had to be drained before the construction could begin. This
slowed down the work drastically. An enourmous concrete well was
designed and filled with water to carry the stage and fly tower. The
well was filled with water in order to counter the water pressure (hence
the legend of the underground lake popularized by Gaston Leroux's
Phantom of the Opera).
Franco-Prussian war and the Commune
interrupted the construction works in 1870. But the fire at the old
opera in Rue Le Peletier in 1873 hastened the completion of the
monument. Begun under the Second Empire in 1862, construction of the
opera house took about 14 years to complete. It was officially
inaugurated during the Third Republic by Field Marshall de Mac-Mahon on 5
January 1875.
The building, which is a perfect example of 19th
century stage architecture, hides its iron frame under flamboyant
decoration. The overall impression is harmonious in spite of the
diversity of its inspiration and the temes taken up by Charles Garnier.
He personally supervised the integration in the architecture of
decorative works entrusted to sculptors, painters and mosaic artists
representative, as himself was, of state-sponsored artists.
TRIUMPH OF ECLECTICISMGarnier's
architectural principles are imbued with Renaissance ideals. Garnier
also had "general interest in all kinds of technological progress", such
as "balancing the ancient craft of stonecutting against iron's modern
industrialization of architecture. This diversity of the materials used
in the building and the range of colours used right from the façade,
takes you into the fairy-tale world of the Opera House.
The two
side pavillions formerly provided access for the regular subscribers on
one side and for the Emperor on the other. They are today occupied by
the Library and the Opera Museum. At the right of the entrance halls,
there is the famous group of dancers by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux - the
original is in the Musée d'Orsay. The great staircase continues down
towards Pythia's water basin and the former subscribers' rotunda. The
stairs are decorated in marble and onyx, a true theatre of worldly
events, while the lobby is decorated with Venetian mosaics.
Two
small rooms, one dedicated to the Moon, the other to the Sun, lead to
the main foyer, a princely gallery of gilded luxury in which the
mythological characters and the allegories of Paul Baudry stand out. The
rotunda is adorned by eight tapestries made by the Gobelins, under a
ceiling by Georges Clairin. In the auditorium itself, the great
chandelier illuminates the ceiling by Marc Chagall, which has, since
1964, covered the original work of Jules-Eugène Lenepveu. Echoing the
colorful style dear to Charles Garnier's, Chagall has designed his
painting as a living image of the festive spririt surrounding each
performance: luminous, fluid figures surge forth, contrasting with the
gold and red tones of the theatre.
Among
round arches and soaring Corinthian columns, busts and medallions of
celebrated composers adorn the stately façade of dressed stone. The four
thematic façade groups at the entrance to the opera house include
Harmony by Jouffroy; Instrumental Music by Guillaume; Lyric Drama by
Perraud; and The Dance, the celebrated sculpture by Carpeaux.
The façade attic groups with winged goddesses by Guméry are
entitled Harmony and Poetry. Each flytower corner group by Lequesne
features Pegasus rearing above the great, copper-plated dome. At the
stage flytower apex stands Aimé Millet's monumental group Apollo
Crowning Dance and Poetry. The youthful god holds aloft a golden lyre - a
decorative leitmotif throughout the splendid Palais Garnier.
The
French Revolution of 1789 prompted the Paris Opéra to produce a series
of operas on revolutionary subjects. In the middle and late 19th
century, grand opera, exemplified in the works of Giacomo Meyerbeer,
flourished in the company’s repertory. The Opéra underwent a decline in
the 20th century, and attempts to rejuvenate it began at mid-century.
Its administration was joined with that of the Opéra-Comique, which
traditionally stages works with spoken dialogue. From 1875 to 1990 the
Paris Opéra was housed in the Théâtre Nationale de l’Opéra, an
architectural landmark that is better known simply as the Opéra. In the
latter year the company occupied its new home in the Opéra de la
Bastille building.
Star Turtles
Turtles
have been inhabiting our planet for more than 150 million years. Star
Turtle is a species of Turtle found in dry areas and scrub forest. This
species is quite popular in the exotic pet trade. Star Turtles have a
yellow or tan head. Females are much larger than males and have a shell
which is much broader.Life span is up to 80 years.
ScienceDaily
(Feb. 22, 2011) — A report issued Feb. 22, 2011, co-authored by the
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) working in conjunction with the
Turtle Conservation Coalition, lists the 25 most endangered turtle
species from around the world -- some of which currently number less
than five individuals.
Decimated by illegal hunting for both food
and the pet trade along with habitat loss, many turtle species will go
extinct in the next decade unless drastic conservation measures are
taken, according to the report, which was released at a regional
workshop hosted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore and WCS.
Illegal hunting for turtles in Asia for food, pets, and traditional medicines is a particular problem, the report says.
"Turtles
are being unsustainably hunted throughout Asia," said co-author Brian
D. Horne of the Wildlife Conservation Society. "Every tortoise and
turtle species in Asia is being impacted in some manner by the
international trade in turtles and turtle products.
Liz Bennett,
Vice President of WCS Species Program, said: "Turtles are wonderfully
adapted to defend themselves against predators by hiding in their
shells, but this defense mechanism doesn't work against organized,
large-scale human hunting efforts. The fact is that turtles are being
vacuumed up from every nook and cranny in Asia and beyond."
3 comments:
Hawa Mahal - Jaipur
The
succession of Madho Singh's five year old son Prithvi Singh on his
death in 1768 was in accordance with protocol.What was unusual was that
the person appointed as his regent was not his own mother, but an older
and more senior queen of Madho Singh's, a woman descended from the
Chandawat line (a branch of the house of Mewar); and she had a son of
her own, Pritvi Singh's younger half-brother Pratap.
The thakurs
strongly disliked female rule of any sort but they were divided about
how to take control of their infant king themselves, were further
appalled by the open secret of the close personal relationship between
her and one of her ministers, a man named Firoz who had previously been
an elephant driver. Impotent to change the situation, the thakurs
returned to their own estates and sulked, waiting for the boy to come of
age when he could appoint his own advisers and ministers. But Prithvi
Singh never reached his majority. At the age of fifteen, just at the
point when he seemed ready to shake off his unwholesome guardians and
assert himself, he died suddenly as a result of a fall from his horse.
Though not yet old enough to rule, he had already married twice. That he
was succeeded not by his own infant son Man Singh, the legitimate heir,
but by the son of the queen regent, his half brother Pratap - thus
perpetuating the power of the regent and of her elephant driver - must
excite the suspicion that Prithvi Singh was pushed. Poor Prithvi Singh
had been riding for this fall all his life. As James Tod mildly put it,
given that the Chundawat rani had a direct interest in the death of
Prithvi Singh, the laws of common sense were violated in appointing her
his guardian.- "JaipurNama" Giles Tillotson
Thus
Pratap Singh succeeded Prithvi Singh in April 1778 at the age of
thirteen. Early in 1779 he visited the emperor at Delhi and was
recognised as the rightful ruler. Pratap was a man rather more in the
image of the founder, his grandfather Sawai Jai Singh. Though not on the
same scale, he was an enthusiastic patron of literature, painting and
architecture. His major addition to the palace is the building for which
Jaipur is best known today, the Hawa Mahal.
He
commissioned Lal Chand Usta in 1799 to design Hawa Mahal which
literally translates to "Palace of Winds". It is an icon of Jaipur and
is an extension of the Royal City Palace Zenana (women’s chambers)
standing away from the main complex. The monument with a spectacular
view of Jaipur city with road avenues, intersections and colourful
crowds in the market, was originally conceived with the aim of enabling
ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and royal
processions in the city without being seen. This is the element on which
the builders lavished most attention.
Admired by many for its
breathtaking eccentricity, the Hawa Mahal has been derided by others as a
gratuitous flourish, disconnected from any serious purpose. Leaving
aside arguments as to its quality, the seeming confusion and jumble of
forms is in fact regulated by a strict and carefully calculated order.
Though superficially it appears arbitrary, a careful scrutiny will
reveal how the architect has devised a composition out of a handful of
well-establised and elementary principles of vastu vidya.
The
building, standing on a high podium, is a fifty-foot high thin shield,
less than a foot in thickness, with small intimate chambers , which give
this palace its unique facade. There are no regular stairs to reach the
upper floors, but only ramps.
Though often described as merely a
screen, the Hawa Mahal is in fact a structure built around two
courtyards, but with a vast screen-like facade on the east, overlooking
the street. The five storied pyramidal shaped monument built in red and
pink sand stone to keep with the décor of the other monuments in the
city is in the form of a Mukuta or crown, adorning Lord Krishna. Its
façade depicts 953 niches with intricately carved Jharokhas (some are
made of wood) is a stark contrast to the plain looking rear side of the
structure.
Its
cultural and architectural heritage is a true reflection of a fusion of
Hindu Rajput architecture and the Islamic Mughal architecture; the
Rajput style is seen in the form of domed canopies, fluted pillars,
lotus and floral patterns, and the Islamic style is evident in its stone
inlay filigree work and arches (as distinguished from its similarity
with the Panch Mahal – the palace of winds – at Fatehpur Sikri).
One
very interesting feature of Hawa Mahal is the fact that the elaborate
and decorative element exists only on one side. There is a total lack
of ornamentation on the inner face of the building. The chambers are
plain and more a mass of pillars and passages leading to the top storey.
Entrance to Hawa Mahal is from the City Palace side, through a stately
door. Façades of Jaipur and surroundings typically have gokhdas (sitting
spaces) on either side of the entrance. Stylistically, the bangaldar
(curvilinear) roof became prevalent in stone chhatris and chhajjas
(sunshades) and was later used in other areas of Rajasthan too. Ganesha
(opens gate to material success and is the spiritual guide), Shiva,
Laxmi on moon (symbol of beauty), Vishnu and Kalki are etched on the
chhatri.
The stately entrance door opens into a spacious
courtyard. The courtyard has a double storeyed building on three sides.
The royal family celebrated the colorful festival of Holi on Phalgun
Purnima which comes in February end or early March in the courtyard.
There
is a small archeological museum here. Only the eastern wing has three
more storeys above, which are just a single room thick.
Pratap MandirSawai
Pratap Singh was barely 13 years when he ascended the throne.He had no
knowledge of administration. He lived through troubled times. The kindom
had spent 25 years placating the Maratha. The royal treasury had run
dry. Jaipur was poor. He would retire to Pratap Mandir (situated at one
end of the open courtyard) where he spent time composing poems in praise
of his beloved Lord Govindaji. He would sing and dance praising his
lord.
N.G.
Rathod in his book "The Great Maratha Mahadaji Sindhia" describes
Pratap as a fickle-minded transvestite who tied "jingling bells"
[anklets]to his feet and danced in the dancing halls.
Bhojan Bhavan - Rare public Dining HallOn
the other side of the courtyard is the Royal Dining Hall. Among the
many things popular about the Maharajas of Rajasthan are the dishes they
savoured. The food was prepared to nourish people fighting wars and
were away from their homes for long periods. It was required for the
food to have long shelf lives. Also the desert climate has seen the
evolution of recipes that call for minimum water and did not use great
quantities of vegetables. The foods were cooked in accordance to what
was available and that scarcity never changed the grandiose lifestyle of
its people. Greater use of milk, butter milk and other milk products
can be seen in Rajasthani cuisine.
Royal Dining Hall
Some
of the widely renowned Rajasthani Cuisine are dal-bati, besan-chakki,
churma, jhajariya, gevar, balusahi, tarfini, raabdi, bail-gatte,
panchkoota, chaavadi, laapasi, nukhti, googri and dhungari hui chaach.
In Rajasthan, dry fruits, yogurt and spices are used while cooking many
dishes. Dal-Bati-Choorma, made of butter, cereals and sweetened bread
pudding of Jaipur is considered a specialty. The royals often treated
their guests to these Rajasthani delicacies in the Royal Dining Hall on
the ground floor.
The second storey is known as Ratan Mandir because of the dazzling glasswork on its walls.
The
third storey is called Vichitra Mandir, as no one knew what lay behind
the closed doors. Some believe that the maharaja worshipped his deity
Lord Krishna here.
The Jaipur royals were a formidable polo playing
family. They kept special stables for polo ponies and their teams
included among the very best in the world. Very often, the players were
the rulers and members of their families, though their armies also
encouraged the sport. In the zenanas, even the women of the royal family
were encouraged to play polo and proved themselves adept at it. The
royal family also played polo on elephant-backs. The queen and her maids
watched the polo matches and archery matches from the fourth story
known as Prakash Mandir. It has an open terrace on both sides.
The fifth storey is known as Hawa Mandir after which the whole structure came to be known as Hawa Mahal.
Beautiful Light patterns caused by colour glasses in the windows
Hawa
Mahal's unique five-storey exterior is also akin to the honeycomb of
the beehive with its 953 small windows called jharokhas that are
decorated with intricate lattice work. The small windows circulated
cooler air during the months of summer season. The original intention of
the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the
street below without being seen, since they had to observe strict
"purdah" (the practice of preventing women from being seen by men).
Though no historical record is available to its exact history, it is
conjectured that Royal family ladies, who were under strict observance
of purdah , had to be given opportunity to witness proceedings in the
market centre and watch the royal processions and festivities sitting
behind the stone carved screens.
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St. Mary's church - Cantonment Belgaum
Known as poor man's hill station, Belgaum has a pleasant weather that
attracted the Europeans to establish a Cantonment in the year 1832. It
is one of the 62 Cantonments in the country and the only Cantonment in
the State of Karnataka. It provides the city with beautiful lung space
and is a walkers' paradise. It comprises of main Cantonment and Fort
area.
Of
the several historical monuments in Cantonment, St. Mary's Church
deserves a special mention. This Gothic church was designed by Reverend
Francis Gell and built under the supervision of the then army garrison
engineer. It is built of Gokak pink stones, Alnavar and Dandelt teak
and mortar. It took five years to complete. It was consecrated on April
15, 1869 by the then Governor of the Bombay Precedence.
Features of Gothic architectureThe
pointed arches allows a greater weight to be carried when compared to a
Norman rounded arch. It is important to note that in addition to
providing a greater flexibility to architectural form, the pointed arch
also directed one's gaze to heaven.Due to the versatility of the pointed
arch the structure of Gothic windows evolved from simple openings to
immensely rich and decorative sculptural designs and the windows were
later filled with stained glass which added a dimension of color to the
available light in the building.
The buttresses allow the extra
weight to be transferred to additional parts of the church. 'Flying
buttresses' allow the outward pressure of the massive roofs to be
resisted. The ability to cope with greater weights also allowed Gothic
architects to use larger windows.
The teak and marble altar is towered by an exceptionally beautiful
stained glass collage. The collage is 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The
collage depicting the life of Lord Jesus from birth to resurrection in
12 frames was made in Italy. The sun filters through the stained
glasses in the church during the morning service creating a breathtaking
view. The main thrust of Gothic style is to make light all important.
The pipe organ is as old as the church itself.
St
Mary’s Church follows the Anglican form of worship. Prior to
Independence, it was the Army Garrison Church of Belgaum, under the Army
Station Commander, the Bishop of Bombay and the Archbishop of
Canterbury, England. The head priest of the church was the Chaplain of
Belgaum. Even today the locals refer to this church as the Church of
England or High Church.
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Chennamma's Kittur
The
fort at Kittur spread over an area of about 23 acres was built by
Allppa Gowda SarDesai the fifth ruler of Kittur dynasty during 1660-1691
A.D. The fort built with small stone available in plenty in the
surrounding region was extensively damaged by Chaplin, the British
Comissioner of Deccan region.
The
palace in the Kittur fort popularly known as "Rani Chennamma's palace"
was also constructed by Allappa Gowda SarDesai. The palace was
constructed in the Peshwa-Islamic style. The palace was a three storied
building consisting of several rooms. The various rooms in the palace
can be classified as: Rest Rooms, Discussion Rooms, Pole Star Viewing
Room, several kitchens, bath rooms etc. Copper pipes supplied water to
the palace. The palace also had a secret well that reflects the social
structure of the period.
The
guest rooms, the Durbar hall, the Dining hall, the store rooms, the
kitchen etc. provide a glimpse of the architectural marvel of the
palace. Every room had two entrances. A well was constructed inside the
palace and brass pipes were used for water supply. Stone containers and
tanks were built to store water. The dining hall was designed to feed at
least thousand persons at a time. The palace had an in-built swimming
pool. Inside the palace, there are remnants of ornamental arches and
decorated shelves.
There
was a beautiful dwara mantapa in front of the palace. This measured
100ft broad and 300 ft long. This was decorated by tall and attractive
pillars. In one of the rooms of the palace, in the midst of a wall, an
iron pipe measuring 1.5 ft was in-built to enable one to view Pole-star
from inside the room.
Kittur
known as Geejaganahalli in the 12th C became the seat of power of
Kittur kings between 1585 and 1824 A.D. The principality of Kittur was
founded by the Shetty brothers - Hiremalla and Chikkamalla who hailed
from Sagar area of Shimoga district. Adil Shahi, the king of Bijapur, in
admiration of teh services and the heroic deeds of these brothers
gifted Kittur in 1585 A.D. The Shetty brothers ruled this area with
Sampagaon as their capital. Kittur was ruled by 12 kings in all.
King
Mallasarja, the most famous of all the Kittur kings ruled this land
between 1782 - 1816 A.D. Kittur attained great fame during his rule.
Baji Rao Peshwa of Pune who was jealous of his achievements invited him
to Pune on the pretext of extending his hand in friendship and kept him
in prison for 3 years. Mallasarja's health deteriorated and he died in
1816. His first wife Rudramma turned towards spiritualism and his second
wife Chennamma, an able administrator ruled the land after Mallasarja's
death.
Though Chennamma's son Shivabasavaraja was older than Rudrasarja
Chennamma coronated Rudrasarja as she had promised Rudramma that she
would always treat her as her elder sister and her son would inherit the
kingdom. She tied "Bhairavi kankaNa" to her son which meant that he had
to pledge his life to save the king's life with his own if required.
Rudramma's son Shivalinga Rudrasarja proved to be a very weak ruler. So
Chennamma assumed to herself the reigns of Kittur. Shivalinga Rudrasarja
died issuless on 12-10-1824. The British then started interfering in
the administration of Kittur. Thackery, the Collector of Dharward,
seized the treasury of Kittur. Chennamma provocated by this incident
prepared to confront the collector. The brave soldiers of Kittur
defeated Thackery and his men. Thackery was killed by Amatur Sadhunavar
Balappa's bullet, a loyal bodyguard of Chennamma who was leading the
battle. Since the battle preceeded the revolt of Jhansi Rani, Chennamma
is popularly known as "the pole star of Indian Independence".
Chennamma
realised that she could not fight the British army and on the advise of
her guru initiated the peace treaty with the British. She also took
good care of British officers Illiot and Stevens who were prisoners of
war. She was also simultaneously preparing for the inevitable war with
the British. British galvanised a huge army and attacked Kittur on 3rd
December 1824. The battle that lasted for 3 days resulted in the defeat
of the queen who was exiled at Bailhongal.
Kittur
fort fell to the British on December 5, 1824. Rani Chennamma was
captured and sent away to the jail in Bailhongal. Chaplin confiscated 16
lakh Rupees, ornaments worth 4 Lakhs and other valuables from the
Kittur fort. He destroyed the palace and the fort to avenge the death of
comissioner Munroe and other British officers. He sold the wooden doors
and windows in the palace. He permitted the British soldiers to loot
the palace and ransack it completely. He wanted to instill fear in the
minds of other Indian rulers who dared to retaliate against the British
rule.
The patriotic queen who dreamed of a free country breathed her last in 1829 while still in the British custody.
11 comments:
Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple at Halasi
"Works
of art indeed are not made entirely at random from inspiration; there
are almost always discoverable some methods, principles and irrevocable
canonical rules. Whatever may be the originality of a work, it is
connected with contemporary works; it is explained by anterior works.
The author belongs to a school, the work belongs to a style"- Dr. Jaouveau-Dubreuil in Dravidian ArchitectureTemple architecture in South India The
temple architecture that started in South India was generally
classified into groups according to the names of the dynasties of kings.
It is usually said that the Pallava period (AD 600-AD 850) is that of
sculptured rock, the early Chola period (AD 850-AD 1100) that of grand
Vimanas, the later Chola and Imperial Pandya period (AD 1100-AD 1350)
that of the most beautiful gopuras and of the Vijaynagar period (AD
1350-AD 1600) that of mantapas and pillared halls and the Nayak period
as also the modern period after 1600 as that of corridors.
Temple architecture in KarnatakaThe
Architecture of Karnataka can be traced to 345 AD with that of the
Kadamba Dynasty. The Kadambas were the originators of the Karnataka
architecture. Kadamba's architecture and sculpture contributed to the
foundation of Chalukya-Hoysala style. Vijayanagara architecture is a
vibrant combination of the Chalukya, Hoysala, Pandya and Chola styles,
idioms that prospered in previous centuries
Salient features of Kadamba architectureThe
most prominent feature of Kadamba architecture is the Shikara(tower),
also called Kadamba Shikara. The pyramid shaped shikara rises in steps
without any decoration and is crowned with a Kalasha on the top.
Occasionally the pyramids had perforated screen windows.
Kadamba
temples were an improvement on the Andhrabhritya structures. The latter
we may presume, were like all ancient monuments, mere halls, as yet not
separated into partitions. With the rise of the Kadambas, however, the
temples came to consist of two distinct parts, namely the garbhariha and
the sukanasi.
BhooVaraha Narasimha templeA popular legend narrates that the Pandavas, while in exile, built Narasimha temple overnight at Halasi to worship Lord Vishnu.
Historically,
the temple has been dated to 5th century AD when the Kadamba ruler
Shivachitta were ruling over this region. Inscriptions inside the temple
also support this.
The Varaha-Narasimha temple at Halasi shows
further evolution in Kadamba architecture. The parallelopipeds in the
stages of the tower are here more numerous than in several other
temples. But as these stages are not so minutely divided or marked with
profusion of ornamentation as in the later temples, the vigorous and
purposeful lines of the tower are still maintained. The tower is
arranged in eleven tiers. On the 10th tier there are four panels each
crowned by a kirtimukha, or the grotesque face of a monster, apparently a
lion.
The
sukanasi which is surrounded by walls is lighted by pierced stone
windows inserted above the overhanging eaves. Unlike the earlier Kadamba
temples that have one window, Bhoovaraha Narasimha temple has three
windows.
Originally,
the temple had only one Garbhagriha where a crude idol of Narasimha
having two hands was installed. It was later replaced with a seated
Narayana. This shrine has a shikara built in the Kadamba-Nagara style
which was renovated later.
A second garbhagriha facing the first,
was added to the temple several centuries later. Vijayaditya III
installed a 5 feet standing idol of Varaha carrying Mother Earth (or
Bhoodevi) in his mouth in 1186-87 AD.
3 comments:
Yellamma Gudda
This popular pilgrim destination is situated at the foot of the scenic
hills known as Sidhachal or Ramagiri overlooking the beautiful river
Malaprabha which enchances the richness of the region.
A temple
dedicated to Goddess Yellamma also known as Goddess Renuka, the consort
of the mythical sage Sri Jamadagni and mother of Lord Parasurama, an
incarnation of Lord Vishnu, forms the sacred crown of the beautiful
hill. It is learnt from the legends that a part of the corpse of Sati
fell here when it was severed by the Chakra or the 'Holy Wheel' of Lord
Vishnu.
Although
not usually a village guardian deity, Yellamma is represented somewhere
in the pantheon of most villages in this region. She is also the "house
deity" in a number of households from all castes in the social
heirarchy. Equated loosely with Parvathi, all the prominent female
deities of the region are considered her younger sisters; and the
prominent male deities of the region (except Basavanna and Shiva) are
her elder brothers.
According to one legend, Yellamma was born in
Yellappagoudar's house in Haralakatti village. She married an ascetic
Jamadagni who lived in an ashram on the hill outside Saundatti against
her parents' wishes.
According to another legend, Renuka Devi
also known as Yellamma, daughter of Renuka Raja married Sage Jamadagni
on the advise of sage Agasthya
She
would fetch fresh water for her husband from Malaprabha river every
morning for his daily rituals by making a water pot with riverbed sand.
She used a live cobra to cushion the pot on her head. One morning she
saw gandharvas bathing in the river and she was momentarily lost in
thoughts about her husband. She could neither make the pot nor catch the
cobra as she could not concentrate. She returned home empty handed to
face the wrath of her husband whose curse turned her to a leper.
Yellamma
left the ashram and wandered far and wide. She came across two yogis,
Ekayya and Jogayya who guided and helped her with the sacred waters of
Jogalabhavi and cured her of leprosy. When she returned to the ashram,
Jamadagni ordered his sons to chop off their mother's head. Three of
their sons refused and finally Parasurama cut off his mother's head. The
pleased Jamadagni granted Parasuram a wish and he chose to bring back
his mother to life.
According to another legend,Jamadagni told
Parasurama to bring his mother's head, but he couldn't find it. A woman
Yellamma belonging to untouchable caste was passing by. Parasurama cut
off her head instead and Jamadagni placed Yellamma's head on Renuka's
body and she came back to life.
According to a third legend,
Renuka fled to a low-caste community when her son parasurama was coming
to kill her. He found an beheaded her along with another woman belonging
to the low-caste who tried to protect her. When he later brought them
back to life, he attached the woman's head to Renuka's body and
vice-versa by mistake.
There are as many interpretations of the
Renuka-Yellamma legend as there are varieties of the story. Since
devadasis are invariably drawn from Dalit castes, the most obvious seems
that it takes away the stain of sex with an untouchable: their heads
(symbolised by Yellamma's) may be low caste, but their bodies
(symbolized by Renuka's) might be used by upper caste men without
defilement.
2 comments:
Sugandavarthi (Saundatti) - Capital city of the Rattas
Sugandavarthi, now popularly known as Saundatti was the capital of the
Ratta chieftains during the period 930 A.D. to 1230 A.D. The founder of
the Ratta dynasty of Saundatti in the Belgaum District is stated to have
been raised to the position of a feudatory chieftain by a king named
Krsna who has been identified with the Rashtrakuta emperor Krsna III
(939 - 67 AD). An inscription of 1218 A.D. represents the said Rattas as
the descendants of the same Krsna, called Krsna-Kandhaara, while in
another record of 1209 A.D. from Hannikeri near Sampgaon in the Belgaum
District mentions the same king as Krsna-Kandhara and represents him as
Kandhaara-pura-varaadhishwara, 'The supreme lord of Kandhaaarapura, the
best of cities'. The Rattas of Saundatti, used to represent themselves
as lords of the city of Lattaloora.
Saundatti
was popularly known as Sugandhavarthi, Saugandhipura in the krutayuga.
Jayappa Desai II of Navalgund - Sirasangi built the fort at Saundatti.
He ruled Sirasangi- a prominent dynasty from 1734 A.D - 1758 A.D which
was recognised as the "Golden Era". He was a clever administrator. He
was humble, Religious, generous and sympathetic to his subjects. He was a
great scholar and a poet. He composed poems in several languages and
was also a patron of art . He translated the Sanskrit work "Deekshitara
kuvalayaananda" composed by Appayya and "Rasamanjari" composed by
Bhaanudatta to Kannada.
He
paid prominence to the safety of his dynasty and constructed forts on
elevated lands. He constructed forts at Kusugal (Hubli taluq), Sirasangi
and Saundatti at a total cost of 8.5 lakh Rupees. He started the
construction of Saundatti fort in 1743 and completed it in 1751 at a
total cost of 2 lakh Rupees. The fort is spread over an area of 10 acres
and is built of red sand stone. The bastions, stone walls, stone
arches, moat and watch towers enhance the beauty of this fort.
Hyder
Ali attacked the fort during 1777 - 1782. There are records stating
that Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan not only received large amounts of wealth
from the Desais and but also looted the kingdom.
The
rulers of Navalgund - Sirasangi were Veerashaivas. KaaduSiddeshwara of
Siddhagiri was the Rajguru. Kaadusiddeshwara was the family deity of the
Sirasangi rulers. The ancient temple of KaadaSiddeshwara was
constructed (1635 A.D. - 1638 A.D.) prior to the construction of the
fort by a farmer Kallappa who belonged to Saundatti village.
Jayappa
Desai II remodelled the temple while constructing the fort. The temple
is constructed with white stones and is 430ft in diameter. 59 steps lead
to the temple. There is a vast navaranga and the beautiful idol of
KaaduSiddeshwara sculpted in black stone is magnificient.
Jayappa
Desai constructed a beautiful palace within the fort walls. 40 feet
Darbar hall, teak wood door, windows and pillars were very artistic. The
palace was burnt down in 1942 during "Quit India movement".
The
historical palace and the KaaduSiddeshwara temple within the Saundatti
fort also have Educational importance. An Anglo vernacular school
popularly known as the "Palace School" was being operated in the palace
between 1918-1920 A.D. K.L.E. Society started the Shri KaaduSiddeshwara
Middle school in 1935. The school was shifted to KaaduSiddeshwara temple
when the palace was destroyed during the Quit India Movement. The
school was relocated to an independent structure attached to the fort in
1951. Few classes were still conducted in the Kaadusiddeshwara temple
until 1965.
Godachinmalki Falls, Ghodageri and Gokak Falls
Most of North Karnataka's rivers originate in the Western Ghats. The
Krishna and its tributaries-the Bhima, Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and
Tungabhadra-cover a length of about 700 km. Krishna's basin covers 13
districts and about 60% of Karnataka's geographical area!
Rivers,
elevations and rains create spectacular waterfalls in North Karnataka.
Belgaum district has more than six big waterfalls, of which the Gokak
and Godachinmalki falls are the most magnificent and most popular with
tourists.
Godachinmalki Falls
The
Godachinmalki Falls also known as the Markandeya Falls located in a
rugged valley enjoys a beautiful and exotic setting. Located within a
green valley, it is approachable from Godachinmalki village by a short
trek through an irregular forest route. Another route is from Pachhapur
via Mawanur, which is about 6 kilometers.
Instead
of one dramatic steep drop the river takes two gentle descents.
Markandeya river takes a first fall from a height of about 25 metres and
flows into a rocky valley. After a short distance from the rocky
valley, it takes the second fall from a height of about 18 metres. After
this double fall, Markandeya river joins Ghataprabha river near
Ghodgeri.
Ghodageri Hanging Bridge
Inspired
by former president A P J Abdul Kalam’s belief that “physical
communication between two places paves way for development.”,Girish, the
60-year-old mechanical engineer has constructed as many as 84 hanging
bridges across the rural landscapes of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and
Kerala to keep the villages connected during heavy rain.
The idea
of building a hanging bridge came to Girish when residents of his
village prompted him to build a hanging bridge across the Payaswini
river at Arambur village in Dakshina Kannada district in 1989. He is
confident that with proper maintenance, the bridges he built can survive
for more than 100 years. The bridges are built according to the
conditions of the place. Girish’s repertoire includes bridges with
supporting cement pillars and huge tree trunks used as anchors.
The
engineer along with his colleagues from Ayyashilpa Company Sullia,
visit the spot where a bridge is needed, and go about their jobs.
The
biggest bridge that Girish has built is a hanging bridge of 280 metres
connecting Avaragola and Ghodageri villages across the Ghataprabha in
Belgaum district. He says that he is ready to teach the art of
constructing hanging bridges free of cost to youngsters who are willing
to devote time and energy for the same. (Girish Bharadwaj-9448123475)
Gokak Falls
Gokak
falls also known as the Northern Mysore Falls and compared to Niagara
Falls (because of their distinctive horseshoe shape)is close to Gokak
town. Ghataprabha river leaps over sandstone cliff into a rocky gorge
170 ft down which is a beautiful sight to behold. In flood, the falls
extend across 177 metres. A 201-metre long hanging bridge is suspended
14 metres above the river. Several temples and monuments, dating back to
the days of the Later Chalukyas of Kalyana, are found on the banks of
the river.
8 comments:
Shivalingeshwara Math at Savalgi
Karnataka, like several other states in India, has witnessed religious
conflicts among Shaiva sect, Vashnava sect, Jaina and Islamic religions
over the centuries. However, the Bhakti movement and the unifying forces
by Sufis, mystics and ‘tattva padakAraru’ have worked ceaselessly to
further communal harmony. Communal accord that prevails in almost all
villages of Karnataka is an outcome of these endeavours. People respect
Gods and saints belonging to all religions. Festive occasions are
celebrated in the entire village cutting across castes and religions. In
addition to this there are many shrines in Karnataka which attract
devotees from all castes and religions. These shrines are managed by
people belonging to different religious faiths.
Savalagi
(sAvaLagi) a small town in Gokak taluk of Belgaum district contains
Islamic style religious institution known as ‘sAvaLagi maTha’. The
shrine of Sri Jagadguru Shivalingeshvara is six centuries old. People
from both religions congregate here during the annual fair. There is
regular interaction between the Swamiji of sAvaLagi and the seer of
Bende Nawaj darga in Gulbarga.
The
shrine is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity and communal harmony.Sri
Shivalingeshwar Swamiji, its founder, and one of his disciples - Sharane
Marulamma -- became Jeevantha Samadhis (a concept wherein individuals
voluntarily embrace death).
The basement houses the nirvikalpa
(live) samadhi of Shivalingeshwara. There is a tomb in the first floor
with four minarets. There is a stone bed and a cotton bed. Khwaja
Bandenawaz was a contemporary of Sri Shivalingeshwar Swamiji was a great
admirer of the swamiji and had visited Savalgi. In turn, the swamiji
had attended a Muslim festival in Gulbarga on the invitation of the
saint. It is said that Shivalingeshwara and the famous Sufi saint
Hazrath Khwaja Bandenawaz Gesudaraz of Gulbarga sat in this room and
discussed socio-cultural issues.
Certain
incidents during the late 14th Century led to communal tension among
castes and religions. The Shaiva saint is said to have resolved these
conflicts by performing miracles.
The Sufi saint Hazrath Khwaja
Bandenawaz Gesudaraz visited Savalgi and is believed to have held
discussions with Shivalingeshwara. Subsequently, he ordered Muslims to
make common cause with all religious communities and serve the math as
servants of the Shaiva saint. Since then, Muslims became an inseparable
part of the math. The devotees chant the slogan “Hara Hara Deen, Hara
Hara Mahadev” during religious procession.
The head of the math
participates in all the important rituals observed by Muslims and other
religious communities in the village. If there is a death, he cannot
perform regular puja until the last rites are performed and the
community informs him about it.
Philanthropic activities of the maThaWithout
seeking any financial assistance from the government, the Math is
running a hostel for girls studying in schools and colleges in Dharwad.
It has also set up an institution in Dharwad for imparting training in
yoga for girls.
As per the reports in 'Deccan Herald' dated
September 26, 2003 some of the future philanthropic plans of the Math
included construction of a marriage hall, starting of a milk dairy, an
old-age home, a health-care centre, a botanical garden for growing
Ayurvedic medicinal plants and a yoga centre at Savalgi.The Math is
planning to open an institution for the rehabilitation of beggars and a
centre for the deaf and blind children belonging to economically weaker
sections of the society, both at Savalgi.
We did not have sufficient time to discuss about the maTha's philanthropic activities with the swamiji.
9 comments:
Yoganarasimha Swamy temple - Kaivara - Vaikuntha Hill
In
Hindu temples throughout India, and most Hindu households, rituals, or
pujas, are performed to the deities during which it is customary to
offer a series of specific leaves and petals. Some will be carried out
daily and other only on special festivals. Whilst people still perform
the pujas today, it is less likely that the correct flower or leaf will
be presented to the deities and they are often substituted with grains
of rice: people have lost touch with this traditional knowledge about
the ritual use of plants and can find it difficult to locate the correct
species for each ritual.In response to this situation there is an
initiative in the state of Karnataka, South India, to encourage temple
authorities to create gardens in which these plants could be grown. In
addition, the Karnataka forest department had also established a number
of 'religious forests'. In 1984 the first 'religious forest' was opened
in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district. A second second had been established
by 1989 in Ramanagaram, Bangalore district and a third in 1991, the
Kaivara reserve forest, in Chintamani, Kolar district.
The
Kaivara reserve forest was established in 1991 at the location where a
popular 19th C philosopher sage Narayanappa or Yogi Nareyana Yathindra,
born in the 1830s, attained jiva samadhi. The area is also famous in
having been identified as the site of battles recounted in the Hindu
epic the Mahabharata.
Nestled in this 'religious forest' is a
piece of heaven on earth known as Vaikuntha- a tiny hill near Kaivara.
Vaikuntha is the mytical celestial abode of Lord Vishnu in Vishnuloka
according to Hindu mythology. The Lord's abode in Vaikuntha is
surrounded by vast gardens where he plays with his consorts. The gardens
consist of trees like parijatha, Harichandana, kalpaka and is filled
with fragrant multicoloured flowers.
When
the king of bees sings the glories of the Lord in the gardens, there is
a temporary lull in the noise of pigeon, cuckoo, cakravaka, parrot,
partridge and the peacock. The birds stop singing to hear the glories of
the Lord.
A cave temple dedicated to Yoganarasimha swamy is
located on Vaikuntha at Kaivara. Kaivara Narayanappa is said to have
meditated here for more than three years and his statue is installed
here.
The wide eyes of the Lord look like freshly blossomed lotus flowers
(ambuja charulochanm). His beautiful lips sport a bewitching smile
(suchi smitham). He has a long and sharp nose. He holds the
panchaayudhas viz. the conch, the discus, the mace, the sword and the
bow in his hands. His fingers are adorned with valuable rings (divya
anguliyaka virajitham).
The Lord wears a beautiful crown (athi
manohara kirita makuta), a pendent on his forehead (chuda), ear drops
(makara kundala) studded with precious stones, a neck band (graiveyaka),
rows of chains hanging on the chest (hara), armbands (keyura), a
circular band adorning the wrist (kataka), the mole like mark on the
chest (Srivatsa).
He wears Kousthubha gem on his chest, rows of
stringed pearls (mukthadhama) and many other jewels. Each of these
jewels is said to exude sweet fragrance (divya gandhiah). Besides
vyjayanthi vanamala (a garland of unfading flowers) adorns him.
Adjacent
to the temple is a magnificent structure with a spacious prayer hall.
One can get beautiful views of the surronding hills from here.
Amaranarayana Temple - Kaivara
This
Dravidian style temple at Kaivara is dedicated to lord Vishnu. The
temple has four sculpted stone pillars carved with finely sculpted
motifs. This constitutes the Navranga Mantapa. The outer mantapa serves
the purpose of an outer hall and leads to an inner small closed mantapa
and the shrine. The outer mantapa is the largest part of the temple and
is the place supporting larger congregations of people. The vimana
contains the most sacred shrine wherein resides the image of the
presiding deity Amaranarayana.
Bittiga, popularly known as
Vishnuvardhana, the emperor of Hoysala Empire in present day Indian
state of Karnataka is believed to have installed the idol of Lord
Amaranarayana in Kaivara sometime during the period 1115–1141 CE.
Vishnuvardhana was the name given to Bittideva after he relinquished
Jainism and embraced Sri Vaishnava religion under the influence of
Ramanujacharya, the founder of that sect. He got a number of temples
built both during the Jaina phase and the Sri Vaishnava phase. He has
been described as the Constantine of Srivaishnavism.
The priest
told us that Indra, the King of Gods and a demon named Vruthasura fought
a fierce battle in the Krutayuga. After a few days of constant battle,
Indra emerged victorious by killing the demon. To wash off his sins he
installed the idol of AmarNarayana at Kaivara. Since the idol was
installed in KrutaYuga by Indra, there are no customary bodyguards of
Vishnu at the temple entrance. Inside the temple complex there are also
idols of Kalyana Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana, Anjaneya and the
statue of saint Narayanaappa.
Jal Mahal - Water Palace - Jaipur
Mansagar
Lake is a 300 acre lake surrounded by the Nahargarh hills. In the past,
at the location of the lake, there was a natural depression where water
used to accumulate. During 1596 AD, when there was a severe famine in
this region there was consequent acute shortage of water. The then ruler
of Ajmer was, therefore, motivated to build a dam to store water to
overcome the severe hardships caused by the famine to the people
inhabiting the region. A dam was constructed, initially using earth and
quartzite, across the eastern valley between Amer hills and Amagarh
hills. The dam was later converted into a stone masonry structure in the
17th century.
Jal
Mahal or water palace, is built in the centre of the artificial lake
Mansagar, outside the city to the north-east, by the road to Amber.
Though sometimes dated as late as 1775, it is likely that this was
constructed by Sawai Jai Singh, at the time of foundation, around 1735.
Certainly, one surviving drawing in the palace collection that shows it
is a type and style consistent with other drawings from Sawai Jai
Singh's time.
The
Jal Mahal palace, a pleasure resort, is considered an architectural
beauty built in the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. Its
position in a lake extends and established Rajput tradition, of which
earlier examples include the very early palace of Padmini at Chittor
(originally built c. 1300 but reconstructed c. 1880) and the Jag Mandir
at Udaipur (1620s). Roughly contemporary is the Jag Nivas, also at
Udaipur, which was built by Maharana Jagat Singh II. The palace has airy
domes, pavilions and terraces around an old fruit orchard. A lot of
people presume the Jal Mahal was a duck hunting retreat used by the
maharaja and his guests for shooting migrating geese, grouse and duck
but it was actually a pleasure pavilion for the royal family.
The
palace, built in red sandstone casts an enchanting reflection in the
calm waters of the Mansagar Lake. It is a five storied building out of
which four floors remain under water when the lake is full and the top
floor is exposed. The rectangular Chhatri on the roof is of the Bengal
type. The Chhatris on the four corners are octagonal.
The garden
on the roof – Chameli Bagh – is a Rajput garden, very different from a
Mughal garden. It has plants bearing scented white flowers – juhi,
champa, chameli, mogra.
The paintings on the tibaris celebrate
the art forms of Jaipur, each with a different theme like sunehri, hari,
neeli. All the doors are of rose wood, specially carved by traditional
carpenters from Sikar. This is as authentically Rajput as it can get.
5 comments:
Dargah Shariff of Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
Love all and hate none.
Mere talk of peace will avail you naught.
Mere talk of God and religion will not take you far.
Bring out all the latent powers of your being
and reveal the full magnificence of your immortal self.
Be overflowing with peace and joy,
and scatter them wherever you are
and wherever you go.
Be a blazing fire of truth,
be a beauteous blossom of love
and be a soothing balm of peace.
With your spiritual light,
dispel the darkness of ignorance;
dissolve the clouds of discord and war
and spread goodwill, peace, and harmony among the people.
Never seek any help, charity, or favors
from anybody except God.
Never go the court of kings,
but never refuse to bless and help the needy and the poor,
the widow, and the orphan, if they come to your door.
This is your mission, to serve the people.....
Carry it out dutifully and courageously, so that I, as your Pir-o-Murshid,
may not be ashamed of any shortcomings on your part
before the Almighty God and our holy predecessors
in the Silsila on the Day of Judgment.- The final discourse of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti to his disciples, one month before his death
Khwaja
Mu'inuddin Hasan Chishti was born in Asfahan, Persia, around 1138 AD,
and brought up in Sanjar. He completed his religious education in
Samarqand and Bukhara . He was initiated into the Chishti Order by
Khwaja Usman Haruni around 1156 AD. Mu'inuddin met the great
Abdu-l-Qadir Jilani, the founder of the Qadiri Order and also
Abu-n-Najib Suhrawardi, the renowned Saint of the Suhrawardi Order at
Baghdad. During his visit to Medina, around 1187 AD, he received a
mandate from the Holy Prophet to proceed to Ajmer where he established
the first presence of the Chishti Order in India. His high morals, great
wisdom and frugal lifestyle deeply influenced thousands of people as he
carried on his work in Ajmer for more than 45 years and became known as
also known as Gharib Nawaz, the Patron of the Poor. He passed away in
1236 AD. His tomb in Ajmer is a well-known place of pilgrimage for
people from many countries, regardless of their religion.
Text in the following sections has been borrowed from http://dargahsharif.com/KGN_DARGAH%20SHARIF.htmDargah
Shariff of Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti lies at the foot of Taragarh
hill. The first recorded visit to to the Dargah Sharif (SHRINE) of
Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty Ajmeri was Muhammad Bin Tughluq in 1332.
Between the death of Firuz Shah Tughluq (1388) and the invasion of
Timur (1398), Zafar Khan, progenitor of the Sultans of Gujarat, made the
pilgrimage to Ajmer from Nandalgarh.
The Khiljis of Malwa and
Mandu had close connections with the shrine in the last half of the
fifteenth century.Sultan Mahmud Khilji visited Ajmer in 1455. At that
time there was still no proper mausoleum to house the tomb of Hazrat
Khwaja Moinuddin. Two mighty Buland Darwaza, were built with the
donations of Sultan Ghyasuddin Khilji of Mandoo who ruled Malwa from
1469 to 1500 A.D.
Mughal PatronsAjmer
emerged as one of the most important centers of pilgrimage in India
during the reign of Emperor Akbar. He was the first Moghul Emperor to
visit the Dargah on foot when Ajmer came under his possession. Emperor
Akbar used to come here by foot on pilgrimage from Agra every year with
his queen in observance of a vow he had made when praying for a son.
Akbar visited the grave of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty fourteen
times.
One night His Majesty went off to Fatehpur Sikri
(U.P.) to hunt and passed near by Mandhakar which is a village on the
way from Agra to Fatehpur. A number of Indian minstrels were singing
enchanting ditties about the glories and virtues of the great Khwaja,
Khwaja Moinuddin--- May his grave be hallowed---who sleeps in Ajmer.
Often
had his perfections and miracles been the theme of discourse in the
holy assemblies. His Majesty, who was a seeker after Truth, and who, in
his zealous quest sought for union with travelers on the road of
holiness, and showed a desire for enlightenment, conceived a strong
inclination to visit the Khwaja's shrine. The attraction of a pilgrimage
higher seized his collar.
The Emperors subsequent devotion to
the shrine was remarkable. He made it a rule for himself that he should
go every year in the beginning of Rajab (the time of the 'urs) to the
holy shrine'. But his visits were not confined to attending this annual
festival. As the expeditions of just rulers are a source of soothment to
mortals, and are market-days of justice, His Majesty was disposed to
traveling and hunting especially when in this way he could make a
pilgrimage to the shrine of some great ascetic. Akbar also visited the
shrine regularly to give thanks after important military victories.
Thus, he went there after the conquest of Chittor in 1568 and of Bihar
and Bengal in 1574.
Akbar believed the birth of his son, Prince
Salim, in 1570 to have been the result of the successful intercession
with God by Salim Chishty, a darvish whose marble mausoleum may still be
seen at Fatehpur Sikri. This reinforced the Emperor's faith in the
Chishty order and was the occasion of his most striking display of
devotion to Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty. He, at the time when he was
seeking for a son, had made a vow to his God that if this blessing
should be attained, he would perform an act of thanksgiving which would
be personal to himself, viz., that he would walk from Agra to the shrine
of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty and there pay his devotions to God.
He repeated the visit on the birth of his second son later in the same
year, through this time he only walked the last stage of the journey.
Each
of Akbar's visits to Ajmer was celebrated by his making substantial
offerings at the shrine, conferring endowments on it and beautifying it.
His Majesty also arranged for the management of the shrine, and for the
treatment of pilgrims, and for the extension of mosques and khanqas in
the territory.- From Akbarnama He
built the Akbari Masjid, a spacious mosque in the Dargah in 1571 A.D.
It was repaired by Nawab Ghafoor Ali of Danapur in 1901 A.D. One of its
wings now accommodates the Moiniua Usmania Darul-Uloom, an Arabic and
Persain School, for religious education which is run under the
management of the Dargah.
The
buland Darwaza in the north, which is now the main entrance of the
Dargah, was built by H.E.H. Nisam Usman Ali Khan of Hyderabad Deccan in
1915 A.D.
On the top of this gateway, there is the main Naqqar
Khana (drum house) containing two pairs of huge naqqars (beating drums)
which were presented by Emperor Akbar after his successful victory in a
campaign of Bengal. They are sounded to the accompaniment of music
played on Nafeeries and Shahnias at certain fixed hours of every day and
night of the year by musicians permanently employed on the staff of the
Dargah.
In
the three years he was at Ajmer, Jahangir visited the shrine nine
times. He gave the dargah one of its cauldrons (degs) and on the
inaugural occasion he lit the fire beneath it himself and the contents
of the pot fed five thousand poor, as well as himself and his wife, Nur
Mahal. In 616, Jahangir had made a vow that they should place a gold
railing with lattice-work at the enlightened tomb of the revered
Khawaja. On the 27th of this month (Rabi II) it was completed and I
ordered them to take and affix it. It had been made at a cost of 110,000
rupees.
Shah
Jahan is also belived to have constructed a ghat to give access to the
Jhalra tank which is adjacent to the south side of the dargah. A second
monumental gateway was built outside the Buland Darwaza during Shah
Jahan's reign. The inscription on the gateway indicates that it was
built to commemorate a victory of Shah Jahan.
Shah Jahan's
daughter, Jahan Ara Begum,was a loyal follower of Hazrat Khwaja
Moinuddin Chishty & as an expression of her devotion, she had a
porch of white marble built over the main entrance to the saint's
mausoleum known as the Begumi Dalan the has been recently decorated.
The
Emperor Aurangzeb was not wholly in favour of pilgrimages to the
shrines of saints: 'He forbade the roofing over of buildings containing
tombs, the lime-washing of sepulchres, and the pilgrimage of women to
the grave-yards of saints, as opposed to Quranic law.' Even so Aurangzeb
himself did not fail to visit the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin
Chishty when he was at Ajmer in 1659 after his victory over Dara Shikoh,
he presented Rs. 5,000 to the attendants as a thanks-offering for the
victory. However, there are no lasting monuments in the shrine of
Aurangzeb's reverence of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty. But in spite
of the lack of any obvious imperial patronage at this time, there seems
to have been no drastic decline in the popularity of the shrine.
The
Dargah includes many other attractive buildings, tombs, courtyards and
Daalaans, some of which are exquisite specimens of the Moghul
architecture and were erected during the Moghul period.
Tombs in Dargah ShariffFinch
mentions that there were many men of distinction to be buried in the
saint's vicinity. Most remarkable of them, at the time Finch was
writing, was the grave of Nizam, the water carrier who saved the Emperor
Humayun's life. In his gratitude, the emperor promised that he would
seat the water carrier on his throne. Humayun did not fail to keep his
word and the humble bhishti was able to dispense imperial authority for a
period which varies in the sources from two hours to two days. By the
time Aurangzeb visited Ajmer (1659) the water carrier's grave was so
elaborately decorated that the Emperor mistook it for the of the saint.
He ordered that it should be stripped of its embellishments.
Another
of the graves belongs to Shahbaz Khan one of Akbar's leading generals.
There is a curious story behind his burial at the shrine: Shahbaz had
expressed a dying wish to be buried in Ajmer within the hallowed
enclosure of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty. But the custodians of the sacred
shrine refused to comply and Shahbaz was buried outside.
Ghiyas
al-din entitled Naqib Khan, who was made a commander of 1500 at the
beginning of Jahangir's regin, and died in 1614, is also buried in the
Ajmer dargah with his wife beside him.
In 1616 Hur-al-Nisa',
daughter of Shah Jahan, is believed to have died of smallpox and to have
been buried just to the west of Gharib Nawaz 's tomb.
Outside
the Begumi Dalan are several tombs, one of which houses the remains of
Shaykh Mir, commander of Dara Shikoh's forces and Auragnzeb's
father-in-law. Another contains the body of Shah Nawaz Khan, Aurangzeb's
gneral. They were both killed in the battle of Ajmer fought between
Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb in 1658-9. In the same courtyard is the tomb
of Mirza Adil, governor of Ajmer under the Scindias. The chronogram on
the tomb gives the date 1768-9. Close to the grave of Mirza 'Adil is
that of his son, Nawab Mirza Chaman Beg, who was Subadar of Malwa under
the Scindias.'
The enclosure behind the Shah Jahani mosque is
called the Charyar after the forty companions of Khwaja Moinuddin
Chishty who are supposed to have arrived in Ajmer with him, and whose
remains are believe to be buried there.
Hindu PatronsKhwaja
Moinuddin Chishty's grave was replaced by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur
in 1730. This contains approximately 42,961 tolas of silver.
The
advent of Scindia rule in Ajmer in 1791 was marked by the Nawab of
Arcot wishing to repair the dargah buildings which had become
dilapidated. Rao Scindia co-operated in this and was presented with a
telescope in return. The Scindia family was devoted to the shrine.
Bishop Heber, who visited Ajmer shortly after the beginning of British
rule noted that 'the Scindia family, while masters of ajmer, were
magnificent benefactors of its shrine.' They spent Rs 2,000 annually on
the distribution of food to the poor at the two Id festivals.
In 1793 the Nawab of Karnatak, Muhammad 'Ali Khan Wala Jah, built the Karnataki Dalan as a shelter for pilgrims to the shrine.
In
1800 the Maharaja of Baroda presented a chatgiri with which to cover
the ceiling of the mausoleum of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty.This was
replaced in 1959 by Ghulam Dastgir of Hyderabad.
Distinguished visitors to the shrineOn
23 December 1911, Queen Mary of Britain visited Ajmer and its shrine.
She gave Rs. 1,500 to pay for the repair & roofing of the tank in
front of the Mahifil Khana.
Distinguished individuals continue to
visit the shrine. Thus, in 1951 Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then President of
India, Paid a visit to the dargah, as did the wife of President Fakhr
al-din 'Ali Ahmad in 1975, and Indira Gandhi in 1977
Edakkal caves - A window to Pre Historic age
Fred
Fawcett was a Superintendent of Police who served British government in
Kozhikode. He had gone to Wayanad on an invitation from Colin
MacKinzie, a planter who wanted him to join him on a hunting expedition.
The planter showed him rock engraving in a cave and some very old
implements which were found in his estate in 1890. They were situated on
the western side of Ambukuthimala hill twelve kilometres south-west of
the town of Sultan’s Battery in the Wayanad District of Kerala on an
ancient route connecting the high ranges of Mysore to the ports of
Malabar.
The
name Ambukuthimala is ascribed to the local legend which has it that
the caves were formed by arrows fired by Lava and Kusha, the sons of Sri
Rama, legendary hero of the Ramayana.Even today there are many who
believe that Lord Rama killed Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, in the
narrow fissure at the southern end of the cave.
Fawcett first
discovered its anthropological and historical importance. Like many
other officers of the British government posted in India, he had a keen
interest in places and structures that had strong links with the culture
and history of indigenous people and took time off his official duties
to write about them. Fawcett was quick to understand these were
"pre-historic". On his next visit to the cave in 1894 and in 1895 he was
able to throw more light on the importance of the cave and the drawings
found there. These were the Eakkal caves containing the Neolithic
petroglyphs (rock engravings) on the walls.
The ground
elevation is about 1200 metres above the mean sea level. The peak at
over 500 metres above the surrounding area is easily identifiable from a
considerable distance. The cave is formed by a heavy boulder
straddling a fissure in the rock and hence has been appropriately named
as “Edakkal” - which literally means “a stone in between”.
Edakkal
cave is not a cave in the real sense. It is a fissure made by a corner
of rock splitting off from the main body due to some natural causes. The
depth of both the cleft and the fissure is 30 ft. What makes it a cave
to the ordinary observer is the fact that in the other portion of the
large cleft, an enormous rock, weighing several tonns, has fallen
forming a roof over a large part of it. The rock wall contains some
interesting carvings, which represent human and animal figures and
objects of human use and symbols. These carvings speak of a highly
civilized people of pre-historic era and inspires the archaeologists and
historians to rewrite the history of Wayanad and Kerala as a whole.
Inside,
the cave is on two levels. The lower chamber measures about 18 feet
long by 12 feet wide and 10 feet high and can be entered through an
opening of 5 x 4 feet. A passage opposite the entrance leads upward to a
small aperture in the roof through which one climbs up to the next
storey whose interior is about 96 feet long, 22 feet wide,and 18 feet
high. Light enters the cave through a big gap at the right-hand corner
of the roof where the boulder does not touch the facing wall.
The rock engraving indicate clear remnants of Harappan culture links the Indus Valley civilisation with South India. “
There
had been indications of remnants akin to the Indus Valley civilisation
in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, but these new findings give credence to the
fact that the Harappan civilisation had its presence in the region too
and could trace the history of Kerala even beyond the Iron Age”
- historian M R Raghava Varier. Later, Mr. Varier, along with noted
history scholar Rajan Gurukkal carried out further studies, which
testified that the caves had remnants upto the Iron Age.
Of
the identified 429 signs, "a man with jar cup", a symbol unique to the
Indus civilisation and other compound letters testified to remnants of
the Harappan culture, spanning from 2300 BC to 1700 BC have been found
in this cave. The ‘jar’ is more or less same as those in Indus ligature.
But the human figure is a little different. Mr. Varier opines that the
Edakkal engraving has retained its unique style as the engraver tried to
attain a two-dimensional human figure.
Human figures are
depicted on the Indus Valley seals as holding various objects such as
bow, jar,stick etc. Scholars have identified in the corpus of Indus
script nearly 430 ‘letters’ including basic and compound signs. While
some signs are shared by other contemporary civilizations of the Old
World, some combinations like the ‘man-with-the-jar’ are peculiar to
Indus Valley objects
“
These
symbols form part of compound letters similar to scripts and no
concerted efforts appear to have been made in the past to decipher them,
with a lone exception by Iravatham Mahadevan (a scholar on the Indus
valley civilisation), who could gather valuable ideas from such letters.
The discovery of the symbols are akin to that of the Harappan
civilisation having predominantly Dravidian culture and testimony to the
fact that cultural diffusion could take place. It is wrong to presume
that the Indus culture disappeared into thin air,” Mr. Varier said.
The
carvings in Edakkal have as much importance as the cave paintings
unearthed as the prototypes of ancient world art in Africa and
Australia. Edakkal has the prodigious history of more than 5000 - 7000
years. The figures of the warriors wielding bows and arrows bear a
remarkable resemblance to the picture found on an earthen vessel
discovered from Susa in Persia.
4 comments:
Lakkidi - gateway of Wayanad and around
The
hill station of Lakkidi is the gateway to the Wayanad district of
Kerala. Located at an altitude of 700 meters or 2297 feet above the sea
level, Lakkidi is the highest location in the Wayanad district and lies
above the Thamarassery Ghat pass.
The
lush greenery of the hills, gorges and streams seen on both sides of
the passage up the hill are sure to linger on our mind for a long time.
On a clear day Lakkidi View Point offers spectacular views of the
surrounding cliffs and valleys.
One
of the highest locations in Wayanad, Lakkidi gets the highest average
rainfall in Kerala. So streams, brooks, and waterfalls are a common
sight around here. The rainfall at Lakkidi has also created a fresh
water lake called Pokkot Lake in this area.
Pookot,
a natural fresh water lake is located at 2,100 meters above sea level.
The breathtakingly beautiful lake is surrounded by lush greenery all
around. The pathway around the lake is lined by thick bushes and tall
trees. One of the main tributaries of the Kabani River – the Panamaram
rivulet originates from Pookot Lake and then tumbles down into Panamaram
valley.The fresh-water aquarium at the lake is filled with an excellent
array of fish.
Mountains, streams, thick forest and the
panoramic view of the valley are exciting images. It is one of the
vantage locations to experience the magic and mood of the monsoon in the
woods.
Kanthapara
and Meenmutty go through an exciting journey before tumbling down from
rocky massifs. The streams meander through dense greenery, emerging for a
brief, glittering plunge through the air before disappearing once again
under thick foliage cover.Though relatively smaller, Kanthanpara - a
two tiered falls is easily reachable, and makes an ideal picnic spot.
Meenmutty
is the biggest of the waterfalls in Wayanad district both in terms of
volume and height. The water cascades down in three stages from a height
of about 300meters. Located in lush moist deciduous forests, the
waterfall is a trekker's paradise. The best time to visit the falls is
between November and May because the water is too torrential during the
post-monsoon months. Meenmutty in Malayalam means "where fish are
blocked". Since there is upward falls where fish can’t swim further this
name is given to the falls.
The Meenmutty, Soochipara, and Kanthanpara waterfalls combined, feed the Chaliyar river.
Apart from the stunning views of the surrounding plains, Lakkidi's
other claim to fame is the large Ficus tree bound by a prominent chain.
It is the source of a dramatic local legend. Tribal legend has it that
Karinthandan was murdered by some British engineers after he showed them
the tribal people's traditional pathway for the construction of a ghat
road that links Wayanad and Kozhikode. But Karinthandan's ghost made
life miserable for British people who travelled on the route. Finally, a
Christian clergyman chained the ghost to a tree near Lakkidi to
facilitate a trouble-free journey for the British. A heavy chain
anchored to the ground and placed around the stout branches seems to
lend credence to the story.
4 comments:
Sultan Batheri (Battery) Wayanad
The present Wayanad district came into being on 1st November 1980
comprising of three taluks viz. Vythiri, Mananthavady and Sultan
Batheri.
Sultan Battery was part of Kidanganadu Village, which
got its name because of the presence of Kidangans (tribes). It is also
believed that this town was earlier known as "Ganapathivattom" - 'the
fields of Ganapathi', owing to the Ganapati Temple situated in the heart
of the town. Sultan Bathery derives its present name from Tipu Sultan
of Mysore who used the abandoned Jain temple here and used it as his
battery - hence the name Sultan's Battery.
The
Jain Temple at Sulthan Bathery is believed to have been built during
the 13th century. Its design is strongly influenced by the architectural
style of the then reigning Vijayanagar Dynasty. At one point in
history, this temple also served as the ammunition store or battery of
Tipu Sulthan’s army.
Following text has been borrowed from the board displayed by ASI in the temple premises:
Kerala
has a few jain monuments of historical and archaeological importance
belonging from the 9th - 15th C of the Christian era. Jainism received
the patronage of the Chera kings of Mahodayapuram and Ay kings of South
India. However, these Jain centres declined after teh 11th - 12th C.
Local
tradition states that there were 12 Jain streets in and around Sultan
Battery. The Hanneradu bidi (Kannada words for 12 streets) is one among
the traditional Jain settlements in Sultan Battery.
Sultan
Battery was known as Ganpathi Vatam in inscriptions. The Jain temple is
datable to the 14th C A.D. on stylistic grounds. Thsi is an example of
the cloistered temple and is wholly built out of granite. Axially teh
temple consits of a garbhariha, antarala , closed mahamandapa of Kerala
tradition.
The sanctum is square shaped, devoid of any image, but
the lalata bimba of garbhariha and clsoed Mahamandapa has sacred Jain
images. These are shown in a square outline as in padmasana with dhyana
mudra. The pedestal of the image has a lotus depiction. The door jambs
are decorated with different motifs or sakhas. The base portion of door
is having intricate floral motifs. The sanctum is having a pillared
circumambulatory pathway.
The Mahamandapa followed by a Mukhamandapa is accessed through a flight
of steps. Its balustrade is decorated with yali motifs. The
Mukhamandapa stands on moulded adhisthana consisting of upana, jagathi,
padma, tripatta kumuda, gala and patti. The pillars are of higly evolved
type and deocrated with various designs such as floral motifs,
sarpabanda (entwined serpents), garland decorations, stylised vajra,
thirthankara, goose etc.
The
detached Namaskara mandapa is supported on four pillars. Its roof is
now missing. The temple originally had a cloistered wall which is now in
ruins.In ancient times the land was ruled
by the’ Vedas’ Rajas. Later this land came under the rule of Pazhassi
Rajah of Kottayam Royal Dynasty. Though Mysore ruler Hider Ali invaded
Wayanad he brought it under his sway. In the days of Tippu Sultan it was
restored to the Kottayam Royal Dynasty.
In the 18th Century,
Tipu Sultan built a fort here in the heart of wayanad coffee and
cardamom growing region, but not much of it remains. Though the fort
does not remain any more, the place is worth the visit for the famous
Jain Temple.
As per the Sreerangapatanam truce Tippu handed over
the entire Malabar region to the British. This was followed by fierce
encounter between the British and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. With the
help of ‘Kurichya’ tribal, Pazhassi organized guerilla type encounters
with the British. In the end Pazhassi Raja killed himself and Wayanad
fell into the hand of British.
The British rule made a new turn
in the history of Wayanad. The British authorities opened up this land
for cultivation of tea and other cash crops. They laid roads across the
dangerous slopes of Wayanad from Calicut and Thallessery. These roads
are extended to Mysore and Ootty through Gudallur.
Wayanad is
backward in the case of Industries. There are no such major industrial
units except tea processing factories, timber mills, and rice mills. In
Sultan bathery, a mini industrial estate having 14 sheds is functioning
under the control of SIDCO. A raw material unit is also operating there.
4 comments:
Lal Mandir or Sone ki Nasiyan or Siddhkut Chaityalaya - Ajmer
Lal
mandir or siddhakut Chaityalaya more popularly known as Sone ki Nasiyan
was constructed by seth shri Mulchand Soni. The construction began in
1864 AD and was completed in 1895 AD.
The
Digambar Jain temple is dedicated to the first jain thirthankara
Rishabhadeva and is one of the 22 Jain temples in Ajmer. It is regarded
as one of the best Jain temples in Rajasthan after the temples of
Ranakpur and Mount Abu.
The temple has a two-storied
structure divided into two parts, where one is the worship area
comprising the idol of Lord Adinath and the second is the museum
including a hall. The double – storey hall adjacent to the main temple
has many idols covered with gold that has earned the name Golden Temple
(Swarna mandir) for it. The hall displays a series of large gold plated
wooden figures depicting legends from Jain mythology. The entire hall is
richly adorned by glass mosaic, precious stones, gold and silver work.
The temple also has splendid paintings.
The
40 X 60 feet hall is adorned with Belgium stain glass, mineral colour
paintings and stain glasswork. This exquisite museum depicts the five
stages (Panch Kalyanak) in the life of Lord Adinath, in the stature of
statues.
This Digambar Jain Temple displays marvelous wooden
gild representations, glass engravings and paintings, recounting the
conviction of Jainism with reference to the making of the world.
The
first floor of the temple is known as Swarna Nagari (city of gold)
hall. It houses gold plate replicas of Jain temples of the country. An
estimated 1000 kilograms of gold has been used in the construction of
the marvel depicting panorama from Jain mythology, and of the ancient
towns of Ayodhya and Prayag.
The inner chamber has silver balls
suspended from its ceiling and is surmounted by a vimana (spire). The
interiors are also embellished with the silver linings and precious
other stones. The posh interiors of the temple boast of the aesthetic
and rich taste of the Digambar Jains.
This scene depicts Lord Indira going in procession in the Golden city of Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rishabhadeva.
As
soon as the lord is born, Indira with his innumerable heavenly devas
comes in procession with all splendour of celestial elephants, horses,
chariots etc. Indira plays the heavenly music and goes round the sacred
city thrice, to show his reverence to the great lord. After this,
Indrani goes into the palace where the lord was born and brings the baby
out. She hands him over to Indira. Indira rode on the celestial white
elephant having several trunks and took the divine baby to Mount Sumer
for the holy bath.
The following scene depicts the Heavenly Gods
and worldly kings taking the lord in a celestial palinquin to Prayag
where he renounced the world and became an ascetic.
Once
when Nilanjana an apsara was dancing, she died suddenly. This event
reminded the lord of the ways of life's misery.Heavenly Gods and worldly
kings took the lord in a celestial palinquin to Prayag. The lord
renounced the world, threw all his clothes and became skyclad ascetic
under the sacred banyan tree in Prayag.He plucked his hair with his own
hands, went into deep meditation (to purify his sould of all karmas -
this is diksha kalyanak). He remained in this condition for a 1000 years
and attained supreme enlightnment ie. kewala gnana (fourth kalyanak)
which reflects past, present and future states of all the things of the
whole universe.He preached ahimsa, satya, acharya and aparigraha. After
that he attained salvation (nirwana) from mount kailash. This is moksha
kalyanak the fifth.
3 comments:
Jama Al-Tamish Or Adhai Din-Ka-Jhompra
Lakhs of devotees from all over the world are drawn to the dargah of
Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in 15-centuries-old city of Ajmer in
Rajasthan. A few mts away, is Jama Al-tamish popularly known as
Adhai-din-ka-Jhompra that does not get much attention, but is equally
significant to any lover of history and architecture.
Jama Al-tamish popularly known as Adhai-din-ka-Jhompra is situated in Ankerkot at the foot of the Taragarh hill.
As
the legend goes, its construction took two and a half days (Adhai
din)to complete. According to Ajmer Historical and Descriptive (by Dewan
Bahadur Harbilas Sarda) it is claimed to be a Saraswati Mandir (within a
temple) built in 1153 A. D. by Raja Visaldeva who was the first Chauhan
Emperor of India. In 1193 AD, Mohammad Ghauri comquered Ajmer and
converted the building into a mosque by adding a seven-arched wall in
front of the pillared hall. The distinct pillars and arched 'screen'
with its ruined minarets make it a splendid architectural masterpiece.
Colonel James Tod, describes Adhai-Din-ka-Jhompra as a temple in his book "Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan".
He wrote, "
The
entire facade of this noble entrance is covered with Arabic
inscriptions, but a small frieze over the apex of the arch is contained
an inscription in Sanskrit. The reason why the mosque could be completed
in two and a half days is existence of the original structures. One can
enter the mosque through a simple gateway in the north. On its right
stands a ruined minaret. The gate leads to a stairway leading up to a
small tower from where the muezzin called the faithful to prayer."
The
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) says that the name of the monument
possibly derives from the fact that a fair used to be held there for
two and a half days.
General Cunningham., Director of
Archaeology Government of India, who inspected this mosque in 1864 A.
D., accepted that it was built in Dhai-din i.e. two and a half days, as
its name implies out of the material released from some demolished
temples. It was a judgment difficult to believe in view of its extensive
and massive stone structure replete with extremlely fine and most
intricate workmanship on stone.
Probably only the smaller marble
arch in the centre of the mosque may have been finished in 2-1/2 days
to meet an emergency. The whole massive structure, with its elaborate
Arabic tracings and delicate engraving details, is definitely a work of
many years sustained labour.
The
mosque is supported by 124 pillars and has 10 magnificent domes. It is
an architectural marvel in every sense with a seven-arched wall
inscribed with verses from the Koran in front of the pillared hall.
However most of them are in ruins today. A majestic tower inside the
mosque is used by the Muezzin to chant prayers. The stone walls of the
main prayer hall are fashioned with carved rectangular panels. An
intricate jali (screen) under a raised arch was added by Sultan Altamush
in 1230AD.
Designed by Abu Bakr of Herat, the mosque is an
example of early Indo-Islamic architecture and is built from masonry
taken from broken-down Hindu and Jain temples or a Sanskrit college that
existed there.
But according to the Arabic inscription appearing
on the marble arch in the centre of the mosque and the arguments by the
author of Main-ul-Arifin (P. 150-154) it is recognised to be a mosque
ever since its origin which was built by Sultan Shahabuddin Ghori in
12th century A.D. wherein Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti himself is
said to have offered his prayers for a considerable time. Later on,
Sultan Shamsuddin Altamish of Delhi is reported to have built its
present massive structure of red stone which was completed by Ali Ahmed
mason under the supervision of one Mohammed Ariz - a claim which is also
substantiated by another Arabic inscrition on its central arch.
(Ahsan-us-Siar, P. 87-92). In any case, this magnificent mosque is one
of the rare historic monuments of India.
Writing of the
beautiful details of this marvellous edifice, Mr. Furgusson, author of
the Eastern and Indian Architecture (P. 513 ) says - "As example of
surface decoration, the Jhonpra and the mosque of Al-tamish at Delhi are
probably unrivalled. Nothing in Cairo or in Persia and nothing in Spain
or Syria is so exquisite in detail and can approach them for beauty or
surface decoration. The gorgeous prodigality of ornamental work , the
fascinating richness of tracery, the delicate sharpness of finish, the
fascinating richness of tracery, the delicate sharpness of finish, the
endless variety of detail and the accurate and laborious workmanship,
are eternal credit to its past Indian engineers and masons". There is a
rich variety of Quranic verse inscribed all over the building to tax the
brains of both inquisitive historians and the antiquarians alike . In
short, it is a model of excellence in the art Indian architecture.
Check-post and Sri Rama Seetha Temple, Ponkuzhy, Wayanad
At the check-post
Ponkuzhi
is fast developing into a pilgrim centre and halt for travellers as the
inter-State highway NH 212 cuts through the muthanga forest. The
perennial Noolpuzha running through this corridor is the only source of
water for a large population of elephants moving through this area for
three to four months a year.
Hundreds of vehicles speed through
the highway linking Bangalore with Kozhikode. Vehicles, especially
goods-laden lorries, have to halt at four check-posts located close to
Muthanga and similar check posts on the Karnataka side also.
At the check-post
The following text has been borrowed from
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-kerala-rainforest-elephants/2.5
kilometer wide corridor that connects the two Indian states of Kerala
and Karnataka (located in the Western Ghats mountain range) is also the
last unbroken forest leading the largest population of Asian elephants
from wet season to dry season feeding grounds. This incredibly
environmentally-sensitive corridor has become the scene of development
which threatens an entire herd. The corridor is so sensitive it has
become part of an international campaign to change the location of the
development so it will not have such a harsh impact on the elephants.
The
area is also one of the world's ten "Hottest biodiversity hotspots" and
has over 5000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird
species and 179 amphibian species. At least 325 globally threatened
species occur in the Western Ghats.
Presently, a busy interstate
highway passes through the forest with checkpoints leading from one
state to another in three places. This leaves the forest corridor free
for the elephants. Unfortunately, and shortsightedly, the Indian
government has decided to combine the checkpoints in the centre of the
elephants corridor.
This development would include all manner of
infrastructure - building complexes, housing, offices, toilets and
dormitories for drivers, a fuel filling station and so on, writes the
nonprofit conservation group, Rainforest Information Centre. The
checkpoint clearance takes hours, so there would be hundreds of lorries
(trucks) parked along the road throughout the night on either side of
the checkpoints within the forests preventing elephants from using the
corridor.
The Rainforest Information Center tells us that work is
already in progress and a trench has been dug which prevents elephants
from crossing the road, cutting [the elephants] off from the river and
whatever little fodder available on the river margin.
The best
solution would be the relocation of the checking stations to outside the
forest on the Kerala side of the corridor where suitable land for this
is available, suggests Rainforest Information Centre. It is also
necessary to prohibit vehicle movement during certain night-time hours
for example, between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
John Seed of Rainforest
Information Centre told Monagabay.com: "we feel confident that
international attention can persuade the Kerala government to move the
site of its planned development out of the corridor and out of the
jungle."
The Rainforest Information Centre is working with the
Indian environmental organization, Wayanard Nature Protection Group, and
an online activist center. They encourage concerned persons to write to
the governments of the states involved hoping that international
attention and pressure will cause a change in the development plansVery close to the checkpost is the Sri Rama Seetha Temple at Ponkuzhy
Rama
or Ramachandra is the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism,and a
legendary king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian Puranas. Based on Puranic
genealogy, Rama is believed to have lived during 1450 BC, during the Rig
Vedic period.
The
srirama temple at Ponkuzhi on the Sulthan Battery Mysore road bears
testimony about the story of Ramayana. There is a natural pond near the
temple, surrounded by bamboo forest. It is believed that the water in
the pond is the result of the falling tears from the eyes of Rama's wife
seetha.
Asian Elephants in Bandipur National Forest
Halfway
down Mysore-Ooty highway, Deccan Plateau rises to meet the Western Ghat
mountains and the nilgiris mountains. In the Nilgiri Biosphere (India's
first and foremost biosphere reserves with a heritage, rich in flora
and fauna), nestled between the two mountains, is the Bandipur National
Park. Endowed with a moderate climate and diverse geographical features,
the park supports a remarkable variety of flora and fauna, making it a
veritable paradise for wildlife. It is an abode to tigers, elephants,
sloth bear, four horned antelope, Sambar Chithal and Gaur.
History of Bandipur National ForestBandipur
was a game park of the royal family of Mysore for generations. It was
in 1931 that the Bandipur Forest Reserve was formed with an area of 90
sq. km. Jayachamaraja Wodeyar an active wildlife enthusiast gave up
hunting in 1955 and later became the chairman of the Indian Board of
Wildlife.
In 1973, Bandipur with its 800 sq. km. area including
the Venugopala Wildlife Park, was reserved under Project Tiger. In 1974
it was declared as a national park under the Indian Wildlife Act.
Bandipur's quiet, serene surroundings offer a peaceful escape from the noise and monotony of urban life.
During
summer, when dryness prevails over most parts of Bandipur, the
backwaters of the Kabini Reservoir in the northwestern portion of the
park host huge congregations of large mammals, especially the elephant
and the gaur.
The
jungles towards the eastern limits of the park consist of stunted
trees, interspersed with bushes and open grassy patches. Towards its
northwestern fringes, there is a gradual shift in the vegetation from
open dry deciduous forests to tropical mixed deciduous forests. These
diverse habitats support an enormous diversity of animal life. With the
onset of pre-monsoon showers in April, Bandipur begins to unfold in all
its glory. Sprouting grass in the meadows attract elephants and the
majestic gaur in large numbers.
Elephants
have fascinated us for decades, both because they are imposing as the
largest land mammal on earth but also, they are very attractive when at
play, or observed during their daily routines.
The modern-day
African and Asian elephants belong to the order Proboscidea. In the past
there were some 350 members in this order, but over time majority of
the members have gone extinct. Today, there are only two survivors to
this order, Asian elephant and African elephant. Asian elephant is more
closely related to the extinct mammoth than to the African elephant. But
these two species are also facing a grim future that is heading very
near to another man-propelled extinction.
The
roots of the word "elephant" in latin is divided into two words; ele
means arch and phant means huge. Hence, Elephant in latin (as ele and
phant) means "the Huge Arch!"
Interesting facts about ElephantsElephant trunks can get very heavy. It is not uncommon to see elephants resting them over a tusk!
Elephants cry, play, have incredible memories, and laugh!
Elephants
are sensitive fellow animals where if a baby complains, the entire
family will rumble and go over to touch and caress it.
Elephants have greeting ceremonies when a friend that has been away for some time returns to the group.
Elephants grieve at a loss of a stillborn baby, a family member, and in many cases other elephants.
Elephants
don't drink with their trunks, but use them as "tools" to drink with.
This is accomplished by filling the trunk with water and then using it
as a hose to pour it into the elephant's mouth.
Bathing with Grass
One
very important part of their routine is bathing.Elephants have three
distinctly different forms of bathing; in water, mud and dust. In
addition to soil, elephants will also throw hay, grass, branches and
other materials onto their backs, and it is not unusual to see animals
walking around covered with a fine layer of green grass cutting on their
backs.
All forms are also a way for them to socialize, whether
at a mud wallow or a watering hole, where they interact with each other
and even spray each other. The elephant with its unique size has some
unique difficulties which it has solved by using the three layer
protective coating, put on by bathing in various mediums. Not only does
it protect his skin and help regulate his temperature it is also very
much a social time for the elephants - time to relax and have some fun!
A study on captive herd of Asian Elephants showed:
(1) Dusting frequency increased directly with the environmental temperature.
(2)
Individual animals showed variation in dusting frequency but this was
not related to body mass, suggesting that the function of dusting is not
primarily thermoregulatory.
(3) Synchronisation in the timing of
dusting behaviour within the herd suggests that it may have a function
in the maintenance of social cohesion.
(4) The function of dusting
behaviour could not be determined from the data presented, but it may be
involved in skin care, protection from insects or other parasites,
temperature control, protection from radiation or some combination of
these.
Karapuzha Earth Dam at Vazhavatta in Vythiri
Kabini
river is formed by the confluence of Mananthavady and Panamaram rivers.
Other tributaries namely: Bhavanipuzha, Karapuzha and Narasipuzha
originate in the western ghats and flow through Kerala State.
NEED TO USE CAUVERY WATER
Agriculture
is the basic occupation of the people in the Kabini, the Bhavani and
the Pambar Basins. The main crop in the low elevation is paddy where as
in the middle and higher elevations it is the plantation crops. In the
absence of assured water supply from irrigation projects, excepting a
few minor irrigation works here and there serving limited ayacut, the
agricultural crops in Cauvery basin in Kerala are dependent on the
seasonal rainfall. Prior to the integration of States in 1956, Madras
State to which Malabar belonged neglected the development of Malabar
area and took no interest in the exploitation of Cauvery water for the
development of irrigation or power in the Malabar region. After Malabar
came over to Kerala, 9schemes were submitted by the State to Government
of India for approval, for the development of irrigation in the two
Cauvery Basins in Malabar. Excepting one project viz.Karapuzha in Kabini
basin, no other scheme was approved by Government of India, obviously
because the dispute on sharing of water was pending.
Karapuzha
Irrigation project was the first scheme of Kerala approved by the Govt.
of India in April, 1978 which they have since completed. The scheme was
to construct an Earthen Dam across Karapuzha at Vazhavatta with a
stroage reservoir and canal systems to irrigate 5,221 hectares of land
in nine panchayat areas of three taluks in Wayanad district. The
financial benefits from the cultivation of land in many parts of the
world are rarely large enough to allow for expensive, technologically
advanced concrete structures to be built for impounding water, whether
on- or off-stream, and the alternative is normally an earth dam or
simple weir.
Embankment dams have many advantages over equivalent
concrete structures and are most appropriate for farm or other rural
situations. Dams up to 15 m high, when built on suitable sites and
correctly designed and constructed using good earthworks materials, can
be built using relatively unsophisticated design procedures and
equipment. Farm tractors (equipped with dam scoops, scrapers and
rollers) are usually adequate for the construction of such an earth dam
which, once completed, should generally have cost less than a concrete
wall, with its attendant complex design and construction procedures.
Smaller
earth dams require minimal maintenance (unless in difficult locations
or in extraordinary climatic situations), and are better able to
withstand foundation and abutment movements than the more rigid concrete
and masonry structures.
Further advantage can be gained by
constructing the embankment from material excavated from the reservoir
area. This provides a small increase in storage capacity and reduces
costs.
The original estimate of the project was Rs.7.60 crores
for the completion of the project. Revised estimate for the completion
of the dam was Rs. 429 crore.The project was assisted under the RID Fund
of NABARD for speedy completion during the Ninth plan period.
But
the project could not be completed as scheduled. Construction of the
dam and 80% of works in the main canal were completed. The
distributories are only in the investigation stage. During Tenth Plan it
was proposed to complete the project by completing the essential items
of works which would optimise the benefit of the infrastructure already
created within a period of two years in a phased manner. It was proposed
to complete the remaining works in the dam and main canal during the
first year and the remaining works in the branches and finishing works
for commissioning during the second year.
Though the
construction work of the right and left bank channels had been completed
in 2009, five breaches occurred during the monsoon season. Thus, the
full potential of the dam cannot be used for irrigation purposes.
However, 12 km of these channels will have the potential to irrigate as
much as 300 hectares of land at the time of partial commissioning.
Though
the total water storage capacity of the dam is 76.5 million cubic
metres, the water would be stored only at half the capacity as many
parts of the water belt areas of the reservoir would be submerged in
water where the land acquisition procedures are yet to be completed.
1,238
hectares of 1,250 hectares of land have been acquired for the reservoir
and 126hectares of land for the construction of channels. A drinking
water project under the Kerala Water Authority is nearing completion to
supply 15 million litres of water from the reservoir in the Kalpetta
municipality and the Meenangadi and Ambalavayal panchayats.
It is worthwhile to mention the reasons given regarding necessity of the scheme as follows:-
Agriculture
has to be developed as the only source of existence of the local
people. At present, generally, only one crop of paddy is cultivated.
This is mainly because, rainfall is available only for one crop and the
duration of the crop is very long. Hence the agricultural labourers get
employment for a short period in one year and they get no employment
during other periods. By adopting new high yielding varieties of paddy,
it is possible to raise two crops of paddy easily. But this new pattern
requires irrigation during the early parts of the first crop i.e. during
May-June and also during the second crop period. The aim of the project
is to provide this irrigation facility. This will increase the
employment potential considerably.
The land owners are also benefited as the production of rice increased considerably.
The
development of infrastructure such as construction of new roads,
bridges, buildings etc. will open out new fields of activities which
will help developing the area considerably.
This project was
technically examined in Central Water Commission before it was given
investment clearance by the Planning Commission, Govt. of India.
The extract from Govt. of India’s letter of 19th April, 1978 approving Karapuzha project is reproduced below:-
1)
The acceptance of this project in the Cauvery basin is further subject
to the Inter-State understanding of August 1976 regarding utilization of
Cauvery waters and the utilisation from the above project shall not
exceed 2.80 TMC.” (Ref:KL Vol. 3, Exh. 29)
2) Although in the
Statement of Case and the affidavits of the witnesses, the State has
been emphasizing on spice and plantation crops but while placing the
demand for water, they have only submitted their requirement for mainly
paddy and vegetable crop
besides indicating demand for domestic and
industrial uses. Also, there are some hydro-power projects which involve
inter-basin transfer of water. It would be interesting to refer to
Kerala’s Statement of Case reproduced below:-
“Development of
agriculture, particularly plantation crops which give large scale
employment, is a worthwhile economic activity that can be taken up in
the Cauvery basin region, and adjoining areas, in order to improve the
economic conditions of the
people there. Plantation crops like
coffee, cardamom, arecanut, coco and pepper require water throughout the
year, particularly during the summer months, and are very sensitive to
drought. Unlike seasonal crops, once the plantation crops are affected
by drought it require about five years or more to raise new crops and
bring them to yielding stage. Water resources can be exploited for
maximum production when applied to plantation crops since the economic
benefit per unit of water from plantation crops is much more.”
It
appears that though plantation crops require water throughout the year,
requirement is critical particularly during the summer months, as the
plantation crops are said to be very sensitive to drought. It appears
that for the spice and garden crops normally their water requirement is
met with from the rain water except in some cases of short fall during
summer months and once the projects are in position, the small
requirement of plantation crops could be met with from the reservoir
storages for which provision of 5% of the irrigation requirement in
reservoir projects has been made as a safeguard to meet emergency
requirements of plantation crops as and when necessary.
3) As
regards culturable command area (CCA) and ayacut under individual
projects, it is noticed that invariably the extent of proposed ayacut is
much less than the CCA. This appears to be so, because of the physical
nature of the area which is undulating in character.
The State
has reported that the main crop in the low elevation areas is paddy,
whereas in the middle and higher elevations, it is the plantation crops.
Taking this situation in consideration, attempt has been made to assess
reasonable needs of the State so that irrigated area equal to the
culturable commanded area could be allowed.
4) The State has
proposed two paddy crops and one vegetable crop for the Kabini
sub-basin. However, it is seen that in case of first crop “Virippu”
which is raised during May to September, bulk of its water requirement
is met with from south-west monsoon precipitation. This is mostly a
rainfed crop.
The second crop “Mundakan” is raised from end of
September to end of January i.e. the winter season when some rainfall
from northeast monsoon provides support. This is their principal
irrigated paddy crop.
The third crop “Puncha” is grown from January
end to early May mainly as a summer crop. Although, the State Govt. has
proposed raising first crop i.e. Virippu and summer paddy crop i.e.
Puncha, but summer paddy cannot be allowed because of non-availability
of rainfall support. The first crop needs little support of artificial
irrigation. The second crop namely: Mundakan which succeeds Virippu as a
transplanted crop, this needs artificial irrigation although it receives some support from northeast monsoon.
The
Govt. of India while sanctioning Karapuzha project has also allowed
these two paddy crops with a water delta of 1.38 ft. and 4.38 ft. As
regards the summer season, it is suggested that vegetable crop which the
State proposes to raise during the winter season could be shifted to
the summer season and grown in patches where residual moisture from the
previous paddy crop is available and if needs further support that could
be taken from ground water.
This approved project covers a CCA
of 13,800 acres with an ayacut of 11,500 acres. The proposed net
irrigation covers the entire ayacut of 11,500 acres. The approved
project allows two paddy crops namely; khariff paddy (Virippu-period May
to September) in 11,500 acres and second crop of rabi paddy
(Mundakan-period October to February) in the same area i.e. 11,500 acres
(total 23,000 acres – gross irrigation). This gives an intensity of
irrigation as 166% when compared to CCA. The water requirement under
this project including lake losses has been limited to 2.8 TMC as
provided in the clearance letter. (Ref. KL Vol. 3, Exh. No.29 front page
– letter of acceptance dated 19.4.78)
The
examination of the remaining nine projects shows that the season of
first paddy crop (i.e. Virippu) as mentioned in the project reports
(submitted before the Tribunal) has been delayed by two months i.e.
instead of crop period being from May to September, it has been shown as
July to November. Similarly, the second crop of paddy (i.e. Mundakan)
is proposed to be taken in the summer season from February to May and
during the intervening period between November and February which is
normally Mundakan season, they are proposing to raise vegetable crops.
As
is well known, raising of paddy crop during summer season consumes lot
of water and is also without any support from rainfall, as such, there
have been recommendations of the National Commission of Agriculture,
1976 as well as the Irrigation Commission, 1972 that paddy crop should
not be raised during summer season, when there is no support from
rainfall. Also by projecting three crops as mentioned above in their
projects in the Kabini sub-basin, the State of Kerala has indicated a
very ambitious plan.
Keeping in view the fact, that the hilly
region of Kabini sub-basin is inhabited by substantial tribal population
and has so far been underdeveloped, being without any reasonable
irrigation facilities, it seems worthwhile to allow two paddy crops
namely: Virippu and Mundakan as already approved by the Govt. of India
in the case of Karapuzha project.
This also appears to be
justified because during the south-west monsoon season from May to
September when Virippu crop is raised, there is very good support from
the rainfall and only minimum support from artificial irrigation is
needed, which is limited to 1.38 feet of delta (water depth). But in the
Mundakan season i.e. from October to February, when second paddy crop
is raised, as already permitted by the Government of India in the
Karapuzha project, support from irrigation is required which would be of
the order of 4.38 feet delta.
As regards the vegetable crop
which the State has proposed as a third crop, the same could be taken in
those valley areas where there is residual soil moisture supported by
ground water exploitation.
3 comments:
Jag Mandir Palace and Lake Pichola - Udaipur
From the early 1600s onwards, Maharanas of Mewar contributed to the
development of this delightful island of summer palace on the serene
waters of Lake Pichola. The construction of this water-palace was
commenced during the reign of Maharana Karan Singh (1620-28AD) and was
completed by Maharana Jagat Singh I (1628-52AD) after whom it is called
JagMandir.
View of Jag mandir palace from boat
View of Jag mandir palace from boat
Gol mahal and chattris.
In
an era of peace reigned Maharana Karan Singh (1620-1628). He completed
the construction of circular chambers we know as 'Gol Mahal' in
'Jagmandir'. Maharana Pratap Singh once refused lunch with Raja Man
Singh because he had given away his sister in marriage to Prince Salim,
later Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Man Singh avenged this insult by
defeating Pratap at the battle of Haldighati. Pratap’s son Amar Singh
made peace with the Mughals but unable to accept his humiliation, he
gave up his title in favour of his son Maharana Karan Singh.
Prince
Khuram (later emperor Shah Jahan) resided for some time in this palace,
while in revolt against his father Jahangir, in 1623 AD. The young
Mughal prince Khurram forged a strong friendship with Karan Singh, who
provided a safe haven at 'Jagmandir' for the prince in exile. The
Suryavanshi ideal of doing the right action at the right time and
helping in distress without taking into acount any other implications
was upheld by the Maharana. In 1627 when Mughal emperor Jehangir died,
Prince Khurram succeeded him as emperor Shah Jehan. On his departure,
the mughal emperor and the Maharana exchanged turbans as a token of
bonding and friendship.
Reflection of the ceiling on table
Maharana
Jagat Singh I (1628-1652) was undboubtedly the greatest patrons of art
and architecture in Udaipur. In his reign,the picturesque Garden
courtyard with its central pool was completed at 'Jagmandir'. Zenana
chambers were built along with the west-end of the 'Gol Mahal'.
'Jagmandir' and 'Jag Niwas' the incomparable island palace on Lake
Pichola are named after him. The 'quest for excellence' in architecture,
painting and the arts reached its pinnacle in this era.
Jagmandir was gloriously embellished during the reign of Maharana
Sangram Singh (1710-1734). The 'Darikhana' or the open pavilion with its
intricately carved marble columns, was built to complement the beauty
of the Garden courtyard. The 'Barah Patharon ka Mahal' or the palace of
12 stones, a unique structure with 12 solid marble-slabs was created
along the east end of the 'Gol Mahal'. The 'Kuwarpada Ka Mahal' or the
palace of the crown prince, was built at the western-end of the Garden
courtyard, complete with its pavilions and central pool.
By the 1750s, 'Jagmandir' had come to resemble 'Swarg ki vatika' or the proverbial gardens of heaven.
During
the sepoy mutiny of 1857 several European families from Neemuch were
lodged and entertained by Maharana Sarup Sinha in this palace.
In
1942, during the reign of Maharana Bhupal Singh (1931-1955), three
'chattris' or kiosks came to adorn the Garden courtyard in front of the
'Gol Mahal'. The chattris mark the central directions of the garden
courtyard. Each one is unique for its intricate carving and
craftsmanship; the central deep green-marble 'chattri' being the most
characteristic of them all. The 'chattris' are instrumental in
integrating the entire space of the garden courtyard and its pavilions.
Lake
Palace or Jag Niwas was built in 1754 by Maharana Jagat Singh II,62nd
successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar – believed to be descendants of
the Sun God, who gave his name to this elegant white building. The Lake
Palace Udaipur a palace on an island in the middle of Lake Pichola
girdled by hills, was the summer residence of the rulers of Mewar. Today
this pleasure palace is a luxury hotel.
Udaipur is called
"Venice of the East" due to the Lake Palace built on the island in the
middle of Lake Pichola. It is an inspiration for the imagination of the
poets, painters and writers.
5 comments:
Haldighati
44 km north of Udaipur is a small village in the Aravali hills known as
Haldighati. Beyond this village is the Haldighati Pass. The soft yellow
soil in the pass resembles turmeric / haldi when crumbled. This gives
the place its name - Haldighati.
This place witnessed the famous
Battle of Haldighati on June 18, 1576 between Maharana Pratap Sing of
Mewar and the moghul army of Emperor Akbar of Delhi.
By the mid
1500s Akbar had forced all Rajput kingdoms, except Mewar, to become part
of his empire. Akbar tried to force the Mewar king into submission, but
failed. He sent a series of envoys to Mewar with peace treaty.
Akbar
sent his first proposal with a team under the leadership of Jalal Khan
Korchi. Two months of discussions did not yield the desired result.
The
second proposal was led by Raja Mansingh - a high caste able Rajput who
before serving the Moghuls, had extremely close ties with Mewar. Pratap
refused to sign the treaty.
As per a popular folklore in
Rajasthan, and as quoted briefly in epics like "Rajaprashasti" and
"Vanshbhaskar", Pratap arranged for a "daawat" in Udaipur and excused
himself from attending on the pretext of a stomach ache and sent his son
prince Amarsingh instead. When ManSingh insisted on meeting the
Maharana, Pratap refused to meet an outcaste. The enraged Mansingh
challenges him to war. One Rajput commented "if you come with your army,
then we will welcome you in Malpura. If you come on the basis of your
paternal aunt's husband's (Akbar's) strength, then we will welcome you
whenever we get the opportunity."
Insulted, Mansingh wentback.
The food prepared in his honour was thrown into the lake and the ground
where the party was held was dug up and Gangajal was sprinkled.
Rana saun bhojan samay, gahi maan yeh baan.
Hum kyon jeyvain aaphu, jeyvant ho kin aan.
Kunwar aap aaro giye, Rano bhakyo heri.
Mohi garani kachu, abbey jeyihun pheri.
Kahi garani ki Kunwar, bhai garani johi.
Atak nahin kar deyungo, taran churan tohi.
Diyo theli konso kanwar, uthe sahit nij saath.
Chulu aan bhari haan kahyo, ponch rumalan haath. - By Ramkavi
Conversation between Mansingh and Maharana during dinner,
Mansingh: "Why should I eat the dinner when you are not eating?"
Maharana: "Kuwar, you eat the food, I have stomach ache and I will eat later"
Mansingh: "I will give you 'chooran' for your stomach ache".
Mansingh
then puts aside his plate of food and stands up with his companions.
Wiping his hand with his handkerchief, he says "I shall wash my mouth
when I come the next time"
Akbar sent Mansingh's father
Bhagwandas with a proposal for treaty. To give Maharana a proof of his
strength, he conquered Badnagar, Rawail etc. Maharana respected
Bhagwandas as a Rajput and not as a Moghul messenger. The third attempt
too proved futile.
Akbar then sent his fourth proposal with
Todarmal - an able commander and a clever politician. He too was not
successful. Now a war seemed inevitable.
Akbar marched to Ajmer
in March 1576. After 15 days of discussion, he made Mansingh the
commander of his army. Abul Fazal has written about Mansingh -
"Raja
Mansingh who was foremost in Akbar's court in intelligence, loyalty,
and bravery and who was given the high title of 'farzand' (son) was
chosen to fight Maharana Pratap".Mansingh camped
for two months at Mandalgarh to increase his military strength and
finally marched towards Khamror - 10 miles away from Pratap's military
camp and set up his base. Rana Pratap reached Gogunda destrying all the
areas of Mewar plains so that the enemy would not be able to get food,
grass or shelter.
Finally the two mighty armies faced each other
for a battle that would go down in the annals of Indian history as one
which showcased the great valour of the Rajput troops led by their scion
Rana Pratap.The result was indecisive, but the battle was truly
symbolic of the raw courage, spirit of sacrifice, and loyalty of the
Rajputs in their heroic defence of their motherland.
The
infantry of the Bhils with their traditional bow and arrows was under
the leadership of Punja. The main commander of Mughals - Mansingh, was
on an elephant in the centre.Pratap spurred his steed to a determined
gallop towards Man Singh. He cut his way through to the Mughal general.
Chetak collided with the elephant's plate armour. He reared up against
the huge beast, his forelegs glancing off its tusks. Man Singh was
partly obscured by his mahout, but Pratap heaved his lance at the
howdah. The weapon passed through the driver's body, killing him
instantly, and smashed against the howdah's metal plates.
Man
Singh had disappeared. Thinking he had killed Man Singh, Pratap let out a
triumphal cry of revenge. The uncontrolled elephant swung around in
panic. The broadsword attached to its trunk slashed through the tendons
of one of Chetak's hind legs. Unaware of this, Pratap wheeled Chetak to
rejoin his men.
The horse now had the use of only three of his
legs but, enveloped by the furore, he persisted valiantly. Imperial
cavalry,who had rushed to guard their commander Mansingh, now surrounded
Pratap. Chetak was limping and stumbling. Suddenly, a great commotion
of kettledrums came from the rear of the Imperial ranks.The Rajputs saw
the Mughal reserves making their entry and Man Singh followed closely at
the head of battle-weary soldiers and horsemen.
Pratap's
first impulse was to destroy the Rajput traitor, possibly meeting death
in a blaze of glory. One of his officers, Jhala Man of Sadri, snatched
the royal standard of Mewar from Pratap's hand, determined to fight a
rear guard action until Pratap's army had reached the protection of the
defile. "Ride swiftly to safety!" he yelled. Reluctantly but wisely,
Pratap shouted an order to his remaining chiefs to take their men to the
village of Koliyari, where arrangements had been made for treating the
wounded.
Waving
the Sun-God banner, Jhala rallied his men to meet the enemy's
counter-attack, as the remainder of the Mewar army disappeared into the
cover of the hills. Bringing up the rear, Pratap stopped upon an outcrop
of rock. He turned to look back at the swirling dust haze that all but
hid the horrendous spectacle of the battleground. Through it came the
tumult of shots, the clashing swords, the cries of victory and death.
For a few moments, he was able to follow the progress of his crimson
banner. Then it, too, fell. They continued on. Chetak was now limping
badly. Pratap, too, was now faint from loss of blood; he had sustained
seven severe wounds from musket, sword and lance. Having carried his
master to safety, Chetak died. Pratap joined the remainder of his men,
recovered from his wounds, then continued his guerilla resistance.
3 comments:
Hatheesing temple - Ahmedabad
Hathee
Singh temple is a very famous Shwetambar Jain temple constructed in
1848-1850AD by a rich Jain merchant Kesarisingh Hatheesing (Some sources
mention the name as Maganbhai Hutheesing) at a whopping cost of Rs 10
lakh. It was designed by Premchand Salat and is dedicated to Dharmanath,
the fifteenth Jina or Jain apostle.
The temple is an
architectural marvel built in beautiful white marble. The temple is a
double storied construction that has a dome on the front side. The other
two sides of the temple consist of lavishly carved out galleries. The
temple has a cemented courtyard enclosed by a row of cloisters and has
52 shrines in its spacious courtyard. Each of the shrines consists of an
image of a Tirthankara.
2 comments:
Dada Hari ni Vav - Ahmedabad
Over large parts of the parched north western parts of India, nothing is
more scarce and sacred than water. Water has dictated the lives, the
myths and the rituals of the people of this arid and inhospitable
region. Monsoon is scarce and life is possible only because the people
have been harvesting rainwater since thousands of years by storing the
monsoon gift in tanks / step wells.
The construction of stepwells can be dated as follows:
(i) Pre-Solanki period (8th to 11th century CE)
(ii) Solanki period (11th to 12th century CE)
(iii) Vaghela period (mid-13th to end-14th century CE)
(iv) and the Sultanate period (mid-13th to end-15th century CE)
Water-rich
stepwells, were usually three to nine stories deep in the ground and
served to conserve precious rain water for over 1,000 years until the
late 19th century when they were replaced with borewells by the British
Raj.
Stepwells shaded from wind and sun, are a niche out of the
merciless desert heat. Water in the stepwells was used to quech the
thirst of men, animals and crops. The underground facilities were used
to celebrate colorful festivals and sacred rituals besides serving the
everyday requirements for drinking, washing and bathing. The wells have
drinking troughs for grazing animals and camels and people fill their
basins as act of merit, lifting up more water than their own beasts
need.
PurposeStepwell locations often
suggested the purpose they served. When a stepwell was located within or
at the edge of a village, it was mainly used for domestic purposes and
as a place for social gatherings. When they were located outside the
village, on trade routes, they were often frequented as resting places.
When they were used exclusively for irrigation, a sluice was constructed
at the rim to channelise the lifted water to a trough or pond, and
finally to the fields.
Preventing water pollutionWhen
stepwells and ponds were in daily use, they were ringed with the
unwritten rules prohibiting adjacent activities that could pollute them.
Their architecture was designed to keep the water clean; the wells
sloped from the parapet to drain surface water away from its cavity, and
the first stair was raised above the ground to prevent ground
contamination.
Hindu ritual brought many substances to the
water of the stepwell. Puja combines ancient custom of offering fire and
throwing flowers with scattering or pouring rice, water, oil or cow /
coconut milk over a scattered object. In temples with many worshippers,
drains are cut in the wall to carry the liquids poured during rituals to
the outside. But, in stepwells, pieces of broken terra-cotta, vegetable
offerings, garlands and coconut husks collect. The water mass quickly
decomposes into humus and was regularly spread as mulch on the
neighbouring fields. Todays efforts to keep wells open and fresh
conflict with the tradition of puja. Even a dry well like Dada Harir
receives offerings of coconuts full of sprouting grain every year.
Ecosystem of the stepwellsHindus
love animals, especially if they figure in their myths and there are
numerous creatures to be nourished by a well. Some water animals make
their way to stepwells when the monsoon fuses the dusty line between
land and water, but most are put in the the water by Hindus who think
wells should have living beings. They bring a fine tortoise or a fish to
a well to gain merit. Further blessings come from scattering grain on
the roof, the parapet and in the water, thus beginning a cycle of life.
Turtles eat the flower garlands thrown in the water, frogs eat the
insects and there is some creature to eat every organic thing that drops
or is blown into the well. The ecosystem thus cleaned the polluted
water.
Vav / BavdiTraditional stepwells are
called vav or vavadi in Gujarat, or baolis or bavadis in Rajasthan and
northern India. They were built by the nobility usually for strategic
and/or philanthropical reasons. They were secular structures from which
everyone could draw water. These sources of life, were architecturally
celebrated by both Hindus and Muslims.
The vavs or baolis (stepwells) or baavdis consisted of two parts:
(1) a vertical shaft from which water was drawn and
(2) surrounding it were the subterranean passageways, chambers and steps, which provided access to the well.
Walls
of stepwells were lined with blocks of stone without mortar and steps
were created leading up to the water.Sculptures and inscriptions on the
walls of stepwells demonstrate their importance to the traditional
social and cultural lives of people.
Dada Hari ni Vav,is
an octagonal shaped well located below the ground level which dates back
to 1501.It was built by Bai Harir Sultani a woman of Sultan Begara's
harem, during the reign of Mahmud Shah.The basic purpose of setting up
the well was to provide the travelers with cool water and a place for
relaxation.
This underground well has intricately carved designs.
Dada Harir's dedication reads:As long as the sun and moon endure, may this well remain for the nourishment of insects, birds, plants and animals.
Dada Harir tomb and mosque
3 comments:
Jama Masjid - Ahmedabad
Sultan
Ahmed Shah, the founder of Ahmedabad city constructed the mosque in
1423 A.D. in the heart of the old city. Jama masjid of Ahmadabad is
classed as the best building of its kind in western Hindustan.
Made by using yellow sandstones, the architecture of this mosque is a
blend of Hindu and Muslim styling. This edifice was built using items
from the demolished Hindu and Jain temples. The mosque is supported by
260 pillars and consists of 15 domes.
The length of the
veranda of the mosque is 103 yards by 89 yards. On either side of the
veranda there are hallways which are 5 and a quarter yards in width, the
flooring of the veranda is made of cut stones and the pillars of the
hallway is of red brick. The hall consists of 354 pillars. Above these
pillars the dome is situated. The size of this hall is 75 feet by 37.
The floor, Mehrab and Minbar of this hall are made of marble. At the
front on either side there are two round minarets from cut stone, which
are spread on 3 sitting areas. This cut stone has beautiful
ornamentation done.
On
the right side, in front of the minbar, in the corner of the hall is
the Royal seating area. Stone slabs have been erected between the
pillars. Stone curtains are present around the Royal seating area until
the ceiling. The purpose of this construction was that when the King
came to offer Jumma or Eid prayer at the mosque, he, his advisors and
entourage would make their prayers on the highest seating (also known as
the Kings hall). It is also possible that this was done from a security
point of view so that the King would be protected.
The
method used to light this mosque is unique. The rays of light are made
to change direction before being made to reflect into the whole mosque.
It
took 13 years to complete this fine example of Indo-Saracen
architecture of the Ahmed Shahi style. A white marble paved courtyard,
with a pool in the middle provides a perfect pause between the raucous
streets outside, and the dignity of the main sanctuary within.
Nearby
the Masjid are Pols and the Teen Darwaza (The Three Gates). Sultan
Ahmed Shah built these arched gateways, which were meant as the royal
entrance to the Maidan Shah or Royal Square. From here the Sultans used
to watch the processions from the palace to the Jama Masjid.
There
are different entrances to the mosque. Near the eastern entrance are
the tombs of Sultan Ahmed Shah, his son Mohammed Shah and his grandson
Qutub-Ud-Din Ahmed Shah II.
4 comments:
Swamy Narayan Temple - Ahmedabad
This
temple in Ahmedabad is situated in Kalupur - an area dominated by the
Muslims. Relations between the temple and its neighbours have always
been harmonious. In 2001, when an earthquake shook Gujarat, the Muslim
neighbours cooked food and gave it to the temple authorities to
distribute to earthquake victims.
It
was the first of the several swamy narayan temples built across the
globe. A British officer, Sir Dunlop was so impressed with activities of
Swaminarayan and his followers, that on behalf of the government he
gifted 5,000 acres of land in Kalupur area of Ahmedabad to build this
temple. The temple construction was completed on February 24, 1822. When
the temple was completed, the officer was so impressed by the temple
that he commanded a 101 gun salute to the temple.50,000 devotees from
all over India attended the installation ceremony of the idols.
The
central gateway of the temple blends local, regional and British styles
of architecture and sculpture. Marathi and Rajasthani folk cultures and
costumes are evident on the gateway sculptors. At the top of the
projected pavilions are ruminants of Mughal architecture. Statues of
women wearing frilled blouses and petticoats carrying their kids on
their waist depict the Gujarati women.
It
is designed to resemble a mansion. Intricate carvings in Burma teak and
exotic sculptures of mythological characters add a pleasant charm to
the temple.
Women
spiritual leaders of the Swami Narayan sect arrange for religious
gatherings in the interiors of the temple. Young girls, teenage students
and home makers throng to this temple in the afternoon. The Guru for
women is the wife of the Dharmavanshi Acharya and is addressed by the
title Akhand Sobhagyavati Gadiwalashri. She is affectionately referred
to as Baa, (mother) by her disciples as she is the mother of the
sampraday.
Swaminarayan offered parents help with dowry expenses
to discourage female infanticide, calling infanticide a sin. At that
time, influential and wealthy individuals educated their girls through
private and personal tuition. Male followers of Swaminarayan made
arrangements to educate their female family members. The literacy rate
among females began to increase, and they were able to give discourses
on spiritual subjects. Within the faith, Swaminarayan is considered a
pioneer of education of females in India.Swaminarayan also encouraged
the British Governor James Walker to implement strong measures to stop
the practice of sati.
2 comments:
Goa - Viceroy's arch (Tiswadi)
The discovery and the establishment of a new sea route to India around
the Cape of Good Hope by Vasco da Gama, made the Portuguese realize that
they need to have a permanent trading post established in India, to
exploit and profit from the spice trade. When their repeated attempts to
do just that along the malabar coast that was controlled by the Zamorin
of Calicut proved difficult, they finally decided to try their luck
northwards along the coast.
Goa once known as the "Pearl of the
Orient", was a muslim city to the north of Malabar. Duarte Barbosa wrote
about Goa as: "The city was inhabited by Moors, respectable men and
foreigners and rich merchants; there were also many great gentile
merchants and other gentlemen, cultivators and men at arms. It was a
place of great trade. It has a very good port to which flock many ships
from Mecca, Aden, Homruz, Cambay and Malabar country... The town was
very large with good edifices and handsome streets surrounded by walls
and towers." At that time, it was being ruled by Adil shah of Bijapur.
In 1510 under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque the Portuguese laid
siege upon Goa. On February 17th he entered the city of Goa for the
first time and met little resistance as the Sultan was engaged with his
forces elsewhere. Sultan Adil Shah soon came after him with a vengeance
and and on May 23rd 1510 Alfonso de Albuquerque had to flee the city of
Goa. Determined to win it for good, Alfonso de Albuquerque made
another attempt a few months later with the help of a Hindu Chieftain
called Timoja (also referred to as Thimaya). Under Adil Shah, Hindus
were heavily taxed. The Goan Hindu (this includes the Christians who
later converted or were forced to convert) was very dissatisfied with
Muslim rule. Thimaya invited Portuguese to relieve Goa from Bijapur.
Albuquerque's timing could not have been more than perfect. Sultan Adil
Shah had just died and the heir to the throne was the infant Ismail Adil
Shah. Ela or the city of Goa was under Rasul Khan, one of his generals.
After an initial attack on the Arsenal and a quick and bloody battle,
Alfonso de Albuquerque victoriously entered the city of Ela, Goa on St.
Catherine's Day, November 25th 1510.
Almost
nine decades later(in 1597), viceroy D. Francisco da Gama,the
great-grandson of Vasco da Gama erected the Arch of the Viceroys, to
honor the achievements of his great grandfather, Vasco da Gama. On
taking office, every viceroy of Portugal posted to Goa, using the old
ceremonial route made the procession under the arch,along the river
Mandovi, where they would be given the ceremonial key to Goa. The road
under the arch known as the Rua Direita leads to the main square where
most of the monuments exist today.
The tradition of erecting
triumphal arches goes back to Roman times, when such structures were
used to celebrate great military victories, the foundation of new
colonies, or the accession or death of an emperor. Revived during the
Renaissance, the triumphal arch was also employed by later colonial
powers in the distant lands under their rule.
The arch carries
the deer crest of da Gama's family. On top of the arch on the side
facing the Mandovi river is a small statue of Vasco da Gama, fully
attired in his royal uniform. The arch is built of laterite stone with
the side facing the river constructed of green granite.
Correspondingly,
in the rear, is a statue of St Catherine of Alexandria stamping under
her feet, the back up, Adil Shah, the Sultan defeat by the Portuguese.
There
are two inscribed slabs alongside the walls in the arch.Inside the
archway is an inscription recording that the arch was built by the
Governor, Francisco da Gama (1597-1600), in the memory of his
great-grandfather, Vasco da Gama. Another inscription on it is dedicated
to the Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary, commemorating the
emancipation of Portugal from Spain in 1656.
Though the original
structure was built in 1597, over eight decades after the conquest of
the city by the Portuguese, the arch underwent considerable changes. The
original arch collapsed in 1948 and it was restored in 1954, retaining
the statues, excepting the bronze statue of St. Catherine which was at
the top of the structure in a separate niche.It is now in the courtyard
of the museum.
4 comments:
Goa - Aguada Fort (Bardez)
Pre-15th century Arab and Chinese geographical texts describe various
natural hazards involved in long-distance shipping. However, they did
not cite any significant political or military impediments to
undertaking long-distance voyages to India other than the risk from
pirates.Peaceful trade had remained the norm in the Indian Ocean.
Evidence left behind by chroniclers like Marco Polo, Ibn Batuta, Persian
ambassador Abdur Razzaq, the Venetian Nicolo Conti and Genoan Santo
Stefano indicate that the Indian Ocean was the scene of thriving trade
in the 14th and 15th centuries.
In 1497, 5 years after
Christopher Columbus landed in America, Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese
sailor, navigated around the Cape of Good Hope and sailed all along the
eastern coast of Africa, stopping at the numerous Muslim trading cities
that extended from Sofala to Ethiopia. In 1498, he reached the western
coast of India: he was the first person to sail a ship directly from
Europe to India. In India, da Gama loaded his ships with spices and
returned to Europe. His voyage had been sponsored by merchants hoping to
break the Muslim stranglehold on the spice trade; da Gama had shown
that European merchants could sail to India directly and not deal with
middlemen.
Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese in the Indian
Ocean in 1498 no single power had attempted to monopolize the sea lanes
that connected the ports of the Indian sub-continent with the Middle
East and East Africa on the West, and the ports of South East Asia and
China to the East. But once the Portuguese had discovered their new
route to India, they displayed considerable zeal in seizing the most
profitable ports of East Africa, the Persian Gulf, and the Saurashtran,
Konkan and Malabar regions in India. In 1510, Bijapur's Adil Shahi ruler
ceded the control of Goa to the Portuguese. The Portuguese built forts
at strategic locations in Goa and strongly garrisoned to protect the
entrance to the port or to the provinces around.
A chain of
fortified coastal settlements backed by regular naval patrols allowed
the Portuguese to gradually eliminate many rivals, and enforce a
semi-monopoly in the spice trade by the middle of the 16th C. Portuguese
shipped highly-prized Indian textiles to Indonesia - picking up
valuable spices in return for shipment to Europe. But the very
profitability of this trade brought competitors. First the Dutch, and
soon after the English and the French.
Fort
Aguada stands on the Sinquerim plateau of Bardez Taluk in Goa. Built of
laterite stone it was once the most important line of defence of the
Portuguese colonisers 500 years ago. The construction started in 1604
and was completed in 1612. From the foot of the hill, between the two
wings of walls, a stair of 100 steps come down to the level of the sea
where there was a fortification with a platform. It consists of two
levels - On the northern side on the lower half borders is where the
Portuguese ships used to dock as it provided a harbour for local
shipping. The upper level located about 200 feet above sea level
comprises of a moat, underground water storage chamber,
lighthouse,gunpowder room and bastions. This is where soldiers could
look out toward the waters and warn of incoming Dutch enemies or
attacking Hindu warriors, the Marathas. It also has a secret escape
passage to use during the time of emergency.
A gunpowder room was
once used to store the artillery for the 79 cannons that dominated over
the grandstand. The fort was built to hold a series batteries, which
allowed 200 guns to work at a time for the defence of the coast. In the
year 1864, Portuguese constructed a four storey lighthouse measuring 42
feet, which in the present times is the oldest one in Asia. It was lit
in the night and was last used in 1976. In recent times, it was used by
the Portuguese to house political prisoners who fought for liberation.
“Aguada”
is the Portuguese term for “water”. The fortress had a spring of sweet
water within and underground water storage facility (the storage
capacity of the tank is 23,76,000 gallons), from where sailors drew
drinking water for their voyages. It was the first source of drinking
water available to ships arriving in Goa after the long sea voyage. The
prison, the biggest in Goa, is another relic from colonial days. Fort
Aguada was never successfully invaded by outsiders during the 450-year
Portuguese rule. The fort stands today intact reminding us the last
portuguese glory.
7 comments:
Amaravathi Stupa
Hieun-tsang, a Buddhist piligrim to India in the seventh century records the following about Amaravathi:
"
The
convents are numerous, but mostly deserted and ruined. Of those
preserved there are about 20, with 1,000 or so priests. They all study
the law of the Great vehicle. There are a 100 Deva (Hindu) temples, and
the people who frequent them are numerous and of different beliefs."
Though
what he says about Amaravathi itself is disappointingly meagre it
establishes the fact that Buddhism was an important state religion in
the Andhra kingdom.
Growth of Buddhism in AndhraBuddhism
came to Assaka country (today's Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh) during the
Buddha's lifetime. Bavari, an ascetic who set up his ashram on the
banks of the Godavari river, came to know that a Buddha had arisen in
the north and sent his disciples to meet him and engage him in a
spiritual dialogue.
The dialogue of the Buddha with the
disciples of Bavari at Vaishali is recorded in Suttanipata, which says
that Bavari's disciples were converted to Buddhism and later brought
dhamma to the Telugu country, Andhradesa. Literary, epigraphical and
archaeological accounts confirm that almost all schools of Buddhism
flourished in Andhra Pradesh for over 2,000 years. According to
Suttanipata, identified as one of the older parts of Tripitaka (the
complete scripture collection of the Theravada school).Even though the
traditional accounts of the Buddha's visit to Andhra Pradesh are
discounted, the literary evidence, as recorded by the Chinese traveller
Hiuen-Tsang, shows that Buddhism entered Andhradesa by circa 400 B.C.
It
was only during the reign of Asoka that the Buddhist establishment at
Dhanyakataka (today's Dharanikota) attained great recognition. Asoka
raised the dhamma thambani and enlarged the stupa, enshrining in it the
relics of the Buddha and providing the granite railing. The historian
B.S.L. Hanumantha Rao said: "Asoka bestowed special attention on
Andhradesa as he found out the preference of Andhras for Buddhism."
Being
an urban centre with access to the Bay of Bengal coast, Dhanyakataka
grew as the focal point of Buddhism in Andhradesa. Its importance grew
further when it became the capital of the Satavahanas. The Satavahana
expansion over coastal Andhra and the shift of the capital to
Dhanyakataka was a notable change in the first century A.D. As a result,
the Andhra coastline became the hub of trade with the Romans. These
changes fostered prosperity, and Buddhist establishments came up with
the support of local chieftains along the trade routes in the
hinterland.
The monuments built by the Satavahanas were
primarily Buddhist. They were stupas (tombs erected by Buddhists over
the remains of the Buddha), viharas (places where Buddhist monks lived)
and chaityas (combination of a stupa and a vihara and also a place of
worship).
Vajrayana, the third major school of Indian Buddhism,
with its manifestations born out of Mahayana, was practised at
Dharanikota. According to L.M. Joshi, Andhradesa was an ancient and
popular home of Vajrayana. Dhanyakataka was the centre of Vajrayana
where the Kalachakra system was expounded by the Buddha.
The
foundations of the stupas in the State looked like radiating and
concentric brick walls, which are absent in stupas of northern India. 
The
stupa was a symbol of the Buddha's death. Umbrellas were sometimes
mounted at the top of stupas as a sign of honour and respect. There were
four gateways in the railing around the Stupa. Each one of the gateways
marked one of the four directions, north, south, east and west. The
Ayaka pillars found at the four cardinal points and close to the stupas
are a peculiar feature of the stupas of Amaravati, which is not seen in
the stupas of Sanchi. The Great stupa or mahachaitya at
Amaravathi was one of the biggest in Andhra Pradesh with a probable
diameter of 50 meters and a height of 27 meters. It has a brick circular
vedika or drum with projecting rectangular ayaka platforms in the four
cordinal directions measuring 7.20 X 2.10 meters. Each ayaka pillar must
have stood on each platform symbolically representing the five main
events in Buddha's life:
The birth
The great renunciation
The enlightnment
The first sermon
Final extinction
The
drum and ayaka platforms were covered with sculptured slabs. Five
crystal relic caskets containing bone pieces, pearls and gold flowers
were discovered from the southern ayaka platform. This is a sariraka
type of stupa.
Some of the text in the following paragraph has been borrowed from "The Development of Buddhist Art in South India" By Devaprasad Ghosh -- The Indian Historical Quarterly Vol 4:4, December, 1928, p 724-740 The
circular base of the stupa was 162 ft. in diameter, perhaps only
6 ft. high, supporting a frieze and cornice, and was faced with
marble slabs possessing the richest carvings and characterised by the
most delicate treatments, depicting miniature representations of the
stupa itself and interposed by panels elaborately carved with scenes
from the life of Buddha and the Jatakas. It is very difficult to
ascertain whether the dome rose directly from the drum or rested upon
several receding terraces like the Gandhara, Further Indian or
Indonesian specimens. The great marble dome of Amaravati, unlike the
short and stunted dome of Sanchi, rose to a considerable height of 90ft.
(twice that of Sanchi ) and was more or less bulging in form.
Around the outer limits of the Stupa was a tall railing made of limestone. The railing marked the boundaries of the Stupa. The
Tibetan historian Taranatha records that the great Buddhist Acarya
Nagarjuna, the founder of the Madhyamika School 'surrounded the great
shrine of Dhanyakataka with a railing. Along the top of the railing
were limestone blocks carved with reliefs. Blocks placed like this are
known as coping. Pillars were carved from large single slabs of stone.
Each pillar was about 2.6 metres high and 0.85 metres wide.
Colonel
Mackenzie in 1797 was responsible for starting the theory that the
stupa was surrounded by two rails--one inner and another outer. It
was acknowledged and the mistake was rectified. 'From some
misunderstanding of the first accounts' he added, 'it was supposed that
the Amaravati Stupa had an inner rail; this was a mistake; the inner
circle of sculptures was the facing of the base of the stupa'. The rail
at Amaravati resembled its predecessors in the principal features; but
the plinth was richly carved with a frieze of running boys and
animals, grotesquely treated. The rectangular pillars were as usual
edged off into shallow flutes. They were decorated with half lotus
discs at the top and the bottom, and circular discs in the middle
inserted with a full-grown lotus or a scene, in the usual manner. But
the most typical characteristic about these pillars, is the complete
absence of the large standing human representations, occupying the
entire surface of the uprights, such as the graceful statues of Yaksas
and Yaksinis of Bharhut, Bodh Gaya and the dancing girls of Mathura.
They have entirely disappeared and their place is occupied by greatly
magnified and richly carved lotus discs, curling leaves carefully
corrugated, comical Ganas and an enormous variety of scenic sculptures.
The preference for group composition, as opposed to single figures, is
very obvious in the swarming of the space between the discs--which was
generally left bare and unadorned in the earlier days by vivid and
animated delineation of the Jatakas and other incidents. The three
cross-bars were each embellished with a beautiful lotus disc with
concentric bands of petals, the most elaborate of its kind ever made,
and all different. On the massive coping, the meandering creeper of
Bharhut was replaced by a long wavy roll, carried by moving human
figures and dwarfs and interspersed with symbols in the loops. On the
whole the inner side of the rail, covered with scenes full of life and
movement, was decorated with greater beauty and elaboration than the
exterior.
Between
the railing pillars were carved stone bars known as 'cross bars'. Each
cross bar had a round sculpted face. The round face is all that survives
of many of the cross bars.
This cross bar shows a lotus. The lotus is a very important symbol representing purity and goodness in a polluted environment.
The
lotus plant usually grows in the murky water of swamps and pools. Its
sturdy stem grows up out of the water to support a pure, often white
flower which blooms above the water.
The
pillar of fire is thought to be the centre of the universe which
stretches between Earth and Heaven. This scene on the crossbar shows
worshippers around a pillar of fire which represents the Buddha. 
The
casing slabs of stupas are decorated with sculptures. The female
figures shown are slim and curvy. There is movement, dynamism and
pulsating life in both the female and male figures.
Lions
represented power and strength and were meant to ward off evil spirits
and protect the Stupa. Sculptures of lions were found at the Amaravati
site and are thought to have graced the four gateways. Some
slabs invariably present us with another peculiar feature, viz., a
dwarf figure standing on each side of the gate, holding a tray on his
head. Their constant occurrences lead us to believe that in the original
structure they represented statues in the round, bearing trays to
receive the offerings of the visitors. Dr. Burgess opines, 'No example
of them has been found and the only analogue I know of, is a similar
small figure bearing a basin by the doorjamb of the cave at Lonad of the
Thana district near Kalyan." But we think a closer examination of the
extant monuments may yet reveal such figures and in fact there are such
at Karli and in Orissa. A pair of vases with flowers (mangalakalasa?)
prominently placed at the entrance is another regular feature of the
sculptured slabs.
This relief (the picture on the right)
shows a stupa with an empty throne and a dharmachakra in the doorway
surrounded by worshippers. This is a symbol of the Buddha's First
Sermon. Scenes like this help us to imagine what the Amaravati Stupa may
have once looked like.
Decline of Buddhism in Andhra post Ikshvaku periodRoyal
support, especially by Ikshvaku princesses contributed to the vibrant
Buddhist activity at Vijayapuri. During the post-Ikshvaku period, from
the fourth century A.D., factors such as the rise of Vishnukundi power
to the north of Krishna river and the Pallavas in the southern region
and in the north coastal tracts, the resurgence of the Brahmanical
religion, lack of royal support and the decline of Indo-Roman trade
contributed to the stagnation of the Buddhist centres.
There is
evidence that the Amaravati Stupa was still used by worshippers up until
certainly A.D. 1344. Hinduism was the main religion in the country at
this time, but there were still practising Buddhists in India. Soon
after this period, the Amaravati Stupa fell into disrepair.
By
the end of the 1700s all that could be seen of the structure was a mound
of rubble and some pieces of sculpture on the ground. In 1797, a
British colonel named Colin Mackenzie heard of Amaravati and visited the
site.
Some of the text in the following paragraph has been borrowed from "The Development of Buddhist Art in South India" By Devaprasad Ghosh -- The Indian Historical Quarterly Vol 4:4, December, 1928, p 724-740 Mackenzie
found to his great chagrin that just a year before, the local Raja
Venkatadri Naidu had discovered and disemboweled the mound in a
fruitless search after hidden treasures; he afterwards caused a
reservoir to be dug in the centre and used the priceless marble
slabs in building the new temple of Amaresvara and the flight of steps
to the adjacent tank of Sivaganga. Some of the slabs were utilised by
the Mussalmans in their mosques, after 'carefully divesting of every
carving by rubbing them on harder stones, to prevent, as it is said,
any pollution arising to Muhammadan faith from idolatrous substances'.
Mackenzie
returned to Amaravati in 1816 to find that many pieces of the sculpture
had been carted away and reused in local building projects. Mackenzie
began to draw and record the sculptures remaining at the site. He
recovered some 130 slabs, made drawings of them and prepared a
ground-plan of the stupa. To learn more about the sculptures he
excavated, visit website:
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/amaravati/homepage.html. He sent some of the sculptures to the museum at Calcutta.
In
1845, Sir Walter Elliot began excavating at the site. but in the
meantime 70pieces of sculptures left behind in the open had been carried
away by the enterprising villagers and burnt into lime! It is
deplorable that even the Government Public Works Engineers were equally
guilty of such acts of vandalism. The slabs excavated by Sir Walter were
transhipped to England and now adorn the grand stair-case of the
British Museum.
The sculptures which are now in India after
surviving the ruthless vandalism through the ages are shared by the
Museums of Madras and Calcutta.
1 comment:
Traveling to Badami
As a young girl I always dreamt of being an archaeologist some day;
travel to the distant land of Machu Picchu on Llamas and find the hidden
treasure or solve the mystery behind the death of Tutankhamun – the
most famous Egyptian pharaoh. When these childhood ambitions surface
from time to time, I keep myself content by visiting ancient monuments
or places of historic importance. This year (2005) our expedition took
us to the ancient villages of Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami –‘workshop’
of ‘experimental’ temple forms.
Though I am not an ardent believer in religion, I enjoy visiting places of worship.
Not
for the fear of the almighty, but for the simple reason that these
places reflect the architectural abilities of a culture. The richness of
a dynasty is also measured by their contribution to art and
architecture besides the wealth in the royal treasury. The wealthier the
dynasty; the larger was their contribution to art and architecture.
Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami are the architectural contributions of the
Chalukyan rulers. The Mughal era saw the birth of Indo Saracenic form
of art and the Chalukyan era resulted in Chalukyan style of
architecture.
The expedition group consisted of not
–so-like-minded people. We began our journey from Bangalore on the 29th
of December in the fairly comfortable KSTDC coach to Badami at 20:30Hrs.
I was the only other person belonging to the fairer sex besides
Revathy. The “gang” as some team members would like to be called;
assembled by about 20:00 Hrs at the Majestic Bus station. No sooner was
the bus parked; people began crowding into it to occupy any available
seat. We had our tickets confirmed and so boarded the bus leisurely. The
conductor advised us to settle in our seats. He spoke the native
dialect of the northern region of Karnataka. After a last minute
cancellation of two tickets the “gang” settled comfortably in their
respective seats; or so I thought. A few or probably most of us called
our family and friends on our mobiles before the bus could leave the
limits of the Bangalore city for fear of not being able to access the
network later. I had “Wuthering Heights” to keep me company and Pavan
had “Sherlock Holmes”. Once settled, we began enjoying our books only to
be distracted by the talks of the other people in the group indulged in
pulling Niranjan’s (fondly known as “Hunter”) legs. I tried to ignore
them but the discussion seemed to be getting interesting. So I decided
to put my book down, close my eyes and listen to their conversation. The
loud talks were definitely irritating our co-passengers and a couple of
them even expressed their frustration by complaining to the persons
sitting besides them. But it failed to dampen our enthusiasm and
ignoring their complaints we continued talking and joking. When the bus
was nearing the outskirts of the city, we all posed for a picture for
our “memory album”.
Our
first halt was at … oops! I have forgotten the name of this village
where we had tea / coffee. The hotel at this bus station isn’t very big
but it does sell good coffee and tea. Few of us ordered coffee but were
served tea instead. As long as I could wet my palate with something hot,
I was content. I was too happy to even complain. The cramped muscles in
my legs relaxed as we walked around and I also took this opportunity to
get acquainted with Revathy. We had a pleasant introduction and I took
an instant liking towards this girl. I was now sure that we would make
good roommates for the next couple of days.
We boarded the bus
again and proceeded towards Badami. Ideally the journey takes about 12
hours. But on that particular night, there was a heavy inflow of traffic
on the highway towards Bangalore and added to this, the roads were
being dug to broaden them. Our bus inched forward for almost an hour and
then the flow of traffic was smooth again. O Well… that means… we shall
reach our destination late by an hour! Looking at the brighter side…
we would get another hour of extra sleep on the bus. I turned towards
Shrikanth who had occupied the seat besides mine and noticed that he was
comfortably dozing off… so I thought I would look out of the window
until I could sleep. The vehicles passing by were the only source of
light and I could see pieces of uncultivated land or dusty roads when
other passing vehicles lit the way. Nothing seemed to interest me. So I
hugged my pillow and dozed off … only to be woken up when the early
morning sunlight kissed my forehead. Hmmm… after a good night’s sleep I
was all set to enjoy the new day! Shrikanth was still sleeping and so I
turned around to check if the others had woken up. Not a single soul on
the bus stirred. I could hear someone snoring and the two men seated in
front of us breathing heavily. The heavy breathing and the snoring was
almost rhythmic … It was now time to enjoy my book… I continued to
read for a while and then decided to watch outside the window instead.
North
Karnataka besides “Jolad Rotti” and “badnikai palya” is also famous for
pigs. Some of the small villages might have more pigs than people
living in them . I saw a large number of pigs roaming aimlessly on the
streets; some of them even ignoring the honking vehicles. The plain
lands gave way to cultivated patches of land and I noticed that
Sunflowers are one of the major cash crops that are cultivated here. By
now some of the guys were hungry and the hunger woke them . Someone
noticed that I had bought plum cakes with me and asked Shrikanth if they
could eat it. He very generously handed it to the others… without even
bothering to offer me a piece. When everybody had almost finished eating
he asked me if I wanted to eat the few crumbs there were left over. I
said I couldn’t eat without brushing my teeth and he was glad that I
refused and ate the few remaining crumbs. We finally reached Badami at
9:30 Hrs the next day.
Manunath, my friend’s brother, had
managed to get us the accommodation in a cheap hotel besides the main
bus station in Badami. The hotel didn’t look good from the outside and I
was now praying that at least the rooms should be clean. There are very
few good hotels in Badami and it is always advisable to book a room
well in advance. I walked over to the reception counter introduced
myself and asked the man behind the counter if Mr. Krishnamurthy had
booked rooms for fifteen people in their hotel. I was glad when he
confirmed that he had the rooms reserved in my name. My joy knew no
bounds when he said that hot water would be available for us to take
bath. He asked if we two girls would want a separate room rather than
share it with the other guys. So we girls shared one room and the guys
had three rooms between them. The receptionist who I later learned was
also the manager of the hotel personally walked us to our rooms on the
first floor. The room was definitely dirty and there were cigarette
stubs lying on the floor. The beds weren’t made and the bedspreads
certainly needed a wash. The porter who had accompanied us to the rooms
warned us in broken English “keep door close… big monkeys coming”. when I
replied to him in Kannada he was very happy and repeated the same in
Kannada. Revathy by then had walked into the bathroom to check if it was
clean and by the looks on her face I could guess it wasn’t. Then I
had to tell her my experience in Italy where the bathroom was stinking
and they did not even provide hot water to take bath. Finally after much
apprehension she agreed to take bath in the bathroom.
No sooner
had the boys checked in, they rested comfortably on the beds, whilst we
girls were getting ready to take bath. The porter then got some
not-so-warm water to take bath and I was glad that I could take bath
with atleast the tepid water.
We
were quiet hungry by then. I was impatient waiting for the boyz to get
ready. I reminded Shrikanth to let us girls know when they would have
their breakfast so that we could join them. I started reading “Wuthering
Heights” again and after a while I heard a knock on our door and saw
Shrikanth waiting outside to let us know they were ready to have their
breakfast. When we were just about to lock our door Mukunda asked us for
the key so that the guys could have their bath in our bathroom. We
handed the key to him and walked across to the hotel on the other side
of the road.
It looked quite good from the outside. The building
was not older than one year. There were posters stuck on the walls
advertising about the “New Year’s party” in the hotel. We sat waiting
for a while inside the hotel and realized the service was bad. There
were just two men taking the orders and they seemed confused about the
orders we placed. With most of us hailing from the southern part of the
state, idly and vada seemed to be the favorite dish and we all placed
the order for Idly and vada. The man returned after checking with the
cook to inform us that we would have to wait for a while before we could
be served vada, as the cook was yet to prepare them! Having planned to
visit Aihole, Pattadakal and Banashankari on that same day, we realized
we couldn’t wait around for the breakfast and so ordered for what ever
was available. We were served dosa, set dosa, Masala dosa, Uppittu,
Khara bhath and God knows how many more dishes! I stopped counting after
a while. We had our stomach’s fill and ordered for coffee.
Coffee
is a favorite beverage in the southern part of the state and not
realizing that people in North Karnataka prepared BAD coffee most of us
ordered for coffee. I had lived for six and a half years of my life in
the Northern part of the state and I forgot about it?! Chandan sipped
coffee from his cup and remarked that he had been served tea instead. He
then sipped again and exclaimed “It tastes like coffee now. I am sure
they have mixed coffee and tea and served it to us!” I sipped a little
coffee from my cup and my face looked like I had sipped castor oil!
Shrikanth then shared his cup of tea and reminded me to order tea the
next time I wanted to drink some hot beverage while we were in North
Karnataka. While we sipped our tea / coffee Shrikanth had arranged for
the cruiser to take us to the places we intended to visit.
Amararama or Amareshwara temple at Amaravathi
Long
ago there was a sage by name Kashyapa who was married to Diti. Their
son Vajranga married Varaangi who gave birth to rakshasa Taraka. Taraka
performed severe penance to please Brahma, the Creator, and obtained two
boons from Him. The first boon was that there should be no one more
powerful than himself. The second boon was that his death could come
only from a son born to Shiva.
Taraka was very bold and
confident because Shiva was already deeply lost in penance and had no
wife. So no son could be born. Taraka was ruthless and wicked and hated
sacrifices and charity. He killed all kings who ruled over their
subjects righteously.He destroyed the hermitages of the sages and set
fire to the homes of good men. He put to death all pious people.
The following text has been partially borrowed from
http://www.templenet.com/Legend
has it that Amaravati was once the abode of the Gods - the Devas, the
yakshas and the kinnaras. They sent Brihaspati to Kusumapura to fetch
Manmatha. Manmatha along with his consort Ratidevi arrived where Shiva
was doing the penance. They cast their spell on Shiva and he married
Parvati.Shiva's son Subramanya vanquished the demon.
The
Shivalingam in his throat broke and fell in five different spots, which
became the Pancharama kshetras. The foremost of these is Amareswara at
Amaravati where Indra and the Devas are believed to have worshipped
Shiva.
It
is believed that the Shivalingam that shattered into five pieces was a
huge one, and the biggest of the five pieces is a fifteen foot long
column of white marble which is worshipped as Amareswara at the
Amaravati temple. Legend has it that it was installed by Indra the king
of the Devas, Brihaspati the guru of the Devas and Sukra the preceptor
of the Asuras.
Amaravati temple is located on a small hillock
referred to as Krouncha Shaila, alongside the river Krishna which flows
for a short distance in a North-Southerly direction, although for the
most part, the river heads eastwards towards the ocean. The river
Krishna is held in reverence at this pilgrimage site, and a ritual dip
in this river here is considered to be meritorious.
The
structural foundations as seen today, seem to date back to the 11th
century CE. The Vijayanagar kings provided grants to maintain the
temple. However it was the local kings of the 18th century CE that
provided vast endowments to this temple. The temple is decorated with
four lofty gopurams in its outer circumambulatory path. Shiva here is
referred to as Amareswara, Agasteswara, Kosaleswara, Pranaveswara,
Someswara and Parthiveswara and Parvati - Bala Chamundi.
Yet
another legend has it that when Shiva destroyed the three Tripuras
(Tripura Samharam), all that was left was a Shivalingam, and that he
divided it into five pieces and placed them for worship at the
Pancharama shrines.
Yet another legend links the pancharama
kshetras. The five Shivalingams worshipped at these shrines are said to
be a part of a single Shivalingam said to have been created by Surya or
the Sun God.
Earlier known as Dhanyakataka, Amaravathi got its present name after Amareswara Swamy
2 comments:
"The Leaning" Tower of Pisa -- Torre pendente di Pisa
Pisa
was one of the greatest marine republics of Italy in the middle ages.It
extended its dominion and influence from Corsica to Sardinia and to
Sicily. It was master of all the Tuscan shore. The people of Pisa were
very good sailors and they conquered many lands, including Jerusalem,
Carthago, Ibiza, Mallorca, Africa, Belgium, Britania, Norway, Spain,
Morocco, and other places. They had only one real enemy, the people from
Florence. The "Tower of Pisa" was built to show the rest of the world
the wealth of the city of Pisa. It was nothing more than a "bell tower".
The absence of precise written references places doubt on
whoever had initially planned the Tower. Tradition attributes the
construction of The bell tower, famous for the yielding of the ground
that has provoked its inclination,to Bonanno Pisano, in conjunction with
William of Innsbruck. Recent hypothesis credits it to Diotisalvi
instead. The construction was continued, after one long interruption, by
Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano and concluded in the XIV
century by Tommaso di Andrea Pisano.
The people of Pisa started
to build the tower in 1173A.D. but stopped after a while. The war with
Florence started again and they stopped the construction work. In 1180
they restarted and in 1185 they had finished the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd.
floor. They started another war with Florence, and the construction work
stopped. In the same year the tower started to lean to one side. So the
tower was already "the leaning" tower even during construction. They
put bells on the top of the 3rd. floor in 1198.
The rivalries with Lucca and Genoa undermined Pisa's power and it was
finally defeated by Genoa in 1284 by the betrayal of their own count -
Count Ugolino della Gherardesca. The enraged people of Pisa locked the
count and his family in the tower of Gualandi and threw the keys in
river Arno. The prisoners died of starvation. Now the people of Pisa did
not have any reason to show off their power. However, they resumed the
construction and completed all the floors in 1319. The bell tower was
finally put on top of it in 1350. In 1392, Pisa was sold to Florence.
The
people of Pisa started a rebellion. But in 1406 they had to surrender
because they were under siege and everybody was dying of starvation. In
1499 they started another war against Florence who were using the people
of Pisa as slaves. Again the brave but unfortuned army of Pisa lost and
that is the end of the history of Pisa. They never managed to gain the
wealth as in the early years. Now it is just a small city somewhere in
Italy where the people are still showing off this leaning tower that was
listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages with "The
Colosseum of Rome", "The Catacombs of Alexandria", "The Great Wall of
China", "Hagia Sophia" of Constantinople, "Stonehenge" and "The
Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing".
Wars with Florence, Lucca and Genoa -- blessing in disguise! The
foundations of the tower had been situated at a mere depth of three
meters, on a bedding of dry stones. The actual work was halted after the
completion of 3rd story due to the ongoing wars with Florence. About
ten years after the beginning of the construction, the ground yielded
and that caused the first leaning of the constructed tower. There was an
appraisable sinking between 30 and 40 cm and an initial lean of about 5
cm. A repair plan was needed to rectify the lean caused by inadequate
foundation.
Professor
Piero Pierotti, an architectural historian opines that the construction
materials of significant weight and the functional characteristics
created by the staircase, prevented the reduction of masonry toward the
top. This left very few options to resolve the lean.
In 1275,
over a century after laying of the first stone, Giovanni of Simone
undertook the construction of three more floors. In 1284, the six
gallery floors were completed and the tower stood at 56.70 meters (on
the highest side). The accomplished technician mitigated the effect of
the inclination by raising up one side of the galleries on the upper
floors, partially correcting the lean of the bell tower.
At that
time the lean of the Tower was more than 90 cm. Long phases of delay
during the construction due to wars or political disruption, gave the
bell tower the much needed "rest" and enabled the tower to settle into
the ground and stabilize its most famous lean. It now stands inclined
behind the cathedral with the neighbouring baptistery and cemetery.
The apocryphal Tale of Galileo and the Tower of PisaGalileo
Galilei was born near Pisa on 15 February 1564 -- the same year in
which Shakespeare was born and the year in which Michelangelo and Calvin
died.He began to study medicine at the University of Pisa but changed
to philosophy and mathematics. In 1589, he became professor of
mathematics at Pisa. In 1592, he moved to become mathematics professor
at the University of Padua, a position he held until 1610. During this
time he worked on a variety of experiments, including the speed at which
different objects fall, mechanics and pendulums.
The story goes
that in order to demonstrate to Aristotlean scholars that two balls of
different weights fall at the same rate, Galileo dropped a cannon ball
and wooden ball from the top of the Tower of Pisa. While some of his
earlier predecessors actually performed this experiment,
Galileo did not.
Robe of "Tiger of Mysore"
Less
than 2 months after it was declared that Tipu Sultan's throne would go
under hammer in London, the quilted kurta-like silk garment, with
warrior-king Tipu's bloodstains, that he wore the day he died fighting
the British was found lying in a room full of old papers and discarded
furniture at the palace in Srirangapatna. The researchers also found his
pajamas and string in a glass case. Alongside, they found a note by the
British describing the significance of the costume. "It confirms he was
wearing it when he took his last breath," said Talkad Chikkarange
Gowda, a scholar researching Tipu's life and was instrumental in
spotting the treasure.
Tipu was either pierced with a bayonet, or
fell to artillery fire from British soldiers. Will this robe now prove
how he was actually killed?
Quoting from
http://www.zeenews.com/news534221.htmMinister
of Haj, Wakf and Minority Welfare Mumtaz Ali Khan told PTI that the
robe was preserved by the family of Tipu's most trusted Diwan Purnaiah
for 190 years. They later handed over the robe to the then Wakf
Minister, late Aziz Sait 30 years ago, who kept it in a room in
Srirangapatna palace.
Officials have also found the rosary beads Tipu used for his last prayer, gold coins, and a Quran bearing his handwriting.
Rangin Mahal -- Bidar
Ali
Barid was the first of the Baridshahi dynasty to adopt the title of
Shah. Of the many regal titles of 'Ali Barid, as given in the Rangin
Mahal inscription, the last is interesting as meaning 'a messenger to
empires'. The historians have described Qasim Barid, the first of the
line, as a Turk of Georgia, but thrown no light on the significance of
the family title 'Barid', which was retained by all members of the
family. Did they hold the position of 'royal courtier' before their
migration to India?
Ali Barid was a cultured prince, specially
fond of poetry, calligraphy, and architecture. A delightful building
erected by this king is the Rangin Mahal ('painted palace'), which has
lovely tile and mother-of-pearl decoration. This was apparently built by
a Persian architect, for some of the verses inscribed on this palace
have a striking resemblance to those painted on contemporary buildings
in Persia.
Near
the Gumbad Darwaza a royal tower has existed perhaps since the time
when Ahmad Shah Wali built the fort (A.D. 1429-32). From this tower,
which is mentioned as the Shah Burj in contemporary history, the
Bahamani kings often reviewed their troops, which assembled outside the
gate of the fort. In 892 H. (A.D. 1487) when a party of Abyssinians and
Deccanis revolted against Mahmud Shah Bahamani and tried to murder him,
he took refuge in the Shah Burj. The rebels were subsequently punished,
but as the king was spared of his life he considered the shelter
afforded by the Shah Burj as auspicious, and he had a lofty palace --
'Rangin Mahal' built in its close vicinity. Rangin Mahal literally means
the 'Coloured Palace", and this name was apparently given to it on
account of its walls being originally decorated with tiles of different
hues, traces of which still exist on the façade of the eastern halls.
The southern apartments of this palace were rebuilt by 'Ali Barid (A.D.
1642-80), who adorned them with wood-carving and mother-of-pearl work.
Takht Mahal or the Throne Palace -- Bidar
The
Takht Mahal or the Throne Palace was used as a durbar hall, where the
installation ceremonies of the Bahmani and Barid Sultans were
celebrated. This Throne Palace at the west end of the Fort is where the
Bidar rulers held private audience. It has a columned hall facing north
onto a rectangular court. Steps to the west of the courtyard lead to
various rooms with complicated plans. Some have remains of granite
columns.
Only
the arches remain at present, which indicate the height and width of
the dome that once adorned the monument. The Cheeni Mahal was sculptured
with coloured tiles.
The chamber (in front of which the photo has been clicked) is identified as the throne room.
Apart
from a hot water swimming pool that once existed here, it is the
carvings on granite that are significant. While the geometrical figures
signify the Muslim influence, the floral engravings speak of Hindu
culture. Discussing the Takht Mahal Prof. H.K. Sherwani writes: "
The arches are all very stilted and this would be sufficient to prove Iranian influence".
The same is also evident from the two bold outlines of the Persian
emblem on each of the Eastern and Northern façades, the lion with the
rising sun in the background, flanking the arch on both sides, all
worked in mosaic of beautiful coloured tiles.
Madrasa of Mahmud Gawan -- Bidar
Humayun is described as the "Nero of Deccan" because of his cruelities.
In his reign of 4 years, he earned a terrible notoriousness for
cruelty. Men and women suspected of rebillion were shredded down to
pieces or scaled to death by boiling water or hot oil etc. He earned the
title of "Zalim", the oppressor. His good and noble queen had no
influence on him. He had an able minister named Mahmud Gawan who could
not restrain the Sultan. He was killed in 1461 AD by his own servants in
a drunken fit. His death was hailed as "
delight of the world".
Mahmud
Gawan belonged to the village of Gawan in Persia. He was very capable
and efficient. Greatly impressed with his military genius, Humayun had
taken him in his service. After Humayun's death, he became the guardian
of his minor prince Nizam Shah. He had the reigns of Government in his
hands. When the young Sultan died in 1463 and his brother Muhammad III
aged 9 succeeded him, Mahmud Gawan served as the prime minister. He
effectively put an end to the havoc wrought on the pilgrims of Mecca and
on merchants by the fleets of Rajas of Khelna (Vilasgarh) and
Sangameshwar. He captured Goa, the best part of Vijayanagar empire. In
1474, a terrible famine known as "famine of Bijapur" devastated the
Deccan. Large number of people fled to Gujrat and Malwa. For 2 years the
rains failed and when they came in the third year, scarcely any farmers
remained in the country to cultivate the lands.
Mahmud Gawan
served the state most faithfully and enlarged the kingdom to an extent
never achieved before. He plundered Kanchi or Kanjeevaram during the
course of campaign against Vijayanagar. He fought successful wars
against ruler so Konkan, Sangameshwara, Orissa and Vijayanagar.
Mahmud
Gawan established the madrasa with a reputation that attracted the most
eminent theologians, philosphers and scientists. He maintained close
contact through correspondence with eminent personages in Persia and
other Middle Eastern countries, as is evident from the collection of his
letters entitled 'Riyad al-Insha'. Therefore it is not unlikely that he
must have invited engineers and craftsmen from his own country (Gilan
on the Caspian Sea) to build this Persian architectural style building.
The grand entrance and the stately round minarets are features which
came into the Deccan from persia. Prof. Yazdani states, "
A
striking resemblance may be noticed between the plan, the architectural
style and the decorative details of this building and those of the
Madrasah of Khargird near Meshhed."
The tower of
Gawan's Madrasah has 3 storeys, the first and second having balconies
which project from the main structure in a curvilinear form without any
bracket support as seen in the Indian minarets. This indicates that the
architect was a Persian, as the balconies of towers in Persia have a
curvilinear form without struts. Describing the tile work the learned
author further states "Details of the facade incude a band of tile-work
containing a parapet design showing kanguras of a cusped pattern." The
calligraphic designs in this building exhibit art of the highest order
and in tile decoration the painter and calligrapher seem to have worked
out jointly the design for the craftsmen. The servics of 'Ali As-Sufi'
seems to have been specially requisitioned to prepare the decorative
scheme of the madrasah in collaboration with other artists and artisans.
The
madrasa occupies a rectangular structure covering 68 X 60 mts and
encloses a central quadrangle. It is elevated on a high base with 2
stepped terraces. The front or east façade was framed by 2 lofty
minarates about 100ft high that were dressed in green-azure majolica
decorating the shaft in zigzag motifs. The madrasa was used by Aurangzeb
as a military barrack in 1656. Rooms near the southeast minaret were
used for gun-powder storage. An explosion resulted in damage to
one-fourth of the edifice fo the tower and the entrance.The southeast
corner tower, along with half of the east and south wing attached to it
collapsed after being struck once by lighting and in the gun powder
explosion.
The college's original splendor is unmistakable even
in its present state, its arches and colorful glazed tiles recallign
Timurid Central Asia, and its minaret and domes reminiscent of Mamluk
Egypt. Moreover, the structure's sheer monumentality and its placement
in the heart of the unwalled city - not in the heavily fortified citadel
or near any royal palaces - confirms what we know from Gawan's
prodigious correspondence with overseas scholars, namely, that he was
determined to put Bidar on the map of the Persian-speaking world as a
major center of learning.
After
examination of the content of the Chronogram in the Abjat style, the
founding date of this madrasa was found to be 1472-73. Large reading
halls with semi-octagonal chambers attached to the exterior side, rise
up at the center of the north, west and south wing to reach the full
height of three storeys and have open arched façades facing the
courtyard, forming a typical iwan structure. These iwans are further
marked by domes. The rooms of the teachers and students are found on the
three storeys flanking these grand reading halls.
Click on the photograph to notice the remnants of floral design on the domeThe
madrasa's library had over 3000 manuscripts. 36 suites of rooms on 3
storeys accommodated more than a 100 students, and in 6 suites of rooms
resided some 12 professors, who lectured in 4 vaulted halls measuring 40
feet by 27 feet. This extraordinary place, where the chief minister
himself passed many hours in study and discussion, remains the most
visible legacy of Gawan's cosmopolitanism and his devotion to
scholarship.
Mahmud Gawan was a man of lofty character. He was a great scholar and
patron of learning. His private life was pure and simple. The one defect
of his character was his incorrigible bigotry. His orthodoxy prevented
him from perceiving other points of view in religion. He also persecuted
the Hindus vigorously.
Mahmud Gawan divided the big provinces
into two and thus deprived the governors of the control of the
fortresses by entrusting them to officers directly appointed and paid by
the Sultan. These salutary reforms reduced the power of many of the
nobles of the Deccan party and so provided their bitter hostility.
Several
dissatisfied officers, one a Deccani and the other an Ethiopian, plied
Gawan's seal-bearer with gifts and then presented him with a blank sheet
of paper that required the chief minister's seal. Told that it was but a
routine documnt, the seal-bearer willingly obliged to stamping it. The
conspirators now wrote on the document a letter purporting to be
Gawan's, in which the addressee, the raja of Orissa, was invited to
invade Bahamani territory and share the spoils with the chief minister.
This done, the conspirators presented the letter to Sultan Muhammad III,
claiming that the document had been intercepted and that it confirmed
Gawan's treasonous behaviour. The leader of this hostile party Malik
Hasan poisoned the Sultan's ears against the faithful minister. Enraged,
and his senses addled by wine, the sultan immediately summoned his
chief minister, who went straight to court, despite the warnings voiced
by suspicious friends.When shown the document with his own seal affixed,
a shocked Gawan pleaded innocence, which the sultan merely ignored.
Standing up and turning to leave, he ordered his executioner to do his
work.
At the last moment of his life, he said his prayers
and remarked, "I am old and do not mind my death but my death is bound
to become your dynasty's end. I thank God that he gave me an opportunity
to lay my life in the cause of the dynasty."
These words too,
were ignored by the king, who proceeded to his chambers. Gawan, kneeling
down and facing Mecca, was reciting the Islamic credo when the broad
sword struck his neck.
Colonel Baillie's Dungeon -- Srirangapattana
The following text has been borrowed from "
A History of the
Highlands, and of The Highland Clans; with an extensive selection from
the hitherto inedited Stuart Papers" By James Browne and is biased towards the British soldiers.
July 1780:
The Battle of Pollilur took place in 1780 at Pollilur near the city of
Kanchipuram. It was a part of the second Anglo-Mysore war. Tippu Sultan
was dispatched by Haidar Ali with 10,000 men and 18 guns to intercept
Colonel Baillie who was on his way to join Sir Hector Munro.
The
first battalion joined the army under Maj. Gen. Sir Hector Munro
assembled at St. Thomas' mount, near Madras. This force amounted to 5209
men and with the exception of one battalion of the company's European
troops, and the grenadiers of another, and 800 highlanders, consisted of
native troops.
Gen Munro, with the view of joining Col. Baillie,
who had a force of nearly 3000 men under him, marched to Kanjeevaram,
where he arrived on 29th Aug. Col Baillie reached Perambaucum, 15 miles
from Gen Munro's position on 6th Sept, where he was attacked by Tipu,
whom, after a contest of several hours, he repulsed. Strange to say, the
armies of Munro and Billie, though within a few hours march of each
other, made no effort to unite, and 2 days after the battle Col. Billie
sent notice to Gen. Munro to push forward with the main body, as from
the loss he had lately sustained, he was unable to advance in the face
of an enemy who was so superior in numbers. After an unaccountable delay
of 3 days the general sent forward the flank companies of the 73rd
Highlanders under Captains David Baird and the Honourable John Lindsay, 2
companies of European grenadiers, and 11 companies of sepoys, all under
the command of Col Fletcher, and by taking a circuitous route, they
were enabled to form a junction with the corps of Col. Baillie without
opposition.
Reinforced by this detachment Col Baillie set out to
join Munro on the evening of sept. 9th, but he had not proceeded above a
mile when he fell in with the picquets of Hyder Ali's army. An
irregular fire commenced, which was kept up by both parties for several
miles. About midnight Col. Billie halted and lay on his arms all night
without being disturbed by the enemy. He continued his march next
morning without opposition, and, after proceeding 2 miles, entered a
jungle. The Sultan had concentrated his army about this spot, and on the
preceding day had raised 3 batteries, one in the centre of the grove,
and one on each flank. No sooner had Col. Baillie advanced into the
jungle than a heavy and destructive fire was opened upon him from 57
pieces of cannon from the batteries and field-artillery. The march was
in the form of a square, with the sick, and the baggage, and ammunition
in the centre, and though the detachment was assailed on all sides by an
immense force, the enemy, after a desperate conflict of 3 hours'
duration, were drive back at every point. Thus repulsed, "Hyder
determined to retreat; and a rapid movement which Baillie made from the
centre appeared to have decided the day. Orders were given to Col.
Lally, a French officer in the service of the sultan, to draw off his
men, and to the cavalry to cover the retreat, when in that instant two
explosions were perceived in the English line, which laid open one
entire face of their column, destroyed their artillery, and threw the
whole into irreparable confustion!" This occurance revived the hopes of
Hyder, whose cavalry charged in separate squadrons, whilst bodies of
infantry poured in volleys of musketry; but they were gallantly repelled
in every attack. Reduced at last to little more than 400 men, Col
Baillie formed these remains of his army into a square on a small
eminence. In this situation, after 2/3 rds of the number had been killed
or disabled, the officers with their swords, and the soldiers with
their bayonets, repulsed 13 charges; but being borne down by fresh
bodies of horse, Col. Baillie to save the lives of the few brave men who
survived, displayed a flag of truce.
In
1780, during the Second Mysore War, the British were defeated at the
Battle of Pollilur. Tipu had the battle painted on the walls of his
Summer Palace to celebrate his triumph.
Quarter was
promised, but no sooner had the troops laid down their arms than they
were attacked with a savage fury by the enemy; but, by the humane
interference of the French officers, many lives were saved. One of these
officers in a description of the battle says " too great encomiums
cannot be bestowed on the English commander and his troops, for in the
whole of this trying conflict they preserved a coolness of manoeuvre
which would have done honour to any troops in the world. Raked by the
fire of an immense artillery, the greatest part of the action within
grape-shot distance, attacked on all sides by not less than 25,000 horse
and 30 battalions of sepoys, besides Hyder's European troops, the
English column stood firm, and repulsed every charge with great
slaughter; the horse driven back on the infantry, the right of our line
began to give way, though composed of the best troops in the Mysore
army.
Sir Hector Munro, the victor of the Battle of Buxar, who
had earlier defeated three Indian rulers (the Mughal emperor Shah Alam,
the Nawab of Oudh Shuja-ud-daula, and the Nawab of Bengal Mir Qasim) in a
single battle, was forced to retreat to Madras, abandoning his
artillery in the tank of Kanchipuram.
In this destructive action
the flank companies of the Highlanders had Lt. Geddes Mackenzie, William
Gun, Volunteer Forbes, 3 sargents and 82 rank and file killed; and Cap.
David Baird, Lts Hon. John Lindsay, Philip Melville, Hugh Cuthbert, 4
drummers, 92 rank and file wounded. All these with 23 who escaped
without wounds were thrown into a dungeon by Hyder Ali, and were treated
with such barbarity that only 30 of the soldiers survived, and of these
few were afterwards fit for service.
The
underground dungeons are situated towards the north of Ranganatha Swamy
temple, close to Lal Mahal Palace about 15 kms from Srirangapattana.
The dungeon measures 30.5 mts length and 12.2 mts breadth and has been
built of brick and lime mortar. Apparently it was used during the time
of Tipu Sultan to imprison the war prisoners. They were chained to the
stone slabs fixed on the east, west, and north sides of the wall and it
was then filled half-way with water.
There was no escape for
these prisoners as the dungeons were surrounded by a deep moat as well.
The prison was named after Colonel Bailey Dungeon who died here on May
13th 1782. This was particularly used to imprison British officers like
Captain Baird, Rulay, Colonel Brith White, Sampson, Frozen and Lindsay.
During
the siege of Srirangapatna one of the cannons rolled back, broke into
the ceiling and fell into the vault and lies there still.
The
grim dungeons where Tipu held British soldiers have been restored. It is
alleged that the chained prisoners were forced to stand neck-deep in
water. Some even had nails hammered into their heads. These could
probably be the bomb-proof shelter. It is far more likely to have been
used as a powder magazine and armoury.
The gallant
Fletcher was killed at Pollilur. Among the survivors of that battered
band, Col Baillie and Capt. Baird were wounded, and Captain John Lindsay
was among the 200 men taken prisoner. His Journal, '
an account
of myself, and of the various circumstances that befel me, from the time
that I was taken prisoner by Haidar Ali on the 10th of September, 1780,
until my release from prison, and my arrival at Madras on the 17th
April, 1784,' describes Haidar's review of the prisoners on 11th September, and the moving encounter which followed: '
When
I came out, a figure, covered all over with blood, came limping up to
me and called me by my name, which from the voice I soon discovered was
my old friend David Baird; this was a most welcome meeting to both of
us.'
Mrs. Grant, in her '
superstitions of the Highlanders', alluding to the inflexible integrity of the Highlanders under the most trying privations, observes:- '
A
Highland regiment, commanded by Lord Macleod was during the war with
Hyder ALi, engaged in an unfortunate rencounter, when more than 100 men
fell into the hands of the remorseless tyrant. They were treated with
the most cruel indignity, and fed upon very sparing proportions of
unwholesome rice, which operated as slow poison, assisted by the burning
heat of the sun by day, and the unwholesome dews of night, to which
they were purposely exposed to shake their constancy. Daily some of
their companions dropped before their eyes and daily they were offered
liberty and riches in exchange for this lingering torture, on condition
of relinquishing their religion and taking the turbans.
5 comments:
Gumbaz -- Srirangapattana Mausoleum
I have lighted a different fire in the heart.
I have brought a tale from the Deccan.
I have a shining sword on my side;
I am drawing it out gradually from the scabbard.
I speak a subtle point about the Martyr Tipu Sultan,
I fear the festival day may turn bitter,
I proceed to kiss his dust,
There I heard from his holy grave;
If one cannot live a manly life in this world
Then to sacrifice life, like a man, is life! Excerpt from:
Javid-Namah (The Book of Eternity).
[In Persian].
[First publ. 1932, in Lahore]. Tippu
built the "Gumbaz" at Srinagapattana in 1784 which is a square shaped
mausoleum with ivory-inlaid doors and black marble pillars. Tippu is
buried here by the side of his father Hyder Ali and mother Fatima Begum.
Outside the tomb are the graves of his relatives and commanders. Nearby
the "Mashit-e-Aqsa" mosque, with a pair of small minarets is located. A
solar clock could be found outside this building.
Hyder's tomb in lal bagh gardens by Robert Home, 1704
Tipu
Sultan built the Gumbaz mausoleum (1784) for himself and his father. It
is laid out in the style of a formal cypress garden. The entrance is
from the east.
The mausoleum is constructed in Bijapur style,
basically a dome on a cube, whose ornate railings and turrets are
decorated with ball-shaped finials.
The
following text has been borrowed from the book "Indian Renaissance:
British Romantic Art and the prospect of India" -- Hermione de Almeida
and George H. Gilpin
Robert Home, Cornwallis's official military
artist and surveyor did his sketches and descriptions of Srirangapattana
as he and the British troops saw it in 1793. At one end of the city was
the fort, palace and Daulata Bagh (royal garden) of Tipu Sultan. At the
other end, and covering almost one third of the city's five and half
square miles, was the largest garden of Mysore, the Lal Bagh or Garden
of Rubies, a huge and intricately landscaped formal garden which
combined designs from several Asian landscape traditions, and which
housed the royal mosque and the ornate marble tomb of Tipu Sultan's
father. The manicured intensity of such a large garden, and the
extravagant intricacies of the decorations of the high-domed marble
mausoleum with its gold crescent, overwhelm and astonish Home even as he
describes them, and he focuses finally on the usefulness and productive
variety of the lal bagh 'This garden was laid out in regular paths of
shady cypress; and abounded with fruit trees, flowers and vegetables of
every kind. But the axe of the enemy [the British] soon despoiled it of
its beauties; and those trees, which once administered to the pleasures
of their master, were compelled to furnish materials for the reduction
of his capital'.
Home's
ominous and righteous last sentence refers to a highly symbolic event
that occured at the end of the III Anglo-Mysore war, just before Tipu
capitulated and gave up half his treasury and land and two of his
children to Cornwallis. British soldiers occupied the Lal Bagh and
camped on its grounds; they cut down the 100 year old cypress trees
surrounding Hyder Ali's tomb and used them for target practice; they
turned the fakir choultries or chambered alcoves reserved for holy men
into a 'hospital' for wounded foot soldiers; they used the elegant
summer house as a troop mess-hall; they used the subsidiary meditation
bowers as latrines for the troops occupying Srirangapattana; and even
worse, they buried their dead common soldiers in the consecrated ground
of the flower beds surrounding Hyder Ali's vault and the royal
mausoleum. All this was done in sight of the palace and royal quarters.
Tipu Sultan saw this desecration of his father's tomb and garden as a
symbolic and soon-to-be staged descration and destruction of the garden
that was the city of Mysore he and his father had built. He was correct
in reading the signs. In 1806, when the military artist Charles Gold, a
veteran of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war, published his triumphant and
always perjorative Oriental Drawings of sketches taken in the 1790s, he
specifically showed lal bagh and Hyder's tomb rising in all their
magnificence but as a backdrop to British military encampment scenes of
British redcoats brandishing axes and in the act of curting down the
cypress tress, supervising Indian coolies as they carry off the tree
trunks, disturbing the flower beds with their exercises and, in general,
dismantling the landscaped order. To his depiction of dismantled Indian
order and British military necessity, Gold attached a statement
describing the 'extensive and beautiful groves' of the mausoleumm and,
quoting Alexander Dirom, what happened to this 'luxuriant and cultivated
spot':
The Sultan's garden... became a melancholy spectacle,
devoted to the necessities of military service and appeared for the
first time as if it had suffered the ravages of the severest winter. The
fruit trees were clipped of their branches; while the lofty cypress
tress, broken to the ground by troops, to be formed into fascines, werer
rooted up by the followers to be consumed as firewood.5 May
4
pm. Burial of Tipu at the Gumbaz mausoleum - at the eastern extremity
of the island of Seringapatam - with full military honours. His body was
carried on a bier, accompanied by four (4) companies of European
grenadiers, Tipu's son, Abdul Khaliq, (as chief mourner) leading
Mysorean officials, as well as a large number of the remaining populace
of Seringapatam. Severe thunderstorm at the time of Tipu's burial - two
officers of the Bombay army reported as killed by lightning: Lieuts.
Barclay and Grant.
Lieutenant Richard Bayly
(12th Regiment):
Description of the Burial of Tipu during a Severe Thunderstorm
[May 5 1799]"...
I
must relate the effects and appearance of a tremendous storm of wind,
rain, thunder, and lightning that ensued on the afternoon of the burial
of Tippoo Saib. I had returned to camp excessively indisposed. About
five o'clock a darkness of unusual obscurity came on, and volumes of
huge clouds were hanging within a few yards of the earth, in a
motionless state. Suddenly, a rushing wind, with irresistible force,
raised pyramids of sand to an amazing height, and swept most of the
tents and marquees in frightful eddies far from their site. Ten Lascars,
with my own exertions, clinging to the bamboos of the marquee scarcely
preserved its fall. The thunder cracked in appalling peals close to our
ears, and the vivid lightning tore up the ground in long ridges all
around. Such a scene of desolation can hardly be imagined; Lascars
struck dead, as also an officer and his wife in a marquee a few yards
from mine. Bullocks, elephants, and camels broke loose, and scampering
in every direction over the plain; every hospital tent blown away,
leaving the wounded exposed, unsheltered to the elemental strife. In one
of these alone eighteen men who had suffered amputation had all the
bandages saturated, and were found dead on the spot the ensuing morning.
The funeral party escorting Tippoo's body to the mausoleum of his
ancestors situated in the Lal Bagh Garden, where the remains of his
warlike father, Hyder Ali, had been deposited, were overtaken at the
commencement of this furious whirlwind, and the soldiers ever after were
impressed with a firm persuasion that his Satanic majesty attended in
person at the funeral procession. The flashes of lightning were not as
usual from far distant clouds, but proceeded from heavy vapours within a
very few yards of the earth. No park of artillery could have vomited
forth such incessant peals as the loud thunder that exploded close to
our ears. Astonishment, dismay, and prayers for its cessation was our
solitary alternative. A fearful description of the Day of Judgement
might have been depicted from the appalling storm of this awful night. I
have experienced hurricanes, typhoons, and gales of wind at sea, but
never in the whole course of my existence had I seen anything comparable
to this desolating visitation. Heaven and earth appeared absolutely to
have come in collision, and no bounds set to the destruction. The
roaring of the winds strove in competition with the stunning explosions
of the thunder, as if the universe was once more returning to chaos. In
one of these wild sweeps of the hurricane, the poles of my tent were
riven to atoms, and the canvas wafted forever from my sight. I escaped
without injury, as also my exhausted Lascars, and casting myself in an
agony of despair on the sands, I fully expected instant annihilation. My
hour was not, however, come. Towards morning the storm subsided; the
clouds became more elevated, the thunder and lightning ceased, and
nature once more resumed a serene aspect. But never shall I forget that
dreadful night to the latest day of my existence. All language is
inadequate to describe its horrors. Rather than be exposed to such
another scene, I would prefer the front of a hundred battles
3 comments:
Dariya Daulat Bagh -- Srirangapattana
Photograph,
taken in the 1870s by Nicholas and Company, part of the Ramsden
Collection of photographs, showing the Darya Daulat Bagh of Tipu Sultan
at Srirangapattana (Seringapatam) in Karnataka state.
Of the Darya Daulat Bagh (The Garden of Wealth of the Sea), also known as the summer palace of Tipu, Rev Thompson writes, "
After
the fall of Seringapatam, the Duke of Wellington, then Colonel
Wellesley, occupied the building for a considerable time when he held
charge of the Mysore territories. There are some interesting paintings
on the walls of the verandah which were executed at the order of Tipu
and represent, among other things the defeat of the British Force under
Colonel Baillie at Perambakam... ."
Rev Thompson goes on to say "
half
a century afterwards, Lord Dalhousie as Governor General, visited
Seringapatam, he found the building unoccupied and dilapidated, and he
spoke with an aged man who described Colonel Wellesley's stay there. The
wall paintings are still traceable, though faded. Lord Dalhousie gave
orders for the repairs and maintenance of the building and the
restoration of the paintings with the help of those who remembered them
in their completeness".
Dariya Daulat also known as the
"Summer Palace" of Tipu Sultan is on the southern bank of Cauvery. Hyder
Ali laid the foundation in 1778 AD and Tipu completed it in 1784 AD.
Despite the fact that most of his time was spent in war, Tipu patronised
art. This was 'Tiger' Tipu's favourite retreat. The graceful
proportions and the arabesque work in rich colours covering the walls,
render the palace very attractive. It is a fine specimen of
Indo-Saracenic architecture, which was named Dariya Daulat, meaning
"wealth of the sea".
The entrance is flanked by two domed pigeon houses which kept the valuable ‘
letter carriers’.
As
one walks forward on the pedestrian pathway, passing by royal palms,
banyan and cypress trees standing tall against the azure sky, one comes
across cannons alongside the fountain—a reminder of the turbulent times
in which the garden was built.
The
rectangular shaped Tippu palace stands on a raised (1.5 m high)
platform. There are open corridors on all four sides of the elevated
platform. With canopied balconies, audience halls, arches and concealed
staircases, the Tippu summer palace is said to have been built in the
structural style credited to the Moghal Governor, Dilvar Khan of Sira.
The
salient feature of this place is that every pillar, wall and alcove is
painted in rich hues of red, blue and gold on the white background. The
designs are derived from nature and are mainly floral, with leaves and
tendrils moulding the doorways. A low, wooden trellis-work runs around
the room. The balconies have a cupola top that is a dominant feature of
Islamic architecture.Around the main building runs a wide verandah
standing tall on tapering, lotus-like teak pillars.
Drawing room by Edmund David Lyon, 1868
The
palace is famous for the art work done extensively on its walls and
ceilings. The outer and inner walls have scrolls, floral patterns, and
the portraits of kings and courtiers. Wall decorations include
impressive 18th century frescoes of battles the father and son fought
against the British fields, armies in action and victory processions.
These murals are considered to be rare visual documentaries of
pre-independence war history.
Frescoes on wall;photo by Edmund David Lyon, 1868
The famous oil painting "
Storming of Srirangapattanam"
by Sir Robert Porter, depicting the defeat of Tippu and the fall of
Srirangapattana on May 4, 1799 is said to be a painting of great
artistic value and historic importance.
Apart from the murals
depicting the great victory of the armies of Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan
in the battle against Col. Bailee in 1780, on the eastern side of the
palace walls are historic murals of the darbars attended by powerful
rulers Kittur Rani Chennamma, Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, and Palegars
Madakarinayaka of Chitradurga, Magadi Kempegowda and many other kings
and chieftains.
A lot of things which Tipu used for his daily
chores are kept in the museum. It has artefacts, silver articles,
furniture, coins, shields, swords and attires of a bygone era including
Tipu’s blue-and-gold coat. It also has many ink drawings of Tipu and his
family done by employees of the East India Company. Several sketches by
Thomas Hickey and a 3D painting of prince Tipu are commendable!
4 comments:
Watergate -- srirangapattana
Sally port where Tipu fell
Water gate 1938
May
5, 1799: He was still trapped in the courtyard with a handful of
faithful followers and surrounded by the British soldiers. They fought
for a long time.Three horses were shot from under Tipu. He, along with
four other bodyguards, killed a record 4,500 British soldiers-about
fifteen British were left alive and Wellesley was thinking about
surrendering when a British bullet hit Tipu on his arm. Another hit his
temple and the Tiger of Mysore, the hope of Indian freedom, the great
nationalist who sacrificed every thing for his dream of British-free
India, fell. And along with him, shattered the dream of Indian
independence-one that will not be able to be achieved till 150 years
later by the endless efforts of Ghandi and Nehru and Jinnah-just because
some greedy men sold their soul for a few gold. Tipu's body was given a
military burial and he was buried by his father's side in Lal Bagh.
The following text is borrowed from:
http://www.angelfire.com/co/begumnoor/tipu2.htmlOn
the evening of May 3rd, British guns breached the ramparts, and at half
past one on the following afternoon, General Baird led the forward
storming party.
The fighting was fierce. The Sultan himself stood
with those who were attempting to hold the breach, firing with his own
hand. When it became evident they could not stem the invasion, he turned
abruptly, and attempted to force his way through the press on
horseback, toward the Zenana. According to Rajah Khan, the only person
to have been at his side the whole afternoon, the thought of the ladies
of the household had been in his mind since the moment when he realised
the fort was going to fall, and he had considered it his duty to put
them to the sword with his own hand, lest they be exposed to outrage in
the tumult.
The great gateway, when the Sultan and Rajah Khan
reached it, presented already a scene of carnage. Trying to push his way
through a melee, in which British soldiers and his own were closely
mingled, the Sultan was wounded, first in his breast, then in his right
side. Rajah Khan, seeing how heavily he was afflicted, cried out to him
that he should make his identity known to the British soldiers, who
would surely treat his person with respect.
"Are you mad?"
shouted Tippu. "Be silent!" Rajah Khan attempted to disengage him from
the saddle and they both fell to the earth together. Rajah Khan, wounded
in the leg himself, was yet able to drag the Sultan a little to one
side, and so prop him up under the relative shelter of a the arch of the
great gate. An English soldier, catching sight of the rich gold buckle
with which the Sultan's belt was fastened, stooped and tried to take it
off him. Tippu, however, was not dead yet. So many bodies had fallen
across his own that he could not get to his feet, being pinned amongst
the dead and dying; but he reached out with his hand, laterally, plucked
a sword from one of those who had fallen, and struck upwards, slashing
the grenadier across the knee. The grenadier, incensed, raised his
musket, put it straight to the Sultan's temple, not knowing who he was,
and shot him.
Death of Tipu at the taking of Srirangapattana
Death of Tipu by Henry Singleton
Even
in death, wrote one present, he carried such a vivacity of hatred that
Arthur Wellesley, standing over him in the flickering torchlight, could
not believe him dead till he had felt the heart and pulse.
He was
dressed in a white linen jacket, and loose drawers of flowered chintz,
with a crimson cloth of silk and cotton round the waist. He was of small
stature, a trifle corpulent, very dark of complexion, with aqualine
nose, bold eyes and prominent chin. His brows were finely arched, and
his hands and feet remarkably small and delicately shaped.
Finding body of Tipu -- coloured engraving by Samuel William Reynolds London 1800
Sir David Baird discovering the body of Tipu Sultan; by Sir David Wilkies
The
following day, four companies of Europeans marched with his bier. It
was borne by his personal attendants, and accompanied by the Kazi,
chanting verses from the Koran. Thousands of the faithful prostrated
themselves as the Sultan passed on his last journey through the streets
toward Lal Bang, where they laid him with his father; the occasion of
the last obsequies being rendered more awful by the bursting of an
almighty thunderstorm.
The foregoing was quoted from the book:
"Noor-un-nisa Inayat Khan, GC, MBE, CdG, by British Author,
Jean Overton Fuller.There
are several stories as to how Tipu was defeated. One version of the
story portrays Mir Sadiq as the traitor who sold his mother land while
another version portrays Purnayya as the traitor who negotiated the life
of his Muslim ruler with the British.
The British promised Mir
Sadiq that in return for helping them, they would make him the ruler of
Mysore. Also involved in this plot was Pandit Purnia, Tipu's Secretary
of Treasury. He was promised the post of prime-minister. They tried
various things on Tipu. During a highly important conflict, Purnia told
the soldiers to come collect their wages. The soldiers left the cannons
and went for their pay and the British were able to destroy parts of the
fort wall. Also, empty cannonballs were provided to the soldiers. In
the fort, Mir Sadiq declared that Tipu had abducted. However, one of
Tipu's loyal followers attacked and killed Mir Sadiq.
In
actual fact, Tipu's minister of finance, Mir Sadiq, who was a muslim,
informed on Tipu to the British. Tipu did have a confidant, a Brahmin
minister named Purnaiah, who remained loyal to him until the very end
and who was appointed by the British to rule Mysore after Tipu's death
until the legitimate Hindu King of Mysore came of age.
According
to historical facts, Tipu did inded suspect Mir Sadiq of treason and
intended to hang him before the fortress fell, but did not succeed.
Forrest confirms that it was Mir Sadiq who betrayed Tipu to the British.
He also believes that Mir Sadiq was killed by his own troops as a
traitor and his corpse savagely mangeled.
The following text is borrowed from:
http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/sadiq07.htmOrdinary soldier:When
we speak of traitors or betrayers, the name of Mir Sadik comes to our
mind instantaneously. He was an ordinary soldier in the army of Hyder
Ali. By hard work and courage he attained superior position in the
administration. Mir Sadik showed the same courage during Tipu's regime.
Unsuspecting Tipu promoted him and made him the chief of revenue and
finance. He remained faithful to Tipu till 1792. When British gained an
upper hand, Mir Sadik understood that Tipu was not a winning horse and
that there is no use in supporting him any longer. Overnight he changed
his loyalty to the British but kept it as a secret and pretended loyalty
to Tipu. He selected his own men and sent secret information to British
Governor Cornwallis. He used code words and if by chance the messenger
was caught, he would be killed immediately.
Evil designs:Tipu
was a sharp and shrewd Sultan and he came to know of the evil designs
of Mir Sadik. He was arrested and kept in prison. But Mir Sadik
explained that this was the work of some other soldiers and he was
following them to find out the truth. Thus he pleaded his innocence and
took an oath to be faithful and obedient to Tipu. Unfortunately Tipu
believed him and released him from prison.
Breach of trust:As
soon as he came out of the prison, he continued his breach of trust
against the Sultan with greater caution. He told the Sultan that he
would be freely moving with the British officers and soldiers only to
find out their secrets. Actually he was acting on the contrary. The
British promised him wealth and the headship of the Mysore kingdom if
Tipu was defeated. Again Tipu came to know of this treachery and
prepared a list of persons to be hanged. The first name in this list was
that of Mir Sadik. One of his friends informed this to Mir Sadik. He
immediately became alert and before Tipu could act, the British were
made to attack and Tipu could never come out of the fort of
Srirangapattana.
On 22, May 1799 when the battle was going on,
Mir Sadik invited all the soldiers of Tipu Sultan who were guarding the
fort of Srirangapattana, to come out for a negotiation regarding the
increase in their salary as per the order of Tipu. The soldiers believed
it and left the fort and went out for negotiations. Now the British had
no opposition except for Tipu and some commanders. Tipu was taken aback
by this development. Immediately Mir Sadik as planned earlier gave the
signal through a white handkerchief to the British soldiers to enter the
fort. Immediately the British entered the fort.
Tipu look – alike:As
a strategy many soldiers were dressed like Tipu to confuse the British.
It was difficult for them to identity the real Tipu and were struggling
to find out the truth. At this juncture Mir Sadik told the British
officers that he would go near the real Tipu in the battlefield and bend
before him as if showing respect to the Sultan and the British should
take the clue from this. He did like this and the British had no
difficulty in recognising Tipu Sultan on the battlefield and killing
him. Thus Mir Sadik fulfilled his desire of helping the British to
eliminate Tipu, his own master who trusted him and promoted him, and
even released him from prison, and saved his life. But Mir Sadik showed
his gratitude in this way!
But the soldiers of Tipu and people
came to know of the treachery of Mir Sadik, attacked him and killed him
when he was on his way to join the British. British intervened and
buried his body in Srirangapattana itself. But the people were so
furious against Mir Sadik and decided that this treacherous person
should not be allowed to rest in peace even after death. They exhumed
his body from the grave and showed their indignation by throwing human
excreta on the body. At this juncture the British intervened and
reburied the body at the same place. This is how contemporary people
showed their anger and contempt against Mir Sadik who symbolized
treachery and betrayal against his own kingdom, master and mentor.
Mir Sadikism:Even
today when tourists go to Srirangapattana to see the Palace of Tipu and
his tomb, the guide who explains the history of Tipu Sultan shows the
tomb of Mir Sadik and vividly describes the betrayal of Mir Sadik in a
highly emotional way. Some tourists even throw stones on his grave and
feel justified in doing so. Thus Mir Sadik has become a symbol of
treachery or betrayal in our history.
Mir Sadik is dead but his
character “Mir Sadikism” still continues in various forms. If a friend
or a relative behaves in a treacherous way and betrays the trust deposed
in him or her, such a person is referred to as Mir Sadik. Thus Mir
Sadik has unfortunately become immortal in history for his notorious
character. That is the defect of history. The betrayer is dead but
betrayal continues just like the demon Raktabijasura of our puranas!
Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy,
Former Head,
Department of Ancient History & Archaeology,
University of Mysore.
10 comments:
Lal Mahal -- Tipu's palace -- Srirangapattana
A
short distance from Water Gate was the Lal Mahal, one of Tipu’s
palaces. The British desccribed this palace as "very handsome". It had a
regal audience hall or the durbar hall with three rows of magnificient
pillars supporting a roof two stories above, a library and zenana. The
palace also had sophisticated underground piping. It is said that Tipu
had chained four tigers near its entrance. Col Wellesley destroyed lal
mahal after the seige of Srirangapattana.
Could these flight of steps have led to the zenana?
It
is said that in Tipu’s large zenana were, in addition to purchased
slaves from such places as Istambul and Georgia, two sisters of the Raja
of Coorg and a niece of none other than Purnaiya, who was Tipu’s Diwan
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=152&page=13The
zenana could have also been where Tipu's body was set after the British
killed him in the last battle of Srirangapattana. Henry Singleton has
painted this imaginary portrait. Moorish columns and archways form the
dark scene and sleeping veils hang down from the ceiling. Tipu Sultan's
body lies on a diwan, limp and robed. His arm hanging down lifeless, his
head lolled back and only recognisable by its distinctive curled
moustache. Women in diaphanous French empire style gowns surround the
body in various poses of distress: one kneels and kisses his feet, with
her back to the viewer; another stands with arms outstretched and
open-mouthed head thrown back, in a pose that suggests the image of a
maiden wailing for her demon lover. Two distraught young children in
white gowns, clearly the hostage princes stand at Tipu's head; other
Mysore attendants, in poses of distress or indifference, stand in the
shadows.
Tipu's wives and children, and over 800 women from the
royal zenana, were transported from Srirangapattana to Madras (present
day Chennai) shortly after the capital fell to Baird's troops. They were
all then imprisoned at Vellore Fort that was surrounded by moat filled
with alligators of a very large size.
Ghulam
Mohammed, Tipu Sultan's oldest and only surviving son, wrote a passage
to his keepers in 1854 that revealed how very far both the Sultan's
family and the British empire had traveled since the Romantic and
revolutionary days of the 1780s, before Cornwallis, before Wellesley,
and before the storming of Srirangapattana:
In the year 1799
AD, my father, the once powerful sovereign of the South of India (may
his tomb be sanctified), fell subdued by the force of the invincible
arms of Great Britain. With his downfall fled the greatness of his
family, and the glory of his house was extinguished; but if in his
wisdom, an Almighty Providence thought proper to crush him, I, his now
only surviving son, can praise that One and only Being, who, in his
bounty, has also thought fit to vouchsafe to us such merciful
conquerors. I can now, with a sincere and true heart, offer up prayers
for the safety and good health of her Majesty, our most Gracious Queen
Victoria, and I can bless the Prophet, on whom be peace, that successive
Sovereigns of her mighty Empire have entrusted the Government of this
country, and the care of Britain's fallen foes and their descendants, to
that just and even upright body, the Honourable the Court of Directors."
8 comments:
Sriranganatha Temple -- Srirangapattana
Legends linked to Sriranganatha Temple
It is said that Cauvery is in fact Ganges flowing at the bid of Kashi
Vishwanatha. There was severe draught in Dravida desha that lasted for
12 years. Parched lands, dried up water sources, people and animals
perishing in large numbers moved sage Sayana who did penance on
Brahmagiri mountain to please Lord Maheshwara. Lord Maheshwara was
pleased by the sage's penance and bade Ganga to flow in this land.
Though Ganga acquired new name and flowed in new land, she could not
snap her connections from Vaikunta or Lord Vishnu. She wanted to wash
the feet of her Lord eternally. So she created three islands and
Srirangapattana is one of them. Theists erected temples dedicated to
Sriranga on these islands. Great rulers donated liberally for conducting
prayers regularly on a grand scale in Sriranganatha temple at
Srirangapattana.
According to another legend, river Cauvery is the daughter of Kaveru who
married sage Agasthya and took the form of River Cauvery to cleanse
the people of their sins. Image of Cauvery in "garbha griha" is a
testimony of gratitude of the people whose lives were enriched by her
nectarine water.
Ranganatha in sanskrit meaning "Protector of the place of assembly" is a
resting form of Lord Vishnu. This form of the Lord is of importance to
the Vaishnavites. Sri Devi and Bhu Devi the consorts of Lord Vishnu are
not present in the "garbha griha". Instead, River Cauvery is installed
in sitting posture at the feet of Lord Ranganatha holding a lotus in her
hand.
History of the temple
Tirumalaraya a Ganga chieftain built the temple in 894 AD with imposing
tower and enshrined Sriranganatha. He named the flourishing town around
the temple as "rangapattana" or "rangapura". Later Udayadithya, brother
of King Vishnuvardhana renovated and expanded it in all directions.
Three centuries later, Vijayanagar rulers renovated the temple. Wodeyars
took the possession of this temple from the Vijayanagar viceroy and
passed it to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Hence it is a remarkable medley
of different styles (Vijayanagar and Hoysala style) of architecture.
The temple remained a place of worship receiving adoration from all the
rulers.
Legend of Talakadu
The religious belief is that Srirangaraya was a Vijayanagar
representative from Srirangapatna. Srirangaraya's wife Alamelamma was a
devotee of Ranganatha. She used to send her jewels every Friday to
decorate Goddess Ranganayaki in the Srirangapattana temple.
Raja Wodeyar was established as the ruler when Srirangarayan died. Raja
wodeyar asked Alamelamma to hand over the jewellery, but she was adamant
and refused. She committed suicide by jumping into River Cauvery.
Locals believe that before dying she cursed the town -
"
Talakadu MaraLagali,
malangi maduvagali,
wodeyar doreyarige makkaLagadirali"
--May Talakad be filled with sand,
may Malangi become a whirlpool,
May the Wodeyars never have children.
Strangely, it's all come true.
3 comments:
Lepakshi Nandi
The
monolithic "Nandi" sculpture which is said to be the biggest monolithic
Nandi in India, is synonymous with Lepakshi. It is 4.5 m high and 8.23m
long.
The big granite bull is on the main road, about 200 metres
from the temple. It has been positioned such that it faces the
shivalinga shielded by a huge serpent inside the temple. Said to be the
second largest monolith in India, after Gomateswara, the Nandi sports a
huge kaasu malai, a bell chain, earrings and other jewellery.
Vijayanagara
architecture is a vibrant combination of the Chalukya, Hoysala, Pandya
and Chola styles. Its stylistic hallmark is the ornate pillared
Kalyanamantapa (marriage hall), Vasanthamantapa (open pillared halls)
and the Rayagopura (tower). Artisans used the locally available hard
granite because of its durability since the kingdom was under constant
threat of invasion.
Another
element of the Vijayanagara style is the carving of large monoliths
such as the Sasivekalu (mustard) Ganesha and Kadalekalu (Ground nut)
Ganesha at Hampi, the Gomateshwara statues in Karkala and Venur, and the
Nandi bull in Lepakshi.
Vijayanagara art includes
wall-paintings such as Dasavathara (ten avatars of Vishnu) and
Girijakalyana (marriage of Goddess Parvati) in the Virupaksha temple at
Hampi, the Shivapurana paintings (tales of Shiva) at the Virabhadra
temple at Lepakshi
4 comments:
Bike Trip to Lepakshi -- The travelogue
After our initial plan to visit Mysore and Srirangapattana last weekend
was foiled due to insistent rain in Mysore, we decided on an alternative
-- Lepakshi. It is a small village in Anantapur District of Andhra
Pradesh at a distance of 120Kms from Hebbal fly-over -- Bengalooru.
Lepakshi is of immense archeological and historical importance. It
houses some of India’s best temple murals.
Our group comprised of
four people on two bikes (an Apache and a Victor). I was to ride pilion
with Vinay on Apache and Sunand was to ride with Bhushan. We agreed to
meet on NH7 near the Hebbal lake where the fly-over descends to meet
Bellary main road. We were to leave Bengalooru at 6:30 AM. I reached
there with Vinay at 6:35 AM to find Bhushan already waiting for us. As
usual Sunand hadn't arrived. While we were waiting for Sunand to join
us, two guys on a bike approached us and enquired if we were with
Suhas's (I don't seem to recall the name now and it isn't important
either ;) ) group. We assured them :) we weren't from his group and they
continued to wait there on the bike. After about ten minutes I called
up Sunand to learn that he was still waiting near R.T.Nagar for an auto.
Meanwhile few more bikers joined the two guys (probably from Suhas's
group) and they rode away while we continued to wait for Sunand. Our man
finally arrived at 7 AM in an auto, holding a water bottle in one hand
and a raincoat in the other. He had worn a cap to shield his head from
the rain and sun (sun??? Wish there was sunshine for atleast a few hours
on that day). There was nothing unusual about Sunand arriving late or
forgetting his helmet. I would probably be shocked if he had either
arrived on time or he hadn't forgotten his helmet ;) or if he had
brought his backpack along to hold his raincoat and waterbottle.
The
previous day was pleasantly warm and also we had generous sunshine
until 4 in the evening. But today the sky was rather too overcast and it
started drizzling. But our determination was not to be dettered :).
Hoping that it wouldn't start pouring, we sped towards Yelahanka. I had
surfed on the net the previous evening for the route to Lepakshi. One
article about Lepakshi suggested that the best way to reach Lepakshi was
to take NH7 and drive past Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Chikkaballapura,
Bagepalli, AP border and then take the deviation towards Lepakshi.
The
road was unusually empty. We sped past Devanahalli and reached the
outskirts of Chikkaballapur stopping briefly to don our raincoats. We
had our breakfast in a roadside vegetarian restaurant and gulped down
warm tea and coffee. The food wasn't very palatable but we had no other
option.
Bhushan and Sunand rode off on their bike when I noticed
this beautiful hillock that was engulfed in a sea of clouds. It reminded
me of Glencoe mountains and Vinay of "Kalvaralli betta". We decided to
return to that hillock someday, though we were tempted to ride there
right away.
Chikkaballapur
marked the midway between Bengalooru and Lepakshi. We were quite keen
on reaching the village quickly as there was no telling when it would
start pouring. We passed few trucks and buses, occasionally giving way
to impatient cars. We had traveled a few kilometers when it stopped
drizzling and we experienced the warm sun for a few minutes.
We
sped past Bagepally and reached the Andhra border. There was no
checkpost to collect the toll. We parked our bike by the road side
waiting for Bhushan and Sunand to catch up with us. We rested for a few
minutes after they joined us and then proceeded towards Lepakshi.
We
reached a tiny village where I enquired for the route to Lepakshi and a
villager directed us to take the left turn at the junction. Though this
road was narrow, it was in good condition with no sign of pot-holes.
There aren't too many vehicles in this sleepy little village that could
wear the tar away.
There
were fields and little hamlets besides the road accompanying us all the
way to Lepakshi. The journey so far had been quite pleasant and
refreshing.
Airavatesvara Temple -- Darasuram
The
name Darasuram is said to be a corruption of the original name
Rajarajapuram, and this temple smaller than the Priya Koil and
Gangaikonda Cholaeeswaram dates back to Raja Raja II's period (12th C
AD). The Periya Nayaki Amman temple stands out as a separate temple
because the outer walls of the temple have disappeared with the passage
of time, unlike the original periya koil in Thanjavur. Darasuram is
described as a sculptor's dream re-lived in stone. The front mantapa is
in the form of a huge chariot drawn by horses. In front of the temple
are stone panels that produce tones of varying pitches when struck.
The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) declared the Brihadeshwara temple of Gangaikondacholapuram in
Perambalur district and the Airavatesvara temple of Darasuram in
Thanjavur district "
World heritage monuments", two examples of
grandeur and excellence of Chola architecture and sculpture in Suzhou,
China, according to the UN body's web site.
Belonging to the 11th and 12th Centuries, the two temples represent "
an outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida temple"
says the citation, adding that they are an "exceptional and the most
outstanding testimony to the development of the architecture of the
Chola empire and Tamil Civilisation in southern India."
The two
temples have been put under the heading "Great Living Chola Temples"
under which the big temple of Tanjavur also features. The big temple
made it to the world heritage list in 1987. While Rajendra I (1012 - 44)
constructed the Gangaikondacholapuram temple after scoring victories in
the north, Rajaraja II (1146 - 73) built the Darasuram temple.
The
two temples of Tamil Nadu are in the UNESCO parlance, considered
extensions of the previously inscribed site of the Big temple. The
UNESCO world heritage committee meets in June-July every year to include
certain areas to the world heritage list on the basis of cultural or
natural heritage of such sites. Sometimes, a combination of the two
aspects is also taken into account.
So far, 788 places in the
world have been declared heritage of which 611 are of cultural
importance, 154 natural and 23 a mixture of both.
Altogether
26 sites in India have now (as on July 6th, 2004) made it to the world heritage list.
"
Although
the announcement may not mean anything in terms of monetary value or
financial assistance, it will provide international exposure to the two
temples" says K. T. Narasimhan, Superintending archeologist in
charge of the temple survey project at the ASI. He points out that the
UN organisation gave funds to Cambodia and SriLanka for preservation and
conservation projects on World heritage sites in these two countries.
2 comments:
Shore Temple -- Mamallapura
The
Shore Temple on the Bay of Bengal was constructed in the 7th century
during the rule of King Narsimha-Varman II Rajasimha (c. 690-728). It
consists of two sanctuaries dedicated to Shiva. There exists a popular
belief in south India that the Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram is the last
of a series of seven temples, six of which have been submerged.
Mahabalipuram,
the famous centre of Pallava art andarchitecture, is situated on the
coast of Tamil Nadu.The local traditions and the foreign accounts
vividly refer to the submergence of six temples out of seven that
existed here. Recent underwater archaeological explorations in the area
have revealed many structural remains including fallen walls, scattered
dressed stone blocks, a few steps leading to a platform and many other
structural remains. The structures were badly damaged and scattered
owing to strong underwater currents and swells. Due to thick biological
growth,engravings on the stone blocks, if any, could not be noticed.
Based on its alignment and form, they are considered to be man-made.
Based on the archaeological evidences on land, the earliest possible
date of these structures is estimated to be around 1500 years. The major
cause of the submergence of these structures is severe coastal erosion
prevailing in the region.
Mamallapuram
was developed as flourishing seaport by the great Pallava monarch,
Narasimhavaraman I, and has ever since remained important in the history
of south India. A naval fleet was despatched from here, by the same
king, to Sri Lanka which was conquered and his vassal, Manavarman,
installed on the throne.
The Shore Temple was built on bed rock.
So it survived all these years. This temple is the most complex group of
all the temples of south India, having two shrines placed one behind
the other, one facing east and the other west. These two shrines are
separated by a rectangular shrine sandwiched in between and having its
entrance from the side. This shrine is dedicated to Vishnu, who is
represented as lying on his serpent couch and known as Talasayana
Perumal. The other two shrines are dedicated to Siva. There is a large
open court at the western end.
A
little to the south of the sancta and within the compound is a majestic
lion which carries a miniature Mahishasuramardini carved inside a
square cavity cut in the neck of the animal. Two attendant deities of
the Goddess are shown as mounted on either side of the animal. A little
to north of this, in the platform, is an exquisitely carved deer with
its head mutilated.
The
ASI, which took over the preservation of the monument in 1900, had
built a small wall between the sea and the temple to prevent sea waves,
especially during high tides, from lashing the structure. It was further
strengthened by piling up boulders in 1940. It was in the 1970s that a
"groyne wall" was built further away into the sea with boulders piled
and packed closely together.
Casuarina trees were planted around to lessen the salt content in sea breezes.
These
measures were immensely effective during the December 2004 tsunami. The
giant waves could not enter into the temple as they were blocked by the
groyne wall. The water encircled the wall and could only sweep in
through the southern side, leaving large quantities of slush inside
without being able to erase the great artistical excellence.
The
ASI, for the past few years, has been trying paper pulp treatment to
remove the salt content in the rock structure. Paper is made into pulp
using distilled water and is applied to the surface, which has been
cleaned using de- mineralised water. The ASI has a plant here producing
500 litres of de-mineralised water daily for this. The pulp peels off in
a few days after absorbing the salt content from rocks. This is the
most widely used method for such a purpose and has 80 per cent
effectiveness.
Moreover,
the structure is made of low-grade granite, which contributes to the
withering away of particles. ASI are using stone strengthener containing
silica to help in the binding of rock particles. Silicone water
repellent is also used in the process.
4 comments:
Five Rathas -- Mahabalipuram
The
monolithic temples built during the reign of King Mamalla
(Narasimhavarman I) are regarded as the transition point between the
rock-cut cave temples and freestanding stone temples. They were carved
out from a single rock almost 1,300 years ago and have been preserved
very well.
The
Rathas at Mahabalipuram are constructed in the style of the Buddhist
viharas and chaityas. The architectural elements seen here appeared
repeatedly, and with remarkably little variation, over the next 1,000
years of temple building in South India. The temples are unfinished and
hence were never used for worship.
Five of the eight monolithic
temples in Mahabalipuram have been named after the five Pandava brothers
and are known as "Panch Pandava Ratha" (the five chariots of the
Pandavas). The five Pandava rathas are -- Dharma raja Ratha, Bhima
Ratha, Arjuna Ratha, Draupadi Ratha and Nakul Sahadev Ratha.
The
first Ratha is named after Draupadi. It is the smallest and the
simplest of all the rathas. The square shrine has a simple roof, similar
to a thatched hut, with decorated corners. Makara arch is carved above
the doorway. This roof design was never used again in southern Indian
architecture. Shalabhanjikas guard the doorway.
Draupadi Ratha
Goddess Durga in Draupadi Ratha
Goddess
Durga is the occupant of this ratha who stands surrounded by
attendants. Below her, a devotee prepares to cut off his own head as a
sacrifice to the goddess. It is thought that this horrible rite actually
took place (not too often, one hopes) in Durga temples. Durga's
association with decapitation is attested by scenes like this, and also
by ritual texts and myth (Mahishasuramardini).
Draupadi and Arjuna Ratha
| Arjuna Ratha | Nakula Sahadeva Ratha |
Arjuna
Ratha dedicated to Shiva, seems to resemble a small palace or
pavillion, with sculpted pilasters, miniature roof shrines, and an
octagonal dome, all characteristic features of later South Indian
temples.A life-size sculpture of Shiva's mount Nandi kneels behind
Arjuna Ratha, on the shrine's east side.
Nakula Sahadeva ratha has a barrel roof and is apsidal in shape.
Bhima Ratha
Bhima
Ratha is a large shrine that echoes palace architecture with its barrel
vaulting and long columned porch. Seated lions are carved in front of
the columns. The lower part of the shrine is unfinished.
The
unfinished Dharmaraja Ratha a larger version of the Arjuna ratha, is
three storied and is the largest. The temple roof, like most in India,
is covered with repeating elements. Like any other typical south Indian
temple, Dharmaraja Ratha has false windows, horseshoe-shaped arches, and
little "rooflets" that are barrel-shaped when placed on the side of the
roof and squared-off when placed on the corner of the roof. The
building is topped by an octagonal-shaped dome, the shikhara.
Base
of the three-storey Dharmaraja Ratha is supported by figures of lions.
The base of the Dharmaraja Ratha is square and it rises to 13 meters as a
pyramid.
Walking
along Marina Beach the previous evening in my sandles that were not
suited for the long walk caused my feet to swell. But with M's real good
massage :) I was all set to walk to the shore temple to continue our
sightseeing.
Mahishasuramardini Mantapa -- Mahabalipuram
Unfinished Vijaya Gopura
Mahishasuramardini cave was built in mid-seventh century. The cave has two impressive friezes at each end of its long hallway.
The
mythological story of Goddess Durga's fight with the demon, form the
basis of this beautiful panel. Durga, the mother of the universe, is
shown seated on her lion fighting the buffalo-headed demon, Mahisha.
At
the opposite end of the veranda, is depicted Lord Vishnu lying under
the protective hood of the seven-headed serpent Adishesha.
Varaha mantapa -- Mahabalipuram
2 comments:
Trimurthi Cave -- Mamallapuram
The
name "Mamallapuram" was used as Mamalla is an honorific for the Pallava
king, Narasimha Varman I in 630-668 A.D, who created the earliest of
its monuments. But it is popularly known as "Mahabalipuram", or "The
city of Bali", whom Lord Vishnu chastised for his pride.
The
history of Mahabalipuram dates back to 2000 years, and there are nearly
40 monuments of different types including an "open air bas relief" which
is the largest in the world. The ancient town of Mahabalipuram was a
flourishing seaport during the days of Periplus (1st century A.D.) and
Ptolemy (140 A.D.). Many Indian colonists travelled to South-East Asia
from this port town.
According
to historical facts, initially though the Pallava kings followed
Jainism, after the conversion of King Mahendra Varman (600-630 AD) to
Shaivism, the monuments related themselves mostly with Shiva and Vishnu.
Most of the rock carvings and temples of Mahabalipuram are believed to
have been built during the periods of Narasimha Varman I (630-668 AD)
and Narasimha Varman II (700-728 AD).
2 comments:
Butter ball rock -- Mahabalipuram
Krishna's
Butter Ball is a huge, spherical monolith near the Ganesha Ratha. It
rests precariously on a narrow rock base and seems to defy the rules of
gravity. It is fifteen feet in diameter and could have probably been the
raw material for the temples around.
I read somewhere that it
was probably one of Krishna's pranks to leave the rock there. Wonder
what Krishna could have been doing there playing with this huge rock?
It
is believed that several Pallava kings have attempted to move the
stone, but legend is that neither the kings nor their elephants could
shift the boulder even by an inch.
Arjuna's Penance -- Mamallapura
Mamallapura
is credited with featuring some of the earliest Indian attempts at
monolithic stone carving. Arjuna's penance is the world's largest "open
air bas relief". This huge whale back shaped rock contains figures of
Gods, demi Gods, men, beasts, birds and represents the entire creation.
It narrates the tale of Arjuna's penance. Here Arjuna is shown standing
on one leg to please Lord Shiva and get his help to win back the Pandava
empire. The second picture on the right shows a cat doing rigorous
penance, eyes firmly shut even to the delectuble mice scampering around
within easy reach.
Some believe that he is not Arjuna but
Bhagiratha who entreated Shiva to let river Ganga flow over the earth to
redeem the cursed soul of his ancestors.
There
is a forest with tribal people and all forms of animal life, just as
they would appear in their habitat. Among the carvings are animals and
heavenly beings witnessing the descent of Ganges from the Himalayas. The
cleft between the boulders is where Ganges descended. In the cleavage
are carvings of a serpent god and a serpent goddess. The fissure
indicates a river. It is believed that during the Pallava days, water
actually flowed down the cleavage from the hill behind because there are
remains of what could be a water tank.
Folklore
and myths pepper the place in as much abundance as the stones and
sculptures. Animals, deities, stories from panchatantra on the rocks
seem to speak volumes.Arjuna's penance is one of the most realistic and
unpretentious rock carving.
On
the northern face are carvings of huge elephants. There are also a
lion, a tiger and a boar. In the upper part of the surface are rows of
semi-divine beings flying towards the fissure. Close by, is a
beautifully carved monkey picking lice from the head of another. This
was not sculptured here but brought from the nearby Mukunda Nayanar
temple.
Nothing is really known about why the Pallava rulers created this
sculptural extravaganza in Mahabalipuram. Was it a king's fancy or a
queen's fantasy? Was it to celebrate war victories?There are a lot of
missing links in the history of Mahabalipuram.
But what is known
for sure, is that King Mahendravarman’s son, Narasimhavarman I (630 to
688 A.D.), who was called Mahamalla, started the Mahamalla style of
temple architecture which consists of free standing monolithic
structures. Most of the monuments at Mahabalipuram - the monolithic
rathas, sculptured scenes on open rock faces like Arjuna's Penance, the
rock cut cave-temples of Govardhanadhari and Mahishasuramardini, the
Jala-Sayana Perumal temple (the sleeping Mahavishnu at the rear part of
the Shore temple complex) were built by him.
4 comments:
Eiffel Tower -- Paris
In 1889, to honor of the centenary of the French Revolution, the French
government planned an international exposition and announced a design
competition for a monument to be built on the Champ-de-Mars in central
Paris. Out of more than 100 designs submitted, the Centennial Committee
chose Eiffel's plan of an open-lattice wrought-iron tower that would
reach almost 1,000 feet above Paris and be the world's tallest man-made
structure. Eiffel, a noted bridge builder, was a master of metal
construction and designed the framework of the Statue of Liberty that
had recently been erected in New York Harbor.
Eiffel's
tower was greeted with skepticism from critics who argued that it would
be structurally unsound, and indignation from others who thought it
would be an eyesore in the heart of Paris. Unperturbed, Eiffel completed
his great tower under budget in just two years. Only one worker lost
his life during construction, which at the time was a remarkably low
casualty number for a project of that magnitude. The light, airy
structure was by all accounts a technological wonder and within a few
decades came to be regarded as an architectural masterpiece.
The
Eiffel Tower is 984 feet tall and consists of an iron framework
supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns that unite
to form a single vertical tower. Platforms, each with an observation
deck, are at three levels. Elevators ascend the piers on a curve, and
Eiffel contracted the Otis Elevator Company of the United States to
design the tower's famous glass-cage elevators.
Engineer
Gustave Eiffel, had himself indicated the need for painting the
structure in a text, "The 300 metre Tower", in 1900. He wrote, "One will
never sufficiently assimilate the principle that painting is the
essential element for preserving metalwork and that the care taken
therein is the only guarantee that it will last."
Rust, urban
pollution and bird droppings all contribute to daily damage making
cleaning and special care necessary. From the moment it was built, each
part of the Eiffel Tower was made "perfectly accessible so that visits
could be carried out in all weather to spot the beginning of any rust
and to remedy it". Eiffel Tower is repainted every seven years. The
colour is usually the same. The three different shades of "Eiffel Tower
brown" (from the darkest at the bottom to the lightest at the top) which
has been used since 1968, will continue to enhance the slim outline of
the elegant construction which, in the past, had been painted Venetian
red, then reddish-brown, ochre brown and even in shades of yellow. Its
slender figure will continue to enthral the six million visitors or so,
who, every year, pay homage to the Beauty and to inspire all kinds of
poets as it did in the past with Cocteau, "
Belle girafe en dentelle, Rendez-vous de pigeons voyageurs inconnus…" (
Beautiful lace giraffe and meeting place for unknown homing pigeons) and Charles Trenet who sang "
Y'a d'la joie, la Tour Eiffel part en balade…". (
There is joy. The Eiffel Tower is going off for a walk).
View to the northwest from the tower, across the River Seine, showing the Trocadéro gardens
view of Napoleon's tomb
Gustave
Eiffel was never fond of school and he spent all his free time swimming
in river Siene, attending plays and visiting Louvre. Cruise and dinner
on the river is quite refreshing.
Eiffel's
reputation continued to grow with his portfolio of projects, which
included prefabricated campaign bridges for the military, the famous Bon
Marché department store in Paris, iron framing for the cathedral of
Notre-Dame, and his most prominent work before his famed tower - the
Statue of Liberty.
Created by noted sculptor Frédéric-Auguste
Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty was to be presented by the French as a
token of goodwill and friendship to the United States in honor of its
Centennial Exposition of 1876. Bartholdi had designed the 151-foot
woman, but did not know how to best construct the statue so it could be
disassembled for shipping to New York . Also, how could the massive
statue be stabilized to withstand the Atlantic winds that were known to
gust through Lady Liberty's intended home in New York Harbor?
Enter
Gustave Eiffel. Having established a solid reputation as a man in the
business of making things that did not fall down, Eiffel was called upon
to assist in the construction of the statue. Eiffel built an iron
skeleton frame to which sheets of metal could then be attached, and
embedded vertical steel beams in the granite base of the statue to which
thin copper sheets were attached. The result was a lighter but stronger
statue that was able to bear immense weight and withstand the harsh
elements. Once again, Eiffel had demonstrated his ability to solve the
most complex and stubborn technical problems using innovative techniques
that nobody had previously dared to try.
Hazrat Khwaja Bande Nawaz Gesu Daraz - Gulbarga
Neither Hindu nor Muslim
I sit with all on a whim
Having no caste, sect or creed,
I am different indeed.
I am not a sinner or saint,
Knowing no sin nor restraint.
Bulleh tries hard to shirk
The exclusive embrace
of either Hindu or Turk.--
Bulleh ShahBande Nawaz Dargah
It
is widely known, that Islam in India was spread much less by the sword
than by the Sufis. After all, Sufism, with its holy men, visions and
miracles, and its emphasis on the individual's search for union with
God, has always borne remarkable similarities to the mystical side of
Hinduism. Under Sufi influence it was particularly at the level of
village folk worship that the two religions fused into one, with many
ordinary Hindus visiting the graves of Sufi pirs - some of whom are
still considered to be incarnations of Hindu deities - while Muslim
villagers would leave offerings at temples to ensure the birth of
children and good harvests. To this day, Sufi dargahs still attract as
many Hindu, Sikh and Christian pilgrims as they do Muslims
Dargha hostel
The
14th Century Sufi saint was a disciple of Hazarath Khwaja Pir
Naseeruddin Mahmood also popularly known as Chirag of Delhi. Khwaja
Bande Nawaz played an important role in preaching Islam in India during
the 14th Century. Khwaja, who had his formal education in Islamic and
Koranic studies, Arabic grammar, prophetic traditions, theology, law and
jurisprudence, philosophy, and Sufism under the watchful eye of Chirag
of Delhi, also underwent training in the mystic path and mastered it at a
young age. The Sufi saint settled down in Gulbarga on the invitation of
Bahamani King Firuz Shaha Bahamani. For the next 22 years, till his
death at the age of 105 years, Khwaja made Gulbarga his home and spread
the message of universal brotherhood from here.
8 comments:
Jumma Masjid - Gulbarga
Jumma Masjid
The
Jami or Jumma Masjid located inside the old fort was built by a Moorish
architect in 1367, in imitation of the great mosque in Cordova, Spain.
It is an important building of the early Baihmani period built by
Muhammad Shah. It has a large dome on the west side and middle-sized
domes at the four corners of the mosque. Instead of having a courtyard,
it has many small domes in lines in the central area. Having these
features, it can be regarded as one of the most interesting mosques in
its form and structure in South Asia. The main entrance is provided at
the north side and has a higher arch-shaped gate than the other sides.
In
the west prayer room, pillars are painted in white with no decoration.
In addition, wide spans of these pillars supporting large arches create a
majestic atmosphere. (Matsuo Ara)
V
opted to wait outside while I went in with U and J. They didn't seem to
be interested in seeing the mosque and they walked out quite quickly. I
went out, took the camera from V and went in again and took few
pictures. There were very few people in the mosque.
I probably
could have gone further into the mosque. But I didn't dare to, as I
didn't see anybody going further beyond the prayer hall. I didn't want
to listen to somebody say "
Women shouldn't be going in".
I
sat in the prayer hall for a little while and later joined the others
who were waiting outside the mosque for me. There was nothing much to
see in the fort. It was barely quarter to 10 when we walked out of the
fort to shop for
Ilkal saris in 'super market'.
1 comment:
Gulbarga Fort
Entrace To Fort
An
old provincial town, Gulbarga rose to prominence under the illustrious
Bahmani dynasty founded by Hasan Ganga, a rebel Amir of Daulatabad who
later assumed the title of Ala-ud-din Bahman Shah. The Bahmani dynasty
ruled over the Deccan for nearly 200 years with Gulbarga as the Capital
until 1424 and, later, Bidar. The title, Bahman Shah, is mentioned in an
inscription on a local mosque and also on the coins of the dynasty.
Another
legend traces the title to a half-mythical figure from Persia called
Bahman. But, according to Ferishta, the great scholar and poet,
Ala-ud-din called himself Gangu Bahmani in memory of a Brahmin who had
employed him as a servant. Bahman Shah filled Gulbarga with beautiful
palaces, mosques, stately buildings and bazaars. His successors
continued the good work and the town blossomed completely.
Gulbarga Fort
The
Gulbarga fort, occupied by the mighty Bahamani Sultanate, had withstood
the advances of the mighty Vijayanagara empire. It was originally built
by Raja Gulchand, and later strengthened by the first Sultan
Sikandar-i-Sani Ala-ud-din Hasan Bahaman Shah-al-Wali, popularly called
as Bahaman Shah. The smoky-looking structure has been a silent witness
to generations of invading armies, raiding marauders and victorious
rulers. Razed to the ground by Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar it rose
like a Phoenix when Adil Shah undertook its repair with the booty
captured from Vijayanagar. Standing tall, the Gulbarga fort contains
large buildings, temples, stables, ammunition godowns, carriages, 15
towers, 26 guns and several beautiful courtyards. But, owing to neglect,
the buildings have turned into crumbling ruins. Several illegal
constructions mar the beauty of the fort and the encircling moat is
filled with garbage.
The
genesis of the Bahamani Sultanate may be traced to the several
insurrections that broke up the Delhi empire in the 13th century which
was then ruled by Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq.
The officers in the
province of Daulatabad (now in Maharashtra) had failed to collect the
revenue. When the emperor's punishment seemed imminent, some of the
rebels planned to escape to Gulbarga under the leadership of Hasan
Gangu.
Gathering an army at Gulbarga, Hasan Gangu went to
Daulatabad and defeating Nasir-ud-din, who had been earlier proclaimed
king of the Deccan by the rebels, proclaimed himself the king and
assumed the title of ‘Sikandar-i-Sani Ala-ud-din Hasan Bahman
Shah-al-Wali’.
He was the first sultan of the mighty Bahamani
dynasty, and acceded the throne in 1347. He moved to Gulbarga the same
year and the rest, as they say, is history.
The
fort and the buildings in the fort, have been recognised as national
monuments by the ASI, and are guided by The Ancient Monuments &
Archaeological Remains Act of 1958 (24 of 1958). The Jama Masjid built
by the second Sultan of the Bahamani, Mohammed I, in 1363 A D, an
abandoned Vishnu temple with the Vishnu missing, the 'Rana Mandala', a
huge structure situated in the centre of the fort used as a canon firing
position, horse and elephant stables, and other small structures dot
the fort.
Fort Wall
The
fort is currently being repaired by the ASI. Gulbarga Urban Development
Authority has stated that land will be identified where the families of
the encroachers will be shifted. Over 150 families are currently
enchroaching the fort and they have been quite successful in destroying
the historical monument. Whatever little is left of the fort, will also
be totally destroyed if some measure is not taken immediately.
We
walked besides the crumbled fort wall for a little distance. We saw a
few playing cards lying strewn around. They might have probably been
used by the encroachers. U had been mentioning that we should have
brought a deck of cards with us to play on the train and V didn't let go
of this opportunity to mention that we could pick up the cards and play
later on the train :).
When it seemed totally impossible to
step through the piled up garbage, we returned to the main fort tower
(probably the only one). We saw a little boy riding his bike and V
greeted him in Kannada in the North Karnataka dialect (or so he thinks
:)...). Since there was nothing much to see in the fort premises, we
walked over to the little building that we had seen from atop the fort.
2 comments:
Sharana Basaweshvara Temple - Gulbarga
Dedicated to the Hindu saint and reformer, Basaveshwara, the temple is a
popular year-round pilgrimage centre for Hindus. A chariot festival is
held in his honour near the Gulbarga tank.
Sharana Basaweshvara Temple
Gulbarga,
a historical city in Karnataka is known for its rich cultural heritage.
For nearly 1500 years, Gulbarga has been prominent in the history and
culture of the Deccan. Many great dynasties rose to power in the region
in rapid succession leaving indelible marks of their glory in the
history. The very first known work in Kannada literature, "Kaviraj
Marga" was produced during 850 AD by Srivijay during the reign of the
famous emperor Nrupatunga. Around the same time Mahaveeracharya wrote
his mathematical works and Vijnaneshwara gave his Mitakshara Law - an
epigraph preserved in Martur village 22 km from Gulbarga. The region has
witnessed a profound revolutionary movement during 12th century led by
Basaveshwara. Later Gulbarga became a bastion of the philosophical
school of Sufism and produced a very eminent saint and scholar, Hazrat
Khajaa Banda Nawaz in 15th century and another famous saint Sri Sharana
Basaveshwara in 19th century.
vachanadalli nAmAmR^ita tumbi
nayanadalli nimma mUruti tumbi
manadalli nimma nenahu tumbi
kiviyalli nimma kIruti tumbi
kUDala saMgama devA
nimma charaNakamaladoLagAnu tumbiMeaning:
The words spoken (by me) are full of ambrosia of (Your Holy) Name !
The eyes are enriched with the vision of Your Form !
The mind is full of Your thoughts !
The ears are filled with Your Glory !
Oh Lord of kUDala saMgama,
in Your Feet lotus, I am there as a bee !
attalitta hOgada.nte heLavana mADayyA ta.nde,
sutti suLidu nODada.nte andhakana mADayyA ta.nde,
matto.nda kELada.nte kivuDana mADayyA ta.nde,
nimma sharaNara pAdavallade
anya viShayakkeLasada.nte irisu,
kUDalasa.ngamadEvA.Meaning:
Not digressing here and there, make me a lame person, my Father !
Not letting sight around and away, make me blind, my Father !
Not letting hear something else, make me deaf, my Father !
Other than Your refugee's feet, keep not getting dragged
into anything else, Oh the Divine of kUDalasangama !!
nIrige naiDile sR^i~NgAra
samuDrake tereye sR^i~NgAra
naarige guNave sR^i~NgAra
gaganake chandrama sR^i~NgAra
namma kUDala sa.ngana sharaNara
nosalige vibhUtiye sR^i~NgAraMeaning:
For the water (pond) water-lily is the charm;
For the ocean tides are the charm;
For the woman character is the charm;
For the sky moon is the charm;
For foreheads of the refugees (devotees) of the
Lord of kUDala sangama, the holy ash is the charm.
GYAnada baladinda aGYAnada kEDu, nODayya
jyOtiya baladinda tamantada kEDu, nODayya
satyada baladinda asatyada kEDu, nODayya
paruShada baladinda avalohada kEDu, nODayya
kUDala sangana sharaNara anubhAvadinda
enna bhavada kEDu, nODayya.Meaning:
By the power of knowledge, is the destruction of ignorance, You see.
By the power of light, is the destruction of darkness, You see.
By the power of truth, is the destruction of falsehood, You see.
By the power of paruSha stone, is the destruction of iron, You see.
By the experience of the refugees of Lord of kUDala sangama,
is the destruction of my birth cycle, You see.
umba baTTalu bEre kanchalla
nODuva darpaNa bEre kanchalla
bA.nda o.nde bhAjana o.nde
beLage kannaDiyenisinittayyA.
aridaDe sharaNa maredaDe mAnava
mareyade pUjisu kUDalasa.ngana.Meaning:
The vessel used for eating is not a different bronze and
the mirror is not made of different bronze.
Material is the same; Nature is the same;
When polished it shines as the mirror.
If realizes (s/he) is a sharaNa;
If forgotten then (ordinary) human being.
(So) worship without forgetting the One in kUDalasangama
11 comments:
Gol Gumbaz Museum - Bijapur
Gumbaz Museum
It
was 8:30AM and we had spent sufficient time at the Gumbaz. We had to
only visit the museum and that was to open at 10:00AM. We had sufficient
time to eat our breakfast. After eating the dinner at our hotel
restaurant the previous evening we were sure we didn't want to eat there
again. I remembered from my previous visit to the Gumbaz that there was
a small canteen in the premises. We strolled in the garden for a while
and then went to the canteen.
It
is a small place with a seating capacity of at most 6 people. Small
wooden benches and a few rusty chairs form the complete set of furniture
in the canteen. I opted to have "
avalakki" (beaten rice) and
the others opted to have upma. After the miserable dinner the previous
night, the breakfast tasted really delicious. I ordered for KT -- this
tea is prepared with a generous amount of milk and is also flavoured
with elaichi. The previous evening we had tea in the hotel restaurant
that tasted not just
yuck , but also smelled bad. I am almost
certain that it was prepared with Goat's milk. V felt repulsive after I
revealed the secret of the bad tasting tea :). U reminded him that
Goat's milk was good for health and
Bapuji had Goat's milk
everyday :). I guess only Gandhiji can drink this milk :) and I didn't
finish my tea. I'm not sure if V drank it either :).
While we
were relishing the tea, we saw another family (a man, two women and a
little girl, perhaps there were more people and I didn't notice them)
who came to the canteen. They wanted to eat idlis :) but the canteen
didn't serve any. I am not sure what they had for breakfast, but what I
am certain about is the fact that they didn't know anything about
cleanliness .
They sat on the grass in the garden and had their breakfast. When they
left the canteen, we noticed that they had strewn food on the grass :(.
The little buss boy didn't clean the garden after them either.
We
had to return to the hotel, freshen up and then return to the museum.
The hotel supplied hot water in the rooms only between 6 and 9 in the
morning. Though it was well past 6:30 AM when we left the hotel room in
the morning, the water in the shower wasn't hot. We felt it would be a
good idea to visit the Gumbaz and then return to the hotel, shower and
then visit the museum. We had to check out of the hotel at 10:00AM and
so we vacated the rooms after we had showered. We stored our bags in the
hotel reception area and went to the museum.
Jain Yakshini
The
museum located in the Naqquar Khana (Trumpet House) of the Gol Gumbaz
Complex, was originally established as a district museum in 1892. Later
on it was taken over to develop it as a site museum in 1982. Naqquar
Khana is in typical Adilshahi architectural style and has elevated
platforms and tall and loft arches raised over massive piers. The large
and good massive showcases introduced by the British officers,
themselves have become good examples of antique furniture.
The
collection comprises of stone inscriptions of Arabic, Persian, Kannada
and Sanskrit languages in different scripts and written in varied
calligraphy, Brahmanical and Jaina sculptures, hero stones, illustrated
and plain manuscripts, coins, China wares, wooden carving, carpets,
maps, sanads and firmans, miniature pantings, Bidiri ware and other
house hold articles, datable from 6th to 18th century AD.
The
museum has six galleries, three in the ground floor and the rest in
upper story. It houses a majority of movable cultural property of the
region with a special collection of Adilshahi art objects.
The
first gallery displays Brahmanical sculptures and second gallery has
Jain sculptures. Third gallery displays inscriptions of Arabic, Persian,
Sanskrit and Kannada languages with a variety of calligraphy. Fourth
gallery exhibits arms, weapons and other metal wares. Fifth gallery has
miniature painting, carpets, smaller metal objects. Sixth gallery
exhibits Arabic and Persian manuscript, China porcelain wares etc.
Inscribed slabs depicting excellent calligraphy, illustrated manuscripts
of the Holy Quran, arms and weapons, well attired torso of a royal
person, photo enlargements of excellent specimens of Adilshahi
miniatures, translides of kings and queens and world’s famous monuments
comparable with Gol Gumbaz are the main attractions in the museum.
...en bek mallayya...
After
visiting the museum we went back to the garden and sat under the shade
of a huge tree. A lot of school children were visiting the monument that
Sunday morning. A group of little children were playing underneath the
tree where we were seated. It reminded us of our school days when we
used to play the very game but probaby sing a different song while
playing. The kids were singing something that goes like...
"something something, en bek mallayya..."V, post your comment with the song that you sang while playing this game...
4 comments:
Gol Gumbaz - Bijapur
Gol
Gumbaz is the tomb of Mohammad Adil Shah. Besides the tomb of Mohammad
Adil Shah, it also has the tombs of his younger wife Arus Bibi,
grandson, his mistress Rambha, his daughter and his senior wife. The
mausoleum was constructed during Mohammad Adil Shah's rule (1626-56).
The dome second only to
Pantheon in Rome has a diameter of 124.5 ft.
Tombs
of grandson of Mohammad Adil Shah, Mohammad's younger wife Arus-Bibi,
the sultan himself, his mistress Rambha, his daugher and his senior wife
The
'whispering gallery'
runs round the interior of the dome. A single clap is echoed 7 times.
But the gallery is always filled with tourists who don't seem to
understand the meaning of 'whisper'. They shout and hoot the whole day.
If you have to really enjoy the whispering gallery and listen to the
whispers you need to reach the dome quite early in the day. Fortunately
our hotel was opposite to the Gumbaz and we reached the dome by about
6:30AM. But a few noisy tourists had beaten us to the top :(. They were
already shouting when we went in. A man probably a guard, was playing a
'harmonium' in one corner of the gallery. Another guard lit a match
stick in one corner of the dome and we heard its sound being echoed 7
times standing on the opposite end of the dome. He clapped his hands
once and we heard its echo too.
We sat on the opposite sides of
the dome on the stone benches and whispered to each other. But the noise
of the crowd was quite deafening. We could barely hear the person
sitting next to us. I walked up to one of the guards and requested him
to quiten the group. He said he had already tried it and the noisy group
had told him to mind his own business as they had paid the entry fee to
shout and not whisper. The noisy crowd seemed to be from the
state of Maharashtra as they were shouting in Marathi. It was high time
someone told them to maintain silence.
I
walked up to one man in the group and told him to keep quite. He
probably was the sole person in the entire group who understood Kannada.
He translated what I said to the others. It was quite evident that
their ego was hurt (how could they listen to a woman reprimand?!) as
they walked out of the dome. The man then spoke to me in Kannada and
told me that they would wait outside for a few minutes and then return
to the dome. We had to be satisified with the little time that we got to
enjoy the whispering gallery.
We (J and myself) whispered to V
and U who were seated on the stone bench on the opposite end of the
dome. We heard them whisper the replies to our questions! WOW! It was
definitely an architectural marvel!
The noisy crowd was back
again in five minutes time :(. They continued doing the only thing that
they probably were good at... shouting. That ended the few moments of
peace and quite that we were enjoying. We climbed down the stairs and
went to the chamber containing the tombs of the Royal family.
We
read the description board of the gumbaz and as we were walking out, U
sighted a flight of steps leading to the floor above. I remembered from
my earlier visit to Gol Gumbaz that visitors were not allowed to climb
these stairs. But now we didn't sight any board restricting us from
doing so. Just as we climbed the stairs, we saw one of the guards
signalling us to come down :(.
2 comments:
Basanta Vana - Bijapur
This 85 feet cement and steel idol at Rambapur village
3Kms from City of Bijapur on the Ukkali road was unveiled on Feb 26th
2006 -- the auspicious day of Shivarathri. Sculptors from Shimoga toiled
for 13 months to create the idol based on the design provided by the
civil engineers from Bangalore.
Second tallest idol of Shiva in India
Idol of ShivaLinga
A small idol of Shivalinga is installed beneath the big statue. "Shiva
Charite" will also be inscribed in Kannada on the inner walls of the
temple to help the devotees learn the mythological stories related to
Lord Shiva.
Film producer Basantkumar Patil, the chairman of the T.K.Patil Banakatti
Charitable trust has started a series of charitable work. An old age
home "Basant Van" will accomodate 52 members initially and gradually
enhance the capacity. Preference will be given to women. The trust will
also sponsor education to meritorious students belonging the socially
and economically backward classes and start free boarding for them. The
trust has also decided to deposit 4.5 Crores of rupess in a bank and the
interest earned on this money will be used for charity work.
There were a couple of camels in the garden around the temple and little
kids were enjoying riding them. V wanted to sit on the grass in the
garden and as usual :)... I didn't let him. I wanted us to return to the
hotel as early as possible, have dinner and sleep well, so that we
would not feel tired the next morning. We had to visit Gol Gumbaz the
next morning and then continue to Gulbarga.
3 comments:
Jamma Masjid - Bijapur
Jumma Masjid
The mosque is known as
"Jumma Masjid" because the Khutba is recited here on Jumma ie. Friday.
crescent proclaims the Adil Shahi's dynasty's Turkish origin
Notice the arabasque pattern in stucco on the second arch from left
This
was the first mosque to be constructed in the Adil Shahi kingdom. Ali
Adil Shah I began the construction in 1576 using the booty gained by
defeating the Vijayanagar kingdom in the battle of
Talikota fought at
Rakkasatangadi.
Ali Adil Shah was a Shiaite and the sect prefers not to decorate the
place of worship. Hence the mosque wasn't decorated during his reign.
Mohammad Adil Shah was a Sunni and probably the elaborate mural
decorations near the mihrab were added during his reign. This is
recorded in an inscription to the right of the Mihrab. Teakwood
additions to the ceiling were also made during his reign. The mihrab was
gilded and decorated in black and gold. It was then inscribed with
Persian verses.
Six Persian inscriptions found in mihrab are translated as:
1. Put no trust in life; it is short
2. The passing world has no rest
3. The world pleases the senses
4. Life is the best of gifts, but it lasts not.
5. Malik Yaqub, a servant of the mosque and the slave of Sultan Muhammad finished the mosque
6. This gilding and ornament were done by order of Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah, A.H. 1045.
Mihrab in Jumma Masjid
It
is said that the Raja of Satara built the side walls connecting the
original mosque or main prayer hall to the eastern wall. By 1686AD the
mosque was mostly completed.
The mosque can accommodate 4000
worshippers at a time. The floor was divided on the orders of Emperor
Aurangzeb into 2250 rectangular inlays that mimic prayer rugs.
I was expecting one of the men in the mosque to walk up to us and inform us that "
WOMEN"
were not permitted in the prayer hall. But I was surprised that we
women were allowed to walk upto the mihrab and offer our prayers. The
priest pointed to two women and asked us if we were with them. We
informed him we weren't. Then he pointed to the "hundi" (donation box)
and told us to drop our offerings in it. He probably realised we weren't
followers of Islam and so he ensured that we were informed about the
donation box :). We dropped a few rupees in the box and sat in the
courtyard for a while.
Persian (I guess) inscription on the wall near Mihrab
The
prayer hall on the west side has a façade of seven bays, each bay
having an arched opening. The arches are equal in size, while the
central arch is delineated through delicate arabesque patterns in
stucco. The prayer hall is crowned by an elegant, well-proportioned
dome. The large inner courtyard contains fountain and a reservoir. We
sat here for a while chatting and also had a pretend :) fight with V :).
Mehtar Mahal - Bijapur
| Mehtar Mahal | Beautifully decorated balcony |
Munir Khan (
I can't seem to recall the name of our Tongawallah. I
guess that is what I overheard when V asked the name of the Tongawallah.
But then I could be wrong.) took us to Mehtar Mahal and told us to
see the monument from outside as this structure is a gateway to the
mosque. As usual women might not be allowed to enter this place of
worship.
The architectural design of the mahal indicate that it might have been
built about 1620AD. But there is no documentation of the architect or
the person who got this structure erected. There are a lot of
interesting stories related to this monument.
Some say that a sweeper built this gateway with the handsome gift he received from the king Ibrahim Adil Shah-I.
According to another story, a fakir erected this monument with the
charity money that he received from King Ibrahim Adil Shah II.
Yet another story credits Mehtra Gada for the construction.
The most interesting story and my personal favourite of them all is the
one that seems to be linked to the first story I mentioned earler. It
credits the palace sweeper for the construction of the mahal. Legend has
it that muslim divines would wave a plate containing gold coins and an
auspicious lamp, before the king's face every night and offer prayers
for his safety and well-being. The divine men would then spread the gold
coins around the king's cot. The palace sweeper collected these coins
and used it to build the mosque and the Mehtra mahal leading to the
mosque.
The ground floor entrance hall has a staicase that leads to a room
above. The stone elephant and lion motif is breath-taking. Munir Khan
told us to notice this bracket and probably I was the first one to
notice it. I showed this to U and J while V walked over to the other
side of the road to take a picture of the monument. Though he took this
picture :) he said he couldn't see it clearly until he saw it in the
photo :).
Lion-and-elephant-motif
Percy Brown Observes :
The fineness of the workmanship is astonising, the stone being
manipulated as it it were plastic clay. Either in the chiselling of the
low relief pattern around the doorway or in the deep moulding of the
coffered ceiling of the ground storey, all is executed with a loving are
recalling that of the artists of the Italian Quottro-Cento. The entire
structure seems to imply that not only the artisans themselves took a
pride in the perfection of the handiwork, but they were encouraged to do
so by their patrons who experienced an equal pleasure in seeing such
exquisite forms grow under their hands.
4 comments:
Jod Gumbad - Bijapur
Built in the year 1687 Jod Gumbad is also known as "Abdul Razak Darga".
There
are twin-domed memorial structures to two traitors, the father and son
who helped the Moghul Aurangzeb defeat Sikandar, the young Adil Shahi
ruler on the throne. Text borrowed from
http://www.bijapur.nic.in/tour.html
I am not really sure why the people built a memorial to traitors. I
haven't found further information on the internet as to how Aurangzeb
succeeded in conquering the Adil Shahi capital either.
Now these
structures have dargahs. They offered us a spoon full of holy water to
drink in one of the dargahs. This ritual is very similar to the Hindu
ritual that is observed in temples. We then went to the other dargah in
the next gumbad and there were no priests or maulvis offering prayers
but there were a few women seated outside the dargah. We enquired if we
could go in and one of them told us that women aren't allowed to enter
the dargah. So we waited outside for V, who had gone into the dargah.
Jod Gumbad
Dargah in Jod Gumbad
1 Dhanno aur 3 basanti? Bahut naa insaafi hain
This
was probably the last of the monuments where we could take a picture in
the tonga. We requested the tongawallah to position the tonga so that
we could get the gumbad as the backdrop. With the tonga so positioned,
we finally managed to take this picture seated in the tonga. How could
we not remember the ever so famous
Dhanno and
Bansanti from
Sholay while we were riding a tonga? U mentioned Dhanno and Basanti and we couldn't help but smile :).
Taj Bawdi - Bijapur
Bahamani empire broke-up into five kingdoms and Bijapur was one of them.
Yousuf AdilShah was crowned the king of the new Adil Shahi kingdom. The
new kingdom rose to great heights in the middle of the 16th C under Ali
Adil Shah, the grandson of Yousuf AdilShah, who brought down the mighty
Vijayanagar empire in 1565. Soon after he undertook ambitious building
projects in his capital that included the public water supply system and
the new Jami Masjid. There was a large influx of people into Bijapur
after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire, and new settlements came up
within the walled city raising the need for better infrastructure and
providing water supply. Ibrahim Adil Shah followed his father's
footsteps and built Taj Bawdi in 1620 in honour of his queen Taj
Sultana.
Taj Bawdi
The
well is 223 sq feet and 52 feet deep. The well has a 35 feet span
majestic arch and is flanked by two octagonal towers. The eastern and
western wings of the tower formed rest houses for the tired travellers. A
small platform from the archway leads you to the well. Fligts of stairs
on either sides of the platform lead you to the water. There is a
narraw gallery on the inner side of the four walls covered by arch
surfaces. The gallery passes through large rooms with lancet-shaped
windows on all the three sides except the front. The rooms were meant
for the use of travellers.
Travellers' rooms with lancet shaped windows
This
well might have supplied water to the entire kingdom of Bijapur at one
time. Little girls clinging to their mother while they filled water in
their pots, little boys diving into the well from atop the platform,
dames giggling while gossipping, young lads hanging around the well to
catch a glimpse of the dames, tired travellers resting in the rooms
beside the well... this probably was an everyday scene near the bawdi.This
tank was used until the Bhutnal tank was constructed in the 20th C
after which it was used as a garbage dumping pit for decades.
Recognising the historical importance of this tank, NSI declared it as a
protected monument and spent about 8 lakh rupees in the latter part of
2005 to remove 10,000 tonnes of waste that was dumped in the well and
filled it with water.
But exactly after a year, the tank seems to
be slowly turning into a dumping pit. The stagnant water has turned
green and it shall soon stink. The ignorant citizens of the city who do
not realise the national importance of this monument are using the well
to wash the clothes and dump garbage. There were a few women washing
clothes when we visited this monument.
Time to ActThe Muslima Muttahida Council (MMC) "
called to rebuild babri Masjid" on Dec 07 2006, 14 years after the incident. They hoisted black flags and observed "
black day".
They submitted a memorandum to the president and pressed the UP and the
Union Govt. to rebuild the Babri Masjid. They can instead use the youth
potential to maintain this historic monument in their own city.
Or will they wait until the bawdi is destroyed completely and then "
call to rebuild the bawdi"?
http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/07/stories/2006120707700300.htm 
If you have been to Taj Bawdi in the recent past; have noticed the garbage and would like to complain then click here
http://www.bijapurcity.gov.in/pgr/BeforeReg.do and hope the garbage is cleared.
4 comments:
Ibrahim Rauza - Bijapur
Ibrahim
Rauza entombs the mortal remains of Ibrahim Adil Shah II -- the
greatest of the Adil Shahi rulers. After several years of deligent work,
the mausoleum was completed in 1626 just in time for the departed soul
to rest here till eternity. Eight years later the remains of his wife
Taj Sultana were also burried here. An inscription on the north door
reads
"
Heaven stood astonished at this building when it's head
rose as it were from the earth to another heaven. The garden of paradise
has borrowed its beauty from this garden and every column in this
building is graceful as a cyprus tree in the garden of purity. An angel
from heaven told the date of building in words `This heart-gladdening
building is the memorial of Taj Sultana."
The mausoleum has
a mosque and four graceful minarates within a rectangular enclosure and
can be accessed by a lofty entrance tower. The mausoleum designed by
Malik Sandal was surrounded by a royal garden during the Shahi rule.
Mosque and Mausoleum
The
mausoleum entombs the remains of Ibrahim Adil Shah II, his wife Taj
Sultana, his mother Haji Badi Sahiba, his daughter and two sons. The
tombs are placed at the centre of the inner chamber.
Overhanging decorative roof
Decorated entrance to inner chamber
Fergusson, the author of "Indian and Eastern Architecture" says:
"
There
is nothing in Hindustan which can be compared for grandeur of
conception with the tomb of Muhammed nor any so elaborately rich in
ornamental detail as the group of buildings comprised in the Ibrahim
Rouza. The tombs of Humayun and Akbar will not bear comparision with
them. Some will no doubt be inclined to think that the Taj Mahal at Agra
is superior to anything in the south; but it is difficult to institute
any very satisfactory comparison between it and them. The white marble
of Taj, and its in-laying of precious stones, are most important
adjuncts, but hardly legitimate circumstances to take into consideration
in criticizing an architectural design. The situation too of the Taj on
the banks of the Jumna river far surpasses that of any building at
Bijapur, and it retains its gardens and its range of marble fountains,
which every Rouza had, but only very few indeed now possess; all these
add immensely to the charming effect of the Taj Mahal as it now stands,
but must not be allowed to mislead us in judging of the advantages, the
architect of the Gol Gumbaz would certainly have produced a far grander
building, and the architect of Ibrahim Rouza one more picturesquely
magnificent, either, in all probability, much more impressive than the
pride of the northern capital."
V
wanted to sit in the Mausoleum garden for a while before we continued
to Taj Bawdi. But I had to remind everyone constantly that all the
historic monuments in Bijapur closed at 6:00 PM and we had to visit a
few more places. We rested on the cool stone in front of the mausoleum
on which ASI had placed the description board of the monument. I fumbled
in my backpack for a pencil to update the daily expenditure report and I
felt the wrapper of a chocolate. It was the chocolate bar that Varsha
had given me on her birthday a month ago. We savoured the "melted"
chocolate and walked out of the mausoleum garden gate searching for our
tonga. The tongawallah had suggested us to take a picture sitting in the
tonga with the mausoleum as the backdrop. But he seemed to have
forgotten; as he had already taken the tonga out of the mausoleum gate.
We were disappointed that we couldn't take a picture :(.
3 comments:
Hazrat Khaja Ameenoddeen Ali Ala Shere Khuda Chishti - Bijapur
The kingdoms of the Bahamanis (1348-1527 C.E.) and the Adilshahis
(1489-1686 C.E.) in the north of Karnataka and the interregnum of Hyder
Ali and Tippu Sultan(1761-1799 C.E.) in Mysore were the main Islamic
kingdoms in Karnataka.Bijapur thrived alongside the Mughal glory in the
north. Masjids (mosques) big and small appeared in the newly conquered
territories as if to match those built by the aesthete Mughals.
Bijapur
is a historically Muslim region. There are a large number of dargas in
this little town. We first visited Hazrat Khaja Ammenoddeen Ali Ala
Shere Khuda Chishti darga. Though women are allowed to go up to the
darga doorstep, their entry into the room containing the tomb is barred.
There were a few women sitting outside the door with little children
running around. We enquired if we could enter the darga and they said
that women couldn't. So we sent V into the darga and waited outside for
him to return.
When he came out of the room one of the women handed him her child and
requested him to take the child in and seek the blessings of the saint.
He took the baby in and held it on the tomb as per the woman's request
and brought the baby out. The women were probably waiting for a man to
come that way so that they could request him to take the baby in coz
they left the dargah as soon as V handed the mother her child.
Strange are the religions' restrictions that doesn't allow women to go
up to the tomb to seek the blessings of a saint! I fail to understand
this discrimination between men and women. I am sure God created all
creatures to be treated equally. Then why do men differentiate? This
question will probably not be received well by most of the men but will
they be able to provide a logical reasoning to this question?
3 comments:
Malik-E-Maidan - Bijapur
Malik-e Maidan ("
monarch of the plains" or "
Lord of the Battlefield")
set up by Muhammad Adil Shah is a huge cannon located on the top of the
tower. It is said to be the largest weapon in medieval times. The great
Muzzle has been fashioned into the shape of a lion or a dragon with
open jaws, and between the sharp curved fangs is a small elephant on
both sides of the muzzle. The small ears have been drilled into holes to
attach tackles. It is a cast of alloy of copper, iron and tin and when
struck sounds like a bell. The outside surface is dark green and
polished like glass and adorned with inscriptions in Persian and Arabic.
Malik-e-Maidan
Muhammad-bin-Hasan Rumi, a Turkish officer in the service of the king of
Ahmednagar, cast his gun in 1549, as can be seen from an inscription on
the gun. In 1686 Aurangzeb has also recorded an inscription on the gun
saying that he subdued the Malik-e-Maidan. When the fort of Parnadah
where this gun was installed, fell in to hands of Bijapur, General
Murari Pandit brought the gun to Bijapur as a trophy of war and set it
up on the present bastion. It was set up here with the help of 10
elephants, 400 oxen and hundreds of soldiers. It weighs 55 tons, is 8.5
metres long and 1.5 metres in diameter. To avoid going deaf, the gunner
had to submerge his head in water before firing. Legend has it that if
you touch the gun and make a wish, it will come true!
Lions on the entrance wall
This
gigantic piece of curiosity was proposed to be taken to England by the
Britishers but the idea was given up as impractical. (
Thank heavens!
Else this would have been on display with all the other "looted" Indian
goodies in the Windsor Castle with the display board "Gifted by the Adil Shahi kings")The
grand old gun was auctioned off for Rs. 150/- by a Magistrate of
Bijapur, but the sale however was fortunately cancelled by the Satara
commissioner and the Malik-e-Maidan is still there as a valuable relic
on the Sherzi-Buruz, the Lion Tower, so named on account of the two
heraldic lions carved in stone to the right of the entrance that leads
to the tower platform on which the gun is resting.
Sherzi-Buruz
2 comments:
Upli Burj - Bijapur
Inscription on the Burj wall
We
had visited the Asar Mahal and Bara Kaman earlier in the day and were
now visiting the Burj. The tongawallah stood waiting for us with his
horse at the entrance of the Burj while we climbed the stairs to the top
of the watch tower.
Also known as Hyder Burj, this 80ft tower
was built by Hyder Khan, general in the service of Ali Adil Shah I and
Ibrahim II in 1584. There are 70 steps (V argues that the steps were
69.. and the argument continues ;)....) leading to the top of this
circular tower.
There were two men at the top who offered to tell
us the history of the Burj for money. But having already acquainted
ourselves of well informed the "guides" in the city were, we decided to
keep away from them. I had printed the information about the monument
that was available on the net. I read the content aloud for the benefit
of the group. I read the description of "Malik-e-Maidan" from the notes I
had compiled and somehow the description did not seem to tally with
what we say (Obviously!).
The description in the paper read "
Perched
on a platform especially built for it, the cannon's nozzle is fashioned
into the shape of a lion's head. & between the carved fangs is
depicted an elephant being crushed to death."
Two huge canons atop Upli Burj
So
where the hell was the lion's head? There seemed to be no elephant
either? We inspected the canons throughly (V even tried peering into the
sand filled canons to search for the lion) and were trying to imagine a
lion and an elephant when two women in early twenties seemed to be
laughing at our confusion. I complained loudly "
I neither see a lion nor an elephant." V said "
Don't you see it? I just saw it in that canon."
I walked over to the canon that was further away from me and peered in.
I still couldn't see the lion. All I saw was a dirt filled Canon. I
turned around to ask V to point the lion when I noticed him giggling.
Aaargh! He was just fooling.
One of the girls walked up to us and said "
Oh! but this is Upli Burj. The other canon is in MulkMaidan. It is beautiful. You should go there.". I thanked her for the information and then read the description of the Upli Burj.
Upli
Burj means "watch tower". There are 2 canons atop the tower that
measure 9m and 8.5m respectively. The view from the top of the Burj is
breath-taking. Some of the most important monuments of Bijapur are
visible from here.
Jod Gumbad -- View from the Burj
Gol Gumbaz -- View from the Burj
A mosque near Burj
Bara Kaman - Bijapur
Bara
Kaman is the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah. He lost his life in
a conspiracy and the monument remained unfinished. "Bara Kaman"
translates to "12 arches".
We hired a "guide"... (he wasn't
really a guide... we just paid 20Rs to the security guard who agreed to
tell us the history of the monument) and he told us a fascinating fable
:). There is no evidence on the internet and if it really is "history"
and not a fable :) then I guess the entire credit should go to the
security guard.
According to the guard,
"Ali
Adil Shah was murdered by his father Ibrahim Adil Shah to prevent him
from constructing Bara kaman. Ibrahim Adil Shah feared that Bara kaman
would lessen the popularity of "Gol Gumbaz" that he had constructed and
so had his son murdered. Bara Kaman has the tombs of Ali Adil Shah, his
wife Chand Bibi, mistress and his daughters."History
records, Ali Adil Shah had only one son and a daughter. Though there is
record of other Adil Shahi sultans having a mistress, there is no known
record of Ali Adil Shah having one.
The guard then unravelled the mystery of the construction of "Bara Kaman". He explained to us that, "
The
architect Malik Sandal, initally raised solid walls in the form of
concentric arches and once the entire wall was erected, the inner arches
were topelled off and only the outermost arch was left intact. Also
iron rings were used to hold the stones in place. They weren't cemented
together. He pointed to one of the walls (visible to the right in the
photo above) and told us that all the walls probably looked like that
particular one before the stones were knocked off."
Malik Sandal was the architect of Gol Gumbaz but there is no historic record of him designing the Bara Kaman.
Probably
none of what he said was true. But we heard one good fable for 20Rs
that we will all probably remember for the rest of our lives.
6 comments:
Asar Mahal (Asar-E-Sharif) - Bijapur
Asar Mahal also known as
Asar-E-Sharif was constructed by Mohammad Adil Shah in 1646. It was built to serve as a '
hall of justice'
Entrance to Asar Mahal
Three
tanks grace the Mahal. The central square tank, 15 feet in depth is fed
by conduits from Begum tank. Two smaller and less deeper tanks are on
either sides of the central large one.
Asar Mahal
| Asar Mahal courtyard | V in Asar Mahal courtyard |
It
is believed to contain relics of Prophet Muhammad. Two strands of
Prophet Muhammad's hair is also housed here. Women are not allowed
inside. The rooms on the upper storey are apparently profusely decorated
with fresco paintings, many of them using foliage and flower motifs but
some portraying male and female figures in various poses. These latter
are all said to have been defaced.
We (Me,U and J) weren't
allowed to go inside :(. Though V didn't appreciate going inside a
building that did not allow women to go in, we (or should I say I
:)...???) compelled him to. He reluctantly went in. He walked out in a
few seconds with a smile on his face and said that the rooms were all
locked. So we really didn't get to know if the walls on the first storey
are indeed decorated with the fesco paintings or not.
Coins on Asar Mahal entrance doorframe
The
historical monument, said to be maintained by the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) is used by the locals as a playground. A few children
were playing cricket in one of the dried up smaller tanks in Asar Mahal.
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jun82005/state183519200567.asp
The
crumbling walls surrounding the Asar Mahal seem to be offering little
protection to this historical building. It will not be too long before
the structure disappears into oblivion if nothing significant is done by
the ASI to protect this Adil Shahi monument.
Top of Europe - Switzerland
The
Jungfraujoch is one of Switzerland's most attractive excursion
destinations and vantage points. It has also proved to be an excellent
location for a wide variety of research projects. The high altitude,
clear air and easy access by mountain railway are ideal conditions for a
wide range of scientific work. Astronomers, geologists, physicists,
meteorologists and hydrologists - they all make an essential
contribution towards our understanding of the environment.
A recommended route to follow to Jungfrau is
Interlaken Ost - Lauterbrunnen - Kleine Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch - Grindelwald - Interlaken Ost.This
unique round-trip by modern cogwheel railway takes you first to Kleine
Scheidegg, altitude 2061 metres, at the foot of the notorious Eiger
North Wall. We changed trains at Kleine Scheidegg and proceeded to
Jungfraujoch as we were running late. We decided we would stop at Kleine
Scheidegg on our way back to Interlaken. The train slowly chugged up
the mountain. From here the Jungfrau Railway climbs to the station at
Eigergletscher , well known for its mountain restaurant and polar dog
kennels.
The trip continues through the Eiger tunnel to the
stations at Eigerwand and Eismeer, with a five minute halt at each.
Enjoy spectacular sightseeing through large observation windows hewn
from solid Alpine rock.
Superb
views extend as far as the summits of the Vosges Mountains in France
and the Black Forest in Germany. The Great Aletsch Glacier, at 22 km the
longest ice-stream in the Alps, begins on the Jungfraujoch-Top of
Europe.
We
were surprised to see snow on the mountain during summer! In fact the
mountain peak is covered with snow all the year round. Before the summer
heat can melt the snow away, the winter begins and the snow covers the
mountains again.
I
felt a little out of breath at that altitude. There were a few tables
and chairs nearby. M suggested that I sit for a while on the chair and
catch my breath. Only when I sat there did I realise that the tables
belonged to the little restaurant nearby. A board that read something
like "it is courtesy to buy a glass of drinks if you sit on these
chairs" made me uncomfortable. I joined M who was by then playing in
snow.
The main attractions on the Jungfraujoch are:
Ice Palace
Ice Gateway
Sphinx observation terrace
Plateau with hikes in the eternal snow
"Top of Europe" Glacier Restaurant
High Alpine Research Exhibition
ski & snowboard park, husky-drawn sledge rides,
adventure attractions: e.g. Tyrolienne, snow disk etc.
We met a couple from Mysore on our way to the Ice-Palace (
more about the Ice-Palace in my next post).
"Aunty" :) gave us "bombay mixture" to munch on:). They were excited to
hear us speak Kannada and they walked up to us and introduced
themselves. They said they were on their first trip to Europe and were
excited. But we couldn't talk for long as they had to hurry and join
their group who were ready to move on to their next destination. We
proceeded to the ice-palace ...
The
Sphinx observation hall and terrace, the glistening Ice Palace, a walk
on the eternal snows of the Jungfrau plateau are the amazing all-
year-round attractions on the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe! The Ice
Gateway links the Ice Palace with the glacier plateau.
The unforgettable trip to the high-Alpine wonderland of eternal ice and snow is the true "highlight" of a visit to Switzerland.
5 comments:
Kleine Scheidegg - Switzerland
Kleine Scheidegg means "
minor watershed".
This pass lies between the mountains Eiger and Lauberhorn and connects
Grindelwald with Lauterbrunnen. The watershed lies between the catchment
areas of the Weiss (white) Lütschine river in the Lauterbrunnen valley
and the Schwarze (Black) Lütschine flowing through the Grindelwald
valley. The different sediments from each valley gives the waters their
different colours. Tourists board the Jungfrau Railway at Kleine
Scheidegg to travel to Jungfraujoch.
Impressions
of Kleine Scheidegg are dominated by the spectacular views of the 4000m
high peaks of the Jungfrau and Mönch and the proximity of the
awe-inspiring Eiger North wall.
The two old-world Scheidegg hotels Bellevue (1842) and Des Alpes (1896)
Zara sa jhoom loon mein
arre naa re na re naa...
Zara sa ghoom loon mein
arre naa re na re naa..One of the many such memorable songs shot in Swiss Alps...
I
am not sure if the song was picturised some place near Kleine
Scheidegg, but the picturesque town(the small settlement here doesn't
qualify for even a hamlet)reminded us of the movie "Dilwale dulhaninya
le jaayenge".
We
had taken a direct train from Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch but were
fortunate enough to miss the direct train back to Grindelwald. We had
boarded the train to Kleine Scheidegg while returning to Interlaken and
this had provided the opportunity to spend a few mintues in this
romantic little place.
4 comments:
Train to Jungfraujoch - Switzerland
Needless to say, our delayed start from Interlaken further delayed our
trip to Jungfraujoch. Trains leave from the Grindelwald station to the
"top of Europe" at regular intervals and the intervals are sufficiently
large :(. We arrived at Grindelwald a little later than we had planned
and we missed the connecting train to Jungfrau. We spent a few minutes
more than an hour at the station waiting for the next train to the
mountain.
M was a little unhappy with the high ticket price to
the top of Europe. But as the train started the ascent, he thanked me a
few times :) for convincing him to ride the train. The view was
breath-taking. Wish my parents, sis and grandmom were with me :(.
Climbing the highest mountain in Europe seated in a comfortable train
was something that I had never imagined. Wish Indian Government too
makes similar arrangements that would enable us to attract more tourists
to our beautiful country. This is a dream, which I am sure will never
be fulfilled :(.
The author of Muirhead's Switzerland published this description in 1923:
The
Jungfrau Railway, the highest railway in Europe and one of the most
interesting of all mountain lines, was constructed in 1896-1912 from the
designs of Adolph Guyer-Zeller of Zürich. It attains a height of over
11,000 ft., thus bringing the most unathletic into the upper regions of
the expert climber. Most of the line is on the rack system (Strub's
patent), with overhead trolleys (steepest gradient 1:4), but there is
also a short section beyond Eismeer on the ordinary or 'adhesive' system
(gradient 1:14). The power is generated in works near Lauterbrunnen and
Burglauenen, whence it is transmitted by high-tension lines. The gauge
is 3 ft. 4 in. The first section of the line is in the open air, but
beyond Eigergletscher it runs through a great tunnel (4-3/4 m. long, 10
ft. high, and 10 ft. wide), piercing the limestone and gneiss rock of
the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. From the Jungfraujoch the intention was
to carry up the line for 2000 ft. more, leaving the summit to be
attained by an elevator 242 ft. high, but there does not seem any
immediate prospect of completion of this scheme. Telescopes are provided
at the stations for the use of visitors.
The trip can hardly be
recommended except when the weather is such as to make a clear view from
the top practically certain. The transit of the long tunnel (fully 1/2
hr.) is rather wearisome.Like a friend once rightly said "a
picture speaks volumes. A single picture can express more than 1000
words do". So I shall let the pictures speak for themselves of the most
beautiful mountains I've ever been to...
2 comments:
Grindelwald - Switzerland
The
mountains surrounding Grindelwald had been considered threatening and
inhospitable forces of nature (teeming with dragons, gnomes and
spectres) for centuries. It experienced an unexpected surge of
popularity in the 1800s. This was brought about by the writers and
artists of the time, who, with little actual alteration of that age-old
image, suddenly made the Alps seem wildly romantic. When these romantics
finally arrived in Grindelwald, it wasn't solely to admire those
massive chunks of rock that form its southern ridge. Nor was it
primarily to study the flora and fauna of an area that was for so long
shrouded in mystery. Instead, the main focus of attention was those
glistening rivers of ice, the glaciers. Grindelwald has two glaciers,
simply called the "Upper" and the "Lower," practically right in its back
yard.
The overall growing interest and awareness of nature
drew greater interest for Grindelwald and its mountains. Grindelwald's
natural beauty, dramatic mountain scenery, cultivated landscape and good
accessibility all contributed to its popularity. One of the olderst
depictions of the lower Grindelwald glacier originated from the year
1642. In 1751, Joh. Georg Altmann used the Grindelwald valley as the
basis for his research work into the historical and physical evolution
and features of the glaciers in the Swiss mountains.
The
earliest known document featuring the village name of Grindlewald was
in 1149. In 1252, Ita from Wädiswil, baroness of Unspunnen, sold her
estate in Grindelwald for 500 pounds to the Interlaken monastery. In
1349, the valley's inhabitants challenged the monastic rule. In a
petition dated 3rd January, 1349, the community of Grindelwald
encompassing all of the Lütschinen valley, had formed an alliance with
the inhabitants of Unterwalden to gain mutual support against the
Interlaken monastery. The monastery, however, summoned help from the
ruling body in Berne and the uprising was "nipped in the bud".On the
28th February, 1349 a letter ensued demanding that the inhabitants of
Grindelwald renounce their alliance with Unterwalden and must once again
submit to the rule of the monastery and its protecting power in the
city of Berne.
Walt means "Woods", Grindel means either "fence" or "shelf". Could the name thus mean "wooded shelf" or "Barricade forest"???
It
wasn’t until the early 1800’s that the farming village turned its eye
toward tourism. The first hotel was built in 1818, and the tourists have
been coming ever since. The town’s Swiss chalet-style buildings add a
traditional ambience to this Alpine town. Grindelwald is one of the few
large resorts in the Alps where farming has been able to survive and
co-exist alongside a dominant tourist industry.
The Bernese Oberland village has for decades benefited from a fragile symbiosis between agriculture and tourism.
“Tourism needs agriculture and agriculture needs tourism,” says Grindelwald farmer Sämi Brawand.
The tourist industry benefits because farmers preserve the picturesque pastoral landscape.
“If
farming were to disappear, the landscape would be completely altered,”
says Brawand. “Everything would be overgrown and forests would slowly
encroach on the pastureland.”
2 comments:
Morning Walk in Interlaken - Switzerland
790Kms
away from office and not having to wake up early to cook and pack
lunch to office? That sounds like heaven :). Sure! I did wake up early,
but only to enjoy my morning walk in the pristine town. We (me and M)
met in the hostel lobby to go on our morning walk. The hostel was
serving free breakfast and since it was quite early in the day, there
weren't many people in the dining hall. It seemed to be a good idea to
eat our breakfast and then go on our walk. Mr and Mrs MK joined us at
the breakfast table a little later.
We had cereal with
strawberries (the cereal tasted delicious with strawberries and now, I
always add strawberries to my breakfast cereal), 2 slices of bread with
butter and jam, a cup of yoghurt and also coffee. We couldn't believe
that we had eaten all that.
We
waited for the couple (MK and his wife) in the reception who seemed to
be taking unusually long time to finish their breakfast. I was impatient
and told M I would go over to the guest room to pick up the tourist
brochures. M informed the couple that he would be in the guest room too
and joined me there. The telephone in the hostel guest room looked like
an instrument from Einstein's era.
We picked up the brochures and
took a tour of the hostel.The wooden chalet (hostel) is over 150 years
old and was first a hotel called Meadow Lodge and later Hotel Quisisana.
From 1932 - 1997 it was used as a old peole's home and was called
"Alters- und Erholungsheim Sonnenhof". In the beginnig of the year 1998
it was renovated and opened up as
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof. It is a nice little warm hostel and the people at the reception were really very kind and friendly.
Finally
the couple finished their breakfast and joined us in the guest room.
They wanted to go back to their room and change into warm clothes before
we left to Grindelwald. We (me and M) set out on our morning walk. The
roads were deserted at 7:30 AM and made me wonder if the sand in the
hourglass has stopped flowing.
"Landing place -- 0.2 Km" -- a sign outside the hostel!
Paragliding
is a favourite "adventure sports" in Interlaken. This activity goes all
year round depending on the weather conditions. The outdoor sports
organisations offer different location choices from altitudes of 500 -
1400 mts. If you find the activity expensive, you could try trekking or
mountain biking. We stuck to the most economic way of exploring the town
-- walking ;)
The little town is at the foot of the imposing mountains Eiger, Mönch
and Jungfrau. In a few hours, we would be atop Jungfrau. That was an
exciting thought! If that didn't pump up the adrenaline in my blood, I
don't know what else would ;)! We returned to the hostel to check on the
couple and see if they were all "
dressed up" to go to Jungfrau. Luckily, they "
announced"
they were and I was sure glad they were. Every minute that I spent in
this town was a minute away from the snow that I had been waiting to
play with. The very thought was frustrating.
"
As in a dream!" Lord Byron apparently exclaimed on seeing the views of Interlaken and area. Felix Mendelssohn wrote to his mother:"
Anyone who has not seen Interlaken's vistas does not know Switzerland.".
This beautiful little town is nestled between the lakes of Thun ("toon"
as in "cartoon") and Brienz and has managed to maintain the traditional
charm of a Swiss village.
We walked to the Interlaken OST station that is just about 0.7 Km from the hostel, to take the train to
Traveling to Interlaken - Switzerland
We took the train from Bern to Interlaken. Since we took the Standard
train, we missed out on the souvenir keychains that are given on the
tourist trains. Never mind... we traveled for a much lesser price.
The
train made its way through the beautiful little towns Brienz, Thun,
Spiez, Lauterbrunnen to reach Interlaken OST. We rode in the standard
car as the panoramic cars are quite expensive. The standard cars have
regular windows with smaller field of vision, in comparison to the
panoramic cars. They have windows that genearally can be opened for
unobstructed view. Unfortunately we weren't aware of this and so most of
the pictures that we took have come with a glare :(.
With
the total population of the country being only about 75,23,934 (July
2006) it is not too surprising to see very small villages. In some
places the village had only about 10 houses. We couldn't see human
habitation for miles at times. We would point out to each other when we
saw anybody in a village :).
The
tourists can hop off at any station, explore the village and then take
the next train to their destination. No booking in advance is required
and so you can explore the village at your own pace. M and me wanted to
stop over at Spiez and try wind surfing. But we decided against it as we
wouldn't have sufficient time in Interlaken. Also MK and his wife would
probably not be able to go surfing with us :(. It was getting dark and
we had to reach Interlaken before it became totally dark. So we decided
to hire a bicycle and ride back to Spiez the next day if we had
sufficient time.
We reached Interlaken OST station by 6 in the evening....
View from Interlaken hostel
More to follow...
3 comments:
Bern - A day in the Swiss capital
We took the train from Geneva airport to Bern -- the capital of
Switzerland. We rented a locker in the railway station for 8CHF and
stored our baggage. We took the tourist map and set out on foot towards
the center of the city.
I was excited! I was finally in the
country that I always aspired to visit. Switzerland to me was always
synonymous with snow capped mountains and chill wind. But there was
neither snow in the city nor was it cold. We were in the country during
summer and it was quite hot.
Just when we were about to turn
round the corner near the railway station, M returned to the locker room
to get his cigarette lighter. After he collected the lighter he
realised that he had to insert 8CHF to shut the locker :) again. I
smirked at him :) and said
"
Serves you right. You don't listen
to me when I try to stop you from smoking and now you have to pay 8CHF
to smoke one cigarette. Don't you think that is one overpriced
cigarette?"
ah-ha! Finally the scores were even! He had called
me a bad cook and now I had the opportunity to taunt him and how could I
let it go :)?! Needless to say, M was offended and he probably might
have even sworn at me silently :).
The help desk assistant at
the tourist information center had marked a few monuments and other
places popular with the tourists, on the city map. We followed the road
that led to the Swiss Parliament house pausing briefly to verify the map
and ensure that were on the right road. We had already ridden on the
excellent inter city train. The local trams also looked quite good. I'm
sure it would be great to ride on one of those trams.
We
visited the Swiss parliament. There are guided tours at particular
hours of the day,but we didn't go inside. It didn't look as beautiful as
I had imagined it to be. Maybe the interior is more elegant than it
looks from the outside?
We ticked off one monument the travel
assistant had marked on the map. Quite close to the Swiss Parliament is
the Swiss National bank. I must confess that the building didn't match
up to my expectations :). I had imagined a more grandiose building.
We
went around the Swiss Parliament that is situated beside the river Aar.
This old part of the town has tile houses that are built alike; they
are simple, but solid structures of sandstone blocks, mostly three
stories high and sheltered by projecting high-gabled roofs.
Next
on the list were the clock tower and the münster. M didn't like the
clock tower but I was mesmerized. Wish I had binoculars with me to see
the clock. The clock reminded us it was almost time for lunch. There was
a McDonald outlet situated very close to the clock tower. We were
slightly more than surprised to see the price list. Surprised wasn't
probably the word... we were probably SHOCKED. Food is very expensive in
Switzerland. I had read that information on the net, but hadn't
expected that a vegetable burger and a soft drink would cost me 10.55
CHF. M ordered a chicken burger and a coke. We were also served French
fries with the food we ordered. We went upstairs and occupied the few
empty chairs in the room.
Until then I hadn't realised how
hungry I was. But once the food was served on the table, I started
feeling hungry. We were all so famished that we started gobbling the
food as soon as it was served. M toppled his glass containing the coke. I
offered him Mirinda but he didn't drink it. Well... if that is what he
wanted... I wouldn't compel him to drink Mirinda!
Next we went to the münster. We sat outside the church for a while and listened to the local band.
Bern Münster
We
checked the map and decided to walk beside the river to the bear pit
and then to the rose garden. We sat in the little garden beside the
river for a while looking at the serene water. The landscape around
Berne was formed by glaciers in the last ice age. The city was
originally built on a peninsula engulfed by the river Aar but outgrew
the natural boundaries of the river in the 19th century.
We
stopped at the bear pit and watched the two bears. Bears have been
maintained in the pit for over 400 years. The animals didn't look happy
(obviously!) and they were resting in the little shadow that was cast by
the wall of the pit. We couldn't watch the sad animals and M didn't
want to even take their picture. We started our ascent to the rose
garden.
MK decided to rest in the cool shade of the trees with
his son and the three of us (me, M and MK's wife) started walking up the
little hill. I was tired after climbing half way up the hill and MK's
wife was literally gasping for breath. A couple of elderly women passed
by and one of them smiled at us and said "
you are young girls. You should be running up the hill and not stopping to rest". Having said this, they continued climbing the hill.
I
must confess I was slightly embarassed at what the women said and so
got on to my feet immediately and started climbing the hill again. MK's
wife was making a Herculean effort to climb :). We finally succeeded in
climbing the hill but were disappointed by what we saw. There were a few
rose plants that had almost wilted away because of the summer heat and
the roses weren't worth mentioning either. My mom grows better roses in
our garden at home :(.
We knew that the garden up the hill was
disappointing, but MK didn't. When we returned, we decided to make him
jealous :) by saying that he had really missed something. He looked
terribly disappointed. He was still repenting for having opted to stay
back, when M spoiled the fun by blurting out that the rose garden wasn't
really worth the climb up the hill. Aargh! What a spoil sport!
On
the way back we stopped at a flea market. The vendors advertised that
the few unusual assortment of things that they were selling in their
shops were from the world wars' era. I was tempted to buy a few
porcelain dolls. But the price was ridiculously high! How disappointing!
One shop had a few torches and kerosene lamps that wouldn't light now
:)...
We returned to the train station and collected our baggage
from the storage room. We walked towards the platform to take the next
train to Interlaken...
2 comments:
Flight to Geneva - Switzerland
Our tickets read,
"
Destination Geneva -- 18th June 2005, Heathrow Terminal 4 -- Departure time 6:50 AM"
I
took the bus 140 at 5:10AM, from Harrow bus station stop, to Heathrow
airport central. I reached the airport at 5:55AM. I walked to terminal 3
to take the Heathrow express to terminal 4. On reaching Terminal 3, I
realised that the Heathrow express would only run from 6:15 AM. OOPS!
That wasn't good news. But I had no option. It was drizzling outside and
I didn't want to lug my baggage to terminal 4. The entrance to the
platform was locked :(. So I sat outside, waiting for the terminal
service train.
The gates opened at 6:15AM. The first train
arrived. I got on to the train and held the flight ticket in my hand,
but there was no sign of the inspector. I put my ticket back in my
backpack and stood near the door so that I could get off as soon as they
opened and rush to the checkin counter. It took just a few seconds over
a minute for the train to reach terminal 4. I pulled my cabin baggage
and ran towards the check-in counter. M was already waiting impatiently.
I rushed to the checkin counter and got my boarding card. Though he
didn't complain loudly it was quite clearly written on his face that he
was mad at me for arriving late :). I had to explain to him that the
inter-terminal service started only at 6:15 and so I had to wait for it
to begin. It didn't take much time to checkin as we were the last couple
of people to check in.
Though I didn't request for a window
seat, the officer at the desk handed me my boarding card with a window
seat number on it :). M got the one besides mine.MK, his wife and kid
had already settled in their seats when we got on to the flight. MK
wanted to exchange tickets with me. But I wanted M to take pictures as
we took off the ground and so we had already decided to exchange our
seats and I am glad we did. If you notice the pictures carefully, you
will see some interesting patterns in the picture.
We
were served vegetarian sandwiches for breakfast. They didn't taste very
good :(. But we had no choice. I had read on the internet that it
wasn't very easy to find good vegetarian food in Switzerland. So I ate
all the food that was served though I didn't quite enjoy it. I
complained a couple of times to M who only managed to smile and say
"
it is better than the food you cook."
How rude!
The
airport authority immigration check at Geneva took a couple of minutes.
The immigation officer was a handsome guy. I must confess M caught me a
couple of times ogling :) at the officer and said
"
there will
be more handsome men in the country. You can ogle at them later. Now we
should probably make our way to the baggage reclaim".
The officer asked me a question in what sounded like French and I only managed to smile and shrug my shoulder and say
"
Sorry. I didn't follow what you said. Could you repeat your question please?"
The man probably didn't know English coz he muttered something and added "
OK. OK",
scanned my passport and handed it back to me. I was expecting him to
stamp "immigration cleared" or something like it on my passport, but he
didn't. I mentioned it to M and he said
"
they probably scan your passport in the machine and so they don't have to stamp on it."
Mmmm... that was something new!
The
entire process of the immigration took us just a couple of minutes and
we were off to the cabin reclaim section. We collected our baggage and
walked over to the train ticket section. There’s only one terminal,
replete with English-language signing. The tourist information and
airport information desks (both daily 6am–midnight) are in plain view,
offering free maps and advice and hotel reservations boards (with
complimentary phone). To the left of tourist information is a revolving
door giving access into the adjacent CFF train station.
You can
buy a Swiss pass and travel anywhere in Switzerland. The Swiss Pass
offers 4, 8, 15, 22 days or one month unlimited access to Swiss Travel
System’s rail, bus and boat network at very attractive rates. Refer
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/?L=2 or
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/passes/switzerland_index.htm for details.
I
was keen on going to Bern while M wasn't :(. He felt he could go
trekking in the mountain passes rather than spend another day in the
city. After much discussion (or should I say argument? :)....), he
reluctantly agreed to go with me. So we bought the combined rail pass
for two as we could save a couple of CHF. Since MK and his wife didn't
have any particular choice of their own, they agreed to go with us.
We
walked to the adjoining railway station that is just about 200m from
the flight. The airport waiting lounge was flanked with the models of
these beautiful cows...
We
boarded the train to Bern and were on our way to the capital city
within few minutes of arriving at the airport. Our country would benefit
much if the transport system is modelled on the lines of the the Swiss
nation.
2 comments:
Planning for the trip - Switzerland
I had seen Switzerland in many of our Bollywood movies and I dreamed of
going there some day. I mentioned to M that I would be going to
Switzerland for three days during the long weekend in June 2005. He was
excited but reluctant to join me as he thought we had to apply for a
special visa to visit Switzerland.
Indians holding work permit
for United Kingdom that is valid for more than six months could visit
Switzerland (2005) without any special permit. Switzerland wasn't a
Schengen nation then(don't know if it is now...!!!), and so didn't
demand the special visa (Schengen) that Indians require to enter Europe.
But M wasn't convinced. I wrote to the Switzerland tourism department
(webmaster@swisshelpdesk.org) and they confirmed that we didn't require
any additional visa. (You can look up at
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/index.html for further information.)
He
entrusted me wih the job of charting our journey in the country. He
confessed that his knowledge about the country was limited and he would
be glad to visit any place that I would consider worth visiting. Then
began the meticulous job of finding the interesting places to visit in
three days. The country looked really beautiful in the movies and I
wasn't sure how many places we could visit in three days. I wanted to
make most of our visit to the country.
I consulted Mark, our
colleague who frequently visits Switzerland. He wrote to his friend in
Geneva and suggested that I shouldn't miss the beautiful little town --
Interlaken, if I visit Switzerland. He also sent me a list of things
that I could do while I was in the small town. I checked out a few sites
on the internet and decided on visiting Bern, Geneva and Interlaken. I
called up a fellow volunteer (back then, I used to volunteer for Friends
Of Children) in India who had visited Switzerland, to find out what
other places I could add to my itinerary. He suggested that I visit
Jungfraujuch.
Another colleague, MK expressed his desire to join
us (me and M). Now our group consisted of 4 adults (me, M, MK and his
wife) and MK's two year old kid. So, I had to find a budget hostel that
was also children friendly. After much searching on the net, I found a
backpackers villa at Interlaken (
href="http://www.villa.ch/")that also accommodated families. The next job was to find the cheap flight to Geneva.
British
Airways offered return tickets to Geneva for 87 Pounds. This wasn't a
bad bargain. I went to BA office with M to book our flight tickets to
Geneva. Unfortunatey neither of us had a credit card and the kind lady
at the booking office suggested that we book our tickets on the internet
as it would cost us less. We returned to our office in London and
called MK at Leatherhead office. We requested him to use his credit card
to book our flight tickets on the internet. We managed to get the
return tickets for 78 Pounds each.
MK booked a dorm bed for me
in the ladies' dorm and another room for M in the men's dorm at
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof. He booked a family room for himself.
We
were to take the 7:30 AM BA flight from London -- Heathrow, to Geneva;
take the train to Bern and visit the city the whole day. We would then
take the train to Interlaken and checkin for the night. We would also go
sightseeing in the night. The next day we would change trains at
Grindelwald to Jungfraujuch and return to the hostel for the night and
leave by train to Geneva the next morning. We would take the flight back
to London the same evening.
"Perfect! I couldn't have planned
any better if I were going to Switzerland for three days. You seem to
have added all the nice places to your list." was what Mark said when I
briefed him with my plan.
More to follow...
Bern - Bern's Münster - Switzerland
The
first chapel on the site was recorded in 1224. On March 11th, 1421,
Matthäus Ensinger a master builder from Strasbourg started the
construction of St. Vincent cathedral, using the greenish local
sandstone. Work continued until the mid 16th C according to his original
plans. Most of the church's treasures were destroyed in 1528. But some
notable pieces such as the portal sculpture, choir stalls and
stained-galss windows survived. The münster was finlly completed in 1893
after a gap of 3 centuries with the addition of spire.
The central portal of the cathedral has spectacular depiction of the "
Last Judgement"
in the Gothic style. 170 small figures are the 15th C originals. 47
larger free standing pieces were replaced by copies in 1964 and the
originals are now in the Bernisches Historisches museum. The left half
of the portal depicts the "
saved" and the right half the "
damned".
The left portal has beautiful smiling figures and the right portal has
naked, screaming torment figures. This portal must have appealed to the
iconoclastic reformers too as they spared it from destruction.
In the very centre is
Justice flanked by angels
Wise and
foolish virgins and above the
Archangel Michael wielding a sword and scales.
This
medieval building was never a Catholic church as is often stated, for
there has never yet been a bishop of Bern. This now serves as a
Protestant church.
3 comments:
Bern - Zytglogge - Switzerland
This
600 year old astronomical clock has a big dial on the outside that
measures the 24 hours of the day. The star pointer gives the month and
date. The darkest panels at the back indicate the time of sunrise and
sunset while another point shows the sign of the zodiac. The moon
pointer shows what stage the moon is at (full moon, new moon, crescent
etc). The simpler mechanism of the clock was replaced by the current
clock mechanism in 1530. The mechanism is composed of interlocking iron
wheels, ropes, levers and knobs. The momentum of the clock is generated
by the gradually descending stone weights that hang from long ropes
through three floors of the tower. Highly paid, specially comissioned
experts tried to add a pendulum to the mechanism but failed. A local
farmer at the beginning of 18th C solved the problem.
The
tower has a 1.4 ton bell that gives the tower its name. The month and
the year it was cast (October 1405) is engraved on the bell. This year
was the turning point for Bern. The wooden city had burnt down to ground
and thus brought about a massive reconstruction project. The new
project was to construct the town in sandstone.
To
the right of the clock is a carillon that moves every hour (start 4
minutes before the full hour). It sounds small bells by means of a
'jester' indicating the number of the next hour. The jester rings the
two bells alternatively while a round-about of 7 bears rotate
representing the days of the week.
The first bear mounted on a
horse symbolises Sunday, the beginning of the week, followed by 6 other
bears (monday - saturday) representing the different professions. The
4th bear turns his head when he comes out. The bear represents the 4th
day of the week -- wednesday -- '
the turn of the week'. When
the full hour arrives, the little man in rubber boots sitting on a
golden chair starts counting the hour by moving his bearded chin while
moving a golden rod - left-right-left. He is morally supported by a
little golden lion that sits to his left and vigorously shakes his head
for each count. At the same time, a huge golden male figure at the very
top of the tower rings the big bell, one stroke for each full hour. All
this is initiated by a golden rooster (flapping his wings) by crowing.
He also crows in the middle of the show and finishes it off with his
crowing.
The grim histroy of the towerThe
tower was erected to serve the purpose of defence, but was later used as
a women's prison. The so-called pfaffendirnens (prostitutes of the
priests) who were condemned for having sexual relations with priests or
monks were locked up here and severly punished. Many of them died in the
tower.
2 comments:
Bern - Schweizerische - NationalBank -Switzerland
Today,
Switzerland is considered a safe money haven as the Swiss financial
sector is now home to 35% of the world's private and institutional funds
at an estimated value of 3 trillion Swiss francs (CHF). This country is
a magnet for international money as it beholds a long tradition of
stability that is reflected in a sound banking system and currency. The
Swiss franc is considered one of the world’s premiere currencies as it
is backed by a large percentage of gold reserves relative to other
advanced rich nations. With a population of approximately 7 million of
which 1.1 million are foreigners, this very mountainous and scenic
nation is home to many of the world’s wealthiest citizens and their bank
accounts.
You are just another number...The
act of bank accounts designated with numbers only came about from time
in history of Nazi Germany. Several German citizens in the 1930’s were
executed for having Swiss bank accounts. Since then, no longer could
just anyone walk into a bank and ask for an account holder’s name. If
you wish, you can open a numbered bank account, available for
individuals and corporations. Numbered accounts help to better maintain
and protect the financial privacy of the client. Names are not shown
anywhere on bank statements. A copy of valid identification is also
required for each signer of the account. Numbered accounts are treated
just like name accounts under Swiss banking rules.
Banking Laws in SwitzerlandBanking
law (Swiss Banking Law -- 1934)makes it a criminal offense in
Switzerland for a banker to divulge information about a customer in
violation of the law. The right of secrecy is a right belonging to the
customer, not the bank. It is the customer’s privacy that is protected
by law.
Swiss bank secrecy will cover most normal uses for a
foreign bank account. Swiss law does not consider administrative
offences such as tax evasion outside of Switzerland as a criminal
offence, and bank secrecy will remain. However, the laws allow the
banking secret to be broken if it is proven that a given bank account or
person is connected to a criminal offence such as money laundering. The
Swiss have some of the toughest money laundering laws within Europe and
the world. Swiss law punishes with prison bankers who reveal details
about their customers. Bank employees have to sign the secrecy portion
of the banking act as a condition of employment.
Swiss National Bank (SNB)The
Swiss National Bank, incorporated in 1905, has executive offices in
Bern and Zurich and branches in 8 other cities. It was established in
1907 as Switzerland’s independent central bank. The bank strives to
maintain price stability, while taking economic development into
account.
Gold forms 25% (reduced from 40% in 1996) of
Switzerland’s central bank (SNB, or Swiss National Bank) reserves. This
is a long-standing arrangement; Switzerland’s federal constitution
requires a partial goldbacking for the Swiss franc, one of the world’s
strongest and moststable currencies
Role of SNB during World War-- IISwitzerland
did not have up-to-date equipment. If the country was attacked by the
surrounding Fascist Nations, the army would have retreated into the Alps
relatively soon, but would have kept up resistance based on some sort
of Guerilla tactics.
The Swiss army would have destroyed the
important bridges and tunnels and paralyzed the connection for years.
The alpine railways were of central importance for transports between
Germany and Italy.
Some historians say, that financial services,
especially buying gold from Germany in exchange for convertible currency
(Germany's national currency was no longer accepted as a means of
payment in the international markets) was also an important factor. The
Independent Commission of Experts showed that the Chairman of the Swiss
National Bank (SNB) did not use this argument during the Second World
War. "It was only after the war ... that the SNB directors claimed that
their gold transactions and positive relations with Germany had
prevented Germany from seriously considering the option of military
operations against Switzerland. ... One might just as well claim that
with its «business as usual» approach, the SNB had effectively prevented
Switzerland from using the convertibility of its currency as a trump
card in the economic negotiations with Germany, thus neutralising the
dissuasive potential."
Dormant AccountsSome
of the victims of holocaust had accounts in Switzerland, but under
these tragic circumstances surviving heirs were not easily able to know
whether there was any account at all and exactly with which bank
institute in Switzerland. After the war, Swiss bankers generally
declared account of people that did not reply to letters or send letters
to the bank with exact reference to the account number as "dormant
accounts". This fact alone is a standard procedure not worth commenting.
The problem is, that bankers were not very cooperative with surviving
heirs that tried to find the accounts of their relatives. Only in the
debate about Switzerland and World War II after 1995, they were willing
to publish a list of dormant accounts and to cooperate.
2 comments:
curia confoederationis helveticae - Bern - Switzerland
According
to legend, late in the 12th century, the Duke of Zahringen sent his
hunters into the woods and promised to name the city after the first
animal that was brought to him. The bear was the first to be slain and
since the 15th century the bear has served as the city's mascot.
Duke
Berthold V of Zähringen founded the city on the River Aare in 1191 and
allegedly named it after a bear (Bär in German) he had killed. It was
made an Imperial Free City by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in
1218 after Berthold died without an heir. In 1353 Berne joined the young
Swiss Confederation, becoming a leading member of the new state. It
invaded and conquered Aargau in 1415 and Vaud in 1536, as well as other
smaller territories, thereby becoming the largest city-state north of
the Alps. It was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French
Revolutionary Wars, when it was stripped of most of its territories. In
1831 the city became the capital of the Canton of Bern and in 1848 it
additionally became the Swiss (administrative) capital.
The Federal Assembly building was built in Renaissance style in 1902. It has "
Curia Confoederationis Helveticae" inscribed on it. The building sits on a cliff edge above the river Aare. The
Bundeshaus
or House of Parliament, is the seat of Swiss Government. The oldest
part of the building, the west wing, dates back to 1856. The central
connecting portion of the structure that connects the East and the West
wing was completed in 1902.
Switzerland is a federal republic and
perhaps the closest state in the world to a direct democracy. For any
change in the constitution, a referendum is mandatory; for any change in
a law, a referendem can be requested. In practice,
the people have the last word in every change of law some interest group disagrees with.
History
In
the mid-1850s, plans were drawn up for a neo-Gothic structure which
envisaged a building similar to the palace of Westminster in London. But
eventually the design of Wilhelm Auer was approved.
Construction
was carried out in accordance with the ideals of the Swiss federalism.
The exterior is mostly sandstone from the quarries just outside Bern.
Stone and other building materials from every region of the country have
also been used. 30 artists from different parts of the country were
commissioned to do the artwork.
Hidden secretsWhen
a large chandelier from one of the parliamentary chambers was taken
down recently for restoration, it was found to contain documents written
by restorers in the 1930s with their views about the approaching world
war.
Like the building material used for construction, the
restorers and the original construction workers represented most regions
of Switzerland. Monica Bilfinger, an art historian at the federal
building department rightly comments: "
it is not just a house for the Swiss people, it's made by the Swiss people".
1 comment:
A day in the Land of Mozart - Austria
Augustiner Bräu
Salzburg,
is home to one of Europe's most famous beer destinations: Augustiner
Bräu. For centuries, monastic orders like the Augustinians preserved the
ancient art of beer making. The monks were craft brewers in the literal
sense: they relied on scientific principles, and paid strict attention
to quality. Some of Europe's finest beers have their origins in
monasteries.
The Augustiner monastery was founded in 1605 by
Wolf Dietrich, Salzburg's prince and archbishop. Dietrich was, to say
the least, a larger-than-life character. Like a true prince of the Holy
Roman Empire, he ruled the city with an iron hand, and spent lavishly on
the arts. And he didn't let his religious vows get in the way of
earthly pleasure. He had 15 children by his longtime mistress, Salome
Alt, and built the lavish Mirabell Palace and Gardens in her honor.
In
1835, the emperor handed the monastery over to the Benedictine order,
who decided to cash in by inviting the public to drink their beer. The
residents of Salzburg have flocked there ever since.
A visit to
Augustiner monastery didn't interest me as I don't drink. A climb to the
monastery would only be a waste of time. So I just walked almost up to
the monastery on the eastern bank of Salzach river and turned back. I
took this picture as a memorabilia of my walk.
Getreidegasse --Salzburg's most famous shopping streetSalzburg´s
Getreidegasse is the most famous street of the city, and therefore is
the most crowded. The charming old houses have pretty portals and
wonderful courtyards. The Getreidegasse is famous for the whrought signs
from the 16th to the 19th Centuries. The design of the signs dates back
to the Middle Ages. It is worth taking a second look at the houses
because they are adorned with dates, symbols or the names of their
owners, so they often tell their own history.
Salzburg
is Austria’s fourth largest city and lies 436 m above sea level.
Salzburg is divided by the river Salzach. Its two sides are very
distinctive from one another: On the south side of Salzach you will find
the "
Oldtown" of Salzburg underneath the Mönchsberg and the
Hohensalzburg Fortress. North of the river you will find the
Kapuzinerberg and the baroque Castle Mirabell with its beautiful garden.
I had a lovely walk through the old town of Salzburg and crossed over
the bridge on to the new town side.
Though
I am not a fan of Mozart I couldn't resist visiting Tanzmeisterhaus --
the house where Mozart spent a few years of his life. I walked around
the place for a while and also visited the garden in front of the house.
I saw this beautiful building in Marktplatz a little further from
Mozart's house. It appeared to be a concert hall but I am not certain
about it.
Marktplatz
is just a stone's throw away from Mirabell garden where I had begun my
journey earlier in the day. I went back to the garden and sat on a bench
for a while before leaving to the station to take the train back to
Vienna. While in the garden I heard a family speaking "Kannada" and I
was excited. I heard them referring to "Jayanagar" and "Malleswaram" in
their conversation and my joy knew no bounds. The family was from
Bangalore, my hometown :). They were six people: two elderly men, an
elderly woman, a young couple and a little boy aged about two years. I
walked up to them and tried to speak to the young man. He gave me a
weird look and walked away. I smiled at the young woman who seemed to be
his wife and asked for the directions to the railway station in
Kannada. She literally jumped with joy when she heard me speak in
Kannada and asked me if I was from Bangalore. I said I was and she told
me that her husband, a software engineer worked for a company in a
nearby town and they had come to Salzburg with her parents to spend the
weekend. She gave me the directions to the railway station and I thanked
her.
I bought an icecream cone in a shop beside the main road and walked towards "
Bahnhonf"
-- the railway station, relishing it. I noticed this interesting
signboard and an equally intersting traffic signal. I wonder what
"KISS&RIDE" :) means.
![]()
The
journey back to Vienna was for 3Hrs and 45 Min. I reached Wien
Westbahnhof station at 8:30 PM, had a croissant and a cup of cappuccino
in Caffé India. My first visit to Europe was indeed memorable. I
returned to the hostel, packed my bags and slept. I had to take the
airport service bus at 5 O' Clock early next morning.
1 comment:
Pferdeschwemme - Salzburg - Austria
The
Pferdeschwemmen -- Horse well, was built by Fischer Van Erlach (who is
aso responsible for the Trinity Church) along with the front façade of
the royal stables in 1693. The centre of the well is decorated by a
statue named "
Der Rossebändiger" -- "
horse tamers",
the work of Michael Bernhard Mandl. It was formerly located in an oval
basin axial to the portal of the royal stables. A palace façade with
depictions of horses was located behind it.
In
1732, the horse pond was restored under Archbishop Firmian. The group
of horse tamers was turned by 90 degrees and given a new pedestal. The
basin was enclosed by a balustrade. Joseph Ebner painted horse fescoes
on the rear wall in the style of Stradnus' engraving "Equite seu
speculum equorum"
The well was initially built to give water to
the patrician's and Prince Archbishop's horses. Around 1700 horses in
the archbishop's riding school bathed here before going to the stable
across the street.
For
2000 years, the Norik Horse ( Noriker, Norisches Kaltbult, or
Pinzgauer) has lived in Austria. Named after the Roman province of
Noricum, they descend from an ancient Celtic horse that bred with heavy
Roman draught horses. The breeding of Norik horses flourished under
Charlemagne in the 8th century. The first stud farm that bred Norik
horses was not until 1576 near Hallein and was under the control of the
Archbishops of Salzburg who used the Noriks primarily as ceremonial or
parade horses, with the colorful specimens especially popular. The
frescos in Salzburg of the "Pferdeschwamme" portray similar horses.
For
the construction of the Salzburg cathedral, rocks had been cut out from
the mountain Moenchsberg. In 1693, Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun
decided to use this cavity in the mountain and he had a riding school
built according to plans by Fischer von Erlach in which tournaments were
held. It included 36 boxes chiseled from the rocks for the Archbishops
and guests, and it was used as an open-air theatre for sport, dance and
theater performances since the 18th century. The Horse Pond next to it
was built in 1695 by von Erlach as a watering place for the Archbishop's
riding stables.
Since 1926, the rock riding school has been
used by the "Salzburger Festspiele". By the 18th century, Norik horses
became important as work animals for farmers, but those horses which had
been interbred with riding horses by the Archbishops were not as well
suited for mountainous work and the more common type of less
temperamental, heavy work horses were preferred in difficult terrain.
In
time, these useful animals which had served as a riding, carriage, and
work horse for knights, farmers and merchants in the Middle Ages evolved
into the heavy alpine Norik horse, some of which would one day depart
with their banished Protestant owners, bound for a long trek into
unfamiliar lands.
1 comment:
Pferdeschwemme - Salzburg - Austria
The
Pferdeschwemmen -- Horse well, was built by Fischer Van Erlach (who is
aso responsible for the Trinity Church) along with the front façade of
the royal stables in 1693. The centre of the well is decorated by a
statue named "
Der Rossebändiger" -- "
horse tamers",
the work of Michael Bernhard Mandl. It was formerly located in an oval
basin axial to the portal of the royal stables. A palace façade with
depictions of horses was located behind it.
In
1732, the horse pond was restored under Archbishop Firmian. The group
of horse tamers was turned by 90 degrees and given a new pedestal. The
basin was enclosed by a balustrade. Joseph Ebner painted horse fescoes
on the rear wall in the style of Stradnus' engraving "Equite seu
speculum equorum"
The well was initially built to give water to
the patrician's and Prince Archbishop's horses. Around 1700 horses in
the archbishop's riding school bathed here before going to the stable
across the street.
For
2000 years, the Norik Horse ( Noriker, Norisches Kaltbult, or
Pinzgauer) has lived in Austria. Named after the Roman province of
Noricum, they descend from an ancient Celtic horse that bred with heavy
Roman draught horses. The breeding of Norik horses flourished under
Charlemagne in the 8th century. The first stud farm that bred Norik
horses was not until 1576 near Hallein and was under the control of the
Archbishops of Salzburg who used the Noriks primarily as ceremonial or
parade horses, with the colorful specimens especially popular. The
frescos in Salzburg of the "Pferdeschwamme" portray similar horses.
For
the construction of the Salzburg cathedral, rocks had been cut out from
the mountain Moenchsberg. In 1693, Archbishop Johann Ernst von Thun
decided to use this cavity in the mountain and he had a riding school
built according to plans by Fischer von Erlach in which tournaments were
held. It included 36 boxes chiseled from the rocks for the Archbishops
and guests, and it was used as an open-air theatre for sport, dance and
theater performances since the 18th century. The Horse Pond next to it
was built in 1695 by von Erlach as a watering place for the Archbishop's
riding stables.
Since 1926, the rock riding school has been
used by the "Salzburger Festspiele". By the 18th century, Norik horses
became important as work animals for farmers, but those horses which had
been interbred with riding horses by the Archbishops were not as well
suited for mountainous work and the more common type of less
temperamental, heavy work horses were preferred in difficult terrain.
In
time, these useful animals which had served as a riding, carriage, and
work horse for knights, farmers and merchants in the Middle Ages evolved
into the heavy alpine Norik horse, some of which would one day depart
with their banished Protestant owners, bound for a long trek into
unfamiliar lands.
Mozartplatz and Tanzmeisterhaus - Salzburg - Austria
[
The narration of Mozart's death has been borrowed from http://www.music-with-ease.com/mozart.html]
Mozart
expired penniless, and almost neglected, and was laid to rest in a
nameless grave, not one soul whom he had known in life standing by to
see the coffin lowered. The records of musical history tell of no
deathbed scene which leaves so deep an impression as that of Mozart. He
had been commissioned to compose a Requiem and it was still uncompleted.
His last afternoon on earth had come. Supported by pillows, though
already exhausted by fits of coughing, he made painful efforts to join
his pupil Sussmayer and one or two other acquaintances in singing the
chorus parts of the unfinished work. The most vivid imagination cannot
picture a more distressing scene than the dying man, unable to speak,
extending his cheeks to indicate to Sussmayer the places at which the
wind instruments should be employed. The evening wore on slowly enough
for the sad, wearied watchers, and as midnight drew near the dying
composer with difficulty raised himself from his bed, opened his eyes
wide, and then, turning his face to the wall, seemed to fall asleep. It
was the last sleep: an hour later and the perturbed spirit was at rest
for ever.
The body lay for the usual time, and as the days of the
old year were slowly dying, Mozart took his last long journey. A poor,
scanty, straggling procession is observed wending its way from the house
to the Cathedral, where a short service is to be held prior to the
interment in the burial-ground of St. Mark, then lying in the suburbs of
Vienna, but now a veritable oasis in the desert of the enlarged city.
As the coffin emerges from the Cathedral in the pouring rain, some who
have been at the service disappear round the angles of the building, and
are seen no more. Others shelter themselves as best they can, and
trudge with the remains along the muddy streets. But even these cannot
hold out to the end. "They all forsook him and fled." And so, unattended
except by hirelings, the body was borne away into the dismal country,
there to be laid with paupers in a common grave, the exact site of which
no one was to know in the course of a few years.
In 1809 some
admirers wished to visit the grave, but they were told that the ashes of
the poor were often exhumed to make room for others, and Mozart was as
unknown at the cemetery as the other fifteen friendless unfortunates who
had been buried the same week. To-day, in that great necropolis, the
monument to Mozart stands over an empty grave.
The
town paid its respects to the great son; after his death, by erecting
the Mozart memorial that was designed by Ludwig Schwanthaler. It was
opened in 1842 in the presence of Mozart's two sons. Mozart's widow
Constanze Von Nissen had died half a year earlier in May.
1842
was a difficult time for the town of Salzburg. Secularised only two
decades earlier, it was still suffering from the devastations of the
Napoleonic wars. There was a Baroque fountain with a statue of St.
Michael in the centre of the square that faced a church. It had to be
removed for the Mozart memorial. It was an expensive enterprise for the
economically distressed city.
The mentally disturbed King of
Bavaria, Ludwig I was passionately in love with Salzburg and adored
Mozart. He donated a significant amout of money to start the erection of
the memorial. The opening of the memorial had been planned for 1841,
but the construction workers discovered a Roman mosaic under the Baroque
fountain and the work was delayed.
Tanzmeisterhaus (Mozart's Residence)
Mozart's
residence was also known as Tanzmeisterhaus (dancing master's hgouse).
It consisted of two buildings until 1685. On Aug 3rd, 1711 the decree
granted permission to Lorenz Speckner to hold dancing for the
aristocracy in the building. In 1739, the house was turned over to
Lorenz's son Franz Karl Gottlieb Speckner. He was a higly arisocratic
dancing master. In those days a dancing master played an important role
by giving the young aristocrats dancing lessons and also prepared them
for life at court and was perfectly conversant with the complicated
court ceremonials.
Gottlieb Speckner witnessed Mozart's parents'
wedding on Nov 15th, 1747. The Mozart family was considering moving to a
bigger residence as early as in Dec. 1765. but the plans were always
pushed aside during the family's extensive journey throughout western
Europe. The family finally moved into their new domicile after their
third journey to Vienna (mid July-Sept 25th 1773).
Gottlieb
Specner had died on May 15th, 1767 and Tanzmeisterhaus was inherited by
his cousin, Maria Anna Raab. She resorted to renting the space to
wedding parties. The spacious residence was large enough to receive
friends and musicians. In this house John Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus
Mozart wrote symphonies, divertimenti, serenades, piano and violin
concerti and a bassoon concerto, arias, masses and other sacred music
from 1773 - 1780.
Mozart's mother died in Paris in 1778. His
sister married and moved to St. Gilgen in 1784. Leopold lived alone in
the house till in death on May 28th, 1787. The house had various owners
after Leopold Mozart's death. A bomb struck the house on October 16th,
1944 and destroyed two-thirds of the building. The owner at that time
sold the destroyed section to the Assicurazioni generali, who erected an
office building on the site. International Mozarteum Foundation
purchased the building in 1989. The international Mozarteum Foundation
had already purchased the preserved secion of the Tanzmeistersaal in
1955 and turned it into a museum. The office building was torn down on
May 2nd, 1944 and reconstructed it according to the old plans.
Mozart MemorabliaThe
city that never recognised his talents or paid the due respect that he
deserved today sells Mozart memorablia in the form of chocolates, Mozart
Yogurt, sausage, baby bottles and perfumes.
Kurt
Palm, author of a new book about Mozart says "The new slogan for 2006
is not sex sells, but Mozart sells. If Mozart could see what happens now
only in Austria, in Vienna or Salzburg this year, he would either only
laugh about it or he would be disgusted".
4 comments:
Dreifaltigkeitskirche - Salzburg - Austria
The Dreifaltigkeitskirche or "
Trinity Church"
is located on the right side of the river Salzach. It was built between
1694 and 1702 by Fischer Von Erlach by the order of Prince Archibishop
Johan Ernst Von Thun to house a seminar for young men in training to
become priests.
Like the other churches built by Von Erlach, this
church also has a central dome, a plaful façade and two towers that
make it appear like a palace. The architecture was inspired by Roman
designs.
After
visiting the Holy Trinity Church, I walked over to the other side of
the building and entered the Residence square. It is the heart of the
old city. Archibishops used the Residence buildings from 17th C onwards.
The residence fountain is 15Mts high and is the Largest Baroque
fountain outside Italy. The fountain was built between 1658 and 1661
with marble from Untersberg -- a mountain near Salzburg. It was
possibly built by Italian artist Tommaso di Garona.
The
waterspouting horses shot to world fame as they were featured in the
movie "Sound Of Music". Maria boards the bus to the Trapp family house
in the Residence square. As she crosses the square, she splashes her
hand through the water of the Residence fountain and sings "I have
confidence in me"
What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what's the matter with me?
I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
And here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared
Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries
If I don't I just know I'll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking
I am seeking the courage I lack
And mind me with each step I am more certain
Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence the world can all be mine
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me
I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence that spring will come again
Besides which you see I have confidence in me
Strength doesn't lie in numbers
Strength doesn't lie in wealth
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers
When you wake up -- Wake Up!
It tells me all I trust I lead my heart to
All I trust becomes my own
I have confidence in confidence alone
(Oh help!)
I have confidence in confidence alone
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!(I have deleted a couple of paragraphs from the original lyrics :)... that I don't really enjoy much :)....)
A
few local musicians were playing their music instruments and selling
the CDs of the songs they had recorded. I sat in the cool shade and
enjoyed their music for a while.
3 comments:
Leopoldskron Palace - Salzburg - Austria
Archbishop
Leopold Count Firmian built Leopoldskron palace in Rococo style, as a
residence for his family in 1731. The Baroque palace is located on the
banks of a lake on the outskirts of the city. Firmiani family sold the
estate in 1837 and since then it has changed owners many times. King of
Bavaria too owned it at one time.
Max Reinhardt, founder of the
Salzburg festival, bought it in 1918. It was in a sad condition, but he
renovated it to its original beauty and used its garden for theatre
performances.
"Salzburg Seminar in American Studies"-- an institution that focuses on economy problems bought the castle in 1958.
The
palace is one of the most important buildings in the movie "Sound of
Music". It is used as a back façade of the Trapp family home. The
baroness and the captain break up on the balcony and down on the
terrace. The interior scenes were based on the inside façades of this
palace but were rebuilt and filmed in the studios.
4 comments:
Mirabell Garden - Salzburg -Austria
Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with A-B-C
When you sing you begin with do-re-mi
Do-re-mi, do-re-mi
The first three notes just happen to be
Do-re-mi, do-re-mi
Maria:
Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti
spoken Let's see if I can make it easy
Doe, a deer, a female deer
Ray, a drop of golden sun
Me, a name I call myself
Far, a long, long way to run
Sew, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow Sew
Tea, a drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to Do (oh-oh-oh)
Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do
So-do!
Maria
and the children sing this song in "Sound of Music" and towards the end
of the song, they are shown dancing in the Mirabell Garden.
(
If you click on the photo below and open it in a new page, you will see the two statues that are shown in the movie)
The
garden is oriented towards the Hohensalzburg fortress and the Salzburg
Dom Cathedral. Johan Bernhard Fischer Von Erlach re-modelled the
original gardens under the reign of Prince Archbishop Johann Ernst Thun
in 1689. Franz Anton Danreiter altered them in 1730 and shaped it to
what is now considered as the most beautiful
Baroque gardens in Europe.
There
is a large fountain in the heart of the garden with four statue groups
around it: the rape of Prosperina, rape of Helena, Aeneas and Anchises
and finally Hercules and Antaeus. These statues were made by Ottavio
Mosto in 1690.
Walking
your way up the North brings you to the "Salzburg Dwarf Garden". It has
a display of grotesque dwarfs. These dwarfs actually lived in the court
of Prince Archibishops of Salzburg. These sculptures are so grotesque
that you wouldn't want to take a picture of them.
I spent about
an hour in the garden enjoying the wonderful Salzburg music. A local
music group was practicing in Mirabell garden on the Sunday afternoon.
3 comments:
Festung Hohensalzburg - Salzburg - Austria
Built 900 years ago, this fortress once served as a prison and also as a
miliary post. It was built by Price Archbishop Eberhard in 1077.
Initially it was built of wood and served for the protection of Imperial
troops of the Holy Roman Empire. During the struggle for power between
Pope Gregor VII and Emperor Henry IV, Prince Archbishop Eberhard decided
to stand by the Pope.
Prince Archbishop Konrad I built a stone
tower during his reign. Conflicts between Bavaria and Austria posed
continued threats for Slazburg and Hohensalburg Fortress and so was
improved further.
Prince Archbishop Burkhard III. von Weißpriach
built the four main towers along the outer wall. Burkhard's successor
Prince Archbishop Bernhard Von Rohr built the bastion to protect from
the rebel of the miners and the also to suppress rich
patricians'struggle for more power. Salzburg also feared an invasion of
Turkish troops.
Prince Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach changed
the purpose of the fortress from a militaristic and strategistic one to
a representative one. He invested large amounts of money into
decorations, modernisation and extensions to make the fortress a
pleasant castle. Keutschach shaped the fortress and until today it has
not changed in any fundamental way.
During
the 30 years war, Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron modernised the Festung
(fortress) by altering the roofs and outer walls. City walls were also
built.
After the Napoleonic wars, when Salzburg became part of
Austria, the fortress served as a prison and an army camp. During world
War I, it was used to imprison Italian officers as prisoners of war.
Nazi underground terrorists were exiled in the fortress in 1934. This was the last time that the festung held prisoners.
In 1965 a successful musical "
Sound of Music"
was made a movie in the original locations of Salzburg and surrounding.
Here in this picture you see Julie Andrews (Maria in the movie) with
the Hohensalzburg as the backdrop.
4 comments:
Schönbrunn - Vienna - Austria
It
has been more than a year since I traveled to Austria and my grey cells
don't seem to be good at retaining a large amount of information :)... I
have forgotten how exactly I traveled to Schönbrunn or what tram I
took... I am sure a lot of you would now be saying "YAHOO!!! Thank God .
She doesn't remember too much. So that should spare us from reading all
the details of the travel :)"... but... I still have a great deal of
information about the places that I visited in Vienna. This was the
apothekery that I saw while on tram to Schönbrunn.
I
got off at the Schönbrunn stop and turned to my left at the exit. I saw
a sign board Schönbrunn and followed it. The road led me to the parking
lot for the vehicles to the palace :). I then walked out of the parking
lot and stood looking around. I stood at the corner of the street
trying to figure out the right road when a group of young men walked up
to me and asked "
may we help you?" I was happy to hear them speak English and said "
Yes Please. I want to go to Schönbrunn palace. Could you direct me please?". The young man who approached seemed to be a Chinese student. He pointed in the opposite direction and said "
you walk straight down this road you will reach the palace". I thanked them and walked on. The sight ahead was breath taking!
Schönbrunn
Palace with its surrounding buildings and the huge park is one of the
most significant cultural monuments in Austria. The castle was built to
rival French Versailles in Baroque beauty and importance but House
Habsburg lacked funds to outdo its rivalling nation France. In earlier
times it served as summer residence to various Habsburg rulers.
HistoryNote: The following information about the history of the place has been borrowed from the UNESCO report.The
Katterburg estate, the site of the present Schönbrunn Palace, was sold
in the mid 16th century by the Kiosterneuburg monastery to Emperor
Maximilian II, who developed it as a hunting lodge and installed a
menagerie. The buildings were badly damaged when Vienna was sacked by
the Hungarians in 1605; it was not until 1622 that they were restored by
Emperor Ferdinand II. After his death in 1637 the Katterburg became the
dowager estate of his Widow, Eleanora of GOnzaga. The name was changed
to Schonbrunn (Beautiful Spring) in 1642 when a new three storey chateau
de plaisance was erected alongside the older building.
In 1683
Vienna was besieged by the Turks, Who were finally crushed, but not
before they had Wrought great destruction in the surroundings of the
city, including Schönbrunn. During the great rebuilding that followed
the siege, Emperor Leopold I commissioned the Italian-trained architect
Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach to
design a new building there as a
residence for his heir, Grand-Duke Joseph. His first design is now
thought to have been prepared simply to demonstrate his capabilities. In
this he was highly successful: his design was greatly admired and was
to secure him many other commissions.
Emperor Franz Joseph (ruled
1848-1916), who was born here in 1830, spent the last years of his life
entirely in Schönbrunn. In 1918, the palace became the property of the
new republic. Due to this historical importance, its beautiful location
and its gardens this palace is one of the very top sights in Vienna.
Furthermore the entire complex was added to the UNESCO's world cultural
heritage list.
Schönbrunner SchloßparkSchönbrunn
Palace is the former Habsburg summer residence. In 1695 Fischer von
Erlach sr. was asked to design a palace that could match Versailles. His
plan turned out to be too costly, so Schönbrunn was constructed a bit
more sober initially.
Empress Maria Theresia choose Schönbrunn as
her main residence. She added the theatre and the garden to make her
stay more enjoyable. And inside, she refurbished the rooms in baroque
and rococo style.
Gloriette
The
Gloriette was built in 1775. Today, the inscription of the middle part
of the building still bears witness: "JOSEPHO II. AUGUSTO ET MARIA
THERESIA IMPERANTIB. MDCCLXXV" (Erected 1775 under the reign of Emperor
Joseph and Empress Maria Theresia). Even then, one appreciated beautiful
views - and for that reason a 20-meter-high observation terrace was
created (accessible only via a spiral staircase).
Today, Café
Gloriette is housed in this splendid building. Every Sunday morning,
there is a brunch with live music ranging from the classics to jazz.
Neptune FountainSited
at the foot of the hill behind the palace and designed as the crowning
element of the Great Parterre is the Neptune Fountain. It was conceived
as part of the overall design of the gardens and park commissioned by
Maria Theresa in the 1770s. Excavations for the pool began in 1776 and
the fountain was completed four years later, just before the death of
the empress. It was very probably designed by Johann Ferdinand
Hetzendorf von Hohenberg, while the sculptural group of Sterzing marble
was executed by Wilhelm Beyer.
A
rocky landscape is peopled with the sea-god Neptune and his entourage.
At the centre of the figural group above a rocky grotto stands Neptune
in a shell-shaped chariot, his trident in his hand. To his left is a
nymph, while on his right kneels the sea-goddess Thetis, entreating
Neptune to favour the voyage of her son, Achilles, who has set off to
conquer Troy. Frolicking at the foot of the grotto are the Tritons,
creatures who are half-man and half-fish, and belong to Neptune's
entourage. They hold conch shell trumpets with which they can inspire
fear in both man and beast, and are restraining the hippocampi or
sea-horses who draw Neptune's chariot across the seas.
Neptune
driving across the seas in dominion over the watery element is a common
motif in 16th to 18th-century art, being used as a symbol for monarchs
controlling the destiny of their nations. The figural group was
originally free-standing, but a screen of trees was planted behind it
during the 19th century to provide a foil.
Sea Goddess Thetis
Nymph
Tritons
I
sat in the garden for a long time. My first day in Europe was truly
memorable. The next day I had to go to Salzburg. So though I didn't
really want to return to the hostel, I had to :(. I returned to the
hostel and had my dinner which consisted of chapatis and chutney that I
had taken with me from London :). While having my dinner in the hostel
garden, I met an interesting group of travelers. A girl from Hawaii
whose name was rather too difficult for us to pronounce :) and so just
called her Miss Hawaii, a student from USA and another student from
London. He was an Indian by ethnic origin but was born in London. He
called himself "D-raaaj" (it was quite obvious that his parents had
named him Dhiraj :).....and after living in London for almost 20 years
he couldn't say his own name in the right way). We spoke for a while and
they exchanged email ids. I wasn't keen on meeting any of them again :)
or keeping in touch with them either. So I excused myself saying that I
had to take an early morning train to Salzburg and retired for the
night.
3 comments:
Belvedere - Vienna -Austria
I
took the tram to Strassenbahn like the kind man at the Weshbahnof
tourist information desk had suggested. I requested the driver to inform
me when we arrive at Belvedere. After riding on the tram for a while he
announced that we had arrived at Belvedere. I thanked the driver and
got off the tram.
The
palace looked beautiful from far. But I couldn't enter the palace as it
was closed to visitors. I had reached there much after the palace was
closed. I was a little disappointed.
Then
I thouhgt to myself... "Most of the palaces/castles in Europe look
alike. I have been to quite a few of them in Scotland and England. I'm
sure this palace too would be no different. The furniture might be
different ... and the walls might have a different colored paint but
that wouldn't make it any better than the palace at Mysore. Before I
went to Windsor Castle I had heard that it was beautiful and one had to
visit it while in England. But I was disappointed when I went there. It
wasn't half as interesting as the palace in Mysore. It didn't have the
grandiose that Indian palaces are famous for. So I believe I was better
off seeing the palace from the outside."
History of BelvederePrince
Eugene was a Frenchman and well-acquainted with Versailles though his
parents were born in Italy. Spurned by Louis XIV, he became military
commander of the Holy Roman Empire, and then '
the most grandiose and influential private patron in Europe'.
Eugene was austere and taciturn, but a close friend and comrade of the
Duke of Marlborough. They defeated Louis XIV's armies and were rewarded
with palaces - one can compare the Belvedere with the original layout of
Blenheim. The two generals were known as 'one soul with two bodies'.
Eugene had bought land outside the medieval town after driving back the
Turks' last assault on Vienna. All Europe rejoiced in its safety from
'the infidels'. Vienna developed a gay cosmopolitan society.
The Belvedere (means '
a place from which to see beauty')
has a grand Upper Palace (built 1720-22) and a more comfortable Lower
Palace (built 1714-16), where Prince Eugene lived. Gardens link the
palaces, with elegant pools, fountains, sculpture, steps and cascades.
Immaculate clipped maple hedges bring the sky itself into the design.
The theme is
man's journey from darkness to the divine light.
After
Prince Eugene's death, in 1736, his estate passed to the Hapsburgs and
continued to be used for social gatherings of pomp and circumstance. A
1731 set of engravings illustrated '
The Wonderful Home of the Incomparable Hero of our Time in Wars and Victories' much as they are today. Gothein II 164.
I
took few pictures of the Upper palace. I wasn't even aware that the
complex also had a lower palace when I was visiting. After returning to
London I checked on the internet and learnt that there were two palaces -
the upper and the lower. I visited only the upper palace. I checked the
photos of the lower palace on the internet and I am glad that I did not
visit :). It isn't half as beautiful as the upper palace and it also
meant that I had to walk from the upper to the lower palace. I would
have to spend another couple of hours to just see the not so attractive
lower palace. Now that I think of it, I certainly feel that it was a
wise decision to return. I spent more time at the Schönbrunn palace.
Watching the setting sun from the palace was something to be remembered.
I am sure I shall remember that for a long time.
As I was
strolling in the palace garden, I saw two young couples (feels strange
to read Two and couple together...??? I saw a black couple and white
couple.... :).........and hence the words "two" and "couple"....
together) having their wedding pictures taken. I'm not sure if they were
married at Belvedere. But the photos would definitely make it look like
they were married here :). Who wouldn't want to marry in this beautiful
palace!!!
As
I walked towards the exit I noticed a few birds that looked like crow.
Having seen crows that are completely black (I haven't seen an albino
crow yet ;)), this was bit of a surprise to me. While I stood there in
doubt as to what this bird was, it started crowing :)) and that
confirmed it definitely was a crow.
I sat in the garden for a while and took a tram to Schönbrunn
More to follow...
2 comments:
Staatsoper - Vienna -Austria
Rathaus
Plast was an amazing building and I could spend a couple of hours
marvelling at the building. But I had to see lot more places yet. So I
walked up the road for a little distance to see if there were any more
architectural wonders. I saw this beautiful statue at the square. I
neither remeber the name of the sqare, nor do I know the name of this
pillar. It looked simply too beautiful to not capture it in the camera.
I
had read on the internet that the gardens near Rathaus Plast also
attracted a lot of tourists. They probably look beautiful during spring
and it definitely wasn't spring yet. I didn't find them interesting. I
took the tram to Belvedere. The tram passed by another interesting
building. I pulled out my camera... oops... sorry... pulled out Robin's
camera and took a picture of it. It was the
Vienna State Opera house -- Staatsoper.
Vienna
State Opera House is one of the world's largest and most splendid
theaters. Under the law, the Austrian Republic is required to ensure
that full use is made of its famous opera house, and so there is a
different opera or ballet on the program on 300 evenings in the year.
The
Viennese obsession with music goes far back into Habsburg history. The
first recorded Viennese Court opera was performed in 1625, on the
occasion of the birthday of Ferdinand II, on the Hradschin or Prager
Burg, where the Emperor resided for six months. In 1660 Leopold II,
probably the greatest music-lover and theatrical devotee of the Baroque
period, had a smart theater built on the square in front of the Court
Riding School in 1660-62. After 1668 numerous operas were performed,
first on the site of the present Österreichische Nationalbibliothek,
then in the Redoutensälen and in the old Burgtheater on Michaelerplatz,
where
Mozart's "
Il Seraglio", "
Marriage of Figaro" and "
Cosi fan tutte" were first performed, and subsequently in the Kärntnertor Theater, where
Weber's "
Euryanthe" had its unhappy première and
Beethoven's "
Fidelio"
began its series of triumphs in 1814. A few years later the first
performances in Vienna of works by Rossini and Verdi ushered in a period
of euphoria for Italian opera. After the destruction by fire of the
Ringtheater the opera moved to its new home on the Ringstrasse in 1869.
The
vast Opera House with its clearly defined structure is in the French
Early Renaissance style. A contest was held in 1860 to come up with a
design for the building. It was won by two professors from the Imperial
Academy of Fine Arts. They divided up the work so that August Siccard
von Siccardsburg handled the engineering, and Eduard van der Nüll was in
charge of the decorative elements. Construction of the building took
its emotional toll. An urban legend states that the opera was supposed
to be much higher than it currently is, but rushed planning of the
Ringstraße left it at the same height as its neighboring buildings. van
der Nüll is said to have killed himself because he let the Emperor down.
Siccardsburg died just two months later, in 1868, of grief. Neither
architect lived to see the day.
It was built between 1861 and
1869 to plans by August von Siccardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll. It
opened on May 25 1869 with Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and a prologue spoken
by the popular actress Charlotte Wolter. The Opera House was hit by
bombs on March 12 1945 and gutted by fire. Reconstruction was not
completed until 1955. The second inauguration of the "Opera House on the
Ringstrasse" took place on November 5 1955, when
Beethoven's "
Fidelio" was performed.
Today
most of the Neo-Renaissance building is only decades old. The outside
walls, the façade, and the grand staircase were the only portions to
survive a direct hit by an Allied bomb during the Second World War. The
interior is a reconstruction. Though it attempts to capture the grandeur
of the original building, an exact reconstruction would have cost too
much. Still, the Staatsoper is symbolic of Vienna's emergence as one of
the world's cultural capitals.
Inside, the Grand Staircase is a
sweeping expanse of chandelier-lit marble decorated by statues
representing the seven liberal arts. Outside, there are five alcoves
built into the façade. Each houses a bronze statue by Ernst Julius
Hähnel representing Drama, Fantasy, Heroism, Humor, and Love. The
building is flanked by fountains by Hans Glasser. Even today, the opera
house is the center of social activity in Vienna. The directorship of
the opera is considered one of the most important positions in Austria.
Even more so than the president of the nation. It is for that reason
that there is always lots of controversy and intrigue surrounding the
post.
The Opera House was the first building erected on the
Ringstraße when the old city's fortifications were torn down and
replaced by massive public works projects.
More to follow...
2 comments:
Museums,Parlament,Rathaus Platz - Vienna - Austria
I walked along the Burg Ring and realised that there were just too many
museums and I simply didn't have enough time on hand to visit them. So I
just decided to stroll alongside :) the museums and then familiarise
myself with the names of at least a few and then tell people when I go
back home "Ah... the
Kunsthistorisches Museum??
I know that museum. I've been to Vienna. " :) But then I realised it
wasn't worth spending a lot of time walking around the museums. So I
decided to walk further up the road and see what else would interest me.
For the second time in life I was refraining from entering the museums.
That's a pity :( a'int it? :(...
I walked further up the
road and saw a building towards my left that was being renovated. It
looked really nice. I walked up to the building to take a closer look. I
was disappointed that it was almost covered to the top to prevent the
dust and any other building material from being strewn on the streets. I
looked at the map and realised it was
I
know you have guessed it ... :) ... Yes!!! It was the Austrian
Parlament [parliament house]. It wasn't half as nice as our Vidhan
Soudha :) but wasn't too bad either.
Built: 1874-1884
Also known as: Austrian Parliament
Designed by: Theophil Hansen
Post-war reconstruction: 1945-1956
Post-war reconstruction headed by: Professors Max Fellerer and Eugen Wörle
Type: Government Building
Location: The Ringstraße - central Vienna
This
building was originally designed as the parliament building for the
Habsburg Empire. It now serves as the Austrian Parliament building. The
architecture is Greek, decorated with statues of Greek and Roman
historians, statesmen, and scholars. The most prominent statue is of the
Pallas Athene, the goddess of wisdom (Athenebrunnen). Hansen came under
fire for his design, and defended it by saying, "The ancient Greeks
were the first people to love the freedom and regularity above all, and
it was their style which besides its pronounced severity and regularity
permitted a great liberty of development." He was later given an
architecture studio within the building to continue his work after
retirement. This is the site where, after the collapse of the Hapsburg
Empire, the republic of Deutsch-Österreich was formed. Half of the
building was destroyed by World War II. Some of the artwork damaged
during the war is only now starting to be restored.
Wish I could
take a picture or two. But I couldn't :( as the dust protection covers
blocked the view.But my determination was not to be deterred so
easily...:) ... I walked around the building and entered the small
street besides the parliament house and I finally took one picture that I
could treasure :).
I
walked further up the road and noticed a beautiful building to my left.
I looked it up in the map and it was indicated that the building was
Rathaus Platz or vienna city hall.
I
didn't have sufficient time to actually see the interiors of the
building. Was satisfied looking at it from the outside :). I had just
for a day in Vienna and if I had to see all the major sights of interest
then I couldn't afford to spend time actually going in and marvelling
at the architectural splendour. O well... that is how I try to console
myself :).
I better not hear "O... didn't you see the building
from the inside? It is wonderful... yada yada yada" from any of you guys
who have visited this place.
This is the information I got on the net about this marvellous building...
Friedrich
von Schmidt, who had been the architect of the Cathedral of Cologne,
designed and built Vienna's City Hall, the most important secular
building in the neo-Gothic style in the city, between 1872 and 1883.
The
tower measures 321 feet, not including the "Iron Knight of City Hall"
(Eiserner Rathausmann) who measures almost 20 feet to the top of his
pennant. This knight on top of the tower has become one of the symbols
of Vienna.
The Vienna City Hall is the seat of the mayor and
governor of Vienna ( with Vienna being both a city and a state since
1922, these functions are combined in one person ), of the City Council
and of the Assembly.
It also houses the Municipal and State
Libraries and Archives which hold many key documents of Vienna's history
and a large collection of local memorabilia.
On both sides of
the approach from the Ring ( closed to motor vehicles ), statues honour
personalities who left their mark on the history of the city.
The
Park of City Hall (Rathauspark) is a very attractively laid-out garden
with two fountains and several interesting monuments, among them the
memorial to the painter F. G. Waldmüller and the statues of two great
composers of waltzes, Johann Strauss Father and Joseph Lanner. Facing
the Burgtheater across the Ring are monuments to President Theodor
Körner (1873-1957) and Mayor Karl Seitz (1869-1950).
More to follow...
1 comment:
Hofburg and Volksgarten - Vienna - Austria
I went back to the same information desk at westbahnhof station and saw
the same man who had helped me earlier. He looked surprised to see me.
He probably thought I was still wandering in the station and was lost in
the maze :).... I said
"
Hello there. It’s me again. I need your help again."
I spread the map on his table and pointed to the three circles and told him
"
I would like to go to all these places. Could you please help me with the train numbers that I have to take?"
He smiled and said
"
OK mam. Where would you like to go first?"
I pointed one circle to him and then he marked 1 on the circle and then pointed to another circle and asked "
will you go there next?" I said "
no I would like to go here please" and pointed to the third circle. He marked 2 on the circle that I had pointed to and then 3 on the remaining circle.
He
tore off a sheet from one of the books and started writing the train
numbers and the names of the stops where I had to get off. He turned the
paper towards me and said "
Ok. This is the first train. You take 'U3' the one that goes towards Simmering and get off at Burggasse.You walk around the place and then you can take tram (don't
remember the tram number now... but then I held on dearly :) to the
sheet of paper the kind man at the station had given me and so knew
which one to take)
and reach the station ...(My grey cells have lost track of this as well :)....)
Then take tram D headed towards (sorry
folks :)... if someone needs to go to Vienna I guess this will not be
the right guide map for you :)... the people at the information centre
are very friendly and you can just walk in and they will help you....)
and get off at Belvedere.Then you take the same tram headed in the opposite direction and reach Schonbrunn station.
After that you can walk back to your hostel from Schonbrunn. I
thanked him for all his help and walked towards the underground
platform 2 to take the train to my first destination. I waited for 2
minutes and then the train arrived. I got on to the train and verified
the city map that was displayed in the carriage and counted the number
of stops before I reached Burggasse.
Television in one of the underground stations...I
walked out of the station and I didn't know which way to head. None of
the direction boards were in English. I saw two women and walked up to
them. Pointing at the circle marked as 1 I asked the women how I could
reach that place. Neither of them spoke English. One lady looked at the
map and then turned around pointed towards the road and said something
in German. I understood that she meant "
Go straight" then she pointed right and again said something in German. I knew she meant "
go straight and turn right" then she made an action like drawing a straight line... I understood she meant... "
the entire stretch of road". I thanked her and went off in the direction she had pointed.
I
walked for 2 minutes and still nothing... nothing seemed interesting
... then I turned right and LO!!! There was a magnificent building there
and all I could do was GASP! It was an amaaaaaaaaaazing building. I
didn't know what the building was called. But it was amazing... I looked
at the map and I knew I was on the
Burg ring Opern Ring Kärntnerring road. So it had to be
HOFBURG....wow!!! It was perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings I had seen...
Hofburg palace and the fountain in front of the palace
The information I got on the internet about this place:
Built: Unknown.
Earliest documentation is from 1279.
Designed by: Various
Type: Museum
Type: Government Building
Location: Central Vienna
This
is another one of Vienna's big attractions. And by big, we're talking
scale. It encompasses six museums, a chapel, the president of Austria's
offices, the national library, the famed Winter Riding School, a
greenhouse, and a park. It will take two days to thoroughly see the
place.
Hofburg Entrance
I
don't know how many of you have seen the movie "Hum Dil De Chuke
sanam". But the ceiling certainly reminded me of the song "Tadap tadap
ke is dil se"... Not that the music hall in the Hofburg complex was on
comparable scales to the one shown in the movie. But I just happened to
remember the song. There were a couple of musicians playing some local
music. I have probably recorded it on my camcorder.
The
Hofburg Complex was built as the imperial home of the Habsburgs, and
they lived there until 1918. The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of
Fine Art) has exhibits of ancient art, a collection of armor, even a
collection of antique musical instruments. The Winter Riding School is
where the Lipizzaner stallions are trained in the Spanish Riding School.
It was designed by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and built from
1729 to 1735. Inside two galleries surround the training ground, which
is illuminated by two enormous chandeliers. But photography inside is
not permitted. Most other buildings allow photography as long as the
flash is turned off. There is also a butterfly aviary created out of
greenhouses built from 1901-1907.
The Hofburg was originally a
medieval castle, but today only the castle chapel remembers of its
medieval past. The Hofburg was extended to a magnificent residence when
the Habsburg's power increased.
That is the reason why one can
find almost any architectural styles, from gothic style to art nouveau.
Nowadays this enormous complex is the home of the "Österreichische
Nationalbibliothek" (National Library), the "Schatzkammer" (Imperial
Treasury), the Collection of Musical Instruments, the Collection of
Weapons, the "Museum für Völkerkunde" (Museum of Ethnography) and the
famous "Spanische Hofreitschule" (Spanish Riding School). Partly
enclosed to the Hofburg one can find the vast "Heldenplatz" that is very
impressive too. Equestrian statues of Archduke Karl, who won the battle
of Aspern against Napoleon's troops (1809), and Prince Eugene of Savoy,
who defeated the Turks, attest to Austria's glorious past.
Heldenplatz façade
As
per the description one needs at least two days :) to see the entire
place... and I hardly had 2 hours to spare. I know I didn't do any
justice to this beautiful place by spending only about 2 hours there...
but I had to go to other places as well.
I walked out of the
hofburg building towards Österreichische Nationalbibliothek. I wasn't
too keen on going into the buildings as I had very little time to spend
at vienna. I walked further on and saw a couple of horse driven
carriages. I was particularly fascinated by the horse driven carriages
and if not for the hot day, I would have definitely ridden in one of
them.
So
I decided that it would be better to walk than to ride in the carriage
and so unfolded my umbrella to shield myself from the fierce heat of the
sun, took a couple of pictures in Robin's camera and went to garTen
(Garden) to rest for a while in the cool shade.
Volksgarten is a
public garden in the first district of Vienna next to the "Burgtheater".
The garden has beautiful flowers and the interesting story about it is
that there used to be a palace on the area, but had been destroyed with
Napoleon's arrival. The Theseus Temple is located in the "Volksgarten".
It was built in the 1930s.
This
isn't a very big garden. We have gardens that are definitely better
than Volksgarten in Bangalore. But on that day I most certainly enjoyed
sitting in the cool shade of the trees. There weren't too many
different varieties of trees. I am not an expert on identifying the
trees or the flowers. May be I could have taken a picture of one or two
of them and asked Akash to translate the names for us in english :)...
like he has translated "Basavana Paada" as "Cow's feet" :)...
It
is a wonderful place to rest here on hot summer days. But beware!!!
People spit bubble gums and chewing gums on the stairs and if you aren't
too careful you might just sit on one of them like I did :) and then
find it difficult to get rid of the gum.
I sat for a few minutes,
pulled out the street map and then checked where I should be going
next. Museum platz seemed interesting.
More to follow....
2 comments:
Hostel Ruthensteiner - Vienna - Austria
I
reached the hostel at 12:30PM. The receptionist told me that my room
would be ready only by 2:00 PM. So I asked her if I could store my
luggage in the locker room and then come back later in the evening and
check in. She was more than happy to get rid of me :) and so she agreed
to give me the locker key for a deposit of 10 Euros. I stored my
luggage, freshened up, had my lunch (I had taken chapattis with me from
London as I had read that it is difficult to find vegetarian restaurants
in Austria) and then came to the reception desk to find out about the
various sightseeing tour options.
The hostel offered "
crawl Vienna"
a bicycle trip for 4 hours that was scheduled at 2:30 PM. I was not
very keen to ride a bicycle when the temperature was 31 deg C and was
sweltering hot. I checked the other options:
1.
Grape garden tour -- didn't seem very exciting.
2.
Walking tour for 1 1/2 hour to begin at 4:00 PM. I didn't want to wait till then and so I decided to go on my own.
Music Cafe in the hostel
I asked the receptionist to suggest me a few places that I could visit in a day and she replied
"
I
don't know. Vienna has so much to offer. You can't see anything in one
day. I will just mark a couple of places for you on the map and may be
you can visit at least a few of them."
Having said that,
she took a pen and circled three areas and returned the map to me. The
people at Interlaken hostel were friendlier and they went out of their
way to help the travelers. This lady seemed to be very rude to the
people. I saw her replying curtly to a couple of more people too. It
really didn't matter as I was in Vienna for just a day.
The dining area
More about Vienna Trip to follow ...
2 comments:
@ Wien - Austria
@ Wien FlugafenJust letting you people know that I know a couple of more words in German :)....
Martin taught me that
Flugafen means Airport
Mark taught me:
Bahnhof means Railway station
OST means East
West
means West ... not WOST :)...I didn't even know that Wost is a valid
word in English till I looked it up in the dictionary :)...
Wien means Vienna
Danke means Thanks
Dank vielen means Thank you very much
Ich spreche nicht deutsch --> I don't know German :)... That is quite handy when you are there... :)...
I
had learnt quite a few phrases and Sentences in French oops sorry
français :)but All i managed to say while i was in switzerland was:
NO FRENCH... :)...
that
was quite embarassing :)... so I didn't want to go through that
humiliation again and I learnt "I don't know German" :)... but
unfortunately :( I couldn't use it while I was there... :(
While I
was walking towards the passport verification section, I saw a lot of
magazines that read "Welcome to Vienna. A complete guide to Vienna City
with street maps inside".
good! I can use it to get around the city...
so i pick up one and I flick through the pages to see where I can go first...
aiye!! What is this??
dtypew'as je0wi ayteaytewrmqt???
[You
****** ******** !!! can't you have this printed in English? Do you
expect every single tourist visiting this country to read and understand
German?
Why does this remind me of Chennai or some other place
in Tamil Nadu where you would be expected to know Tamil and then step
into the state? Any Tamilian reading this...no offence meant. But I know
a few people who have quit their jobs only because of the language
barrier. One person even told me that she had to sit through the
technical meetings that would be held in Tamil. There was this funny
incident that happened to my friend Srivatsa. He finished his cricket
match (o BTW, he is on the Vijaya bank cricket team) in Chennai by
15:00Hrs and he had the return bus to Bangalore at 22:00 Hrs. So he
decided to walk around the city. He saw the poster "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le
Jaayenge" in one of the cinema halls and being a fan of Kajol he
happily bought the ticket and walked into the hall. The movie starts....
and what does he hear??? Kajol and Shah Rukh speaking in Tamil :).
Ridiculous isn't it?]
I had picked up the magazine so I thought I might as well take it along with me.
Vienna
airport or VIE - VIENNA AIRPORT is also known as Vienna International
Airport. I read on the net that the airport has been rated as one of the
most pathetic airports (may be in Europe????) People who have said such
nasty things should fly to Bangalore International airport once in
their life time. Only consolation was that the airport had very few
seats in lounges compared to Bangalore airport. Considering the number
of passengers changing their flights at this airport I guess we need to
be sympathetic towards the airport personnel at least. Not many of them
speak English. I was very unfortunate as my passport was verified by one
such person who probably didn't even understand that I was speaking in
English :). He looked at my passport looked at my face... and then
verified my passport and said something... I said "pardon"... "sorry"...
and craned my neck to look at what he was trying to do to my passport
:).... and he finally said something in German and stamped CLEARANCE for
entry :)... Yahoo...!!! another hurdle cleared.
Then I went off
to reclaim my baggage. The baggage reclaim area is totally unorganized.
There is no particular order like in Heathrow or at Stansted where you
can reclaim. I checked for the conveyor number that would have my
baggage and walked towards it... I waited ... and waited... and
waited.... Zzzzz.... oo where am I...??? O yes @ Vienna Airport... is my
baggage here yet? no?? not yet??? Ok...Zzzz.... is it here yet????
Looks like my baggage... the blue one... yes... definitely looks like
mine... :)... is it? Nope... Not mine :(.... o well... it has just been
20 minutes since I have been waiting for it... so I guess I can take a
short nap for another 10 minutes and then check... Zzzzzzzzz....
FINALLY... here it is... this is my baggage... is the baggage in one
piece? Yes it is? Has the lock been tampered with? nope! then it should
be fine...
Vienna... Here I come!!!!!
I looked for an
information counter and I saw one. There was a lady at the counter. I
greeted her and asked her for the directions to the hostel.
"
Hiya. This is the address of my hostel. [I hand her my hostel map]
I am here in Vienna for only one day. Tomorrow I am off to Salzburg. Can you please suggest me how to get round the city? I also have a student card. Do you have any discounts for students?" [I show her my Symbiosis student card]
The girl smiled and said "
Here
is your one way ticket to Westbahnhof. You have to take the airport bus
service that starts right in front of the airport. The ticket costs
6Euros. We do not have discount for students for hte airport service
bus. But you will get a discount on the travel card that you can use on
all the underground trains, buses, ferries and trams. It will cost you 5
Euros and the card is valid for 24 Hrs. This is the map of the the city
and the visitor attraction sights."
I paid her the money thanked her for the tickets and asked her
"
What
do you suggest I should be doing? Should I go to the hostel drop off my
luggage and then go round the city or should I first go round the city?"
She smiled and said "
your hostel is just 3 minutes from the Westbahnhof station. So I suggest that you first go to the hostel and then go sightseeing"
I said "
thanks a lot"
she smiled again and said "
have a pleasant stay in Vienna and if you need any other help I will be glad to assist you"
I said "
thanks. I have all the required information now. Thank you very much. I appreciate your help"and walked towards the Currency exchange bureau.
I
got my traveller's cheque encashed... PAID 3Euros as commission :( and
walked towards the airport transfer bus. The airport is 25Kms from the
city and it takes approximately 35 minutes to reach the westbahnhof
station. He he he... I had read all the information on the internet.
I
got on to the bus and exchanged my ticket voucher for the ticket and
comfortably settled in the last seat with my camcorder round my neck and
my book and pen to note down the details of all the interesting things
that I saw on the way to the hostel.
Ok... what do I see... mmm a
tree... another one... and some more of them... and
Looooooooooooooooooooots of 'em... ok... I'm no botanist... else I could
have written their botanical names... they look just like trees :)...
nothing intresting or amusing to note down... ok... next we turn round
the corner and we enter the city... and now what do I see??? Buildings
and more building... naaa...not interesting... o well.... forget it. I
put my book and my pen away and sat back doing nothing till I reached
the Westbahnhof station.
@ Westbahnhof stationThe
airport service bus dropped us off in front of the westbahnhof station.
I should have gone round the station and taken the road perpendicular
to the main station. Instead, I entered the station as I thought I
could look up the exit to in the station. London
underground stations display the street names that you enter taking a
particular exit. So off I went and was utterly confused. The railway
station has not been planned very well. The international trains arrive
on the same platforms as the national trains. The display boards are in
German. Well.. the alphabets are almost roman :) except for a few like ß
which is a double 'S' or ö which though is 'O' is pronounced with a
nasal stress. Martin taught me how to pronounce this :).
Then I
lost my way inside the station and took the stairs downwards, hoping to
see an information centre around. Finally after descending about 60 -
70 steps I saw that I was entering the underground station. That was
good news. Now all I had to do was find the exit to Robert
Hamerlinggasse street. I proceeded with confidence to find the exit.
Aiye!!! I saw an exit sign to 'Inner Hamerlinggasse'. Where the hell was
Robert Hamerlinggasse street??? I slowly walked around trying to locate
an information counter and could have almost shouted with joy when I
saw one hidden behind a flight of stairs. I entered the information room
and there were two men sitting at the desk.
[Should I talk to the
one on the right or the one on the left. The one on the right doesn't
look like he can speak English, let me talk to the one on the left.]
I walked up to the man and said
"
Hello. I am looking for "Hostel Ruthensteiner". This is the address. Could you please help me find it?"
The man didn't even bother to look at the address he just said
"
o Hostel Ruthensteiner. It is on Hamerlinggasse. You go straight down there and take the first exit to the left"
I said "
Thank you very much. Did you say it was the first exit to the left?" He said "Yes"
I continued "
Is it very far from here?" the man said "
Just 2 -3 min walk from the station madam"
I was off again smiling. I finally took the right exit.
I noticed all the streets had their names ending with 'Straße' and I guessed that Straße meant Street.
Stansted airport & flight to Austria
Stansted airportI went to the waiting lounge to
wait for the electronic display to announced the boarding. It was
pathetic. There were only few chairs in the lounge and they were already
occupied by the passengers who had arrived there the previous night to
catch the EARLY morning flight. So I decided to walk around the airport
and picked up the Stansted airport guide to make myself familiar with
the airport plan. What if I had to plan another 9/11 attack here :)???? I
know how to use the AK 47 and trying it here wouldn't be a bad idea :)
isn't it?!
Aa well... it took me just about a couple of minutes
to read the entire booklet and then I was restless again. What do I do
to kill the time? I walked into "Boots" to compare the prices of the
articles they sell in the airport shop and elsewhere in London.
I
found the prices were pretty much the same. Not much of a difference?
How uninteresting! Wish they had sold it at different prices and I would
have found something to kill the time. I was soon tired of checking the
prices and just when I decided to walk out ... I noticed that they sold
sports socks at 3£ for a pair and TESCO sells it at 3£ for 3 pairs!!!
Yippee!!! Something was expensive after all at the airport.
I
then walked back to the waiting lounge and found a seat unoccupied. I
walked fast, lest someone else occupied it. Where were all those people
who seemed to be here just a few minutes ago? What had happened to
everyone? Where had they all gone? I sat on the chair for a few minutes
and was restless again.... I decided to check the boarding announcement
again... and to my horror it read
Flight no: HG8553
Destination: VIENNA
boarding now open!!!No
wonder I didn't see many people around. I ran towards the A49 gate to
take the airport transit train service. There were just about 1000
people queued up ahead of me waiting to board their flights.... Oh
Flippin heck!!! [Mark's favourite phrase :)....] How do I get past all
these people?
To my good fortune, they opened another door and
instructed us to proceed through that door.... he he he... this was
good... I could sense few people gritting their teeth who had been
waiting in the other queue for a long time :)... and just a couple of
people like me who had arrived late were permitted to walk right
through! This was unfair. Wasn't it?! :) Who cares? I got into the next
lounge and I was happy.
The security cleared me and asked to
proceed to the train. I stepped on the escalator and I heard the ever so
famous line in London "
Please mind the closing door". I
thought to myself "oh! There goes my train. When will the next one be?" I
reached the bottom of the escalator and was glad to find that I was the
only person waiting at the door for the next train to arrive :). The
display read
"
The next train is within 2 minutes"
I
waited for another minute and then I heard the train slowing chugging
in. I was now smiling and telling myself "hey look at all those people
rushing towards the door for the first carriage, while there are just a
handfull of people waiting at the entrance for the second and the third
car :). ahoy! Look... it is just me here ... and just another few people
waiting at the entrance for the third car...
then I just looked up at the display right above the door and it read :(
Attention please. The next train has only one carriage and all passengers are requested to proceed to gate one to board it.No
wonder everyone was flocking towards the single gate. I too proceeded
to gate one. I was probably the last person to board :(. But I go on
alright and that is what mattered at the moment. The train chugged
towards the boarding gates. I could hear the announcement
"
Please hold tight. This train is now approaching the terminal."
When
I heard it for the first time I was expecting the train to go through a
dangerously curved track or something... :) but it was almost
travelling in a straight path and sometimes Dooooooooooooooooooooooooown
and then sometimes up...
I got off at the boarding gate and
proceeded to the next waiting lounge. I saw a young couple with two kids
- a boy and a girl. The husband was particularly very handsome :) and
he was feeding his daughter. I find it so amusing that Dads in Britain
take care of their children more than the moms. You see the dads holding
their child or pushing the baby cart while shopping or walking with
them in a park. You see them feeding the child in a restaurant. You seem
them explaining a science concept in a museum. You seem them dropping
off their child at school. I recommend that every Indian Dad be sent to
UK for a few days to learn and take up more responsibilities. Not that
all Indian Dads shun away from their responsibilities, just that a few
do and also most of them just hand the baby to the mother if it starts
crying or when it is time to feed or change.
There was a
commotion at the checkin counter and I saw an "easyjet" attendant
running towards the huge window signalling frantically with her hands
what appeared to me like... "NO... DON'T"... as she was waving her arm
wildly and at the same time blabbering something on the walkie
talkie....
I saw another young man running behind her and shouting "
that is not her fault. You can't do this to her".
I looked out of the window and saw that two people - a man and a woman
were disembarking from the plane and walking back towards the waiting
lounge. I also saw the luggage trolley being manoeuvred towards the
flight probably for getting the luggage off the flight. I'm sure in
India this would have drawn a lot of attention. But none of the
passengers there seemed to be bothered or they were too good at
suppressing their curiosity. I saw a few more people getting off the
flight and walking back. May be they didn't have the right papers.
Someone too curious asked the girl as to why she had to get off the
flight and she replied "
you wouldn't want to know it" and walked off.
Then I saw the screen above me displaying "
HG8553 passengers please proceed towards boarding" So I walked up to the counter and then began the series of questions again.
The person at the counter asked me
"
So... are you an Indian citizen?"
[You moron. If you have my passport in your hand and it says "Republic of India" do you expect me to be a citizen of Guatemala?]
I replied "
yes I am"
"
Do you have a valid visa to enter Austria"
[Nope.I'm
on a secret mission and I don't want the intelligence agency to know
where I am. So I intend to fly without a valid visa and just hope that
the immigration people don't notice me.
Can't you see there is a VISA in my passport that reads "Schengen VISA"?]
I opened the page that had the visa stuck on it.
He called another person and said
"
She has this visa. Is it valid in Austria?"
[Unbelievable!
It was issued by by the Austrian embassy. What do you expect? That it
is not valid to enter Austria with? You got to be kiddin me!]
The other man read aloud "
Schengen Visa?" and added "
O
yes. This is valid. Sorry mam it is our duty to cross verify. Sorry for
the inconvenience caused. You may now proceed for the boarding"
I smiled and replied..."
thats ok. You were just doing your job." and then boarded the flight.
The cabin crew greeted me with "
Hallo. guten Morgen. wie Sie heute sind?"
It translates to "
Hello. Good morning. How are you today?"
[YEAH!!! Like you care]
I replied "
good morning. Fine thank you!"
Finally I was on my way to Vienna.
The flightBritish
Airways would have charged me 187£ to fly to Vienna whereas Airberlin
-- NIKI charged me only 98£. Robin had told me that no food would be
served on board a cheap flight. I would probably have to buy some. But
the journey was only 2 hrs. So I didn't really mind. I could always eat
something on landing at Vienna.
I had requested for a window
seat and was hoping to take a few pictures. I was all set to take some
pictures and then I noticed that it wasn't really worth taking any
pictures. The landscape is not very beautiful around Stansted.
There
were no individual television monitors either:(. There were a few
hanging:) around and we had to just watch them. Headphone cost 1.5
Euros. So no music either :(. Not that 1.5 Euros was very expensive to
buy head phones on flight but they only had a few English and German
stations playing.
Next was the safety announcement. Can you
believe that the safety announcements were made in German? So people who
don't understand German will not be briefed with the safety procedures
on flight? Yeah you could make out what they were saying as you could
actually see them showing where to find your
shwimmer suite(he he he another word that I learnt while I was there) another phrase I learnt was "
unter Ihrem Sitz" which means "
under your seat"... doesn't take a genius to deduce that isn't it :)?
I
was settled comfortably in my seat looking out of the window. I turned
my head and saw a German woman (with prominent masculine facial
features) scowling at me.... probably wondering "
where is she from? Why is she going to MY country?" or something on similar lines :). The young couple I had seen at the airport was seated in front of me with their kids.
I
watched Mr Bean. O BTW, did you guys know that Rowan Atkinson is a
graduate from Oxford University? I couldn't believe it either when I
heard that at Oxford. He looks too dumb to be a graduate from that
prestigious institute :). I watched Donald Duck as well... and a little
bit of some serial whose concept was on the similar lines of "Candid
camera".
Then they served us breakfast."ooo wow!! So I don't
have to bother about finding food on landing at Vienna." I was served a
sandwich that contained carrot pieces and something that tasted awful
like grass. yuck! not that I have tasted grass :) but I'm sure that is
how bad it would taste. That was the best food I could get as that was
the only vegetarian food they served on flight :(.
Traveling to Stansted
Traveling to StanstedI had just returned from
Switzerland 4 days ago and I wasn't too keen on hopping on to a plane
again :(. I guess I was only feeling lethargic as I had to board the
flight from Stansted and not Heathrow. Heathrow airport is just 40
minutes from our house and there are frequent direct buses connecting
this airport. Going to Stanstead, Gatwick or Luton airport takes more
time than you would actually be sitting in the aircraft :).
I had
to take the 03:23 night bus from the Northwick park hospital stop and
then arrive at Wembley central to take the connecting bus to Golders
Green. The display board at the Northwick park hospital indicated that
it would take 9 minutes during the off peak hours to reach Wembley
central. I have ridden on this particular route a number of different
occasions and it takes ages to just travel 4miles. I was also not very
sure how reliable the night service buses in London would be. I had two
options, either I take this bus or I take the 4:25 Silver link train
from the Harrow Weald Stone station. Harrow Weald stone station is about
25 min walk from home and Northwick park hospital stop is just 12
min.... so I decided to take the bus and if the bus didn't reach the
stop on time, then I could always go back to the Harrow & wealdstone
station and take the train. I was really amazed when the 03:23 bus
arrived at the stop by 3:24. I hopped on to this bus and reached Wembly
central station @ 03:34. The connecting bus to Golders green coach
station was at 03:54. I could wait at the bus stop and if couldn't get
the bus I could always go to the Wembly Central train station and take
the Silver link metro train that would be leaving from Harrow &
Wealdstone @ 4:25 and arriving at the Wembly central station by 4:30.
I
didn't have to wait for long; the Golders green bus reached the stop at
3:52 as indicated on the scheduled departure times at the bus stop. I
hopped on to the bus and surprisingly found about 15 - 20 people
travelling to Golders green at that wee hour. Like Robin says "This city
never sleeps" :). I reached the Coach station at 4:40. There are 3
buses leaving every 20 mins from this station towards Stansted. I had
checked on the internet and there was one leaving at 4:42. Two people on
the same bus that I had taken to Golders green were also travelling to
Stansted. So I found company again while waiting for the bus :). The
ticket counter at the station was closed :(.
uh oh! What do I do
now? Aaa yes! I see a self ticket service counter. But wait, do I have
the exact change to buy the ticket? This dumb machine does not spit out
the excess money that I might pay and I have to feed it only coins?!
aiye!!!!!!!! I don't have 8£ in coins. What do I do now?
O well!
Here comes the bus. Why do these buses have to be on time ALWAYS! The
schedule says 4:42 as the departure time, but... why the heck does it
have to be here @ 4:42? Couldn't it arrive a minute or two late? I don't
have the time to even fumble in my purse for the change. Never mind!
I
walked up to the driver who had hopped off the bus to open the luggage
storage cabin for us to shove our luggage in and was greeting all the
new customers with "good morning"
I said "good Morning!!! can I buy the ticket on board?"
he smiled and said "yes. Provided you have 8£ change. I don't have change to refund if you pay in excess".
O
heck! I do remember I have a 10£ note in my purse.... I can't do
anything now but to pay him 10£ and hope that he can get me the change
at the Stansted airport. So I reached to get the 10£ note and
aiye...!!!! There was a 5£ note snoozing in a corner :)... and also I
could feel some change in the other compartment :)... ooo boy! Do I feel
lucky?! I counted 8£ and with a smile placed it on the driver's
outstretched palm.
He said "Thank you very much madam. I needed the change to refund the other customers who have paid me in excess".... :):):) .
Hurrah!!! I was on my way to Stansted without any hitches so far.
I
arrived at the station @ 5:30. The bus dropped us off right in front of
the airport departure entrance. I walked in and saw the electronic
display board to check for the AirBerlin NIKI flight "HG8553" that I had
to take to Vienna. aaah... there it was .... what counter does it say?
mmm 15... where the hell is 15? To my right or to my left. I can see all
the other counters except for 15... o yeah... I see it.... it is to my
right... ok.... off I go then.... lugging my cabin baggage and my
backpack.... aiye! 20 -30 people already waiting @ 5:30 for their
boarding cards for a flight that is scheduled to take off at 6:40? No
problem... I have my ticket confirmed so I don't have to worry. I then
joined the queue and to my HORROR realised that there was just one
person waiting in line to get 15 boarding cards..... booooooooo
hooooooooooo.... that takes the count to 45.... guess... it isn't my
lucky day after all...
then I see this lady walking towards me and she asked... "
are you on the flight to Vienna.... ?"
I said "
Yes"...
so she said... "
Ok... you can join the other queue over there this is group check in..."
he
he he.... the other queue? with just 2 people? Then it IS my lucky day
after all :):):):).... so I join the other queue and the lady at the
counter says
"
next please"
and it was ME :).... I walk up to her and she gives me this weird look and calls up someone on phone and says "
I've got a passenger travelling to Vienna with an Indian Passport. What am I supposed to do now?" I don't know what the person at the other end told her but she hung up the phone and asked me "
are you travelling to Austria?"
[I thought..."
Yeah
lady. If you know your geography well... then you should be knowing
that Vienna is the capital of Austria. If my e-ticket says that I'm
travelling to Vienna then that means I'm travelling to Austria". I guess Sherlock Holmes would have said "
Elementary my dear [whatever her name was. I don't remember it]
Elementary"]
How could I forget my etiquettes... ??? So I smiled and replied "
yes. I am travelling to Vienna".
She then beckoned the other woman and said "
I
have this lady with an Indian passport and she has her ticket to Vienna
confirmed. What should I do? Should I hand over the ticket?"
[Ladies.... I'm just a HARMLESS person travelling to Vienna for a weekend. I'm no terrorist. ]
Then the other lady looks at me and says "
Do you have the VISA to travel?"
[Aaaaaa now I get it... you dumb people don't even know where to look for the visa.... ]
I said... "
yeah sure. It is right here" and I flick the page open for her...
she looks bewildered and says "
when are you returning to London?"...
[here we go again.... will these series of questions ever end?!]
I said ... "
On Monday morning. Two days from now"
She said "
Do you know your VISA expires on the 30th?"
[Yeah.
I know. It is only 25th today and if I'm returning the day after and
day after is 27th. So how should it matter if my VISA expires on 30th?
Woman.... you need to learn the fundamentals ....]
I smile again and say "
yes. I know my VISA expires on 30th."
She then tells the other woman "
Issue her the ticket and the boarding card."
Phew!
Finally. I see my ticket and boarding card, checked in my cabin
baggage.... as it weighed 2 Kilos in excess of what is allowed on the
flight... and just before the lady handed my boarding card... she
started here routine questions again...
Did you pack your bags yourself?
Yes.
[Mom
is in India. She can't pack. Sis is probably in Office or in IIMB or
someplace doing everything other than sleeping... so she can't pack
either. Dad? He never packs his own suitcase. How will he pack mine?
Grandma? Na.... She only packs my lunch box not my suitcase.]Did someone give you something to take it along with you?
[Wait...
lemme see... The queen offered me her crown. I didn't take it coz it
was very heavy. Prince Charles said I could take some petty cash of few
thousands of pounds. But for once I wanted to live a simple life for a
weekend and so I didn't take that either. Camilla offered me her royal
jewels... but none of them were to my liking... so I didn't take them
either.... Harry is busy training to be a soldier... so he couldn't meet
me before I left.... William is not very friendly so I didn't meet
him....so that means... I don't have anything with me that doesn't
belong to me]
I replied... "No. Nobody gave me anything to take with me" Are you carrying any sharp instruments with you?
[mmmmm
I don't use knife anymore... I use AK 47 instead. It is much more
efficient and easy to use. I also have learnt to use a couple of more
weapons but I don't want to count right now... :) as that would
discourage me from learning to use more harmful weapons.... ]
I replied "No. I am not carrying any sharp instruments with me" She then stood up
[lady
... you don't have to show your respect for me by getting up from your
seat! I know you want to bow to me... :)... but that is alright...
Please take your seat]
and pointed at the gate number,seat number and the boarding time and said "
this is the boarding gate, this is your seat number and this is the boarding time."
[Oh
really? What would I have done if you hadn't pointed it to me? Dear me!
I would be lost in this airport and may be going round or square or
rectangle if you hadn't ENLIGHTENED me. Thank you so much. I can never
thank you enough for this.....
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.... Lady for
heaven's sake... I am neither illiterate nor blind....I know to read my
boarding card. I don't need you to explain to me.... this is not the
first time I'm taking a flight. Relax!!!]
I smiled and said "
thank you very much."
collected my boarding card and passport and walked towards the display
board again to check for the other flights that might be taking off at
the same time....
More to follow....
1 comment:
Rhinoceros Unicornis
Name:
Rhinoceros UnicornisDerived from Rhis (Greek) Genitive Rhinos , the nose
Keras (Greek) horn of an animal
Unus (Latin) One
Cornus (Latin) genitive Cornus, the horn of an animal
Body Length: 11.7 ft
Shoulder Height: 6 ft
Tail Length: 70cm
Weight: 1.7 - 2.2 tons
Diet: Herbivorous
Social Structure: Solitary. A mother will be accompanied by her calf for several years.
Distribution Range: Grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Conservation status:
Endangered
The
Great Indian Rhinoceros is one of the largest rhinoceroses. Unlike
other Rhinoceroses it has only one horn made of keratin, the same
substance our fingernails are made of. They have excellent hearing and
smell but poor eyesight. They can run at 35 miles per hour for a short
time. They are excellent swimmers and they spend most of the time
wallowing in water and mud to protect their skin.
The
skin is slight gray in color and has many folds and bumps giving it a
heavily armored appearance. The interior of the folds is slightly pink,
but, due to the mud wallowing, the coloration varies with the region's
soil color. During fights, their folds of skin help protect sensitive
areas. There is little hair on the hide except on the edges of the ears,
eyelashes and the tuft of the tail. The lone horn on the nose is
usually short and dull worn down by the use.
The
Great Indian Rhinoceros is active throughout the day, although the
middle of the day is spent wallowing in lakes, pools, puddles, ponds,
rivers and resting in the shade. This activity is important for
thermoregulation and the control of flies.
Badak ApiThere
are quite a few legends about Rhinoceros stamping out fire. They seem
to have been common in Malaysia and Burma. Such Rhinoceros had special
name "Badak Api" meaning "Rahinoceros fire". The animal would come out
whenever there was a fire in the forest and stamp it out. No sightings
have been reported in the recent history.
1 comment:
Mithun/ gayals/ Sia
Name: Mithun
Height: 5 feet at shoulder
Diet: Browse forest leaves, young plants
Distribution Range: Himalayan foothills of south / southeast Asia.
Characteristics:
Prominent dorsal ridge on the crest of the shoulder, flat forehead, big
hors with large base. Mostly brownish black and piebald. Most animals
have white stockings :)
The name
"Mithun" probably came from Assamese dialect. They are known as "Gayals"
in India. Chin people (one of the Zo ethnic groups living inn Western
Burma) call these animals "Sia".
Mithuns are smaller versions of
domesticated Gaurs. Mithuns and Gaurs are related to other great Asian
Bovines: banteng of Indonesia and kouprey of Cambodia. They are
extremely docile. The Chins use the expression "as gentle as a mithun".
The milk of Mithuns is rich in butterfat content. They were
traditionally the ultimate sacrificial animal. They have been used by
the Chins for barter.
Indian Wild Boars
Name: Indian Wild Boar
Height: 90Cms
Weight: 100 - 225Kgs
Diet: almost anything: nuts, berries, carrion, roots, tubers, refuse, insects, small reptiles, young deer and lambs.
Distribution Range:Asia Minor peninsula, India and Far-East
Wild
boars are the wild ancestors of the domestic pig. They live in groups
called sounders consisting of 20 - 50 animals. Adults are part of the
sounders only during autumn breeding season. The boars are nocturnal.
They have thick, short bristly coats ranging from grey to black.
Wild Boar in Hindu MythologyWind or storm God Rudra rides a wild boar.
In
the Vedic literature Varaha was related to two different myths: the
boar myth, in which the boar served as the sacrificial animal (yagna)
and the cosmogonic myth. In this myth Varaha is not yet associated with
Vishnu but with the Vedic god of creation: Prajapathi. It was Prajapathi
who 'saw' the earth in the primordial waters while he moved in them as
the wind. With his tusks, he took the form of Varaha in order to lift
the earth from the waters, establishing a primary creation.
Later,
in epic-puranic literature, Brahma takes over the creator function from
Prajapati; so it is Brahma who takes the form of Varaha in order to
lift the earth again from the waters, or as it is sometimes expressed:
from the nether world (patala), where it had sunk after the earth's
destruction by fire and deluge at the end of that certain world period
(kalpa). Hence, Varaha's act of lifting the earth is no longer a primary
creation, but has become a 'secondary' creation, a periodical act of
renewal serving to establish the world anew, again and again.
The
Brahma character of the myth, however, will change under the influence
of expanding visnuism: Varaha is seen as a creator form of Visnu.
Besides, some late-epic and puranic texts show an innovation in the
cosmogonic myth: now Varaha has not only re-established the earth but
also killed the demon king Hiranyaksa who lived in the nether world and
had conquered the gods.
2 comments:
Meerschweinchen -- "Little Sea Pigs"
Misnomer: Guinea pigs
Length: 25 - 40 cm
Weight: 0.5 - 1.5 Kg
Life span: 4 - 8 years
Diet: grass, fresh raw fruits and vegetables
Breeding: Gestation lasts from 63 - 72 days.
Pups
are well developed, including fur, teeth, claws and full eyesight when
they are born. Males may demonstrate courtship behavior in the second or
third week after birth. Unlike other rodents of the similar kind, they
mate for life in the same pair bond.
Origin of term "Guinea Pig"Guinea
pigs are neither pigs nor do they come from Guinea. Some think that
some of the sounds these vocal animals make remind them of pigs. They
are also built like a pig with a large head relative to the body, a
stout neck, and round rump with no tail and they spend large amount of
time eating.
They were first domesticated in 2000BC for food by
the mountain tribes in the Andean region of S.America. Dutch and English
traders brought the Guinea pigs to Europe where they became popular as
exotic pets.
The term "guinea" in guinea pig is even more
difficult to explain. One theory suggests that the animals were brought
to Europe via Guinea and hence the term Guinea. Another theory suggests
that the term is a corruption of "Guiana", an area in S.America. Common
misconception is that they were sold as a closest thing to pig one could
get for a guinea (Old British coin whose value was 21 shillings)
1 comment:
Indian Porcupines
Name: Indian Porcupine
Weight: 11 - 18Kg
Length:
Head and body measure 70 -90 cms in length. Tail is additional 8 -10
cm. The hair is modified to form multiple layers of spines. Each quill
is brown or black in colour with alternating bands of white. Quills near
the neck and shoulder are the longest measuring 15 - 30 cm.
When
irritated or alarmed, the Indian porcupine raises its quills and
rattles the hollow spines on its tails. If the disturbance continues, it
launches a backward attack and clashes its rear against the offending
animal. This drives the spines deep into the enemy and often leads to
sever injury or death. Quite often the quills are dislodged and remain
in the victim.
Diet: Vegetables, fruits, grains and roots. They also chew on bones for minerals (calcium) that help their spines grow.
Reproduction:
Gestation lasts for 240 days. The young are born with their eyes open
and they have short soft quills. Brood size is 2-4. Indian Porcupines
are monogamous with both parents being found in the burrow with their
offsprings throughout the year.
2 comments:
Civet Cat
Name: Civet cat
Length: 76 Cms (excluding the 42Cm tail)
Weight: 11Kgs
Distribution Range: S-E Asia, Southern Europe and Africa
Diet:Carnivorous
Civets
are not true cats. They have a weasel-like face, cat-like body and long
tails. Their fur may be grey or brown and they are marked in various
patterns. They have scent producing lands that produce yellow secretion
having a distinctive musky odour. Commercially they are used as a
perfume fixative.
The civet in the picture is a common palm
civet. This is also known as Toddy cat because of its habit of climbing
the palm trees to drink the toddy that flows into jars hung by toddy
collectors. It is generally balck, blackish or brownish grey. The long
hairs of the coat is dark throughout. These dark areas with a contrast
of paler surrounding hairs suggest a pattern of black stripes on the
head. These animals are arboreal and they rest in the day on the
branches of trees or curled up in hole in the trunks. They feed on small
animals, birds and insects.
Legends from AndamanThe
Aka-Kol and the A-Pucikwar tribes had legends that made the monitor
lizard into the creator of mankind. The lizard was said to have climbed
up a tree one day and found the civet cat stuck up there. After helping
her down, the two got married and their off-spring were the human
ancestors.
In a legend from Akar-Bale tribe, the fire was saved
from the flood by a monitor lizard and the civet cat. When the monitor
lizard found that he could not carry the fire up the tree, his wife
civet cat took it from him and carried it to the top of the hill where
she kept it safe until the rain and flood stopped.
v
Pangolin
Pangolin derived from the Malayan meaning "rolling over", refers to the animal's habit of curling into a ball when threatened.
A Chinese legendAccording
to a Chinese legend, two ogres were jailed in the Calabash mountains.
One of the ogres had a scorpion spirit and the other a snake spirit. One
day a pangolin drills a hole on the slope and and the two spirits
escape from the cave and cause havoc. The pangolin hurries to an old man
and says that by growing calabashes in 7 colours they can annihilate
the devil spirits. The old man grows red, orange, yellow, green, cyan,
blue and purple calabashes. The spirits find out about this with the
help of a fortune teller mirror. They try to destroy the calabashes but
fail. They seize the old man and the pangolin and take them away.
The
calabashes ripen and fall to the ground. They turn in to boys with
different coloured suits. The boys fight the evil spirits, defeat them
and save the old man and the pangolin.
DescriptionPangolin
has a long tail, sticky tongue, conical head and short powerful limbs.
The body is covered with large, flat, imbricated horny scales. The leaf
shaped plates re made of keratin, the same material that makes up our
hair and fingernails. This mammal is found in the the tropical forests
of Asia and Africa. Some pangolins live in trees but most of them are
ground dwellers. Most species sleep during the day and feed at night.
They dig the termite mounds with their strong legs.
Self
defence: They roll into and impenetrable ball when threatened. They have
razor sharp scales that they lash out. They have scent glands similar
to skunk which they can use to spray enemies. They can run at a speed of
KMPH.
Hanuman Langurs
The
legend of the sacred monkey traces back to more than 20 centuries.
Hanuman leaped to Srilanka to rescue his master's abducted queen and set
the palace on fire with his tail. This fabled deity is still worshipped
by the Hindus for his heroic deeds.
Scientically these monkeys are known as
Semnopithecus entellus and they are commonly known as
Hanuman Langurs. The name '
langur' is derived from the Sanskrit term '
Langulin' which means 'having a long tail'. These long tails (upto 3 feet or more) help them balance on high branches.
These
langurs are able to survive in a diverse range of environments, from
the brutal hot sands of the Thar desert to the snow capped Himalayas.
Sara Hrdy, an anthropologist at the University of California - Davis
explains that "they can live on anything, even strychnine". Like all
leaf-eating (colobines) monkeys, Hanuman monkeys have "sacculated"
stomachs that can break down plant materials like mature leaves, unripe
fruit, seeds and bark. Their stomach has anaerobic bacteria colonies
that digest cellulose. They can even survive on poisonous "Lantana
camara" that are even kill a horse. In the evergreen forest of Ramnagar,
they survive on fruits and young leaves during monsoon. They also feed
on protein rich caterpillars. During winter, they survive on flowers and
dry fruits of a large climbing liana. During spring they eat any plant
that they can find.
Social Pecking Order
The
langurs spend most of their time on the trees to escape from predators
like tigers, wolves, wild dogs, hyenas, leopards and pythons. The
highest ranking male sits at the top of the tree. The females with
babies sit below the male followed by the younger females. The riskiest
posts at the base of the tree are usually occupied by the adoloscent
males. Sub-adult males are eventually kicked out of a troop to avoid
inbreeding. They then join other troops to form a group of bachelor
males. The females stick together in a single territory for their entire
lives, while the males time in the troop is short-lived.
The
bachelors roam around testing the males with harems. When they see a
weakness they attempt to takeover. The bachelors rush into the troop
whopping and the
alpha male responds to the call and combats.
The war ends when the bachelors retreat or drive off the alpha male and
seize the command of the troop. The strongest member of the bachelor
group evicts his fellow comrades and gains full control of the troop.
Sometimes the succeeding male snatches the unweaned infants from their
mothers and sinks his canines into their skulls. Such infanticide was
first documented in 1960s by the Japanese scientists doing their
research in India.
Sara Hrdy explains that the infanticidal males
cancel the female's last 'choice' and forces her to choose him instead.
The mother becomes fertile sooner if she stops nursing and increases
the new male's chances of breeding with her. This is linked to Darwin's
theory of sexual selection which states that males will compete for the
fertile females with the females choosing the best male.
The
females will stick together and fight the males trying to snatch the
infants. A female will support her sister, cousin, aunt expecting that
they will support her in times of need. The females seem to be evolving
new strategies. They have noticed that a male is hesitant to kill his
own offspring. The females take advantage of this behaviour and so mate
with a variety of males outside the troop besides the alpha male.
Royal Bengal Tigers
Name: Royal Bengal Tiger
Body Length: 140 - 280 Cm.
Weight: 200 - 300 Kg (males)
130 - 170 Kg (females)
Diet: Pure Carnivores
Distribution Range: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma
Conservation status:
EndangeredRoyal
Bengal tigers are the descendants of a marten-like animal called the
miacidae that evolved during the late cretaceous period. In the past
century, the world has already lost 3 out of 8 tiger subspecies. The
Bali(last tiger probably died in the 1940s), Caspian (extinct in 1970s)
and the Javan tigers(1980s saw the last of the 20 pound animal that
could take down a 2000 pound bull) have all become extinct and now the
South China tiger faces the same fate.The stripe
patterns of the largest Asian cat differ from one individual to the
other and from one side of the body to the other. They are like
fingerprints with no two patterns alike.It is reported that the tigers can cover up to 10mts in a horizontal leap.Camera
traps have snapped photos of a wild tiger in the himalayas at a
surprising elevation of 13,000ft. This offers new possibilities for
tiger habitat.Tigers in Indian Mythology
Young
prince Mahasattva was walking over the hills with his brothers when he
saw a tigress with her two cubs. The tiger was a little more than a
skeleton and she was about to eat the young cub to satisfy her hunger.
Wanting to save the cubs, Mahasattva threw himself in front of the
tigress and waited for her to eat him. The tigress was so weak that she
couldn't even bite. Mahasattva pricked himself with a sharp thorn and
drew some blood. The tigress licked the blood and gained enough strength
to devour the prince. The young prince was none other than Buddha.
It is believed that in many parts of North India the Tiger God was worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims.
Tigers in NandanKanan
A
wild tigress (probably the last in the forest surrounding the park)
jumped a moat into a newly constructed tiger enclosure to mate with its
sole occupant. She was fondly known as 'Kanan' and she lived here for 11
years and died in 1978 due to natural causes.
Causes for White TigersA
white tiger can only be born to parents when both of them carry the
unusual gene for white colouring. The double recessive allele in the
genetic code turns up naturally once in every 10,000 births. For
unexplained reasons, the white colour occurs in Bengal subspecies.
Reports
of White Amur tigers are incorrect. These are Bengals that have been
hybridised with the Amur subspecies at some point in time.
The State Forestry Department brought Shubra from Delhi in 1979. She
was a white tigress and had a serene temperment. She produced six
litters. Nandankanan has bred and produced more than 400 tigers in the
last 20 years, half of which were pure white.
On 8th Jan 1980, India first recorded white tiger cubs born to regular tawny parents at Nandankanan Zoological Park.
Old age home for the Royal cats
West
Bengal's first tiger rescue center is all set to come up at Jharkhali
and the royal cats of Sundarban that are unable to catch their prey in
old age can now
Pages from the History of Royal families
Royal Bengal White tigers in captivityThe earliest record of a white tiger captured was in 1820 at Exeter Change.
In
December 1915, Maharaja Gulab Singh of Rewa caught a 2 1/2 year old
white cub. He kept the tiger in captivity for five years and then gifted
it to King George V as a sign of loyalty to the crown. Till date, white
tigers are kept at the Maharaja's summer palace at Govindgarh.
Freedom EludedMaharaja
Shri Marthanda Singh was hunting in the jungles of Bandhavagarh
(Central India) in May 1951. He received a report that a tigress had
been spotted with her 4 cubs and one of them was white.
The next
day a search party with beating drums, cans, firing shots, trumpets and
blasts was organised to find the tigress. Unaware of the threat the
tigress approached them when the maharaja was seated with his guests.
She and her two cubs were shot. Luckily the white cub escaped.
There
was no sight of the white cub the next morning, but pug marks were
sighted near the kill made by the mother. The cub after feeding had
hidden in the rock crevice. A local carpenter made a drop-cage and
placed it near the exit of the crevice. They used water to lure the
helpless cub out of the crevice. Several hours later the cub came out to
drink water and was captured. He was returned to the Maharaja's 150
roomed palace. He was kept in a large open courtyard.
Only 3 days
after the capture the cub managed to escape again. A long hunt was
organised. The search party used a net to capture the cub that only
resulted in mauling. When the cub again attempted to attack, he was
clubbed hard on his head and he lay unconscious. The search party men
tied his legs, caged him and carried him back to the palace. The cub was
reintroduced to a repaired courtyard where he lived for the next 19
years and 7 months. He grew up to be the famed Mohan.
Mohan was
bred to a wild-caught orange tigress Begum. Her three litters contained
only the normal coloured cubs. She was sold to the Ahmedabad zoo. Mohan
was then bred to Radha his daughter (Thats right. Bred with his
daughter!!! shocked? Wait till you read the next section on "Ancient
Egyptian History") from the second litter. This resulted in four white
cubs Raja, Rani, Sukeshi and Mohini. Radha then went on to give birth to
13 white and 9 orange tigers.
Mohan's children Raja and Rani
were gifted to National Zoological Garden in Delhi. They were bred to
produce 20 cubs all of which were white.
Mohan and Begum's fourth
generation offspring Badal was bred with Seema at Kanpur Zoo on 29th
August 1979. But this was not successful. She was then bred with Sheru a
notorious man-eater from Corbet National Park. She delivered Sanjeev,
Uttam and Johar of which Johar was white. Contrary to the accepted
Mendelian's hereditary principles of Genetics, white offspring had been
produced though the father (Sheru) and mother Seema were normal coloured
homozygous.
Ancient Egyptian HistoryIt
was a common practice in ancient Egypt for the queens to marry their
brothers. There was a complex interrelationship between husband-wife,
brother-sister etc. As a result, rulers in Egypt were generally
succedeed by the individuals that they designated as heirs.
Heirs
were almost always sons of Pharoh and his "Great wife", his most
favoured wife and usually the first he married. This selected son of the
Pharoh and his Great wife was typically designated as the heir via
marriage to the "First Daughter", Pharoh's most royal female child, the
eldest eligible daughter of his most favourite "Minor Wife". Thus many
queens married their half-brothers. Cleopatra and Hatshepsut married
their half brothers.
Cleopatra
VII's (popularly known as Cleopatra) father was exiled following a
rebellion and her older sister took the throne. Her father reclaimed the
throne on his return and Cleopatra's sister was put to death. Her
sister Cleopatra VI mysteriously died around the same time. About 4
years later her father died and as the oldest child in her family
Cleopatra took control of the throne at the young age of 17. In keeping
with the ancient Egyptian tradition Cleopatra married her brother
Ptolemy III who was 12 years old.
Thotmose Royal FamilyAmen
Hotep-I's daughter Ahmose married her half brother Thotmose-I. He was
the son of Seseneb. Some historians argue that he was not Amen Hotep's
son but a general in the army. All sons of Thotmose-I and Ahmose died
young. At his death only his daughter Hatshpsut was alive. Thotmose-I
had a son from his own daughter "Mut Nefert". Hatshepsut married this
illegitimate prince who later came to be known as Thotmose-II and
ascended the throne.
Thotmose-II had a secondary wife Isis.
Hatshepsut bore Thotmose-II only two daughters Nefru-Ra and
Merit-Ra-Hatshepsut. Nefru-Ra married her half brother (son of Isis and
Thotmose-II) and the prince ascended the throne with the title
Thotmose-III.
The Bare (Bear) Necessities
Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life
Wherever I wander, wherever I roam
I couldn't be fonder of my big home
The bees are buzzin' in the tree
To make some honey just for me
When you look under the rocks and plants
And take a glance at the fancy ants
Then maybe try a few
The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!
Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
That's why a bear can rest at ease
With just the bare necessities of life
Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear
And you prick a raw paw
Next time beware
Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw
When you pick a pear
Try to use the claw
But you don't need to use the claw
When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw
Have I given you a clue ?
The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!
So just try and relax, yeah cool it
Fall apart in my backyard
'Cause let me tell you something little britches
If you act like that bee acts, uh uh
You're working too hard
And don't spend your time lookin' around
For something you want that can't be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinkin' about it
I'll tell you something true
The bare necessities of life will come to you
Name:
Sloth BearHeight: 140 - 190 cm
Weight: 80-140Kg(males)
55-95Kg(Females)
Life Span: 20 - 25 Years
Diet: Omnivorous
Distribution Range: Sri Lanka, Inda, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh
Conservation Status:
VulnerableSloth
bears are stocky with long, shaggy, black hair and a while U or Y
shaped marking on their chest. They have large lips, long tongue, pale
muzzle and a well developed hook-like claws that enable them to climb
trees and dig for termites.
HabitatThorn forests, wet forests and grasslands
DietThey
are omnivoros and they feed on ants, termites fruits, berries, bees,
honey, carcasses and sometimes small vertebrates. Thy use their long
claws to expose the insect's nests. Then they blw out the dirt and suck
out the termites. They can close their nostrils to create vacuum and
their mobile lips enable to scoop up the prey. Their hairless muzzles
are thought to be adapted to the stings of the insects.
BehaviorThey
are nocturnal and happily share their home ranges (13Sq Km) with other
sloth bears. The constant availability of food (insects, termites etc)
mean that they do not undergo hibernation.
ReproductionThey mate and give birth at any time of the year. Females give birth to 1-2 cubs.
Conservation statusThey
are classified as vulnerable. They are hunted by farmers when they
cause damage to the crops and also by hunters who seek gall bladders to
use in medicines.
Sloth bear cubs in India are poached and tortured
through brutal training methods to become "dancing bears". At less than 4
weeks of age, the cub is stolen from its mother who is often killed
while trying to protect her cubs, sold to traders and middlemen who in
turn sell them to Kalanders.
The cub's canine teeth are knocked out, a
red hot iron needle pierces its muzzle and a coarse rope is pulled
through. The wound is never allowed to heal and the cub will live in
fear, hunger and pain, tied to a stake for the rest of its life.
Himalayan Black Bear
A native American saying holds:
"
A pine needle fell. The Eagle saw it. The Deer heard it. The Bear smelled it"
Name:
Himalayan Black BearHeight: 4 1/4 to 6 1/4ft
Weight: 110Kg to 150Kg (Males)
65Kg to 90Kg(Females)
Life Span: 25 years
Diet: Omnivore
Distribution range: East to west of Asian Continent
Conservation Status:
Critically endangeredAsiatic
Black Bear (Ursus Thibetanus) is also known as Tibetan Black Bear, The
Himalayan Black Bear, The Moon Bear(because of the crescent moon shape
on their chest). The characteristics of the bear are its black shiny fur
with a distinctive white or cream 'V' marking on its chest. The fur
around the shoulders and throat is particularly long and its ears are
relatively large and set rather far apart. They have short claws
measuring only 4-5 cm but are nevertheless good tree climbers.
(
If you click the picture on the right and enlarge it, you can see a tiny patch of cream on its chest)
DistributionThese
bears are found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China,
India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar,
Nepal, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Taiwan and Vietnam.
HabitatForested areas, hills and mountainous regions.
DietThey
are carnivorous mammals. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds,
fish, molluscs and carcasses. They also feed on grasses, berries,
fruits, seeds, insects and honey. In autumn they fatten up for the
winter by feeding on nuts.
BehaviourThey are
solitary except for maternal family groups. They occupy a home range of
10- 20 Sq. Kms. They are mainly nocturnal (most active at night). In
some areas they may be active even during the day. But this particular
bear at "Nandan Kanan" park wasn't :(.
HibernationAfter
building up a large fat store, the bears head into dens in late
November and do not leave them until late March or early April. During
hibernation, their heart beat drops to 8-12 beats per min compared to
40-70 in other bears. The metabolism also drops by half and its body
temperature drops to only 3-7 deg. C. It also does not excrete urea or
solid fecal matter while hibernating. While in other animals, this would
cause poisoning, these bears transform the toxic substance into useable
proteins. By the end of hibernation period, males lose 15-30% of their
total weight while females lose upto 40%.
ReproductionThey
mate from June - July and give birth during January and February. The
female gives birth to 1-4 cubs that are born blind and helpless. They
young, remain with the mother for a year or more.
Conservation StatusCRITICALLY ENDANGEREDProblems for survival:
DeforestationLoss of habitat They are killed by farmers as they pose threat to livestock They are also killed as they have a habit of stripping valuable timber trees of bark They are also hunted for their gall bladders as they are used in traditional Chinese medicine Bile BearBile
Bear or Battery Bear is the term used for the Himalayan black bears
that are kept in captivity in China and Vietnam to extract bile for use
in Traditional Chinese medicines.
The
Bile Bears live in cages that are slightly bigger than themselves. Bile
is extracted through a cut made in the bear's abdomen and into the gall
bladder. A tube is inserted into the opening to tap the bile or a steel
stick is forced into the gall bladder with the bile running down into
the basin. About 10 -20 ml of bile is tapped (milked) from the bear
twice daily. The WSPA reports: "
The investigators saw bears moaning, banging their heads against their cages and chewing their own paws while milking". Mortality rate is between 50% - 60%.
When
the bears stop producing the bile after a few years, they are either
moved to another cage where they are left to starve and die or killed
for their paws and gall bladders. Bear paws are considered a delicacy.
Bear
bile contains ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) that is used to treat fever,
protect the liver, improve the eye sight, break down gallstones and act
as anti inflammatory. Montreal based Axcan Pharma brought
Ursodiol
a commercial drug that is synthesized and not derived from animals to
the market in 1998. They are as effective as the bear bile and Chinese
traditional medicine practitioners should be encouraged to replace the
bear bile with this medicine.
Raja-Rani Mandir -- Bhubaneswar
The tour of Bhubaneswar city was to begin at 9:00AM from Pantha Nivas.
It was 6:30AM and we had sufficient time to visit Raja Rani temple
before the tour commenced. We enquired the directions to Raja Rani
temple at the reception and learnt that it was situated about a km away
from Panth Nivas. As we walked down the Lewis road towards Raja-Rani
mandir, we also looked out for an ICICI cash point to withdraw money. My
friend had run out of money and I had sufficient money to sustain
myself for the next two days. The previous day the computer at the cash
point had a problem (or probably there was a problem with the
network???) and 'U' wasn't able to withdraw money. As we approached the
cash point we saw a lone customer returning without withdrawing money.
It appeared that the problem had not been resolved yet.
We walked
further down the road and asked a few locals for the directions to the
temple. We were misguided once by a vendor of tender coconuts. A
teenager who probably was a college student was walking in the same
direction and she offered to walk with us to the temple. We thanked her
and walked into the temple garden. We had to buy an entry ticket to see
the mandir. Though there was a ticket counter, there wasn't anybody to
issue us the entry tickets.
The
temple looked stunningly beautiful from far. The Kesari rulers are to
be credited for creating this architectural wonder. The Kesaris ruled
Kalinga for about 200 years from 9 AD till the advent of the Gangas in
1112AD. The Kesaris were massive builders. Some of the brilliant
specimens of Orissan Temples like Lingaraj, Mukteshwar, Rajarani and
Brahmeswar were credited to them.
The
speciality of this temple is that it has no presiding deity. This
temple has been mentioned in few ancient Sanskrit texts. Some scholars
believe that the temple was dedicated to worship of Lord Shiva and was
known as Indreswara temple. There is also a popular belief that it was
the Siddheshwara temple in bygone days. Though I have never been to
Khajuraho, I have heard that the temple has family resemblance with
Kandariya Mahadeva temple of Khajuraho. The name 'RajaRani' sounds
rather too uncommon considering the fact that all the major temples in
and around Bhubaneswar have suffixes that link them directly with Lord
Shiva.
The
entrance is guarded by a pair of identical door keepers. They have
matted locks on head and carry tridents in hand which make it easy to
identifyf them as Shaivite dwarapalakas -- Chanda and Prachanda.
There are ashta dikpalakas(guardians of the eight directions). Indra holds his thunderbolt and guards the east.
The pot bellied and bearded Agni controls the south-east.
Yama with his staff and noose in hand and his carrier bufallo protects the south.
Nritti
is poised over a prostrate body and holding a sword and a severed head
guards the south-west. I do not have the picture :( as I wasn't able to
locate it :(
Varuna
with a noose in his left hand and his right hand in Vara mudra and his
mount makara (crocodile) besides him, preserves the west.
Vayu
holds a banner and is placed in the north-west. Kubera with seven jars
of nidhi keeps vigil in the north and Ishana with an emaciated figure by
his side protects the north-east. Unfortunately, I don't have the
pictures :(.
The temple has exquisite carvings of delicately
poised nayikas. The slender waisted figures, languorosly poised, reflect
the wealth of feminine charm. There are also nymphs or the embracing
couples. There are the carvings of women playing with children or
playing with pets or attending to their daily chores.
A
few men were exercising in the park. A few women who had finished their
early morning exercises sat besides the temple and began talking.
Though the women were conversing in Oriya and I couldn't understand the
exact details, I think what they were trying to decide was to which part
of the country we belonged. 'U' told me that they thought 'U' was from
Bengal. But I'm sure I heard the word 'Madras' in their conversation.
Well, to most of the people in our country who live in the North, South
India is just Madras and all the South Indians eat only Idli and Dosa!
The knowledge of the North Indians is so limited that they cannot
differentiate between the states in the South. It is sad but true. We
both have all the defining features of the Dravidians and I am sure the
women would have noticed that!
By then I saw an officer at the
ticket counter and we went back to buy our entry tickets. We returned to
the temple and took some more pictures.
It
was 7:30AM and we had to take the guided tour of Bhubaneswar city at
9:00AM. We had just enough time to return to the hotel, have our
breakfast and check out of the hotel. We finished our breakfast at the
Panth Nivas restaurant and checked out. We kept our baggage at the
reception and boarded the bus. We were on our way to "
Nandan Kanan"...
Atri
We were ready by 6:15A.M. on the 17th of Sept 2006 to leave Konark. We
had to leave latest by 6:30 A.M., if we had to board the 8:30AM train to
Bhubaneswar. Having experienced the bad transportation facilities in
the state that was as good as non-existant, we didn't want to miss the
train. We didn't know when the next train to Bhubaneswar would be or if
there was any at all later in the day.
It was cloudy though it
had stopped raining. We were disappointed as we couldn't go to the
temple complex to watch the sun rise. Since we didn't have anything much
to look forward to, we decided to leave immediately rather than wait
till 6:30A.M. But we couldn't find the driver. The panth nivas (Govt.
guest house) where we had stayed the previous night, was opposite the
temple complex. We strolled into the complex hoping to take a few
pictures of the temple in the morning. We hadn't been able to get any
good pictures the previous evening owing to the heavy rainfall. We
weren't very fortunate this morning either.
It was too gloomy and
it meant we couldn't get any good pictures. So we didn't buy a ticket
to enter the temple complex, instead saw the temple from outside and
retuned to Panthnivas. The driver was waiting for us at the reception.
We
reached Puri railway station at 8:15A.M. The driver took to us to the
ticket counter where at least thirty people had lined up to buy tickets.
We would definitely miss the train :(. But the driver walked right up
to the ticket counter and asked the man at the counter to give us two
tickets to Bhubaneswar. I don't appreciate breaking the discipline and
so told the driver that we should probably stand in the queue and wait
for our turn. But he insisted that we would miss our train and the man
at the counter didn't seem to mind either. He issued two tickets to
Bhubaneswar and asked me to pay him exact fare. I handed him a fifty
rupees note that he angrily returned and rudly told me to pay the exact
change. I don't seem to recall what the fare was but I do remember
digging into my purse and pooling all the change I had and paying for
the tickets. A few people in the queue expressed their anger by swearing
at us in Oriya that I didn't understand.
We ran towards the
platform to board the train to Bhubaneswar. We got into a car besides
the "vendors car". I had never seen a "vendors car" before. Now I wish I
had taken a picture for my memoir.
The train wasn't crowded and
we found a seat as well. We reached Bhubaneswar comfortably and walked
to the OTDC information centre at the railway station. We booked a tour
for the 18th of Aug that included sightseeing of Bhubaneswar city,
Dhauli, Khandagiri, Udayagiri and Nandankanan. The tour bus would pick
us up from Pantha Nivas the next morning at 9:00A.M. Since the autos in
Orissa do not have meters we had to bargain the fare everytime we went
someplace. We enquired about the fare that we had to pay the auto
driver. The man at the information centre suggested we walk over to the
auto stand that was on other side of the station. He advised us to pay
20Rs. We walked over the foot bridge again and took an auto to Pantha
nivas.
We checked in at the Panth Nivas. The room wasn't very
clean. The beds though were made, didn't look clean enough. It didn't
look worth the 400Rs that we had paid for a day. We freshened up and had
brunch at the Panth Nivas restaurant. The restaurant walls were
decorated beautifully with tribal paintings.
Fortunately
the week long strike of the private bus owners had ended and the buses
were plying regularly now. As per the Panth Nivas manager's suggestion
we took a shared auto to the new bus stand. We shared the auto with a
newly married couple who were returning to their village after visiting
the lady's uncle in Bhubaneswar. The man was well travelled and he could
speak Hindi. The woman was keen to strike a conversation with us but we
can't speak Oriya.
There were a large number of buses at the
bus station. But none were going towards Atri. The one bus that would go
anyplace near Atri was already filled up. The conductor told us to go
to the main road and wait for buses from other cities.We waited for a
while but all the buses that came there were filled up. A few auto
drivers approached us and tried to bargain with us to take us to Atri.
We didn't show any interest in their offer. After waiting for a while we
were contemplating about taking an auto to Atri when private bus
stopped right besides us. The conductor told us that the bus would go to
Atri. We told him that we wouldn't be interested in taking the bus
unless we could sit comfortably. He asked a few passengers to move and
gave us two seats. We were finally on the way to Atri.
After
riding on the bus for almost an hour we reached Khorda town. The driver
told us that we had to get off as he wouldn't be going any further. I
was angry that the conductor had lied to us. We got off at the bus
station to wait for the next bus to Atri. All the buses that came to the
town bus station were overcrowded. By now it was almost 1:30P.M. and we
had to also ensure that we left Atri by 4:00P.M. as there were no buses
after that. Left with no choice we boarded the next bus to Atri. I
stood on the footboard. Once the bus was out of the station I managed to
move further in. I travelled the next 10 Kms standing on one foot. The
man standing besides me would literally fall on me everytime the driver
braked. I pushed him with my bag a couple of times but he didn't budge. I
also warned him few times to stand straight. Seeing me uncomfortable
another man who was sitting offered me his seat. By then we had reached
Atri and I thanked the man for offering his seat and got off the bus.
Situated
amidst greenery and famous for the hot sulphur water spring, Atri, 42
km. from Bhubaneswar and 14 km. from Khurda, is also a holy place with
the shrine of Hatakeswar. A bath in the spring water is reputed to cure
skin diseases apart from being a pleasant experience.
OTDC
also has a pantha nivas in Atri. We didn't see anybody near the guest
house though. We weren't surprised!The hot water spring in Atri (or
"Otri" as the natives pronounce it) is nothing more than a small well
that is a few feet deep. As soon as we got off the auto, a couple of
Brahmin priests ran towards us with small brass pictures in their hands.
One of them started talking to my friend U. I didn't show any interest
in what he had to say as I knew his only intention was to make some
money. He drew some water from the well and poured it on U's
outstreached palm. Now that 'U' had already taken some water from his
picture we had to pay him some money. I didn't resist when he offered me
some water next as we had to pay him anywayz...
In
all we spent about 15 minutes in Atri. We returned to the main road to
wait for the next bus to either Khorda or Bhubaneswar. Fortunately we
got a direct bus to Bhubaneswar.
Sun Temple -- Konark
The
worship of Sun in India is several centuries old.The Sun God is
referred to as Surya or Aditya. The Vedas are full of hymns describing
the Sun as the source and sustainer of all life on earth. Several
temples in India enshrine Sun as the principal deity.The grandest temple
dedicated to Sun God is at Konark.
The Sun temple at Konark was
built by Ganga ruler Narasingha Deva to commomorate his victory over the
muslim rulers. During his reign he recorded at least three victories
over the muslim invaders. The black granite of this structure earned the
name 'Black Pagoda' from the 17th C European sailors who must have seen
it from the sea.
The fame for this temple had spread far beyod
the limits of Orissa in the 16th C. Abul Fazal, the famous chronicler of
the court of Akbar wrote "Even those whose judgement is critical and
who are difficult to please stand astonished at its sight".
The
Ganga dynasty had a militia of 300,000 men with 50,000 foot and 10,000
horses and an elephant regiment of 25,000 strong. The priest at the
Jagannatha temple were renouned for their physical prowess and
excercised in the religious gymnasia. The higher posts in the army were
held by the priestly Brahmin caste. Narasingha himself was renouned for
his valour. This combined with the impressive military history, supports
the theory that the temple was a colossal tower of victory, erected to
the Sun God thanking him for his earthly representative's (King
Narasingha Deva) victory over the dreaded Muslim. The profusion of
carvings on and around the temple depicting military subjects, seems to
confirm it.
King Narasingha was also known as "
Langulia" -- "
one with a tail". It is also possible that he built the temple as a supplication to Surya to remove a spinal swelling of some sort.
No
one really knows why a temple was built here, but there are many
legends that account for its appearance. The most popular legend is that
'Sambha' the son of Krishna built the temple here. Sambha was very
handsome and he was proud of it. One day he made the mistake of
ridiculing Narada, a celebrated sage who was not renowned for his looks.
He decided to take revenge on Sambha.
He lured Sambha into a
pool where his step mothers were bathing. Krishna was furious and cursed
him with leprosy. When he realised it was Narada who had lured him
there, Krishna advised his son to worship the Sun God and hope for a
cure. After a penance for twelve years, he was finally cured. Sambha
built a Sun temple at that spot. It was called "Konark" --"
Kona" meaning "
corner" and "
Arka" meaning "
Sun"; hence "corner of the sun".
The
entire temple has been designed in the form of gigantic chariot of the
Sun God, taking him across the heaven. On days close to the equinox the
Sun would shine at dawn or sunset on the Sun God in the temple, before
the idol was removed. The temple has 24 wheels; each with 8 spokes and
exquisite carvings. 7 horses drag the chariot. The 7 horses represent
the 7 days of the week and the 24 huge wheels represent the hours of the
day.Some believe that the wheels represent each month in the Hindu
Calendar with the spokes being one of the part of the Hindu day (the
wheels represent the 24 fortnights of the Indian year)
The decorated wheels act as the sun dials. Each wheel consists of 8 spokes that indicate 8 '
praharas' of the day, one prahara being equal to 3 hours of time. The hub of the wheel casts shadow on the spokes indicating time.
Konark
is not an isolated monument but a whole complex of temples. There is
the main temple which is a combination of several structural elements
like the chariot with the 24 wheels, a platform with a porch, the 'bhoga
mantapa', 'nata mantapa' and the Mayadevi temple. Though the main
sanctum is in ruins, the 'nata madapa' is in tact.
Sensuous
Odissi dance poses are found in the sculptures. Traditionally the
classical dance form of Odissi was performed as Mahari or Devadasi dance
in temples dedicated to lord Jagannatha and also at the Konark sun
temple.
With social and political changes in the country and also
the supression of the dance form by the British authority the classical
dance form moved out of the temples. Young dancers called 'Gotipuas'
performed dances outside the temple premises.
This beautiful sculpture at the entrance to the temple is known as "
nara gaja simha" (man elephant lion). The sculpture comprises of a man being crushed by an elephant that in turn is being crushed by the lion.
The guide explained to us that
"The
man in the sculpture represents us. Born as free men we roam the world
and acquire all the wealth. The elephant symbolises the wealth. Obsessed
with wealth we commit sins. This wealth (elephant) crushes us. With
wealth man acquires power. The lion symbolises the power. This greed for
power will consume our wealth and finally crush and destroy us."
Lions
gates are an important feature of Orissan architecture. Lions are
installed at the entrance of temples. The lions have big sharp noses and
thick moustaches.
Besides
the sculptures of the 'Devadasis' there are also sculptures depicting
scenes from every day life. The picture on the left (above) depicts a
lady waiting for her husband to return home from work.
The
picture on the left depicts a quarrel between a mother-in-law (the
woman on the left with her hand on the hip) and her daughter-in-law.
The
guide interpreted the picture on the left as a woman seeking the help
of a dog to clean up after birthing a child. I am not sure if that is
what the sculptor intended it to be.
Three different kinds of stones were used in the construction of the
temple. Chlorite was used in the door-frame;laterite in the foundation,
staircase and the centre of the platform. Khondalite was used elsewhere.
It is of poor quality. None of these are available locally. The stones
were smoothly finished and then fitted together. Designs were cared on
them only after that.
The
main idol of the Sun God on which the sunrays used to fall in the
morning was removed by some Portuguese navigators. There are three
images of the Sun God positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn,
noon and Sunset.
The sun rays at dawn fall on the first image
(top left), on the image at the centre at noon and the rays fall on the
image at dusk on the image on the right.
The guide told us that
we had to sit for a while in front of the image that catches the sun
rays at dawn. This is to please the Sun God that represents the infant
Sun. Children often demand attention from everyone; and this image is no
different. If you do not pay him all the attention that he seeks, he
will be angry! The image that catches the sun rays at noon represents
the "youth". The God sits on his horse in the evening as he will be
tired after a whole day's job. The sculptors had some imagination!
Of
the 22 subsidiary temples that stood in the temple complex, only two
remain to the west of the tower: The Vaishnava temple and the Mayadevi
temple. The temple of Chhaya devi and her idol are in a desecrated
state. The picture above shows one wall of the Chhaya devi temple.
The
Hindu mythology syas that for several yugas Aditya was without a wife
or a sister and he revolved around the earth once everyday. This made
him hot and wild tempered. Brahma realised the reason for the agitation
and created Gayathri as his sister. This pacified Aditya. He married
Samgnya and their combined influence calmed Aditya.
Samgnya's
marriage to Aditya was a love marriage but his heat terrified her. Then
Gayatri suggested to leave behind her shadow (Chhaya) to function as
Aditya's wife and go back to her parents' house.
When the Sun God
discovers the deception, he goes to his father-in-law's house to find
out what happened to his wife Samjna. His father-in-law Tvastr explains
that his daughter found the Sun too bright to bear. Then the Sun God
allows Tvastr to put him on his cutting lathe and shear away the excess
brilliance until the Sun becomes beautiful again. Surya then reunites
with his wife Samjna.
The picture on the left (above) is from the temple of Chhaya devi. The image on the right is Chhaya devi.
The
guide then showed us another structure that he said was the shrine of
Goddess Maya devi. He also told us that she was the second wife of Sun
God. I haven't really found any evidence on the internet that supports
his theory of the Sun God having two wives:). But the guide told us some
wonderful stories and he also showed us the entire temple complex.
The
temple of Konark is also known for figures of amorous couple. Liberal
representation of such erotic figures was a fashion of not just the
Hindu temples, but also Jain and Buddhist monuments.
It
is believed that erotic sculptures are helpful in warding off the anger
of natural calamities. It is described that the obscene sculptures were
meant to rouse in the minds of the visitors a sense of what is sensual,
therefore avoidable and a sense of what is spiritual, therefore
desirable.
Eroticism
occupies almost all segments of Konark temple. The amorous couple, the
perfect female figures in seductive poses and their bewitching smiles
have made Konark a feast for the eyes of all visitors. Konark stands
unrivalled in the domain of romantic art. In the words of Rabindranath
Tagore -- " The language of man is here defeated by the language of
stone"...
3 comments:
Craftmen's village, Ramachandi, Chandrabhaga -- Fishing Village
It was now almost a week since the private bus owners had gone on strike
in Orissa. We asked the warden in Puri hostel, if he could help us hire
a taxi to go to Konark. He was very helpful. He sent his employee to
find a reliable auto driver to drive us to Konark. We bargained for
650/- Rs that also included the money that we had to pay the driver to
stay overnight at Konark. He promised to return at 3 O' Clock. It was
9:00 AM and we went to Lord Jagannatha and Gundicha mandir hoping to
return by 3 PM.
We visited both the temples, had our breakfast,
shopped for souvenirs and still managed to retun to the hostel by 12:00
PM. It was raining and we couldn't go to the beach either. We sat in the
hostel waiting for the auto driver. Thankfully, the driver came to the
hostel by 2:00 PM.
We left for Konark at 2:10 PM. We stopped at a
nearby petrol station to fill the fuel. When we reached the outskirts
of Puri town we saw a large plot of land filled with knee deep water.
The driver explained to us that the ground serves as a bus station.
Government buses from states other than Orissa park their buses here
overnight and also the private tourist buses are allowed to park at a
nominal fee. The ground is also used by the campers during Puri Rath
Yatra.
Since the private buses weren't plying, a lot of villagers
were waiting besides the road for some means of transport. To make the
matter worse, it was raining. Our driver stopped the auto and offered to
drop a woman and her son off at the next village. The woman and the kid
sat with the driver in the front.
We then entered the reserve
forest area. Driving through the forest was a nice experience. We didn't
see any animals, but spotted a few colourful birds. Unfortunately, my
camera was packed in the backpack and I couldn't photograph them. We
stopped at a craftsmen's village. There were beautiful stone sculptures.
The driver explained to us that there was demand for the sculptures
even in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
We
spent about 20 minutes admiring the beautiful sculptures.The driver
informed us that he would drive us to Ramachandi next. The woman and her
son were still with us and it didn't seem to me that they stayed
someplace nearby. I invited the little boy to sit with us at the back.
The woman still sat with the driver in the front. We drove for another
10 Kms and reached a village. The woman and her son got off. She
reluctantly handed some money to the driver but he refused. We drove to
Chandrabhaga next.
Chandrabhaga is a beautiful little beach
situated on the confluence of the river Khushabhadra and Bay of Bengal.
Ramachandi the presiding deity of the Konark region is worshipped here.
Ramachandi
According
to a legend, the temple of Goddess Ramachandi was to the south east of
the Konark Temple. Suleman Kalapahad a muslim ruler attacked Konark and
destroyed the sun temple. He then came to the Ramachandi temple to
destroy it. Goddess Ramachandi dressed as a maid servant (maluni) and
told Suleman to wait at the door till she returned with water for the
Goddess. Kalapahad waited for a long time and when the Maluni did not
return, he entered the temple. The throne of the goddess was empty. He
suspected that the Maluni had carried away the idol of the Goddess with
her. He went in search of the maluni and reached the banks of the river
Khushabhadra. He saw the goddess floating in the river. He was unable to
cross the river as it was flowing in full spate.
Another legend
says that Goddess Ramachandi appeared as a old woman and served
Kalapahad with cold water to quench his thirst. When the King drank
water he looked up and didn't find the old woman. The idol in the temple
had disappeared too.
The
goddess appeared in the dream of a Panda (priest) and advised him to
build a temple for her on the banks of river Khushabhadra. Accordingly,
the priest built a temple for the goddess near the sea shore.
Chandrabhaga -- Fishing Village
According
to a myth, the Sun God is believed to have sought a beautiful maiden
named Chandrabhaga. Sadly though, the affection was not returned. This
drove the Sun god crazy. He suffered humiliation and in utter despair he
chased her right up to the shore. Chandrabhaga drowned herself in the
sea. In rage and remorse Chandrabhaga's father sage Sumanyu cursed the
Sun god that the temple would fall into ruins.
Another version of
the legend narrates that Sun god soght the beauty of a Sea-maiden and
chased her. After chasing her up to this place, she is said to have
disappeared into the sea.
A river by the same name is supposed to
have existed 3Kms from the Konark temple, where, as another legend
goes, Shamba, the son of Lord Krishna prayed to Sun God for 12 years to
be cured of leprosy. Though only a small lake now exists here, religious
festival (Chandrabhaga mela) is held here in memory of Shamba's
successful penance.It is believed that whoever takes bath in
Chandrabhaga will be cured of leprosy and bareness.
Bishnu
Maharana's artistic vision conceived the 13th C stone marvel at Konark.
Bishnu's 12 year old son, Dharmapada (Dharma) a prodigy, meets his
father for the first time after years of absence from home. He
accomplished the task of crowning the monument with the cupola after
numerous unsuccessful attempts by Bishnu and his 1200 masons. King
Langula Narasimhadeva had set the dead line of Magha Saptami for the
masons. Dharma's joy of having saved the crew from certain death for not
completing the task before the dead line was short lived. The King
learns the truth and commands Bishnu to single out the achiever. Dharma
throws himself from the pinnacle into the swirling waters of the
Chandrabhaga river below.
According to another legend, Sibei
Santara was the chief architect of Konark temple. Chandrabhaga was
chosen as an ideal site for the construction. The spot was so deep that
the king had to stockpile hundreds of cart loads of boulders into it.
The sea waves would wash them away within no time. Radhaba, a legendary
sea fish is said to have devoured all the stones. The operation was
suspended for a while until a suitable alternative could be found.
Once
Sibei was passing through a village at night. An old woman invited
Sibei and offered a plate of hot porridge. Sebei dipped his fingers in
the middle of the plate and burned them. The old lady told him not be
like Sibei. Sibei had not revealed his identity until then. The old lady
narrated the obvious shortcomings of the plan to build up a foundation
at the centre of the sea instead of starting it from a corner. Sibei
learnt from his mistakes and tried afresh and succeeded in his
endeavour.
The Hathigumpha (at Dhauli) inscriptions of
Kharavela(1st C BC)infers to the existence of a navy. It also indicates
that Ashoka (Maghadhan emperor) invaded Kalinga to acquire the sea ports
as Maghadha did not have a port of its own. The Tugu rock inscription
of western Java says that a river by name Chandrabhaga was regulated by a
canal. Though there is no river now, a small lake by the same name
exists.
The
fishing community in Chandrabhaga consists of almost entirely the
migrants from Andhra Pradesh. They have lived here for a very long time
but they do not have any land rights. The local government intends to
make Chandrabhaga a tourist spot and repeatedly evicted the community
from their homes and destroyed their dwellings. The villagers were given
some land elsewhere and permitted to construct their homes on the new
land. The cyclones came just as things were settling into a routine and
destroyed everything...
A
small bridge leads you to the village or rather it used to lead you to
the village. It was broken when we went to Orissa in the month of August
2006. It still probably is!
We had to reach Konark before
the temple complex closed at 6:00 PM and it looked like it would start
pouring any minute.So we dropped the visit to Chandrabhaga light house
from our itinerary and drove to Konark.
1 comment:
Walking the streets of Puri
We went to Jagannatha mandir and Gundicha temple on August 15th 2006.
Since we knew we couldn't take the cameras inside the temple premises,
we kept them in the hostel and went to the temple. We planned to go back
to the temple the next day and take pictures.
We were up and ready, early the next morning. My friend wanted to play
in the sea for a while before we went to the temple. Though I am not
fond of playing in water, I didn't mind strolling on the beach. The
beach was just about 100 Mts from our hostel. But it was raining cats
and dogs. I wasn't too disappointed, but my friend was. We waited in the
hostel for the rain to stop. After a while, it stopped raining and we
grabbed our raincoats and cameras and went to the beach.
There weren't many people on the beach as the sky was filled with dark clouds and it looked like it would rain the whole day.
We strolled on the beach for a while. We had heard that Puri beach was
better than the Gopalpur beach. But all we saw on the beach that day was
rotten leaves that had floated with the rain water, plastic bags,
stinking food dumped by the tourists and garbage that had flowed into
the sea. The warden later informed us that the main beach was at least
about half a kilometer from the hostel.
There were a few "pearl"
vendors trying to sell off some cheap imitation of the pearls as real
ones. Some older men were actually buying them! Just when we thought it
had stopped raining... it started pouring again :(. That ended our early
morning walk on the beach :(.
We
went back to the hostel to wait for the rain to stop so that we could
go to the temple again and take some pictures. We hadn't noticed the
Sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha in front of the hostel when we left for
the beach in the morning. But now that we had to wait until the rain
stopped, we had sufficient time to notice things and that was when we
spotted this sculpture. Probably one of the members attending the 'art
of living' course organised at the hostel had sculpted this.
The
downpour gradually turned into a drizzle and we took a cycle rickshaw
to Gundicha mandir. We took few pictures of the temple and also bought
some books at the temple book store. I purchased 'Purushottama Kshetra'
by Ramachandra Mishra. We had asked the cycle rickshaw to wait for us
for a while and then take us to Jagannatha mandir. It was still
drizzling and the cyclewallah had covered his head with a cloth. I was
feeling bad for making him wait in the rain. I purchased the book
quickly and waited for my friend to join me.
Since we hadn't
eaten our breakfast we asked the cyclewallah to take us to 'Nandan'
restaurant. The restaurant was situated on the same street as Gundicha
and Jagannatha mandir.
The
rickshaw stopped at an unusual signal. The signal had boards that read
'STOP'. The traffic policeman would then place a card that read 'MOVE'
covering the 'STOP' signal to allow the traffic in one direction. The
number of vehicles on that road were so few that there was no need for a
signal to control the traffic.
There was just another person
besides us in the hotel. His mobile was ringing incessantly; but he
seemed to be least bothered. Either he didn't realise that the mobile
was ringing or he wasn't deliberately receiving the call. It seemed
highly unlikely that he didn't realise the phone was ringing. Finally
the man picked up the phone after it rang for almost ten minutes.
There
is a temple right beside the hotel. We guessed that it was a Jain
mandir and were expecting to see the images of Mahavira or the
thirthankaras.
But
when we peeped in, we realised that the temple wass dedicated to Radha
and Krishna. There was also a cradle in the corner, in which was placed
an image of 'Bala Mukunda'.
We then went
shopping for few souvenirs to gift our family and friends. I spotted a
house that had some unusual design patterns on the way to the temple of
Jagannatha.
Our next stop was at the temple of Lord Jagannatha.
We
photographed the temple from outside. A helpuful local walked up to us
and said we should see the temple from the top of the library as we
would get a better view from there. Probably he imagined we were
non-Hindus (Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple) and so couldn't go
into the temple. We thanked him for the information and said we had
already been to the temple the previous day and we had returned to take
some pictures.
While I was photographing the temple, a concerned
temple guard walked up to us and asked if we were people from the press.
He probably got this idea seeing a huge handycam in my friend's hand
and a noticeably large camera in my hand. We said we weren't from press
and also assured him that we only wanted to take some pictures for our
personal collection. He was satisfied and walked away.
We
returned to the hostel to wait for the auto driver to take us to
Konark. The private bus operators were still on strike and so there were
no buses. There weren't any government buses either :(. The taxi
drivers too didn't seem to be taking advantage of the strike. With no
buses or train, and the taxis quoting a high fare we didn't have much of
a choice :(. The hostel warden had helped us find a reliable auto
driver who would take us to Konark, and also show us some interesting
picnic spots enroute to Konark. We bargained for 650/-Rs which we felt
was too much to pay for 35Kms one way. But with no other means of
transportation, we had no option :(.
3 comments:
Gundicha Mandir -- Puri
Gundicha
is the aunt of Lord Jagannatha. According to a legend, lord Jagannatha
is said to have expressed his desire to visit his birthplace Gundicha
ghar once every year for a week. Accordingly, the deities Jagannatha,
Subhadra and Balabhadra are taken to Gundicha mandir for a week during
rath yatra. After a week, the lord returns to his temple. It is said
that the wife of King Indradyumna was also named Gundicha.
In
between Gundicha mandir and the 'Simhadwaar' from where the rath yatra
begins, is the mausima mandir. The lord takes 'podapita' a special rice
cake and then continues his journey to Gundicha mandir. It is stated in
Skanda Purana that Mausima drank half the water during floods and saved
the town of Puri and hence her name
'Ardhasini'.
Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu was a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha. It is described in
"Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita" that Shri Chaitanya once expressed his
desire to wash the Gundicha temple.
Upon hearing the Lord's request Padicha (superintendent of the temple) said
Padicha kahe -- ami saba sevaka tomara
ye tomara ichcha sei kartavya amaraMy dear sir, we are all your servants
Whatever you desire is our duty to perform
They
delivered hundreds of brooms and water pots to the Lord to clean the
temple. The next day, Shri Chaitanya mahaprabhu was personally carrying
out the operation of cleaning the temple. The devotees cleaned the bhoga
mandira (place where the deitiy's food is kept) , yard, residential
quarters one after the other. Shri Chaitanya mahaprabhu then gathered
all the dust, straw and grains in his clothes and threw it outside.
Hundreds of devotees brought water in pots and cleaned the temple.
Shri Gundicha Mandiram Atma vrindaih
sammarjayan kshalanatah sa gaurah
sva chitta vac chitalam ujjvalam cha
krishnopavesaupayikam cakaraShri
Chaitanya mahaprabhu washed and cleansed the Gundicha temple with his
devotees and associates. In this way he made it as cool and bright as
his own heart and thus he made the temple a befitting place for Lord
Krishna to sit.
Lord
Jagannatha left his wife Lakshmi, and went to Vrindavan (which is
Gundicha mandir). When the Lord started on his rath yatra, he had
promised to return the next day. When he does not return the next day,
she was so upset that she ate only simple food and moved to the store
room of the temple. After five days, the goddess decided to go to
Gundicha Mandir on a paliquin and meet the lord. She arrived at the main
gate of the temple in an angry mood. When the goddess arrived, her
servitors - the devidasis confront the head dayita and sing the Hera
Panchami song (Hera means to 'see' and Panchami means 'the fifth day')
pulling at the dayita's dhoti. The Hera Panchami song expresses
Lakshmi's anger. One of the devidasis then broke a piece of the Lord's
chariot.
6 comments:
Deities in Jagannatha temple
Sri Mandira ParikramaThere
is a prescribed order that a piligrim should follow while at Lord
Jagannatha temple. There are a little over 40 deities at the Sri mandir.
The "
Parikrama" or the circumambulation should be in the following order:
- Standing behind the "Aruna Sthamba" look at the temple sphere (Nila Chakra) and the flag and pay respect to them.
- Enter
through the Lion's gate and pay respect to Patitapvan-- a replica of
Lord Jagannath on the right and Fate-Hanuman on the left.
- Visit Kasi Visvanatha, Ramachandra and Narasimha on the left
- Climb 22 steps and enter the inner enclosure. Keep to the left and visit Agniswar Mahadeva temple (the protector of Agni of the Lord's Kitchen)
- Satyanarayana
- Bata
(my friend from Orissa says you should pronounce it as "Batta") Gopal,
Bata Krishna, Bala Mukunda (tiny image of Krishna sleeping on a banyan
leaf sipping his toe to check whether it is Nectrine)
- Hari Sahadeva (supervisor of Lord's cattle stock)
- Bata Vihari Jagannath (Bata Abakash)
- Siddha Ganesha, Siddha Vinayak, Swetha Ganesha
- Bata Mangala on the right
- Pancha Pandav Shiva: Markandeya, Lokanatha, Kapala Mochana, Nilakantha, Yameshwara
- Bata Mangala
- Ananta Vasudeva
- Kuttam Chandi
- Aadi Narasimha and Mukteshwara temple
- Rohini Kunda
- Ganesha with eight hands in dancing form in front of Vimala Temple
- Goddess Vimala
- Venu Madhava
- Shri Nanda Maharaj
- Shri Rama Padapadma
- Shri SakhiGopal (also known as Sakshi Gopal)
- Bhadra Ganesha and Kanchi Ganesha (brought by Purushottama Deva from Kanchi)
- Ekadashi Devi
- Khirachora Gopinatha
- Pancha Shakti temple -- Bhuvaneshwari, Saraswathi, Sashthi, Savithri, Gayathri
- Nilaa Madhava
- Bedha Kali
- Lakshmi
- Navagraha
- Suryanarayana
- Shri Rama
- Paataaleshwar
- Then
approach the temple through the northern gate, climb seven stairs,
stand behind the Garuda pillar and have a quick glimpse of the Lord.
Enter the Garbhagruha and see the lord from near
- Come back to the same same gate, and see Satyanarayana and Mahalakshmi
- Enter Ananda Bazaar, take prasada and leave the temple through Simhadvaara
Note: There are many more deities that I haven't mentioned in the list above.
A
man who probably was a Brahman priest standing near the Aruna Sthamba
approached us as we were entering the temple and offered to take us
around the temple and also describe the greatness of each deity in the
temple premises of the Lord for eleven rupees. He took us around the
temple and also narrated a few legends. Since I have returned from Puri,
I have been trying to verify the legends that he narrated. But I
haven't found any similar legend on the net. So I presume none of what
he said was true. But he did tell us some really interesting legends :).
You
will need the help of one such person if you have to get into the
sanctum sanctorum of the lord. With large number of devotees visiting
the temple every day and with absolutely no discipline maintained by
these devotees in entering the temple, it becomes very difficult to
enter without the help of these people. They not only take you around
the temple in the prescribed order, but also surprisingly push all the
other devotees and make way for you to enter the temple. But we weren't
very fortunate on that day as the man who took us around the temple
showed us the counter where we could buy the ticket and left. Since
people in Puri were celebrating "Janmashtami" on that particular day,
there were more devotees than there are on other days. The ticket
counter was also closed and we decided to eat the "prasadam" and then
buy the ticket later.
Though there are a lot of deities and other
interesting things in the temple premises, I will only update this post
with what I find interesting.
Nila Chakra
The
Nila chakra is made of an alloy of eight different metals known as
"Ashta Dhatu". A flag is tied every day on a mast attached to the Nila
Chakra. The wheel is comprised of two circles. Eight bars connect the
inner and the outer circles. According to shwetaswatar Upanishad, the
whole universe is a wheel and the bars of the wheel are mind, wisdom,
selfness, sky, earth, sun, wind and water. These eight factors compose
the human body. 'Pashupata Darshan' describes that the universe is a
wheel and lord Shankara is moving around sitting on this wheel.
When
the sense of a yogi culminates upto Sahasrara Chakra, it is Sudarshana
Chakra on the temple where the Yogi attains Brahma, losing his personal
identity. In Shri Mandir when a devotee's soul reaches 'Nilachakra' he
elevates to infinity and attains salvation. So a 'darshan' of the Chakra
on the top of the temple is equal to reaching the 'Sahasra Chakra' in
the body through meditation and enjoying the ecstasy of achieving
eternity.
A yogi visualises the supreme effulgence when his
soul is united with Param Brahma. The yogi views the blaze is his
sahasra Chakra atop the body. But to a common devotee in Shri Mandir, on
every "Ekadashi" day a lamp lit at the NilaChakra is the symbol of
viewing the balze of Param Brahama (Deepam Jyothih Param Brahma) .
There
are lots of legends associated with this temple There is a legend
associated with the chakra too. Hazuri Balabhadra, the grand son of
Chakhi Kuntia-- who was a great hero and worshipper of Lord Jagannatha,
was standing on the roof of his house at 5A.M. in the month of July, in
the year 1940. He saw strange light coming from the Chakra like a clear
line of brilliant light leaving the temple at high speed. This lasted
for more than 10 minutes. Out of curiosity, he asked father, who replied
that Hazuri Balabhadra had seen the vehicle of devas coming to Lord
Jagannath's temple.
Patitapavan (Redeemer of the fallen)
This
deity holds both historical and religious importance. It is a small
replica of Lord Jagannath. Historians believe that the deity was
installed by Raja Ramachandra Deva-II to enable the non-hindus to have a
darshan of the Lord.
RamaChandra
Deva, succeeded Gopinatha Deva in 1732. By this time, Muhammad Taqui
Khan, the illegitimate son of Sujauddin, the Nazim of Bengal, was made
the Naib Nazim in Orissa and he invaded the temple of Jagannatha being
attracted by its wealth. The worshippers of Jagannatha apprehending his
motives had taken away the idols of the lord and concealed on an island
in Chilka lake. Taqui Khan defeated and imprisoned Raja RamaChandra Deva
II in Cuttack. He forcibly converted Ramachandras Deva to Islam and
named him Hafiz Qadar Muhammad. After Taqui Khan's death in 1734,
Murshid Quli Khan II became the Naib Nazim of Orissa. He was a good
administrator and helped reinstall the idol of Jagannatha and restored
the worship in the temple. He also gave his daughter in marriage to
Hafiz Qadar (Ramachandra Deva). Ramachandra Deva was ousted from the
hindu society and was also deserted by his own family because of his
change of religion.
Rama Chandra Mishra in his book "Purushottama
Kshetra" writes that Raja Ramachandra Dev married Taki Khan's sister to
protect the temple from muslim invasion. Whether this is true or not,
the fact remains that he married a muslim woman and he was outcast from
the religion.
Hanuman
It is
believed that Hanuman was placed here by Ramananda acharya in the 14th
C. Lord Hanuman here is depicted as having 12 hands. Hanuman is an
eternal devotee of the lord who guards the temple at all the four
entrances.
According to a legend, Kamadev entered the temple without
Hanuman's permission. When Hanuman stopped him, Kamdev engaged him in a
battel and he had to flee the place when he was defeated. Hanuman is
considered as a caretaker of the garden in Puri temple. It is believed
that Jagannatha visits the garden on "Akshaya thritiya" day with the
permission of Shri Hanuman.
Kasi Vishwanath
As
per the tradition, devotee has to pay his respects to lord Vishwanatha
before praying to Lord Jagannatha. Legend says that, Lord Vishwanatha
appeared at this place by virtue of devotion named Chakrapani Kuntia. It
is believed that devotees get the benefit of worshipping Vishwanatha of
Kashi (Varanasi) by worshipping him at this place. This temple brings
harmony between Vaishnavas and Shaivas.
Ramachandra
Ramachandra
temple is situated very near to Kasi Vishwanath temple. Ramacharita
manasa says that Lord Shiva is fond of hearing Ramayana and hence
Ramayana is recited before Shiva in this temple. I haven't read
Ramacharita manasa and I am not sure if this is true. I shall probably
read the book sometime and verify this.
Kalpabata tree
It
has been mentioned in the puranas, that the huge banyan tree --
Kalpabata, was there when the entire world sunk under water. It is
belived that the tree fulfills wishes of the devotees if expressed under
it.
The king of Nepal, the only Hindu king in the world, enjoys
special previliges in the Lord's temple. The Puri shrine has special
Sevayat designated to attend the royal family during their visit to the
shrine. The king of Nepal is the only person who has the right to enter
the temple on a paliquin through the Southern gate upto Kalpabata. From
there on, he goes to the sanctum sanctorum on foot.
There is a
legend associated with this tree. King Indradyumna built a temple and
went to heaven to invite Brahma to perform purification ceremony. Lord
Brahma was praying and asked his royal guest to wait. Hundreds of
earthly years passed. The temple was concealed under hills of sea sands.
Galamadhava became the ruler of Orissa. One day while riding his horse,
the hoof of his horse struck against the flag post of the temple. The
king noticed a magnificient temple on clearing the sand, and claimed it
as his own. Meanwhile, Brahma descended to the earth with Indradyumna.
There ensued a dispute between Indradyumna and Galamadhava.
The
four headed immortal crow god Bhushandi was meditating on the banyan
tree known as Kalpabata. He acted as Indradyumna's first witness.
Galamadhava did not bow to this decision. They then approached a
tortoise of the tank. The tortoise said that he was once a labourer
employed by King Indradyumna but had turned into a tortoise due too much
of work. He was afraid that the king might employ him to finish up the
remaining work of the temple. It was thus proved that Indradyumna was
the real the builder. Galamadhava was proved to be a liar and his statue
was installed outside the temple premise. The statue was not paid any
respect.
Brahma was asked to perform the purification ceremony
but he replied he was incapable of doing it. He tied a flag at the top
of the temple, the sight of which could free men in bondage.
Kuttam Chandi
It
is said that, originally the image of dog that is found here was found
in the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple. According to the tantric
worship, when Goddess Bhairavi is invocated, the food is offered to her
and a part of it to a dog. Sometime later history, when Vaishnavas
dominated, the image of the dog was removed from the sanctum sanctorum
and brought here. The tantrics say that Jagannath in Puri is not Vishnu,
Narayana or Shri Krishna. He is believed to be Bhairava (Shiva), and
goddess Vimala is Bhairavi. The body of Kuttam Chandi resembles a dog,
but her head is human.
Significance of the 22 steps in the temple
One
has to cross 22 steps to realise Lord Vishnu. As per Yogashastra a man
possesses 5 kinds of mana and 25 types of prakriti. Out of the 25
prakritis 3 are apara and 22 are para prakriti. A yogi has to cross 22
para prakritis like kama, ahankar, mada etc. to see the lord.
Another
iterpretation is that Vaikuntha is situated above 7 lokas, 7 patalas
and 8 vaikuntha. One has to cross all these to reach Vishnu.
It symbolises pancha matra, pancha bhuta, pancha vija, pancha deva and both jiva and parama.
It
symbolises 22 tirthas of shrimad bhagavatha with 10 Gods (Vasudeva,
Narayana, Madan Mohan, Rama Krishna, Sridevi, Bhudevi, Vimala,
Bhubaneshwari) and Pancharasa Ashta Sattika Bhaba, Tribhija, Trisakti,
Triguna.
Four Dham Lord
There is
a small temple situated near the western gate of the temple that has
the deities of the four dhamas Bhadrinath, Dvarakanath, Jagannath and
Rameshwara. It is believed that if you visit this temple, it is
equivalent to visiting all the four dhamas. On the way to this temple is
the temple of Mahavir Hanuman, who is the protector of the four dhamas.
Sitala Temple
It
is believed that all the deities who come to see Lord Jagannatha meet
here. Water is drawn from the holy sona-kua (Golden well) in front of
this temple for the bathing ceremony of Lord Jagannatha, Balabhadra and
Subhadra.
Koili Vaikuntha
This is
the burial ground of the lord. During Nava Kalebara the old image of the
lords are burried here and new images are carverd at this place. The
burial ground is covered by malati tree (creeper). It is belived that
the Pandavas set fire to Lord Krishna's body here.
Satyanarayana
Devotees
worship Satyanarayana on the occasion of the birthday of their
children. It is believed that the Lord here is a synthesis of Hindu and
Muslim religion. This was perhaps installed during the frequent Muslim
invasion. Hindus worship Satyanarayana as Lord Vishnu and Muslims
worship him as Satyapira (Alla the truth). The prayers are in Urdu and
Bengali.
Bata Ganesha
The face of
the lord is white and his body is red. A small stone mouse is installed
in front of him. You can feel thorny projections on the body of the
mouse when you run your hand on its body.
Pancha Pandava temple
A
reference from Mahabharatha says that the pancha pandavas stayed here
for a night during their year of disguise. They prayed to Lord Vishnu
here for a favourable journery. As a symbol of this yatra, Pancha
Mahadeva (Lokanatha, Yameshwar, Nilakantha, Markandeya and
Kapalamochana) have been installed here.
Markandeya Temple
Skanda purana describes that Rishi Markandeya was advised by the Lord to stay here during the pralaya (destruction)
Indra temple
Perhaps the temple has been built here to prove that Indra performs the function of a gate keeper in the temple of the Lord.
Dikpalaka temple (Digpala temple)
According
to Hindu mythology, there are 10 directions and they are guarded by 10
Gods. These guardian Gods are worshipped in this temple.
Mukti Mandapa (Brahmasana)
It
was the seat of Lord Brahma. It is belived that Lord Brahma sat here
and instructed the demi gods to perform the incarnation ceremony. This
is where the Brahmini pundits of Puri now settle the disputes that arise
in the temple or give dirctions to the common man to relieve them from
the sins they have committed.
Goddess Vimala (Pada Pitheshwari)
As
per the description of Devi Bhagavatha, Sati the daughter of Daksha
prajapathi married Shiva. Once during a yajna arranged by her father,
she could not tolerate the disrespect that was shown to her husband. She
jumped into the yajna fire and died. Lord Shiva was so disturbed by
this incidence that he carried the dead body of his wife and roamed all
over the world (some authors mention that he roamed over India). Lord
Vishnu then released his Sudarshana Chakra to cut the body of Sati into
pieces to relieve Lord Shiva from his attachment to Sati. The chakra cut
her body into pieces and fell at places that now form the Shakti pitas.
It is believed that her feet (pada) fell here and hence Puri is known
as Pada pita.
Pancha Shakti
Goddess Bhuvaneshwari is placed in the main temple. Besides her we find
Saraswathi -- Goddess of learning
Sasti -- Goddess of children
Savithri -- legend says that Savitri took back the life of her husband Satyavaana from the clutches of Yama.
Gayatri -- Goddess of Veda.
Mahalakshmi Temple
Mahalakshmi
is the Shakti of the lord. She is associated with the lord at all
times; during creation, destruction and perseverance. She is also
associated with the lord during all the festivals. As per Lakshmi
purana, Lakshmi had been to the house of Sriya Kandaluni, a low caste
lady to accept her offerings. Jagannatha banished her from the shri
mandira as per the advice of Balabhadra. But they later realised their
mistake and pacified Lakshmi to return to the temple. The lord visits
her temple on every thursday except on Ekadashi.
On the third day
of the car festival (HeraPanchami) Lakshmi goes to Gundicha temple and
breaks a part of the car as the lord had not taken her with him while he
was on the car. When he returns to the temple, she shuts the door on
him to show her supremacy and anger. Jagannatha then consoles her with
sweet words and she finally concedes and allows him to enter the temple.
Lakshmi
is also the cook of Jagannatha's temple. She prepares food for the lord
everyday. During her absence from Dhanu sankranthi to Makara
Sankranthi, Jagannatha's mother prepares the food for him.
Pataleshwara temple
Half
of this temple is submerged in the soil. Legend says that when Lord
Vamana placed his foot on Bali Chakravarth's head, he stayed here by
becoming Pataleshwara Shiva.
4 comments:
Jagannatha Triad
King Indradyumna was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. One day in his court he
heard from a devotee that Lord Vishnu had incarnated in the form of Nila
Madhava. The king wanted to see this form of th Lord and so sent few
Brahmanas in search of the Lord. All the unsuccessful Brahmans returned
except for Vidyapathi.
Vidyapathi had wandered to a distant town
inhabited by Shabaras, a non-ayan tribe. He stayed in the house of
VishvaVasu (also referred to as "Vishvasu" by some authors; 'Vishvasu'
and 'VishvaVasu', here in this post, refer to the same person) and
married his daughter Lalitha. Everyday VishvaVasu would leave the house
in the night and return the next noon. Though Vishvasu had instructed
his daughter not to reveal where he went everyday, Lalitha told
Vidyapathi that her father would go to worship Nila Madhava. Vidyapathi
requested VishvaVasu to take him along to worship the lord. Finally
Vishvasu conceded to take Vidyapathi with him blindfolded. Lalitha tied
some mustard seed in a cloth so that a trail could be left to follow
later. When they reached the shrine Vishvasu took off the blindfold and
Vidyapathi saw the lord. He felt great esctasy.
One day while
Vishvasu was out collecting the items for worshipping the lord, he saw a
bird fall into a lake nearby and drown. The soul of the bird took the
shape of a spiritual form and ascended to the spirit world. VishvaVasu
wanted to do the same and climbed a tree to jump into the lake. A
heavenly voice informed him to tell Indradyumna that he had found Nila
Madhava. When Vishvasu went to worship Nila Madhava, the Lord spoke to
him and told him to inform the King that he had found the lord.
Vidyapathi
went to Indradyumna's court to inform the king. The king could not find
Nila Madhava and so he arrested Vishvasu. The Lord appeared in the
King's dream and instructed him to release Vishvasu. He also told the
king that he would appear as a Daru-Brahmana, a wooden manifestation of
the supreme almighty.
King Indradyumna built the temple for Nila
Madhava in Puri and went to heaven to invite Brahma to consecrate the
temple. Brahma was praying at that time and he asked Indradyumna to
wait. Hundreds of earth years passed and when they finally returned to
earth, Galamadhava was claiming that he had built the temple. Bhushandi
Kaka (king of crows) and a tortoise who were the witness to
Indradyumna's temple construction testified in favour of Indradyumna.
Lord Brahma however said he could not consecrate the temple as the Shri
Kshetra was manifested by the Lord himself. He put a flag on top of the
temple and blessed it. He said that anyone who saw the flag from a
distance and offered respect to it would be liberated from the material
world.
The king waited for a long time for Nila Madhav to
manifest himself in the temple. When the lord did not manifest the
temple, he decided to fast unto death. The Lord then appeared in his
dream and said he would appear in the sea as a floating Daru-Brahman.
The King went to the sea and found a huge log of wood that was marked
with a conch, club, lotus and disc. This was the Daru-Brahman! However
hard the king and his men tried, they could not budge the Daru. The Lord
then appeared in his dream and instructed him to bring Vishvasu.
VishvaVasu then moved the Daru-Brahman easily onto a golden chariot.
Lord Brahma then installed a deity of Lord Narasimha.
The king
requested many expert carvers to carve the form of the Deity. But as
soon as their chistel touched the wood, it would break. Then Vishvakarma
(the architect of the demigods) arrived there in the guise of an old
carpenter Ananta Maharana. He promised the king he would carve the deity
in three weeks time if he was allowed to work behind closed doors. The
king could hear the sound of the carving till 14 days. But on the 15th
day there was no sound. On the advise of his queen, Indradyumna opened
the doors to see what was happening. (It has been mentioned by a few
authors that the King opened the door as he was concerned when he did
not hear the sound. There is no mention of his queen suggesting him to
open the door.) There he saw the deities Jagannatha, BalaBhadra
(Balarama) and Subhadra in their incomplete forms. The hands and legs of
the deities had not yet been carved. But since the king had broken his
promise and opened the door sooner than he was supposed to open
Vishvakarma did not complete the carving.
The king felt he had
committed a sin and so he decided to end his life. Then Lord Jagannatha
appeared in his dreams and told him that the Lord himself wanted to
manifest in this form though it appeared to be incomplete. The lord said
it was the form in which was meant to be worshipped in the Kali yuga.
The king would occasionally decorate the Daru with golden hands and
feet.
All the pictures used in this post have been borrowed from "hare krishna inspiration".
Thanks to Radha-Raman Das and Aisvarya Kumar for sharing the wonderful
pictures. Thanks to Bhaktin Veronica for optimising the images.
There
is another legend that explains the incomplete form of the Lord. Once
Narada went to Dwaraka and he saw a big festival taking place in Queen
Rukmani's palace. All the 16,108 gopis present there were headed by
Rukmani, Sathyabhama, Jambavathi, Bhadra, Mitravrinda and Nagnajiti --
the eight prominent queens of Krishna. Narada approached the queens and
mentioned how fortunate they were to be serving the lord everyday.
Rukmini
then mentioned that Krishna always yearned for Radha and the other
Gopis. He would cry for his mother Yashodha. He called for his friends
Sridama, Subala, Madhumangala, Kokila, Bhringa. He longed to take his
cows Shyamali, Dhavali, Kalindi, Ganga and Pisanga to graze.
Krishna
was sitting in his assembly hall Sudharma. While the queens were
talking, his associates were sitting in the chamber discussing the
various problems. Ugrasena maharaja was sitting on the throne in the
middle surrounded by Akrura, Krishna, Baladeva, Uddhava and others.
Mother
Rohini entered the room. She was Baladeva Prabhu's mother. She had
lived in Brindavan with Yashoda for 11 years while Krishna and Baladeva
were growing up. The queens turned to Rohini to find the reason for
Krishna's discomfort. They wanted to learn from her what was it about
the Gopis and Brindavan that Krishna could never forget them and always
long for them.
Rohini replied
The vrajvasis have known Krishna
as their son, their beloved or a friend. They see him as an innocent
boy who is always dancing and playing his flute. He is
Gopi-Jana-Vallabha, the beloved of all the Gopis. The gopis do not
require a formal relationship with Krishna. They have given their heart
to him since childhood and served him selflessly. They give him their
undivided attention. They always remember him. Krishna has promised "
ye yatha mam prapadyante" - I will remember those who remember me. He keeps his promise by remembering them.
Then Rohini began glorifying Radha's love for the lord:
Once
Radha was sitting on Krishna's lap. A bee started hovering around her
feet. She tried to chase it away, but it kept returning. Meanwhile,
Madhumangala came and drove it away with his stick. He boasted "
Madhusudana (the bee) is gone. I drove him away with my stick and he will never come back."
Hearing this Radha thought that her Krishna (Madhusudana) had gone
away. She forgot she was sitting on his lap and began crying thinking
that the lord had gone away never to return. Such was the love of Radha
for her beloved Krishna.
Krishna realised Rohini was talking
about his beloved Brindavan and Brijvasis. He walked to queens' chamber
with Balarama. Subhadra was standing guard at the door to prevent
Krishna from entering. Although Subhadra stopped Krishna and Balarama
from entering the room, they could hear through the door. Krishna was
standing to the left of Subhadra and Balarama to her right. When they
heard Rohini speak, their hearts and fingers began to melt. When they
wept with joy, their hands, feet and mouth melted. Only the shape of the
Jagannatha deities remained. When Rohini stopped speaking, he slowly
regained his original form. Krishna then walked into the chamber and
realised Narada had spoken about Brindavan and so Rohini had described
to the queens the glory of Brindavan and the Gopis. He was so happy that
Narada had helped him remember of Brij, he granted him a boon. Krishna
said "ask what you want and your wish will be granted". So Narada
requested the lord, subhadra and Balarama to remain in the melted form
for the world to pray. They agreed to remain in this form at Puri.
Nava Kalebara Yaatra (ritual of transformation)The
deities are made of wood. New ones need to replace the old ones every
12 years. This is known as the Nava Kalebara yaatra (ritual of
trnasformation). Right trees are found, deities are carved,
transformation is made and the old ones are buried in the ground. The
last rites of the lord are performed in absolute secrecy. Only a few
appointed priests and servants can be present while the procedures are
conducted.
Searching for the right treeThe
search party consists of exact number of men belonging to specific
casts and families. They reach Kakatpur village after many stops. The
oldest member of the Dayitapati family will have to sleep in the temple
of Goddess Vimala (The Auspicious one). The special tree selected to
carve the deities should have a symbolic mark of chakra, conchshell mace
and lotus.
Each
deity is made from different tree. They have to find four trees in all
to make the four deities , the fourth one being Sudarshana. The trees
for each of the deities will be in different places. When the search
party locates the places, they have to find the right tree as only one
of them will be fit to serve the wood for the Lord's idol.
The right placeThere should be a Shiva's temple and a pond nearby. Rare types of trees like
- Varuna
tree -- protects you from snakes and also has the power to destroy
anger and pride. It is a local practice to carry the bark of a Varuna
tree when they meet a bothersome person.
- Sahad tree -- Gives the power to forget onself
- Vilua tree -- has the power to cure diseases like heart disease, cancer and leprosy.
When
the search party finds the right place, they construct a small hut
nearby and reside in it. They set up a great fire sacrifice to invite
all the demigods to bless them so that the trees can be cut.
First
the wood cutters touch the tree with golden axe, then silver and
finally the iron axe is used to finish off the work. They chant the 108
names of Lord continuously. Since Neem is called "Daru", Jagannatha is
also known as "Daru-Brahman". Only members of the Dayitapati family are
allowed to carry the log back to Puri and the descendants of the
original carver can carve the deity. Only few precisely designated
servants can participate in the rites of transformation. Old deities are
placed in front of the new ones and three oldest members of the
Dayitapati family tranfer "Daru Brahman" to the new deities. Not even
the head priest can be there during the actual transformation. Nava
Kalebara yatra is actually the transformation ceremony. Old deities are
buried in a place known as "
Koili Vaikuntha". Koili means "burial ground" and vaikuntha means "Heaven".
1 comment:
Lord Jagannatha Temple at Puri
The "dhwaja sthamba" or the flagmast is customarily erected in front of
Hindu temples and is in perfect alignment with the sanctum sanctorum,
where the idol of the main deity is installed. “Aruna Sthamba” or “Sun
pillar” is erected in front of Jagannatha mandir. The pillar originally
stood before the sun temple at Konark. King Gajapati Divasingh Dev
brought this pillar to Puri during the Maratha rule in 18th C. Aruna,
son of kasyapa muni and vinata and the elder brother of Garuda squats on
top of the pillar praying. He is also the charioteer of sun god. In
Gayatri Mantra, Narayana is seated in the orbit of the sun. Since there
is no fundamental difference between the sun god and Lord Jagannatha,
Aruna is seated in front of the temple. The sthamba is a 16 sided
monolithic pillar measuring 11 meters in height. Some sevayuts say that
the golden rays of first rising sun washed the holy feet of Lord
Jagannatha through passing the Aruna Sthamba.
Some devotees say
that there were no mountains that that could supply sufficient stone to
build the temple except the Nilgiri Parbat (Blue Mountain). This pillar
is the symbol of the height of Blue Mountain.
Aruna
means “reddish brown” in Sanskrit. In the Ramayana, Aruna is the father
of the fabulous bird Jatayu, king of the vultures, slain by Ravana. In
the Vishnu-Purana, Aruna is one of the two sons of Kasyapa by Vinata;
called Suparna, he is "king of the feathered tribes, and the remorseless
enemy of the serpent race" (1:21).
The temple has two big
concentric walls. The outer wall (meghananda Paceri) has four gates. The
loftiness of the wall places the temple like a fort. The civilians and
the solders took shelter inside the temple compound during the Muslim
invasion.
The four gates opening to the four directions are:
Simhadwar (
Lion door): Two lions stand on either side of the east gate. They represent the
Dharma pillar of Hindu Worship.Devotees generally enter the temple by this gate.
Dasia
Bauri from Dandamukundapur, in the district of Puri, Orissa took a
coconut to be offered to Lord Jagannath through the priests of the
temple. But they out of mockery did not accept the fruit. Dasia was
extremely sad, cursing the heritage of the worshippers. Out of pure
devotion he stretched his hands and prayed,"Oh Lord, kindly accept this
coconut". He was standing outside at the Lion's Gate of the temple.
People saw two hands emerge from within the temple to take the coconut
from Dasia. It was He who blessed Dasia in the presence of many.
Ashwadwar (
Horse door):
Two galloping horses with Jagannatha and Balabhadra on their back in
the martial glory stand guard on either side of the south gate. The
horses represent the
Artha (money) pillar of Hindu worship. Horse is the symbol of Kshetriya king who traditionally enter the temple through this gate.
Vibhisana
was one of the brothers of the demon king Ravana in Lanka during
Tretaya Yuga. Yet he took shelter at the feet of Lord Rama. After the
death of Ravana, he was made king of Lanka. He always felt that Rama was
the Supreme Lord, and it is believed by the people of Puri that he
comes every day to Lord Jagannath, feeling that He is Sri Rama Himself.
Like
all the devas, Vibhisana comes to see and enjoy the last ritual at
midnight, known as Pahuda Arati. It was in the year 1810, when there was
no electricity and the town was dark at night. When returning home
through the horse gate of the temple, head priest Pattajoshi Mahapatra
felt somebody walking beside him. The person was not visible owing to
the darkness, but he was so huge, it seemed his head was touching the
sky. Pattajoshi Mahapatra was totally overwhelmed.
Out of fear, he questioned, "
Who are you, Sir?"
The answer was, "
I am Vibhisana from outer space. I come here daily to see the last ritual of Lord Jagannath."
Still the head priest doubted him.
He asked again, "
Please give me some proof that you are from the outer space !"
So
Vibhisana gave him the huge golden armlet he was wearing and vanished.
Even now, almost 200 years later, this ornament given by Vibhisana of
Devaloka is worshipped in the residence of Pattajoshi Mahapatra's
family. It may be seen and verified. The ornament is the size of a wheel
of a bullock cart. It could never have been used by a human being.
I
haven't seen this armlet and I don't know if it is true. But most of
the legends mentioned in this blog are borrowed from books and articles.
Vyaghradwar (
Tiger door):
A pair of tigers guards the west gate. Tigers represent the
Kamana (Desire) pillar of Hindu worship.
Harihar Guru was one of the greatest worshippers of Jagannath Temple.
He was called Prakruta Panda, a real worshipper; for the help he
rendered to all. This event occured in 1969. Harihar Guru lived in
recent times but he was one of the most honest, simple and sincere
worshipper ever to serve Lord Jagannath. In spite of his limited income,
it was his habit to help poor people. In fact, he became poor himself,
helping others. He used to come daily to the temple at 4 A.M. by the
west gate, known as Vyaghradwar or "Tiger's Gate".
One morning he
saw three beautiful ladies also going through the same gate. They had a
divine fragrance around them and were nicely dressed, decorated with
flowers but no ornaments. Their faces were veiled. It was raining
heavily at that moment, but Guru could not see them wet, even though he
was completely drenched and shivering from the cold. The three ladies
seemed to be going inside as if there were no downpour. Their saris were
dry and there was no sign of their foot prints on the earth. Seeing all
of this, Guru approached them to ask who they were. They simply
vanished! Only the sound of soft laughter was heard. When he narrated
this episode to his friends, he was told that the ladies were divine
beings from Kinnara Loka.
Hatidwar (
Elephant door):
This
is the gate towards the north. On each side is an elephant that is said
to have been disfigured during the Muslim inroad. Elephants represent
the
Moksha pillar of Hindu worship.
Strangely no legend is associated with this door.
Jaya and Vijaya the dwarapalakas
The
eastern gate is guarded by the dwarapalakas Jaya and Vijaya. The
mythological story goes that the two demigod gate-keepers/dwarapalakas
(Jaya and Vijaya) of the abode of Vishnu, known as Vaikunta, barred
revered sages from entering Vishnu's abode. The sages having taken great
measures to travel to Vishnu's abode were furious at the insolence
shown by the gatekeepers and cursed the Jaya and Vijaya to be born as
mortals and roam the earth (Bhuloka).
The generous sages said
that the dwarapalakas could return to Vaikuntha after being born a few
times as enemies of Lord Vishnu and killed by him. Accordingly Jaya and
Vijaya took the form of the demons Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu,
Ravana and Kumbakarna, and Kamsa and Shishupala.
In this era, known in Sanskrit as the
Kali Yuga,
Jaya and Vijaya are free from their curse, and they can be seen as
gatekeepers in Vishnu temples (and temples affiliated with Vaishnavism).
Famous temples where statues of Jaya-Vijaya stand are the temple of
Venkateswara in Tirumala, the temple of Jagannath in Puri, and the
temple of Ranganathar in Srirangam.
The 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu are beautifully depicted on the eastern gate. Read the post
http://diksoochi.blogspot.com/2006/09/dashaavataara-10-incarnations-of-lord.htmlto know more about the incarnations.
The picture on the left depicts the Matsya Avataara of the Lord. The
picture below depicts the following avataaras (from Left to Right):
Kurma Avataara
Varaaha Avataara and the
Narasimha Avataara.
The picture to the right depicts the
Vaamana Avataara
Parashurama
and Shri Rama
of the lord
The
Krishna avataara of the lord is to the left in this picture. Lord
Jagannatha is in the centre and the last one is probably Kalki.
The
temple also has other deities besides Jagannatha, Balabhadra and
Subhadra -- the three main deities. I shall update the details of the
other deites in another post.
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Dashaavataara -- The 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharatha
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srijaamya aham
Whenever there is a decline in religious practice
O descendent of Bharata
and a predominant rise of irreligion
at that time I descend
This
was the verse I sang every Sunday morning with Sonu Nigam while
watching "Mahabharatha" -- one of the most popular serials on Indian
Television. I didn't know what it meant, but something about it was so
enchanting that I would very religiously sing it every weekend.
Eversince I had aspired to read the Bhaagavata, but had never really
made an attempt to read it. I had also borrowed the book from a library a
couple of times but had returned it without reading a single page. I,
conveniently blamimg it on the busy schedule had been delaying reading
the book. While at Puri, I saw the dashaavataara
or the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu on the eastern gate of the
Jagannatha Temple and decided I would read the book as soon as I
returned to Bangalore. I finally managed to read a few chapters from the
sacred book and here I have made an attempt to update this post with a
little bit of information about few of the incarnations. Describing the
"Rama" and "Krishna" avataaras of the Lord would require more than just a
single post. So I have not made an attempt to write about these two
incarnations. I shall probably post another article about Budhdha later.
According
to Hindu mythology, Vishnu has incarnated 9 times to save the world
from destruction. He is yet to reincarnate as Kalki, the 10th avatara.
The 10 avaataras are:
1. Matsya (Fish)
2. Kurma (Tortoise)
3. Varaha (Boar)
4. Narasimha (man-lion)
5. Vamana (dwarf)
6. Parashurama
7. Rama
8. Krishna
9. Budhdha
10. Kalki
Matsya Avataara
Sri suta uvacha
itya ukto vishnu ratena
bhagavan baadarayanih
uvacha charitam Vishnur
matsya roopena yatkritam
Shri Suta (Goswami) said:
when questioned by maharaja Parikshita (vishnurata)
the most powerful son of Vyasadeva -- Sukadeva Goswami (baadarayanih)
described the pastimes of Lord Vishnu
in the form of a fish (matsya roopa)
Asid atita kalpante
brahmo naimittiko layah
samudropaplutas tatra
loka bhur adayo nripa
At the end of kalpa (past millenium),
At the end of Brahma's day,
annihilation took place and thus were inundated (as Brahma fell asleep)
the three worlds O King.
kalenagata nidrasya
dhatuh shishayishor bali
mukhato nihsritan vedan
hayagrivo antike aharat
At the end of Brahma's day, when he fell asleep
and desired to lie down,
the vedas were emanating from his mouth
Hayagriva who was nearby stole the vedic knowledge
Jnatva tad daanavendrasya
hayagrivasya chestitaam
dadhara saphari rupam
Bhagavaan harir ishvarah
Understanding the great demon
hayagriva's acts,
the fish form
was accepted by Hari -- the supreme controller
The
lord assumed one fish incarnation to save the vedas at the beginning of
the swayambhuva manvantara and at the end of Chakshusha manvantara the
lord again assumed the form of the fish to favor the great king
Satyavrata.
One day while Satyavrata, the king of Dravidadesha
and the son of Vivasvan was performing austerities by offering water on
the bank of river Kritamala, a small fish appeared in the water of his
palms. When he was about to throw the fish into the water, the fish
requested him to take it with him and protect it from the other
acquatics. The king took the fish in a jug and brought it to his
residence. But the fish grew overnight and he had to find a well. The
fish grew three cubits within a moment. The king then took it to a lake.
The fish assumed a gigantic form exceeding the extent of water. He took
the fish to the ocean. The fish requested him not to throw it in the
ocean as there were dangerous sharks that could eat it. The king was now
sure that the fish was Lord Vishnu. He expressed his wish to know the
purpose for which the lord had assumed the form of a fish.
Shri Bhagavan uvacha
saptame hi adyatanad oordhvam
ahani etad arindama
nimankshyati apyaya ambhodhau
trailokyam bhur bhuvadikam
Lord replied:
On the seventh day from today,
this creation, O King who can subdue your enemies(arindama)
will be inundated in the ocean of destruction.
the three lokas that will be inundated are bhu, bhuvah and svaaha.
Tri lokyam liyamanayam
samvarta-ambhasi vai tada
upasthasyati nauh kachid
visaala tvam mayerita
When the three lokas merge
in the water of destruction
a large boat will appear
that will be sent by me.
tvam tavad aushadhih sarvah
bijanya uchchavachaani cha
saptarshibhih parivritah
sarva sattvopabrimhitah
aruhya brihatim navam
vicharishyasya aviklavah
ekarnave niraloke
rishinam eva varcasa
Until that time you shall collect all types of herbs
and seeds of the lower and higher order.
Along with the seven rishis
surrounded by all living entities
you shall get on the large boat
and travel without moroseness
in the ocean of inundation of darkness.
The only illumination will be the efflugece of the great rishis
Dodhuyamanam tam navam
samirena baliyasa
upasthitasya me sringe
nibadhnihi maha-ahina
The boat will be tossed about
by powerful winds.
I shall be present by your side so that you can tie the boat to my horn
by means of great serpent (Vasuki)
aham tvam rishibhih sardham
saha-navam udanvati
vikarshan vicharishyami
yavad brahmi nisha prabho
With you and all the rishish together,
I shall pull the boat in the water of devastation
and travel
till the night of Lord Brahma's slumber is over O King!
Kurma Avataara
The
demigods and demons summoned the king of serpants -- Vasuki, and
porimised to give him a share of the nectar. They coiled Vasuki around
Mount Mandara as a churning rope and endeavored to produce nectar by
churning the ocean of milk.
When the sons of Kashyapa (both
demigods and demons)began churning the ocean of milk, Mandara sank into
water as it had no support.
Vilokya vighnesha vidhim tadeshvaro
duranta viryo avitatha abhisandhih
kritva vapuh kachchapam adbhutam mahat
pravishya toyam girim ujjahara
Observing the obstruction created by the will of the supreme
the inconceivably powerful Lord, whose determination is infallible
took the wonderful shape of tortoise
entered the water and lifted the mountain
tam utthitam veekshya kulachalam punah
samudyata nirmathitum suraasurah
dadhara prishthena sa laksha yojana
prastarina dvipa ivaparo mahan
Seeing the mountain thus being lifted,
the demigods and demons were enlivened.
The mountain was carried by Sah (Supreme lord) on his back and he extended 1,00,000 yojanas (800000 miles)
like a big island
Surasurendrair bhuja virya vepitam
paribhramantam girim anga prishthatah
bibhrat tad avartanam adi kachchapo
mene anga kanduyanam aprameyah
When the demigods and demons, by the strength of their arms
rotated the mountain (while churning), O anga (Parikshitha maharaj),
the rotation of the mountain was considered by the kachchapa (tortoise)
as pleasing scratching of the body
Narasimha Avataara and Varaaha Avataara
Shri Narada Uvacha
Ekada Brahmanah putra
Vishnu lokam yadracchaya
Sanandanadayo jagmus
Karanto bhuvana trayam
Narada said :
Once upon a time the four sons of Brahma
Sanaka, sanandana, sanatana and sant kumara
Were wandering through the three worlds
And came to Vishnu loka.
Pancha shaddhayanarbhabhah
Purvesham api purvajah
Dig vasasah shisun matva
Dvah stahau tan pratyashedhatam
Although these four great sages
were older than Brahma’s other sons like marichi
they appeared like small naked children only five or six years old.
When Jaya and vijaya saw them trying to enter Vaikuntha loka forbade them to enter thinking they were only ordinary children.
Asapan kupita evan
Yuvam vasam na karhathah
Rajas tamobhyam rahite
Pada mule madhudvishah
Papishtaham asurim yonim
Balisau yatam asv atah
Being filled with anger they cursed thus
You two do not deserve to reside here
In a place that is free of passion and ignorance
At the feet of the one who has slain the demon Madhu
Be born in the womb of the most sinful asuras
Oh you two fools go quickly from here
Evam saptau sva bhavanat
Patantau tau kripalubhih
Proktau punar janmabhir vam
Tribhir lokaya kalpatam
Thus being cursed from their abode – Vaikuntha
While jaya and Vijaya were falling down, the merciful sages
Addressed again, “after three births
You will get back your position in vaikuntha.”
Jajante tau diteh putrau
Ditya danava vanditau
Hiranyakashipur jyeshto
Hiranyaksho anujas tatah
Thus were born the two sons of Diti
Worshiped by all the daityas and danavas (demons)
Hiranyakashipu was the elder son
Hiranyaksha was his younger brother
Hato hiranyakashipu
Harina simha rupina
Hiranyaksho dharodhare
Bibhrata sukarm vapuh
Hiranyakashipu was killed
By Hari (Vishnu) who appeared in the form of Lion (Narasimha)
When Hiranyaksa tried to hinder Hari who was delivering the planet earth that had fallen in Garbhodaka ocean
Vishnu killed him assuming the form of a boar
Vamana Avataara
Bali
maharaja, the demon, lost all his opulance and died in the fight.
Shukraacharya a descendant of Bhrugu muni, brought him back to life.
Bali maharaja became his disciple and served him with great faith.
The
brahmana descendants of Bhrugu muni were pleased with Bali maharaja.
They desired to conquer the kingdom of Indra. They engaged Bali in
Vishvajit yajna. Bali maharaja gathered demonic soldiers and departed
for the opulent capital of Indra.
tam deva dhaanim sa varuthini patir
bahih samantaad rurudhe prtanyayaa
aachaarya dattam jalajam mahaa svanam
dadhmau prayunjan bhayam indra yositam
The palce where Indra lived
was surrounded in all directions by the commander of numberless soldiers
He sounded the conch shell given by Acharya
that created fear in all the ladies protected by Indra.
Indra approached Brihaspati to learn the secret of Bali's strength.
Shri guru uvaacha
jaanami maghavan chatror
unnater asya kaaranam
shisyayopabhrtam tejo
bhrgubhir brahma vadibhih
Shri guru (Brihaspati) said
"I know maghavan (Indra)
the reason for the elevated power of your enemy
the brahmana disciples of Bhrigu muni
have endowed him with all the power."
He
then informed Indra that neither he nor his men could conquer Bali.
Only the supreme lord could conquer him as he was equipped with the
spiritual power.
tasmaan nilayam utsrjya
yunam sarve tri vistapam
yaata kaalam pratikshanto
yatah satror viparyayah
Therefore give up the heavenly kingdom
and go elsewhere
until that time you need to wait
when the condition is reversed.
The
demigods assumed various forms and escaped unnoticed. Aditi, the mother
of the demigods was aggrieved. She was instructed by her husband
Kashyapa muni to observe payo-vrata and satisfy Vasudeva. Janardhana was
pleased with Aditi and agreed to be born as her son and protect her
other sons -- the demigods. Thus was born Vamanadeva.
One day
while Bali Maharaja was performing ashwamedha sacrifice at the field
known as Bhrugukachcha, Vamanadeva proceeded to show his mercy to Bali
Maharaja. Bali Maharaja jubilant on seeing Lord Vaamanadeva offered him a
seat with great satisfaction.
yad yad vato vaanchasi tat pratichchaa me
tvam arthinaam vipra sutaanutarkaye
gaam kaanchanam gunavad dhaama mrishtam
tathaanna peyam uta vaa vipra kanyaam
graamaan samriddhaams turagan gajaan va
rathaams tahtarhattama sampratichcha
Whatever you desire O brahmachaari (vato) that you may take from me
You can take from me whatever you desire Vipra Suta (son of a brahmana)
You may take cow, gold, furnished home, palatable
food grains and drinks, daughter of a brahmana for your wife,
villages that are prosperous, horses, elephants or
chariots or what ever you desire.
tasmaat tvatto mahim isad
vrne aham varadarshabhaat
paadaani trini daityendra
sammitaani paada mama
From your Majesty I seek very little land
From the personality who can give charity munificienty I ask
three paces of land O daityendra (Kind of the daityas)
to the measurement of my steps.
shri suka uvaacha
ity uktah sa hasann aha
vaanchtah pratigrhyataam
vaamanaaya mahim daatum
jagraaha jala bhaajanam
Sukhadeva Goswami said
thus being addressed he (Bali Maharaj) smilingly said
"as you have desired, now take from me
Lord Vaamana, the land"
To confirm his promise Bali Maharaja took the waterpot.
Shukrachaarya
realised Lord Vishnu's purpose and forbade him to fulfill his promise
that might harm the interest of the demons. He told Bali Maharaja to
take the evidence of Bahvarcha sruti, which says that a promise is
truthful only if preceeded by the word "OM" and untruthful if not. Bali
Maharaja after contemplating he relised that there was nothing more
sinful than untruthfulness. He decided that fame should be the aim of
life and even if one becomes poverty stricken for the sake of good
reputation, it is not a loss. Bali Maharaja gave Vishnu everything he
possesed.
tad vaamanam roopam avardhataadbhutaam
harer anantasya guna trayaatmakam
bhooh khaam disho dyaur vivaraah payodhayas
tiryan-nr-devaa rsaayo yad aasata
The incarnation of Lord Vaamana then began to increase in size
until everythin in the universe was within his body,
the land, the sky, all directions, the planetary system, different holes of the universe, great seas and oceans
lower animals birds and beasts, human beings, demigods great saintly persons
paadam dviteeyam kramatas trivistapam
na vai tritiyaaya tadiyam anv api
rukramasyaanghrir upary upary atho
mahar janaabhyaam tapasah param gatah
As the lord took his second step, he covered all of the heavenly planets
not even a spot remained for his step.
for the lord's foot extended higher and higher
beyond maharloka, janaloka, tapoloka and even satyaloka.
paadaani trini dattaani
bhoomer mahyam tvayaasura
dvaabhyaam kraantaa mahi sarvaa
tritiyam upakalpaaya.
You had promised to give me three footsteps
of land. O king of the demons
But my two steps have occupied all the land completely
Now find the means for the third step.
shri balir uvaacha
yady uttamasloka bhavaan maeritam
vacho vyalikam sura varya maanyate
karomi anritam tan na bahvet pralambhanam
padam triteeyam kuru shirshine me nijam
Shri Bali said:
if, O supreme lord, your goodself thinks
my promise was false, O greatest of all suras (demigods)
I shall make it true. I cannot allow allow my promise to be false.
Place your lotus feet on my head.
indrasena mahaaraja
yahi bho bhadram astu te
sutalaam svargibhih praarthyam
jnaatihih parivaaritah
Lord Vishnu said:
O Bali Maharaj (Indrasena)
All good fortune unto you! You may go to
Planet sutalam that is desired even by demigods
surrounded by your family members
Parashurama
A
brahmana sage named Ricika married Satyavati, the daughter of King
Gadhi. Satyavati and her mother, each desiring a son requested Ricika to
prepare an oblation. Ricika prepared one for his wife and an other for
his mother in law and went to bathe. Satyavati's mother thought that the
oblation prepared for her daughter must be better and so asked her
daughter for the oblation. Satyavati and her mother exchanged the
oblation.
tad viditva munih praha
patnim kashtam akarashih
ghoro danda dharaah putro
bhraata te brahma vittamaah
Having learned this fact, the great sage said:
"Wife you have done a wrong thing.
Your son will be a fiercce kshatriya who will punish others.
Your brother will be a learned scholar in spiritual science."
Satyavati
pacified Ricika with peaceful words and requested her son not be like a
fierce kshatriya. Ricika replied, "then your grandson will be of a
kshatriya spirit." Thus was born Jamadagni as the son of Satyavati. He
married Renuka, the daughter of Renu and many sons were born to them.
The youngest of them was Parasurama. When the royal dynasty, being
excessively proud of the material modes of passion and ignorance, became
irreligious and ceased to care for the laws enacted by the brahmanas,
Parashurama killed them.
Kartaviryarjuna,
the Best of Kshatriyas, the king of Haihayas was blessed with 1000 arms
by Dattatreya. He became undefeatable and roamed all over the universe
without opposition like the wind.Once Kartaviryarjuna turned the course
of river Narmada and it inundated the camp of Ravana that was set up on
the banks of the river near the city of Mahishmati. Ravana attempted to
insult Kartaviryarjuna in the presence of the women who were surrounding
him at the moment. Kartaviryarjuna arrested Ravana just as one captures
a monkey and released him neglectfully in the city of Mahishmati.
Once
while Kartaviryarjuna was wandering in a forest hunting, he came to the
residence of Jamadagni. Sage Jamadagni received the king, his soldiers,
ministers and carriers very well. He supplied them with all the
necessities as he possessed Kamadhenu, the cow, that could give
everything. Kartaviryarjuna thought that Jamadagni was more powerful
than he was, as he possessed the cow.
havirdhanim risher darpan
naran hartum achodayat
te cha mahishmatim ninyuh
sa vatsam krandatim balat
Kamadhenu belonging to Sage Jamadagni
was forcibly taken away by Kartaviryarjuna's men after being encouraged by him
The men also forcibly brought the calf along with crying Kamadhenu to Mahishmatim.
Soon
after, Parashurama returned to the ashram and upon learning the act of
Karthaviryarjuan, he became as angry as a trampled snake. Taking his
chopper, shield, bow and quiver of arrows, Lord Parashurama chased
Kartaviryarjuna like a lion chasing an elephant.
achodayaat dhasti rathasva pattibhir
gadasi banarshti sataghni saktibhih
akshauhinih sapta dasatibhishanas
ta rama eko bhagavan asudayaat
Kartiviryarjuna sent elephants, chariots, horses and infantry soldiers,
clubs, swords, weapons called rishtis, weapons called sataghnis, weapons called saktis,
seventeen groups of akshauhinis,
Lord Parashurama killed them all single handedly.
He
worked with the speed of mind and wind, slicing his enemies with
Parashu (chopper. The enemies fell, their arms and shoulders being
severed, their chariot drivers killed, their carriers, the elephants and
horses all annihilated.
atharjunah pancha sateshu bahubhir
dhanuhshu baanaan yugapat sa sandadhe
ramaaya ramo astra bhritam samagranis
tany eka dhanveshubhir acchinat samam.
Thereafter Kartaviryarjuna, fixed arrows on five hundred
bows simultaneously,
to kill Lord Parashurama.
But Lord Parashurama released enough arrows with just one bow
to cut all the arrows and the bows in the hands of Kartaviryarjuna.
Punah sva hastair achalan mridhe anghripan
utkshipya vegad abhidhavato yudhi
bhujan kutharena kathora nemina
chichheda ramah prasabham tv aher iva
Kartaviryarjuna uprooted hills with his own hands
and uprooted the trees. With great force
Parashurama chopped off Kartaviryarjuna's arms like one lops off the hoods of a serpant.
kritta baahoh shiras tasya
gireh sringam ivaharat
hate pitare tat putra
ayutam dudruvur bhayat
agnihotrim upavartya
savatsam para vira ha
samupetya 'sramam pitre
pariklishtaam samarpayaat
Thereafter Parashurama cut off the head of Kartaviryarjuna
like a mountain peak.
When their father was killed, the sons,
(ten thousand in number) fled in fear.
Parashurama released Kaamadhenu
and with her calf, brought her back to the ashram.
Parashurama
then travelled to holy places to rid himself of the sin he had
committed by killing kartaviryarjuna. Once when Renuka, Jamadagni's wife
had gone to river Ganga to get water she saw king of Gandharvas
decorated with garland and sporting in the river with apsaras. She was
inclined towards Chitraratha -- the king of Gandharvas. When she
returned to the ashram, Jamadagni realised what had happened and ordered
his sons to kill their mother as she had committed adultry in her mind.
But the sons did not carry out their father's command. He then ordered
Parashurama who had just returned to the ashram. He carried out his
father's order.
Jamadagni was pleased with Parashurama and he
told his son to take any benediction he liked. Parashurama requested
that his mother and his brothers be brought back to life and that they
do not remember the incident when they became alive again. Jamadagni
granted Parashurama the benediction. Thus Renuka and her sons were
brought back to life again.
2 comments:
Land of Lord Jagannatha -- Puri
The railway station plan indicated the tourist information office to the
left. There was a single room to the left that was being renovated. A
gentle man told us that the tourist office was to the left of the exit
gate. We walked out of the exit gate and were disappointed to see the
office closed. The office was closed on account of Independence Day. We
enquired at the book stall for the city tourist map. We weren’t lucky
enough to find one. We asked them the direction to the youth hostel. It
was about half a Km to the left from the railway station. We walked to
the youth hostel and checked in.
“Art of Living” foundation had
arranged for an advanced course in the hostel and there were several
people attending it. That was proably the reason for the hostel being
crowded. We were given a double room whose balcony opened to the sea. We
had just enough time to check in and change into appropriate dress to
go to the temple. We asked the hostel in-charge for the appropriate fare
to reach the temple and hired a cycle rickshaw. We were off to see the
temple that I had long yearned to see. Though I am not a very religious
person, I enjoy visiting temples.
Puri
is also known as Sri Kshetra, Sankha Kshetra, Nilachala, Nilagiri, and
Dashavatara Kshetra. Jagannatha has been described as the famous deity
of Odra or Utkal. Sri Kshetra is famous throughout the world. It is said
that, if one visits Jagannatha Puri dhama he will get the result of
visiting all the tirthas. One who sees Jagannatha at Puri need not go to
any other place for piligrimage.
The glory of Puri is described thus in Tantra Yamala:
Bharate cotkale dese bhusvarge purushottame
Darurupi Jagannatha Bhaktanamamya pradah
It
is mentioned in Mahabharatha that Visvakarma performed a sacrifice. He
gave the earth goddess as a present to rishi Ksyapa. The earth was so
angry after being treated thus that she disappeared into the nether
world. Kasyapa went through a period of penance after which the earth
goddess appeared in the form of a “vedi” – platform, near the sea. It is
said that the mortal who climbs on the platform becomes strong and
powerful. This vedi (platform) of mahabharatha has been identified with
the raised platform of the temple where Lord Jagannatha is enshrined.
Sankha Kshetra:
This place is named after demon Sankhasura who was killed by Lord
Vishnu. Sankhasura was formed from the sweat of demon Madhu. Vishnu
killed Madhu when he was on the verge of killing Brahma. Sankhasura
wanted to take revenge on Vishnu. He pleased Shiva by his penance and
learned Tantra from him. While he was learning Tantra he could hear the
recitation of veda. Rishi Yagnavalkya was learning Yajur veda from
Brahma at the moment. Sankhasura wanted to learn the recitation and he
asked Shiva for the source. Shiva instructed him to go to Brahma to
learn the Vedamantra. But Brahma had already distributed the four Vedas
among his disciples
Rig Veda – Madhu Chandra
Yajur Veda – Yagnyavalkya
Sama Veda – Goutama
Atharva Veda – PrahaladaSo
Brahma refused to teach him Vedamantra. Sankhasura was enraged and he
took away the four Vedas from the disciples forcibly and hid them in the
sea. Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of “Meenavatara” to search the
demon in the sea. The demon hid in the Kalpa Vriksha inside the present
temple. Lord Vishnu tried to kill the demon. The demon hid in a conch.
Vishnu threw his disc to kill the demon. But the conch was so hard that
the disc was thrown away to a place called “Chakra tirtha” due to the
impact. Finally Vishnu killed the demon with his Brahmastra.
Shiva
was furious to learn about the death of his disciple. The demi gods who
had assembled to rejoice the death of Sankhasura pleased Shiva by
singing “Vedasara Staba” (glories of Shiva). He requested Vishnu to name
the place as Sankha kshetra after the name of Sankhasura. The proposal
was accepted and the place was named as “
sankha kshetra”.
From Purushottama to JagannathaReference
to Sri kshetra (abbreviation for Sri Purushottama Kshetra) is found in
the accounts of a Chinese traveler t-tsing. It is believed that a region
in Burma was named after the famous sacred city. The popularity of the
deity increased when Chodagangadeva constructed a grand temple.
Padau Yasya dharantariksham – akhilam nabhistu sarvva disha
Srotre netrayugam ravinduyugalam murddhapi va(cha) dyaur-asau
Prasadam purusottamasya nrupateh ko nama karttum kshamas
Tasyety-adyanrupair-upekshitamayam chakre tha gangeshvarah !!Who can build a temple for purushottama whose feet are the earth and the entire space his naval.
Whose two ears are all directions,
Whose pair of eyes are the sun and the moon
And whose skull is the sky
So thinking this temple had been neglected by the previous kings,
But Gangeshvarah built it!!Till
the end of 12th C AD, the presiding deity of the sri kshetra was Sri
Purushottama. During the period of Anangabhima III the muslims were
already powerful on the frontier of Ganga kingdom and posed a danger.
The regional hindu powers were also not united. Anangabhima attempted to
safeguard the Ganga kingdom by the support of local religious force.
For that purpose Purushottama was declared as Lord of the Ganga kingdom
and the king himself became the deputy (rout) and ruled the kingdom on
behalf of Lord Purushottama. The name was changed to Jagannatha to suit
to different sections of religious belief as Buddhists, Jains, Shaivas,
Vaishnavas and Saktas.
Memorable ride to Puri
We left Barkul at 8:10AM by auto. We asked the auto driver how long it
would take to reach Balugaon railway station. He said it would take a
little more than 20 minutes to reach the station. He also informed us
that the next train to Puri was at 8:30AM. Just when I was thinking that
we could reach the station at the right time, we had to wait for a
couple of minutes at the railway crossing. Now the only way we could get
the 8:30 AM train was, if the driver could drive in less than 20
minutes. He sped through the village. The children in the village school
were participating in the Independence Day school parade.
We
reached Balugaon station at 8:30 AM. It is a very small station with
just a couple of platforms. We were made to run between the ticket
counters to buy our tickets. We met a young lad in his early twenties
who was well informed about the train timings. He assured us that the
8:30 AM train would never be on time and we could still get it. It
generally arrives half an hour late. He told us to buy our tickets to
Puri, board the train headed towards Khorda road and take another train
to Puri. Accordingly, we purchased our tickets and sat on a cement bench
waiting for our train. Slowly the time ticked by.
There was no
sign of the train at 9:00 AM. The young lad walked up to us and reminded
us that we had to change our train at Khorda road. We thanked him for
his help and continued waiting for the train. We asked the station
master when the train headed towards Khorda road would arrive on the
platform. He told us that we could take the fast express instead of the
passenger train that we were hoping to take. We crossed the foot bridge
and went to the platform where the express train was expected. Just when
the train arrival announcement was being made, I sighted a Blue Jay on
the lamp post. I pulled out my camera and quickly photographed it.
Finally
at 9:30 AM the train chugged into the station. We boarded one of the
sleeper bogies. Since we had our tickets for the passenger express, we
had to get it upgraded to a sleeper class ticket. I went across the
length of the train a couple of times looking for the ticket inspector. A
cool drinks vendor informed me that the inspector was in the pantry car
having his breakfast and it would be a while before I could talk to
him. I decided to go back to the compartment where Uma was comfortably
seated and wait for the inspector.
The train reached Khorda road
station at 10:55 AM. As soon as we got off the train we saw the Puri
passenger train on the next platform. We got on the train only to find
that it was overly crowded and there was hardly any place for us to
stand comfortably. I stood in the aisle. Vendors walked up and down the
aisle. Every time some one had to walk in the aisle, I had to move and
give way. After a while I was annoyed as people would walk up and down
the aisle for no particular reason.
After what seemed like
eternity, the train slowly pulled out of the station. There was an
elderly woman seated in the compartment who was curious to know our
itinerary. She realized we were strangers and asked us if we were
pilgrims headed to Jagannath mandir. She told us that leather belts,
purse and watches wouldn’t be allowed in the temple premises. She warned
us against taking cameras and mobile phones with cameras to the temple.
Though she couldn’t speak Hindi very well, we managed to converse for a
while. She then asked us if we were students or we worked. My friend
replied that we were students studying in Bangalore University.
Sometimes it is a good idea to conceal your true identity from strangers
if you are traveling alone. She then asked us where we would be staying
in Puri. We told her that we would be staying with friends and she
assumed that we would be staying in the hostel with friends. Since she
presumed we would be visiting Puri with friends she didn’t advise us
further. She also told us that the fast express to Puri had been
cancelled following the floods in Ahmedabad. The only express train that
probably passes through this station is the train from Ahmedabad. But
surely there should be express trains from other parts of the country?!
After
shuffling on my feet for about an hour I sat on the overhead luggage
shelf:). A man seated there until then got off the train. I grabbed the
opportunity and occupied the seat that he had vacated.
I
invited my friend to join me as there was sufficient place for both of
us. She passed my offer. She stood for a little while after that. Few
people got off at one of the major stations and she found a place to
sit. I got down as well and occupied the vacant seat beside the window.
The
train was expected to reach Puri by 12:30 PM. It was one of those
journeys that never seemed to end. There were lot of people on train and
at times the stench of sweat was unbearable. Since it had rained, the
floor of the train was wet too. The train was now inching forward. Few
people got off the train and preferred to walk on the tracks. We reached
“sakhi Gopal” station (also referred to as "Sakshi Gopal") and one of
the passengers asked us if we were planning to visit the “Sakhi Gopal”
temple. I told him that we intended to visit only the temples in
Bhubaneswar.
He exclaimed “Aren’t you going to Sakhi Gopal? Then your visit to Bhubaneswar isn’t worth it!”
I replied “well... we are here to visit the Jagannath Mandir and all other temples are only of secondary importance to us.”
We
didn’t hear any other smart advices from him again. We reached Puri
station at about 12:50 PM. We bid good bye to the lady who had given us
all the advices that she thought would help us while we were at Puri and
walked towards the exit gate looking out for the tourist information
counter.
2 comments:
Chilka Lake -- Barkul
The bus from Gopalpur to Berhampur would halt every few yards and wait
for people to board. The driver, conductor, or the people seemed to be
in no hurry to reach their destination. We stopped in a small village
market. Sea food is quite popular in this part of the state. Tribal
women were selling prawns, fish and crabs in the market. The smell of
fish was quite strong and it was rather too revolting. Uma got off the
bus to call her parents. I sat there listening to some old Hindi movie
songs of the 80s, that were playing on the music system of the bus. I
had been hearing only songs sung by Himesh Reshammiya since we had
reached Orissa and this was a welcome change! The bus took about an
hour and a half to reach the old bus stand at Berhampur (just 16Kms
away!).
On reaching, we were disappointed to learn that all the
private tour operators had joined in the strike (“indefinite”) and we
were once again standing there with no means to reach Barkul. Just then
a young man in track pants asked us where we were headed. He was
probably returning after his morning exercise. We told him we had to go
to Barkul and he suggested we take a private bus. We then asked a few
locals how we could reach Barkul. Almost instantaneously people would
ask us “Chilika Barkul?” as though there were two places in the state by
the same name. A few of them suggested that we take the bus headed
towards Rambha get off at “
Kalighat” and then take
another bus to Barkul. By then a bus going toward Rambha stopped there
and the conductor assured that Barkul was just about 10 Kms from
“Kalighat”. We should have known better than to believe the conductor.
We got on the bus and stuffed our heavy bags in the overhead baggage
shelf, and sat on the not-so comfortable seats. I asked a couple of men
on bus how far Barkul really was from “Kalighat”. Two men on the bus who
seemed to be well informed told us that Barkul was about 20 – 30 Kms
from Kalighat. By then the bus had crossed the old bus stand.
The
young man in tracks (I prefer to call him the “jogger”) came on his
bike looking for us. He was indeed a good man who had returned to inform
us that the bus that we were taking wouldn’t go anywhere near Barkul.
He told us to take the government bus instead. So we got off the bus
again and with the heavy bags on our back began the trek back to the old
bus stand.
The “jogger” came looking for us again and told us
that there was an OSRTC bus that would leave Berhampur at 11:30 AM. He
had also talked to the conductor and requested him to drop us off near
Barkul gate (whatever that meant!). He introduced us to the conductor
and also the OSRTC officer who told us that we could come back at 11:30
AM and board a bus that would leave from the old bus stand. He also gave
us the registration number of the bus that I now have forgotten. It was
just about 9:00 AM and we had lot of time on hand to kill.
We
went to Nandan hotel and had our breakfast. While paying our bill at the
reception, I asked the cashier if we could hire a taxi to Barkul. The
cashier (could have even been the manager of the hotel) called up a taxi
driver and after talking to him, informed us that we would have to
cough up 800/- Rs. This did not appeal to us and we thanked him and left
the hotel. It was just about 9:40AM and we had to spend time till
11:30. We strolled past the old bus stand and enquired at a nearby
travel agency if we could get a taxi to Barkul. Since the taxi operators
too had joined in the strike, the watchman told us that the office was
closed. With nowhere to go and nothing else to do, we stood in front of
the travel agency waiting for the bus. By then the watchman walked over
to the taxi stand and returned with another man who seemed to be a
driver. The man walked up to us and asked if we were looking for a taxi.
When we said, we were; he said it would cost us 700/- Rs. We refused to
pay him the hefty amount and he walked away. By now, my legs were
aching and we walked in to sit on the steps. It started drizzling and
the watchman invited us into the office. We went in and sat in the
office, but something didn’t feel right. So we walked out of the office
again and sat on the stairs. Another man (taxi driver) walked up to us
and asked us how much we were willing to pay. He was willing to take us
to Barkul for 500/- Rs. He asked us if he could take another two people
with us in the taxi. We were not comfortable with the idea and so we
refused to take the taxi.
It didn’t seem like a good idea to sit
in front of the office anymore. So we walked into an STD booth opposite
the bus stand. I first called the manager of Barkul Panthnivas and
asked him if it would be a good idea to take a train to Balugaon. He
informed that Barkul was just about 8Kms from Balugaon station and we
could get an auto from the station. I then called the railway enquiry
and found out that the next train to Balugaon was at 12:00 PM and it
would take about an hour to reach the station. I preferred to travel by
train where as uma was against the idea. She wanted to take the bus. I
was not very sure if we would reach Barkul in less than 2 hours.
Reluctantly I waited with Uma at the bus stand for the bus. The bus came
to the stand at about 11:00 but we weren’t allowed to board it. The
conductor asked us to return by 11:30.
Where were we to sit and
wait for the bus? We returned to the STD booth and asked the lady at the
counter if we could sit there. She didn’t seem to mind. A young mother
walked in with her daughter. We learnt that the little girl was
Suhani and her elder sister was
Simran.
I exclaimed aloud that “Suhani” reminded me of Rani Mukherjee in
“Saathiya” and the young girl’s mother smiled and confirmed that they
had indeed named their daughters after watching two of the most popular
bollywood movies. They had named their daughters after the lead women
characters in movies “
Saathiya” and “
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge”.
We
saw a few people boarding the bus and decided it was time for us to get
on the bus too! We walked up to the bus and asked the conductor if we
could board the bus. The conductor told us we could, but we had to
occupy seats 31 and 32. These seats were towards the rear end of the bus
and I wasn’t sure how rugged the roads would be :(. But did we have a
choice? The seat on which I was sitting had some foam missing in the
centre and it was not going to be a comfortable ride. The bus finally
left Berhampur at about 11:50AM.
The route the bus took was
beautiful and I didn’t mind the uncomfortable seat anymore. The
conductor finally announced that we were to get off. The bus stopped in
front of a dhaba. We got off and walked straight. A signboard directed
us to the right. We reached the crossroad where we had to turn right
when a car (it probably was an Indica) stopped right beside us and the
driver offered us to drop us at Panth nivas. That saved us a walk of
about half a kilometer. The driver dropped us at the reception hall and
we were finally at Barkul. We thanked the driver and proceed to check
in.
We enquired about the package tours that OTDC offered to
“Chilika Lake”. The manager informed us that the package tours were all
cancelled as it was not the right time to visit Chilika and there
weren’t many tourists at the time. He then told us we could hire a boat
at 450/-Rs per hour and visit Kalijai Island, Nalbana Island, Rajhans
island and sea mouth. We realized it would take us at least 8hrs to
cover all the islands. We checked into our room and decided to visit
only Kalijai, Nalbana and Rajhans. This would take us about 3Hrs and we
would be satisfied watching the palace from the lake as we wouldn’t be
allowed to step on the island. We set off in our boat at 3:30PM towards
Kalijai Island.
We watched panth nivas from the water. It is in a
picturesque location. With Chilika lake on one side and the hills
surrounding it on the other side, it is an ideal location for a romantic
getaway.
Chilka
served as a flourishing port even during the days of the emperor
Ashoka. It was the link to other South-East Asian nations such as Java,
Sumatra, Indonesia, Borneo, Burma, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and also China.
Manikpatna still has traces of that ancient port. The lagoon was
probably created when the sea inundated the region, due to a depression
on the earth’s crust. Vast areas were submerged and the water could not
recede because of a barrier formed by the deposition of sand and other
alluvial silts surrounding the water body. Myths and folklore, however,
are woven into the fabric of Chilka. The lake lies to the north of Puri,
the abode of Lord Jagannath. Legend has it that around fourth century
AD, invaders came by sea to raid the temples and seize their phenomenal
wealth. The priests, being forewarned, cleverly hid the deity as well as
the jewellery, thereby foiling the invaders’ plan. The enraged
attackers turned to the sea. The sea initially receded, and then it
suddenly surged forward and swallowed the army. When the sea receded
once more, Chilka was born.
We sped in our motor boat for about
half an hour and had our first glimpse of the Kalijai island. The Island
of Kalijai is famous as a center of religious worship due to the temple
of Goddess Kalijai where a big fair is held on the occasion of Makara
Sankranti that falls in January every year
A
legend talks about Goddess Kalijai, immortalized in poetry by one of
the leading poets of Orissa, Godavari Mahapatra. The village maiden
Kalijai was married off to an inhabitant of the distant island of
Parikud against her wishes. While going to her new home, a storm whipped
up the placid waters, capsizing the boat and Kalijai was swept away.
The cyclone is said to have started at the mammu-Bhanaja mountain (or
the uncle-nephew mountain calles so for the striking resemblance that
the two mountains have with each other.) Her spirit is said to have
hovered around the island. The heart-broken villagers renamed the island
where she had lived as Kalijai, installed her idol in a temple and
began worshipping her, praying for the safety of those who ventured out
to the sea.
After
offering our prayers at the temple, we told the boatman to take us to
the island with the Raja’s palace on it. He said that the manager had
only instructed him to take us to Kalijai island and then take us
boating on the lake for about three hours and return to Barkul. We told
him that we had hired the boat to visit Kalijai island, Rajhans and
Nalbana island. After arguing for a while he turned the boat towards
Rajhans. On reaching Rajhans, he told us that the islanders had spread
their nets around the lake and so we couldn’t venture anywhere near the
island. The manager at Panth Nivas had told us that the boat would take
us round the island and we would be able to take pictures of the palace.
But now, we were disappointed to learn that we would have to go by auto
for about four and a half Kms to reach the palace. The manager at Panth
Nivas had only informed us that we would be able to get off the boat
and visit the palace. We were given an impression that we could view the
palace from the boat. We were quite angry now for we felt cheated and
so we instructed the boatman to talk to his manager on the
walkie-talkie. He passed on the instrument to us and we expressed our
anger. Since we were already almost an hour and a half away from panth
nivas we were unsure as to what we had to do next. We instructed the
boatman to take us to Nalbana island. He was visibly irritated. He
probably wanted to return home soon. He told us that we wouldn’t be able
to see even a single bird on the island. We asked him if we returned to
Barkul immediately would we be refunded the last one hour’s amount. He
said we had to pay for the full three hours as the receipt had already
been issued. Since we were to pay for the last one hour, we decided we
might as well go to Nalabana.
After traveling for about half an hour
we asked the boatman how far the island was. He pointed to a watch
tower and said that was Nalabana. We were expecting to see a little more
than just a watch tower.
We
couldn’t sight even a single bird :(. The island was submerged in water
following the heavy rainfall the state had received. We only managed to
sight a single nest on a lone tree. There was also a ticket booth that
looked like a telephone booth :) from a distance.
By
then it started drizzling and we had to return to Barkul. The boat
rocked precariously in the strong winds. Uma had to shift to the other
side of the boat to balance it. We had to hold on real tight. I was
sitting at the center and the boat had spewed water on me generously all
along. My dress was already wet and now the rain god was showering his
blessings too! I didn’t have my raincoat on. I was literally shivering
in the cold. Uma wasn’t very comfortable riding without a life jacket. I
had to assure her that I had been on water in much worse weather
conditions and we would safely reach the shore. Finally we reached the
shore at 6:30 PM. The manager of Panth Nivas was standing there waiting
for us, to probably find out why we sounded angry on the walkie-talkie. I
was feeling cold and had to change into something warm as quickly as
possible; else there was the risk of catching cold. Leaving the manager
to talk to the boatman, we walked into our room.
We had our bath
and changed into warm clothes. We then went to the reception desk to
talk to the manager. The manager was probably expecting us. We then told
him that we felt cheated as we could neither see the raja’s palace nor
go round Rajhans island. He tried to tell us that the package tour was
generally only to Kalijai island and Nalabana island, and that he had
done us a favor by adding on Rajhans island. I tried explaining the
situation to another panth nivas officer who happened to be there at
that time. He agreed with us that the manager had not given us complete
details. After arguing with the manager for an hour, he finally
cancelled the receipt that he had issued and charged us for two hours
instead. With the money refunded, we went over to the dining hall and
had our dinner.
The next morning we woke up early to watch the life
on Chilka. Our room was beside the lake and it was a pretty sight from
the balcony. I enjoyed the view for a while. Once there was sufficient
day light we took our camera and Handy cam and walked towards the lake.
It was August 15th; the day India got her independence. We sang a few
patriotic songs and hummed a couple more.
The
fishermen were already at work. They were setting their nets to catch
the fish. It was a delight watching the serene lake. We sat by the lake
for an hour watching the fishermen. One of them even offered to take us
on his boat to see a nearby island. I sat looking at the rising sun in
the horizon wishing that the clock stopped ticking. Life here seemed to
be nothing more than fishing. The cool breeze against the face, the
sound of water and the melodious calls of the birds made me wonder why
life couldn’t be this beautiful every day. Some birds were hovering
around the nets hoping to get their free share of food.
I couldn’t have enough of Chilka lake in one day. I was disappointed
that we couldn’t visit Satpada to see the Irrawady dolphins. My next
trip to Orissa will be to Phulbani and Khoraput which will include
Chilka lake even if it is just for a day during the winter season to see
the birds and the dolphins.
10 comments:
Gopalpur-On-Sea
2 comments:
Bike trip to Manchanbele, Hutridurga and Big Banyan tree
After debating for nearly two months we finally decided on going to
Hutridurga on the 18th of June 2006. Darshan’s carefully planned
itinerary also included Manchanbele dam, T.G. Halli and Big Banyan tree.
Our group consisted of Darshan, Uma, Arul, Varsha, Vinay and myself.
Jasmita and Sumanth who were supposed to join us, dropped out the
previous day on the excuse of having to be the “good hosts” to their
guest. What a convenient excuse!
I was to ride pillion on Vinay’s
bike from CBI Main road R.T.Nagar. We decided to meet at 5:55 AM at the
pre-decided meeting point. The others would meet at a convenient place
in Sanjaynagar and then would meet us at R.T.Nagar. Vinay called me at
about 5:55 AM to inform that his mobike had a puncture. I called up the
others and informed them that we would be late. However they decided to
reach R.T.Nagar and wait for us. The hours slowly ticked by and Uma
called me at about half past seven to inform that the tyre was finally
fixed. I reached New Shanti Sagar R.T.Nagar at about 7:50 AM and Vinay
had not yet returned from the repair shop with his bike. Meanwhile I met
Darshan’s friends Bhanu and Vijay who would also be joining us.
Finally Vinay met us at about 7:55 AM and after a hurried breakfast we were all set to go!
After Vinay’s bike developed a puncture the others didn’t want to take a
chance and so the boyz decided to get their vehicles checked! We
stopped over at the Shell petrol bunk. Darshan got the tyres checked.
Here
we decided on the route that we would take to reach our final
destination. Darshan gave the directions to Bhanu and Vijay and they
went their own way while we patiently waited outside.
We
then whizzed past Sri Gandhada kaavalu, bidarahalli and reached the
outskirts of Bangalore. Here we decided to wait for Bhanu and Vijay who
had gone their separate way after the brief stop at Shell petrol bunk.
After
riding on the good tar roads for a few kilometers, we began to ride on
tar roads that were filled with pot holes. Vinay’s dexterity at
maneuvering the vehicle around these pot holes is commendable. Varsha
and Arul were closely following us. We had lost contact with the others
as the mobile network wasn’t strong to transmit the signals. Fearing
that we might be separated from the group, we took breaks at regular
intervals and waited for the others. I would occasionally turn around
and look out for the others. When I couldn’t sight them, I would signal
Vinay to ride slowly and let the others catch up with us. Darshan and
Uma were listening to music on Darshan’s mobile and singing along. I
however strongly condemn this act, as listening to music could be quite
distracting at times. Not many people would agree with me, I’m sure! But
it is always better to be safe than sorry!
With no direction
boards to guide us, we had to depend on the passersby to help us. The
villagers were more than glad to direct us. This is such a contrast to
the experience I had in London. It had rained heavily on a particular
day in 2004 and the tube stations were closed as they were filled with
water. I was forced to ride a bus to Wembley park and the driver stopped
the bus in an unfamiliar neighborhood and asked to get off the bus as
he wouldn’t go any further. I requested a few people to give me
directions to the nearest bus stop. Some just shrugged their shoulders
and walked away while a few didn’t even bother to do that!
We
were by now riding on mud roads and the ride was bumpy. But it didn’t
bother us much as we were excited to reach Manchanbele dam at the
earliest. After riding for a few minutes we noticed that Darshan and Uma
weren’t following us. We waited for them to join us and were surprised
to see Uma riding with Bhanu. They inform us that Darshan’s bike was low
on air and it might have developed a puncture and Vijay had offered to
stay back with Darshan to fix it! NO! NOT AGAIN!!!! We didn’t need
another trouble with the bike to delay us now... Since they had assured
that they would join us at the Manchanbele dam, and also because there
wasn’t anything much that we could do, we proceeded towards the dam
without the two of them.
Darshan and Vijay meanwhile pushed the bike to a nearby repair shop in a
village and got it fixed. It was then that they realised that the man
who checked the air in Darshan's mobike tyres at the petrol bunk had
released some from them :)
We
enquired for the directions to Manchanbele at a few villages and then
took one of the most rugged mud roads we had been on until that time.
However, it didn’t seem like we were headed in the right direction as we
couldn’t see water anywhere. Just when I was beginning to look around
for some of the locals to enquire the direction, we saw a couple of
bikers headed in the same direction.
This
was an assurance that we were indeed on the right path as Manchanbele
is quite popular with the bikers. A few hundred meters on the same road …
and we had the first glimpse of the beautiful lake ahead.
It was
9:55 AM and there was no sign of Darshan and Vijay yet. We intended to
go to the dam but found ourselves heading towards the lake instead. We
decided to go near the water and see if we could cool off our heels for a
while. We could wait for Darshan and Vijay there. We could only hope
that they would take the same route that we had taken and not go towards
the dam.
We continued along the same road and came to a place
where we could park our bikes and play for a while. Just then one of the
bikers came cycling from the opposite direction shouting to his fellow
bikers that there was a better view point up ahead. Vinay dropped me off
there and went ahead to check if he could find a better place. Uma,
Arul and Varsha also waited there for Vinay to return while Bhanu parked
his bike. After a few minutes Vinay returned and informed that he
couldn’t find a better place ahead. So we parked our bikes and went
closer to the water.
We
had plum cakes and biscuits.By then Vijay and Darshan joined us. The
boys played cricket for a while we girls enjoyed the beautiful view.
The
serene water in front of us, the greenery around us and the cool breeze
was worth the bumpy ride. Savandurga hill at the back drop made it more
scenic.
Though
we would all have gladly stayed there the whole day and enjoyed every
minute of the stay, we decided it was time to move on. We still had to
visit Hutridurga, T.G.Halli and Big banyan tree. Since it was already 11
O Clock we realized we had to drop one place from the itinerary. Some
suggested that we drop big banyan tree, but Uma and myself were keen to
go there. As we had heard that there was only restricted entry at
T.G.Halli, we were not sure if it would be worth the visit. So we
decided to visit T.G.Halli only if time permitted.
We then
started towards Hutridurga. We had to again rely on the locals to give
us the directions. We were advised to reach Tavarekere and enquire for
further directions. The road was uneven and filled with pot holes. At
few places there were just pot holes and no road. We had to move in
single file.
But
the thick trees on both the sides and a few rocky hillocks were quite
refreshing and we didn’t mind the bad condition of the road.
We
then took the road towards Savandurga. I had climbed Savandurga a few
years ago with my colleagues. It was a tiring but an amazing experience.
After a strenuous climb of four hours, we had reached the peak. I would
love to climb it again.
Since
we had to cover quite a few places on a single day, we decided to climb
Hutridurga which was a smaller hill as compared to Savandurga. I had
heard it was also an easy climb to the top.
Probably for the
second time during the entire journey, we were following third. Bhanu
and Vijay were leading on the first bike; Arul and Varsha were closely
following them. I and Vinay followed them at a safe distance and Darshan
and Uma were following us. While we were marveling at the gigantic
rock to our right, we saw Arul and Varsha falling off their bike.
A
snake had appeared out of nowhere and crossed the road. Bhanu in an
attempt to protect it had braked suddenly. Since Arul was closely
following him, he too braked to prevent a collision with Bhanu’s bike.
But they lost control and fell off the bike. Varsha escaped with a
slight bruise on her palm but Arul had a sprain in his right arm.
Fortunately
we were wearing our helmets and Arul was riding quite slowly. After
resting for a while we were on our bikes again riding towards
Hutridurga. Arul decided to ride pillion with Bhanu till the pain
subsided and Varsha rode with Bhanu.
3 comments:
Talakadu-Jaladhama
Resorts seem to be the popular choice of the corporate world for a
relaxing weekend. After eliminating Club Cabana, Logica’s FS-ILOB unit
decided to go to ‘Talakadu -- Jaladhama’on 10th June 2006. A maxi cab
and a Swaraj mazda were arranged to pick up the picnickers from two
different locations in the city. Swaraj Mazda was to start from
Technopolis and the maxi cab from Koramangala. I was to board the Swaraj
Mazda at Doordarshan Kendra as early as 6:30 AM.
6:15 AM: Dad dropped me at the pickup point. I waited patiently for the cab.
6:30 AM: No
sign of the cab. I tried calling the driver but the mobile was switched
off. I then called Sriram and he asked me to wait for another few
minutes as the driver could have been delayed.
6:45 AM:
I began to worry that the driver might have forgotten. A few joggers
gave me a quizzical look. Some of them were probably surprised to see me
standing in a bus stop but not boarding any bus that stopped there. I
began feeling uneasy when a couple of guys slowed down and one of them
even whistled. I gave them a real bad stare and they jogged off. I then
began walking up and down the foot path.
6:50AM: I
got tired of waiting and called up Ajoy and Sriram trying to find out if
they knew the whereabouts of the cab. They seemed to be unaware of it
too.
7:16 AM: Rajesh called me to inform that he would go to Technopolis and find out if the cab had reached the office.
7:21AM:
I called Rajesh to find out if he had reached the office and if the Cab
had too. But he probably was driving and he didn’t receive the call.
7:30AM:
Sriram called me to find out if the cab had picked me up. When I
informed him, the cab wasn’t there yet, he said he would call up Ajoy
and find out what could be done. I then called Ajoy and informed him
that I would return home as it wasn’t feasible to board the cab from any
of the other two locations. One was about 21Kms from my house and the
other was about 16 Kms. Getting an auto at that wee hours in the morning
was difficult. But Ajoy insisted that I should try and make it to one
of the pickup points.
7:33AM: Rajesh called me and
informed that the cab had reached Technopolis and the driver had
forgotten to pick me. I was now really furious and I asked the driver if
it was possible to pick me from any other point. He informed me that he
couldn’t.
7:38 AM: Sriram called me and asked if
it was possible to reach some place that would be convenient for the
maxi cab driver to pick me up from. The only place I could get an auto
to was Shivajinagar. Sriram suggested that I take one auto to
Shivajinagar and then another one to M.G.Road and try and meet them
there. I finally took an auto to M.G.Road and since the streets were
literally empty, it being a Saturday, I reached M.G.Road in just a few
minutes.
7:51AM: I boarded the cab I was finally on the way to Talakadu!
The
only familiar people were Ajoy, Sriram, Noreen and her son Jaden. I
hadn’t seen the other people in the office. Since Sriram and Ajoy had
updated everybody how the driver had forgotten to pick me, most of them
empathized with me. There was a pretty girl sitting beside a window and
she seemed to be genuinely concerned. She told me to give the driver a
piece of my mind when I met him at the resort. Then another man sitting
beside her introduced himself as Srinath and the pretty girl as his wife
Sneha. There were three other guys I still didn’t know. We took the
fly-over near Town hall and reached BEML. Here Sundaresan and his son
Aravindakshan boarded our cab. Then we waited for the other cab. When
the other cab finally arrived, we realized that there were two other
people who hadn’t been picked up yet. Few guys in our cab took this
opportunity to get the crate with beer cans that was in the other cab.
We continued our journey towards Thalakadu and the other cab took a
U-turn and went back towards Vijayanagar to pick up the two guys.
We
began talking and I slowly got to know the other guys in the cab. One
was Karthik and the other was Suraj. I still didn’t know the name of the
third guy. Sneha seemed to know them all and it didn’t take me long to
understand that they were all staying together in Finland for a few
months.
We crossed BEML factory, Raja Rajeshwari nagar, Bidadi
and Wonderla. A reckless station-wagon driver tried to overtake our
vehicle from the wrong side. The driver of our cab got irritated and he
tried to block the road and prevent the driver of the station-wagon from
over taking us. I am almost certain that the driver of the station
wagon was a North Indian. His features were Aryan. He managed to
overtake few other vehicles and sped past us.
A few meters
beyond Rajarajeshwari hospital, we were held up in a traffic jam. One
side of the road was blocked probably for repair work and the vehicles
had to ply on just one lane. Some thoughtless drivers had blocked the
path of the oncoming vehicles and there was absolutely no way that
vehicles on either side could move. Ajoy by then spotted the station
wagon that had over taken us a few minutes ago. The driver had not only
blocked the road by his senseless driving but was also beckoning to his
friends to move further up the road. Sneha put her had out of the window
and started waving to the other vehicles that had piled up behind our
cab and informing the drivers not to overtake us. Fortunately the
drivers listened to Sneha and they didn’t try to drive past us.
We
passed Tavarekere [pond of lotus] on the way. Like the name suggests,
it is a pond covered with lotus. I could only spot the white lotus. I am
not sure if there were any, of other color. We wanted to stop by at
Maddur to eat the maddur vadas. But we decided to stop on the way back
as we were getting late . The good tar roads gave way to the mud roads
and towards the last bit of the journey; there were only pot holes and
no roads. The driver did a commendable job at driving us into and out of
the pot holes. The speed at which he drove the vehicle made me wonder
why he wasn’t a professional Formula 1 racer?!
European Holiday
A lot of Indian women
dread to travel alone to distant countries. But traveling alone in most
of the European countries is not only easy but also quite safe. It
requires a lot of careful planning though. Planning for the trip
sometimes requires more time than you actually spend at the place you
visit. I lived in London for a while and I traveled to a few countries
in Europe. The following tips to travel to European countries are only
for Indian Nationals with a work permit to United Kingdom that is valid
for a period of more than six months . This list is not complete. You
should refer to the website of the embassy through which you will be
applying for your visa.
Applying for the visa:
Indian nationals require a Schengen visa (http://www.eurovisa.info/)to
visit most of the countries in Europe. The visas are expensive and cost
you between 20 and 30 Pounds. However the only consolation is that the
visa is valid in all the countries that are a member of the Schengen
union. Before you apply for the visa, ensure your have
1. A
valid visa to visit the country. However if your work permit is valid
for a year or more than a year, you do not require a separate visa to
visit Switzerland.
2.
Purchase a multi trip medical insurance. The embassies do not issue a
Schengen visa if you do not have a medical insurance covering the entire
duration of your trip.
3.
Salary slips for three months. If you cannot produce salary slips
request your employer to issue a letter to the concerned person in the
embassy stating your employment details. The companies will generally
have the template of the letter to be issued.
4.
A recent bank statement. Do not print the balance details from the
internet. Request your bank to issue the statement. You can also
purchase travelers cheques and provide the details.
5.Have
a detailed itinerary and confirmed tickets. You should also have a
confirmed hotel reservation. Hostels are also a good option if you have a
limited budget. You can become a member at the Youth Hostels
Association of India (http://www.yhaindia.org/) and stay in the youth hostels world wide.
Since
a single visa is required to visit any Schengen country, you can apply
for the same through any embassy. But it is simple and convenient to
apply through French embassy (http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/venir/visas/index.html).
But then your port of entry should be France. Therefore you need to
include one place in France in your itinerary, travel to that place and
then visit any other Schengen country. You might get a visa valid for 90
days if all your documents are in order. However the embassy's decision
is final and you might not get the visa for 90 days if you are unlucky.
People living in London can also book online with the French Embassy for an appointment to get the Visa(https://www.consulfrance-londres.org/consulat/texte/visa/rdvvisaautres.htm).
Book a slot and be present at the embassy at the allotted time. Spend
about half a day at the embassy and you will walk out with your visa!
You might have to wait for about 2 months before you get an appointment
with the visa as Paris is a favourite tourist destination.
Some
embassies require you to call on the premium numbers to get an
appointment. The calls on the premium lines are expensive. You can also
get a Schengen visa from the Austrian embassy by sending them an email
to obtain the appointment. However I am not sure if the embassy issues a
90 days visa.
Travel check-list
Before you set out on the journey, ensure you have the copies of the 
following documents on your personal mail id that can be retrieved quickly if needed
1. Scanned copy of passport
2. Scanned copy of work permit
3. Itinerary
4. Emails / scanned copies of the hotel / hostel reservations
5. Scanned copy of your medical insurance
6. Scanned copy of your employment letter
7.
Scanned copy of the letter issued by your employer to the embassy. This
is not really required. But you can have it, just in case.
8. Important phone numbers and address of relatives, friends, employer, doctor
9. Scanned copies of flight / train / coach tickets
10. Scanned copy of Youth hostel card and a student identity card if you are a student
Booking flights
1. If you are a budget traveler book your tickets on the cheap flights.
2. Try and book your flights months in advance.
3. Flights scheduled at odd times (early in the day or late in the evening) usually cost less.
4.
Most flights that fly to major international airports cost more. Try
and locate a smaller airport that is close to your travel destination
and fly there instead. For instance, flying to Venice is more expensive
than flying to Treviso that is just about an hour away from Venice.
Your travel kit
1. Travel light.
2. Find out the weather details of the place you are traveling to before you travel and be properly equipped.
3. Place photo copies of all important documents in all the travel bags that you take along with you.
4. If you carry any medicines with you, ensure that you also take the doctor’s prescription to avoid any unforeseen problems.
5. Take backpacks instead of heavy suitcases.
6.
If you are a strict vegetarian ensure that you learn “no egg”, “no
fish” and “no meat” in the languages that are spoken in the place you
are traveling to. You can also take a print out of the following
translated words / phrases if you don’t want to buy a translation book
1. WC [toilet]
2. police station
3. hospital
4. directions: right, left, straight etc
5. restaurant / hotel
6. thank you very much
7. do you speak English
8. metro / train station / coach station / bus / airport
9. tickets
10. please
11. I only speak English
12. sorry
7.
Try and find out if you get MTR or any other branded “ready to eat”
food and take some along with you. You might not find the food to your
liking in most of the European countries.
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