In and around Tadipatri - The hidden gems of a forgotten empire

Inside Chintala Rayaswamy Temple, Tadipatri

Mini Carving at Chintala Rayaswamy Temple, Tadipatri

A consistent rain coupled with vast landscapes of broken slabstones and carved hillocks greeted me on my one day sojourn to Tadipatri and surrounding places. If the historian Robert Sewell passionately called the Vijayanagara Empire (c.1336-1670s CE) as 'The Forgotten Empire', then the temples of Tadipatri could very well be the hidden gems of a forgotten empire - these could escape the destruction brought on Hampi after the Battle of Tallikota (c.1565 CE), yet remain passively outside the scope of fame attained by the magnificent ruins of Hampi.

Sculpture inside Bugga Ramalingeswara Temple, Tadipatri

Salabhanjika Sculpture, Bugga Ramalingeswara Temple

Tadipatri
Tadipatri (Literally Palm Leaf in Telugu) is located in Anantapur district. During the glory days of Vijayanagara Rayas, their feudatories - Pemmasani Nayakas controlled the town and it's surrounding areas. Two temples built by these feudatories survive to this day. The first one, originally planned in 14th Century CE and dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Bugga Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple. Two half-built gopurams adorn this brilliant temple located on the banks of River Penna. The Sculptures, especially the welcoming Salabhanjika lady on  the archways of the temple gopurams is wonderfully detailed. On one of the walls, we could distinctly observe the Imperial Royal Insignia of Vijayanagara Empire.

Imperial Royal Insignia of Vijayanagara Empire inside Bugga Ramalingeswara Temple, Tadipatri

Chintala Rayaswamy/VenkataRamanaswamy Temple is built as per Vaishnava tradition, and is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara. Just like the Vijaya Vitthala temple of Hampi, there is a Garuda Ratha here too i.e, Stone Chariot. And akin to the ruined Hazara Ramalaya of Hampi, the walls of the temple have mini carvings and engravings of tales from Ramayana. The temple is thus, simply a sublime architectural tribute to those two fantastic yet ruined temples of Hampi. Watching the black granite sculptures set in a gentle drizzle - that's a brilliant experience.

Garuda Ratha - Stone Chariot at Chintala Rayaswamy Temple, Tadipatri

At Chintala Rayaswamy Temple, Tadipatri

Yaganti
11 kms away from Banganapalle of Kurnool district, Yaganti is famous for it's two temples and three caves. Although originally a Chalukyan site, the place rose to prominence during the reign of Sangam Bukka Raya I of Vijayanagara Empire. A huge pond (Koneru), a supposedly ever raising stone Nandi (Bull, vahana of Lord Shiva) are the major attractions at the Uma Maheswara (Shiva) temple located here. Sankara Cave, associated with cult of seer Potuluri Veerabhrahmendra Swamy (the Telugu Nostradamus) and a shrine dedicated to Lord Venkateswara within a cavern are other major places of interest. Set amidst Reddish Sandstone hills, Yaganti offer a glimpse of glory to nature lovers.

Nandavaram
I did not intend to see any other place, but got to visit this place on a whim. Located 10 kms away from Banaganapalle on Nandyala road, the village has a famous temple dedicated to Chowdeswari Devi, a local cult deity. A ruined temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is another interesting temple here.

Koneru at Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple

 

 

Tips
1. I started from Banaganapalle. Tadipatri is 66 kms away from Banaganapalle and is well connected by busses. Enroute, Belum Caves and Owk Resorvoir are other place of interest. However, I could not visit them.
2. Yaganti is located 11 kms away from Banaganapalle in a different route and share autos ply from the latter. The frequency of busses is bad. Nandavaram is located on Nandyala route and is well connected by busses from Banaganapalle.

Beware
1. Banganapalle railway station is located very far away from the town's centre and is very difficult to reach.
2. Unfortunately, sudden and heavy rains lashed these areas during the past two days. 

Agasthya Mandapa at Yaganti

Venkateswara Shrine, Yaganti

Bhopal

Begum Shah Jahan of Bhopal - a progressive ruler famous for emphasis on Women's education, economy and beautification of Bhopal City

 

 

Bhojeswara Temple, Bhojpur near Bhopal

For Mahadev, the poet loving Paramara Rajput dreamt of a temple so huge,
the monument's unfinished but to the legacy, a crowning glory ensued.
On the banks of the Bhojtal, a city was born,
as little birds chirped and common-folk lived without scorn.

Taj Ul Masajid - largest masjid in India

For Hundred years, the Pashtun Begums reigned with a progressive hand,
with people as sole priority - a template that set the law of the land.
Women illuminated the Pari Bazaar as grand mosques were built, 
opulence and simplicity went hand in hand, with a sarcastic tilt.

Golghar Museum on Bhopal State (c.1707-1949 CE)

To the tribes of the nation, a great museum paid awesome tribute,
but in terms of public transport, there is much to be desired - just plain truth.
Heavy rains battered down on the city during my visit,
yet, it remained calm and firm with a charm so implicit.

A typical home of  Naga tribe - Inside Indira Gandhi Manav Sangrahalaya

Bhopal
Located on the banks of the Bhojtal Lake, the city of Bhopal is the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It has a past that harks back to Paramara Rajputs. For almost 100 years during Mughal & British Indian eras, the city was ruled by a succession of progressive minded Begums belonging to Orkhazai Pashtun tribe. Bhojtal Lake, Bhojeswara temple of Bhojpur, one of India's largest mosques - the Taj ul Masajid and perhaps the only museum of it's kind - Indira Gandhi Manav Sangrahalaya within Van Vihar National Park are some of the city's awesome places of interest.

Sheer artistry at sublime Sanchi...where the north and south first met!

Sanchi Sthupa no 1

In 3rd Century BCE, Asoka the Great was in a dilemma. He wished to start a grand Buddhist Establishment - one that would survive for centuries. The site so selected must ensure seclusion and solitude befitting monastic life, yet it should also be close to the Imperial Capital, old highway and preferably near to a rich and populous city.

The Emperor's selection was spot on - Vedisagiri, the present day Sanchi Hill!

At a ruined monastry

The present day village of Sanchi is located 7 kms away from Vidisha. The Sanchi Hill, with it's two Sthupas and ruins of monastries and temples is at a distance of 1.5 kms from the village's bus stop. The Village is regularly connected by busses from Vidisha and Bhopal. The entrance fee to visit this world heritage site is Rs.25/- for Indians, and the charge includes a visit to the Interpretation Centre/Museum on the hill too, which would be closed on Fridays.

An Inscription on stone

What to see? Sthupa no.1 is simply an exquisite masterpiece! Originally built as a brick Sthupa by Asoka the Great, many additions and embellishments were made to this in the later days by Sungas, Guptas and Satavahanas. The Sthupa has entrance archways on four directions, with lavish ornamentation in stone - the best in India! Tales from Vessankara Jataka, mythical creatures like Griffin, King Prasenajit of Shravasti etc are depicted in stylish panels with astounding detail. On a railing near the Eastern archway, a Sanskrit grant inscription was engraved by the Gupta Emperor Chandragupta II Vikramaditya in Golden Hue (c.410 CE). On the top portion of the Southern archway, there is another famous inscription in Prakrit Brahmi - that of Satavahana ruler Satakarni I (Chanda Siri Satakarni) - hence this is where the north and south first met! Sthupa no.2 located 1 km away from the main Sthupa has many motifs and carvings, although not as lavish as that of Sthupa no.1. Apart from these two sthupas, there is a minor Sthupa, ruins of temples and monastries built much later. Just outside the main entrance, there is a Chaityagriha built by Srilankan monks that has the relics of Sariputta & Moggallana.

Sanskrit Inscription of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya in c.410 CE, Eastern Archway, Sthupa no 1

A Script was deciphered! Many Pillars and stones here contain characters/minor inscriptions in Prakrit Brahmi. After a detailed study of these, the Brahmi script was finally deciphered by a British Indian Mint Officer James Princep. All these inscriptions end with the word 'Dana' i.e, donation - in two charachters - this working hypothesis became the basis for deciphering an entirely unknown script!

Credit must be duly given to the plethora of British archeologists who rendered yeoman service to this site (Sir Alexander Cunningham, Captain Taylor, James Princep etc), and it must be mentioned here that the Nawabs and Begums of Bhopal took great care in scientific protection of this site after it's rediscovery in 19th Century.

Under the Lioned Capital Pillar - Sthupa no 1

Sanchi holds a special place in Indian History. It was here that the north and south first met. It was here that the futility of war was reiterated giving way for the love of humanity and the victory of Dhamma!

Centre - King Prasenjait of Shravasti out for a walk, Below - Pipal tree worship

 

A shoutout to the Gupta Era - 'The Golden Age of India'

Cave no 4 at Udayagiri - Lord Vishnu as Varaha, saving Bhu Devi

Vidisha, previously called Bhelsa or Besnagar is a city in Madhya Pradesh, located 62 kms away (North-East)  from the state capital of Bhopal. The city has been in continuous existence since Mauryan times (c.3rd Century BCE), but rose to prominence during the Gupta Era (c.4th-6th Centuries CE). The World Heritage Site of Sanchi is located 7 Kms away from the city center on the Bhopal-Vidisha road. Udayagiri Caves, Heliodorus Pillar and Bija Mandal are other famous places of  historical interest in this underrated city.

Udayagiri Caves

Lord Vishnu as Varaha

Udayagiri Caves
I could never really understand as to why this place is not as famous as it should be! To history buffs - this is the only archeological & historical site that could be exclusively attributed to the Gupta Era. To all people - these caves offer an exquisite mix of pristine nature and primitive sculptural glory. Located almost 7 kms away from the city centre of Vidisha, this places houses 20 caves on two separate hills - 18 related to Vaishnavism and 2 belong to Jainism. One must understand that these caves were carved during Gupta Era - a time when Puranas were being compiled and re-compiled - an era when the Dashavatar theme of Vaishnanvism caught the imagination of the ruling class. The sculptural template set by Guptas at Udayagiri, inspired the Pallavas at Mamallapuram and the Chalukyas at Badami!

Cave 4 posses the famous grand carved relief of Bhu Varaha - Lord Vishnu as Varaha saving Godess Bhu Devi from the depths of primordial waters. It is perhaps the first representation of it's kind in the world. The carving also has miniature images of Gods, Asuras, Lord Varuna i.e, Samudra, River Godesses Ganga and Yamuna along with other celestial beings observing the event with reverential interest. Cave 6, attributed to one of the feudatories of Gupta Emperor Chandargupta II Vikramaditya has a carving of Lord Ganesha embedded on it's wall - perhaps the first of it's kind in India. Cave 9 is the famous Tawa cave - named as such because the roof resembles an upturned sauce-pan i.e, Tawa. En route to the top of the first hill - there's another wall embedded carving - Lord Vishnu as Narasimha - again, the first representation of it's kind. Thus, Udayagiri posseses so many firsts! Atop the second hill, there is an old granary and quary too!

 

 

The as yer undeciphered Sankha Script, Udayagiri

Inscription at Cave no 6, Udayagiri

Heliodorus Pillar
Between Udayagiri Caves and the City of Vidisha, on the banks of River Betwa, there exists a small & simple pillar with a glorious past. Some 2169 years ago, Heliodorus, a Greek Resident of Taxila was appointed as an ambassador of Indo Bactrain King of the then Punjab region, Antialchus to the court of the Sunga Emperor of Central India, Bhagabhadra. In due course of time, Heliodorus became an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu and proclaimed himself as a devotee of Lord Vishnu i.e, Bhagavata. As per the Prakrit Brahmi Inscription on this pillar, it was built by Heliodorus as a Garuda Column in honour of Lord Vasudeva in c.150 BCE. Today, the pillar is also called as Khambaba locally and is venerated by the fishermen community.

Heliodorus Pillar aka Khambaba

Lord Ganesha outside Cave no 6, Udayagiri

Bija Mandal
Located within the city of Vidisha are the ruins of a famous temple turned mosque. The Vijaya Mandir was orginally a temple of Godess Charchika, a local manifestation of Godess Durga/Godess Chandika, built during 11th/12th Centuries by the Paramara Rajput King, Naravarma. It was assumed to be as huge and as glorious as the Konark Sun Temple and the quick glance of the ruins would convince anyone so. The temple was destroyed by 1682 CE and later, a mosque was built on the ruins on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The sculptures on the pillars and ruins are of the highest essence and quality!

Ruins of Bija Mandal/Vijay Mandir

Cave no 9 at Udayagiri - Tawa Cave

Vidisha District Museum
Vidisha District Museum located almost 2 kms away from Vidisha bus station is a treasure trove of Sculptures belonging to Mauryan, Gupta, Paramara and Chandela Era. Watch out for the replica of the famous Khajuraho Varaha!

Ghost Tree View Point, Udayagiri

Tips for the tour
1. Reaching Vidisha/Besnagar and stay - Private busses ply from Bhopal with recurring frequency for a charge of Rs.60/-. The first buss starts at 6 AM. Vidisha also has a railway station but the frequency of trains to other famous citites of India is not good. I stayed at Bhopal during the tour.

2. Visiting Places - If you don't have your own vehicle to travel, you need to get to Udayagiri Caves by an auto. Charge varies. Most of the caves are locked and most of the interesting sculptures are located at the base of the two hills. Needless to say, stay hydrated - bring and drink plenty of water and try to visit this place early in the morning. Do visit the following - Ganesha Carving on Cave 6's wall, Lord Vishnu as Varaha saving Bhu Devi (Cave 4), Ghost tree view point, Sleeping Vishnu Carving, Shiva Linga in Cave 5. Heliodorus Pillar & Bija Mandal are enroute to Udayagiri Caves and the visit can be clubbed. Vidisha District museum is located on the other side - near to Mahrana Pratap College.

3. Other Tips - The Public transport is completely non-existent. The city itself has a rustic feel about it. You can get along famously and comfortably well if you can manage a little Hindi. 





 

The Lone Pilgrim

(On a pillar in the Antaralaya - Mandapa of Sri Ksheera Ramalingeswara Swamy temple - Palakollu, there is an unremarkable carving - a lone pilgrim on journey)


The lone pilgrim embarked on a treacherous journey fraught with perils,
for faith moves mountains, and crushes all imaginative devils.
Some laughed at his naivety, some cursed his bravery,
some mocked his penury, yet he marched on with neither glam nor glory.

Day and night consistently picked at his resolve,
dream and nightmare played with his quest unsolved.
One moment he was a darling entertainer of a group of fellow travelers,
the next second all alone and aloof like a mere lump lacking calibre.

Past the villages and across the rivers,
cutting through the forests and withstanding shivers,
unending and unsatisfied, as the world moves on and on...
the show goes on and the lone pilgrim marches on!





Palakollu, 
11th of September, 2019

Ramappa Temple - the last & lasting synonym of Kakatiya Grandeur

The Temple

Kakatiya Bhumija style Vimana

Is there any site in Telangana that could potentially garner a UNESCO - World Heritage Site status (man-made)? Charminar is iconic but cramped, Qutub Shahi tombs seem to be always under renovation and Warangal (including the Kila Warangal and the Lord Shiva temple possessing the eponymous misnomer 'Thousand Pillar Temple') seems to be massively over-rated.And perhaps, the answer lays elsewhere in a small, simple yet elegant temple, located fittingly in a village called Palampeta of Mulugu Mandal in the newly carved Jaishankar Bhupalapally district, 77 Kms away from the city centre of Warangal.

The welcoming Warrior Woman

Ramalingeswara temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva was built by Recharla Rudra, one of the finest but little known generals of Medieval India, on behalf of his patron - Kakatiya emperor Ganapathi Deva in c.1213 CE. Interestingly, the temple is also known as Ramappa temple in honor of it's chief sculptor, Ramappa. Although now under the maintenance of ASI, there is no entry fee to visit the monument and puja etc is still going on as per Hindu customs, without any damage to the temple. The red-sandstone temple is built on the basis of Kakatiya Bhumija/Kadamba architechture - a major shrine in the centre surrounded by two sub-shrines (one of which is damaged) along with a separate Nandi Mandapa to the south side of the temple.

Temple south entrance

The most beautiful feature of this temple is the carvings and sculptures of dancers in traditional dance poses (bhangimas) related to the dance art forms of Andhra Natyam and Perini Sivathandavam. Another famous Kakatiya general, Jayappa Senani wrote extensively on these dance poses in his work 'Nrittaratnavali'. The Nandi of the temple is adorned with beautiful ornamentation. There is also a famous 4-sided pillar inscription inside the temple. Inside the Antaralaya, there are pillar carvings of Gods and celestial beings too. Black slab and Basalt stones panels were arranged on all sides of the temple having sculptued images of Battle Elephants, Dancers, and other religious motifs.

Nandi

The temple survived the Delhi Sultanate's repeated onslaughts on Kakatiya empire. It's impressive list of admirers include the Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq and Venetian traveller Marco Polo. A kilometer away from the temple, there is an impressive lake which was dug by Kakatiya rulers to aid in irrigation and drinking water. c.1213 CE - those were the halcyon days of the Kakatiya Empire - all major rivals' (Cholas, Chalukyas, Yadavas) power waned, trade and agriculture prospered, new art forms emerged and people were happy under the 'Elephant conquering' Ganapathi Deva! - The temple thus stands as the last a& lasting synonym of Kakatiya Grandeur.

Inside the temple

A dancing pose...notice her footwear!

#MyTravels - Ramalingeswara Temple (Ramappa Temple)
August 2019.   

The Wonder that is Ellora

What is the place and how to reach?

Ellora also locally called Verul/Elapura/Elura, located approximately 30 Kms from Aurgangabad on the picturesque Aurangabad-Kannad route is home to around 100 historical caves (around 40 for public exhibit) of highest sculptural and cultural essence. It is quintessentially, a site of secular Ancient India - Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism existed with mutual respect and competed with each other only in artistic sense of carving beauty by cutting hills and rocks.  This place is surely the rock-cut architectural capital of India - a gateway to the glorious past of our nation (c.600-1000s CE), attributed to many great kingdoms like Rashtrakutas, Kalachuris, Yadavas etc.

Regular buses/share autos/jeeps ply from Aurangabad Central Bus station to Ellora. In fact, Daulatabad, Khultabad, Ellora and Grishneshwar are located on the same route - in that order. This World Heritage site has wheelchair assisted entrance for the needy - one of the rare ones to do so! The Entry fee is Rs.40 per head (Indians). Directly opposite the entrance is Cave 16 (Kailasa Cave Temple).

Cave 16 - Kailasa Cave Temple

What to expect?

Plenty to please the inquisitive eyes, curious mind and artistic heart that would dominate the aching legs! Caves 1-12 located to the left side of the entrance are related to Buddhism. The depiction of Bodhisattva Padmapani (Lotus-Bearer) along with his female attendants is a recurring theme in Buddhist caves. Cave 10 is a Chaitya, also called 'Vishwakarma Cave/Carpenters Hall' - because the stone work of the ceiling resembles the wood work of a modern day carpenter! Cave 12 is a large triple-storied Vihara (Resting place of monks). Caves 30-34 located to the far right side of the entrance are related to Digambar Jainism. The best of these is Cave 32. On rediscovery of this cave, the Britishers mistook the idol of Jain cult deity Matanga as Hindu king of Gods - Devendra, and hence named it as Indra Sabha. The carvings of Tirthankars with religious motifs inside these caves are much finer in detail that in Hindu/Buddhist caves.

Caves 17-29 are related to Hinduism - mostly centered around Lord Shiva. Cave 15 has two floors - on the top floor, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva with many carvings of Varaha, Mahishashura Mardhini etc on walls. Cave 16, also called Kailasa Cave Temple, is the largest single rock (monolithic) excavation in the World, attributed to Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (c.Late 8th Century) - so sublime and awe inspiring! Brilliant pillars resembling Greek style, mini-carvings of Ramayana (South Wall) and Mahabharata (North Wall), life like sculptures of elephants - these make this monument a must visit place. Cave 21 called Rameshwar cave temple is another fine cave. Cave 29, located a bit far, called Dhumar Lena/Seeta ki Khai is perhaps the most under-rated Hindu cave. It has colossal reliefs/friezes of an epic scale - beautiful river goddesses, marriage of Lord Shiva and Godess Parvati, Lord Shiva slaying the demon Andhakasura as Godess Parvati wathces in joy etc. Perhaps the finest one among these is the concept of 'Ravana lifting/shaking Kailasa' - an obsessive dominant theme here, found in Caves 16 (twice), cave 21 and cave 29.

Ravana lifting/shaking Kailasa - Cave 29

Lord Shiva slays Andhakasura as Godess Parvati watches in joy - Cave 29

Beware of/What not to expect?

• There is no proper bus stand at Ellora caves - no place to sit once outside the caves while waiting for buss - it's only a junction, a sort of centre teeming with hawkers and toursits.  
• If you got to visit this place, do not miss the important caves - Caves 1,5,10,12,15,16,21,29,32. Since caves 29, 32 are very far from the entrance (1.5-2 kms), most people skip them and there is always a huge crowd at Cave 16. In case of too little time, there's a bus from the entrance (cave 16) that takes you there for a charge of Rs.20.
• Ideally for such a huge site, the drinking water facilities are disappointing - there are only 2 or 3 taps - so plan accordingly. 
• Avoid visiting in summer - it gets too hot. I was lucky to visit it on a rainy day with very few tourists around.  

Entrance to Cave 32 - Indra Sabha

The Wonder that is Ellora (On Ellora Caves)
#MyTravels - Ellora Caves (July 2019)

The Wonder that is Ajanta

What is the Place and how to reach? 

Ajanta Caves of Maharashtra located between Aurangabad (100 Kms) and Jalgaon (55 Kms) is perhaps India's most eco-friendly man-made world heritage site. This place consists of around 30 caves (26 numbered and for public exhibit), belonging to Buddhism (predominantly Mahayana), carved in two distinct phases dating from c.200sBCE to c.450sCE. They are attributed to many ancient kingdoms like Guptas, Vakatakas, Satavahanas etc. These caves contain some of the best, finest and earliest paintings and sculptures of Buddhism.

The entrance point to the caves is located in a beautiful valley, 4 kms away from the village of Ajanta, connected by share autos and jeeps. Mere entry into the entrance point requires a charge of Rs.15. From the entry point, separate government buses ply to the Caves (charge of Rs.20/Rs.35) from a designated bus-bay. The entry point has a cluster of shops selling food items and souvenirs. Further, at the caves, the entry ticket is Rs.40/- for Indians.
 

Bridge over Waghora river at Ajanta Caves

What to expect?
 
A laid-back and serene spot where history and nature conspire with each other - I was lucky to visit this on a rainy day morning with very few tourists. The constant sound of the adjacent waterfall, a delightful drizzle that drums up the mood, and the astonishing fact of walking through and witnessing one of man's greatest creations - that's what Ajanta offered that day.

Among the caves, - Cave 1 - one of the latest to be excavated has some great life size paintings of Boddhisatvas Padmapani and Vajrapani (manifestations of Buddha). Cave 2 also has some interesting paintings, partly fragmented inspired by Jataka tales. Caves 9 & 10 are sort of experimentative Chaitya halls (prayer halls for Buddhist monks) with the Buddha-Sthupa at the centre. There is a brilliant illustration of Mudras of Buddha & Bodhisattvas in Cave 10. Cave 16 is another Chaitya hall that was described in details by the Chinese monk, Xuan Zang and is attributed to Vakatakas. It has some paintings from Buddha's life predominantly stories of his compassion. Cave 17, with a pillared hall has some fine sculptures outside the facade. Cave 20 is also another must visit place - one of the largest Chaitya halls of the site.

Boddhisatva Padmapani painting in cave 1

But, my favourite one of the lot is Cave 26. Cave 26 is a Mahayana Mahachaitya hall, interspersed with huge pillars. On the walls of the cave, striking hand-carved rock art depicting events from the life of Buddha are simply mesmerizing. One should not miss visiting this and two such panels still dance before my eyes - the fist is the Mahanirvana of Buddha - a 20 feet Buddha sculpture separating two distinct sub-panels - with the humans grieving his death at the bottom and celestial beings about to welcome him with joy on the top. The other one is the 'Temptation of Mara' panel - as per Buddhist mythology, the demon Mara sends his beautiful daughters and goblins to distract Buddha's penance, but the latter remains calms and unperturbed at the centre - in his 'BhoomiSparsha Mudra'.

They had come to him glittering with beauty –

Taṇhā, Arati, and Rāga –

But the Teacher swept them away right there

As the wind, a fallen cotton tuft.

- Text from Samyutta Nikaya, describing how Buddha dealt with the daughters of Mara.

Entrance to Cave 2

Beware of/What not to expect?

• Touts/Shop agents who sweet talk and coerce you into buying things that you may not need. If interested in buying souvenirs, please do so only from the designated shops near the bus bay
• If you are traveling alone, the public transport is infrequent. There are government tourism buses from Aurangabad but they come with a catch - you can't explore the place at your leisure and have to adhere to their timings.
• Do not use flash photography/video once inside the caves to capture paintings. They are rapidly deteriorating and will naturally disappear in due course.  
• The entrance point is the only place where you'd find food stalls, and the caves have only drinking water facility - so plan accordingly.
• If needed, Do engage a guide with valid credentials available at the entrance point only. I did not need one, as I had some awareness about the caves and am naturally interested in the subject of history. 

Temptation of Mara - Cave 26

The Wonder that is Ajanta (On Ajanata Caves)
#MyTravels - Ajanta Caves (July 2019)

A city of War and Peace....

"

A Capital of the Yadavas built on the Deccan - the Impregnable fortress is truly 'The Hill of Gods',
this prosperous city of war and peace joins the South and the North connecting the missing dots. 

To the great Jyotirlingam of Grishneshwar, piligrims flocked for centuries, 

as kingdoms fell with a sign of chaos in the unending game of changing friends and enemies. 

Fort Citadel of Daulatabad/Devagiri

One after another, the conquerors fell prey to lack of patience, 

until the troops of the tenacious Delhi Sultan resorted to treachery with determination.

Another maverick one made this his capital, 

another round of applause awaits this experiment so radical. 

Mendha Cannon atop Daulatabad fort

Then like a fickle weather, the city changed many hands,

and the Last Great Mughal came with cannons ravaging these lands.

In simple dargahs, empire builders were entombed,

but the city of war and peace thrived and bloomed.

"

Tomb of Aurangazeb, Dargah Zainuddin of Khuldabad

A city of War and Peace....(Poem)
#MyTravels in the city of Aurangabad and it's outskirts of Grishneshwar, Khuldabad and Daulatabad.
July, 2019

The Famous Chauri-Bearer

Replica of The Didarganj Yakshi at Egmore Museum

"

At a corner in the Museum, the doppleganger resides,  

enclosed in a blurred glass cage, she's all smiles.  

This famous Chauri-bearer stands with great aplomb,  

relaxed yet attentive,  a mix of poise and calm. 

Her era considered beauty as not confined by the witchcraft of statistics,  

Her aura has perfect imperfections for she's human above all specifics,  

Unbothered by praise and slander,  she seemingly remains calm & strong,

For centuries, her mere presence enthralled all she could do no wrong. 

Neither a mere synonym of external gaiety, 

nor just a remainder of workmens skill and dexterity 

The Charming Yakshi is much more without any loathe, 

To us, she remains a part of history & mystery wrapped in a bit of both.  

"

The Famous Chauri-Bearer (Poem)  

There is a replica of 'The Didarganj Yakshi/Chauri-Bearer' sculpture in the Government museum, Chennai - Egmore. The original is at Patna Museum. Although mystery shrouds as to who or what inspired the actual sculpture,  this is considered as one of the most beautiful sculptures in India - a classic example of Mauryan era Art with some Kushan charachterstics (ex - forelock on head).