Mahabalipuram—A walking Tour

15.01.2012

The whole of Chennai is gearing up for celebrating Pongal. A long-long weekend--a carnival of fun and frolic for the masses-- Nobody feels like working. Spent a relaxed day at Mahabalipuram with a group of relatives-by-marriage at the Indeco Resort.

On 15^th January I took a walking tour of Mahabalipuram. The walk commenced on the sea shore at 6.00AM and we took a sweeping semi-circle across th

e bus stand near the Vishnu temple and after seeing the famous arjun’s Penance bas relief we walked along the hill face and past the two light houses (old and new). Thereafter we took a sharp left to reach the Five Raths, a group of monolithic temples in the form of chariots reputedly for the Five Pandav princes and their consort Draupadi.

Mahabalipuram is an ancient tamil port and derives its name, Mammallpuram from Narasimhavarma Pallavan, who was named Mamalla, meaning great wrestler due to his prowess in wrestling (Malyuddham). His father Mahendravarman was a patron of sculpture and under his rule Mammallpuram was a sculptor’s colony where master sculptors including Amarar Kalki’s fictional creation Aayanar Sirpi, worked and taught their disciples. A little distance south of the Arjun’s Penance freize is another which is half finished and unformed. This leads us to conclude that the sculpture work at Mahabalipuram is no more than practice work done by apprentice sculptors who, on completion of training moved on to places where temples are being conducted. Possibly a group of these settled down in Thanjavur and possinbly their descesndants were the architects and designers of the later chola masterpieces of Temple architecture.

Scotland of the East

A Daytrip to Mercara

Later in the day, we made a trip to Madikeri town. Madikeri is a small

planter’s town in the heart of the Kodagu hills. The Koduva people who were the earliest settlors in this region are a warlike race and take great pride in their prowess in battle and combat. The “Peechekathi” a short dagger with chain which is stuck into a strip of brocade cloth tied around the midriff is a common symbol of Koduva martial pride!

Coorg is dubbed “The Scotland of India.” The Koduvas like the Scotsmen are martial and alwaysready for battle. The Scottish tartan is, here, reproduced in the long coat tied at the midriff with a brocade sash.

Our first stop was at the Abbey falls. The waterfall is accessed by a steep winding path going down. On reaching the bottom we could glimpse the falls cascading down from the higher slopes to a pool and thence as a rivulet possibly headed to join and feed the main Cauvery which has its source quite nearby at Thala-Cauvery.

Thereafter we made it to the fort with its moss-covered walls and battlements. A panoramic view of Mercara is obtained from the viewing platform on the battlements. The buildings used by the British Governor are now the Deputy Collector’s offices. The latticed balcony with the statuettes of a pair of white horses as bracket supports is a nice architectural feature of the building.

The Omkaareshwar Temple dedicated to Mahadevwas our next halt. The whitewashed walls of the buildings; four minarets with globular domes on top and the central dome (as against the typical Hindu Pagoda) give a distinctly Islamic feel to the temple. It is either an extreme arab influence through inadequate supply of craftsmen or a planned attempt at camouflaging the temple from possible Islamic attempts to demolish it as an attack against idolatory.

This temple is similar in design to the shiva temple at Mangeshkar in Goa.The huge temple tank with a central mandap housing the Nandi (a seated bull placed at the entrance of Shiva Temples facing the Lord);the narrow and steep flight of stairs leading to the Gopura Dwar and the structure of the sanctum sanctorum itself are similar. This must be a konkan style or influence as the Mangeshkar temple is quite typically Konkani. The western stretch of the Konkan and Malabar coasts is a mix and clash of cultures from Surat in the north to Trivandrum in the extreme south. These Costal regions are rich in tradition, cuisine and cuture that often overlap.

Kodagu Valley

27.12.2012

I am here at Madikeri (or Mercara) with my family on my customary annual retreat to process the year gone by and plan for the one ahead.

The Club Mahindra Kodagu Valley Resort is nestled in a pleasant valley about seven kilometers from Madikeri town. The resort is a sylvan paradise. The absolute minimum numbers of trees have been cut to accommodate corgi-style huge two-storey buildings.

It is rightly called Kodagu Valley as it is situated at the rim of a deep ravine or valley which was formerly a full-fledged coffee plantation! (Coffee bushes are still around!)

The place is virtually bungalows inside a genuine functioning coffee estate!

The resort is an Ecotel certified resort.The accommodation is situated on the higher slopes the rest of the slopes are given over to forest and coffee plantation! So we get an opportunity to walk along forest trails and mountain paths in close proximity to the resort.

The accommodation is literally hidden by the denste foliage of the trees that loom over them. From our balcony we could gaze down at the roots of the massive trees that rear up towards the sky!

From the terrace of our building or from the raised promontory at the mouth of the valley called “the mound”, the only thing that catches the eye is the dense and verdant tree cover all around. The property is huge and well-designed. Exploratory walks around the resort are mini-adventures of discovery.

A Piece of the Moon

Pandharipur is situated on the banks of the Bhima river. The Bhima is also called the Bhivara. Nearing Pandharipur, the Bhima takes a crescent shaped turn. Hence this stretch of the river that washes the shores of Pandharipur is known as "Chandrabhaga" or "a Piece of the moon." Another story is that The Moon God (Chandra) bathed here to shake off a curse thus giving this piece of the river the name "Chandrabhaga." As in most of Hindu mythology and lore, there is no certainty in anything except in the belief that a bathe in the Chandrabhaga will wash away all one's sins.

The temple of the great devotee Pundalik stands in the midst of the Chandrabhaga River. Pundalik was the Emperor Muchkund in his earlier birth. By the blessings of Lord Sri Krishna, he was born again as the great devotee Pundalik. Lord Sree Krishna came to Pundalik's house near Pandharipur. Pundalik was serving his parents and therefore requested the Lord to wait! He placed a stone brick for Sree Krishna to stand on while waiting! And there the Lord stands to this day waiting for his devotees; to embrace them in his all-encompassing love; hands on hips and a mischeivous smile on his lips! You can see Pundalik's temple in the middle of the Chandrabhaga River in the photo.

Although we couldn't bathe in the Chandrabhaga (The river was in full flow and the current was dangerous), we sprinkled the water on our heads from the river in an act of symbolic purification.

Nagaland -- Opportunity Lost?

I am now in Kolkata Airport waiting for my Indian Airlines flight for the last leg of our return back to Chennai. As I am waiting I mull over my travels in the North-East in the lands of the Seven Sisters. At least, I hope, I got to know two of them well.

I return back with a lot of memories of Nagaland…especially the picturesque Mokokchung District, Land of the Ao Tribe.

Here is an extract from a brochure on Nagaland, titled “Opportunities unlimited” published by the Directorate of Tourism, Nagaland:

“Nagaland today is in a situation where many other famous tourist destinations were some decades back. However the potentials and diversity it holds are perhaps far more than a lot of existing popular destinations. Over the years, the state has been through a lot of ups and downs (is this euphemism or pun!-Sreesri)—but this has been a blessing in disguise for it has preserved the beauty, natural wealth and the overall sanity (sic) of the place.”

The brochure goes on optimistically to state that the Nagaland Tourism Directorate is doing a lot to promote a model where the Naga villages will be used as enviro-friendly tourist destinations thus enabling the villages “to generate their own income through the communitisation of assets”

In spite of the hi-fashion attire that is sported by the men and women even in remote Nagaland, the mass of the Nagas live in primitive conditions. These complete changes in dress and culture were possible because they had the opportunity to convert to Christianity and thus move directly from primitive tribal attire and culture to western mores. They did not apparently have the existential crisis of the Tam Brahms who had to discard a complex socio-religious code including dress and food to adopt westernization and the consequent guilt trip.

All this is fine in principle…but there is a long way to go….

These are the minimum changes needed to make these wishes to reality…

v The roads should be made better

v Larger passenger transport vehicles should be made available. The currently available “Zonal Taxis” are abysmal in comfort.

v The water and power situation should improve

v The locals should come out of their apparent apathy and actively “sell” Nagaland!

v The costs of everything should be scaled down to affordable levels for budget tourists.

A major problem in Nagaland is not just reaching Kohima but reaching interior districts. For example a trip to Saramati peak in Kiphire and back would take at least ten days for someone from any other part of India. So, they need to address this issue. Inter district Helicopters are being mooted already. Again the Ecological balance issue needs to be addressed.

Currently the only big event in the Tourism Calendar is “The Hornbill Festival.” The festival is the focal point of tourism initiatives and the meager number of hotels are over booked for this event. I was talking to An Ao Naga in Mokukchung about Hornbill. I asked him if the Hornbill Bird could be seen in large numbers during this festival. He gave me that vacant look and slowly replied that the Hornbill Bird was almost extinct in Nagaland! If you really want to see a Hornbill you can look at the photograph of a wood carving of a Hornbill that I’ve posted in this blog or you can try Assam!

Well…not for me to be negative… so let me end this post on a positive note:

With sixteen Tribes and as many dialects, Nagaland is itself an example of unity in diversity. When you take this diversified unity or unified diversity and connect it to the already colorful cultural kaleidoscope that is India…what have you…well India…the never changing…ever changing country that could never be truly conquered by its several invaders.

I truly loved my brief sojourn in this state and surely hope to return en famille obviously for Hornbill!

The Road to Mokungchung

02.02.2010

Returned today from my trip to Mokokchung. There is no doubt that Mokochung is a great place. But to enjoy this vision of greenery and rolling hills blanketed in mist, one should be willing to undergo the ordeal of a six-hour drive in a “zonal taxi”, usually a TATA Winger or Sumo. (Hiring a vehicle is prohibitively high and assuming one could do this the journey is still titing!) The vehicle would hurtle through the narrow and tortuously winding road. Having said this, I must concede that the journey, if made at a sedate pace, is visually rewarding as the road skirts the mountains continuously on the route. (Next time you see a map of Nagaland, don’t be misled by the straight lines depicting roads. What is not depicted is the mountainous nature of the terrain. Except for Dimapur, the topography of Nagaland is pure mountain and valley. So as we travel in Nagaland, we have a delectable view of the misty valleyts on one side and mountains on the other. The road moves from one mountain range to another with towns perched on the slopes of the ranges. So everytime the ghadi turns around a bend on the mountain the traveler gets another panoramic vista of hills beyond hills which is the constant backdrop for any where innnn the ghat section of the state. Occasionally, on a distant mountain ridge a church or building would be perceived in a prominent position shining bright under the direct light of the morning sun. And then the road takes a new turn and we reach a new page in the unending picture book of nature and color that is Nagaland.

Mokokchung Nagaland

01.02.2010

As part of my tour in Nagaland, I wanted to visit a project in the Tuensang district. Being informed that it is very far off sand that the journey would be equally arduous and subject to unforeseen calamities, I decided to visit Mokokchung district instead.

Mokokchung is an important district in Nagaland. 162 kilometers north-east of Kohima it is reached by a NH61 which passes through Wokha district enroute. It was established by the British as an administrative base for governing other remote districts like Tuinsang. Built around the existing settlement of the Ao tribe, the town of Mokukchung is another extraordinary example of scenic beauty and splendor in Nagaland. In fact for natural beauty, cleanliness and ecological balance I would rate Mokukchung even above the capital city of Kohima! My view was further confirmed today after seeing the traffic, congestion, dirt and squalor on the roads of Kohima.

Mokokchung is also famous because it is the first Naga settlement and also the first place where Christianity was first established in Nagaland. Incidentally, the Angama Baptist Church in Kohima is celebrating 125 years of Christianity in Nagaland between 4^th and 7^th February 2010.

On reaching Mokokchung, we checked into the Tourist Lodge before commencing work. This building is situated on a hill overlooking the entire town. In fact, above the Tourist Lodge is a tower which can be reached after a strenuous climb up a steep incline. From the observation platform above the tower you can see almost everything for a radius of fifty kilometers around the town. (The photograph I’ve posted above was taken from this position.) Standing there you will truly feel that the world is at your feet.

The Govindaji Templ;e - Imphal

Before leaving Imphal, we visited the Govindaji temple near the Kangla palace. While many Manipurians seem to be Vaishnmavite or Bishnupriyam, the prevalent religion is Maitai a derivative of Oriental Budhism with Dragon worship etc., It was in recent history that a Bishnoi saint converted the kings of Manipur to Vaishnavism. Those Manipurians who converted at that time are called Bishnupriya. They wear a Y shaped mark in sandal paste on their head with the downward vertical in the Y extended over the bridge of the nose.

The temple has three shrines dedicated to Sri Krishna and Jagannathji. The idols are colorful and depicted in the North Indian style. The image of Garuda is seated, not directly in front of the idol (as it is in the South) but to the side. I thought the upturned beak and the reverential attitude struck a peculiar note. Directly opposite the main shrine is a many-pillared hall possibly for bajan and kirtan. Surrounding the main shrine are many smaller shrines.

Manipur Trip

From the sky, Imphal seemed to sprawl out on a vast plain surrounded by mountains all around. Another feature that caught my attention while viewing Imphal from above was the long, straight and seemingly endless state highway that ran through the city and out of it towards the distant hills. The approach to Imphal is over mountains with ghat roads winding up the slopes. These mountains have to be crossed to reach any other state or city like Gauhati in Assam or Kohima/Dimapur in Nagaland. Thus Manipur is naturally secluded from the rest of India.

The weather is cool during the day and extremely cold at night. The sun sets very early in Imphal. After Arunachal Pradesh, this is arguably the most Eastern latitude in the Indian sub-continent. Thus technically Indian Standard Time may not work here. Imphal would be easily an hour and a half ahead of IST. So when it is 5:30 PM by my watch it is absolutely dark with the full moon shining bright here in Imphal. It seems more like 7:00 PM! Bangladesh which is West of Imphal is one and a half hours ahead of IST! But Manipur follows IST as it is part of India! Go figure!

The men are dressed in western style. But most women wear a wrap aroud garment called Fanek which is similar to the Kerala Mundu or Sarong. The Lungi-type garment is wrapped around the hip and tied together by a knot. Girls wear plain Faneks with zari or color borders. These are just lengths of cloth that are simply wound around. Married women and brides wear striped Faneks with elaborate knit work borders. These Faneks have their edges stitched together up to the middle with a slit thereafter. A swaeter or pull-over is worn above the Fanek and a dupatta or pallu is draped over it. The logic of this costume is obvious considering the cold climatic conditions. This dress allows women to wear comfortable warm sweaters while still maintain the traditional hindu dress.

I must mention that Manipuri women are fair and quite attractive. I did not see much obesity even among senior matrons, possibly because of their active lifestyle. The sino-mongoloid features of the Manipuris is due to the fact that the Maitheyi group claim to be descended from Thailand out of a set of Thais who migrated here via Burma.

The entire place is desolated after 7:00 PM. This is partly due to the weather and partly duew to the ever-present threat of insurgents. In fact every problem in Manipur is traced to insurgency and consequent disruption of normal life. The BSF soldiers standing silently at every street corner reminded me of my visit to Srinagar in September 09. The whole place resembles Nazi occupied France in WW II.

There is no supply in Imphal almost throughout the day. For example, there are areas where power is on for two hours in the morning and four hours in the evening on alternate days!

But amidst all this fear and uncertainty the local Manipuris are a carefree insouciant lot who go about their life with energy and verve.

The men are engaged in the national pursuit of idling and sunning themselves in street corners and in front of the houses. The women work constantly and are the mainstay of this community. So much so that the Thangal Bazaar and Paowna Bazaar (so named after local freedom fighters are actually called Ima Bazaar or Mother Market acknowledging the important position that women hold in Manipuri society. I bought a nice Naga shawl and Faneks for my wife and daughter in the Thangal Bazaar.

Manipur, a beautiful state set in a verdant valley in the midst of mountains should attract more international and domestic tourists. But this is not happening at all inspite of the extraordinary amount of money being pumped into the state by the Indian Government.

The Four Gates of Lalbagh

18.07.2009.

I was in Bangalore on a training assignment.

In the evening I went for a stroll in Lal Bagh. I was accompanied by my friend from

long ago. She had suggested that I come to

the West Gate to meet her. We walked together in companionable conversation discussing our mutual interests: a love for nature, poetry and good literature. While I am also interested in social issues, our views differ on this. She prefers activism and direct action in supporting the down trodden, while I prefer an approach that would enable people to become self sufficient and proactive.

As you must be aware Lal Bagh has four Gates:

The Main Gate which attracts most tourists.

The Double Road Gate which leads to a small hillock and thereafter the mai

n gardens. This is equally popular. The other two gates are less popular but offer natural attractions that are worth a look.

The West Gate, which gives access to the

small curved lake that is home to numerous birds. There are ducks, cormorants, pond herons and kingfishers.

The pathway that runs round the lake is a regular space for both Bangalore Walkers as well as Lovers. The Elephant grass thickets around the lake and a natural dyke raising in the landscape effectively conceal this lake and hence most “tourists” do not venture beyond the “main attraction”—The Glass House.

My friend mentioned a visit to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary near Delhi when she saw people driving straight down the reserve to see a rare Australian bird and then make a bee line for the exit without pausing to enjoy the othe sights. It appeared as if they wore blinkers and were totally oblivious to the other equally interesting birds that my friend and her group saw as they cycled down the reserve park.

We quit Lal Bagh when it was almost dark through The Siddhapur Gate. This is a desolate and barren areaof the park least frequented by visitors both local and tourists possibly because this gate gives access to slums and othe lower income areas. But the peace and tranquility of the park is best enjoyed here where there is more opportunity to listen to the “Voice of Nature.”

City of Nawabs

Avadh or Oudh (if you are British) , as the region around Lucknow, the current capital of Uttar Pradesh, was known in historical times, was ruled by Nawabs claining their origins from the Persians. Basically Shias, they have given to Lucknow a reputation for high aesthetics, poetry and courtesy. The city is also known as the City of Nawabs. The Hindi spoken here has a lilt and poetic resonance which is found even in the colloquial speech of the commoners. The people, too, are very polite and courteous.
As witness, on our way from the airport, the succession of indigent men about town, who courteously, politely and elaborately gave us directions to our destination which were apparently wrong. The words "Aisa Karo..." i.e. "do like this.." were followed by a complex series of instructions to go straight, turn left...right and so on, which took us almost a kilometre away from our destination. But the courtesy and desire to help was touching. Suffice it to say that it was sheer luck that helped us to locate our hotel!

In the evening we decided to visit some of the more important sights in Lucknow. The chief among these are the two Imambaras. The larger or Bada Imambara was constructed by Nawab Asaf Ud Daula. This is essentially a Dharga or Prayerhall surmounted by spires and turrets. The intricate architectural work has made it a pleasant sight to view.

The Imambara is accesed through a wide gateway through which the broad frontage of the edifice may be glimpsed. On entering the complex we walk across a pathway surrounded by pleasing lawns and fountains.
On the right hand side as we proceed to the Imambara is the Jumma Masjid a splendid mosque with domes, tall towers and minarets.

The main chamber of the Imambara is a line of Dhargas of various renowned Imams or muslim religious leaders. AS our companion and unofficial guide M. Feroze was well known to someone in the Shia Waqf Board he got us through the guards everywhere by flashing a symbol written by ball point pen on his right palm. This acted as our passport every where including the Bhul-Bhulaiya or intricate of maze of passageways above the nain chamber. Those who enter the maze after a strenuous climb up a narrow and steep flight of stairs would find it very difficult to come out. The trick is to keep going up till you come to the terrace and locate the only stairwell that leads directly down to the ground floor.
By the time we came to the terrace there was quite a wind which swirled and picked up small grains of sand with which we were buffetted as we attempted to crosss the terrace. The view of the Jumma Masjid from the arches in the terrace of the Bara Imambara was impressive in the quickening darkness of dusk.
It started raining then and we had to run to our car. We, then, left for the Chota Imambara via the Rumi Gate amidst rain and wind.

The Chota Imambara as the name indicates is a smaller structure. But it has a beautifully constructed dome on top and there hung in it innumerable chandiliers and lamps, exquisite in design and workmanship. The hierloom or crown and otherr costly jewels are not the originals about copies made from the originals which are now in England.
After we enter the decorative archway there is a metal image of a flying fish surmounted on metal arch. This would turn continuosly and act as a wind vane, pointing out the direction of the wind. There is also statutte of a lady holding an iron chain attached to a metal rodon top of the entrance arch effectively acting as a lightning rod. The complex hasa centre aisle which runs almost the whole length from the gateway to the edifice. There is a canal in the middle of the aisle and lawns around it.
We also looked into the stables where there are two pure white horses with not a blemish on them. One of them a stallion was standing while the other was on its side, resting. These horses, presented by Sanjay Khan, actor to the Imambara, are used in ceremonial processionns at the time of the Urs festival of the Hazrat Immams.
Lucknow is also famous for its Chikan Work clothing. We visited the Lucknow Chikan Emporium which was highly spoken of by the locals.

Visit to Shirdi

The New Year began on a pretty dismal note, with the global financial crisis, economic recession etc. etc. The SATYAM-MAYTAS fiasco has added fuel to the fire and has ensured that the Market Indices would take a little longer to start their march to the north-east!

This year we decided to spend the Pongal holidays visiting Shirdi. We reached Mumbai on 13th and left by surface to Shirdi. The amost eight hour ride is covered by good roads. NH3 takes you right up to Nashik. Thereafter the road to Shirdi is single track. To reach Nashik you have to climb a small range of hills and pass through a canyon. The route is picturesque with a series of flat topped mountain ranges that are coloured in multiple stripes of grey, black and green.

We reached Shirdi late in the evening and were able to have great Dharshan of Baba! “Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end,” this is the first of the Eleven Sayings of Shirdi Sai Baba. As my feet touched Shirdi soil I prayed that Baba should chase away all my sorrows and (why not?) the sorrows of the whole world. As we entered the Samadhi Mandir and approached the murthi or idol of Baba sitting resplendent in on a golden throne with a Golden chatra over his head Baba seemed to smile enigmatically at me, as if challenging the validity of my prayer!

I bowed my head in humility and prayed instead for his presence with me throughout the year and his guidance and support in all my lawful undertakings.


The next day we visited the other places of interest like Dwarka Mayi, the Masoodhi-Mandir where Baba spent the day and the Chavadi where he spent the night. Those who have read Sat Charitram will understand the divine importance of these two places, as the shrines where Baba lived, loved and spread his light of Knowledge to the whole world.

We were also able to visit the house of Lakshmi Bai a devotee who was allotted the blessed task of feeding the Baba regularly. Once Baba gave Lakshmi Bai 9 (Nine) coins. This was symbolic of the nine types of devotion that have to be shown to the supreme Godhead. These coins, bearing the faces of the British emperors, are on display in this small shrine together with a small marble idol of the recipient.

We then went to the Kandhoba temple where Mahalsapathi the Priest of this shrine greeted Baba and said, 'Avoji Sayee Baba' when Baba entered Shirdi along with Shanti Patil's Marriage group. This spot where Baba placed his feet on Shirdi soil is a place of worship here.

Inside the Mandhir complex we can see the neem tree where Baba was first seen as a sixteen year old lad. This is called Gurustan.

When we were moving around the temple premises, there was a lot of activity and devotees were made to move aside and make a pathway. Assuming that it must be a politician or a film star, we moved to corner of the path and awaited the arrival of this VIP. This was none other than Shri Shri Ravishankar who then sweeped by with a whole gang of fawning devotees and “followers”. As the retinue passed there was a lot of shouting of “Jai Guruji” etc. The same procedure was followed when the “great man” left the temple. I colud feel no aura or power emanating from him. What truly pained me was the fan fare and unnecessary pompousness that was quite unbecoming in the shrine of the greatest saint who lived like a fakir and begged for his daily meal. Baba did not burn wood in his Dhuni. No! he burnt our sins in it, and purified in the fire of knowledge we may come out to lead lives of simplicity and happiness! He did not grind flour in his mill, he ground our ego there that we may emerge selfless, pure and emancipated!
I am sure the “Divine Fakir” was standing somewhere in the corner of the temple looking at Guruji Ravishankar as he made his way to the shrine of Shirdi Sai Baba. I am sure he was repeating the words “Allah Malik, Allah Malik,” as he watched this display of unnecessary and avoidable pomp and glory for someone who is, after all, a human being and thus equal to all. A true Sadhu considers himself to be nothing; he has no identification with the I. He observes as Saakshi, he is not tainted by actions!

Darasuram

These photos are from Darasuram. It is a crying shame hat these architectural monuments are allowed to decay and rot in the name of preservation. Why not reconstruct them to the best of our abilities as they would have looked during the Chola period. I am sure Raja Raja would want only that. The Nayakars who have added a lot of wall paintings to the outer walls of the temple seemed to have had no compunction about touching or changing these ancient chola marvels.

Paradise Resort

Ganapathi Raman the brain behind Paradise Resort with a row of heritage houses in the backdrop

We next headed for Tanjore, where we stayedat Paradise Resort. This is a classic heritage resort set in the lush green Thanjavur countryside on the banks of the Arisalaru, a distributory of the Cauvery. The resort has been painstakingly crafted on a more than ten acres of serene ntural beauty. The rooms are masterpieces of archtectural reconstruction. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The bathrooms are fitted with the the best fittings and have massive bathtubs.
The promoters are an unassuming yet highly creative couple, Ganapathi Raman and Latha Raman. Ganapathi is a Chartered Accountant with industry experience with Lucen Technologies. It just goes to show that there is nothing that Chartered Accountants are not capable of doing!

What I really loved was the extraordinary care they have taken to avoid cutting down even a single tree. Where they are forced to cut down a tree they have planted and nurtured another. Bravo!

We spent the evening viewing the world famous Tanjore Brahadeeswarar Temple in the evening. The massive Nandi, Siva Lingam and Gopuram were awe inspiring.





The next day was spent in viewing the sculptural splendour of the Iravatheeswarar Temple at Darasuram. The temple at Tanjore was built by Raj Raja Chola I. There is another temple at Gangai Konda Cholapuram built by Rajendra Chola his son. And then we have the Darasuram temple built by Raj Raj Chola II the grandson!

The Arisalaru

Those of us who have read Ponniyin Selvan by Amarar Kalki would appreciate the significance of the Arisalaru and its environs which are the backdrop of substantial parts of the First part.

Glimpses of Kolkata, Darjeeling and Gangtok

My Holiday trip to Darjeeling 27th April to 6th May

Here are a few things I thought may be of value.

27th April

We reached Kolkata on 27th. Did the usual Kolkata tour. Dakshineshwar, Belur Math, Victoria Memorial et al. It was pleasant and there were slight drizzles.

At dakshineshwar we had Paani Puri in Kolkatta style with matka plates.

We went to Dakshineshwar through the Howrah bridge and returned through the new bridge. The usual bustle, noise and dirt of Kolkata is still there, but the traffic seems to have become somewhat more manageable.

28th April

After a relaxed breakfast, we left for the airport. En route we visited Science City. This is a science theme park. There is a ropeway that takes us into the park. There are numerous science related displays. We saw a documentary on sharks in the (mercifully air conditioned) domed space theatre. The domed ceiling gave the feeling that we were underwater, looking up at the sharks.

Kolkata airport is dirty and litter is thrown all over the place. At Chennai Airport, the cleaning staff work continuously to keep the place spic and span. But at Kolkata, I could see food stains on the floor and discarded disposable cans overflowing the scanty dustbins. They need to spruce up and clean the place.

Victoria Memorial

Proclamation by Queen Victoria on her becoming the Empress of India (1.1.1877)

We trust that the present occasion may tend to unite in bonds of yet closer affection ourselves and our subjects. That from the highest to the humblest all may feel that under our rule the great principles of Liberty, Equity, and Justice are secured to them. And that to promote their happiness To add to their Prosperity and Advance their welfare are the ever present Aims and Objects of our Empire.

In their Prosperity will be our strength, in their Contentment our Security and in their Gratitude our best Reward.

The above words are inscribed on the walls of the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. I am always impressed by them and the majesty of their resonance. These words ushered in more than a century of alien rule in our country. But for the imperiliastic tone, the words themselves are those of a benign monarch aware of the huge responsibilty that she was taking up.

These words and the sense of responsibility with which they are said sometimes reconcile me to all aspects of British Rule except the atrocities and inequities like Jallianwalah Bagh.