Majestic Maharashtra IV: Kolhapur

Kolhapur to me stood for the temple of Mahalakshmi, Kolhapuri Chappal, Hot Chillis and Lavani dance. When I landed here one morning on the Deccan Odyssey trip, I was all curiosity and I must admit Kolhapur did not disappoint me. I missed going to Panch Ganga and many temples and museums that could not be accommodated in a short trip, but what I saw in that short time makes me wonder how did we fit in so much in such a short span. First taste of Kolhapur came at the station where a saffron turban or Pheta as it is called here was tied on our heads, it was like including us in the clan and of course it made us all look gorgeous. It also turned out to be the day when Holi was still being played in the streets and that added its own color to the experience.

The first place we saw was the new palace of Kolhapur. This is a 19^th CE building, but since it replaced an old palace, the name new stuck to it and I think no other palace is going to come up after this so in a way name suits it. Built in a combination architecture in dark grey, palace has unique eight angles with a clock tower in the middle. The ground floor of this building is now a museum where the collections of the royal family are displayed. The erstwhile royal family we were told, continues to stay in one part of this palace. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed inside the palace. There are huge displays of Royal portraits, old furniture, artifacts, statues, Ganjifa cards, a gallery of stuffed animals that were hunted by the kings and of course the display of weapons and arms. Durbar hall with high ceilings, carved pillars and panels of exquisite glass paintings depicting life events of the royal family is the high point of this palace. Museum is well organized and documented. Opposite the building there is a small lake and a zoo, and we could see a lot of birds including the migratory ones on the trees standing in the lake.

Our next stop was the Bhawani Mandap or the old palace that we entered through a big gate. There is supposed to be a Bhavani temple here that we did not see. This palace was destroyed in a fire and that led to the construction of the new one. Construction here is massive and medieval but in the same dark grey stone. There is a life size statue of Sahu Maharaj, the beloved king of the city. Here MTDC had organized a martial arts performance for us where young girls in bright Orange Saris impressed us as did the young boys with their lemon cutting dare devil acts. How I wish boys had also taken to traditional wear like the girls.

Mahalaxmi temple’s lemon and orange tiered Shikhras were visible as soon as we entered the Bhawani Mandap. It gave me an impression that temple is a relatively new construction, but when we entered the temple we saw the base was all in grey stone with carvings that would place it somewhere around 10-11^th CE. The huge Deep Stambhas or Deepmala are the unique feature of this temple and you only have to imagine how beautiful the temple would look when they are lighted and when all the security paraphernalia would be removed. The temple is a Shakti Peetha, one of the most important Devi temples. The idol in black stone covered with lots of precious metals and gems and in colorful Sari is beautiful. I got to spend couple of minutes here and I felt blessed. There is a huge security surrounding the temple and no cameras are allowed inside but that does nothing for the people who want to visit the Mahalaxmi.

Outside the temple, there were shops selling colorful bangles and bunches of Lotus flowers, to be offered to he Goddess. There were of course colorful shops selling Maharashtrian or Kolhapuri delicacies, and then were lines of shops selling Kolhapuri chappals – the real ones and the miniature souvenir ones. Our rendezvous with this cultural city would not have been complete without the famous Lavani dance and we did get to see a glimpse of it in a small performance by local TV artists who presented various dance and singing styles of the region in a small package based on – a day in the life of a village home in Kolhapur.  When they ended the performance with a dedication to the presiding Goddess, there was so much energy in the room that we could almost feel the presence of the divine.

I know I have to go back to this city to know it a bit more intimately. 

Malaysia Marvel XI: Lakeside Mosques of Terengganu

Kuala Terengganu is capital of the state of Terengganu in the North East of peninsular Malaysia. It is a coastal city with many islands in the South China Sea surrounding it. Some of these islands like Redang are hot spots for tourism and Terengganu becomes a connecting point between the mainland and the islands with ferries plying from here to the islands. It is a small laid back town with one-sided rickshaws, its famous fish dish Kori Keropok Lekor Losong nicknamed K2L2 and its two modern mosques by the lakes.

Floating mosque is a young mosque in white that stands by an artificial lake. The day we were there, the sky was laden with dark clouds that were just about to burst and the white structure looks gorgeous in that backdrop. A tall minar or tower overlooking the big and small white domes that in turn were looking towards the lake waters appeared to be lost in the anticipation of rains. Inside the mosque green and yellow glass doors and windows broke the monotony of white. As we walked through the corridor that goes around the mosque, the lake looked beautiful through the pillared arches.

Crystal Mosque written as Kristal in Malay, is another mosque that caught our attention as we were driving into the city from the airport. Its silvery domes were shining against the waters surrounding it. This less than 5-year-old mosque is built of smoky glass and steel. We visited it twice, once at night when the glass was dimly shining in moonlight, and again during the day when we could go inside and see it in detail. During the daytime, smoke colored glass looks as if it’s coated with gold. Inside the mosque there are huge crystal chandeliers just below the domes and I assume this is where the name of the mosque comes from.

The Mihrab is in yellow on white as is the calligraphy around the doors and glass at the bottom of the mosque structure. Corridor leading to the mosque and the corridor behind it has nice latticework in white, very Islamic in nature.

We always end up visiting old structures when it comes to things like mosques. This was my first encounter with the new mosques that are being built combining the modern materials but keeping the old styles intact. Building them around the water bodies add to their utility as people come and sit there by the lake making them community places as they would have been meant to be at some point in time.

Andhra Adventures XII: Ramakrishna aka RK Beach, Vishakhapatnam

Ramakkrishna beach, more popularly known as RK beach in Vidhakhapatnam is located in the heart of city’s coastline.  If you stand in the middle, on the right you can see the Dolphin’s Nose and on the left you can see the INS Kurusura parked just by the sea. Beach gets its name from the Ramakrishna Ashram that is located across the road from the beach and I assume may have one of the first public buildings there to lend the beach its name. From the Hotel Novotel Varun Beach, where we were staying, the view of the beach from each of the rooms is awesome and what you see above is a shot from hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

One evening we just strolled past the beach after visiting the Naval Museum and Submarine museum, and it was a pleasure to see the various art installations on the beach. I have not seen this anywhere else in India. There were mermaids and maidens at the base of the lampposts. There is a park that has sculptures that imitate the Buddhist sculptures reminding the visitors that Buddhism flourished in this place in the past, and there is a monastery not too far from the this beach.

There are modern sculptures depicting kids, traditional ones depicting fishermen with their boats and cultural ones depicting conch shells. There are small temples or statues providing a bit of divinity. I would not say they are the best art installations you would see, but nonetheless add color to the beachside and break the monotony.

Many small parks are maintained between the road and the beach, where you can sit and admire the beach from a safe distance and I think it is a great place for both the too young and the too old. VUDA, the local authority that maintains most of these parks is doing a great job at maintaining these parks.

From the nature’s perspective beaches in and around Vishakhapatnam are rocky and not too safe for swimming or even venturing into. There can be rocks with a sudden cliff and the sea is also not too gentle. Seen from a distance, rocks create beautiful landscapes. There is even a memorial on top of a rock that is like signature rock outcropping of this beach.

In the evening, the beach comes alive when people come there for their evening walk, to have a small snack by the beach or to just breathe some fresh air. The curio shops, especially those of seashell items came up. Pushcarts or kiosks with chaats and snacks came up, as did the games counters. We met an old man who had painted himself as Gandhi Ji with a donation box in front. This is something that is seen quite often in Europe but not much in India. As tourists, the movement of ships on the horizon itself is a pleasure to watch.

How I wish more beaches and public places were developed and maintained in the same spirit.

Malaysia Marvel X: Chitrawarna - Colors of 1Malaysia Festival 2013, KL

‘Colors of 1Malaysia’ is an annual cultural extravaganza in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. Last month when I got an invite from Tourism Malaysia to attend this festival, I had no idea what to expect, I was told that it is similar to our Republic day Parade but far more colorful. I rushed to Google, but not much had been written about it, though lot of colorful visuals popped up. I decided to visit it and I am happy I did.

The parallels can be definitely be drawn between India’s republic day parade, as this one also happens on a key road next to Malaysia’s independence square or Dataran Merdeka, with audience on both sides of the road on elevated stands. Just like our President presides over the function, the King and Queen of Malaysia preside of Colors of 1Malaysia. There is a display of Malaysia’s culture, it’s heritage, it’s bio-diversity etc, though there is no show of military might here. The atmosphere is far more informal with few protocols to follow, and the audience is engaged towards the end to participate. The buildings around the venue were lit up and provided the backdrop for the event as it starts late evening and ends around mid night.

This year the focus of the festival was to showcase Malaysia for 2014 that has been declared a Visit Malaysia Year. All possible tourism products were on display and I am impressed by the fact that they were not just showcasing products but also acknowledging the contribution of everyone who contributes to the tourism economy and has the potential to create a positive experience for the visitors. Various tableaus demonstrated various types of tourism on offer, with the first one declaring the goals for tourism stating the number of visitors and the revenue expected from tourism. I thought it is courageous to declare the numbers like a business entity. Colorful tableaus showcased tourism categories like heritage tourism, home stays, sports tourism, eco tourism, festival tourism, shopping tourism etc.

While all this is kind of expected at cultural festivals, what I appreciated most was the fact that they showcased their Taxis, Buses, and Trishaws, and appreciated their contribution successful tourism in the country. They also showcased festivals like Shoe festival and culinary tourism, crafts and DIY tourism. They had something for everyone, weather you are young or old, whichever part of world you came from and whatever your interested may be. It was good to see well-rounded strategy to meet the numbers they have set for themselves.

In between the tableaus came the dancers from various communities and ethnicities of Malaysia. Drummers played live music and singers sang for the crowds and for the Royalty together. Acrobats performed tricks and all kinds of entertainers entertained. There was never a dull moment as the well-coordinated groups went past the audience. In the end, all the 6000 performers came together on the road for impromptu dancing and invited the audience to join in. With smile and style they posed with them, for them and taught them some basic steps to dance.

Elaborate fireworks marked the beginning and end of the festival. It was raining throughout the event, but the performers were least disturbed by this and they went on performing as if rain is a part of the celebrations, a spirit that definitely left an impression with all the visiting participants like me.

If you happen to be in Malaysia in May, I recommend this festival to you.

Rudra Shiva Picture in Orientations Magazine

Hong Kong based Orientations Magazine that focusses on Asian Art for the collectors and connoisseurs of art features a picture from this blog of Rudra Shiva of Tala, Chhattisgarh.

The article by Rachel Parikh talks about the composite art where a larger image is composed of multiple smaller images, both in paintings and sculptures.

Tamil Nadu Tales X: Chola Bronzes

Chola temple trail cannot be complete without the mention of Chola Bronzes, a defining art form of the region and the times of Cholas. I saw Chola Bronzes at two places during this trip, one was at Museum of Art in Maratha Palace, Thanjavur and second was at Egmore Museum in Chennai which has some of the biggest and the best pieces of Chola metal craft. At Chennai, there is a bit of documentation too that explains you the popular forms of deities carved in Bronze and the galleries are in fact organized by deities, so there is one each for Shiva, Parvati, Vishnu, Ganesh et al. A video at the entrance explains the process of making these idols using the lost wax method and the importance of Patina the layer of tarnish that gives the sheen to the metal over a period of time and the one that makes the antique pieces valuable. Method of lost wax in mentioned in the ancient texts and it is a living tradition that is still practiced in the same fashion. Smaller idols are made in solid cast while the larger ones are made in a hollow cast to keep them light. There are two primary metals used: Bronze which is an alloy of Copper and Tin and Panchola which comes from five metals: Copper, Tin, Gold, Silver and Lead.

The origin of Bronze images lies in the urge to take out the Gods in palanquins from the temples. Since this was not possible with huge stone idols, smaller idols carved in metal were light and easy to be taken around and came to be known as Utsav murtis or festival idols. Rules of iconography her followed for metal images just like stone ones. Then it became a fashion for the rich and famous to donate the bronze idols to the temples.

Natraja is the most popular image in Chola Bronzes. This is the dancing Shiva, the presiding deity of the Chola dynasty. In Chennai museum you see some of the most beautiful Nataraja idols. You can get mesmerized looking at them, but for the fact that museum has no facility for you to sit and admire.  After Natraja the next most popular image is Somaskanda where Shiva is depicted sitting with his consort Uma and his son Skanda dancing between them on a platform. Other images of Shiva highlight some aspect of his personality like Chandrashekhar highlights the moon on his head and Gangadhara the Ganga coming out of hair.  Ardhanarishwar with half Shiva and half Shakti is another popular image, here you see the master craftsmanship when the limbs of the two parts are carved accordingly, the female part being smaller and delicate.  Parvati is also carved in her various avatars like Maheshwari, Durga, Kali etc, and her most popular avatar remains Mahishasurmardini – the one who slays the demon Mahisha. In one idol I found her wearing a short garment on one leg and a long one on other, something that I have not seen elsewhere, a designer idol probably. Ganesh, Murugan and Nandi complete the Shiva family. Ganesha is depicted with very long upper body and short legs.  Vishnu also had few idols. One that I found most amusing was in his Varaha avatar with a devi on his lap as he stands on a raised leg. There is a huge image of Sudarshan chakra that again looked quite unique. Most idols stood mounted on the solid metal pedestal that had solid hooks as if to pull the idols using ropes or to tie them up with something.

In general height of the women is shown substantially less than men in these bronzes and they are far more slender. The noses are sharp and head ornamentation is elaborate. Both sexes are depicted with without an upper body garment. The lower garments have quite a bit of experimentation. What stands out is the harmony and rhythm that oozes out of the proportionately carved figures that have gathered a color of their own over a period of time. Enter these galleries like a Rasik and enjoy the beauty of these pieces that only increases with time.

You can buy books on the museum artifacts from the museum shop if the staff obliges you.

A must see if you are in Chennai.

Majestic Maharashtra III: Sindhudurg, Konkan Coast

Located on the Konakn coast, between Mumbai and Goa, Sindhudurg is a mighty fort as it stands in the middle of the sea that can be approached only via water route. Shivaji built many forts in and around Maharashtra, but this one probably is the most unique and no wonder the only place that has a temple dedicated to him. Literally translated it means the fort in the ocean, appropriately named. There are many points of views from which you can look at this fort.

To begin with it is an engineering marvel. Built in mid 17^th CE, on an islet in the Arabian Sea, it took only three years to construct it. Its foundation has been set in molten lead and the ramparts have 75000 kgs of iron in them. Just imagine the strength of the fort, no wonder it still stands strong after so many centuries, despite not having much maintenance effort. The design is such that it is difficult to make out the entrance from the outside, and even if you figure it out after going around the fort, the way into the fort is not straight for the first time visitor. Being an island the biggest issue would have been sweet water for sustaining life inside the fort. There are three sweet water wells inside the fort. I got two contradicting theories about the sweet water – first is simple that they are natural sweet water wells and the other seems more logical that Shivaji had the rain water harvesting system in place and the water from the monsoon was good enough to sustain life inside for whole year. I could not verify which one is true, but to my logical mind the second sounds more likely as the bed around the islet is quite rocky and having a natural well sounds unlikely.

Then, there are things to see inside the fort. There are a few temples, but the biggest one is dedicated to the Maratha warrior and the most revered figure in Maharashtra Shivaji himself. Beautiful trees surround this simple but serene temple. You can go in any direction from the main entrance and climb the thick walls with bastions that define the fort. The condition of the walls is not great, the steps are uneven and there are no safety features installed, no medical facilities seem to be available, so you need to be very careful while climbing. If you climb, you will see the view of the coastline with coconut trees forming the skyline and colorful boats providing the vibrancy with their colors against the different blues of the ocean and the sky. Tarkali beach is also visible from one side of the fort. There are Shivaji’s fingerprints and footprints that are preserved by building a small structure around them. You have to stress your eyes a bit to look at them through the iron rods. Small shops inside sell cold drinks, Sharbats and snacks.

There are myths and legends associated with the fort. It is a living fort, even today and few families still live inside it and take care of the temple and other things. Rough roads lead you in various directions. It is said there is an underground tunnel through the ocean that leads to one of the villages on the coast that was closed during the British period. Now we know that most forts have an escape route built in, but to build a secret tunnel to this fort is tricky because it can be discovered very easily by the enemy and blocked. Today no one is able to point where that tunnel is. There is a coconut tree with a branch that also produces coconut; this is an exception, as coconut tree does not grow branches. My logical mind says this must be a hybrid tree.

Boat ride is enjoyable. Half way on the way, you have rich green beaches on one side and a majestic fort on the other with many rocky outgrowths peeping out of the water and colorful boats plying back and forth.  Standing on the walls of the fort is like being at the edge of the earth with water all around you, while you stand on a firm place.

If you are in this region, this is a must visit.

Malaysia Marvel IX: Visiting a traditional Malay house in Melaka

Last year around this time I was in Malaysia, and I had two wonderful days in Melaka, the heritage town that has origins of Malaysia in its folds and will always remain in my mind as the red town, as most of its buildings are in rust red.

On a small island formed at the turn of the river Melaka, I saw some beautiful houses in pistachio green with red slanted roofs. Out guide sensed the curiosity and took us to visit Sentosa Villa, a traditional Malay house, almost 100 years old and still managed by the lady of the house. Haji Fatima is a few years younger than the house that was built by her grandfather. She takes us around the house and points to various things around the house.

House stands on raised platform and you reach the entrance through a flight of steps passing through some usual and some not so usual plants. Entrance leads to a central courtyard much like traditional Indian houses with rooms all around it. The pictures of the family prominently adore the houses and it was amusing to see the portrait of the lady in her younger days, with the shyness of youth on her face vis-à-vis a wise and mature look that she carries now. There was a wall full of music records and Fatima told us that they are the music albums of her brother who was a musician. There were elaborate beds with traditional linen on them. Every part of the floor was covered with colorful carpets. Two chairs under a canopy looked special and special they were as they were used during the marriage ceremonies to seat the bride and the groom. There were old machines like an almost rusted typewriter and tons of crockery collected from various parts of the world, the family was sure a rich one. A lounge like place was created for the visitors to go through the family albums.

Most interesting piece in the house was a huge gong that I believe was used for celebrations and announcements. Banging it three times is supposed to bring luck and the lady makes sure she treats you to some luck in her house. Sentosa Villa has also received award from Malaysia Tourism for being the best tourism attraction and it is proudly displayed in the house.

How I wish, we could convert some of our traditional Havelis and Deodis too were into such beautiful tourist attractions, that would helped generate employment as well as preserve heritage.

Malaysia is well connected with most major cities in India and all Indians citizens require a Malaysia Visa to visit the country.

Andhra Adventures XI: Honey Making at Araku Valley

As we were roaming around Araku Valley from one water fall to another, on one side of the road we saw some blue boxes lines up in what seemed like uncultivated land. We stopped to find out what they were and right there on the road a vendor was selling honey in small plastic bottles and when asked where does he get the honey from, he pointed to the same blue boxes. With some interpretation help, we asked him to show us the boxes.

These boxes are mini honey making factories. There are wooden frames stacked up inside the boxes and the honey bees are attracted to them. Over a period of time the frames are filled with honey and bee wax. These boxes are kept covered from the top unless the beekeeper has to examine or take out the frames. There is a small hole at the bottom of the box that is meant for the bees to use for entering and exiting the box.

I was scared when the beekeeper just took out a wooden frame from the box and held it with his bare hands to show it to us, but he was absolutely cool about it. He told us that each box can yield 5-7 kgs of honey in a month’s time, and is a pretty profitable business though a small scale one. I thought it could be a good employment generation opportunity for people in this area as flowers are in abundance making it a viable place for honey making. The boxes are portable so they can be shifted to various places and need not occupy any prime cultivable land. The labor required is also not high though some skill may need to be developed to handle the bees.

We picked up a bottle of honey, said thank you and I was happy to learn about another small business that can be done in a very eco-friendly way without much investment.  This is how each travel enriches me with unexpected experiences.

Majestic Maharashtra II: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad

Bibi ka Maqbara at Aurangabad, Maharashtra is often called the Taj of Deccan or an imitation of the original Taj Mahal in Agra. It does look similar to the Taj Mahal and why not, the ladies belong to the same family and the one lying at Taj Mahal is the mother-in-law of the one lying here in Aurangabad.

While the similarities between the two mausoleums have often been spoken about, let me point out some differences between the two:

• The most visible difference is the size. Bibi ka Maqbara is about one third of the size of Taj Mahal. You would almost feel that someone has squeezed the Taj and kept it here, or may be this was the model that was built before the fine Taj was actually built.
• Taj Mahal is completely built in pure white marble that shines through while only a small part of Bibi ka Maqbara is built in marble, and the rest is lime plaster with stuccowork on it. The marble for both the monuments came from Rajasthan and Agra is obviously far closer to the source than Aurangabad.
• Taj Mahal stands by the river Yamuna, while Bibi ka Maqbara has a backdrop of small hills of the rocky Deccan plateau.
• Minarets of Taj are round and tapering at the top while those of Bibi ka Maqbara are octagonal and almost straight.
• The actual tomb lies below in both but the one at Aurangabad can be seen by the visitors and has lot of money thrown over it.
• A husband in the memory of his wife built the Taj while a son in the memory of his mother, i.e.Prince Azam Shah, built Bibi Ka Maqbara for his mother Dilras Banu Begum who also happened to be Aurangzeb’s wife.
• There is a controversy that Taj Mahal was probably a Hindu temple by the name Tejo Mahalaya while there is no such controversy associated with Bibi ka Maqbara that was built ab initio. 

Of the similarities involve the sheer resemblance between the two with same Char bagh style gardens around the monument. The same family of course built both memorials for the women of the family, almost one after the other in mid 17^th CE. The Jaali work here is as intricate as in the most mughal monuments and is probably their signature element. At Aurangabad, the Jaali work around the tomb lends an elegant beauty to the simple grave covered with green cloth. There is limited inlay work and one ceiling with geometric pattern is quite intriguing.

This is probably the biggest and may be the only built monument by the Mughals in South or Deccan. May be they were trying to re-create an Agra in Aurangabad, may be the grandson attempted to outdo his grandfather by building something similar or may be better or may be they were just trying to keep a family tradition alive.

More than anything else, I think they left the stories behind for us to talk and wonder about.

Click here for Aurangabad Hotels.