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The besieged ocean, Dwarasamudra – Halebeedu itinerary
The Hoysaleswara temple at Halebeedu is one of the 3 key temples of Hoysala architecture. The other two are at Belur and Somnathpura. In addition to these three temples, there are also smaller temples which bear testimony to the wonder that is Hoysala architecture. Hoysaleswara Temple The Hoysaleswara temple was earlier the capital of Halebidu during the 12th and 13th centuries and during that time, the city was called Dwarasamudra. This seems to have been constructed during the reign of Vishnuvardhana although there are currently no inscriptions in the temple regarding the same. Subsequently. after the Delhi sultans plundered the city, the place was abandoned and Dwarasamudra was no longer…
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Bateshwar – The Divine Jigsaw
What is the biggest jigsaw puzzle you’ve done? I’ve done ones with 500 and 1000 pieces. Once, I finished a 5000 piece puzzle. I’ve also attempted a 40000 piece puzzle once. What if you had to put together a giant puzzle where each piece needs more than one person to lift it? Sometimes a forklift to do the work? Well, that’s the task at hand for the men and women at work in the Bateshwar cluster of temples at Madhya Pradesh. How to get there How to get there? The Bateshwar temple cluster is about 35 km from Gwalior, in Morena. There are buses that drop you off close to…
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Celebrating the Sun – Konark!
One of the places that we were really looking forward to visiting was the Sun temple at Konark. The mighty structure, the chakras (wheels), the even bigger structure that is no longer there – all this history made us look forward to the moment we would be able to stand and admire the mightiness. Kalinga architecture The temple is attributed to King Narasimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty and dated to around the middle of the 13th century CE. The grandeur of the structures that remain give us hints of the scale of the temple that would’ve existed before the depredations of time. The temple’s architectural style is Kalinga. It…
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Amer Fort and Jaigarh – The Connected Forts of Jaipur
Amer Fort We had planned half a day, starting early to cover Amer and Jaigarh fort. Even before reaching the fort, we stopped on the way to soak in the views of the fort from a distance. The guides at Amer fort are very very very perseverant. The guides and touts warned us that we’d either get lost or we’d miss out on parts of the fort without their ‘guidance’. Rest assured that you’re neither at a risk of getting lost thanks to the well-marked paths nor are you at a risk of missing portions of the fort thanks to the detailed layout maps that can be found online fairly…
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Chand Baori, Stepwell of Abhaneri
Abhaneri is about 90 km from Jaipur. It houses one of the oldest and largest step wells in India – the Chand Baori or Chand Bawri. Plan your trip Origins of the Abhaneri step well The Chand Baori or Chand Bawri, as it is spelt sometimes, is one of the largest and oldest step wells in India. A ‘baori’ or ‘bawri’ in the local language is a well from which water can be drawn. Dating back to the 8th-9th century CE, the step well’s construction features and carving styles suggest this period, though no inscriptions confirm it. The name Chand is ascribed to a local ruler of the Nikumbh dynasty…
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Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
Jantar Mantar was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. There are four other such astronomical observatories built by the same king – in Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. Some of these are the largest instruments built in their category and are very advanced in terms of their precision. Astronomical and Astrological significance The guide was quite knowledgeable about the astronomical and astrological significance of the instruments. From our guide, we understood that the pursuit of precision for the calculation of time seemed to be driven by a two-pronged need. Firstly, to be free of dependency on the Islamic almanacs being referred to for agricultural milestones,…
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Datia Palace – An Ode to Friendship
Datia Palace was built by Raja Vir Singh Deo (Bir Singh in Bundela) from 1614 CE to 1623 CE. Plan your trip Getting there We took a cab from Orchha to Datia, about an hour’s drive away. Our driver assumed we were on a pilgrimage to Datia and took us straight away to a temple. Expecting a palace to be our destination, we shared a few confused looks when our driver announced we’d reached our stop. When we explained that we wanted to visit the Datia palace, he didn’t know which palace we were talking about. We showed him the route on Google Maps, but the last stretch couldn’t have…
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Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla
We planned to visit Goa while the pandemic situation was easing a bit. So, instead of taking public transport, we drove down to Goa from Bangalore. The drive was about 10 hours and it made sense to take a break near Dandeli. We chose an accommodation in the forest that is amidst nature but also close to this temple that we wanted to see. The Mahadev Temple is a 12th century temple dedicated to Siva. The temple is in a remote corner at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The path to the temple had many monkeys and so, beware if you’re carrying anything edible. There are a few stalls…
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A trip to the Warrior Queen’s abode – Jhansi
Jhansi is near the border of the present-day states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.Just 30 minutes from Orchha, Jhansi was a fixture in our itinerary. All three of us were eager to see this slice of history for ourselves. We wanted to know more about the queen, Rani Laxmi Bai, one of the prominent women warriors in India’s struggle for independence. The Fort of Jhansi Plan your trip Origins of the fort Perched atop a commanding hill, Jhansi Fort offers a strategic vantage point that has witnessed centuries of history. Built in the 17th century CE by Bir Singh Deo, a king of Orchha State, the fort became a…
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Laxmi Mandir, Orchha
The Hidden Town of Orchha Orchha means ‘hidden’. This town in India’s Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Betwa River was the stronghold of the Bundela Rajputs. True to its name, Orchha conceals many treasures of Indian history, art, and architecture. One such unique and breathtaking gem is the Laxmi Mandir, a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess of wealth – Laxmi. The Origins of Laxmi Mandir Raja Bir Singh Deo, a Bundela chieftain built this temple in 1622 CE. The site of the temple is on a hill, near the Orchha palace-fort complex. The vantage point from the temple offers an expansive view of the palace fort of…
