Travel magic

Rajasthan rolling - 10(concluded) Pushkar and Chittorgarh

2012-01-18T16:24:00.001+05:30

On our way from Jaipur to Pushkar we had planned a short visit to Ajmer too but the President of our country had similar ideas due to which we were forced to trash our Ajmer visit by the security forces.

Reached Pushkar at forenoon and checked in the beautiful property of Hotel New Park. It was edenic with

peacocks and other birds flying around in the gardens facing the cottages. Had a quiet lunch and set out in

the evening to visit the only Brahma temple in the country which is what Pushkar is famous for apart from the annual camel fair.

Hired a ‘guide on a motorcycle’ who led us through the maze of bylanes to the temple and thrust upon us the local priest to pray for our ancestors. After having resisted guides almost all through the tour we indulged in getting ripped off and hoped that our ancestors in faraway lands were satiated by our prayers and offerings.

Apparently if we pray at the lake surounded by thousands of temples, our ancestors will be pleased and we were made to do just that! Then we were led to the Brahma temple where fortunately there were no crowds

and unfortunately no photography was allowed hence after a brief darshan we were on our way back to the Hotel.

In the evening though we went for a walk round the lake. It was very peaceful despite the crowds. Had a

refreshing cup of coffee at ‘Koffe Kulture’, took some pictures and realised that there were more foreigners than Indians out there!

Next morning we set out for Chittorgarh which was a mere 200kms away. We had a booking in RTDC’s property which was in a huge property but had the usual flaws of a Government run institution. Made ourselves as comfortable as possible in the circumstances and after a quick lunch in their restaurant we rested for a while and set out to visit the main attraction – the Chittorgarh Fort. The nice thing was that we could drive all the way up and inside the fort too for a price.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

The Chittorgarh fort is considered to be the largest in the country and is spread over 700acres. It was built by Maurya rulers in the 7^th century. There are palaces, towers, temples and cenotaphs in the fort.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

The Gaumukh reservoir is a huge water tank that gets water from a 'Cow's mouth' shaped rock.

The Padmini Palace has an interesting tale. It is in the northern end of the Padmini lake and apparently it was here that Rana Ratan Singh showed a glimpse of the legendary beauty of his wife Padmini to Allaudin Khilji through a mirror who got enamoured with her beauty.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

In the middle of the lake there is a three storeyed structure with arched openings and is locally called the Jal Mahal.

Allaudin Khilji who coveted Queen Padmini of Chittaur, invaded the city in 1303 A.D. Queen Padmini and the women of the court sacrificed themselves in a pyre of fire rather than submit to anybody. This supreme sacrifice has been called 'Jauhar' and epitomises the fiery spirit of the Rajputs of the day.

The Vijay Stambh (tower of victory) is the most impressive structure of the Chittorgarh Fort. It was

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

constructed by Maharana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over Mohammed Khilji in the 15th century. This giant tower is nine-storied and offers a picture-perfect view of the down-town from its balconies. This huge tower extends to the height of 122 feet and width of 47 sq ft at the base. The circular stairs of this tower has 157 steps. This imposing tower took 10 complete years to construct. You can trace sculptures of the Hindu gods on the alcoves of this tower.

They do have a ‘light and sound’ show every evening but we decided to skip it and chose to get back to the Hotel and retire early as we had to leave early next morning on our last leg of the trip to Vadodara and then back home.

This was indeed a magnificent road trip through a very colourful land of Rajasthan!

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Rajasthan rolling - 9 (Jaipur)

2012-01-10T12:04:00.000+05:30

Reached Jaipur in three hours covering a distance of 183kms from Mandawa. Checked in Hotel Umaid

Bhavan where we had a reservation and after freshening up decided to start exploring the City Palace and Jantar Mantar which are adjacent to each other.

Just rambled through Jantar Mantar trying to learn about how the different structures were used.

Went on to the City Palace, part of which was converted into a museum. As we entered, the sets of some

film shoot were being dismantled. Thankfully we had reached after the shoot or else our movement would have been restricted.

The palace was built between 1729 and 1732, initially by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber. He planned and built the outer walls, and later additions were made by successive rulers right up to the 20th century. The credit for the urban layout of the city and its structures is attributed to two architects namely, Vidyadar Bhattacharya, the chief architect in the royal court and Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, apart from the Sawai himself who was a keen architectural enthusiast. The architects achieved a fusion of the Shilpa shastra of

Indian architecture with Rajput, Mughal and European styles of architecture. Following Jaisingh's death in 1744, there were internecine wars among the Rajput kings of the region but cordial relations were maintained with the British Raj. Maharaja Ram Singh sided with the British in the Sepoy Mutiny or Uprising of 1857 and established himself with the Imperial rulers. It is to his credit that the city of Jaipur including all of its monuments (including the City Palace) are stucco painted 'Pink' and since then the city has been called the "Pink City". The change in colour scheme was as an honour of hospitality extended to the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII) on his visit. This colour scheme has since then become a trademark of the Jaipur city.

Next morning we drove upto Amer Fort. On the way we also saw the amazing Hawa Mahal. Did not go

inside the Hawa Mahal as we were told that there is nothing worth seeing inside and all there is to see is on the outside. So clicked a few and proceeded to Amer Fort.

On the way to the Amer fort we also saw the Jal Mahal from a distance.

Amer Fort is situated on a forested hill premonitory, above the Maota Lake near Amer village, about 11

kilometres from Jaipur.

A narrow jeepable road leads up to the entrance gate, known as the Suraj Pol or the Sun Gate, of the fort.

We are not allowed to drive right up and have to park in the huge parking lot provided. You can either walk up or go by the jeeps or elephants available for the purpose. We chose to walk.

Amer Fort was built by Meena king Raja Alan Singh Chanda and was later occupied by Kachhawa Rajput. This fort along with Jaigarh Fort located immediately above on the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) of same

Aravalli range of hills, is considered as one complex, as the two are well connected by subterranean passage. This passage was meant as an escape route in times of war for the royal family members and others in the Amer Fort to shift to the more redoubtable Jaigarh Fort.

The views from top are breathtaking.

Spent the afternoon shopping in the city and had dinner in Handi restaurant. Had the ‘Lal maas’ (red meat) a

typical fiery Rajasthani dish with nice crispy Naans.

On the third day we met Bharat, our friend and guide from Jaipur.

He promised to show us Unseen Rajasthan and led us to Abhaneri, a small town, popular for its astonishing step well and Harshat Mata

Temple and Bhangarh (haunted Palace), which are around 90kms from Jaipur.

The myth behind Bhangarh - The charm of princess of Bhangarh Ratnavati was said to be matchless in all of Rajasthan. Being eighteen years old, the princess started getting matrimonial offers from heads of other states. In the same region there lived a tantrik, a magician well versed in the occult, named Singhia who was desperately in love with the princess. He knew that he would never be allowed to even see her, let alone meet her. One day, he saw the princess’ maid in the market buying scented oil for her. Seeing this, he got an idea by which he could meet the princess. He used his black magic and put a spell on the oil which would hypnotize the princess by her merely touching the oil, and she would surrender herself. The Princess happened to drop the container over a stone. As soon as the oil touched the stone, it started rolling towards the wicked tantrik and crushed him. While dying, Singhia cursed the palace with the death of all who dwelt in it, without any rebirth in their destinies. The very next year there was a battle between Bhangarh and Ajabgarh and Ratnavati died. Till date, people believe that it is haunted and nobody dares visit after sunset.

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Rajasthan rolling - 8 (Mandawa)

2011-11-21T10:20:00.001+05:30

In the heart of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan lies the beautiful small town Mandawa, known throughout the state for its forts and Havelis.

It took us 3 hours to reach Mandawa from Bikaner, a distance of 190kms. The roads were good as usual.

Once we reached Mandawa, we maneuvered through narrow lanes to the ‘Hotel Heritage Mandawa’ we

had booked in. It was fascinatingly wonderful. The frescoes on the walls and arches all over were impressive. Our room was ethnically decorated too. Had a delicious lunch and set out to explore the ‘Open art gallery’ of Mandawa.

Founded in the 18th century, the medieval fort of Mandawa dominates the town with a painted arched

gateway adorned with Lord Krishna and his cows. The Chokhani and Ladia havelis and the street with Saraf

havelis are some of the splendid examples of this region's havelis.

The Binsidhar Newatia Haveli has some curious paintings on its outer eastern wall-a boy using a telephone, and a European woman in a car driven by a chauffeur. The Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli has some defaced erotic images.

The historic town of Mandawa served as a trading outpost for the caravans coming from Middle East and China. It was in 1755 that the Rajput ruler, Thakur Nawal Singh got the Mandawa Fort and ramparts around the city constructed for the safety of the trading outpost.

Displaying the skillful craftsmanship of Rajput artisans is the Goenka Double Havelis. The haveli is adorned by life-size portraits of the royal men, traditional Rajasthani women, and religious motifs. The Hanuman

Prasad Goenka Haveli has religiously inspired frescoes, like Lord Shiva on Nandi and Lord Indra on his elephant. The Jhunjhunwala Haveli is famous for its intricately carved and painted ceiling and golden leaf

painted walls. Carved archways, latticed windows and intricate designs are found in Murmuria Haveli as well. Besides traditional frescoes and murals, the Murmuria Haveli has modern paintings also, like the one depicting Jawaharlal Nehru with the National Flag on a horseback. Mohanlal Saraf Haveli, Chowkhani Haveli, Bhagchandika Haveli, Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli, Lakshmi Narayan Ladia Haveli, and the Newtia Haveli are some other majestic havelis of Mandawa.

Had read a lot about Monica restaurant in Mandawa where we decided to dine. Weaving through dimly lit narrow lanes we managed to reach the restaurant and were ushered into an absolutely empty restaurant! Here too like most of the restaurants in Rajasthan the food catered to the Continental tastes. Despite asking for spicy food we got a taste of some sweetish Chicken tikka masala. Though this restaurant has a lot of good reviews on Trip Advisor, it is not suitable for the Indian palate.

Headed back to our haveli for a good night’s rest as we were headed to Jaipur next morning.

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Rajasthan rolling - 7 (Bikaner)

2011-11-10T15:57:00.000+05:30

We covered the Jaisalmer to Bikaner distance of 333kms in just over four hours. The roads were excellent and it was a breeze driving through! Having reached Bikaner just in time for lunch had it in our room at the Hotel Bharat Nivas where we had a booking.

Soon after lunch we set out to explore the most important sights of Bikaner – The Junagarh Fort and the KarniMata temple also famously known as the rat temple.

The Junagarh Fort was originally called Chintamani and was renamed Junagarh or "Old Fort" in the early 20th century when the ruling family moved to Lalgarh Palace outside the fort limits. It is one of the few major

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop. The modern city of Bikaner has developed around the fort.

The erstwhile Princely state of Bikaner and its capital city Bikaner was founded by Rao Bika (1465-1504 AD.) by the blessings of Goddess Karni Mata in the year 1488 AD. In those days this vast tract of desert country was called “Jangaldesh”. Prince Bika of the Rathore clan of Rajputs was the valiant son of Rao Jodha- the founder of Jodhpur.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

It is said that the success of Rao Bika was prophesized by Goddess Karni Mata, whose temple is at Deshnok, which is about 30 Km from here.There is another interesting anecdote about Karni Mata and Bikaner. In 1937, on the occasion of Maharaja Ganga Singh's Golden Jubilee, he cancelled all functions and festivities. He said "my Bikaner has a famine and this is no time for celebration". Weeks passed and the scorching heat only increased. In desperation Maharaja Ganga Singh went to the temple of Karniji at Desnoke to pray for rain. When all hope was lost, and the heads of villages had gathered, there mysteriously appeared a cloud, which soon covered the sky, and the heavens opened. Only when the parched land was drenched did he give orders for celebration.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

The Junagarh palaces in the fort have a large number of rooms, as every king built his own separate set of rooms, not wanting to live in his predecessors’ rooms.

The museum within the fort called the Junagarh Fort Museum was established in 1961 by Maharaja Dr.Karni Singhji under the control of "Maharaja Rai Singhji Trust". The Museum exhibits Sanskrit and Persian manuscripts, miniature paintings, jewels, royal costumes, farmans (royal orders), portrait galleries, costumes, headgear and dresses of gods’ idols, enamelware, silver, palanquins, howdahs and war drums. The museum also displays armoury that consists of one of the assorted collection of post medieval arms.

Refreshed ourselves in the cafe on the lawns of the fort and moved on to the Karni Mata temple which was around 30kms away. Reached there in an hour.

Karni Mata (2 October 1387 – 23 March 1538) was a female Hindu sage born in the Charan caste and worshiped as the incarnation of the goddess Durga by her followers. She is the official deity of the royal

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

family of Jodhpur and Bikaner. During her lifetime, she laid the foundation stone of two of the important forts in Rajputana. She lived an ascetic life, and most of the temples dedicated to her were dedicated during her lifetime. A temple dedicated to her during her lifetime differs from others in that it does not contain an image or idol of her but rather contains a foot-print to symbolize her visit to that place. The most famous of her temples is the temple of Deshnoke, which was created following her mysterious disappearance from her home. This temple is famous for its rats, which are treated as sacred and given protection in the temple.

Photograph : Nakul Amembal

According to a local legend, Karni Mata, the 14th century mystic and an incarnation of Hindu goddess Durga, implored Yama, the god of death, to restore the life of the son of one of her storyteller. Yama refused, and Karni Mata reincarnated the dead son and all of the storytellers as rats, under her protection. Out of all of the thousands of rats in the temple, there are said to be four or five white rats, which are considered to be especially holy. They are believed be the manifestations of Karni Mata herself and her kin and hence sighting them is considered a blessing. We could not.

Now it was time to go around Bikaner city and try out their famous savouries. We shopped for the savouries at 'Bhikaram Chandmal Bhujiawala' on the advice of our Hotel reception and picked up quite a few packets of the famous Bikaneri Bhujiya which is fun to have with chai.

Got back to the Hotel for the night to ready for our trip next morning to Mandawa the city of Havelis.

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Rajasthan rolling - 6 (Jaisalmer)

2011-10-20T13:51:00.001+05:30

Got on to the highway for Jaisalmer at 0830. The initial few kilometers of road were bad on NH114 but later on NH56 it was good.

Reached Jaisalmer at 1300 and were guided through to the Desert Boys Guesthouse in the Jaisalmer fort. This is a very traditionally decorated Hotel.

We chose a room that suited us and after a briefing from the informed owner about the history of Jaisalmer and what to see and do we had our lunch and rested for awhile.

Jaisalmer is named after its founder Raja Jaisal a Rajput king. "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sand gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.

In the afternoon we visited the Jaisalmer Palace (adjacent to our guesthouse) which is rather shabby. Not many artefacts in the museum. Only good for panoramic views of the city. After a brief tour we went to the Nathmal ki Haveli and the Patwa Haveli, which were situated just outside the fort. The Nathmal Haveli could be viewed from outside and the lobby while the Patwa haveli was a muesum. It was an amazing experience.

Patwon-ki-Haveli: Guman Chand Patwa (and later by his five sons), a wealthy merchant belonging to powerful Oswal Jain community and banker who had over three hundred trading centres from Afghanistan to China. This ornate five-storey complex took fifty years to complete. This is the largest, the most magnificent, and the most elaborate of Jaisalmer havelis.

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli: Built by a Prime Minister of princely state of Jaisalmer. Its facade is a riot of ornamentation: flowers, birds, elephants, soldiers, a bicycle and even a steam engine.

We got to view a wonderful sunset from the guesthouse sit out.

On our way through the fort we noticed plenty of Italian restaurants! Hence we decided to dine at one that was very close to our guesthouse. There was a huge board announcing its existence but the entrance was through a narrow passageway and had to climb up some steep stairs to reach the roof top. The tourists have not started pouring in as yet and here again we were the only customers! We ordered for Canneloni and Lasagna, both vegetarian as there was only an egg dish which could qualify as non vegitarian. Vegetarians will not have a problem in Rajasthan, as most of the Rajasthan cusine is vegetarian. The food took an hour to make it to the table but was value for money.

The agenda for the next day was a visit to the Jain temple in the morning followed by the Jeep safari to Sam sand dunes for a total Rajasthani experience.

Like all Jain temples this too was beautifully carved.

This Shitalnathji jain temple was built in 1486.

After the temple visit we moved on to street shopping of puppets and miniature art.

Before you go shopping it is advisable to ask the Hotel reception what the reasonable price would be for things that you want to buy. Bargaining is a must.

Had lunch at ‘8july’ cafe in the marketplace. It is a multicuisine restaurant and like all restaurants in Rajasthan caters to the European tastes.

However the personal attention of the owner ensures that you will get the food with an Indian touch if you so desire.

The jeep safari to the sand dunes is a fun trip.

On the way we stopped at Bada Bag six kms north of Jaisalmer. There are Royal cenotaphs with carved

images of late Maharawals and their families where each chhatri preserves an inscribed tablet recording the death of Maharawals on which the memorials are raised. The chhatris have been built in a set pattern but in different sizes.

The next stop was Luderwa16 kms. northwest of Jaisalme. Luderwa is the old capital of Jaisalmer. Now a

silent city, the only witness to its former splendour are the Jain temple, toran (ornate arch) and artificial divine

tree (Kalptaru).

Finally we were taken by jeep to a point in the Thar desert where there were camels waiting to take us to

the sunset point. Once the sun bid goodbye, we were taken to a camp where there was a cultural

programme of Rajasthan music and dance followed by a buffet of Rajasthani food.

Had a great time and headed back to the hotel.

Next stop would be Bikaner!

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Rajasthan rolling - 5 (Jodhpur)

2011-10-12T14:45:00.000+05:30

The rains had rested and it was a clear sky with a few scattered clouds. This meant that the day temperature would be in its 30s so we had a heavy breakfast and set out maneuvering through the narrow streets populated by cattle and people and other 2/3/4 vehicles, to the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort.

“Mehrangarh Fort stands a hundred feet in splendour on a perpendicular cliff, four hundred feet above the sky line of Jodhpur. Burnished red sand stone, imposing, invincible and yet with a strange haunting beauty that beckons . Much has been written about the Citadel of the Sun, for truly, it is one of the most impressive in all Rajasthan. So colossal are its proportions that Rudyard Kipling called it “ the work of giants”. Today, it is acknowledged as the finest living example of a Hindu fortress.

Jodha’s fortress was 'Chao Burja' – a fort with four Bastions. The extremities of the original fortress fall within the limit of the second gate today. Of Jodha’s time itself, very little remains, the fort expanded beyond his outer gates within fifty years of his death but the spot where this gate stood is known as “ Rao Jodhaji Ka Falsa” ( Jodha’s outer limit of the boundary). In its Janampatri the fort is named Chintamani, after the Mythological gem worn by lord Ram which supposedly frees the owner of all worldly worry. Chintamani gave way to Mordhwaj, the flag of the peocock, presumably because the forts outer parameter suggests the fan like tail of a dancing peacock, It is at some point after this that the name Mehrangarh began to appear in chronicles and poems. “Mehr” is a Rajasthani word for the sun and it is not at all unlikely that the Suryavanshi Rathores would name their first citadel in their mythological ancestor’s honour.”

Above sourced from http://www.mehrangarh.org/

It is immense in every sense of the word.

Within the fort, several brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces are found.

Moti Mahal - The Pearl Palace

Built by Raja Sur Singh (1595–1619), the Moti Mahal is the largest of the Mehrangarh Museum's period rooms. Sur Singh's Moti Mahal has five alcoves leading onto hidden balconies; it is believed they were built for his five queens to listen in on court proceeding.

Sheesha Mahal - The Hall Of Mirrors

It is a fine example of a typical Rajput Sheesh Mahal. The mirror-work includes large, regular pieces, rather than an intricate mosaic of tiny fragments; another thing is the superimposition over the mirror-work of brightly painted religious figures made in plaster.

Phool Mahal - The Palace Of Flowers

The Phool Mahal was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh (1724–1749). The grandest of Mehrangarh's period rooms the Phool Mahal was in all likelihood a private and exclusive chamber of pleasure; dancing girls once swooned in exhaustion here under a ceiling rich in gold filigree.

Takhat Vilas - Maharaja Takhat Singh's Chamber

Built and lived in by Maharaja Takhat Singh (1843–1873), Jodhpur's last ruler to reside in the Mehrangarh Fort, Takhat Vilas is an interesting blend of styles, most traditional, but some, like the glass balls on the

ceiling, testifying to the modern age which arrived with the British.

They have an excellent museum there.

This museum houses an exquisite collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical

instruments, costumes and furniture.

The ramparts of the fort are home to not only several excellently preserved old cannon (including the famous

Kilkila) but also offer a breath-taking view of the city.

After soaking in the magnificence we moved down to Jaswant Thada a memorial to the King and other

family members of the royal family. This too is very impressive and well maintained.

It was time for lunch so returned to the hotel, had lunch and then drove to the fabulous Umaid Bhavan which

is divided into 3 parts – 1) Hotel 2) Museum and 3) The residence of the Royal family.

Took a guided tour of the museum replete with history and then checked out the vintage car collection of the

Maharajah. Unfortunately all the vintage cars were behind glass walls and had to photograph holding the

camera close tothe glass to avoid any refelction resulting in only close ups.

For dinner we wanted to gorge on some typical Rajasthani street food which apparently was available in the

precincts of Ghantaghar (clock tower). There is a bustling market there.

Had Mirchi bada (huge fried stuffed chilly), shahi samosa, Mava Kachori (sweet) and washed it down with

Makhaniya Lassi. This filled us and was our dinner.

While roaming around the area we found a unique restaurant (Nirvana cafe) sharing premises with the Teejamata mandir! We dropped in the cafe for a coffee. We were the only customers there! The prices were very reasonable and though we just had coffee we have heard that they serve value for money food too.

Tired and sleepy we headed back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep as we had to move on to Jaisalmer next morning.

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Rajasthan rolling - 4 (Haldighati, Kumbalgarh & Ranakpur)

2011-10-06T09:59:00.000+05:30

Checked out of the Hotel by 07.15am as had a few places on our itinerary to visit on our way to Jodhpur. The 1st was the Eklinji temple (Darshan timings:0415-0645, 1030-1330, 1715-1945) which was closed when we reached so we went onwards to Nathdwar only to see that the darshan time (Mangla 0530, Shringar 0715, Gwal 0915, Rajbhog 1130-1215, Utthan 1530, Bhog 1630, Aarti 1700, Shyan 1830) was an hour later and there were long queues for that (Got the Darshan timings later) hence we moved on to

Haldighati where we saw the memorial for Maharan Pratap and another one for his horse Chetak.

A few metres away from the memorials is a beautiful museum of Maharana Pratap’s life – worth a visit.

It is maintained by a private individual. There is a cool restaurant there where we had some hot samosas and Parathas washed down by a hot cuppa.

The birthplace of Maharana Pratap - Kumbalgarh fort was next.

The fortifications of the fort extend to the length of 36 kilometers. It is stated to be the second longest wall in the world, the first being ''the Great Wall of China''.

Kumbhalgarh (also called Kumbhalmer or Kumbalgarh) is a Mewar fortress in the Rajsamand District of Rajasthan state in western India. It was built during the course of the 15th century by Rana Kumbha and his dynasty who were Sisodia descendents.

Ranakpur temple complex was the last place to visit before reaching Jodhpur. Saw some amazing

craftsmanship on display there. Remember, if you are wearing shorts you are requested to hire pyjamas from there prior to entering the temple premises. The entry fee is only for cameras. No charges for visitors.
This renowned Jain temple at Ranakpur is dedicated to Adinatha the first Jain Tirthankar (enlightened human) of our time cycle.

Light colored marble has been used for the construction of this grand temple which occupies an area of approximately 60 x 62 meters.

The temple, with its distinctive domes, shikhara, turrets and cupolas rises majestically from the slope of a hill.

Over 1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the temple. The pillars are all differently carved and no two pillars are the same. It is also said that it is impossible to count the pillars. Also all the statues face one or the other statue.

The temple is designed as chaumukha—with four faces. The construction of the temple and quadrupled image symbolize the Tirthankara's conquest of the four cardinal directions and hence the cosmos.
The dating of this temple is controversial but it is largely considered to be anywhere between the late 14th to mid-15th centuries.
Inspired by a dream of a celestial vehicle, Dhanna Shah, a Porwad, is said to have commissioned it, under the patronage of Rana Kumbha, then ruler of Mewar.
The architect who oversaw the project is said to have been named Deepaka.
The road from Ranakpur to Jodhpur via NH14 & NH65 was pockmarked with potholes. Bad. Distance of 171kms.
Reached Jee Ri Haveli at 9.30pm, tired but happy, after covering a distance of 307kms from Udaipur.
Had a quick dinner on the roof top restaurant and crashed out.

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Rajasthan rolling - 3 (Udaipur)

2011-10-01T15:37:00.001+05:30

The rain was light but the clouds hugged the street of Mt.Abu and visibility was barely 50m which necessitated a late departure. By the time we left at 7am the rains had almost stopped and the visibility had marginally improved to about 200m. So after a couple of strong cuppa chais we set out for Udaipur.
After an uneventful drive of 170kms on good roads we reached Hotel Mandiram Palace in Udaipur at 1130am. After a heavy brunch, we went exploring on foot the Jagdish temple and the City Palace which was barely a km away. There was an irritating slight drizzle all the time.
All this was around the Pichola lake which is in the old quarters of Udaipur hence all the roads are very

narrow and driving around is more of a pain than a pleasure.

Jagdish Temple is located in the City Palace complex of Udaipur, and built in the Indo-Aryan style of architecture. It was built in 1651 by Maharana Jagat Singh, who ruled Udaipur during 1628-53. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Laxmi Narayan), the preserver of the Universe.

This three-storied temple is a wonder of architecture that comprises beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings andpainted walls. In those times, 1.5 million rupees were spent to raise this structure. The spire of the main temple is around 79 feet high and is festooned with sculptures of dancers, elephants, horsemen and musicians.

At the entrance of the temple, there are two huge stone elephants. To reach the main shrine, you have to take a marble flight of 32 steps.

Here, you will find a brass image of Garuda, a figure of half-man and half-eagle guarding the doorway of Lord Vishnu.

The main shrine houses the striking four-armed image of Lord Vishnu. This idol is carved out of a single piece of black stone.

From here we walked on to the City palace, a palace complex that was built by the Maharana Udai Singh as the capital of the Sisodia Rajput clan in 1559, after he moved from Chittor. It is located on the east bank of the Lake Pichola and has several palaces built within its complex. Udaipur was the historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in the Rajputana Agency and its last capital.

The City Palace was built in a flamboyant style and is considered the largest of its type in Rajasthan, a fusion of the Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles, and was built on a hill top that gives a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.

The series of palaces packed in the city palace complex, facing east (as customarily appropriate for the Maharana dynasty – the Sun dynasty), behind an exquisite facade of 244 metres (801 ft) length and 30.4 metres (100 ft) height, were built on a ridge on the west of lake Pichola. They were built over a long period, from 1559 onwards, by 76 generations of Sisodia Rajputs or Suryavanshi Rajputs (worshippers of Sun god). Several Maharanas (the title Maharana is distinctly different from Maharajah, as the former connotes a warrior and the latter a ruler or a king) starting with Udai Mirza Singh II, have richly contributed to this edifice, which comprises an agglomeration of structures, including 11 small separate palaces.

The unique aspect of this conglomeration is that the architectural design (a rich blend of Rajasthani, Mughal, Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture) is distinctly homogeneous and eye catching. The palace complex has been built entirely in granite and marble.

The interiors of the palace complex with its balconies, towers and cupolas exhibit delicate mirror-work, marble-work, murals, wall paintings, silver-work, inlay-work and leftover of colored glass. The complex provides a fine view of the lake and the Udaipur city from its upper terraces.

Mor Chok or Peacock square is integral to the inner courts of the palace. The elaborate design of this chamber consists of three peacocks (representing the three seasons of summer, winter and monsoon)

modeled in high relief and faced with coloured glass mosaic, built into successive niches in the wall area or jharoka, These were built during Maharana Sajjan Singh’s reign, 200 years after the palace was established. The peacocks have been crafted with 5000 pieces of glass, which shine in green, gold and blue colours.

In 1974, a part of the city palace and the 'Zenana Mahal' (Ladies Chamber) were converted into a museum. It is very informative.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for a bite at Govinda’s for pizzas and frappes.

By now we were very keen on trying out some authentic Rajasthani cuisine and on checking aorund, realised there is Natraj Dining Hall which serves some wonderful Rajasthani thaalis. So we dined there and had a

superb Rajasthani thaali – our first after reaching Rajasthan!

Next morning after breakfast we left for the famed Ropeway which takes you to the top of a hill from where you get some panoramic views of Udaipur.

They have also started constructing a Karni Mata (of rat fame) temple up there adjacent to a durgah.

Then we visited the fabulous Vintage car museum of the royal family. It was fascinating to say the least with a

Buick Super 1946

very informed guide of the museum showing us around.

For lunch we visited Natraj dining Hall again but this time their a-la-carte restaurant where we had the famous Dal Bati, Tomato sev, Gatte ki subji and Pakodi kadhi all very delicious.

The rains were still following us and followed us all the way to the Monsoon Palace in Sajjangarh which was cloaked in clouds. The Monsoon Palace, formerly known as the Sajjan Garh Palace, is a hilltop palatial residence, overlooking the lake Pichola. It is named as Sajjangarh after Maharana Sajjan Singh (1874–1884) of the Mewar Dynasty, who built it in 1884. It offers a panoramic view of the city's lakes, palaces and surrounding countryside. It was built basically to watch the monsoon clouds; hence, appropriately, it is popularly known as Monsoon Palace. It is said that the Maharana built it at the top of the hill to get a view of his ancestral home of Chittaurgarh. Previously owned by the Mewar royal family, it is now under the control of the Forest Department of the Government of Rajasthan and has been opened to the public recently.

In the evening we visited the Bagore ki Haveli museum which had on display an amazing collection of puppets.

Bagore Ki Haveli is an ancient building that stands on the platform of Gangori Ghat in the vicinity of Pichola Lake. The splendid architecture of the mansion boasts of delicate carved work and excellent glass work. In the eighteenth century, Bagore Ki Haveli was built by Amir Chand Badwa, who was the Chief Minister at the Mewar Royal Court in earlier times. When Amar Badwa died, the building came under the possession of Mewar State.
In 1878, the Haveli made the abode to Maharana Shakti Singh of Bagore, who further incorporated three stories to the main structure. Since that time, the mansion came to be known as Bagore Ki Haveli (Mansion of Bagore). The interiors of the Haveli are embellished with intricate and fine mirror work. While strolling in the Haveli, you can also see the private quarters of the royal ladies, their bath rooms, dressing rooms, bed

rooms, living rooms, worship rooms and recreation rooms.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped by at the German Bakery for a coffee and later dined at the 'Food Place' which offered a superb view of the well lit City Palace.

We could not visit the Lake Palace as it is no longer open to tourists. It is a hotel run by Taj, hence open only for residents/guests.

Retired early after our fill of Udaipur as we had a long journey ahead to Jodhpur next morning.

Rajasthan rolling -2
Rajasthan rolling -1

Rajasthan rolling - 2 (Mt.Abu)

2011-09-27T19:04:00.015+05:30

Rain followed us from Ahmedabad all the way to Mount Abu, a distance of 245kms.

We left Ahmedabad at 0700hrs and had a pleasant drive to Mount Abu with good roads all the way. All along the way we saw pilgrims walking and cycling in groups, some carrying flags on

their way to the Ambaji temple 45kms off Mt.Abu, for a jatra that is held annually on full moon day.

Villagers on the way provided food and shelter to the pilgrims.

As we climbed up we drove through clouds near the top.

In the Puranas, the region has been referred to as Arbudaranya, ("forest of Arbhu") and 'Abu' is a derative of this ancient name. The legend is that a serpent named "Arbuda" saved the life of Nandi - Lord Shiva's bull, hence the mountain is named "Arbudaranya" after this incident.

The town of Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, is located at an elevation of 1220 meters. It has been a popular retreat for the Rajasthanis and neighbouring Gujaratis for centuries. Mount Abu is home to a number of Jain temples.

The Dilwara Temples are a complex of temples, carved of white marble, that were built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD.

The mountain is also home to several Hindu temples, including the Adhar Devi Temple, carved out of solid rock; the Shri Raghunathji Temple; and a shrine and temple to Dattatreya built atop the Guru Shikhar peak.

Checked in at Udaigarh Hotel, had some Punjabi food for lunch and set out for the famous Dilwara temples which were around 5kms away. These temples built by Chalukya between the 11th and 13th centuries AD are famous for their stunning use of marble. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains. The entry timings at the temple for visitors is 12pm to 6pm and no mobiles or cameras are allowed inside. This rule has been enforced after the Government take over who now have a big say in the affairs of the temple along with the trust.

Then we drove to the Nakki lake which is supposed to have been dug out by the Gods with their nails! Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in this lake on 12th February, 1948 and Gandhi Ghat was constructed.

It was Ganapati visarjan day and most of the Ganapatis in Mount Abu were being brought for

immersion with a lot of song and dance.

Started raining again so got back to the hotel and spent a quiet evening listening to news that it is raining heavily in Udaipur where we are heading for tomorrow!

Rajasthan rolling -1

Rajasthan rolling - 1

2011-09-22T10:04:00.008+05:30

We left home at 0630hrs on our Rajasthan odyssey on a rainy morning.

This rain followed us all the way to Ahmedabad. The truck traffic from Dahisar right upto Manor was dense and boggd us down. It took us 2 hrs to cover this distance of 80kms!

We had our breakfast in ‘Silver Mines’ a food court in Manor where it was ‘eat all you want’ for Rs.69/- only. Though the guy at the counter never has the small change and charges Rs.70/- and points out to a board which sternly states ‘Wastage will be charged Rs.200/-‘. So you take a plate and go to the spread where there are wadas, idlis, poha and dosas. To wash it down you can have coffee/tea/lime juice. If you want any without sugar you have to order a-la-carte. After a hearty breakfast and ensuring no wastage, we got on NH8 and did reached Ahmedabad our destination for the day at 1700hrs. We had rains on and off all the time. The roads were good after Manor and the truck traffic was not so bad.

Soon we got onto NE1(National Expressway 1) and halfway through noticed that we were low on fuel and there was no fuel pump anywhere on the way unlike the Mumbai Pune expressway where there are food courts along with fuel pumps in about 3 places.

At the Nadiad exit we met a group of young workers who gladdened our hearts when he told us that there was a Reliance pump just before the Ahmedabad exit.

Then we went on the Ring Road to get to Greenwoods and Lakeview resort and got mazed! Finally reached the resort which is in an area away from the city bustle after a drive of 565kms from Mumbai. There is nothing available within a walking distance from the resort. So you have to have you meals there or drive some place far off.

It is a beautiful resort with very friendly staff and wonderful food too. The only thing that irked me was you are fingerprinted while checking in! Seems it is the law of the land and have to abide by it. This after taking photocopies of our photo identification and signatures! Another thing that surprised me was that there was no Gujarati food available in their restaurant!
Spent a quiet evening in the hotel and dined on Punjabi food in Gujarat and retired for the day.

Next morning we would roll on to Mt.Abu – our 1st stop in Rajasthan!

Kollur Mookambika

2011-08-11T11:15:00.009+05:30

Thirty kilometres inland from Byndoor on the Western coast, on top of on a spur of the Kodachadri peak on the Western Ghats, in Kollur, there is a very popular temple dedicated to

Mookambika Devi. The goddess is called Mookambika as she is said to have slain the demon Mookasura.

The goddess is described as in the form of a jyotirlinga incorporating both Shiva and Shakti. The panchaloha image of the goddess on Shri Chakra is stated to have been consecrated by Shri Adi Shankaracharya. She is said to be a manifestation of trigunas or triple forms. Around the chief shrine of Mookambika, there are many other shrines.

One of them is a Panchamukhi Ganesha.

As per Wikipedia :-

Legend goes that a Maharishi (monk) Kola was enchanted with nature’s beauty and decided to perform a penance on a rock near the Agnitheertham. Lord Shiva, delighted with Kola, appeared before him and blessed him. The Maharishi wished for the welfare of mankind and nothing else. The Lord, happy with Kola, granted him his wish. He assured that a swayambu (autogenetic) Linga would appear for his daily worship. However, Kola wanted to worship Devi also. So, a swarna rekha (gold line) appeared on the Lingam, signifying Shakti. Thus, Shiva and Shakti are worshipped together in the Lingam. Besides this, a unique feature is that the other Gods and Goddess of the Hindu pantheon also believed to reside in aroopa (non-form) in the Linga. It is thus believed to be an abode of the entire celestial congregation.

It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya had a vision of Sri Mookambika Devi and installed the deity here. The legend goes that Adi Shankara meditated at Kodachadri hills and Devi incarnated before him asking for his wish. He revealed his wish to install the Devi idol in a place in Kerala to worship where he wanted. Devi agreed but put forward a challenge that she will follow Shankara and he should not look back till he reaches his destination. But to test Shankara, Devi deliberately stopped the voice of her anklets when they reached Kollur whereupon Shankara turned and looked back because of doubt. Devi then asked Shankara to install her vigraha, just as he sees her, at that very location in Kollur.

The road is through a densely forested area making the drive very pleasant.

Apparently it is a rich temple as is evident from a gold plated pillar outside the temple as also a

Gold plated Chariot for the Goddess.

There also is a drum, fashioned from a tree trunk, that was hung with reverence to be used on special occasions.

Though this temple is in Karnataka it is considered as one of the must visit temples for Keralites, especially when the child starts getting formal education.

To see more pictures of Kollur please click here

Gilbert Hill

2011-07-06T16:06:00.014+05:30

Situated close to Bhavan's college in Andheri (west), Gilbert Hill is a rare and unique volcanic structure that is now in the danger of collapsing because of haphazard growth of buildings around it.

It is a 200-foot (61 m) monolith column of black basalt rock in Andheri, in Mumbai, India. The rock has a sheer vertical face and was created when molten lava was squeezed out of the earth's clefts during the Mesozoic Era about 65 million years ago. This hill has been declared as a Heritage structure since September 2007. The Bombay HC has directed an IIT-Powai team to survey the hill and suggest measures for its protection.It has also stayed all constructions around the hill.

According to experts, this rare geological phenomenon was the remnants of a ridge and had clusters of vertical columns in nearby Jogeshwari which were quarried off two decades ago.These vertical columns are similar to the Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, and the Devils Postpile National Monument in eastern California, USA.

The way up is by a steep staircase carved into the rock.

Right on top is the Gaodevi Durgamata Mandir set in a small garden.

Once you reach the top the panoramic views of Mumbai are breathtaking.

Getting there : If you drive down from the south, take the left (opp. NADCO shopping center),after the Andheri East-West linking bridge and then ask for directions to the Gaodevi Mandir. If you take public transport, get off at Andheri Railway station (West) and take an autorickshaw which should not cost you more than Rs.20/- depending on the traffic conditions. One can even walk it up from the railway station. Should not take more than half an hour.

View Larger Map

Mumbai to Vittal road trip

2011-06-16T15:13:00.017+05:30

Having driven 830kms from Bandra we reached Murdeshwar in the evening at around 5pm.

It was a very smooth drive on the NH4 upto Hubli and then onto NH63 upto Ankola to connect

NH17 which has been resurfaced and a pleasure to drive on.

We checked in at Naveen Beach Resort which as the name suggests is bang on the beach.

Absorbed the beautiful sunset from the beach along with hundreds of others who had come to spend their evening out there.

Participated in the community watching of the cricket match on a huge screen on the lawns of the resort for a while and crashed out for the night after a delicious fish curry and rice dinner.

Went for a long walk on the beach at sunrise and was surprised to see a lot of activity on the beach. All pleasant except for one – guys crapping. Why are our beaches used as toilets by the locals? Have seen this happening all along the Konkan coast too.

The fishermen who had laid out nets during the night had hauled in a rich catch of a variety of crabs and lobsters and were busy sorting it out.

Then there were the entrepreneurs who were getting the speed boats ready for water sports. Families were arriving by the busloads to spend the best part of the morning at the beach.

The hawkers selling T-shirts and junk jewellery were setting up shop too.

After a leisurely breakfast of idli dosa, we set out for the Kollur Mookambika temple. Reached

there in time for the pooja, got blessed and moved onwards towards Vittal.

Driving was a pleasure on the smooth roads and a scenic route. Reached Vittal in the evening, in

time for a refreshing cuppa kapi.

Morning at Ovalekar's

2011-05-21T10:32:00.023+05:30

Drive down 40kms north of Bandra on the Western Express Highway and you will land yourself in the Ovalekar butterfly garden. It is a naturalist’s haven and a photographer’s delight. Mr.Ovalekar is always at hand to guide every visitor round his painstakingly built butterfly park. The entry charges are just Rs.50/- per head which includes a guided tour of the garden by Mr.Ovalekar. Do call him prior to your visit to know the best time to visit. Now do have a look at what I saw on my visit in April this year and the butterfly season had barely begun. The details of how to get there are given at the end of the post. To get there : Drive down the Eastern or Western Express highways to reach Ghodbunder Road. Owla is a non-descript village near the Suraj Water Park on this road. One can also take a train to Thane and exit by the western side of the station to take an auto rickshaw to the garden. BEST bus number 700 (running between Thane and Borivali stations) also passes this way. Ovalekar may be contacted on 9820779729 / 9869256054

Or emailed at ovalekarwadi@gmail.com ((OR)) ovalekarwadi@ymail.com

Do visit their page on facebook at http://on.fb.me/ihoVQj

Kolad - Adventure and rejuvenation

2011-04-11T20:51:00.023+05:30

If you live in Mumbai and any time you feel like going river rafting, or maybe just for some time to have a tete a tete with nature, just hop on to your bike/car and head for Kolad which is around 140kms away!

Yes, the river Kundalika out there is fed by various dams at specific times when the dams let out excess water into the river and then the fun begins. One fine Saturday morning, we did just that, though we did not have river rafting in our agenda.

We just wanted to chill on the banks of Sutarwadi lake where this wonderful resort ‘Pooja Farms’ is. The drive took us about three hours and once there, checked into a lovely airconditioned cottage. Spent the afternoon checking out the place and soaking in the atmosphere to unwind all the urban stress. Soon it was time to watch the sky set on fire by the setting sun.It was wonderful watching the sun go down.

Had an early dinner and feeling totally relaxed retired early for the day. We were told that the river rafting begins around ten in the morning and if we wished to catch the action we would have to head over to the neighbouring village and take the assistance of the local boys to guide us to the vantage point from where we could watch the adventurers river rafting. Woke up early in the morning to catch the sunrise and the early birds. Was not disappointed.

After a hearty breakfast we set out for the trek to the vantage point from where we could capture the

sights of the Kundalika river before and after the water is released from the dam and also capture the excitement of the river rafters as they raft by.

We met some enthusiastic youngsters in the village who willingly, for a small monetary consideration, guided us to the spot. The river was more like a stream when we saw it first. The boys told us how high it would rise once the water from the dam was released and showed us where we could rest till then and set up our shooting positions.

We had to wait for a couple of hours and then we saw the birds flying past in panic which told us of the

oncoming rush of water. The gurgling of the stream soon turned into a roar of flowing water. And then we

saw the rafters screaming with pleasure as they raised their oars in acknowledgement. The beauty of this river is that you can go rafting all year round as every morning the dams release water and the river swells just enough for some exciting river rafting. Back to the resort for some lunch after which we rested for a while and returned back to Mumbai feeling rejuvenated and ready to face the urban chaos!

Click here for more details on the various activities one can indulge in Kolad and also how to reach there.

Lohagad the Iron fort

2011-02-07T11:28:00.018+05:30

For all those who feel that Lonavala is passé then go that extra mile to Lohagad (Iron fort) just about 20kms from Lonavala.

After crossing Lonavala, go towards Walvan and then ask for directions (no signage) to Nangargaon, Bhangarwadi and Lohgadwadi in that order. Lohagadwadi is at the base of the hill atop which is Lohagad.

Here you can park your vehicle and climb up a short distance of around 500 steps.

There are a couple of dhabas here too where you can get bottled drinking water, colas and packaged munchies or your hot refreshing cuppa chai.

It is at an elevation of 3,450 feet (1,052 m) and worth the climb for the panoramic views that one gets not only from the top but also from various points on the way.

Lohagad has a long history with several dynasties occupying it at different periods of time: Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas, Bahamanis, Nizamshahis, Mughals and Marathas. Shivaji captured it in 1648 CE, but he was forced to surrender it to the Mughals in 1665 CE by the Treaty of Purandar. Shivaji recaptured the fort in 1670 CE and used it for keeping his treasury.

Historical records show that in the later Peshwa period, Nana Phadnavis (1742-1800 AD) built several structures in the fort such as a big tank and a step-well.

Lohagad is a fairly large fort. This is one of the better preserved forts in the region, and many of

its distinctive medieval defence features can be seen during the serpentine winding ascent to the top.

On top of the fort, there is a Mahadev temple adjacent to which is a tank with steps descending

to the water. There is also a grave of a Muslim Pir.

On the western side, there is a long and narrow wall-like fortified spur called Vinchukata (Marathi for Scorpion's tail) because of its shape. It was used to keep a watch on enemies and activities in the nearby region.

From Mumbai, you can take a train to Lonavla. Malavli is the next station from Lonavla in the direction toward Pune. There are a number of local trains operating between Lonavla and Pune; you can take any of them. From Pune, you can take any of these locals.

From Malawli railway station, the fort is just 9 km away, and people walk all the way till the fort. Bhaja Caves is on the way to Lohagad if a small diversion is taken. This walk is a particular favorite of trekkers, especially in the monsoon. It is a simple and easy trek and the distance from Malawli station to Bhaje gaav takes about 20 min. Distance between Malavli and Lohagadwadi can be covered in around 2-2.5 hrs.

Alibag, Korlai and Kankeshwar

2011-01-16T10:30:00.027+05:30

Visited Alibag last weekend and realised there is much more to Alibag than its filthy beach! Filthy because in the morning you find guys crapping all along the shore and to think that people go for a splash in the same waters! Hence even if you go for a walk you have to walk gingerly sidestepping the turds.

The next best thing to do is just visit all the other wonderful places nearby like the Korlai Fort and lighthouse and the Kankeshwar temple. Both require a bit of climbing to be done but are well worth the effort.

The Korlai Fort is at a distance of 24kms from Alibag on the road to Murud.

The last few kilometres of the road is more of a path. Once you reach there you can visit the

Korlai lighthouse first and then the Fort, the steps for which begin right behind the Lighthouse.

The Fort was built by the Portugese in the 16th century. The fort served as an important surveillance point.

The Lighthouse Tower was built in 1955 and a DA gas light was installed on it and lit on 25th December 1955. Optical equipment with electrical flasher operating on batteries to be charged by DC gensets was installed in 1960 and the new light became operational on 28th January 1961.The optic (500 mm) and light was improved in 1998 and an electronic flasher (JLWL) was introduced in April 1999.

The flashing equipment and drum optic system was replaced by the Revolving equipment GRB-48-II supplied by M/s Ana Nav Aids, Ltd, New Delhi, and put in operation on 31st August 2003. The light flashes every 3seconds and has a range of 18 nautical miles. For an unofficial charge of `10/- per head and `20/- per camera for photography you can get a guided tour of the Lighthouse.

The entrance to the Lighthouse

The stairway to leading to the top of the Lighthouse.

The narrow ladder at the top

The view of the road leading to the lighthouse.

Korlai Fort (also called Morro or Castle Curlew) is a Portuguese fortification in the town of Korlai, Maharashtra, India. It was built on an island (Morro de Chaul) which guards the way to the Revdanda Creek. It was meant as a companion to the fort at Chaul.

At this strategic position the Portuguese could use it to defend their province which stretched from Korlai to Vasai.

The fort is 2828 feet long, and its average breadth is eighty-nine feet. The enclosing wall is 5' 3" high and has 305 battlements for guns.

The area within the fort walls is divided into three enclosures by two lines of bastioned fortifications.

Each of the seven bastions bears the name of a saint. The two westward bastions are named São Diego(after Didacus of Alcalá) and São Francisco (after Francis of Assisi).The others are São Pedro, São Inácio, and São Filipe.

It has a large rain-water cistern with three mouths, each one foot wide, and the ruins of a church.

The church was built in 1630 for the use of the army and was functional until 1728.

There are three Portuguese inscriptions.

One, over a doorway in the centre and highest part of the fort, reads as follows:

This castle was commanded to be built by the Viceroy of India Dom Filipe Mascarenhas in November of the year 1646 and Fernão Miranda Henriques being Captain of Chaul, and was finished in May 1680, Cristóvão de Abreu de Azevedo being Captain of this fort.

The inscription is surmounted by a cross with a coat of arms having the Portuguese stars in the centre and surrounded by seven castles. Other inscriptions over the main entrance and over an altar in the chapel are worn out and undecipherable.

During the brief Maratha rule, some of the names of the bastions were changed but now the

only indication of their presence is some dismantled shrines.

Thirteen kilometers from Alibag on the way to Rewas is a beautiful Shiva temple at Kankeshwar.

It is on top of a hill and there are well paved 700 steps to reach up there. Actually it is a complex

of temples beginning with a Hanuman temple and a Ganesh temple and many other small Shiva temples. It is a very popular temple and gets very crowded during Shivratri festival. They have a Dharamshala if devotees wish to stay over and the cost is very reasonable upto Rs.150/- for the accomodation.

Spent a lovely evening in Alibag watching a glorious sunset.

On our return dropped by at the Alibag observatory. The Alibag Magnetic Observatory, established in 1904, has provided an uninterrupted record of geomagnetic observations for over a century and it has since been serving as one of the primary magnetic observatories that form a global network. Unfortunately we did not have permission that has to be obtained from their Panvel office to enter and view how it works.

Birding on Palm Beach Road

2010-12-02T15:25:00.012+05:30

Palm Beach Road in Nerul, around 30kms from Mumbai, has been in the news for speedsters but now it can boast of being a birders’ haven too!

Munias

Off Palm Beach Road, there are plenty of water bodies that host a variety of birds. So if you are a

Lapwings Sandpiper

birder and are free on any morning just head out to Nerul in Navi Mumbai and enjoy!

Large Egret

We took the path off Palm Beach Road near Chanakya and my brother-in-law Nandan, who is a

Painted storks and the moon Munia

passionate birder, spotted and helped me capture quite a few! It is around 3kms from Nerul

Grey heron Stonechat

Railway Station, from where you can take an autorickshaw if you go by train.

An egret standing guard?

Bay backed Shrike

Go before the builders lay siege!

Pied crested cuckoo

Cattle Egret Red vented Bulbul

There are no shops around so carry your own water and snacks but please do not litter.

Kingfisher Kingfisher

Dragonflies mating

Best time to go would be either early in the morning or in the evening.

Jamnagar - The naturalist's haven

2010-11-20T12:33:00.018+05:30

Ever since I had read about a marine sanctuary near Jamnagar, was very keen on visiting it. While trawling the internet for more information, also realised that it is a birders’ heaven. That got my brother-in-law (Nandan) all excited and soon we planned a trip to this wondrous city

more known for its oil refineries than the abundance of natural beauty. The most convenient flight out of Mumbai was to Rajkot (100kms from Jamnagar) on a Friday evening. We had another nature lover and a good friend in Jamnagar, Prasad, who, though he could not be present to host us personally, guided us with all the necessary information including accommodation, travel and destination guides. Armed with all this we set out on this trip full of excitement on exploring the natural treasures of Jamnagar. We had made our booking in Hotel President in Jamnagar whose owner was a keen naturalist himself! He arranged for a taxi to pick us from Rajkot airport to drop us in the Hotel at Jamnagar. After finishing our checking in formalities, Mr. Mushtaq, the owner of the Hotel briefed us about the Marine Parks and the famous Khijidiya bird sanctuary. Apparently, the Pirotan island Marine sanctuary would open for the public only in November and we were a month too early for that. However he said, there is the Narara Marine sanctuary which is about 60 KMS from Jamnagar for doing the Coral Walk without sailing to the Islands. Most people do the coral walking at Narara only, as not every one can reach Jamnagar on the favorable dates. For visiting these Marine Sanctuaries you will need permission from the Forest Department. You may write to Mr.Mushtaq of Hotel President for assistance. We had called for the cab early since we were told that we could sight plenty of birds on the way to Narara if were early enough. Now, I was an absolute novice at birding. Apart from the common crow and house sparrow, could not identify any other. But Nandan was all agog and confident that I would soon become an avid birder. And so the journey began in right earnest with Nandan occupying the front seat as the spotter. And he sure did a great job in assisting me and identifying and guiding me to the best position to get good pictures.

The babbler

Finally we reached Narara and met our official guide who informed us that we would go for the walk in the Marine Park in an hour with the onset of low tide. We decided to use that time in exploring the lush mangroves where we would surely find something interesting. And we did. We returned to the office in an hour and were offered tea which was refreshing indeed and then

Our guide

with the hot sun blazing down on us we started chasing the tide into the sea.

Snails

Wooly crab

Fish

Crab

Sea anemone

Sea cucumber

On the way we were warned that we might not be able to sight much as the season for maximum sightings begins in November. Due to this we ended up sighting more birds than marine life in the Marine Sanctuary. After a couple of hours, we headed back to Jamnagar, had lunch on the way, and the taxi driver showed us some local sights of Jamnagar.

Lake Lakhota

Khambaliya Gate - Protected monument

Bhuj Kothi

Bal Hanuman temple where "SriRam Jairam' is being chanted continuously for years and is in the Guiness book of World records

Jadeja's palace

Next morning was slotted for the famous Khijadiya bird sanctuary whuich is about 15kms from Jamnagar. Again we asked for an early pick up from the Hotel to catch the early birds on the way. Met our official guide just on the outskirts of the sanctuary who was extremely busy in preparing for the Global Ornithologists’ and Bird Watchers’ Conference slated for 25th November to 27th

November, hence instructed our taxi driver the paths to be taken for the three watch towers in the sanctuary. Spent the entire morning gallivanting in the park, spotting and clicking birds. In the evening we drove around to Dhinchada which is again about 10kms from Jamnagar and did some bird spotting and clicking. Our return flight from Rajkot was in the evening so we did some shopping in the morning and

Market

Tie and dye material famous in Jamnagar

post lunch checked out and took the taxi back to Rajkot. Now was not surprised by the amount of birds that we again spotted and clicked on the way back! Jamnagar is indeed a naturalist’s delight! Schedule of Global Ornithologists’ and Bird Watchers’ Conference Thursday, 25, November -2010 Friday, 26, November -2010 Saturday, 27, November -2010

The varied transports of Jamnagar

Milk man

Chhakda

Camel cart

Jamnagar is easily accessible by road/rail/air. Accomodation to suit all pockets available.

Mumbai Darshan

2010-11-14T09:44:00.013+05:30

A couple of weeks back got a call from Nokia representative asking me to try out their latest offering the N8 smartphone. The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash, HD-quality video recording, film editing software and Dolby surround sound. All in a beautiful, aluminium design. We decided to do a Mumbai darshan titled N8 Urban spree to test out this gadget. All images on this post have been taken with the Nokia N8. Started out from Cafe Mondegar behind the Taj Mahal Hotel and rode in the quintessential Premier Padmini ‘Kaali Peeli’ taxi.

Our ride Chunky jewelery on sale outside Cafe Mondegar Drumming up a sale Busy street outside Cafe Mondegar Victoria The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. Chhatrapati Shivaji railway terminus Excitement on Fashion street Olde Mumbai

Dhobi ghat

At Mahalaxmi after capturing some Dhobi ghat pics we decided to travel by the lifeline of Mumbai – the local train.

Mahalaxmi railway station

In the train Lower Parel railway station

Got off at Parel and walked through the full of life streets till the High Street Phoenix shopping

Barber shop Spoilt for choice! Cat walk? Tuition classes Chicken shop Chawl Chaiwallah Chaatwallah Cycle repairshop Footwear repairs Fresh juice Will sharpen Hot wadas A gully A florist On a high! Omelet paav Care for a read? Roasting peanuts Our pilot Parel Worli seaface

complex and then back on the road again till Cafe Coffee Day in Bandra. It is a great camera and gives good images even in low light. You can do most photo processing in the camera and upload it directly to your social networks. Great for street photography as it is not intimidating. I liked it. Have not been paid for this review. For more on nokia.com/n8

Mysore Ahoy for Dasara 2010!

2010-11-03T10:21:00.021+05:30

Happened to be in Bengaluru just prior to the 400th anniversary of the Mysore Dasara 2010 celebrations, hence decided to drive down to Mysore which is just about 3hrs away. My in-laws in Bengaluru were instrumental in managing to book a room for us in a lodge at Mysore, a feat in itself due to acute shortage of room availability during the festivities. The drive out of Bengaluru was amazing! Bengaluru looked like a banana plantation. They have a tradition of tying banana plants on all vehicles for Dasara! Even two wheelers had two banana plants tied on either side! All along the streets there were banana plants on sale! We set out leisurely at 10.30am and since it was a short drive, decided to visit a couple of places on the way. The first stop was Nimishamba temple, just before Ranganthitu bird sanctuary. The location of this temple and its environs are beautiful. There is a river that flows by and coracles in which you can take a ride or maybe just go for a dip, apart from paying your respects to the Goddess Nimishamba. Garlands of lemon are offered for worship along with coconuts, bananas and flowers to the Goddess. Some fresh fruits and vegetables also on sale. Then as the sky darkened, we moved on to the Ranganthittu Bird Park. If you wish to take a boat ride, remember to purchase the ticket at the entrance where you purchase your entrance tickets to avoid disappointment as no tickets are sold for boating once you enter the park. It is indeed a beautiful place. We walked around for a while and hurried back to our car as the rain Gods decided to cool the ambiance with a vengeance. It was around 5pm when we reached ‘MTR Deluxe lodge’ in the heart of Mysore, just behind the State Transport Bus Terminus. The rooms were small but clean and comfortable for the price (900/- for a double room + taxes) which was supposedly hiked due to the festival. After freshening up, decided to walk towards the palace and soak in the atmosphere.

The Town Hall

The whole city was lit up and there were people of all shapes, sizes and colours jostling around. The policemen managing the crowds were a polite lot and very patiently answered all our queries about the festival without once losing their cool. After walking around the palace we were hungry and visited Dasaprakash Hotel – one of the oldest in Mysore for a nice simple south Indian Thali dinner. Next morning was the day of the famous Parade wherein there would be elephants and floats going past from the Palace to ‘Banimantap Grounds’ about 5 kilometres away. We could have purchased tickets to sit on chairs outside the Palace but decided against it would tie us down to one place for the entire performance. Moreover we would have had to occupy the ringside seats a few hours earlier than the start of the Parade. We thought of catching up on some sight seeing of Mysore in the morning as the Parade was scheduled to star at 2pm. So off we went after a hearty breakfast of Aloo parathas with Pudina chutney and pickles in Purohit restaurant that was just below our lodge. Yes, no idli dosas! Not even filter kapi! Did not miss it much though as the parathas were delicious and the tea was refreshing. We had had enough of idli dosas for the past one week so this was a welcome change.

People lounging on the lawns waiting for the movie show time

We first went to the palace to see it in daylight and then walked along the route of the Parade to see that people had already booked their positions and made themselves comfortable!

Street shows Guns and prayers! Hospital Florist Masjid-e-Azam State Bank of Mysore Post Office Jamia Masjid Handicraft museum St.Philomena's Church

Returned back to the restaurant and had a North Indian Thali for lunch and rested for a while in the room and set out to catch the excitement building up for the Parade. People had occupied all possible vantage points including trees!

The excitement was palpable as the leading elephant appeared all decked up followed by a few more which were then followed by floats representing different cultures. We were people watching and after awhile got back to our room and watched part of the parade ‘live’ on the television  while getting ready to return to Bangalore. Was fun being there. An event to remember!

Drivearound Bengaluru - A photoblog

2010-10-28T19:22:00.064+05:30

A photoblog of a drivearound Bengaluru during the Dasara festival in Oct,2010.

Sanky tank on a cloudy evening where we had gone to meet up with a passionate travel blogger Lakshmi who blogs at A travel blog of an Indian Backpacker Cormorants nesting on the tree on the periphery of Sanky Lake Ducks chilling in the lake Chowdiah Memorial Hall - a violin shaped auditorium for musical concerts, opposite the Sanky Lake. A statue of the Maratha warrior King Shivaji, outside the Sanky Lake

Vidhan Soudha - the seat of power in Bengaluru! The lofty ideals to be upheld in the Vidhan Soudha

Vikas Soudha - the new extension of Vidhan Soudha

The impressive entrance to the High Court of Karnataka, opposite the Vidhan Soudha

The High Court of Karnataka

Cubbon Park - a beautiful place to spend quality time walking around amidst all the greenery

and also pick up a couple of books to read from the library there!

The Golf links with high nets all around to prevent the ball from getting onto the street!

The General Post Office St.Josephs College The Dasara celebrations of the Bengali Goldsmiths in Bengaluru One of the many similar temples in Bengaluru

Another temple with a parrot!

One of the oldest and world famous MTR - Mavalli Tiffin Rooms - the place for South Indian food! Lalbagh Botanical Gardens - Heavenly! Ticket counters to get in the Lalbagh Park Unique! Creative! Glasshouse Japanese garden entrance in the Lalbagh Park Floral clock but time stands still :) A tower marking the southern boundary of Bengaluru built by Kempe Gowda in 1500s on a 3million year old rock. A view from the rock UB city - an iconic landmark Dropped in here for an Italian bite and had Ravioli Italiana. Was good but their toilets were stinking with the urinal overflowing.

8th Cross in Malleshwaram - a hotspot for traditional shopping The City Toilet House selling toiletries! Almost all the streets are nicely treelined like the one above! Canara Union in the evening all lit up for the Durga Puja The entrance to the pandal The object of celebration! The decoration at the Palace Grounds Puja Pandal The Indian rope trick in the pandal Thank you folks! Hope you enjoyed the virtual Bengaluru tour as much as I enjoyed presenting!

Mumbai - Hubbali - Bengaluru - A road trip

2010-10-25T14:15:00.026+05:30

Drove down to Bengaluru last week and no this is not about a boring drive down the superb NH4, part of the Golden Quadrilateral. Am aware that everyone and his dog have been there and done that. Hence i decided to do this drive slightly differently. Since the rains were around till quite late this time, the greenery on both sides of the highway was soothing. Added to that was the burst of colour in the median. Just before reaching Satara there was this beautiful sight. No idea which flower this is but it did brighten up a cloudy day! Had heard about a lot of unexplored temples near Hubbali so decided to stop over at Hubbali before continuing ahead.

Hotel Swathi in Hubli - we stayed here. and ate 'Rava idli' and 'Palak Dosa' in Swathi restaurant

Did a bit of walking around in Hubbali in the evening and captured some interesting sights.

Durga Mata Mandir There are 2 idols in the temple - Dhammamma(left) and Durga Mata(right) A bylane Mishra Pedha - The most famous and trusted sweetmeat shop in Hubbali The array of sweets on sale Hubbali florists Shiva Krishna Mandir in Hubbali ShreeKrishna idol in the temple The Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation office The Hubbali skyline at dusk viewed from the Hotel Swathi

Early next morning left for Bengaluru via Gadag. Saw two beautiful temples on the way. The first one, Amruteshwar, was 35kms from Hubbali in Annegiri. The Amruteshwara Temple was built in the Dharwad District in 1050 CE with Dravida articulation, and was the first temple made of soapstone. Built in the Kalyani Chalukyas style, the temple has a roof supported by 76 pillars and carvings of mythological figures on its walls. Next was the Someshwar temple in Lakshmeshwar which is another hour’s drive from Annigeri. The temple complex with three main entrances and surrounded by high walls looks like a fort. It is a splendid specimen of Chalukya architecture. In middle of the Temple complex, there is a Someshwara temple, surrounded by many small temples mainly dedicated to Shiva, along the compound wall, built with granite, some Halls in the complex meant for resting devotees. The Nandi and Shiva Parvati idols in the temple are exquisitely sculpted. These idols are referred to as Saurashtra Someshwara because these idols were brought by a Shiva devotee from Saurashtra and installed at Lakshmeshwara. There were some more temples that needed to be visited but due paucity of time we moved on to the glorious NH4 onward to Bengaluru. On the way had to meet up with a budding novelist, a great story teller and a fellow blogger – Karthik, in Davangere. We had scheduled to have some Davangere special ‘Benne Doasas’ in a restaurant that he had written about in one of his stories but unfortunately there was some strike on in town, hence just met up with him for a short while before continuing onward to our destination. Karthik blogs at Eloquence Redefined In quite a few places along the highway there was corn spread out to dry. We reached the outskirts of Bengaluru at six in the evening but it took us another hour and a half to crawl through the congested streets before reaching Malleshwaram, a beautiful laid back area in Bengaluru.

Ganpati Bappa Morya

2010-09-20T16:10:00.005+05:30

‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ is what you will hear in Mumbai, during the festival period of Ganesh Chaturthi which lasts upto a period of 12days. Ganpati is the most loved God and is invoked prior to the beginning of any task for his blessings. This festival today is celebrated across all castes and classes. Till 1892, this was a private celebration in peoples’ homes but ever since Lokmanya Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesh as "the God for everybody", he popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order to bridge the gap between

all communities and to build a new grassroots unity between them to generate nationalistic fervor among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule. Two to three months prior to Ganesh Chaturthi, artistic clay models of Lord Ganesha are made for sale by skilled artisans. They are beautifully decorated and depict Lord Ganesh in various poses. The size of these statues may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet. Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of these Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary structures mandapas (pandals) in every locality. The pandals are erected by the people of a specific society or locality or group by collecting monetary contributions from the devotees. For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the statue is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and fanfare to be immersed. The idols are immersed as that is the best way to dispose off the idols after the festival since they have lot of sentiments attached and cannot be trashed or junked. At individual homes the Visarjan is also done on 3rd, 5th or 7th day as per the family tradition Today, the Ganesh Festival is not only a popular festival, it has become a very critical and important economic activity for Maharashtra. Many artists, industries, and businesses survive on this mega-event. You must visit Mumbai during this period to get a real feel of public celebration! Ganpati Bappa Morya!!

Remembering the Mahatma

2010-08-07T10:03:00.007+05:30

Tucked away in a leafy lane named Laburnum road in Gamdevi, South Mumbai, is Mani Bhavan – the building in which Mahatma Gandhi resided and headquartered the freedom movement of India. Now it houses a reference library and the room with furniture as it was used while Gandhiji used it. It is open all days from 09:30am to 6:00pm and is free to all those who want a glimpse into the history of the man who was responsible for galvanising the people of India to achieve freedom. The house belonged to Shri Revashankar Jhaveri, Gandhi’s friend and host in Mumbai. Whenever Gandhi was in Mumbai from 1917 to 1934, he stayed here. The building was taken over by the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Bhavan in 1955. Mani Bhavan is one of the few important places hallowed by Mahatma Gandhi’s close association. Gandhji took his first carding lessons from a carder who used to pass by Mani Bhavan every day in 1917. He also learnt spinning here. Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act was launched from here in March 1919. With a view to defy the Indian Press Act, he began publishing an unregistered weekly bulletin ‘Satyagrahi’ from 7th April, 1919 and also took over ‘Young India’ and ‘Navjivan’ weekly journals in English and Gujarati. The Congress Working Committee met here on 9th June, 1931 ad decided to send Gandhiji as the sole representative of the Congress to the Round Table Conference in London. He returned to Bombay on 28th December, 1931, a frustrated man. Thereafter, he discussed the situation with the Working Committee of the Congress which met here and decided to launch the civil disobedience movement for Swaraj, at midnight on 31st December, 1931. Gandhiji was arrested in his tent on the terrace of Mani Bhavan in the wee hours of the morning of 4th January, 1932. Mani Bhavan is a place where Gandhiji lived and conversed with his colleagues, moulded the nation in the image of his cherished ideals of Truth and Non-violence and inspired his followers and devotees who went forth from here in the world charged with a sense of service and sacrifice. Mani Bhavan, once the residence of the Father of the Nation, is now a source of inspiration for freedom and peace loving men and women all over the world. The Library on the ground floor consists of more than fifty thousand books in Reference and Lending sections. It contains books by and on Gandhiji and Gandhian thought and allied subjects. The room on the 2nd floor which used to be the living room and working place of Gandhiji has been preserved as far as possible in its original setting. Adjoining this room is the exhibition depicting Gandhiji’s life through mini figures in about 28 tableaux prepared by Smt. Sushila Gokhale Patel. In the Picture Gallery there are posters depicting important events and photocopies of some significant letters, articles and documents written by and about Gandhiji. Address: 19 Laburnum Rd Gamdevi Mumbai (Bombay) 400 007 India Tel: 91 22 2380 5864 Fax: 91 22 2380 6239 Website: www.gandhi-manibhavan.org

Vasai fort

2010-07-12T16:11:00.029+05:30

Seventy kilometres north of Bandra lies Vasai which though technically part of Thane district is practically a part of Mumbai. The Mumbai local train operates between Virar, a station after Vasai, in the north and Churchgate in the South. About twenty years back farm fresh vegetables would be brought to Mumbai by ‘Vasaiwallah’ every morning. But now Vasai has grown into a bustling township from a sleepy dormitory some years back. It is in this seaside township there exist the ruins of a fort built by the Portugese in 1590. Drove down all the way for a glimpse of history. It is a huge fort and we started our tour at the Holy Name of Jesus church (also known as Jesuits church - but currently known to local people as Gonsalo church) which is being renovated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) . Sadly, the side walls which have been renovated (plastered) have totally lost their historic touch and the old world charm. The chapels inside the fort are still recognisable. They have façades typical of 17th century Portuguese churches. The southernmost of these has a well preserved barrel vaulted ceiling.

Barrel vaulted ceiling

A church inside the fort

Broken pieces of carvings Tombstones inside the church

Almost on every wall of the fort, there are trees whose roots damage the structures.

Trees on walls

A settlement inside the fort Locals in their traditional attire

Formerly, the fort protected the province of Bassein and offered shelter to about 60,000 inhabitants.

Altar of one of the churches Bell tower

Vasai was the main naval base and ship-building centre of the Portuguese.

One of the entrances to the fort

The Portuguese settled here because they were shrewd enough to recognize the importance of Bassein as a strategic place on western coast.

View from the ramparts

In the 18th century the fort was attacked by the Maratha army under Baji Rao Peshwa, and fell on 16th May 1739 after a three year long campaign and a desperate resistance from the Portuguese. They left Bassein on 23rd May 1739. After 205 years of uninterrupted Portuguese rule, Bassein was progressively neglected, and the neighboring English Bombay assumed importance in trade and commerce. What remains of this Sea fort are the parts of the imposing fort walls, two access doors and vestiges of town houses and churches. Inside the fort there is a Hanuman temple and the priest looking after the temple claimed it existed from Chimaji Appa’s time. The ramparts overlook Vasai creek and are almost complete, though overgrown. Several watch-towers still stand, with safe staircases leading up.

Steps leading up to the tower

The toddy tappers

Outside one of the walls of the fort, there is a small thatched residence of Bengalis who tap toddy from the palms for sale. The fort now has become a picnic spot for families and groups wanting to spend a day together. There are no eateries around so one has to carry ones own supplies of food and drink. Here is a map to help you get there View Larger Map

Winging The Fantasy

2010-06-28T13:51:00.006+05:30

This post has been published by me as a team member of The Blue Ink Society for the SUPER 4 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging of blog world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai Hey guys! At last I have started the first leg of my travel in India which I believe is going to be a life changing experience for me. It took me two long years to plan and finalise this epic tour and thankfully ‘Global Blogs’ has been generous in its offer to pay me for all my travel expenses. Click here to read more

Bandra Fort

2010-05-26T19:35:00.015+05:30

At ‘Land’s end’ in Bandra there are the ruins of an old Portugese fort - Castella de Aguada (Portuguese: "Fort of the Waterpoint"), also known as the Bandra Fort.

The name indicates its origin as a place where fresh water was available in the form of a fountain

("Aguada") for Portuguese ships cruising the coasts in the initial period of Portuguese presence. It was built in 1640 as a watchtower.

The Portuguese, who had established a base in the area in 1534 after defeating Bahadur Shah of Gujarat, built several sea forts along the western Indian coastline.

Castella de Aguada was one such strategically located fort, overlooking the Mahim Bay to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west, the islands of Worli to the south and the town of Mahim to the south west. The fort also guarded the northern sea route into Mumbai Harbour.

The strategic value of the fort was enhanced in 1661 after the Portuguese ceded the seven islands of Bombay that lay to the immediate south of Bandra to the British.

After the decline of the Portuguese in the early 18th century, the Marathas became the largest threat to British possessions. Sensing an impending Portuguese defeat, the British partially

demolished the fort as a precautionary measure. The demolition would obviate the possibility of the fort being captured by the Marathas, with the possibility of it being used as a forward military base to attack British Bombay.

In 2003, a conservation program was started by Bandra Band Stand Residents’ Trust to save the fort. It was spearheaded by a local Member of Parliament (MP), Shabana Azmi, who funded part of the effort from her allotted funds. The brick arch of one of the gateways on the verge of collapse, and the foundation masonry of the fort wall that was in danger of tidal erosion were repaired.

The nearby Taj Land's End Hotel is responsible for maintenance of the fort

The fort is owned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Included in the fort makeover are the preservation of the natural rock formations, providing pathways, and the creation of an

amphitheatre. The architect for the makeover was P.K. Das.

The way up the fort is a short flight of stone steps. Once on top the views all around are worth the visit.

A lotus pond to meditate on.

In the south you have the marvellous Bandra Worli sealink and on the north is the Taj Lands

End Hotel.

The sea in the west never ceases to fascinate.

And if you are there early in the morning you shall catch the sunrise in the east

and people exercising

dogs chilling

Here is a map to help you get there.

View Larger Map

Sion fort

2010-05-09T20:16:00.010+05:30

Mumbai’s history can be seen in its dilapidated forts. One such is the Sion Hillock Fort built between 1669 and 1677 by the British Governor of Bombay, Gerard Aungier, atop a conical hillock.

This hillock is situated a few metres east of the Sion railway station.

Sion was the boundary between British-held Parel island and Portuguese held Salsette Island and the fort marked the northeast boundary of their possession.

Its main purpose was that of a watchtower. However, there is another point of view which states that it was the Portuguese who had built this fort to protect their possession of the seven islands prior to handing them over to King Charles II as dowry on his marriage to Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza in 1662.

Today Sion marks the beginning of the suburbs in the eastern part of Mumbai and the Fort is used by the locals for walks and other physical exercises.

Quite a few students too come to study in the nooks and corners of the fort.

At the base of the hill is the branch office of the Archaeological Survey of India, and a garden – the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Udyan. One has to go through this garden to reach the top of the fort.

The fort is in a dilapidated condition with a collection of broken stone steps and scattered walls.

The walls are decorated with declarations of lovers who wished to immortalize their love.

It has a small room on top with a wooden trussed ceiling of old tree trunks of which only a few remain.

The views from top are worth the time spent to reach there.

There was also a small cannon lying on the hillside, as if it was just thrown there in a hurry by retreating forces.

It sure is an interesting place to visit and satiate ones interest in the history of Mumbai. The best time to visit would be early morning or maybe late evening when the sun would not be at its harshest best. It would not take more than an hour to leisurely explore and revisit Mumbai of yore.

A map to help you get there -

View Larger Map

Unwind Karde :)

2010-01-14T11:13:00.025+05:30

Wanted to begin the new year by indulging in my passions of travel and photography and did just that this new year. Drove down to Karde from Mumbai for a rejuvenating beginning to the new year! Spent a couple of days gorging on sea food and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets!

We set out from home at 0630hrs on the first day of 2010 and got on to NH17.

We had the moon for company all along.

The first dawn of the year was an awesome sight from the Panvel bypass.

Had an idli dosa breakfast at Kamaths in Mahad and moved on to Khed from where we take the turn for Dapoli and onwards to Karde where we had booked a room in Hotel Kinara.

Reached the Hotel at 1230hrs after covering a distance of 290kms. Our lunch order was confirmed on the phone by the Hotel a day earlier. This is the practice followed by all the Hotels in the area hence you cannot just walk in and expect to be served. The meal order has to be placed at least a couple of hours in advance.

Had an excellent fish Thali and a delicious veg Thali and followed it by getting back to the room and resting for a while before proceeding to Harnai beach to witness the fish auction.

Harnai beach is around 8kms away and we reached there via a treacherous path by car.

The boats had come in and the auction was on in full swing.

What struck us was the way the fish was transported from the boats to the shore.

The boats cannot come in right up to the shore due to shallow waters and hence bullock carts, yes bullock carts, take sacks of ice to the boats, offload the fish onto the ice in plastic crates and cart it back to the shore!

It was fun watching and clicking all the activity on the beach. Spent nearly an hour there, after

which we returned back to our Hotel that was all decked up in celebration of 2010.

On our way back spotted this cannon at Harnai.

Watched the sun go down which created a magical ambiance with paragliding activity on the beach.

Had an awesome dinner of, yes, fish! Retired early for the day as had to get up early to go for the ‘dolphin viewing’ boat ride at dawn.

Saw this heavenly sight from the balcony at 0600hrs.

The boat was scheduled to arrive at the hotel to pick us up at 0700hrs.

And sure enough, saw the motor boat puttering in on time, and we, along with 8 other tourists,

were helped aboard by the crew. And on we went in search of the elusive dolphins.

Managed to spot a few in the half hour ride that cost us only Rs.100/- per head.

The sunrise witnessed from the ocean was awesome!

Revelling in the beauty we returned to the hotel had ‘kanda pohey’ for breakfast and got ready to visit the ‘Kadyavarcha Ganapati’ which is around 20kms from the hotel at Anjarle.

Had a peaceful darshan of this legendary idol. This idol is believed to have come ashore Anjarle from the sea and was installed on the cliff using wooden pillars in around 1150. Later it was renovated during 1768 to 1780.

The Ganesh idol’s trunk is curved towards the right, which is very rare. Kadyavarcha Ganapati is also considered as the live deity (a jagrut daiwat) who responds to distress calls of common people (nawsala pavnara Ganapati).

The dome of this temple has the ‘Ashtavinayak’ embedded on it.

There is a small Shiva Mandir adjacent to this temple.

Sat there awhile and returned back to the hotel for yet another excellent meal of fish and ‘vaalaach beerd’.

Spent the evening walking along the beach, watching a glorious sunset.

For dinner that night had an unusual prawn biryani. It was a Malwani flavoured biryani and absolutely yummy! And of course every meal was accompanied by delicious solkadi.

Got up early as it was the final morning at Karde for us and wanted to take in as much as possible of the ambiance of a lovely morning on the beach.

Went for long walk on the beach and around 0930hrs set out on the return journey to Mumbai. But had a stop scheduled on the way.

There was this beautiful old temple at Murud Harnai which is just about 2kms from Karde.

Murud is also the hometown of our great freedom fighter Bharat Ratna Maharshi Dhondu Karve whose bust is erected opposite the Durga Devi temple.

This Durga Devi temple was built almost 300yrs back and the pujari affirmed that his was the 6th generation looking after the temple.

The carved wooden pillars in the temple are beautiful.

A Ganesha temple in the premises

There is a large bell at the entrance of the temple. The temple poojary told us that it was brought by Chimaji Appa after winning over the Vasai fort, from one of the churches there.

Had our breakfast at Dapoli and returned to Mumbai via Mandangad covering a distance of 249kms.

The roads were largely good and the traffic minimal. Only in certain patches the road was rough – untarred.

Reached Mumbai at 1630hrs after a magical holiday at Karde.

Getting there

By Train

Mumbai - Karde

• Mumbai - Khed Station (via Konkan Railway)

• Khed Station - Dapoli (29 km) (via private transport – jeeps, etc. / state transport - ST buses)

Dapoli – Karde (20kms) (via private transport – jeeps, etc. / state transport - ST buses)

By Road

Mumbai – Karde

290kms Route Mumbai - Panvel – Mahad –Khed – Dapoli – Karde (Mumbai –Khed NH17)

250kms Route Mumbai – Panvel – Mangaon – Mandangad – Dapoli - Karde (Mumbai – Mangaon NH17)

Bylakuppe - A mini Tibet in South India!

2009-12-11T15:50:00.023+05:30

A mini Tibet in South India, 2,000 kilometres from Tibet! To know the Tibetan way of life and to see the Golden Temple, the people in South India need not venture very far from their homes. A few kilometres from Madikeri in Karnataka is Bylakuppe where the Indian government had leased 3,000 acres of land to the fleeing Tibetans in 1961.

The’ Lugsum Samdupling’ settlement has grown to a veritable township with monasteries, nunneries and cafes and stalls that showcase the Tibetan way of life. Bylakuppe is the largest Tibetan community in exile with about 40,000 people in five settlements containing monasteries, kindergarten to higher level secondary schools, health care clinics, a hospital and a traditional Tibetan medical facility.

As you near the settlement you will find monks in robes zipping past on two wheelers. Makes one wonder – what’s the hurry for the monks?

Ah well, the monks here are well rooted in tradition and well connected with all modern technology too.

You will see monks chatting away on a mobile phone in one hand and rolling beads on his rosary in another!

All the monks exude a friendliness and warmth towards all visitors and are ready to answer any question that is put to them.

The most visited temple here is Namdroling (The Golden Temple) and the signage is loud and clear. And of course you can spot it from afar.

The monastery attached to this temple is considered to be one of the best places for higher learning. This monastery dedicated to the teachings of Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism was established by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche shortly after he came to India from Tibet.

Three beautiful larger than life gold plated statues look down at visitors above the altar.

Buddha around 60 feet tall holds prominent place, flanked by

Guru Padmasambhava and

Amitayush (each around 58 feet tall).

The walls are adorned with colourful paintings depicting gods and demons from Tibetan Buddhist mythology.

The altar is decorated with flowers, candles and incense.

Dragons twirl up pillars on two sides of the platform.

The entrance has a curtain of beads which is the favourite of kids who love going in and out.

We stepped out and were generally looking around when we saw monks streaming into another temple nearby. We followed and were rewarded by a pleasing rendition of chants as they sat down,

opened the books on the bench in front of them and started praying.

Three of them sat at a bench where there were these long wind instruments which were blown at strategic intervals.

A senior (I think) monk played the cymbals while another

beat the drum rhythmically

After about five minutes of chanting, a couple of monks walked in with a kettle of water and offered it to a few of the monks who were chanting.

Outside on the lawns there was a group of monks relaxing from whatever they were doing and readily agreed to be photographed.

The exterior of the new Zangdokpalri temple looks majestic with a majestic rainbow arch.

We are so used to being told not to photograph the idols in temples, that the ready willingness of the monks to let the idols in their temples being photographed is such a pleasant and welcome surprise.

The nearest town for Bylakuppe is Kushal Nagar. Auto-rickshaw is the best mode for a trip to the Golden Temple from Kushalnagar town. There are frequent buses shuttling between Mysore and Madikeri. Get down at Kushalnagar.

If you are driving from Mysore towards Madikeri by SH 88, Bylakuppe appears a few kilometres ahead of Kushalnagar town. A sign board gives indication towards the left on the road to Madikeri. Kushalnagar is about 30 km (18 miles) from Madikeri town.

There's a large parking area near the Golden Temple. A shopping arcade next to it houses many curios shops and restaurants. There are not many hotels in Bylakuppe, though there is some guesthouse accommodation as part of the Monastery. Better options for stay are available at Kushalnagar and Madikeri, in that order.

Kanheri caves

2009-10-26T20:03:00.029+05:30

At the northern tip of Mumbai, in Borivili, lies the magnificent Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

It is the breathing space for stressed out Mumbaikars who wish to go birding, or just a walk in the forest!

Nestled in the green environs are the glorious Kanheri caves. These caves date back to 11th century AD and beyond. As per the records work on these caves began in 1st century BC and carried on right through 11th century AD. It is 6 km from the National Park Main Gate. Kanheri comes from the Sanskrit word Krishnagiri generally meaning black in colour. They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.There are 109 rock-cut cells, carved into the side of a hill. Each cave has a stone plinth for a bed. A congregation hall with huge stone pillars contains the stupa, a Buddhist shrine.

Farther up the hill are the remains of an ancient water system, canals and cisterns that collected and channeled the rainwater into huge tanks. Most of the caves are the Buddhist viharas meant for living, study, and meditation. The larger caves were chaityas, or halls for congregational worship, are lined with intricately carved Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars, and contain rock-cut stupas for congregational worship.

The large number of viharas obviously prove a well-organized existence of Buddhist monks' establishment. Kanheri was a University center by the time the area was under the rule of the Maurayan and Kushan empires. It is credited with the largest number of cave excavations in a single hill and it thrived due to its proximity to ancient sea port towns like Sopara (Surparaka, the Supara of Greek; Subara of Arab writers; the ancient capital of northern Konkan), Kalyan a thriving port. It is generally believed that Buddhism first arrived in Aparantha (Western India) at Sopara which is very close to Kanheri. The caves were mentioned by early visitors like the Portuguese in the 16th century A.D. and other travellers and voyagers of Europe. Of the numerous donor inscriptions found here mention of ancient cities like Suparaka (Sopara); Nasika (Nasik); Chemuli (Chemula); Kalyana (Kalyan); Dhenukakata (Dhanyakataka, modern Amaravati in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh) are found. The donors were from all class of the society, from the members of the royal families to the commoners.

The most prominent among the excavations at Kanheri is the Cave 3, which is a chaityagriha which was excavated during the period of Yajna Satakarni (c. 172-201 A.D.) On plan it consists of a large rectangular hall with an apsidal back, a verandah and a spacious court in front, the dimensions of the hall being 26.36 X 13.66 X 12.9 m (l x b x h). A row of 34 pillars divide the hall into a central nave and flanking aisles. The roof of the nave is barrel vaulted while of the aisles are flat.

There are evidences of provision of wooden rafters to the vaulted ceiling of nave which are gone now.

The pillars of the hall are not uniform and of different styles and shapes and devoid of symmetry.

A stupa is provided at the apse of the hall which measures 4.9 m in diameter and 6.7 m in height.

The façade of the hall is pierced by three doors with two groups of two couples, each group

carved in the oblong recesses between the doors. A huge chaitya window bereft of any ornamentation was provided for the passage of light.

The side walls are sculpted extensively with two massive images of standing Buddha in varada

mudra and other Bodhisattva images. These sculptures are of later additions and are datable to around 5th – 6th centuries A.D. Cave 1 is an unfinished chaityagrha, originally planned to have a double-storeyed verandah and a porch, apart from the pillared hall. The cave is dated to 5th – 6th centuries A.D. as the pillars with compressed cushion or amalaka top appears generally during this period. Cave 11 which is also known as ‘Darbar Hall’ consists of a huge hall with a front verandah.

The hall has a shrine on its back wall and cells on two sides. The floor of the hall two low stone benches resembling Cave 5 of Ellora.

Buddha in dharmacakrapravardana mudra adorns the shrine.

The cave has four inscriptions of different periods, one dated in Saka 775 (A.D. 853) of the reign of Rashtrakuta King Amoghavarsha and his feudatory the Silahara prince, Kapardin. The inscription records the donation of various gifts and funds provided for the purchase of books and repairs to the damages.Even if you are not a history buff, it is worth the visit for the

wonderful views that you get on the way to the top and from the top. It is an invigorating trip that one would not mind, whether one has interests in history, culture or just plain adventure.

Nearest Railway Station: Borivili on the Western sector.

Entrance fee to the Park: Rs20/-per head and Rs.50/-per vehicle.

Entrance to Kanheri caves: Rs.5/-per head.

Timings: 0730hrs to 1730hrs.

Buses available from Main entrance to the caves at regular intervals at Rs.30/-per head.