At The Spectacular Rani Ki Vav!

It is a beautiful morning. We set out from Ahmedabad by taxi. Our destination is the famed 11th-century stepwell Rani Ki Vav on the banks of the river Saraswati in Patan district about 125 kilometres away. Stepwells were built in arid regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan as a source of water for the local population and travellers. Being underground, they were cooler, providing respite from the harsh sun. Occasionally they were used as venues for gathering and celebrating festivals.

The road from Ahmedabad is comfortable and we reach in about two-and-a-half hours. We enter the premises after buying our tickets (Rs. 25 for Indians and Rs. 300 for foreigners). The well is situated amidst sprawling lawns that are well-maintained and very green. 

The stepwell is believed to have been commissioned by queen Udayamati in the memory of her husband Bhima I of the Chaulukya (also known as Solanki) dynasty in 1063. Its construction took 20 years. Some records show that it was made around 1032. It is certain that the stepwell was constructed about a thousand years ago. It is elaborately decorated with stunning sculptures and is seven floors deep, earning a moniker of "Inverted Temple" for itself. 

At some point in time, the stepwell was flooded by the river Saraswati and silted over. It is not known for how long the well remained hidden underground, perhaps for some centuries. It was noticed during excavations carried out in the 1940s. The Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) restored it in the 1980s. Now it is protected by the ASI and is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

A bit overwhelmed by the size of the huge stepwell, I start descending it. Wearing comfortable shoes is a must. The stairs are somewhat tricky and require taking firm steps with full attention. There are no handrails or supports, so one has to be slow and steady. At every level, there is a wide platform to stand and admire the sculptures around you before climbing down to a lower level. You cannot go all the way down to the water level. The access is closed for the last two levels or so.

As you go down, it gets cooler and more pleasant. The hats and sunglasses come off as the stepwell turns into a comfortable retreat. The pillars, beams and walls are adorned with numerous carvings. They depict Gods and Goddesses in their traditional forms as described in the epics, animals, flowers, scenes from daily life and geometrical patterns. The proportions, postures and facial expressions in the sandstone sculptures tell us a lot about the sculptors' excellence in their craft. And the sturdy structure of the stepwell is a testimony to the architectural mastery of builders of that time. It withstood the silt, clay and sand that the floods deposited inside it for centuries!

Some panels in Rani Ki Vav feature intricate geometrical designs. The patterns in the well-known patola sarees that are woven in this region are inspired by these designs. Isn't it amazing? 

Photos by Lata

One of the several panels with exquisite carving! If queen Udayamati built Rani Ki Vav, her husband Bhima I constructed the Sun Temple at Modhera a few kilometres away. Read about it here.

Incidentally, the Rs.100 currency note features Rani Ki Vav on the reverse side.

Revering The Sun At Modhera!

Modhera Sun Temple lies at a distance of about 100 kilometres from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Situated in Mehsana district, the temple was built a 1,000-years ago by Bhima I of the Chaulukya (also known as Solanki) dynasty. It is not used for worship anymore. Now it is a protected monument, managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. I was highly impressed with its grandeur and beauty when I visited it recently. There are trains and buses to reach Modhera from Ahmedabad. One can also use a taxi which takes about two-and-a-half hours. 

There is an entry ticket for Rs. 25 per person to enter the temple complex. The premises are well-maintained with greenery and landscaping. There is a museum inside the complex. The path to the museum is bordered by several sculptures that were excavated from this location. Inside, the museum houses more such sculptures that represent the Maru-Gurjara style from the 11th century.

The temple is a short walk away from the museum. It comprises three separate parts: a stepped reservoir (kunda), an outer assembly hall (sabhamandapa or rangamandapa), and the innermost sanctum (garbhagriha) situated inside a hall (gudhamandapa). All the structures feature intricate carvings on their walls, pillars and ceilings. The figures in the carvings are derived from epics such as Ramayana or Mahabharata. Also, there are images of other Gods and Goddesses, animals, floral motifs, geometrical patterns and scenes from daily life. 

The garbhagriha is vacant and locked now, but at one time it housed an idol. The temple is designed in such a way that the first rays of the sun illuminate the sanctum during solar equinoxes. And when it is the summer solstice, the rays touch the first step of the kunda at sunrise, while at noon the sun is directly above the temple so there is no shadow.  It is amazing to see how architecture and astronomy were used together to worship Sun a thousand years ago.

The walls are chock-a block with awesome art. My guide pointed out several panels depicting well-known instances from epics. I might have missed them if it was not for him. Sometimes a particular sculpture may get overshadowed by surrounding sculptures, at other times it could be placed high up on the wall making it difficult to see it properly. I recommend hiring a certified guide to understand and appreciate the beauty of this awesome monument.

This is one of the many images of the Sun God at the Modhera Sun Temple. The Sun is depicted in a standing position in his chariot that is drawn by seven horses.

Photos by Lata

If the visit to the temple was very fulfilling, the light and sound show in the evening was the icing on the cake! The commentary was well-researched and informative. And the lights projected on the monument in different hues were mesmerising. It was a memorable audio-visual experience. A board in the temple complex described it as the "First Solar Powered 3D Projection Mapping Show & Heritage Lighting On Modhera Sun Temple". 

A temple erected to honour the Sun God featuring a show powered by solar energy...what could be more fitting than this! When the bit about solar power was mentioned in the commentary at the end of the show, the audience applauded in appreciation.

Adalaj Stepwell: A Marvel In Sandstone!

Stepwells ( vav in Gujarati and baoli, bawdi in Hindi) have been a part of arid regions like Gujarat and Rajasthan for many centuries. Some were used as luxurious baths by the royalty, while others provided water to the travellers and local residents for their daily needs. They also served as gathering spaces where people got together for social and religious events. Very often, they were large structures, several floors deep, with ornate carvings.

I got an opportunity to visit one of the very beautiful stepwells in Gujarat recently. Situated in Adalaj near Gandhinagar, it is a five-storeyed sandstone structure built in 1498. Called Adalaj Stepwell or Roodabai Stepwell, it is a popular tourist spot easily accessible from Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad at a distance of about five and 18 kilometres respectively.

It is hard to tell from the outside that this is the site of such an important heritage structure. The surroundings are dusty and ordinary, just like one would find in a small town. As you enter the premises, there is a ticket window (Rs. 25 for Indian visitors and Rs. 300 for foreign tourists). Done with the ticket, you walk to the area where steps lead you down towards the bottom of the well. The well is completely covered, but for a circular opening above the water body.

The steps are in good shape and easy to use. I start climbing down, stopping on each floor to appreciate the carvings. There are deities, human figures, elephants, geometrical designs, trees, flowers on the walls and the pillars...all of them exquisite in their proportions and symmetry. The sheer scale of the intricate art fills you with awe and amazement. One can climb down almost to the level of the water which stands in a rectangular pool. It gets a bit dark and cooler as you go down, a welcome respite from the bright sun and warm temperatures outside. 

It is a pleasant morning and visitors are trickling in continuously. I meet two large groups of pre-teen school students, led by their teachers. They bring a lot of colour and positive energy to the ancient monument. Tourist guides are at work pointing towards significant carvings, and doubling up as photographers capturing their clients' images against the magnificent backdrop. Soon, the images will find their way to different social media platforms!

I find a nice spot on one of the steps and soak in the ambience. I recall the poignant story behind the making of this well. 

Photos by Lata

The story goes that Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty ruled this area in the 15th century. It was a dry region and his subjects often faced water scarcity. As a helping gesture to them, he took up the construction of this stepwell. But as luck would have it, he got killed in a battle with Mahmud Begada, the Sultan of a neighbouring kingdom before the stepwell was completed. The Rana's wife Roodabai (also known as Roopba) wished to commit sati, but Begada, who was attracted to her beauty, stopped her from committing sati and proposed to her. She agreed to his proposal on the condition that he would complete the construction of the stepwell. Begada readily took up the project and brought it to its completion. Perhaps this explains the fusion of Hindu and Islamic styles in its making. Roodabai, satisfied that her husband's wish got fulfilled, jumped into the same well and ended her life. 

The story gets sadder with the account of Begada killing the masons who made this stepwell. It is said that he did not want them to make something as wonderous as this well so he sentenced them to death. One can see their graves in the premises. They did not live, but their creation continues to live in all its grandeur and splendour.

यादों के पिटारे से: गाँव-गाँव बिखरी सांस्कृतिक विरासत

 मेरी यह पुस्तक समीक्षा १० फरवरी १९९० के नवभारत टाइम्स में प्रकाशित हुई थी. 

चौपाल यदि हमारे गाँवों के सामाजिक केंद्र थे तो मंदिर धार्मिक और सांस्कृतिक केंद्र. मंदिर सिर्फ़ वह इमारत नहीं होती जिसमें भगवान की मूर्ति प्रतिष्ठित होती है, इस इमारत का एक-एक पत्थर उस बीते युग की कहानी सुनाता है जिसके ये पत्थर गवाह रहे हैं.

महाराष्ट्र की सांस्कृतिक विरासत बहुत समृद्ध है जो आज भी इस प्रदेश में गाँव-गाँव बिखरे मंदिरों के रूप में अपनी सम्पन्नता का अहसास कराती है. बीते दिनों की शिल्पकला, वास्तुकला आदि का अध्ययन करने के लिए मंदिर बहुत अच्छा माध्यम साबित हो सकते हैं. महाराष्ट्र सूचना केंद्र ने हाल ही में ' द टेम्पल्स ऑफ़ महाराष्ट्र' (महाराष्ट्र के मंदिर) नामक एक सचित्र पुस्तक प्रकाशित की है जो महाराष्ट्र के प्रमुख मंदिरों की एक परिचयात्मक झलक पेश करती है. 

इसमें ३१ मंदिरों के बारे में जानकारी है जो बहुत विस्तृत तो नहीं, लेकिन इतनी संक्षिप्त भी नहीं है कि महज एक नोटनुमा लगे. इसमें मंदिर की बनावट का ज़िक्र है तो उसकी भौगोलिक स्थिति का भी. साथ ही मंदिर का इतिहास, उससे जुड़े किस्से-कहानियाँ, उसमें प्रतिष्ठित देवी-देवताओं के बारे में जनमानस में प्रचलित विश्वास आदि हैं. 

लेखक गोपाल कृष्ण कान्हेरे ने १७ वीं और १९ वीं शताब्दी के दौरान मराठा काल में बने मंदिरों पर ज़्यादा ज़ोर दिया है. इन मंदिरों में विभिन्न शैलियों का मिश्रण देखा जा सकता है जो स्थानीय शैली के साथ मिलकर मराठा वास्तुकला के रूप में सामने आई. पुणे के पेशवाओं ने तो कुछ मंदिरों में मीनारें तक बनवाईं. ज़ाहिर है यह इस्लामी वास्तुकला का प्रभाव था. रायगढ़ के एक मंदिर परिसर में शिवाजी महाराज ने भी छोटी-छोटी मीनारें बनवाई थीं. 

ये मंदिर सिर्फ़ स्मारक ही नहीं, इनमें से ज़्यादातर ऐसे जीवंत भवन हैं जहाँ आज भी पारम्परिक उल्लास के साथ त्योहार मनाए जाते हैं. मंदिरों में बजनेवाले ढोल, नगाड़ों और शहनाई के सुरों में, वहाँ से उठनेवाली फूल और अगरबत्तियों की ख़ुशबू में और वहाँ बँटनेवाले प्रसाद की मिठास में आज भी ऐसी ज़बरदस्त कशिश है कि साल-दर-साल तीर्थयात्री और पर्यटक इन मंदिरों की ओर खींचे चले आते हैं. 

हर मंदिर मुख्यतः तीन हिस्सों में बँटा होता है__एक बड़ा हॉलनुमा कमरा जो सभामंडप कहलाता है, दूसरा अंतराल जो छोटा होता है और सबसे अंदर होता है गाभारा जहाँ देवी या देवता की मूर्ति प्रतिष्ठित होती है. इसी हिस्से के ऊपर शंकु के आकार का ऊँचा शिखर होता है जिस पर अंदर-बाहर से पच्चीकारी, चित्रकारी के सुन्दर नमूने देखे जा सकते हैं. ज़्यादातर मंदिर राजे-रजवाड़ों ने बनवाए और मंदिरों को सुन्दर बनाने के लिए अच्छे से अच्छे कलाकारों की मदद ली. इन कलाकारों की मेहनत से सजे मंदिरों को कई बार मुस्लिमों के हमलों का शिकार होना पड़ा. कुछ मंदिर तो कई बार टूटे और कई बार बने. शायद हमलों से बचाव के लिए ही पुणे के पर्वती और जेजुरी तथा शिखर शिंगणापुर के मंदिरों के इर्दगिर्द किले की तरह दीवार बनी है. 

ज़्यादातर मंदिर किसी ख़ूबसूरत स्थान --जैसे किसी पहाड़ी पर या किसी झील के किनारे बने हुए हैं. गणपतिपुले का गणपति मंदिर या महाबलेश्वर का महाबलेश्वर मंदिर ऐसे ही मंदिरों में हैं. कुछ मंदिर महान संतों की जन्मस्थली या कर्मस्थली पर भी बने हैं जैसे आलंदी का ज्ञानेश्वर मंदिर. मंदिर भक्तों की सिर्फ़ आध्यात्मिक प्यास ही नहीं बुझाते, उनकी भौतिक ज़रूरतों का भी ख़याल रखते थे. पुराने समय में जब महिलाओं का घर से बाहर निकलना अच्छा नहीं समझा जाता था, तब उत्सवों के दौरान या विशेष त्योहारों के अवसर पर मंदिरों के पास लगनेवाले मेलों में महिलाएँ अपनी ज़रूरत की चीज़ों की ख़रीदारी कर लेती थीं. भगवान के दर्शनों के साथ-साथ किसी रमणीक स्थल की सैर का आनंद तो मिलता ही था. मंदिरों में अक्सर संगीत और कीर्तन के कार्यक्रम होते जिन्हें सुनने सारा परिवार एक साथ आता. 

यह सही है कि आज मनोरंजन, सैर-सपाटे और ख़रीदारी के लिए तमाम दूसरी जगहें हैं इसलिए मंदिरों का इन कामों के लिए होनेवाला उपयोग अब कम हो गया है. लेकिन आज भी श्रद्धालुओं के मन में मंदिरों की एक ख़ास जगह है. 

Bishnupur: A Marvel In Terracotta!

I have visited Kolkata several times. Loved each visit. But my recent visit was a little more special because I got an opportunity to make a trip to Bishnupur -- a lovely little town known for its magnificent terracotta temples and exquisite Baluchari sarees. I went with a group of friends, and that had its own charm. It was clear from my research that I would be in for a visual treat in Bishnupur. Not only did Bishnupur impress me, but it also lived up to its reputation beyond my expectations. 

Bishnupur has 20 terracotta temples built mostly during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were constructed by generations of Malla kings who were ruling that part of Bengal then. All of them had Krishna as the main deity, but now most of them are not functioning as temples. They are being preserved and maintained by the Archeological Survey of India for their spectacular carvings and amazing architecture. The domes, ceilings, towers and turrets of each temple are aesthetically designed, providing a glimpse into different architectural styles of that time.

We cover the 140-kilometre distance from Kolkata in about four hours by car. It is a pleasant ride showcasing the countryside of Bengal with green fields, villages and small towns. After checking into a hotel and freshening up, we set out on a tour of the temples in e-rickshaws. They are more suited for negotiating the narrow lanes of the town than cars. The ride in the rickshaw is delightful. The small houses, quiet lanes, children riding bicycles without having to worry about traffic are refreshing for us, accustomed as we are to the hustle and bustle of a city.

Our guide takes us to the Rasmancha, Jor-Bangla Temple, Madanmohan Temple, Shyam Ray Temple, Lalji Temple one after the other, all along narrating interesting anecdotes, and pointing out details from the intricate carvings. The temples look resplendent in their natural red hue. They get this colour because of the presence of iron oxide in laterite--the locally available soil that was used to build them. The walls of the temples are extensively covered with terracotta--fired clay--tiles with elaborate carvings. The artisans have carved such minute details in these tiles that one is awestruck by their beauty. The carvings depict stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Also, there are scenes of armies at war, kings on hunting expeditions, women grooming themselves and dancing, musicians playing instruments and so on. One of the tiles has Bheeshma lying on a bed of arrows, while another has Ravana with ten heads. And all these on small tiles, like miniature paintings! One wonders how the artisans created these from mythological stories when written texts were scarce and oral narrations were the only common means.

Photos by Lata

The lanes of Bishnupur are lined with small shops selling terracotta items--wind chimes, lamps, idols, cups, pots etc. What catches one's eye is the array of terracotta horses in different sizes. The horses are short, with unusually long ears. They stand out because of their elegant stance and elongated neck. All the items including the horses are in striking red colour of natural terracotta. These horses are called Bankura horses as they are made in Panchmura, a village close to Bishnupur in Bankura district. They have commonly been used in religious ceremonies in village rituals. Perhaps now they are the most popular souvenirs from Bishnupur. 

Another item that visitors like to take home with them is the stunningly beautiful Baluchari saree. The sarees have human and animal figures and scenes from the epics woven into them, all inspired from the temples. They have men and women, deers, horses, chariots, trees and flowers just like one sees them in the carvings in the temples. That is why draping a Baluchari saree is like carrying a little bit of art and heritage from this charming temple town!