Footprints of Indian Freedom Fighters in London: 3

Photo by Lata

The house which  sports Lokmanya Tilak's blue plaque is next on my list. The address said 10, Howley Place, Paddington. I reach there after walking along the canal in the beautiful Little Venice area. The neighbourhood has some lovely houses in Maida Vale. The quiet residential street called Howley Place features large houses with tall trees and lush vines in their front yards. I walk up to house number 10. The house stands behind a white boundary wall and most of it is hidden by the dense foliage in the yard. I look for the blue plaque, but to my dismay, I do not see it anywhere. Perhaps it is obscured by the overgrown vegetation. Disappointed, I pay my respects to the memory of the great patriot and leave.

I look up for the blue plaque online and find a good image. When Tilak was described as "the father of Indian unrest" by the Times correspondent Sir Valentine Chirol, he went to London in 1918 to file a defamation case against Chirol. Unfortunately Tilak lost the case. But his stay in London was fruitful in a different way. He led a campaign for Home Rule in India from the front and was instrumental in mobilising support towards this cause. As a result, his residence at 10 Howley Place was nicknamed "India's 10 Downing Street"!

Today London remembers him in the form of the commemorative blue plaque (hopefully something will be done to make it visible from the street) placed on his house. According to Peter Pendsey of the Tilak Memorial Plaque Committee, "It took us four years of active behind-the-scenes work to get the plaque erected". Glad to note that their efforts bore fruit.

photo by Lata

I happened to visit the house at 49 Bedford Square bearing Raja Ram Mohan Roy's blue plaque just a few days after his death anniversary on 27th September. I found flowers placed outside his house by Raja Ram Mohan Roy Remembrance Society. The tag on the flowers mentioned "191st Death Anniversary Tribute" to the social reformer. When sati and child marriage were the norms in society, Roy made significant efforts to abolish these cruel practices. He was one of the founders of Brahmo Sabha in 1828 which later developed into Brahmo Samaj, a movement that brought about social and religious reforms in India.  Looking at the plaque and the flowers filled me with a sense of pride and gratitude towards this visionary who was so much ahead of his times. 

Indian freedom fighters have left many more footprints in London. And London has preserved and maintained them with due care and respect. I managed to cover only these during my stay this time. Hopefully I will get an opportunity to visit more later.

Read previous posts in this series here:

Part 1

Part 2

Footprints of Indian Freedom Fighters in London: 2

Encouraged by a very fruitful visit to Ambedkar House, I researched for places associated with other Indian freedom fighters in London. I found many and visited several of them. First among them was the house situated at 65 Cromwell Avenue, Highgate. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, fondly called as Veer Savarkar or Tatyasaheb lived here from June 1906 to July 1909.

Savarkar was active in the freedom movement from a young age. He went to England on a scholarship arranged by revolutionary fighter, lawyer and journalist Shyamji Krishna Varma with additional support from Lokmanya Tilak. Savarkar enrolled at the Gray's Inn to study law. 

Krishna Varma founded India House at 65 Cromwell Avenue in 1905 with an aim to use it as a hostel for Indian students. It also functioned as headquarters of Indian Home Rule Society, soon becoming a centre for visiting Indian activists. 

Today the house stands quietly in a beautiful residential area. I visited it on a lovely day and spent a few moments looking at the blue plaque bearing Savarkar's name, imagining all the events this house must have witnessed in those times. It was quite overwhelming!

 

Another blue plaque that aroused my interest was the one put up at 23 Aldridge Road Villas in Ladbroke Grove. First deputy prime minister and home minister of India from 1947 to 1950 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel resided at this address when he went to England to train as a barrister in 1910. This was a modest boarding house then. Patel was funding his own education using money he had saved working back home in India. He used to walk to the Middle Temple where he was enrolled for his studies. He completed his course in good time and returned to Gujarat in 1912 to start practising as a barrister.

Photos by Lata

He got involved in the freedom movement as one of Gandhiji's chief aides. He had very good organising skills. Also, he was an exceptional leader. This quality earned him the title Sardar. His contribution towards the unification of India earned him another sobriquet: Iron Man of India.

The blue plaque displayed on the house in his memory fills me with gratitude and respect for this venerable statesman. The plaque was put up by the Greater London Council in 1986. It got damaged due to some construction work. Later English Heritage replaced it with a replica in 1991.

Footprints of Indian Freedom Fighters in London: 1

During a recent visit to London, while looking up something online, I came across some interesting information about Ambedkar House, a building where Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution of India had lived in 1921-1922. The house comprising a basement and ground plus two floors was purchased by the government of Maharashtra in 2015 to turn it into a museum. Later in 2023, the central government took control of the property. It is being maintained as a memorial to the great crusader, and is open to public for visits. I was thrilled with this information and made a plan to go there soon. 

It materialised on a bright sunny morning. The house is situated at 10 King Henry's Road in north London in a leafy residential neighbourhood. Standing outside the house and looking at the blue plaque (according to Wikipedia, a blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker) displayed at the entrance, I was filled with awe. 

Ambedkar arrived in London somewhere around 1915 to study at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also enrolled at the Gray's Inn to study law. In 1922, he was called to the bar by the Gray's Inn and became a barrister-at-law. Later he returned to India and started practising law in Bombay.

His stay in London, his education and his experiences must have certainly played a role in shaping his personality. This house and the well-maintained museum inside offers us a peek into his life and times. The house has a lovely garden at the back which is accessible through the basement. But unfortunately this part was closed due to maintenance work. I noticed from the first floor window that a bronze statue of Ambedkar stood in the garden. Railway tracks run just outside the boundary wall of the house.

An attendant ushers us inside the house on the ground floor. This floor features a bronze bust of Ambedkar against a large window. It is adorned with garlands and flower pots. Pictures from various events in his life are on display on the walls. It is a bright day outside and the sun streaming through the windows fills the house with positive vibes. 

We take the wooden staircase to go to the first floor. The room facing the street outside has a comfortable sofa in it. The walls are lined with shelves where books in blue covers are arranged neatly. The fireplace and more pictures on the walls give a warm and cosy feel to the place.

The other room features a large dining table. It is strewn with bound copies of the Constitution of India and laminated copies of letters written by Ambedkar to friends and associates in English and Marathi. The letters offer us a glimpse into the ideas and thoughts of this stalwart. Going through some of them gave me goosebumps. In a letter written from London on 30th December 1932 in Marathi to someone called Bhaurao, Ambedkar has expressed his deep disappointment and sadness about the fact that back home, people belonging to community A thought that he favoured community B, while people belonging to community B felt that he sided with community A. Another one addressed to the same person and written in English on the 29th October 1930 mentions the upcoming Round Table Conference on November 12. The collection of letters is quite fascinating!

Photos by Lata

The Second floor houses Ambedkar's bedroom and his personal belongings like writing pad, spectacles and clothes. A bed occupies the centre of the room. One of the pictures on the wall mentions a silver ink pot that was presented to Ambedkar by Lord and Lady Mountbatten when they had invited him and his wife for lunch. The ink pot has a portrait of the Queen of England carved on it. The House along with important documents and pictures, contains such interesting trivia giving visitors a well-rounded experience.

We leave the Ambedkar House fully satiated and impressed. 

There are many more blue plaques in London commemorating several Indians who were a part of the freedom movement decades ago. More on them in the next post!

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!

Varanasi Vignettes 3

The afternoon is reserved for a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. We have already booked a slot for sugam darshan via online booking. One is not allowed to carry anything inside the temple premises. All the belongings need to be submitted to designated lockers outside the complex. 

It is a shorter--not short-- queue for those availing the sugam darshan. After due security clearance, we join the serpentine queue. The newly constructed corridor inaugurated over a year ago is sizeable and spacious. Throngs of devotees descend on the ancient shrine everyday that is one of the twelve jyotirlingas and is one of the holiest sites for followers of Bhagwan Shiva. The temple has seen many renovations and gone through multiple cycles of rebuilding over last several centuries. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore who was a great devotee of Shiva, rebuilt the present temple about 250 years ago. 

The queue moves reasonably fast and we get a good darshan of the glistening black shivalinga from outside the garbhagriha. One is supposed to move quickly to make way for others behind. Later, we take a stroll through the corridor and walk up to the steps that descend to the river Ganga flowing below. The corridor connects the Ganga with the shrine along with providing many facilities for the visitors. It has decongested the temple allowing easy movement of people that fill up the premises everyday. A beautiful sculpture of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar occupies a place of pride in the corridor. Just outside the corridor, one can see old houses and structures that give one an idea of what the area looked like before construction of the corridor. The corridor has expanded the temple area from 3,000 square feet to about five lakh square feet and now it can accommodate 50,000 to 75,000 visitors. 

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The visit to Varanasi has been truly fulfilling with the Kashi Vishwanath darshan, morning and evening aartis, boat ride, and visits to the ghats and the Kabir Chaura Math. It has also been satiating in some other ways! The spicy chaats, the delightfully frothy and flavourful malaiyo, crisp jalebis, rich rabdi, and melt-in-the-mouth Banarasi paans to name a few. 

As the short visit comes to an end, it becomes clear that Varanasi will leave a deep imprint on one's mind for years to come. It is only fitting that we receive His abundant blessings on our final ride in the city...perhaps there will be an opportunity to come to Varanasi again?

Photos by Lata

                                        

Varanasi Vignettes 2

Unlike the evening aarti, the morning aarti is a less crowded affair. Part of a beautiful presentation called "Subah-e-Banaras", it takes place at the Assi Ghat every morning in a pre-dawn ceremony. When we start from our hotel to go to the Assi Ghat at an unearthly hour, the road is fairly busy with early risers. People desirous of an early morning darshan of Kashi Vishwanath make way towards the temple. Others walk to the ghats. 

We take an auto rickshaw to take us to the Assi Ghat a couple of kilometres away. The stage is set for the morning do. People take their places on the neatly arranged plastic chairs, others sit on the steps that border the area like a viewing gallery. The riverfront is ready with seven platforms which will be used by the men performing aarti. The breeze is cool and refreshing.

The proceedings start with a melodious recitation of Sanskrit verses by a group of talented schoolgirls. Their pronunciations and intonations of the complex words are bang on underlining the fact that they have taken efforts and worked hard at their presentation. The girls get a deserving applause and make way for the main event of the morning. 

Seven men dressed in co-ordinated dhoti and kurta sets take to the platforms. They start the ritual to the beat of a resounding gong. The horizon is still dark. The movements of the men holding lamps are beautifully synchronised and flowing. It was as if they  

were celebrating the start of another new day, or welcoming the sun or seeking blessings for everyone as they got ready to start their day. 

What a lovely way to begin a day! After the aarti is over, sunrise is still a few minutes away. A young woman takes the stage and starts playing the flute in what is an apt finale to the aarti. A bright orange sun makes its appearance above the horizon across the Ganga. People who have enjoyed the aarti in silence, start clicking pictures of the orange-red orb before dispersing. It is time for kulhads of piping hot ginger tea, and the tea stall outside the ghat beckons one and all!

Photos by Lata

Next stop in the morning is the Kabir Chaura Math. This is where the saint poet spent most of his life. This is a tranquil and serene place, so different from the sounds and crowds around the ghats of Varanasi. The Math is tucked in a narrow alleyway, its walls adorned with beautiful drawings inspired by the saint poet's life. Inside, amidst refreshing greenery, Kabir Sahab's relics are preserved in a temple. Some episodes from his life are illustrated in life-size metallic figures, while the walls feature some of his sayings in Devnagari text. We are fortunate to meet Shri Umesh Kabir who is a spiritual teacher residing at the Math. He shows us around and talks about the saint poet in a lucid way. Feeling completely sated after starting the day at Subah-e-Banaras followed by a visit to the amazing Kabir Chaura Math, we take his leave to get on with the rest of our day. 

To be continued.

Varanasi Vignettes 1

Varanasi evokes a feeling of timelessness in you. The sights and sounds of the old part of the city overwhelm you. No matter how much you have read about the city, no matter how many pictures you have seen taken around the ghats and temples of this ancient city, when you actually see it for yourself, it gets the better of your senses. 

This is not a tourist city where one goes and looks at typical tourist spots. Each person who visits Varanasi experiences it in his or her own way. In my first ever trip, I am only able to scratch the surface of what Varanasi holds inside its myriad lanes and vast expanse of ghats along the meandering Ganga.

Thrilled to be in Varanasi, I start walking the short distance from my hotel towards the ghats. It is early afternoon and the road is packed with people. Lined on both sides with sweet shops and shops selling pooja items and souvenirs, the road is reverberating with the sounds of impatient two-wheeler riders honking shrilly at all times and the general din of the traffic. The road leads to a narrow lane and after a few steps, I find myself emerging on the Rajendra Prasad Ghat, almost next to the well-known Dashashwamedha Ghat.

The place is buzzing with activity. People sitting, standing and walking on the steps, hawkers selling their ware, stray animals roaming around, boatmen trying to lure customers for a boat ride along the ghats, sadhus with painted faces and ash-smeared bodies squatting on mats. There is no telling what you might come across on the ghats. I notice someone sprawled out on his tummy receiving a rigorous massage on his massive back! If one has time, one can walk the ghats to witness such unique scenes that describe the essence of Varanasi.

The river Ganga is gentle and somewhat quiet. Flowing since eternity. Its expanse looks slimmer than what one would imagine it to be. On the other bank is an elaborate tent city consisting of touristy tents. Boats containing excited visitors bob up and down the river that looks a dull shade of gray-green in the early evening light.

At the base of the steps several boats wait to pick up customers for a chakkar of the ghats. An enterprising boatman strikes a deal with us and soon we are on his boat making our way towards the Assi Ghat. The loud whirr of the motor makes it hard to listen to what he is saying, but I am happy with the view his boat offers. The densely packed ghats appear one after the other as the boat glides gently in the cool evening breeze. 

Each ghat is distinct in appearance with its steps touching the

Ganga on one side and a variety of structures ---temples, houses, shops---on the other side. Many of them were built by different royal families for the use of their subjects when they visited Varanasi for performing rituals for their forefathers. It is quite a treat to see ghats of different sizes and colours unfold before you from the boat, each vying for your attention. These huge public spaces define Varanasi and give it its unique identity. Two ghats--Manikarnika and Harishchandra--stand out because of the funeral pyres burning constantly at them. It is an upsetting sight at first. But it is also a lesson in accepting the realities of life and moving on.

Our leisurely ride does a turn-around at Assi Ghat and we return to the point from where we had started. The flight of newly constructed stairs leading to the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor looks impressive. The leaning temple of Ratneshwar Mahadev catches everyone's eye because of its unusual look.

Photos by Lata

Dusk is about to fall. Our boatman joins dozens of other boatmen trying to secure a vantage position for their boats so that the occupants of the boats can get a good view of the evening aarti at the Dashashwamedha Ghat. It is a daily extravaganza that finds place in every visitor's itinerary. After several attempts, our boatman secures a suitable place for his boat and we can see that the ghat is brimming with people seated in anticipation of the aarti. On the other side, boats with eager occupants station themselves waiting for the same. Loud music and announcements precede the aarti. To our dismay, we find that two adjacent ghats prepare for the aarti at the same time with music from them resulting in a disharmonious noise. The proceedings on the two ghats are not in sync with each other. Seven well-built men in traditional attire take positions and wave beautiful multi-tiered lamps at the Ganga in measured movements. It is pleasant and would have been more pleasant had it been accompanied by a single source of music instead of the discordant sounds from the neighboring ghat.

The completion of aarti brings an end to the grand spectacle. Satisfied with having ticked an item off their itinerary, people start leaving the boats and the ghats. The Ganga continues to flow quietly, as it has been doing since time immemorial. Soon, the sun will kiss its waters turning it into liquid gold and another day will dawn... the cycle will go on.

To be continued.

Remembering Vasant Kaka!

It was 1980 or early 1981. I was a year into my job as a journalist at the Times Of India group in Mumbai. All through my school life I had idolised some of my teachers who happened to be Bengali. Their excellence in teaching, their simple lifestyle, and their starched white sarees with different borders, all of it made a deep impression on my young mind. Later, my love for all things Bengali (except fish--I am a vegetarian--), and whatever I had read and heard about Shantiniketan made me want to go there and see for myself the extraordinary institution founded by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore .

I had known noted author, actor, orator Vasant Potdar--Vasant Kaka as we used to call him--since I was a child. He was a close friend of my father, and would visit our house whenever he was in Indore. Every visit of his was like a breath of fresh air, and the stories he used to tell would open windows to a new world for us. I used to be fascinated by his towering personality, his booming voice, and above all the wondrous accounts of his life that he would share with us. I was a mere schoolgirl with hardly any exposure to the outside world. It was long before the internet era, and we had very limited access to information. Vasant Kaka had been living in Kolkata (Calcutta in those days) for a long time, had mastered Bangla, and used to write for Bengali newspapers and magazines. He also performed several of his one-act plays in Bangla. He knew many writers, actors, artists, singers, musicians etc from close quarters. His rich experiences acquired from years of travelling made him a rare storehouse of amazing anecdotes that he used to narrate in his inimitable style.

He also possessed a great ability to spot a spark of talent in somebody when he saw one. He would then encourage the person to pursue it, and would help him or her in whichever way possible. I loved to pen short stories and was really an amateur. But he would always ask me if I had written anything new, would go through it, would appreciate my efforts, and would give me useful tips on how to improve on it. All this helped me build a good rapport with him.

So no wonder, when I thought of realising my dream of visiting Shantiniketan from Mumbai, Vasant Kaka's name was the first to come to my mind. He was in Kolkata, and he welcomed the idea of my visit. We planned the whole trip by exchanging letters, and one fine day, I was on my way to Kolkata in a coach of the Gitanjali Express. No phones, no messages in those days! Vasant Kaka was at the Howrah station to pick me up.

I did not have a camera, and I have no pictures from the trip. He took me to Shantiniketan as promised. He showed me around giving background information about various places. The serene campus of the Visva-Bharati, its greenery resplendent against the red soil, the beautiful art and sculpture at the Kala Bhavana and all around the campus, the simple yet elegant houses where Gurudev lived, all of it was simply out of this world. It was an exhilarating experience for me. I can recall very sketchy details of the trip. If I were to make that trip today, I would have written a series of blog posts on it, and it would have stayed fresh in my memory years later! All I remember is that Vasant Kaka took very good care of me. I owe my first trip to Shantiniketan entirely to him, and will forever be grateful to him for that. It was a brief visit focused on Shantiniketan, and so we didn't really have time for most of the usual places of interest in Kolkata.

A small tidbit of memory from the trip: Vasant Kaka was friends with Surendra Pratap Singh and M J Akbar, the stars of Ananda Bazar Patrika's Ravivar and Sunday respectively. I had tagged along with him to a party at Akbar's home, where among other people SP Singh was also present. Years later, he would sit in an editor's cabin across the hall from my desk in the office of the NavBharat Times, New Delhi! 

Alluring Andaman: Lights And Sounds Tell The Story!

The Light and Sound Show at the Cellular Jail is a must-watch for every visitor. Hordes of people descend at the jail to witness the show every evening. Four or five shows take place daily to accommodate the large number of tourists. The ticket costs Rs. 150 per person.

We arrive for our show early and find that many people have done the same. The park outside the jail is an ideal place to spend time in when you are waiting for your show.

The stage is set for the Light and Sound Show!

Soon, the previous show is over. We enter the jail compound and take our seats. It is a full house. The show begins with a recital of Jana Gana Mana. It is very thrilling to listen to the strains of the familiar tune, standing here in these hallowed premises. For the next one hour, as accounts of inhuman treatment of inmates emerge during the narration, people sit spellbound with a lump in their throat and tears in their eyes.

The inmates were subjected to physical and mental torture in order to break their resolve of fighting for India's freedom. They were routinely employed in kolhu machines in place of bullocks, to extract oil from coconuts. If they failed to extract their quota, they were subjected to severe punishments like flogging, starving, or being asked to perform more difficult tasks. They were already weighed down by solitary confinement, separation from their homes and families, exile in a remote island, uncertain future, humid weather, insects, bug-infested food, and harsh conditions. What kept them going was their dream to see India achieve independence.

The show tells their story with words, music and lights. One cannot help being sad, as well as proud of the sacrifices these extraordinary  people made to set our country free from the British rule. The show gets over, and we leave the jail compound with deep gratitude for all the inmates who lived and died in this jail.

View at arrival in Havelock

The rest of our trip was filled with touristy activities, like watching the sunset at the lovely Wandoor Beach, taking the hour-long cruise to Havelock, visiting the beautiful Radhanagar Beach with its pristine white sands and bright blue waters, 20-minute speedboat ride to the Elephant Beach, and looking at exquisite corals from a glass-bottom boat.

Photos by Lata

All the outings were very enjoyable indeed, but the high point of the trip for me will always be the visit to the Cellular Jail, and the Light and Sound Show!

Read the first post in this series here and the second post here.

Alluring Andaman: Inside The Cellular Jail

At the entrance, there are two chambers on either side of the gate where pictures and other memorabilia are on display. Further ahead, two flames burn continuously in memory of the inmates. An ancient peepal tree which has been standing there since the jail's heyday, greets visitors with a gentle rustle of its leaves and comforting shade.

We make way to the central tower. The seven arms are long and imposing. Inside the tower, lists of prisoners' names adorn the walls. We walk along to check out the cells. They are under renovation. The plaster on their walls has been scraped off revealing the bricks inside. All the cells are identical, with just a tiny window for ventilation.

Veer Savarkar, who spent 10 years in this prison from 1911 to 1921, occupied a cell on the top floor at the end of the corridor. We walk up to his cell. The whitewashed walls are bare, except for some pictures of the cell's celebrated inmate. Savarkar composed his epic poem "Kamala" by scribbling it on the walls of his cell.

We walk up the tower to the terrace and are treated to a beautiful view of the sea. The lovely Ross island sits just across like a green jewel in the shimmering blue waters. What a contrast from the suffocating cells to this heavenly spectacle under the open sky!

Befitting its status as a national memorial,  the premises of the prison are very clean and well-maintained. The historical importance attached to this place and the chilling stories of the harsh conditions in which prisoners were kept here, make it an awe-inspiring monument.

Photos by Lata

Downstairs, in one of the common areas between two arms of the prison, some models are on display depicting the harsh punishments meted out to prisoners. Just a short distance away are the gallows where three people could be hanged at once. As we approach, a young man is busy taking pictures of his blushing wife against the backdrop of the three nooses.

Right next to the gallows is the prison kitchen. Isn't it quite paradoxical that the place where the prisoners were terminated is beside the place that kept them alive?

Read the previous post in this series here.

To be continued.

Alluring Andaman: Hello Port Blair!

As we begin our descent into Port Blair, the emerald-green mass starts looking more animated with streets, buildings, and vehicles. For some reason, blue seems to be the popular colour for rooftops, punctuating the dense vegetation with blue rectangles of different sizes. Soon, the aircraft aligns itself over the landing strip in preparation for landing. The touchdown is gentle, followed by gliding on the runway before coming to a complete stop. It is a sunny morning outside with temperature at 28 degrees.

Veer Savarkar's bust at the airport

The long-awaited trip to the Andamans has finally materialised. I am excited to be here in Port Blair! We get out of the aircraft and take the bus to the terminal. The Veer Savarkar International Airport operates out of only one terminal. A new terminal is under construction and will be ready later this year. International operations are also slated to start later. 

Most of those who have arrived are tourists, eager to explore the islands that have become a popular tourist destination. There is one celebrity amongst passengers in our flight: actor Rahul Bose. Later we came to know that he was in Port Blair to take part in the Andaman Marathon of which he is the brand ambassador. 

The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar comprises 572 islands scattered at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, of which only about 38 are permanently inhabited. Port Blair is the biggest city and the capital.

We collect our bags and come out of the terminal to meet our escort. He receives us warmly and takes us to our hotel which is just a short ride away. The check-in is smooth and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The escort asks us to rest for a while and be ready at 13:30 to go to the Cellular Jail. That's when it opens after a break. All that I have heard and read about the historic jail comes to my mind, and I am eager to see it.

Known as Kaala Paani during the British rule, the Cellular Jail is an important national memorial monument. It was constructed by the British to keep political prisoners and revolutionaries who were active during India's struggle for independence, in exile. Construction started in 1896 and went on for 10 years. The prison was ready in 1906 for independence activists to be kept in isolation. It was designed especially for this purpose, consisting of a central watch tower from which emerge seven radial arms in such a way that the back of one arm faces the front of the next, ensuring solitary confinement for each of the inmates.  Each arm has three-storeys, containing cells running along the length of the arm. Each cell opens out into a common corridor. There are 696 cells. 

Photos by Lata

Some of the most well-known inmates of the prison are  Batukeshwar Dutt, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, his elder brother Babarao Savarkar, Yogendra Shukla, Bhai Parmanand, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Sohan Singh, and Subodh Roy amongst many others.

We are on our way to the prison. The road is wide, nice and clean. The vegetation and weather makes the place feel somewhat like Goa and Kerala, but still it is different. Hindi and Bangla are the most commonly spoken languages. Soon, the front facade of the jail comes into view. Part of it is covered because of the ongoing renovation.

Our escort gets the entrance tickets (Rs. 30 each), and we are ready to set foot inside the once-dreaded prison where many lived and died for India's freedom.

To be continued.

Under The Bodhi Tree!

I was in Patna recently for a family event . This was my first ever visit to the city and I was keen on making a trip to Bodhgaya, the site of the Mahabodhi Temple and the sacred Bodhi Tree, where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment before being known as Gautam Buddha. It is one of the major pilgrimage destinations, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fortunately there was a spare day, so we planned a trip.

We hired a car and set off towards the holy site in the morning. Various searches had shown the distance to be between 95 and 120 kilometres. The driver, a young and slender lad, was chatty and friendly. He asked us if we had any preference between the two routes available to reach Bodhgaya. We told him to choose the route where road conditions were better. He said, we'll take the Hilsa-Islampur route, as the other route was under repair, and hence not in a good condition. 

It was a warm day and we were passing through fields and villages, getting a glimpse of rural Bihar. The village markets were bustling with women buying fruits and vegetables from roadside shops. The driver said, they were preparing for the upcoming Teej festival. The narrow streets in the villages and the crowds in the markets slowed down our speed, and it took us almost four hours to reach Bodhgaya from the time we started from our hotel, much longer than what we had anticipated.

The Thai Monastery

Inside the Thai Monastery

Vehicles are not allowed, so we took a battery-operated rickshaw to visit the Mahabodhi Temple. Suddenly the landscape changed! The streets were lined with colourful Buddhist temples and monasteries on both sides. Bhutan, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and many other countries where followers of Buddhism live, have a presence here in the form of these lovely prayer houses. We stopped by two of them, one belonging to Bhutan, and the other to Thailand. Both had very ornate and elaborate decorations around the idol of Buddha, which was very placid and restful in stark contrast. Both the monasteries are lovely, quiet and well-kept.

I am told the township of Bodhgaya is served by Gaya airport, which is just five kilometres from the Mahabodhi Temple and about 12 kilometres from Gaya. It is a seasonal airport where special flights from Buddhist countries bring pilgrims to this important destination.

The Royal Bhutan Monastery

Inside the Royal Bhutan Monastery

Soon, we were at the Mahabodhi Temple. Mobile phones are not permitted inside the complex and one has to deposit them at the entrance. Cameras are allowed after paying a fee. But unfortunately I did not have one.

Outside the Mahabodhi Temple

The Temple is strikingly beautiful. There are two Shikhara towers, the taller of them crowned with a stupa-shaped structure, with finials adorning its top. The structures are covered with magnificent artwork, most of which is in a very good shape. I read somewhere that the material is brick covered by stucco, which is not so durable as stone. The structure that we see today has undergone several renovations over the centuries. The original temple is believed to have been built by Emperor Ashoka 200 years after Buddha's enlightenment, which in turn occurred around 2500 years ago. 

There is a small queue to enter, and the Buddha you see is bereft of any ornamentation or decoration, radiating peace with those compassionate eyes, and gentle lips with subtle hint of a smile. I spent some quiet moments and came out to find an arrow pointing to the Bodhi Tree.

It is a sprawling peepal tree at the back of the temple. It is said to be a direct descendant of the original tree. The trunk of the tree has been fenced by railings on all sides, around which there is a large platform. There was a big group of pilgrims dressed in white, all of them from Sri Lanka, sitting around the tree on the platform, reading and reciting something from booklets held in their hands. A group of monks dressed in saffron was circumambulating the tree and the temple in silence. It was a hot afternoon, but it felt as if the shade of the tree enveloped you in a comforting embrace. We sat down for a while. It was very peaceful, and it felt wonderful to be there among those pilgrims and monks. Occasionally, the leaves rustled with the breeze, and some of them came tumbling down, only to be picked up instantaneously by someone or the other. Our driver, who had accompanied us to the temple, was quick to grab one for me. I have saved it as a prized souvenir of the trip.

The temple is surrounded by green stretches of lawn dotted with beautiful small stupas. They offered excellent photo opportunities, but alas, my mobile was taken away and I had no camera! We walked in the complex, admiring the structures, visiting the lake, looking at rows and rows of burning lamps in a covered shed, taking in the hundreds and thousands of paper cups filled with flowers, placed on the ledges in perfect order by the pilgrims. It was all very tranquil, very blissful.

Photos by Lata

Before going back to our parked car, we made a stop at the Giant Buddha. It is a modern structure, consecrated in 1989. Made of sandstone blocks and red granite, it is perhaps the largest statue built in India. The 64 ft. tall figure depicts the Buddha meditating under the sky in open air. 

It is time to get back to Patna. Another four hours to get there. I am happy I got an opportunity to make it to Bodhgaya. A place steeped in history that still holds an appeal for us with its serenity and calm.

Of Kumartuli, Clay And Divinity In Kolkata!

From Jorasanko Thakur Bari, I head towards Kumartuli in an auto rickshaw. It is a short distance away. The auto driver stops at the mouth of a lane off Rabindra Sarani and asks me to enter Kumartuli from that point. 

I have always been fascinated by pictures of clay idols of Durga in the making, and had made it a point to include Kumartuli in my Kolkata itinerary. I had read about this potters' colony in magazines and newspapers. It has also been featured in the Vidya Balan starrer "Kahaani" (2012). The stunning idols of Durga that people adore and venerate during Durga Puja are created in the lanes and bylanes of this modest neighbourhood. 

I have been wondering what I will get to see here in the month of December. Durga Puja got over just a couple of months ago and it is too early to start making Durga idols for the next year. I so want to see the potters in action! As I start walking in the lane flanked by small studios on both sides, to my utter delight I notice forms of Goddess Saraswati, complete with her veena and swan being shaped in clay. I realise they are being made for Saraswati Puja which is celebrated in Bengal on Vasant Panchami. I thank my luck for the good timing and set out to explore further. 

There are some men sitting outside what looks like a small shop, and just to make sure that I don't get lost in the labyrinthine alleys I ask them in Hindi --if I want to come back to this point should I ask for Rabindra Sarani? One of them replies enthusiastically--Didi, Rabindra Sarani nei, tram rasta bolben. I smile and thank him for this useful tip. Yes, this is a tram route alright. With buoyed confidence because of my small headway in local parlance, and eager anticipation I walk ahead.

Hundreds of potters and their families live and work in this congested area. The studios are rather small and a lot of unfinished work is lying outside in the lanes. The inner frame of the idol is made with straw, and several forms of the Goddess at this stage are just bodies of straw in different sizes. The idols that are in more advanced stages of making have the straw covered with clay. Saraswati--sitting with her customary poise, a veena resting in her lap and a graceful swan at her feet--is taking shape. Many of them are headless. But several of them are complete with a head too! The round face is adorned with exquisite fish-like eyes, and it looks radiant even in a raw state. Kudos to the nimble fingers of the artisans who create divinity with clay in these humble surroundings.

As I go deeper in the bylanes, I notice other figures too. There she is as Durga with multiple arms and perched on a tiger, while elsewhere, as Kali she is ferocious with her tongue sticking out, and Shiva at her feet. What stands out in all these is the beautiful expressive face. And perfect proportions. Nothing is out of place. Everything exists in a harmonious balance. I can only imagine how magnificent they will look when their faces are painted, and when their saree and jewellery are in place.

Photos by Lata

I am surprised to see how unobtrusive and welcoming the artisans are. They go about their work without questioning my presence in their midst. And I am not the only one. There is a young visitor taking pictures with a sophisticated camera. Then there is a foreigner with an Indian guide who is relating mythological stories about these figures to her. There is another guest who is watching a potter and singing to him as the latter is busy at work. Kumartuli is also a popular destination for organised walks.

In spite of the abysmal conditions, people are friendly and lively. Children playing in the lanes, elders sitting outside their homes soaking in the sun, and potters chatting with neighbours and fellow potters during a break. They have put me completely at ease with their disarming smiles and easy manner. Filled with admiration for their art and their spirited way of life, I walk back to the point from where I had started. It is not difficult and I make it to the place without having to ask for tram rasta!

At The Tagore House In Kolkata!

I am at the entrance to the Jorasanko Thakur Bari. It is marked by a red arch, opening out into the busy Rabindra Sarani. It is a pleasant winter morning in Kolkata. People are trickling in slowly. Outside, it is a chaotic and noisy road with cars, autos, carts and rickshaws struggling to find their way among the throngs of pedestrians and hawkers. Once you enter the arch and walk the short road to the gate of the imposing house, you are transported to a bygone era. In Kolkata for a brief trip, I have been looking forward to visiting Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's house. Now at the doorstep, I am eager to see the place where he was born and where he breathed his last.

The elegant red house with a garden of trees and lush green lawns is like a tranquil oasis, amidst the cacophony of the world outside. Flowers of different hues add colour and charm to the garden. It is just the beginning of the day and there is no queue at the ticket booth. I buy my ticket for Rs. 20 which allows me entry into the house that contains the Rabindra Bharati Museum now. However, there is a separate ticket if one wishes to take pictures. I get it from the office for Rs. 50. This is good for taking pictures outside. Photography inside the museum is not permitted.

I walk around in the garden for some time and then make my way to the house. It  was built in the 18th century. It consists of large rooms that are well-lit and airy, with spacious verandas running along the length of the house. The high ceilings contribute to its grandeur. Tagore family comprised of affluent landlords and the house reflects the lifestyle of the rich in those days.

Footwear is not allowed inside the house so I leave mine in the passageway leading to the staircase. Upstairs, the chambers offer us a peek into the lives of the Nobel-laureate and his illustrious family. Many members of the family were proficient in some or other form of art. As a prolific painter, poet, writer, composer and dramatist, Gurudev was the embodiment of creativity in multiple disciplines.

The house has his robes neatly hung is glass cases on display. Some furniture, and his wife Mrinalini Devi's kitchen is also part of the display. Then there is a maternity room, used exclusively for deliveries in the family.  A detailed family tree of the Tagores is an interesting exhibit too. Photographs from his association with and visits to Japan and China occupy a large part of the galleries in the museum. Pictures from Shantiniketan where he is seen hosting eminent personalities are there too. Then there are several texts in Bengali script and a large number of reproductions of his paintings, neatly framed and hung across rooms and hallways. I regret not being able to read the script. Access to the second floor is closed so I miss seeing whatever is there.

Photos by Lata

Most of us are familiar with the images of Rabindranath wearing a long beard and flowing robes, but it is interesting to see pictures from his younger days in western clothes. He is tall, athletic, intense and aristocratic. One cannot help being overwhelmed with the sheer volume of his creative genius. Being at his ancestral home that nurtured his talent is nothing short of a pilgrimage!

What touches me most is the detailed account of his last days put up in neat frames in one of the verandas. These lines are poignant in particular:

When death comes and whispers to me 

"Thy days are numbered",

Let me say to him, "I have lived in love and not in mere time",

He will ask, "Will thy songs remain?"

I shall say, "I know not, but this I know

that often when I sang, I found my eternity."

-- Rabindranath Tagore