We arrived at Panna a little worse for the wear, with bad tummies and tired feet. We’d been on the road for a little over two weeks at this point, not a long stretch at all, but a busy stretch through Gwalior and Orchha with many monuments and forts crammed into long days. We loved…
Category: Temples
The Sun Temple and the One that came before
Sun temples are fascinating in themselves. Most of them are built in alignment with the light of the sun, such that on specific days (usually the equinox) the rays from the sun create a straight line directly down the centre of the structure. This was true of the temples built by the ancient Pharaohs in Egypt as well as the Kings in the subcontinent, apart from elsewhere in the world. Added to this great feat of science thousands of years ago, is also the beauty and art that surround the temples. Keeping religion aside, sun temples are great places to visit to experience a wonderful coming together of science and art, especially at sunrise.
Storytelling in Stone
Whatever your religious leaning, if any at all even, a visit to these two towns is not the run of the mill ‘temple’ visit. It is journey to time long past and the chance to experience and appreciate what some would consider to be amongst the greatest artistic achievement in South India.
Of Kings and Idlys
With high towering column and intricately carved ceilings, King Thirumalai’s palace is beautiful and unique. Built in traditional dravidian style, the palace has a European feel to it, which can be attributed to the Italian architect the King consulted with. You can also see influences of his travels around India, in the carvings around the columns, the curved arches and the Rajput style of windows and latticed screens.
Seven Buses and an Auto …
Seven Buses and an Auto … To see a Temple. Yes, you read that right. It took us seven buses, those deadly state transport buses, and an auto to get from our hotel in Tanjore to see the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Trichy. It would have taken eight buses but the last leg of our journey we decided to splurge a little and take an auto back to the hotel, or lodge as they more popularly called in Tamil Nadu. Unemployment and a plan to travel the country for a year does not add up to fancy hotels and comfortable transport, and exploration on a budget means cheap hotels and state transport buses.
The Synagogues of Bombay
The Jewish community in the city is dwindling and are finding it difficult to maintain the eight synagogues that were once full. Many of these places of worship and gathering are in places we pass by, and we recommend that the next time you do, pop in for a visit and experience some of the diversity that keeps this city going.
Once upon a time in Bombay’s old Chinatown
One of the original Seven Isles, Mazagon is widely known to be the home of several old majestic churches, a large catholic community and the famous 18th century dockyard that builds ships for the Indian Navy. What was once a rich and affluent neighbourhood with rich Portuguese and Parsi families in large sprawling bungalows, it…
Bombay’s own ‘Blue Mosque’
Hidden away in the bylanes of Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road, lies this stunning 150 year old Mosque decorated in multi coloured mosaic tiles brought all the way from Iran.