Lined and wrinkled, Jehangir Ahmed squats by the entrance to the famous Jumma Masjid in Bijapur, quietly pulling at his ‘biddi’. As we look up at him from the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the Mosque doors, he gestures to us from his perch, indicating that we should not hesitate, but enter…
Tag: bijapur
Sultans of the South; The Deccan Sultanates of Bidar & Bijapur
Beautiful old monuments and ruins inhabit street corners and stand forlornly in the middle of overgrown fields, many forgotten in the bustle of everyday life. Questions as to their origins elicit vague responses and disinterested shrugs, the locals having lived besides these relics all their lives, simply consider them to be part of the topography of their little town. This however, only serves to enhance their wonder and mystery, and we can’t help but feel that we are exploring lost history, off the beaten path.
Ismail
Smaller towns that have ruins and monuments spread around usually have a plethora of auto drivers willing to take you around for a small fee. Settling on this fee involves typical Indian style of negotiation, with you and the auto driver smiling and laughing, with some small talk thrown around, till a price is decided….
Karnataka, here we come!
After 17 blissfully laid-back days in Kerala we head into Karnataka, the land of coffee plantations, Tipu Sultan, and the seat of many an empire. We start up in the hills of Coorg, where we will spend a few days in a beautiful plantation homestay in the village of Ammathi, away from the crowds of…