Journey to Garhwal

Highlights of the Journey

July - August, 2008

• While on the way from the airport to the residential parts of Delhi early morning, an interesting sight of the water-carrying, orange-clad kanwarias carrying decorated paraphernalia on their shoulders.
  

Kanwarias of Haridwar

• Alighting from the Mussorie Express early morning, a walk on the streets of Haridwar towards the banks of the river Ganga amongst more Kanwarias, and many pilgrims, young and old, and when compared to those, a few tourists. Surprise at the sight of the huge number of pilgrims at the Hari-Ki-Pauri, most of whom seeking absolution early morning with a dip in the sacred river, The Ganges.

Pilgrims at Hari-Ki-Pauri at 7:20 am

• After a walk up to the great Shiva statue, onwards to Rishikesh, the Yoga capital of the world, for a leisure walk to Ram Jhula, the ghats and beyond to discover the charm of the place to end up with a hearty breakfast at Chotiwal.

Ram Jhula, the bridge over River Ganges

• A journey through the foothills of the Himalayas passing through scenic Devprayag, where lies one of the five sacred confluences when the Bhagirathi River joins the Alaknanda River to form The Ganges.

On the way to Devprayag shot from a moving bus

• The journey for the day to continue right up to Rudraprayag, another confluence where the Mandakini River originating from Kedarnath joins the Alaknanda that originates from Badrinath.

The confluence as seen from the balcony of the GMVN

• The mostly uphill journey to Karnaprayag, the place of confluence of the Alaknanda and Pindar Rivers, another important pilgrimage spot for many.

From moving cab, on the way to Karnaprayag

• Roadblock lasting hours due to landslide between Nandaprayag and Chamoli and an unexpected mini-trek with the backpack to the base of valley, and then to cross a mountain stream - with gushing waters with fairly strong currents - with the help of locals and other travellers who ventured to undertake the difficult route through the wilderness. This was followed by a steep climb in the noon sun to emerge panting at the other end of the road for onward journey to Chamoli and was undertaken to avoid a long wait for hours for the roadblock to be cleared.
  

Unusual traffic on the road to Chamoli

• Journey through beautiful scenery, where quite often the mountain road showed signs of recent landslides and cleared paths right up to Joshimath.

View of a road in Joshimath from cable car

• A cable car ride to enjoy majestic and serene Auli and the joy of watching the change in hue of the mountain peaks at dawn for hours together till it was time to move on after an open air breakfast at sunrise.

A peek at Nanda Devi peak from Auli at dawn

• The ropeway ride again to enjoy the morning vista up to Joshimath for onward journey to pass through more awesome mountain scenery till Govindghat.

A pause before the long trek from Govindghat

• The thrill of setting out on the first planned long trek from Govindghat, passing through Bhyundhar village to end up hours later at the small mountain village of Ghangaria (also referred as Govind Dham).

Ghangaria

• Rested and reinvigorated next morning, setting out on the much anticipated trek to the Valley of Flowers.

A small section of the almost 90 sq km of Valley of Flowers

• Setting out on another trek - unplanned but certainly worth it - to Hemkund, a holy place for Sikhs, the valley having the most exotic mountain flora including the Brahm Kamal and the Blue Himalayan Poppy.
  
  

A glacier on a misty day on the way to Hemkund

• Yet another trek returning from Ghangharia to Govindghat and then the beautiful scenery of the Himalayan landscape during the journey from Govindghat to Badrinath via Pandukeshwar and Hanuman Chatti.

Badrinath Temple

• A final trek begun at dawn from Badrinath to the beautiful village of Mana at the borders with Tibet, and return to Badrinath.

On the way to Mana village

Return journey over the next few days from Badrinath to Govindghat – Joshimath – Chamoli – Rudraprayag – Rishikesh – Haridwar – Delhi – Mumbai and to my final destination.

~~~

A Tryst with the Himalayas

Someone rightly described: The more remote and inaccessible a place is, the greater is its magic!

I'm back after a bit of travelling to some distant parts of the Himalayas. My travels involved two flights, three train journeys, quite a few bus and cab journeys, around 2 hours of horseback riding and about 60 kilometers of trekking (mountain hiking).

No doubt the most interesting part has been the trekking, because it's the best way that I enjoy nature. The environment to trek has been remarkably beautiful. So often I've stopped on my tracks, stood in silence, gazed at the magnificent mountains and taken in its beauty. Nature has so much on display and I felt it's a shame that I have been so busy, sometimes with petty cares, instead of being there to appreciate and enjoy what it offers. Towards the end, the mountains have appeared nearby, yet not close enough not to be in awe of them.

Having returned, I sense right now what I could call is the feeling of re-entry – a feeling that occurs after returning to place of work after a fabulous holiday. It's like how one feels homesick. When I see the pictures that I've shot, I am filled with a strange sense of melancholy. I miss the mountains. As usual, for a few days, I'll have a bit of trouble settling into a normal routine, and that's kind of expected, since nothing can replace the fresh and exotic feeling I've enjoyed the past weeks.

The travel to mountainous Garhwal has been an exhilarating experience. I have enjoyed the majestic beauty of nature where I've taken utmost delight in the picturesque narrow mountain roads, the scenic Himalayan landscape, the ephemeral clouds wrapping the mountains, some green, some bare and a few snow-clad.

I can still picture the scenes of the mist on the trails, with a transitory tone of its own, and also the awesome valleys and ravines, the intriguing melting glaciers, the gushing mountain streams some of which I've waded through, the interesting and at times challenging trek paths, the green meadows, some dotted with wild flowers, the rich vegetation and forests interspersed with craggy rocks, the meandering rivers shifting their shape in the valleys, sometimes serene, other times turbulent and with the fury of the monsoon waters, the gusts of winds, the drizzle and the persistent rains. I've watched the life of the fauna blooming up being nourished with those rains.

As usual, the Himalayan mountains have had an impact on me, rather, on my psyche. I've been captivated by the valleys, meadows, trees, streams, rivers, glaciers, peaks – nature in its unsurpassed splendor! Just a bit of travels for a few days and I can sense it has altered something within me. And I can't help reflecting on just how each of my trips to the Himalayas does that.

I am certainly richer with experience, but I find it hard to accept that a short tryst with the Himalayan mountains gives me a feeling as if there has been a change in direction of my life!

Related post: Garhwali Bears with Tiny Bells.

Garhwali Bears with Tiny Bells

Ladakh

Some people live for the fortune, some for power, some for fame, and some to play games. Some say to achieve the purpose meant in their lives blah blah. What are you living for?

I can tell you what I am thinking of. I can tell that because I can think. Or at least I think I can think. I can think because I belong to the great class – the class of Homo sapiens. After all, we are animals (for sure!) with the best thinking process. Or at least we believe so. Why do I digress? Probably to discombobulate.

So, I'm thinking of taking a vacation. Did I hear you ask why?

When I applied for leave, I was asked the same. "Why do you need to go on vacation?" Though I thought, "I'd explain it to you, but your brain would explode," I replied calmly with a smile, "To travel." To that I was asked, "And how much of your earnings do you spend on travels?" I replied, "Only 90%." He would not understand the rest is wasted!

It's quite likely that he suffers from a zygomatic twist in the skull. Or what Dr. Mayer-Briggs would probably describe "analysis paralysis." I'm glad am not into assmosis. Oh wait. That has nothing to do with a donkey. Or ass either. It's more to do with the process by which a few so called humans seem to absorb success by sucking up to the boss rather than working for it. I neither want success nor wish to work anymore. I wanna travel, do you understand, Mr. Mustachioed spittlebug?

I should have asked him, "Tell me, as an outsider, what do you think of the human race?" but I did not. Diplomacy, after all, is the art of letting someone have your way!

So, why do I need to travel again?

• Because I do not want to be yearning so much while admiring mountain photography online while waiting and hoping someone would take me to those places.
• Because I need a change from the shituation I am in. Probably that's why I doodle more than work these days.
• Because I don't want to be thinking about the warm comfort of early death from job stress. Humor may be hazardous to your health. Hey, I didn't refer to mental health!
• Because I don't want to say a superficial hello or how are you doing to people around me right now as I feel I'm lacking patience to listen to their life stories.
• Because there are times when I feel I want to punch, choke, poison, if not flatten an unpleasant colleague's car tyres these days. Trust me, this has nothing to do with Schadenfreude tendencies.
• Because I've started spending my off time thinking about work, the rest of the time I am busy thinking of travelling.

Ain't that sufficient reason? I can be snarky!

I've decided to get moving. Yes, with just a small backpack, a tuque and a good pair of trekking shoes, and with no regard for day time clothes, or night time and no need for swim wear or matching shoes or matching wraps or a matching bag or a hat, or jewelry or make up. Yay!

Travel time. This trip shall be to the Garhwal region of the northern state of Uttarkhand belonging to the Indian side of Himalayas. Uttarkhand borders the Tibetan plateau in the north and Nepal to the east.

A minor part of the Himalayan range lies in Tibet, Pakistan and Burma. A greater portion of the range lies in Nepal, Bhutan and the Indian states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarkhand. I’ve been to those states earlier except Arunachal Pradesh but I should make many more trips.

So, for now, I'm off to Garhwal, a place with spectacular mountain peaks and valleys that is described as Dev Bhoomi to mean, the Land of the Gods. Garhwal is the place of origin of the River Ganga (the Ganges). Garhwal is a place with a multitude of pilgrimage spots.

Don't look at me to elaborate on that. When it comes to proper knowledge on religious matters, I'm as useless as a condom vending machine in the Vatican. Or as useful as a grave robber in a crematorium!

For me, this trip should be stimulating as I intend to enjoy the culture of the new place, the beauty of nature there, its wilderness, the endless scenery of the rugged mountains and their deep valleys and ravines, the wildlife, camping and trekking and lots of adventure. With rains and landslides common at this time during monsoons, I do not know where exactly I'll end up. However, with the belief that destination is not as important as the journey, I am out to enjoy as much of it no matter where the road leads me.

Speaking of wildlife and adventure reminds me of this public service announcement:

In Garhwal, tourists are warned to wear tiny bells on their clothing when hiking in Himalayan bear territory. The bells warn away most Himalayan bears. Tourists are also cautioned to watch the ground on the trail, paying particular attention to bear droppings to be alert for the presence of Himalayan bears. One can identify Himalayan bear droppings because it has tiny bells in it.

Now do not let that PJ make you angrier than a bear with a sore head!

I wonder now why did a post to convey a short, and hopefully, temporary goodbye to my sweet readers, turn out this long? To that, please answer me first: Why is abbreviation such a long word?

Broca's area is giving trouble today. Enough of gruntling. Logorrhea indeed! Right now I have the feeling that everyone likes me and wants to be like me. At least as far as travels are concerned. Am I right? No? Ah, then I better stop before I am defenestrated.

Won't you wish me well with a small comment? Don't give me the excuse that the keyboard is not attached to your PC, or that the mouse doesn't work! So what if it's not? You can still press F1 to continue. Or press any key to continue...no, no, no, not that one..haha!

I hope to be back in a few weeks. If you need to reach me urgently, please call me on my phoneless cord. Until then, keep smiling my friends. Signing off. Beep-beep!

One Single Impression: Rest

The Humayun's Tomb is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi. Humayun was the second of the so called six great Mughal emperors, and was the father of Akbar.

At Nizamuddin
Hamida Banu Begum
Ordered construction

A repository
For her beloved husband
And Akbar's father

Splendid edifice
On banks of Yamuna, with
Char bagh style gardens

The Emperor's tomb
With Mughal architecture
World Heritage Site

Humayun's Tomb is
Beautiful mausoleum
Where he's put to rest.

The prompt for this week at One Single Impression is Rest. More poetry can be found at One Single Impression.

Sploggers

Lately, I discovered some links to my recent posts and when I checked on those I was rudely surprised initially, and then annoyed, to see my entire posts published in other blogs, verbatim and with each and every photograph, under different website owner names. For example:

• Violet Voices
• Addict's Dreams
• Violet Confessions

I’m not really tech savvy so I emailed a friend on this matter. Thanks to his help, I was informed that the above links are those of spam bloggers (also called, sploggers). I was advised to delete the links as soon as possible and I did so immediately.

Apparently the sploggers resort to stealing content in order to fill space on their own sites to attract traffic, and their website has advertisements too, so they must be generating income out of it. It is so wrong to copy, use my blog posts on their site without permission and make money out of it. The simple rule is when a person has not written it, that person needs to take permission from the owner of the contents before anything is copied or reproduced. Copyright infringement is illegal.

By the time I realized what was happening, already 4-5 posts had been published on their site. I consider this to be blatant misuse of my blog posts on their website. It is a matter of copyright violation. I wonder if this will continue and if deleting their back-link will solve the problem or not. Is it like a case of website hijacking?

The author is the copyright holder of all blog posts. No splogger or any person who not travelled, photographed, written and presented a post or done any creative writing can take credit for my efforts. They do not have the authority to publish any of these works on their websites as their own. I do not think a "link back" is sufficient credit for another person's efforts.

Browsing through I did reach blogger's online help site and have submitted the links of these sploggers to them. Now I intend to put up some sort of a copyright notice on my site. I'd like to hear if there is any other recourse available in such cases.

Has this happened to any of you? What have you done about it? I welcome you to share your thoughts on this matter and thank you for your help.

Update:

1. As per advice from my dear fellow bloggers, I've now deleted the links to sploggers.

2. This particular post complaining about Sploggers has also been copied on their website.:)

Tranquil Tuesday

Shot during a boat ride on the River Narmada
Marble Rocks, Bhedaghat

The ‘Narmada’ means
The one who endows with bliss
That’s the River's name

Originating
At Amarkantak Plateau
From Narmada Kund

Sacred to Hindus
Worshipped as mother goddess
Flows through rift valley

Meanders through hills
River flows in rapid streams
Slows its pace on rocks

Through hilly forests
Passes through fertile basin
Gains speed in valleys

Bhedaghat river
Plunges as mighty falls, and
Calms at Marble Rocks

With cool breeze at dusk
Narmada’s poise and beauty
Offers peace and joy

~~~

Plight of Widows in India

Nandan Jha has left a new comment on your post "Why?":

show details 10:53 AM (3 hours ago)

Hmm.

Celine - How much of text of this post, is based out of a first hand experience ? (family, close friend, next door neighbour and likewise)


I have seen many widows (in my family, friends etc) and I have not seen a single case as what is usually described by people, more notoriously by NGOs.

I do not doubt your intent and I have not see enough of world myself but in my personal opinion, if one has to write such clear statements, as in this post, then one should either share that they have a first hand experience (family, close friend, next door neighbour) or should mention thats its mostly based on what they have read on this subject.

~~~

The above is a comment to my post titled "Why?"

I'm writing my response to the above comment as a post by itself for the benefit of my readers so I can get to hear more views on this topic. This is written hurriedly during my lunch break at work. I'd like to invite comments and I hope, dear reader, you'll feel free to voice out your feelings on this issue.

~~~

Nandan,

Thank you for a very interesting comment. I'm glad you brought up this point. This will give me a chance to share more of my thoughts and some first hand experiences.

If your comment is an indication that I should change my style of blog-writing sticking to writing only on first hand experiences on events or putting a disclaimer that so and so is based on what I've read, then I am afraid that is not going to be so. You wrote about bad tents provided in Dhanaulti, while I wrote about social injustice. We both are free to write on whatever we like and of course, we agree or disagree on those. Please note that poetry and creative writing is one of my many hobbies.

You have not seen a single case you say. You should be glad about that. May I ask if you have lived outside the cosmopolitan city of Delhi?

To respond to your comment, yes, I have had first hand experience of bits and parts of what has been mentioned in my post. I may be presently out of India but I've lived in India for almost 22 years, including in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, both in villages and cities, and have seen enough. I have seen the best of India but I've also seen poverty, and enough social inequalities going on and I have also seen more than enough injustice meted out to helpless widows too.

And why just widows? And why only within India? I've seen divorced or separated women suffer as well when an attempt is made to make them feel as if they are a burden to the society and so are to be ridiculed at but I shall not dwell on that as I do not want to be side-tracked from the main issue being discussed here.

Among the widows, I have personally seen a Brahmin woman, a little elderly may be but from a well to do family, mind you. I have seen her with my own eyes as to how she used to be in public places without a sari blouse! I was shocked to learn from the the elders in my family on how their customs and traditions prohibited her from wearing a blouse because she was a widow. I have also seen how she had to constantly struggle to keep her simple cotton sari (I recall the dull color too) all the time tucked in place and entwined around her arms so she could cover her modesty. And oh, I feel terrible to share that her head used to be regularly shaved off too! Can you imagine her anguish?

I was young then, yet it shocked me. It was disgraceful. Tell me, is it not a matter of pity that we are a part of the society that still metes out such punishment to a hapless woman just because she is a widow? Was it her fault that her husband died? I still think of her and I particularly thought of her when I wrote the post under discussion.

Later as I grew up, I have come across examples in rural areas. By the way, I've spent my childhood weekends and holidays in villages. Over time, I have also seen this happen among the poor domestic helpers as I moved to bigger cities.

I've started writing recently and I found this a good platform to put my thoughts across. Problems are there everywhere. That's a fact, whether we accept it or not. Let's not be afraid to see what we see. We can shut our eyes tight and pretend there are no problems or we can do something about it. On my part, I've written about it since presently I am far away from home.

Have I done anything about it then? Yes, I have, in my own little ways. I have encouraged those grieving widows, given due respect to them and gently supported them in whatever way I could to help bring about some sort of joy in their lives. In my own way, I have (in fact, my whole wonderful family has) tried to break free of those cruel customs and traditions and not let the unfortunate widows be marginalized and alienated from the society.

I have a powerful positive example in my immediate family to expound on. I am pleased to inform you that my deceased brother's wife, my dear sister-in-law, is a happy woman today and her confident and bubbling personality does not exhibit any sign that she is suffering as a widow. She is still a cosy part of our lovely big family. We (and by this I mean my entire family) have put an end to some age-old and useless customs and traditions, particularly as far as she was concerned. She joyfully took part in all the rituals where widows generally are not allowed to, including participation in the entire family wedding festivities. Those with rigid thinking and a narrow-mind did have objections and a few more wagged their tongues but did we care? No.

Nandan, this post is written to create awareness that widows do have a problem in India. I do not expect a miracle to happen with one blog post. But let's open our eyes and acknowledge such things do happen. If each of us can help in small ways, we can make a difference. I invite you to read my post titled Empowerment. Matters can change if we take individual responsibility. I do not like that you criticize the NGOs in general and call them 'notorious.' Most of them have very good intentions and some do a reasonably good job that you and I perhaps cannot even think of.

Have you seen 'Babul?' A modern movie with a strong message on the emotional plight of a widow. In spite of stiff criticism and opposition from the traditionalists, to think that a father-in-law of Indian society endeavors to encourage his widowed daughter-in-law to try to lead a happy life with another man in her life is a progressive thought. That is called doing something positive for the right cause. That's what we need to do.

Then there is the movie 'Water' that also portrayed the plight of Widows. Simple and realistic. And then there are these goons that raise a hue and cry and protest when movies with such powerful messages are released. Have those protesters done anything positive in their lives towards such causes other than protest in vain?

There is also the fabulously done and beautifully sensitive movie 'Dor' that tries to project the plight of widows in India. It is reportedly based on a real life incident. Why would someone responsible like Nagesh Kukunoor bother with making that movie as recently as 2006 if we did not face such problems in India?

Let me know if there is a single statement in my post Why? that describes what has not happened in India. Can you say with conviction that a young recently widowed girl of, for example, Rajasthan, would not have thoughts like the ones I've written in my poetry? Are bangles not broken? Is Sindoor not wiped off? Is it not true that bright clothes and jewelry are forbidden? Is not mourning made compulsory? So I ask again, Why?

Anyway, in my post, I have clearly mentioned that I am writing about the plight "of 'some' widows in 'certain' parts of India." So it definitely does not mean every widow in India undergoes such suffering and torment.

Nandan, allow me to ask you a question in turn:
Do you have enough experience to make a statement that indicates that the widows in the Indian society are truly respected and enjoy equal status and full individual rights?

I so hope your answer is in the affirmative.

Why?

This post can be reckoned as a continuation of my previous post titled Widow. I have written the poetry here as the sorrowful thoughts of that young Widow.

Never wished anyone bad
Ill-luck, curse, how am I?

Love colours, jewellery
Can’t wear and eat what I wish? Why?

Degraded to dark-room
Why none touch or love me anymore?

Always wished for his long-life
Why am held responsible for his death?

Please understand, I’ve always loved him
Then, why must I suffer for that?

*

With a population of over 1 billion, it is estimated that there are about 50 million widows in India. Mostly in the rural parts of India, widows are looked down upon as disgraceful, unlucky, even cursed.

Girls in India are often married off at a young age, instead of being educated. In case of adverse situations like death of spouse, they usually lack the required skills to support themselves or the knowledge to fight for their basic rights.

In the olden days, widows were expected to jump on the funeral pyre of their husbands to commit a practice called sati. Though the practice was outlawed in 1829, widows still undergo ritual humiliations.

The mark of marriage sindoor that a married woman wears is sometimes substituted in a widow by a vertical ash smear from the top of her forehead to the top of her nose. In extreme cases, a widow’s very presence is considered so ominous that even her shadow is not let to fall on a married woman lest her dreadful destiny befall the other woman!

A widow is quite often made to wear white and to give up wearing fine clothes and jewelry. The unintelligent reasoning is that this is necessary so as to not arouse any carnal desire in other men. In some traditions, they are forced to shave off their heads. Sometimes she is even blamed for her husband’s death. The so called belief then, and probably even now, was that the wife’s bad karma caused the death of her husband.

Widows from joint families are vulnerable to abuse by in-laws and at times evicted from home. The widow rarely succeeds in inheriting her husband’s property which is often usurped by greedy relatives. She is sometimes denied the right to remarry. The poor woman is shunned, and left to live, on her own, a sad life of impoverishment. She is ostracized and is treated as a burden by society. In some cases, widows are not allowed to attend their own children’s weddings because they are so despised in certain cultures!

All this is carried out not necessarily for religious reasons, instead, most likely because of certain savage cultures and traditions!

The 1856 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act gave women the legal right to remarry and the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 gave women the same inheritance rights as men. Sadly, those rights are not always put into practice. Then there are disheartening clauses like, under Section 2, "a Hindu widow, on remarriage, shall forfeit her right to the property which she has inherited from her husband." I am not aware if this Section 2 has been repealed by the Hindu Succession Act.

But there is hope, thanks to some organizations and social activists who think of ‘service before self’ and endeavour to give status to widows as full-fledged individuals. Dr. Mohini Giri is one of them working on changing the mind-set of the society in this regard.

~~~

This post is written to bring to attention on the plight of some widows in certain parts of India. For some cheerful news, I invite you to read my post on Orchha wherein I have given a glimpse of how successful and liberated some Indian women are.

Excerpt:

How could I discuss my thoughts with her on matters like though a majority of women in India think and live a kind of life like she did, there is, however, a small percentage that are thankfully liberated and have been so successful that they have won several accolades in every imaginable area - to choose a few fields like in politics, sports, justice, music, activism and service, brains, beauty or films or a combination of them, or for that matter sheer selfless social service.

Khajuraho, Mastery in Architecture

Madhya Pradesh diagram (borrowed)

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word Khajuraho? Most likely the answer is going to be Temples or specifically, Erotic Temple Art.



The one of a kind Khajuraho Group of Temples is the main attraction of Khajuraho, however, there is more to the town than this. I shall write about my travels to the other interesting places of Khajuraho in subsequent posts. For now, I wish to devote this entire post to my experiences and impressions on the fascinating temples of Khajuraho.



The Legend

The story of Khajuraho is that in a burst of passion, the Moon God enticed the beautiful Brahmin girl, Hemavati, while bathing in the Rati one evening, resulting in the birth of Chandravarman. Harassed by society, the unwed mother sought refuge in the dense forests of Khajuraho where she was both mother and guru to her young son. The boy grew up to become the founder of the Chandela dynasty.

When he was the ruler of the land, Chandravarman had a dream where his mother implored him to build temples that would reveal all aspects of the human passion and fantasy to the world and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness of the human desire. Thus began the story of a fervent artistic desire for the construction of the first of the temples, and successive rulers added to that which resulted in the Khajuraho temples.

The History

It is said that artifacts from the middle and late Stone Age and Neolithic Age have been unearthed in Khajuraho so its history can be traced to prehistoric times.

The name Khajuraho is derived from the Hindi word khajur meaning date palm tree. It was once the city that was the capital of the Chandela Rajputs, a Hindu dynasty that ruled parts of India from the tenth to the end of twelfth century. It is said that there have been other Chandela rulers, who have been the patrons of the Khajuraho temples and instrumental in developing the art and the sculpture there. Some of them are Harshadeva, Yashovarman, Dangadeva, Jayavarman etc. Sadly, by the time the temples were completed, the Chandela dynasty had sunk into oblivion.



It is fascinating to learn that these elegant medieval temples of the finest architectural styles were unknown to the outside world as they were probably forgotten among the forests for centuries following their abandonment. They were accidentally rediscovered recently.

Over a span of about 100 years, about 85 temples were presumed to have been built of which now only 22 stand!

My Memoirs and Khajuraho Today

In December 2007, I took a taxi from Orchha via Alipura to reach Khajuraho as I written in my previous post here.



The temple town of Khajuraho apparently seems no different from any other temple city of India. Right from the time I reached till I departed days later, I found it to be like any other tourist town, catering to the needs of the locals and tourists alike in a comfortable and casual manner. Nevertheless, the quaint little town is unique for it is a place with a rich cultural heritage. Already a hot tourist destination, most likely its popularity ranks following that of the Taj Mahal of Agra.



As I reached and checked into the MP tourism hotel, the sun was preparing to set. All the same, I quickly got ready to catch a glimpse of the famous temples before it would get dark. After a few hurried inquiries at the reception desk and being assured that the place was safe to walk back in the dark, I set out on a brisk walk of 20 minutes to reach the popular western group of temples. I need not have rushed as I had two full days to explore the place at my own leisurely pace. But, as usual, I got restless in wanting to explore the moment I reach a new place and so tried to grab the opportunity to do so even in the fading lights of the day. This is one of the first few sights that I could capture that late evening through the closed gates.



The next two days were like being in a dreamland. I do not think I can even begin to describe the awe that I felt about the Khajuraho temples. If I start, I could go on endlessly into details of my own impression of the mastery and intricacy of the beauty of each temple, but that would mean thousands of words.

The architecture of each of the Khajuraho temples is magnificent. The elegance of the carvings is an achievement excelling in sculpture work and can rightly be called a merger of the science and art of architecture. To explore and admire what can be justifiably described as the pinnacle of Indian art and design was an overwhelming experience.



My first observation was that almost all the temples are built on a high platform. Constructed in the Nagara style of architecture between 950 AD and 1050 AD, these temples are in a reasonably good state of preservation and the Archeological Survey of India's dedicated effort for their conservation at Khajuraho should be appreciated. It is no wonder that these temples are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.



The mainly Hindu and Jain temples of Khajuraho, scattered over an area of 15 kms or so, are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

I found the 11 temples belonging to the Western Group of Temples the most attractive. That included admiring the biggest Kandariya Mahadeva, the awesome Lakshmana, and the Chaunsat Yogini, the Matangeshwara, the Chitragupta etc.

Following that, I had a long walk to reach the Eastern Group comprising of the Adinath, Ghantai, Parsvanatha Temples etc and this way, could be in touch with a bit of the local feel of the place. Among the Eastern Group, I found the grandeur of the the Adinath the most impressive. I had published a picture of it in my previous post here.



I could not make it to the Southern Group of Temples as I kept getting attracted to the Western Group of temples time and again, and finally actually ended up making four trips there. Each visit was a wonderfully different experience.



Most of these mind-blowing temples are adorned with endless rows of intricately carved sculpted figures. The emotions of a woman have been exemplified in those stone sculptors – from her simple and smiling face of innocence right up to her seductive expressions and poses. Sculptures depicting a woman brushing her hair, applying eye make-up or dancing with joyous unconstrained poses are portrayed in detailed artistry. Most of the sculptures show ordinary course of everyday life events like scenes of action of dancers, musicians, warriors, hunters, potters, other ordinary folks and also animals. And yes, a small percentage of it with eroticism engraved on its walls in the form of sculptures.



The erotic sculptures of Khajuraho temples can be shocking to those not prepared. Khajuraho temple art was a shock to me too, though not for the eroticism in the art, instead, for the incredible beauty in that temple art. The cliché that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder is pretty relevant here. The same object may appear different to different people. Anyway, what is indisputable is that these sculptures have gained the attention of art lovers all over the world and are often a topic of discussion to many.

Someday, I wish to write my thoughts on those "erotic" sculptures and shall, hopefully, do that when I can put my feelings on this matter into meaningful words. For now, I am highly impressed with the temple art there. Though I have admired intricate temple art in quite a few places in India, I can confidently say that what is revealed in Khajuraho surpasses all that!



Other Reflections

Khajuraho's local food is predominantly vegetarian, but non-vegetarian food is available on request. The market area has a number of hotels, restaurants, coffee shops and some good souvenir shops selling a variety of local handicrafts, books, and many other interesting items, all reasonably priced. December, when I travelled, is a pleasant month to be in Khajuraho.


There is a folk and tribal dance festival called Lokranjan held in the second week of December every year but I missed it by a few days. There is also another Dance Festival held in late February every year. From the details I've gathered on it, I'd recommend it to those who wish to travel there to include it in their itinerary. I wish someone had informed me about this before I travelled to Khajuraho. Can you imagine dance performances presented in a surreal setting of gorgeously illuminated temples? I can not think of another venue that could be more befitting than these temple grounds to witness a cultural festivity of that magnitude.

Sound and Light Show

That evening at 6:30 pm, I attended the Light and Sound Show held at the garden grounds of the Western temple group. It was a visual treat that lasted for almost an hour and it elicited the life and times of the Chandela kings. The Show details the construction, history and importance of the splendid Khajuraho temples from the tenth century to the present times. As at the Gwalior Fort, Amitabh Bachchan does the narration with his deep baritone voice.



Other Attractions of Khajuraho

Khajuraho has other interesting places to offer like the Ajaygarh Fort, the Kalinjar Fort, Dhubela Museum for those who are interested in the regal and cultural splendour of the place. There are picturesque waterfalls, lakes, rock formations, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and other charming spots for nature and wild life enthusiasts. Some of the places of interest that I enjoyed in and around Khajuraho are the Raneh Falls, the River Ken Nature Trail, the Ken Gharial Sanctuary, the Pandav Falls and Caves of Panna, and the Panna National Park and Panna Tiger Reserve.



How to reach Khajuraho

Khajuraho is accessible by road, rail and air. By road, Khajurao is approximately 620 kms southeast of Delhi, 400 kms southeast of Agra, 175 kms southwest of Jhansi, 90 kms from Alipura, 50 kms from Chattarupur, and 45 kms from Panna. By rail, Jhansi and Mahoba are the nearest station. Khajuraho has an airport of its own, with flights connecting the place from Delhi, Agra and Varanasi.

Khajuraho, Masterwork of Craftsmanship

Adinath Temple of the Southern Group of Temples

A temple of the Western Group of Temples

Doorway

This Haiku is inspired by the prompt of this week Doorway provided at One Single Impression.

Doorway of palace
Built to welcome Mughal king
Of medieval times

To commemorate
Bundel King's coronation
The Mughal arrived

Though of different faith
Their friendship knew no limits
That's commendable

May their example
Of tolerance, concordance
Teach us those virtues

Jehangir Palace is said to have been built to commemorate the arrival to Orchha of the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir, for the coronation ceremony of the Hindu Bundela King, Raja Bir Singh Deo. More details can be found in my post titled An Evening in the Medieval Town of Orchha where this picture was published under My Memoirs.