Wonders of Badami and Hampi

-The extinguished glories

 History is intangible. It is about battles fought long ago, golden ages,...the turning points of history –and many such things, but for a layman all these could as well be just fiction. But it's a different matter when you are face to face with the actual remains of history- like the ruins of ancient cities, antique artefacts in museums or old inscriptions carved in stone. History then suddenly becomes real and throbs with life. This precisely is what happened when we recently visited Aihole, Badami, Pattadkal and Hampi- all in the South Indian state of Karnataka. The first three are the ancient sites connected with the empire of Badami Chalukyas and the last one, of course, was the capital of Vijayanagara Empire.

 Badami Chalukyas ruled between 5^th and 8^th centuries and the most famous of them all was Pulikeshi the Second, who reigned during the years 610-642, (about the time of Prophet Mohammed in Arabia). The name Pulikeshi instantly brings to mind his contemporary in North India--the equally well known Harshavardhana, the valiant and wise emperor. When Harshavardhana sought to extend his empire in the South, it was Pulikeshi II who delivered a crushing defeat to him on the banks of Narmada. It was a North-South face off when the South won hands down. (Okay- this was just to spruce up this article, and not to create North-South controversy India!)

 During the heydays of the Chalukya Empire, it spread from Kaveri in the Southright up to Narmada in the North, and from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. Hence, it encompassed the present day Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, as also good parts of Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. In fact the Chalukya-Poet-King-Nripatunga (800-870 AD) boasted in one of his works that his  empire spread from Kaveri to Godavari. 

 Having read about the greatness and grandeur of the Badami Chalukyas, we were utterly disappointed to see the decrepit state of the present-day Badami town, which is the head quarter of Badami Taluk.  The streets are narrow, dusty, crowded and chaotic, with pigs given unfettered rights to roam and forage. But there is a good three star hotel occupied mostly by foreigners who apparently brave all the inconveniences of this typical Indian town just to savour the ancient art of India.

 Badami Chalukyas had Aihole as their capital to begin with, and later they moved to Badami. Pattadkal (‘patta’ in Kannada loosely means throne) was where the Chalukya emperors traditionally had their coronation. All these places in and around Badami, which is in the district of Bagalkot, have many stone-temples of that period. However, there are no surviving palaces or other secular buildings- perhaps because such buildings were still being built of wood and would have succumbed to the ravages of time long ago.

 Badami Chalukyas were great patrons of art and took particular interest in temple architecture and sculpture. It is said that there was a university here for architecture in those days, to which architects from all over India came to learn and hone their art. What sets these three places apart from other places known for temples in India is the sheer number of them, as also the proliferation, exuberance and innovation of styles found in these temples. Virtually, no two temples are alike. It does look that some of the temples, at least the small ones, were actually experimental projects offered by the students for the final exam, just as present day students of architecture have to do. Aihole has many such small temples with an astounding array of innovative designs and architecture.

 The larger temples were by built by kings themselves or their courtiers often in memory of some loved one, or to propitiate a particular deity, and these are the grand structures with great many beautiful carvings and sculptures.  Some of these are in Aihole, like the Durga temple, two storied Buddha Chaitralaya and Meguti Jinalaya. The Durga temple stands out with its unique architecture, delicate carvings and wonderful sculptures.

 

                     The uniquely curved and columned rear of the Durga Temple in Aihole

 

The Meguti Jinalaya, on the other hand is known for a very famous and historically significant inscription carved on its stone wall, detailing many major events connected with a succession of Chalukya kings.  Unlike many old inscriptions found in India, its date is mentioned - 634 AD. This Jain temple was built by Ravikeerti, who was a general in the army of Pulikeshi II. He was also a poet, a patron of art, a devotee of Jina and perhaps an historian too. The inscription is in Ravikeerti’s own words. The versatility of this multifaceted warrior is quite impressive.
 

 

 The Meguti Jinalaya in Aihole famous for the historic inscription by Ravikeerti.

 

 

 

                                    Sculptured exterior of a typical temple in Aihole

 

Statue of Mahisha-Mardhini in an Aihole temple

 

India’s famed religious tolerance was in full play here, with Shaiva, Vaishnava, Jain and Buddhist places of worship existing side by side, which shows that all religions were treated equally by the royalty. We should not forget that these religions, now being treated almost as one, were not treated so then. There was no ‘Hinduism’ yet and Christianity and Islam were yet to arrive. Hence, the differences among these indigenous   religions were perceived to be quite substantial in relative terms. There indeed was rivalry among the leaders of these religions and attempts were frequently made to ‘convert’ people, including the kings- to obtain better royal patronage. The Badami Chalukyas did ‘convert’ but all the same dealt with all the religions in even handed manner.

 Aihole’s temples are spread over a large area and the upkeep of the temples is not quite satisfactory, especially since some temples are being occupied by squatters. Incidentally, before the British arrived, almost all temples were encroached and many families made them their home, and some temples were even partitioned among the ‘heirs’. The British, and later the India government, systematically freed the temples one by one, and the process is still going on.  We have to thank the British for saving our temples from our own people.

 In contrast to Aihole, almost all temples of Pattadkal are clustered in a small area, isolated from the human habitats in a separated area with manicured lawns and well maintained pathways and are kept in reasonably good repair.

 

 

                 Temples of different styles in Pattadkal, all lined up as if for a competition

 Because of the way the temples, as also the surroundings are maintained, and the inherent importance of the temples, Pattadkal has obtained the coveted UN recognition as a world heritage site. The temples here are constructed in many variations of both North Indian as well as South Indian (including Pallava) styles. In fact, it is said that all these styles were conceived, improvised and perfected here. So, these temples were precursors of great temples which were built later all over India.

 

 

                                                A Pallava style temple in Pattadkal

 

The temples of Badami, unlike those of Aihole or Pattadkal , are cave temples, carved out of natural rock formations. The sculptors of those days must have been extraordinarily skilled, not only to carve a temple in the rock, but also to create breathtakingly beautiful sculptures you see inside them.

  

Exterior view of a rock-cut cave temple in Badami

 

 

                               The statue of Nataraja -the dancing Shiva- in a cave temple in Badami: the dance movement is almost palpable.

 

            Statue of Vishnu seated on the coiled Shesha in a Badami cave temple

             (Normally he is depicted in reclining position on his serpent bed)   

 

After Badami, we went to see Hampi, which is close to the modern town of Hospet, -also known for the nearby Vijaya Nagar Steel Plant.

 Hampi, then known as Vijayanagara, was the capital of the mighty Vijaya Nagara Empire which was founded around 1340 AD by two warrior brothers known as Hukka and Bukka (They were among the 5 sons of the warrior Sangama).  They were inspired to found a kingdom, and eventually an empire, by their spiritual guru Vidyaranya, much like Chandragupta was inspired by Chanakya to found the Mauryan Empire about 1600 years earlier to that. Circumstances were also similar. The Greeks then were threatening India’s freedom, culture and the way of life. This time, it was the Muslim invaders from Afghanistan and beyond, who, by then, had got entrenched in India, dividing it among them after scattering the Hindu kings to the fringes. It was the Vijayanagara kings who consolidated Hindu power to counter the Muslim threat. Their emblem was the wild boar, same as that of Chalukyas, who presumably inspired them, and whose glorious traditions they thought they were continuing. It is said that, later on, the Marathas lead by Shivaji, in turn got the inspiration from Vijaya Nagara Empire to preserve the Hindu culture by countering the Muslim power and influence. But despite their passion to preserve the ancient Indian culture, the Vijayanagara kings were tolerant towards other religions including Islam, amply proved by the fact that they had Muslim regiments in their army.

Art, commerce and literature flourished greatly in the powerful and prosperous Vijaya Nagara Empire, as has been reported by many contemporary foreign travellers. The Empire reached its zenith during the rein of Tuluva king Krishnadevaraya. Shortly afterwards, under the rule of his son-in-law, Aliya Ramaraya, the Empire suddenly collapsed in 1565 AD when the combined forces of the surrounding Muslim kingdoms delivered it a mortal blow. Vijayanagara was sacked and plundered most comprehensively and left in ruins. Subsequently known as Hampi, it is spread over a large area and still manages to connect with its former glory. It contains the ruins of many temples, palaces, a royal pool, aqua-ducts, gateways, roadways, a grand dais ‘Navami Dibba’ (from where the kings watched the victory parades or festivities) elephant stables, a large sized statue of Narasimha and many such structures. Among them, the magnificent temple of Virupaksha (Shiva) alone stands in remarkably good condition. This temple contains halls with beautifully carved stone pillars, exquisite ceiling paintings, a stone inscription of Krishnadevaraya himself and spacious courtyards.

 

 

                        The colonnaded halls and ‘gopura’s of the magnificent Virupaksha Temple complex

 

 

Lotus Mahal, the summer quarters of court ladies, with innovative water cooling system

 

 

The story of Ramayana, carved in bass relief panels, on the stone walls of Hazara  (thousand)     Rama Temple. 

 

 

                           Bass relief panel showing bashful foreign horse traders in the royal court

 
 

 
                                  Stone inscription of Krishnadevaraya in Virupaksha Temple

 

 

 

One of the many exquisite paintings in the ceiling of Virupaksha Temple

 

                                     A beautiful bass relief of a graceful hunter woman

 

 

The stone chariot in the courtyard of the Vijaya Vittala Temple (its wheels used to rotate, but now jammed to prevent misuse)
 

 

 

 

The well known ‘musical pillars’ of Vijaya Vittala temple which produce musical notes when struck (visitors are no longer allowed to touch these pillars now)

  

 

The elephant stables
 

 

 

The big, iconic Narasimha statue

 

When we were finished with Hampi ruins, we felt absolutely disconsolate about the extinguished glory of the Vijaya Nagara Empire. How wonderful it would have been, if Hampi had been spared of all that wanton destruction. In fact, in the nearby Bijapura, which was a contemporary of Vijayanagara, the many architectural wonders like the famous Gol-Gumbaz, still stand almost in their pristine glory. If Hampi had the same luck, it could well have been one of the most wonderful sights in the world. As it is, it attracts a very large number of domestic visitors and hordes of foreigners as a UNESCO designated World-heritage. 

 

                                      ________________________________________

Sunderban and the Elusive Bengal Tigers

 

When we set out for Sunderban from Kolkata--about four hours' journey-we, luckily, had no delusions about spotting any Bengal tiger there; otherwise, we too would have been bitterly disappointed like the two friendly Italians with us, who carried an arms-length zoom-lens to capture  the Bengal tigers that were expected to saunter into view in the Sunderban. 

 

Our very low expectations helped us enjoy, without any distraction, the unique sights of Sunderban and observe with interest the lives of those who live in that watery area.

 

Going by car to Godkhali port, we were ferried across the River Matla by a motor-launch to reach Gosaba island, the last inhabited island before the Sunderban's protected area.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         At the Godkhali ferry

 

 

Riding a  cycle-cart, we traversed the Gosaba island, passing many pretty villages on the way, to reach Pakhiraly, a village by the edge of the great Sunderban delta-region and close to the River Gomti, and checked into a 'resort' of some sorts . 

 

 

 

  Picturesque villages that flank the road in the Gosaba island on the way to Sunderban. Practically every house seems to have a pond.  Apparently,  life in Bengal revolves around water in its many forms  -be it a  humble pond or the River Ganga itself.   

 

 

Soon we set out on an outing in a boat on the Gomti river just as the day was coming to an end.

 

From the bustle and cacophony of Kolkata, we now suddenly found ourselves in  a quiet watery land of great expanse and beauty.  

 

 

 

We watched as the sun went down and a wondrous peace settled on the land. We felt as if we were all alone at the threshold of an ethereal other world.  

 

 

 

Sunset at Sunderban

 

 

 

The birds looked as if they were in deep contemplation  while the sun went down and a profound tranquillity set in. 

 

 

 Next day we spent most of our time on a boat, leisurely observing the beautiful and unique landscape in its different moods--from its hushed dawn to the blazing noon and its final dissolution into a tranquil dusk.      

 

As regards the sighting of any of the famed Bengal tigers said to be roaming the jungles of Sunderban --less said the better. In case we did have any lingering hope of seeing a tiger, it was effectively dispelled as soon as we had boarded our boat on the previous day...it made such an infernal racket that all  the tigers in proper mind would have bolted from the entire region. It was like carrying a loud warning for the tigers to vacate the area hours before our arrival.

 

When our Italian fellow traveller, curious to gauge the possibility of seeing a tiger, asked us, if we, from the land of tigers, had ever seen a tiger, we said enthusiastically,  'of course, many' but quickly added ...'but not in the wild'. This didn't go well with him. Well, we had no tiger-stories to tell him; but we did get to hear some eventually, nevertheless.  

 

The boatmen told us that the only chance of seeing a tiger was when it swam across a river to move from one island to another. Just one in a hundred or so visitors gets to see a tiger, according to him. He said that many a time those who spend days seeking the tiger return disappointed while some who had come for a half-day- quick -visit get lucky and spot the majestic animal in its leisurely mood.

 

 

 

 

It is said that thickets of 'hantal' palms with fronds that resemble the tiger's orange & yellow stripes provide an excellent camouflage for the tigers to lurk and from which to attack their prey.  So they are the tiger's favourite haunt. 

 

The boatman told us how people are attacked and eaten by tigers regularly in that area.... the honey collectors particularly,  since they venture deep into the forest. The tigers follow their victim very, very silently and suddenly attack them from behind, going for the back of the victim's neck. In fact, the honey-collectors wear a human mask --not covering their face but  the back of their head  so that when a tiger comes behind them, it would stare at a human 'face' and back off. He also said how a tiger shrinks its body to a fraction of its normal size, and then suddenly, stretches it to an enormous length as it pounces on its human prey. The men who pursue the other major occupation of that area--fishing--are also vulnerable, he said, since the tigers would sometimes jump into the fishing boat as it neared the bank to quickly grab a victim and swim away.  

 

 

 

A beautiful stream from the interior of the jungle joins the main river. Many such delta-canals crisscross the wet land, forming the many islands of Sunderban.  

 

 

 

Young Sundari trees line the river bank like graceful ballet dancers.

The commonest of the trees that populate the Sunderban islands, they virtually anchor the  islands with their strong and extensive roots that go deep into the soil.

 

 

 

A tourist boat cruising one of the many rivers and canals which crisscross Sunderban

 

A colourful floating home on the Gomti river.

 

Edging for a closer look.

Wide, muddy banks are the result of sedimentation. Crocodiles are said to bask in the sun on such river banks during winter. 

  

  

A leisurely look-

-view from our boat as it floats down the river languidly in the hot afternoon:

 

 

 

 A fishing boat in the fading light of the day. 

 

 

 

Sunderban forests of thick mangroves seemingly float on water.  

 

 Close up of a canal that emerges from the mangrove forest to join the river, crossing its  muddy bank .

 

 As the sun rose to the zenith, heat started building up and by afternoon it became unbearable, compounded by the glare of the sun and the diesel fumes from the boat's exhaust. We wished these homemade boats had some kind of exhaust chimneys to let off the obnoxious fumes above the roof, sparing their occupants. We thought winter would have been a better time to visit Sunderban --than the beginning of summer that we had chosen.  

 

 The frustration of seeing no sign of a tiger had made the Italians stop clicking long ago. They asked the boatman plaintively if they could expect to spot some crocs at least. They were told that the best time for that would be winter when the crocs lie on the river bank to bask in the sun. Thereafter, the remarkable landscape all around failed to enthuse the Italians and they lapsed into drinking bear and lazing around. This mood slowly spread to us. Soon all of us were tired of the heat, the diesel fumes and the blinding glare, and wished we could be back in Kolkata to the comfort of our hotel room. The Italians asked us anxiously if we wanted to spend more time cruising the river as had been planned. Sensing the mood, we said we were ready to quit.  

 

With that unanimous decision, our boat headed towards Godkhali where we were to be picked up by a car. As our slow boat cruised the evening river, we saw people heading home in crowded motor-boats after the day's work.  

 

 


                       For people who live in Sunderban, boat is like a lifeline to the outside world