Monuments of Jodhpur – a photo feature

The old city of Jodhpur is drenched in shades of blue. There are monuments everywhere.

Old town of Jodhpur

From the towering Mehrangarh Fort to the majestic Unmaid Bhavan Palace to the sober Jaswant Thada, every part of Jodhpur is historic.

Umaid Bhavan Palace Jodhpur

I enter lanes and bylanes filled with markets and temples, where people munch into samosas and bhajjis in this namkeen capital and finally find my autodriver, Habib waiting for me . I hop on and he takes me on a literally roller coaster bumpy ride around the old town, as we head out to see some monuments, besides the Mehrangarh.

Imposing fort of Mehrangarh

For most tourists, a visit to Jodhpur begins and ends with the towering Citadel of the Sun, the Mehrangarh Fort that was built in the 15thcentury and is the symbol of Jodhpur, founded by the king, Rao Jodha, of the Rathore clan.

Rao Jodha Park

However the entire city is littered with monuments and sites that are usually ignored. Take for instance, the Rao Jodha Park, a desert rock park that was created a few years ago at the foot of the Mehrangarh. Even the entrance to this 70 acres park looks magnificent. The park was carved out of wilderness to preserve the natural heritage and it gives an introduction to the flora and fauna of desert life.

Jaswant Thada

We drove a little distance from the  Mehrangarh, crossed a placid lake in the rocky environs to see this marvel in white – Jaswant Thada. A memorial built for King Jaswant 11 by his son,  Sardar Singh in the 19th century, Jaswant Thada, stands silently shrouded by trees and surrounded by gardens.

Cenotaphs in Jaswant Thada

There are a few tombs scattered around, but the monument is bereft of locals and tourists. A pair of lovers disappear into the bushes while a couple of foreigners pose against the white dome . I sit quietly and take in the landscape surrounding it.

Ruins of Mandore

We leave Jaswant Thada in the quest of more cenotaphs and head to the ancient capital of the Rathore clan before Jodhpur. We are on the way to Mandore . Home to forts and memorials, temples and tombs, it is hardly on the tourist map.

Teerthams of Rameshwaram

The ocean parts ways as the road takes us to a small temple. It is a  cloudy day and the seas look grey and a bit wild. The road ends at a temple which seems renovated. We climb some steps and look out through the arches at the sea. . I am standing in the temple where Rama ‘s “padam” or footprints are placed on a chakra and it is the highest point in Rameshwaram.

The ocean at Rameshwaram

Another flight of steps takes me to the terrace. Standing atop the shrine, I look around at the entire scenery around me. It takes a moment to sink in. I am in one of the most spiritual and mystical lands in South India, the setting of a legendary epic. This is where Rama and his army built a bridge across the oceans to Srilanka to defeat Ravana .

I look out to see the sea stretching out in the horizon bordered by the greenery and somewhere in the distance lies the washed away town of Dhanushkodi and even beyond that is Srilanka. A tree filled with egrets distracts me .

The view of the oceans

Rameshwaram is many things to many people. A mythical and a mystical destination, it is the setting of the grand epic, Ramayana which pervades the entire landscape. The gods and their stories come alive in every corner of the town.  And I am not just referring to the temple, but to the many tanks or wells here, referred to as Theerthams that surround the town. . It is like following in the footsteps of Rama’s journey as every drop of water here has a story to narrate.

Yousmarg or the Meadow of Jesus in Kashmir

Snow clad mountains laced with alpine forests greet us and the road takes us towards fresh pastures. The conifers stand as sentinels watching over every tourist entering the valley. And I stand there, drenched in rain,  surrounded by acres of lush meadows. After feasting on pristine white snow at Sonmarg and Gulmarg, my eyes are getting used to the fifty shades of green spanned out in front of me.

Hiking through the woods

I am in Yusmarg or Yousmarg, one of Kashmir’s less frequented tourist haunts, located barely a couple of hours from Srinagar in the Badgam District The pony wallahs gather around me in an instant, insisting that I ride a horse  than hike in the forest as the terrain is slushy . I give in to their persuasion and soon my horse and I are trotting along the meadows led by his owner, who is my guide.

Meadows of Yousmarg

The woods beckon us.  A red billed blue magpie flies past me. The rain paints the forests with a fresh coat of paint and I drink in the silence.  It is believed that Jesus Christ lived here for a while and hence Yousmarg is referred  to as the meadows of Jesus. My guide shrugs nonchalantly when I ask him about it.

Soon we are joined by another group of tourists.  We plan to head to Doodhganga, the river flowing through the forests, but trees like giant pillars lie fallen on the path. The horses stop for a moment and then continue, heading downhill as I move my body forward, so that it can carry my body weight. There is absolute silence, but for the pitter patter and the occasional neighing from the horses, as if they are having a conversation on the weather.

A little stream in the woods

The guide tells me that on a bright sunny day, one could go to the frozen lake, about 10 kms from Yousmarg . Another hiking route could take us to Tosa Maidan, a meadow surrounded by alpine forests. But for now, we had to be content with the four km ride to the little stream, Nilnag,  that snakes through the pine trees.

Stopping by woods on a rainy evening

The horses suddenly start to trot faster,  as we can hear the gushing stream . In a moment we are there.  The pine trees converge around us. The stream gurgles along. The horses head out to refresh themselves as we sit down by the bank and take in the scene. Finally the rains tumble down heavily again prompting us to return.

Lush meadows surrounded by alpine forests

A carpet of snow at Sonmarg, Kashmir, India

Bubli was standing alone in a little patch of green, looking absolutely disinterested in the crowd that had just gathered around her. She was probably missing her Bunty. In a region where every grove, forest, glacier and valley has been immortalised by every actor known to Bollywood, it came as no surprise to me that the ponies would also take the names of Bunty and Bubli. I was one of those standing around her, while she was being cajoled to take me on a ride to the Thajiwas glacier in Sonmarg in Kashmir. But she seemed more interested in grazing in the meadows than carrying me up the hills.

Glacier at Sonmarg

I stood there for as long as I can mesmerised by the meadows. The green was all consuming. There were no dark and mysterious woods here, no whispering streams, no winding paths uphill- just a never ending carpet of soft silky grass, that I wished I could run here barefoot forever . But here I was clad in an ill-fitting pair of boots waiting for Bubli to oblige while she refused to leave her favourite patch of green and trudge up the hills.

Trudging up to the glacier

The sky suddenly cleared.  On a rather rare note, the sun glided right behind the clouds, giving it a golden rim. I welcomed the warmth. It was my second day in Kashmir and I was seeing the sun for the first time here. The sun pierced through the mists and Kashmir suddenly unveiled herself to me. I remembered Nehru’s words, “Like some supremely beautiful woman, whose beauty is almost impersonal and above human desire, such was Kashmir in all its feminine beauty of river and valley and lake and graceful trees. And then another aspect of this magic beauty would come into view, a masculine one, of hard mountains and precipices, and snow-capped peaks and glaciers, and cruel and fierce torrents rushing to the valleys below. It had a hundred faces and innumerable aspects, ever-changing, sometimes smiling, sometimes sad and full of sorrow …”

Going up the glacier

A bit of China in Chennai...

Madras aka Chennai has always been synonymous with the Taj Coromandel. Even as five stars and seven stars prop in and out of the city, there is always an aura around the Taj.So, when I was invited for the preview of the Claypot festival in the Golden Dragon, I could not refuse.

I am not too much of a foodie. In fact I hate to cook. What has however fascinated me is pots and pans. I am more interested in the tradition behind cooking than cooking itself   – the vessels used, the spices grounded, the methods used, the little stories and legends behind a dish . So, Chef Radi Prakash, Sous Chef – Golden Dragon, of Golden Dragon decided to make my meal interesting by telling me how “Claypot” as a concept originated in China as a meal for the family. Most family members used to eat out of one claypot or every member had a claypot for himself or herself. Rice, noodles, meat, vegetables and sauces were all cooked and served in that claypot and it was probably the Chinese version of a kichdi, but a family meal nevertheless. And the traditional clay cooking added more textures and flavours.

I started my meal with varieties of dumplings – my favourite in any Chinese meal. I can actually have a meal of dumplings. I was servedWater chestnut and cilantro dumpling,Imperial vegetable dimsum and Spicy bean Dumpling. Being a vegetarian, my claypots had a mix of mock meats, flavoured rice and tofu, but for those who like a bit of meat, there is fresh sea food and imperial duck served in their claypots.  But the most sinful experience was the dessert – Water chestnut and peanut roll with Litchi Basil seed ice cream.

So, get your taste buds ticked with some interesting flavours at the Claypot festival at the Golden Dragon at Taj. The festival is on till May 4.

Erotic sculptures in Khajuraho and Konark

Indian art and architecture has always celebrated sensuality and eroticism. Although most temples in India have their share of erotic sculptures, they are at their passionate best in the temples in Khajuraho and Konark, both of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

Erotic sculptures in Khajuraho

Lost in a world of caresses with passions running high are millions of exquisite sculptures carved on the walls of the temples here. They may be cast in stone but their emotions bring them alive.

Erotic sculptures in Konark Sun temple

Love alternates with lust as these amorous men and women are etched in a montage of erotic art.They seem unabashed as they make no attempt to cloak their feelings. Some are locked in a tight embrace, others gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes, while the rest are enacting various scenes out of the Kamasutra. And even in those private moments made public, they seem to have eyes only for their beloved.

Erotic sculptures on Khajuraho temples

There are many reasons why temples depict erotic art . Most locals however say that the underlying thought is to leave your lust behind before entering the temple, which is probably why these sculptures do not show the Gods and goddesses in intimate moments. Neverthess these sculptures are odes to pristine forms of passion.

More erotic art at Konark

Have you been to these temples ? What do you think prompted the sculptors tto carve these erotic sculptures ? Do let me know your thoughts..