FORMULA 1 RACE IN INDIA

FORMULA 1 RACE AT NOIDA. 30TH OCTOBER, 2011


Till 2010, India had only two permanent car raceways, one in Chennai (Irungattukottai), and Kari Memorial Speedway in Coimbatore.

Since 2003 efforts were being made to have raceways at Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. All were given up for one reason or the other. Finally in 2007 Bernie Ecclestone the FIA chief announced that, it was decided to construct one circuit at Noida near Delhi. This was to be named as BUDH INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT and the race first scheduled for 2008 was postponed to 2011. The Indian F1 Race will occur as the 17th round of the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The track called Buddh International Circuit is in Greater Noida, 44 km from Delhi. The circuit, designed by F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke, is 5.141 kilometers (3.194 miles) long. The track is spread across an area of 875 acres. The initial seating capacity is speculated to be around 150,000. However there are plans to increase the seating capacity to 200,000 later on. The sprawling circuit is a part of Jaypee Green Sports city and will also be used for hosting one or more rounds of Moto GP championships in the year 2012. The 10-year contract for the race has been given to the Indian construction company Jaiprakash Associates.

An excellent express way connecting Delhi to Budh international Circuit was ready. Paid parking in two tiers was arranged near the circuit. Free parking space was available in Knowledge City, which is about 8 kms. from the venue. Free shuttle services were arranged for visitors from Knowledge city to the Venue.

Knowledge City gets its name from the large number of educational institutions in the area. Gautam Budh University and Golgotia University are two of the largest. Golgotia university sent 800 students and faculty as volunteers to work on the programme.

The huge scale of construction becomes apparent once you near the venue. The complex is a huge civil engineering structure, at one stage 6500 personnel and a vast fleet of earth moving equipment were working.

Five 747-400F jets were flown into Delhi with the 24 F1 cars onboard. The total weight of the air-cargo was 600 tonnes. Another 900 tonnes of cargo, including 30,000 Litres of high octane petrol was shipped in via sea.

Around the track there are fifteen stands, the Main Grand stand being the most valued and accommodating 20000 people (Rs. 35,000 per head). There are two picnic stands, where visitors enjoy sitting in small tents and the atmosphere is that of a picnic.(see photo)

The track in all has 16 largely medium speed corners where F1 cars lap at an average speed of 210 km/h. At 1060 metres, the circuit's main straight is among the longest in Formula One and lets cars reach 320 km/h making it one of the fastest tracks in the world. The expected F1 car lap time is 1 minute 27 seconds.

The pit lane is over 600 metres in length. The pits were exactly opposite the Main Grand Stand. The pit is the place the cars are attended to during the race. A perfectly synchronized, millimeter perfect, choreographed Pit stop is team work at its best. The precisely timed pit stop is vital if a team’s racing strategy is to be successful. The pit crew consists of nearly 20 people. It takes about 20 seconds from the time the driver enters the pit lane and he rejoins the main track. However the time the car is stationary is just 3 seconds some times. Just imagine all four wheels being changed and minor defects in the car rectified in 3 seconds. It is to be seen to believe. We were lucky to watch this as we were just opposite the pit lane.

Practice runs were made on Friday 28th October and qualifying races were held on Saturday, the 29th October to decide the grid positions. Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time and took pole position.

Michael Schumacher was impeded on his final lap by India’s Narain Karthikeyan, who later received a five-place penalty for the infringement. Twenty four cars qualified for the race and Karikeyan was in 17th position after the penalty.

The main race is of 60 laps totaling to 308.22 Kms.

On 30 October 2011, the first F1 Grand Prix was held at the circuit.

Initially, two support races called the Delhi Champonship with MRF of 1600 cc cars and JK Racing India series of 10 laps each were also held. These races gave us an idea as to what the actual Formula 1 will be.

Before the Main race, a minute's silence was held in memory of IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon and MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli, who died in accidents over the previous two weekends.

A group of girls carrying flags of all 24 participating cars came on to the track and stood in respective grid positions based on the qualifying times of the drivers. The cars took off one by one from the pits, made one lap and stood in their respective grid positions.

The race was flagged off by Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar.

On the main straight, which is parallel to the Main Grand Stand (between points 16 and 1 on the track drawing), the cars reach nearly 300 kmph and in spite of wearing ear plugs the noise is deafening. The cars speed past you before you notice it. At the curves the speed is reduced suddenly to nearly 100kmph. The strain on the engine is terrific, which you can judge from the noise of braking. We had an excellent view of the main straight and two curves at the end. It was an exciting experience to see the handling of the cars and maneuvering especially when they try to overtake each other.

Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull led from the pole position and comfortably won the event, his 11th of the season. He also had the fastest lap of the race on his last lap. Jenson Button of McLaren-Mercedes finished second and Fernando Alonso of Scuderia Ferrari finished third.

The only Indian F1 driver Narain Kartikeyan of HRT F1 finished 17th position. The only Indian F1 Team Sahara Force India driver Adrian Sutil finished at 9th position. Five cars had to retire due to mishaps and engine problems.

Stalls were put up in the area outside the galleries, for food and race merchandise. Since no food or water was permitted in the galleries, they were absolutely clean. The race merchandise were unbelievably costly, a Red Bull T –shirt was costing around Rs.6000.

While everything was perfect and went off like clockwork, the organizers did not think of the problems of traffic once the show is over. Before the event started vehicles/public started coming to the venue from 9 am. The crowd was thus distributed from then on till 3 pm., when the actual race started. However once the show was over tens of thousands of people and cars and buses tried to get out of the place simultaneously, causing huge traffic hold ups. We were stuck in a shuttle bus for more than an hour. Luckily temperature was rather low and people tolerated it. I hope before the next event this issue would be taken care of.

Watching the first Formula 1 race in India was a memorable experience.

NEPAL

NEPAL

Nepal is the only Hindu kingdom in the world and has innumerable temples depicting the religious life of the residents. Even though the majority of the population is Hindu, a substantial number of Budhists also live in the country.

• KATHMANDU(KANTIPUR)

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is situated at about 1400M altitude in a bowl shaped valley surrounded by four major hills. Seven rivers flow through the city. The city was originally known as Kantipur (the abode of Lakshmi).Some claim that the name came from Kashta Mandap (wooden structure), a three storeyed temple built in pagoda style in sixteenth century, dedicated to Gorakhnath. The structure is made entirely of wood, using no iron nails.
The three most important religious places in Kathmandu are the Pashupatinath, Boudhanath and Swayabhunath, in addition to the temple of Goddess Taleju (See my article on KumariDevi for further information on Taleju).

1. PASHUPATHINATH TEMPLEPashupathinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, said to have been built in the fifth century in richly ornamented Pagoda style. This was mostly destroyed by Mughal invaders in 14th century. The present structure was built in 19th century by Dharma Dutta of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. However the original Shivling and Nandi still exist. The priests who perform the services at this temple have been Brahmins from South India since the time of Malla King Yaksha Malla. This tradition is believed to have been started at the request of Adi Shankaracharya. The temple is a square, two-tiered in pagoda style, built on a single-tier plinth, and stands 23.6 meters above the ground with richly ornamented gilt and silver-plated doors on all sides. The Bagmati River runs next to Pashaputinath Temple. The banks are lined with many ghats (bathing spots) for use by pilgrims.

2. BOUDHANATH TEMPLEThis temple is located about 10 kms from Kathmandu and is the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around. The original Bouddhanath is said to have been built just after the demise of Lord Budha. However the one in existance seems to have been built in the 15th century after the Mughal invasion.
The base of the stupa has 108 small depictions of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha and is surrounded with a brick wall with 147 niches, each with four or five prayer wheels engraved with the mantra, om mani padme hum. At the northern entrance where visitors must pass is a shrine dedicated to the goddess of smallpox, Ajima. Thousands of prayer flags are hoisted up from the top of the stupa downwards and dot the parameters of the complex.

3. SWAYAMBHUNATH TEMPLEThis was built in the fifth century and is revered by both Hindus and Budhists.
The stupa consists of a dome at the base. Above the dome, there is a cubical structure present with eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions with the word "unity" in the main Nepali dialect between them. There are pentagonalToran present above each of the four sides with statues engraved in them. Behind and above the torana there are thirteen tiers. Above all the tiers, there is a small space over which the Gajur is present.

4. DURBAR SQUAREThis is situated in the old part of Kathmandu and is literally full of temples. The area is divided into two quadrangles. The outer quadrangle has the Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar(see my article on KumariDei) and Shiva-Parvati Temple while the inner quadrangle has the Hanuman dhoka and the main palace.

• BUDGAON(BHAKTAPUR)

DURBAR SQUARE
Durbar Square is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara-style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. The golden effigies of kings perched on the top of stone monoliths, the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries, the wood carvings in every place-struts, lintels, uprights, tympanums, gateways and windows-all seem to form a well-orchestrated symphony. The main items of interest in the Durbar Square are:
1. The Lion Gate :
Dating as far back as 1696 A.D., this gate is guarded on either side by two huge statues of lions. Alongside, there are two stone images of Bhairav (the dreadful aspect of Shiva) and Ugrachandi (the consort of Shiva in her fearful manifestation).

2. The Golden Gate :
The Golden Gate is said to be the most beautiful and richly moulded specimen of its kind in the entire world. The door is surmounted by a figure of the goddess Kali and Garuda (the mythical man-bird) and attended by two heavenly nymphs. It is also embellished with mythical creatures of marvellous intricacy. It is placed like a jewel, flashing innumerable facets in the handsome setting of its surroundings. The gate was erected by King Ranjit Malla and is the entrance of the main courtyard of the Palace of Fifty-five Windows.

3. The Palace of Fifty-five Windows :
This magnificent palace was built during the reign of King Yakshya Malla in A.D. 1427 and was subsequently remodelled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the seventeenth century. Among the brick walls with their gracious settings and sculptural design, is a balcony with Fifty-five Windows, considered to be a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.

4. The Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla:
This statue showing King Bhupatindra Malla in the act of worship is set on a column facing the palace. Of the square's many statues, this is considered to be the most magnificent.

• PATAN ( LALIT PUR)

Patan is presently called Lalit Pur.
Lalitpur is on the Baghmati River, in the Kathmandu Valley, just south of Kathmandu.
The site of Lalitpur is very old, having parts of ancient walls and Hindu temples dating from the 3rd century BC and Buddhist temples of the 15th and 16th centuries. Founded about AD 650, Lalitpur was the capital of the traditional first king of Nepal. During the Middle Ages the area was alternately an independent Newar kingdom or subservient to Kathmandu or Bhaktapur, until the Shah dynasty conquered it in 1768.

1. DURBAR SQUAREThis whole square is a cluster of fine pagoda temples and stone statues; it is at the same time the business hub of the city. At every step one comes across a piece of art or an image of a deity, testifying to the consummate skill of Patan's anonymous artists. The ancient palace of the Malla kings and the stone baths associated with various legends and episodes of history are especially interesting to visitors. The stone temple of Lord Krishna and the Royal Bath (Tushahity) with its intricate stone and bronze carvings are two other masterpieces in the same vicinity.

2. ASHOKA STUPAS
Popularly believed, though not proven without doubt to have been built by Ashoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, these stupas stand at four different corners of Patan, giving the whole city a monastic character. All these Buddhist mounds were built in 250 A.D.at the time when Buddhism was making headway in the Kathmandu Valley.








Bhaktapur earlier known as Budgaon is a UNESCO World heritage site. Bhaktapur was built by King Anand Dev in 889 A.D.

KUMARIDEVI, NEPAL

THE LIVING GODDESS OF NEPAL
Kumari Devi & the Indra Jatra Festival
The Himalayan Hindu Kingdom of Nepal is not only the land of many mountain peaks, but also of many gods and goddesses, unique among all of them being the living, breathing goddess – Kumari Devi, a deified young girl.
The custom of worshipping a pre-pubescent girl, who is not a born goddess, as the source of supreme power is an old Hindu-Buddhist tradition that still continues to this day in Nepal.
The story goes like this. Jaya Prakash Malla was the King of Malla Dynasty. According to myth, he was playing every night Tripasa (a kind of dice game) with the Goddess Taleju. The Goddess used to come every night to play with him with a condition that he would never reveal this secret to anyone. One day the Queen came searching for the King and saw him playing with the Goddess. When the Goddess saw the Queen, she was very angry. She told the King that if he wanted her to come back and protect his country then he would need to go in a search of a virgin in the Newari community in whom she would reincarnate herself and save the country. It is believed that the King went in search of a virgin girl in the Newari Community and the tradition of Kumari thus started.
Choosing the Living Goddess
Selection of the Kumari, who is entitled to sit on the pedestal for worship as the Living Goddess is an elaborate affair. According to the traditions of Vajrayana sect of Mahayana Buddhism, girls in the age-group of 4-7 year, who belong to the Sakya community, and have an ‘appropriate’ horoscope are screened on the basis of their 32 attributes of perfection, including color of eyes, shape of teeth and even voice quality. They are then are taken to meet the deities in a dark room, where terrifying tantrik rituals are performed. The sight of the Buffalo heads scattered around, the demon- like masked dancers, the terrifying noises they encounter scare some of these innocent babies. The real goddess is one who stays calm and collected throughout these trials. Other Hindu-Buddhist rituals that follow finally determine the real Kumari. The Kumari cult is distinctly evident among the Newar community in the Kathmandu Valley as she has become an inevitable feature of their worship almost in every Vihar and Bahal, including the nooks and corners of Newari settlements
Girl Becomes Goddess
After the ceremonies, the spirit of the goddess is said to enter her body. She takes on the clothing and jewelry of her predecessor, and is given the title of Kumari Devi, who is worshipped on all religious occasions. She would now live in a place called ‘Kumari Ghar’, at Kathmandu’s Hanumandhoka Palace square. The god-house, Kumari Ghar is a store-house of magnificent intricate carvings where the Living Goddess performs her daily rituals. During her tenure in the god-house, Guthi Sansthan, the government trust fund bears her entire expenses including that of her caretakers.

The Kumari Festival (Indra Jatra)
Indra Jatra is performed on the last day of rainy season(September end), to seek blessings from Indra the god of rains, so that the rains arrive next year as usual.
On Indra Jatra day the Living Goddess in all her jeweled splendor travels through the older part of Kathmandu city in a three tiered chariot accompanied by Ganesh and Bhairab for three days. It is really a grand gala in which thousands throng in and around the Kathmandu Durbar Square to pay their homage to the Living Goddess. During this festival she also blesses the King in keeping with the tradition in which the first king of the Shah dynasty, who annexed Kathmandu in 1768, received a blessing from the Living Goddess.
This is the only day on which she appears in public.
Normally, the Kumari appears for tourists through an intricately carved window at her residence in the historic square on a few occasions. But not for the past six months. Her guardians have withdrawn her from sight because of the row with the Kathmandu municipality. The whole area has been declared as “Endangered” by UNESCO and an entry fee is charged form Foreigners. There is a dispute about sharing this revenue which has lead to this impasse.

Goddess Turns Human
The Kumari’s godhood comes to an end with her first menstruation, because it is believed that on reaching puberty the Kumari turns human. However, if she turns out to be unlucky, even a minor cut or bleeding can render her invalid for worship, and the search for the new goddess has to begin.
As the reigning Kumari approaches the age of 12, the board of selectors reactivates their child-hunting network. At the first sign of menstrual blood, it's the end of the road for the present Kumari -- her days of power are gone, the spirit of Taleju has fled her body, and all that's left to do is take her back where she had come from.
This fall from grace has never been smooth, and modern thinkers suggest a sort of half-way house where ex-Kumaris can adjust to the drastic change in their circumstances. Most come away wondering why they are being penalized, and find it tough to settle down in a house where they no longer belong, with a family they hardly know. They suffer emotional scars.
Parents too have little use for a daughter who may as well have dropped into the household from another planet -- with no social skills, no experience of domesticity, no education, no prospects of catching a husband. There is a superstition that men who marry Kumaris will die soon, so Kumaris generally remain un-married.
The walls of the Kumari palace are replaced by a vast emotional wasteland and there are no doors this time, which will release them after they have served their time.
Many children will suffer similar fate, so long as financial constraints remain a factor in the poverty-stricken Shakya community. Parents willingly hand over their daughters as there is a mouth less to feed. The superstition that without them, the country is lost still retains its death grip on girls of Nepal's Hindu-Buddhist society.
“After all these years, I still cannot cross the road by myself”, says one ex Kumari whom we met during the Jatra while we were waiting for the Kumari Devi to come out of her dwelling. “I cannot relate to crowds, I shut myself out at family gatherings as I find I have nothing to say. The only time I feel some measure of security is when I'm alone. I've grown accustomed to silence.”

UJJAIN/UJJAYINI, MADHYA PRADESH

UJJAIN/UJJAYINI (MADYHA PRADESH)
Ujjain is situated about 60 Kms from Indore on the banks of River Shipra at an altitude of 1678 ft. According to Mahabharata and Skanda Purana, Ujjain city came into existence some 3000 yrs. ago.
As a great religious center, Ujjain ranks equal to Benaras, Gaya and Kanchi. Saivism, Vaishnavism and their various cults and sects, Jainism and Buddhism, have found a niche in this catholic city.
This is the city where according to tradition the exceptionally wise sovereign Vikramaditya, the patron of Kalidasa reigned, and this was where Prince Ashoka was posted to serve out his vice-regality during the Mauryan period. And this is the place where Emperor Ashoka’s son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra, were born, educated and later dispatched on their Buddhist mission to Sri Lanka.
It is believed that the prime meridian passes through Ujjain based on which Hindu Panchang timings are calculated. It is also believed that the line marking the northern limit of the sun’s apparent wintry passage across the heavens.(23 deg.11min.) passes through Ujjain. The astrologer King Jai Singh who had constructed famous observatories – constructed the Jantar Mantar here. In course of time it was recognized as a principal center of researches in astronomy and astrology. The observatory continues to be used for astronomical researches to date.
Ujjain was on the trade route joining North and South, East and West and hence was a commercial hub and was highly developed. Coins of different countries have been found in and around Ujjain which proves that the traders and pilgrims from all over the world used to visit this ancient holy city.
Ujjain is also known for its famous temples.

Mahakal Temple:

Mahakala of Ujjayini is one of the twelve celebrated Jyotirlingas in India. This Jyotirlinga is located by the Mahakal forest on the right banks of the river Shipra. The temple courtyard is dominated by the shikhara soaring into the sky. The glory of Mahakaleshwar temple has been vividly described in various Puranas. Starting with Kalidasa, many Sanskrit poets have eulogised this temple.

This temple has been renovated by successive dynasties Shunga, Kushana, Satavahana, Gupta, Parihar, Parmara and in comparatively modern period of Marathas. Altutmish pulled this temple down in 1235 A.D. Reconstruction of this temple structure was done at the instance of Ramchandra Baba Shenvi, a Subedar of Malwa under Ranoji Scindia.
Mahakaleshwar is also known as Dakshina Murti (facing South), the only one such among the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. An idol of Omkarshewar-Shiva is consecrated in the upper sanctum of this temple. Nagchandreshwar image is on the third story and is opened for darshan only on Nagpanchmi days. Mahakala is said to have been worshipped by Vikramaditya and Bhoja.

Harasiddhi Temple:

Harasiddhi temple is one of the prominent temples of Ujjayini. Seated between the idols of Mahakaleshwar and Mahasarasvati the idol of Annapurna is painted in dark vermillion.
According to Shiva-Purana, when Shiva carried away the burning body of Sati from the sacrificial fire of Daksha Prajapati, her elbow fell in this spot. Tantric tradition holds this seat as a Siddha-Pitha(Shakti pith). According to Skanda-Purana the name Harasiddhi came from the achievement of the goddess in vanquishing the demons. The folk tradition holds Harasiddhi as the family deity of the King Vikramaditya.
In the centre of this ancient Hindu temple is a rock smeared with turmeric paste and vermillion said to be the impression of the head of Vikramaditya (reigned a.d.380-415), offered to Goddess Durga on the occasion of Dusserah.
The temple has two unique pine-shaped iron lamp stands that tower to a height of 15 feet and display their brilliance after being lit. Hundreds of lamps burning simultaneously make a wondrous sight, especially on Navaratri, the nine-day festival celebrated in the month of October and dedicated to Goddess Durga.
Yet another feature of the temple is the Sri Yantra of nine triangles that represent nine forms of Durga. Sri Yantra is symbolic of the cosmos and is used for meditation.

The observatory:
This observatory was constructed by Savai Raja Jaisingh between 1725 and 1730 A.D. Similar observatories were constructed by him at four other places Delhi,Jaipur,Mathura and Varanasi.Samrat yantra, Nadivalaya yantra, Digamsha yantra and yam-yottara- Bhitti yantra are the main instruments constructed in this observatory. Motions and orbits of the planets are studied through these instruments.
This observatory was renovated by Madhav Rao Scindia then Maharaja of Gwalior state in 1923 A.D. Astronomical studies of planetary motions are still conducted in this observatory under the department of education and an ephemeris (Panchang) is published every year. In other words this is the only observatory among the observatories of Jaisingh where these instruments are even today utilised for astronomical studies.

Sandeepani Ashram:
The fact that ancient Ujjain apart from its political and religious importance, enjoyed the reputation of being a great seat of learning as early as the Mahabharata period is borne out by the fact that, Lord Krishna and Sudama received studied in the ashram of Guru Sandipani here. The area near the ashram is known as Ankapata, popularly believed to have been the place used by Lord Krishna for washing his writing tablet. The numerals 1 to 100 found on a stone are believed to have been engraved by Guru Sandipani.
Besides Mahabharata, Shrimad Bhagvata, Brahma, Agni and Brahmavaivatra bear references to Sandipani Ashram. Three thousand years old painted grey wares have been covered from this area. These bear a resemblance to the similar remains recovered ar Hastinapur, Indraprastha, Mathura, Ahichchhatra and Kaushambi.
The Gomti Kunda, next to the Ashram, mentioned in the Puranas was the source of water to the ashram in the olden days. A standing Nandi, belonging to the Shunga period is found near the tank.
The followers of Vallabha sect regard this place as the 73rd seat of the 84 seats of Vallabhacharya where he delivered his discourses throughout India.

Gadkalika:
Situated about 2 miles from the city of Ujjain, the Kalika deity in this temple is believed to have been worshipped by Kalidasa. The legend goes that he was an idiot and it is by his devotion to the goddess Kalika that he acquired great literary skills.
Images, bricks and a part of the plinth of first century B.C.the Shunga period, fourth country A.D. the Gupta period and tenth century A.D. the Parmar period, have been recovered from the basement of the temple.Emperor Harsha Vardhan got this temple renovated in the seventh century A.D. There is evidence of its further renovation in the tenth century under the Parmar Rule. The temple has been rebuilt in the modern times by the erstwhile Gwalior state

BhartrihariCaves:
These caves near the Gadkalika temple are where the great scholar poet Bhartrihari, who is said to have been the step-brother of Vikramaditya, lived and meditated after renouncing the worldly life. His famous works, Shrigarshatak, Vairagyashatak and Nitishatak are known for the exquisite use of the Sanskrit meter.Bhartrihari was a king who renounced this world when he discovered that his favorite queen pined for someone else.
According to the old belief this cave was used for the yogic practices of the King Bhartrihari. The present cave is the remains of a double storied monastery of the Parmar-period (10th century A. D.) In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries this place was associated with two important preceptors of the Nath cult Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath. The testimony of Shaivite and Bhairavi forms of worship is evident from the sculpture of this place.
The idol of Shiva wielding Khatvanga in a dancing pose shows its relationship with the Kapalikacult.

TONLE SAP, CAMBODIA

TONLE SAP,CAMBODIA
After a three day stay at Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia (now known as Kampuchea) we decided to go to Siem Reap and the Angkor Vat.
Three modes of transport were available for the trip.
BY ROAD:
Buses are excellent with toilet facilities and a short stop on the way.It takes about 6 to 7 hours. Very Cheap about 6$ per head. Taxis also run but are expensive and not very comfortable. Full taxi cost about 45$ and will carry four persons and will take about 4 to 5 hours. Negotiation is necessary. The more daring hire motorcycles for the trip. Time is at your disposal.
BY BOAT:
Distance from Phnom Phen to Sisowath Quay (jetty) for taking a ferry is about 10 kms. For most of the year (July - March) daily ferries ply the Tonle Sap River and Lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The end of the trip is marked by a hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap. Costs about 25$ per head. The distance of 250 kms is covered in about 6 hours. Reasonably comfortable.
BY AIR:
Takes less than an hour. Costs about 100$. If you are short of time this is the best.We decide to take the boat. It left Phnom Phen at 07.30 and after a comfortable journey reached Chong Khneas jetty around 12.30hrs. We were picked up by ou guide and taken to our hotel about 12 kms away.
CHONG KHNEAS
Chong Khneas is the floating village at the edge of the lake closest and most accessible to Siem Reap. If you want a relatively quick and easy look at the Tonle Sap, boat tours of Chong Khneas are available, departing from the Chong Khneas boat docks all day long.
A two-hour boat trip through the floating village costs $6 and the boats may carry as many as 15 people. We engaged a separate boat for us. There are Vietnamese floating households, floating markets, clinics, schools, churches and even restaurants, a basket ball court, water treatment plant from where drinking water is supplied to the residents in boats. Chong Khneas, while interesting, is over crowded with tourists. The boat trip included two stops: one at a tourist floating 'fish and bird exhibition' with a souvenir/boutique and snack shop, and the other at the very highly recommended Gecko Environment Centre, which offers displays and information introducing the ecology and biodiversity of the lake area.
Cambodia's Great Lake, the Boeung Tonle Sap (Tonle Sap Lake,) is the most prominent feature on the map of Cambodia - a huge dumbbell-shaped body of water stretching across the northwest section of the country. In the wet season, the Tonle Sap Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia, swelling to an expansive 12,000 Sq.km. During the dry half of the year the Lake shrinks to as small as 2500 Sq.km, draining into the Tonle Sap River, which meanders southeast, eventually merging with the Mekong River at the 'chaktomuk' confluence of rivers opposite Phnom Penh. But during the wet season a unique hydrologic phenomenon causes the river to reverse direction, filling the lake instead of draining it. The reason for this phenomenon is the Mekong River, which becomes bloated with snow melt and runoff from the monsoon rains in the wet season. The swollen Mekong backs up into the Tonle Sap River at the point where the rivers meet at the 'Chaktomuk' confluence, forcing the waters of the Tonle Sap River back upriver into the lake. The inflow expands the surface area of lake more than fivefold, inundating the surrounding forested floodplain and supporting an extraordinarily rich and diverse eco-system. More than 100 varieties of water birds including several threatened and endangered species, over 200 species of fish, as well as crocodiles, turtles, macaques, otter and other wildlife inhabit the inundated mangrove forests. The Lake is also an important commercial resource, providing more than half of the fish consumed in Cambodia. In harmony with the specialized ecosystems, the human occupations at the edges of the lake is similarly distinctive - floating villages, towering stilted houses, huge fish traps, and an economy and way of life deeply intertwined with the lake, the fish, the wildlife and the cycles of rising and falling waters.
For three days each year the Tonle Sap in Phnom Penh is home to Cambodia’s most famous sporting event. The Water Festival is held to celebrate the reversal of the waters back into the Mekong and normally takes place in October or November. Millions of people travel from the provinces to Phnom Penh so they can participate and watch the boat racing. Teams from every province and many villages compete against each other in canoe style boats that they make themselves and decorate to represent their homeland. During the first two days the boats race in pairs but on the third day all the boats join together for a mass race. The festival and the boat racing is all done in order to pay respect to the river God who in turn will provide the country with a plentiful bounty of fish and rice for the rest of the year.
Another interesting feature of the area was the floating rice crop. Peasants plant floating rice in April and in May in the areas around the Tonle Sap (Great Lake), which floods and expands its banks in September or early October. Before the flooding occurs, the seed is spread on the ground without any preparation of the soil, and the floating rice is harvested nine months later, when the stems have grown to three or four meters in response to the peak of the flood (the floating rice has the property of adjusting its rate of growth to the rise of the flood waters so that its grain heads remain above water). It has a low yield, probably less than half that of most other rice types, but it can be grown inexpensively on land for which there is no other use. This practice seems to have stopped now.

DEVI AHILYABAI HOLKAR AND MAHESHWAR

Punyashlok Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar (31 May 1725-13 August 1795) ruled from 11th December 1767 to 13 August 1795 was also known as the Philosopher Queen. She was a Holkar dynasty Queen of the Malwa Kingdom in Central India.
Ahilyabai was born on May 31, 1725 in the village of Chaundi, in the present-day Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. Her father, Mankoji Shinde, was the patil of the village, a member of the proud Dhangar community. Women then did not go to school, but Ahilyabai's father taught her to read and write.
Her entrance on to the stage of history was something of an accident. Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in the service of the Peshwa Bajirao and Lord of the Malwa territory, stopped in Chaundi on his way to Pune and, according to legend, saw the eight-year-old Ahilyabai at the temple service in the village. Recognising her piety and her character, he brought the girl to the Holkar territory as a bride for his son, Khanderao (1723–1754). She was married to Khanderao in 1733.
Ahilya Bai’s husband Khanderao was killed during the siege of Kumbher in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malharrao died. Malharrao was succeeded by Malerao, the only son of Khanderao, but he also died on 5 April 1767. From 1767 until her death in 1795, she ruled Malwa, trained in both administrative and military matters by Malhar Rao.
Already trained to be a ruler, Ahilyabai petitioned the Peshwa after Malhar’s death, and the death of her son, to take over the administration herself. Some in Malwa objected to her assumption of rule, but the army of Holkar was enthusiastic about her leadership. She had led them in person, with four bows and quivers of arrows fitted to the corners of the howdah of her favourite elephant. The Peshwa granted her permission on 11 December 1767, and, with Subhedar Tukojirao Holkar (Malharrao's adopted son) as the head of military matters, she proceeded to rule Malwa in a most enlightened manner, even reinstating a Brahmin who had opposed her. Ahilyabai never observed purdah but held daily public audience and was always accessible to anyone who needed her ear.
Among Ahilyabai's accomplishments was the development of Indore from a small village to a prosperous and beautiful city; her own capital, however, was in nearby Maheshwar, a town on the banks of the Narmada river. She also built forts and roads in Malwa, sponsored festivals and gave donations for regular worship in many Hindu temples. Outside Malwa, she built dozens of temples, ghats, wells, tanks and rest-houses across an area stretching from the Himalayas to pilgrimage centres in South India. The Bharatiya Sanskritikosh lists as sites she embellished, Kashi, Gaya, Somnath, Ayodhya, Mathura, Hardwar, Kanchi, Avanti, Dwarka, Badrinarayan, Rameshwar and Jaganathpuri. Ahilyadevi also rejoiced when she saw bankers, merchants, farmers and cultivators rise to levels of affluence, but did not consider that she had any legitimate claim to any of that wealth, be it through taxes or feudal right. She must, in fact, have financed all her activities with the lawful gains obtained from a happy and prosperous land.
Ahilyabai’s capital at Maheshwar was the scene of literary, musical, artistic and industrial enterprise. She entertained the famous Marathi poet, Moropant and the shahir, Anantaphandi from Maharashtra, and also patronised the Sanskrit scholar, Khushali Ram. Craftsmen, sculptors and artists received salaries and honours at her capital, and she even established a textile industry in the city of Maheshwar.
Historians of the 19th and 20th centuries—Indian, English and American agree that the reputation of Ahilyabai Holkar in Malwa and Maharashtra was then, and is, even now, that of a saint. Nothing has ever been discovered by any researcher to discredit that. She was truly a magnificent woman, an able ruler and a great queen.

MANDU,MADHYA PRADESH

MANDU/MANDWA
Mandu, called as Shahdiabad by the Moghuls or the "City of Joy" is in the Malwa region of Western Madhya Pradesh and is remembered for the love tales of the
poet-prince Baz Bahadur and the beautiful Rani Roopmati. This fortress rises 634 meters high in the Vindhya Range and is enclosed in battlements 37 km long with 12 gates. With-in this well-defended plateau is wealth of palaces, pavilions, mansions, tombs and mosques.

In the 10th century Mandu was founded as a fortress by Raja Bhoj. It was conquered by the Muslim rulers of Delhi in 1304. When in 1401, the Mughals captured Delhi, the Afghan Governor of Malwa, Dilawar Khan, set up his own little kingdom at Mandu and the Ghori dynasty was established. And thus began Mandu's golden age. His son, Hoshang Shah, shifted the capital from Dhar to Mandu and raised it to its greatest splendour.
It changed hands a number of times between the Moghuls, Sher Shah Suri and his sons. At various times Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjehan have stayed at Mandu. Jehangir who stayed at Mandu with his beatiful wife Nurjehan, wrote“I know of no place so pleasant in climate and so pretty in scenery as Mandu during the rains."
Mohammed Khilji, who established the Khilji dynasty at Mandu went on to rule for 33 years. He was succeeded by his son, Ghiyas-ud-din in 1469 who ruled for the next 31 years. Ghiyas-ud-din was a pleasure seeker and devoted himself to women and song. He had a large harem and built the Jahaz Mahal for housing the women, numbering thousands. Ten more years of feuds and invasions followed and in the end and Baz Bahadur emerged at the top spot.
Rani Roopmati was a Rajput singer in Malwa. She revered the River Narmada and it is said that only after darshan of Narmada River she will eat her food. She was so fair and delicate that the colour of the food she took was seen in her neck.
Roopmati was married to the Prince of Benaras and missed Narmada. Seeing her problem the Prince divorced her and she returned to Malwa.
Baz Bahadur, a connoisseur of arts once went out hunting, where he chanced upon Roopmati frolicking and singing with her friends. Smitten by her enchanting beauty and her mellifluous voice, he begged Roopmati to accompany him to his capital. Roopmati agreed to go to Mandu on the condition that she would live in a palace within sight of her beloved and venerated river, Narmada. Thus Roopmati Pavilion came to be built.
Since on cloudy days Narmada was not visible, she prayed to Narmada, who asked Roopmati to get a pond dug up in Mandu. At about 70 ft depth, the excavators found sand and pebbles similar to those on the banks of Narmada. This is now called Roopmati Talab.
There are two cupolas on top of the Roopmati Pavilion, one on each end in which Roopmati and Baz Bahadur would sit and sing alternately.
In 1561, Akbar's army led by Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan attacked Malwa and defeated Baz Bahadur in the battle of Sarangpur on 29 March 1561. One of the reasons for Adham Khan's attack seems to be his infatuation for Rani Roopmati. Rani Roopmati poisoned herself to death on hearing the news of fall of Mandu. Baz Bahadur regained his kingdom for a short period. In 1562, Akbar sent another army led by Abdullah Khan, the Uzbeg, which finally defeated Baz Bahadur. He fled to Chittor. Baz Bahadur remained a fugitive, served at a number of courts till he surrendered in November,1570 to Akbar at Nagaur and joined Akbar's service.
26 songs/poems of Roopmati survived as a manuscript and after changing hands a number of times reached C.E. Luard and was later translated into English by L.M. Crump , in 1926, under the title, “The Lady of the Lotus: Rupmati, Queen of Mandu: A Strange Tale of Faithfulness”. This manuscript has a collection of twelve dohas, ten kavitas and three sawaiyas of Roopmati
The Mandu Fort is spread over an area of 82 km and is considered to be one of the biggest forts in India. The fort has many historical ruins which include a collection of various palaces, pavilions, gates and picturesque canals. The nearly 40 monuments within the Mandu Fort are broadly categorized into the following three Groups.

1.The Central Village Group:

Ashrafi Mahal: Ashrafi Mahal is one of the famous structures in Mandu Fort . Ashrafi Mahal is also known as the Palace of Gold Coins. Ashrafi Mahal was built by Mohammed Shah Khilji, who was the successor of Hoshang Shah, one of the Mogul Conquerors. Initially Ashrafi Mahal was built as a Muslim Religious School (Madrassa) but later it was just converted into a palace.
Jami Masjid: Jami Masjid forms one of the prominent structures of Mandu Fort. Jama Masjid is a huge mosque which was probably built in the year 1454. The architecture of Jami Masjid is a great example of Afghani Style Architecture. The modelling of Jami Masjid is said to have been inspired from the original artworks of Omayyed Mosque located in Damascus
Hoshang Shah’s Tomb: This India's first marble structure, is one of the most refined examples of Afghan architecture. Its unique features include the beautifully proportioned dome, intricate marble lattice work and courts with porticos and towers. It is said to have served as a template for the construction of Taj Mahal.

2.The Royal Enclave Group:
Hindola Mahal: Meaning Swing palace is so named due to its sloping side walls.
Champa Baoli: Champa Baoli is one of the interesting structures within the Royal Enclave with a Step-well which was used as a hot-weather retreat and features cool wells or bathrooms. Champa Baoli is called so because it was said that the waters from this well smelled like the Champak Flower. There is a hot bath reserve made at the side for the well.
Water is lifted from the pond by a waterwheel and is circulated to all buildings and the swimming pool through a network of channels.
Jahaz Mehal/Ship Palace: Situated between two artificial lakes. This two storied architectural marvel is so named as it appears as a ship floating in water
Taveli Mahal: Taveli Mahal once was a guard house and also housed stables for the Royal family.


3.The Rewa Kund Group Roopmati Pavilion: This is a large sandstone structure originally built as an army observation post but is known today as Roopmati Pavilion.
Baz Bahadur's Palace: Built by Baz Bahadur, this 16th century structure is famous for its large courtyards encompassed by large halls and high terraces. It is situated below Roopmati's Pavilion and can be seen from the pavilion.
Neelkanth Palace: Built by the Mughal governor, Shah Badgah Khan, the Neelkanth Palace was erected for the Hindu wife of Akbar the Great. The palace bears some inscriptions of the era of Akbar which preach the superiority of emancipation over earthliness. The Neelkanth Palace is located very close to the Neelkanth shrine, which is a shrine of Lord Shiva. The shrine stands at the very edge of a steep ravine. The courtyard of the shrine has countless trees and a sacred pond which is fed by a nearby stream.

LEPAKSHI

LEPAKSHI
The Vijayanagar Empire caused a number of monuments to be built and patronized in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The ornate Lepakshi temples are one of the popular temples of that era. Lepakshi is a small village, which lies nine miles east of Hindupur in Anantapur District of Andhra and is famous for its temple of Veerabhadra, and is also a renowned place where the best specimens of the mural paintings of the Vijayanagar kings are available.
Lepakshi temple is said to have been built by two brothers, Virupanna and Veeranna. The temple was constructed during the reign of Achyuta Devaraya, who ruled the Vijayanagara Empire from 1530 A.D to 1542 A.D Virupanna was favoured by Achyutaraya. During his routine visits he happened to see Papanaseswaralaya on Kurmasaila, (the shape of Kurma the tortoise) which was at that time an insignificant structure. He decided to build a temple on that spot for Veerabhadra,a wrathful manifestation of Shiva, the family deity of Nayak Rulers
For the construction he used funds from the imperial treasury. Virupanna's enemies reported to the emperor that the treasury funds were being embezzled and the treasure was in danger of being exhausted. In those days it was customary to pluck the eyes of the keeper of the royal treasury if he was found guilty of theft or embezzlement. The king ordered that Virupanna should be blinded. Virupanna, being a loyal servant carried out this order on the spot with his own hands and to this day, two dark stains are shown on the west wall of the southern entrance of the inner enclosure, which are said to be the marks made by his eyes which he himself threw at the wall. He did not survive long after this and hence the Kalyanamandapa was left unfinished.
The temple can be divided into three sections- The Mukha Mandapa(also known as Natya Mandapa or ranga Mandapa),The Artha Mandapa and the Kalyana Mandapa. The sculptures seen in the Natya and Kalyana Mandapas are exceptional for their skills and artistic beauty. Most of these sculptures portray mythological figures like Anantha Sayana, Dattatreya, Chaturmukha Brahma, Tumburu, Narada and Rambha. The beautiful sculptures on the prakarams include 14 forms of Shiva, like Dakshinamurthy, Ardhanareeswara,Tripurankara etc. The Natya Mandapa is also adorned with sculptured pillars depicting life size musicians and dancers.

The flat stuccoed granite ceilings provided a suitable background for fresco. The use of natural pigments and ancient mural arts makes Lepakshi remarkable. The birds, beasts and foliage depicted in its paintings and carving have spawned a style often found today in block-printed Indian textiles and rugs, popularly referred to as the Lepakshi motifs.
A wonderful granite bull of gigantic dimensions 6M high and 8m long, a short distance from the temple enclosure is closely associated with Lepakshi in the minds of visitors. It is said to be the largest sculpted Nandi bull in South India, even larger than the famous one on the Chamundi hill in Mysore.

HAMPI

HAMPI
HISTORY
Hampi is situated on the banks of River Tungabhadra in Bellary district of Karnataka State about 350 kms north of Bengaluru. Here are the magnificent ruins of the great Vijayanagar Dynasty.

HAMPI, the seat of the famed VIJAYANAGARA empire was the capital of the largest empire in post-mogul India. The empire reigned supreme under Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor. The empire later became famous for its support towards renovation/reconstruction of temples through out India. It also became renowned for re-establishment of Indian culture, its support for music, art and literature with the prime purpose of caring for the people and their welfare. The destruction of Vijayanagar by marauding Moghul invaders was sudden, shocking and absolute. They reduced the city to ruins amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.

Although in ruins today, this capital city once boasted riches known far beyond the shores of India. The ruins of Hampi of the 16th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth. The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tell a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together with his capacity for senseless destruction.

In March, 2002 the government of India declared Hampi as a World Heritage Center.
The history of Hampi begins with the Ramayana in Threta Yuga. Pampa is the ancient name of the river Tungabhadra. The word Hampi is generally held to be a later Kannada form of the term Pampa. The ancient Kishkindha, Matanga Parvata, Malyavanta ,Rishyamuka and Hemakuta mentioned in Ramayana are believed to have been situated around present day Hampi.
Kishkindha was ruled by the monkey kings, Vali and Sugriva. After a quarrel, Sugriva, who had been driven out, took refuge on the Matanga Parvata, along with Hanuman. After Sita was carried away to Lanka by Ravana, Rama and Lakshmana came south in search of Sita and met Sugriva and Hanuman. Rama killed Vali, restored to Sugriva his kingdom and then stayed on the Manyavanta Hill. To day there are two hillocks called Kishkindha and Manyavanta near Hampi.
Hemakuta where Vali was prohibited from entering due to a curse and where Sugriva and Hanuman took shelter also exists in the neighbourhood. A huge mound of ash in the adjacent village of Nimbapuram is believed to be the cremated remains of Vali.
Hampi, the capital city of Vijayanagar Empire, was founded by two brothers Harihara and Bukkaraya (more popularly known as Hakka and Bukka), under the guidance of their Guru Vidyaranya. Vijayanagar was also sometimes known as Vidyanagar in honour of the Guru.
Hampi built in stages from the year 1336 AD till 1529 AD flourished and had a population of over half a million during Krishna Devaraya’s time. Hampi was ruled by four dynasties, Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Aravidu till 1672 AD. At the peak, the kingdom extended from Gulbarga in the North and Sri Lanka in the South, to Orissa in the East and Malabar in the West.
Vijayanagar being the trade hub for the whole of South India with the ports of Goa, Cochin, Bhatkal and others under its control was visited by a lot of foreign traders and delegates. The Empire throughout its reign had many visiting Chroniclers and Ambassadors from all parts of the world, including as far as Europe,( specially from Italy, Portugal), Persia, Mangolia and Russia. Vijayanagar had a large force of cavalry and traders from Mangolia and Egypt brought thoroughbreds for sale and took back in exchange gold, precious stones from Hampi
Historians generally regard the reign of the Tuluvas (AD 1491-1570) as the Golden Age of the empire. Two great kings ruled during this time: Deva Raya (AD 1424-1446) and the greatest of all, Krishan Deva Raya (AD 1509-1530), who was responsible for erecting a vast number of temples and structures which can still be found at Hampi. The battle of Talikota in 1565 and the invasion by Muslims from the south of India brought about the downfall of the Tuluva dynasty and left many of the temples and palaces at Hampi in ruins. The kingdom lingered on for another seventy-six years with the Aravidus (AD 1571-1646) being credited as the last dynasty.


HAMPI ATTRACTIONS1. Shree Virupaksha temple:
The Virupaksha temple located at the foot of the Hemakuta Hill is the core of the village of Hampi. The temple, often called Pampapathi temple, is the most sacred of the temples of this place. At present, the main temple consists of a Sanctum, three ante chambers, a pillared hall and a Mukha Mantapa also called Ranga Mantapa or an open pillared hall. The main gopura at the entrance of the temple is 9 storied, 53 meters high and adds elegance to the 732 meters long and 28 meters wide Virupaksha Bazaar in front of the gopura. The mantapa is full of pillars with carvings. The ceiling is covered with paintings. Quite a lot of additions were made to this temple by Krishna Deva Raya.
2. Shree Vijaya Vittala temple
This wonderful temple dedicated to Vishnu or Vittala is the most amazing monument in Hampi and is portrayed as the icon for Hampi. The construction of this temple started during the reign of King Krishna Deva Raya in the year 1513 AD. The project was so colossal that the additions continued for almost five decades until the Empire fell down in the year 1565 AD.
The temple is built mainly on the original Dravidian Temple architecture. The carvings on this temple give an insight into the architectural splendour achieved by the artisans of Vijayanagar Empire. The temple consists of 56 columns with musical pillars. When tapped gently, these pillars produce musical sounds. These pillars are popularly known as Musical Pillars or SaReGaMa pillars after the Saptha Swaras of the Indian Classical Music.
3. Stone Chariot
Situated inside the Vijaya Vittala Temple complex, the Stone Chariot deserves special attention. The chariot is a miniature temple. It resembles the temple chariots or rathas in which the idols of the temple are taken out on a traditional procession.
4. Hazara Rama temple
This temple is situated in the royal enclosure of the city and was probably the king's private shrine. As the name indicates, this temple is famous for its many Ramayana panels. This is the only temple in Hampi where the exterior walls have boldly chiselled bas-reliefs. These bas-reliefs are narrative in nature.
the inner panels show scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.The Ramayana epic is carved in full detail in three layers. Devotees who perform the Pradakshina three times will be able to see the entire Ramayana in sculpture. Incidents in the story like Shravana Kumara’s death, Dasaratha performing a sacrifice to beget sons, the birth of Rama, his exile into the forest, the abduction of Sita and the ultimate fight between Rama and Ravana are all carved in a vivid manner.
The friezes on outer wall depict horses, elephants, dancing girls and infantry in procession. The boldly carved panels are in five horizontal rows, one above the other, representing a procession of elephants with riders and attendants, prancing horses with riders and rider less horses led by grooms, wrestlers and soldiers in procession witnessed by a few seated royal figures. These panels represent symbolically the power of the rulers and the might of their fighting forces paraded annually at the time of the Dusshera festival.
One can see clearly sculptures of men from Egypt, China and European origin pulling along horses brought for sale in Vijayanagar.
5. Ugra Narasimha
This image of Lakshmi-Narasimha, popularly called Ugranarasimha is hewn out of a rock in-situ. According to an inscription found here, it was executed in 1528 A.D. during the rule of Krishnadevaraya. Originally, the icon bore a smaller image of Lakshmi sitting on his lap. This gigantic image, 6.7 meters in height, was mutilated and the figure of Lakshmi was entirely damaged and vandalized in 1565 A.D. Narasimha with an articulately chiseled and well delineated mane and large bulging eyes and broad chest still retains His awesome charm. He is seated on the coils of the snake Adisesha, who rises behind him with seven hoods, which serve as a canopy. The entire image is set within a Makara torana, or arch, with a lion-mask above the hoods of Adisesha.
6. Elephant stables.
Located just outside the Zenana Enclosure, on the East, is an oblong structure of considerable size, called the Elephant stables. Among the many civil structures of the place, this building is a fine example of Indo-Islamic style of architecture.
It has a greater Islamic character about it. The building consists of eleven large rooms with very high ceilings. Large domes crown ten of these. These domes are of brick and mortar, and are of different shapes drum-shaped, ribbed and octagonal. The superstructure of the central upper pavilion is lost. It probably had a Hindu Shikhara in consonance with the Indo-Islamic architecture.
The rooms were used as Elephant stables. The elephants were tied to the chains hanging from the centre of the ceiling as can be made out from the iron hooks embedded in some of the ceilings. These were not the military elephants but were the ceremonial ones which were used by royal household.
The war elephants were kept in Anegudi on the other bank of Thungabhadra.
7. King’s Balance
To the southwest of Vijayavitthala Temple, one can find the monument popularly known as the King's Balance. It consists of two lofty carved granite pillars about 15 feet high supporting a stone beam about 12 feet wide, provided with three hooks on the underside. One of the pillars has a bas-relief depicting a king and two queens, possibly Krishna Deva Raya and his consorts.
Also known as Tula Bhara or Tula Purushadana, the balance was used to weigh the kings of Vijayanagar on certain occasions like solar or lunar eclipse, New years day and coronation day against precious diamonds, gems, gold, silver, etc. and distribute them to the Brahmins.
8. Sule Bazaar
Sule Bazaar gives you some idea what Hampi Bazaar would have looked like during Vijayanagar empire's reign. It is believed that this was the centre for trade of gold and diamonds and merchants from all over the world used to come here. One has to walk between the stone columns to appreciate the sculptures on each pillar.

8. Queen'sBath

It is a large, square structure with a plain exterior and an ornate interior. It has a bath, 15 metre square and 1.8 metres deep, surrounded by decorated corridors and projecting balconies. Some remnants of elaborate stucco work and variegated designs are visible on the ceilings of each day. The Queens bath is fed by aqueducts.








9. Zanana Enclosure

What remains here are the basement of a fairly large palace building, a water pavilion and three watch towers, the Lotus Mahal and the Women guard's quarters. On the basis of recently unearthed inscriptions , this complex has been identified as that of king Rama Raya.

10. Lotus Mahal
It is a two storeyed structure that is a blend of Indian and Islamic architectural styles. It is built on a moulded stone adhisthana, The interior of the building is severely plain. The Lotus Mahal is also known as "Chitrangani Mahal" where Rama Raya may have spent time with scholars well versed in literature, music and art. This building had an elaborate temperature controlling system of overhead tanks and running pipes.


15. Royal Enclosure

The Royal enclosure is the largest extant enclosure. Occupying an area of 59,000 square metres and protected by lofty double walls, it housed as many as 45 buildings including the Mahanavami Dibba , King's audience hall and the public bath. The Royal enclosure was definitely not built by a single ruler or dynasty and evidence suggests three phases of structural activity. Since many additions and alterations were made in existing structures, it is impossible to exactly date the three phases.

(1).Mahanavami Dibba
Built by King Krishnadeva Raya in memory of his Orissa conquest , Mahanavami Dibba is a huge platform 80 sq ft in area and 22 ft in height. It was the hub of religious ceremonies that were publicly celebrated by the Vijayanagar kings. It is popularly known as the throne platform or the house of victory. It was built in three phases.
(2).King's Audience Hall
Generally this is referred to as the loftiest building in the Royal Citadel as the King's audience hall. Remains of pillar-sockets and bases show that it was originally a hall with hundred pillars. In front of the audience hall is a large enclosure, which was probably a general assembly area. According to scholars it was in this courtyard that public discussions and proceedings of the Vijayanagar court took place.

(3) Stepped Tank
One of the most beautiful remains in the Durbar area is the Stepped Tank built in chlorite schist, used by the royals and for religious purposes. The small but neat tank is about 22 meters square and about 7 meters deep. It has five distinct tiers, each fitted with steps set in a pleasing pattern. The mason marks on the individual blocks indicating the direction, the row and the location of the steps reveal that the layout of this stepped tank was well thought out in advance and all the different block stones were prepared in accordance with the plan elsewhere and assembled on the site later. This tank was discovered during recent excavations.
A bigger tank measuring roughly 73 meters by 27 meters is at the entrance into the Durbar area, and located to the Northwest of the Queen's bath. The common people probably used this tank.
(4) Water Channels/Aqueducts
The Palace area is dotted with innumerable water tanks of various sizes. In fact, the whole of Hampi ruins has very many water tanks. All these tanks were supplied with water by a well-planned water supply system of aqueducts and channels.
Water over flowing from Tungabhadra during floods falls into from Kamalapura tank which then feeds the main stone aqueduct running east to West in the royal enclosure. First it feeds the large public tank and then the stepped tank. Later the main stone aqueduct branches off to North and West, which in turn feed nineteen other small and big tanks all over the royal enclosure. At the point of branching off of the main stone aqueduct, a well was dug to enable water supply in case the water supply from Kamalapura tank ceased.
The drain and waste water from the royal enclosure was taken out through underground stone slab-lime concrete drainage channels either directly or through a huge drain found on the southern side adjoining the walled garden.


OUR TRIP TO HAMPI

We reached Hospet from Bengaluru by Hampi Expres on 28th March morning. Our hotel Vijayashree Resort was about 4 Kms from Hospet station. After settling down we hired an auto riksha from the hotel and went to Hampi which is about 9 Kms from the hotel.
There were a lot structures to be seen in two days time. They were spread over a large area. In order not to miss any important location, we decided to hire a guide. We spent more than a day and half going round the places.
Most of the structures were damaged by Muslim invaders in 1565 AD. Only in the Virupaksha Temple regular pooja is held. I was revisting the place after 54 years. It was a great experience looking at all those structures and engineering marvels. In addition to the structures, the water supply and sewage schemes were really wonderful..
The heat because of hills all round and the iron ore excavations near Bellary is unbearable. I think the ideal time to visit Hampi is winter.

GREATER FLAMINGOES

GREATER FLAMINGOES
Greater Flamingoes are the famous pink birds that can be found in warm, watery regions on many continents. They favor environments like estuaries and saline or alkaline lakes. Greater flamingos are likely to be the only tall, pink bird in any given locale. They also have long, lean, curved necks and black-tipped bills with a distinctive downward bend. Their bent bills allow them to feed on small organisms—plankton, tiny fish, fly, larvae, and the like. In muddy flats or shallow water, they use their long legs and webbed feet to stir up the bottom. They then bury their bills, or even their entire heads, and suck up both mud and water to access the tasty morsels within. A flamingo's beak has a filter like structure to remove food from the water before the liquid is expelled.
They can reach up to 5 feet in height. They have a wingspan between 55-65 inches. An adult flamingo’s legs are longer than its body. The flamingo’s eye is larger than its brain!! They get their pink colour from the food they eat that has carotene in it.
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has organised a Flamingo Festival on April 16th, 2011 at the Sewri Jetty. The idea of the festival is to spread the message of conservation and sensitise the public about the importance that the Sewri-Mahul mudflats hold for these birds.
So, starting at 2pm on Saturday, the festival took the shape of a mini-fair with flamingo festival banners ready to welcome birdwatchers from the Sewri railway station right up to the jetty. Last year, more than 5,000 people watched not just flamingos but also other water birds. Flamingos migrate to Mumbai from Kutch at the onset of winter and stay on till the first rains. Apart from about 10,000 to 15,000 flamingos, the mudflats also support more than 24 water bird species such as the white-throated kingfisher, pariah kite, purple heron and sandpipers.
BNHS has also identified the Sewri mudflats as an important bird area that should be declared a protected area. In fact, a few years ago, the society recommended that the proposed Mumbai trans-harbour link from Sewri to Nhava-Sheva should be shifted about 500 metres away from the proposed alignment so as to protect the flamingo habitat.
BNHS feels that it is important to protect this wetland because the chances of its conservation will increase only when more people know its importance. “Currently, flamingos and other water birds in Mumbai are facing various threats due to loss of wetlands, mudflats and mangrove forests due to encroachment, dumping of debris and developmental projects,” said Atul Sathe, spokesperson, BNHS. “Pollution along the coast from sewage, industries and oil spills further endangers them.”
I and Radhika made it to the Sewri Jetty this afternoon. Large number of persons were standing in a queue at the Sewri East station for buses arranged by the BNHS to pick them up for the short journey to the jetty. Since we were in our own vehicle we followed the bus to the jetty. I was surprised to see the crowd at the Jetty. There must have been thousands. School children had come in bus loads. Hundreds of cars were parked in the area. BNHS had arranged quite a number of telescopes in the area for the bird watchers. They had put up a tent with posters requesting public for their support for the cause and also for joining the BHNS.
We went to the end of the jetty and saw thousands of pink specks in the mud. We had taken a pair of very powerful binoculars and could see the flamingos very clearly. Such magnificent birds. They spread over the entire area. The mud flat was more pink than black. We watched them for nearly half an hour. Even though I had a very powerful camera with zoom lens I could not any good photographs.

KABINI RIVER LODGE

KABINI RIVER LODGE
Kabini River Lodge is situated 220 Kms south of Bengaluru (90 Kms south of Mysore) in the state of Karnataka.. This is located on the Southern fringe of the Nagarhole National Park which has been rated by the British Tatters’ Travel guide as one of the top five wild life resorts in the world. This is the first Eco-Tourism venture of the Government of Karnataka. This area was once the location of hunting lodge of the Maharajas of Mysore.

We reached the lodge from Bengaluru around 12 noon on 25th March, 2011 by taxi. It takes about 5 hrs. The roads are excellent except for the last five kilometers stretch which is a forest/village path.

The lodge is situated on the banks of Rive Kabini and consists of regular resort type accommodation and tents. The tents are erected on plinths and are very comfortable. We stayed in tents.

On the other bank of the river is the Bandipur National park.

We took two jeep safaris into the forest one the same afternoon we landed and another on the next morning. The safaris last about two and a half hours.

During the jeep safaris we sighted peacocks, langur, elephants, Indian Gaur, Wild Hogs, large groups of spotted deer and some barking deer, four horned antelopes and Sambar. As soon as we entered the forest, there was large scale disturbance. Deer, birds and monkeys were all shouting indicating the presence of a predator. In spite of waiting for nearly half an hour we could not find any of them. On the second day too, we heard a lot of commotion by a number of animals and waited to try our luck. Suddenly a leopard was seen moving just behind the bushes. It was walking leisurely along and we had a good look at it. However in our excitement of having seen a rare animal everyone forgot about the cameras. We were busy pointing out to each other the location of the animal as it was moving in the bushes. It was very thrilling.
Later we sighted a few Indian giant flying squirrels and red giant flying squirrels.
In spite of heavy poaching between 2007 and 2009 the NagrHole national park is reputed to have the largest population of Indian Elephants.

The park has rich forest cover, small streams, valleys, and waterfalls. The main trees found are teak, sandal wood, Rose wood and Silver Oak. There are a lot of other trees of dry deciduous forests.









The park is said to have more than 270 species of birds including the 'Critically endangered' Oriental white-backed vulture, greater spotted eagle, greater grey headed fish eagle, peacocks, pea fowls, yellow legged green pigeons, blue winged parakeet. With the help of the Forest guide we could spot quite a few of them.

In the afternoon we had an hours ride in CORACLE a round boat used by the locals for crossing the river. It is quite scary to sit in the boat. It is amazing how it is maneuvered.


Later we took a motor boat and traveled along both the banks of the river Kabini. It was a great experience. We saw very large groups of spotted deer and elephants. Whole families of elephants were in the water, playing, drinking and rolling. There were a few young ones also in the group. We saw 7 to 8 groups of 5 to 6 each along the river. The boat takes us as near as possible and the motor
is switched off. The boat is stand still and all tourists enjoy the show by the elephants. We move on to the next group a little while later.

We were told that the water was about 50 ft deep at some places and has quite a large population of crocodiles. Again we saw a large variety of birds along the banks and in the river.

In the evenings films on Nagarhole and other wild life parks are shown by the resort.

After staying two nights and having experienced great safaris we left after breakfast on the 27th March, back to Bengaluru.

ALUMNI MEET 9TH JANUARY 2011

ALUMNI MEET AT VISAKHAPATNAM ON 9TH January,2011

When a proposal came from some of our class mates to hold an alumni meet for the 1959-64 batch at Visakhapatnam, everyone was greatly thrilled and supported the move immediately. The group of class mates at Visakhapatnam led by RamaRao, Gurunatha Rao, Hume Sastry and Haranatha Babu Rao(Goli) immediately swung into action.

Everyone started contacting those who were not in the Yahoo loop. A consensus was reached to hold the meet on 9th Jan, 2011. Gurunatha Rao opened a separate account for all to send their contributions. Efforts were made by him to collect the latest address, date of birth, photo with spouse and a brief write up about their careers. It was decided to print out a souvenir and include in it photos taken out of our souvenir published in 1964 and a current photo with spouse (then and now).There was a continuous flow of mails from Rama Rao and Gurunatha Rao to get the all the information.
Vizag friends meanwhile met frequently to decide on the agenda. Palm Beach hotel was booked for the venue. Arrangements were made for buses to take us around the college, hostels and interesting points in Vizag. The souvenir was getting into shape. Our teachers, who were available at Vizag, were contacted and invited to attend the meet.

As soon as the date of the event was decided as 9th of Jan, I booked my flight tickets and awaited the visit to Vizag with great anticipation. My heart sank when a proposal came to shift the date to March as I had some other programme in March. It was a great relief when we stuck to the same old date. I was so excited that my grand daughter Rhea told me that I am behaving like a child before a school picnic. I explained to her that I am going to meet my class mates after 47 years. She could not comprehend the 47 year period. So I explained to her that it was when I was a 21 year old student, long before her dad was born, even before I met her Grand Mother. She seemed to understand. We then went through our old souvenir.She enjoyed going through it as I explained about our teachers, some of our friends who were close to me in the college. She was fascinated by the name of MKVSHV Suryanarayana. She repeated the full name after me and got the whole thing to memory.
Meanwhile Rama Rao requested my wife Radhika to give a veena recital during the meet and she agreed.

We landed at 08.45 at Vizag on 9th Jan and straight went to Palm Beach hotel where a room was booked for us. While Radhika was getting ready I walked to the venue hall. I found a few of our friends already there. It was possible to recognize a few whose photos were already in the group. There was a lot of hugging and laughter at each others appearance. Pot bellies, moustaches, bald heads etc.

I was wearing a Capri, a T-shirt and floaters and some one remarked that I looked as though I am going on a safari.
I went back to the room freshened up and joined the group in a few minutes. Mean while the crowd had grown and were having breakfast. Further introductions continued. Some were nostalgic remembering the good old days. The souvenirs were also distributed .It was great job by the Vizag group.

Rama Rao called for starting the meet and requested all to observe silence in memory of our departed class mates. Their names were read out. It was sad that nearly 28 of them left us. After this he requested all to introduce himself, his spouse and say a few words about his career. As Bapuji called out the names one by one, the introductions started. There were a lot of hilarious comments. J.P.Mishra and I had lost touch with Telugu and were coaxed to talk in Telugu. We some how managed with 50% Telugu. MKVSHV introduced himself and his wife whose name was also as long his. The hall reverberated with laughter. Those who recognized me talked about my white dress and constant talk about cricket during the college days. I informed that I had to change over to coloured clothing after I shifted to Mumbai. I also said that I am still cricket crazy and would watch even a Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh match. It was interesting to know the achievements of our friends who had reached great heights.
K. Narasimham was a Telugu film producer and all wanted to know the names of his pictures. We also regretted that some could not make it to the event due to preoccupation. Only 48 could attend the meet. Unfortunately some of those staying at Vizag could not attend.

After the introductions we left in two buses and went around the main University campus. We saw JVD College, the place where our non technical classes were held, our carpentry workshops, the hostels with exotic names like Sidhartha, Ashoka Vardhana, Harsha Vardhana, Vinaya Vihara and Viveka Vinyasa. We passed along the good old canteen and Principal’s residence.


We then went to the North Campus, our old round shaped hostels. I found some young boys playing cricket in the same old place where we used to play,(opposite hostel no.1 and 2). I went to them and told them about how we used to play there 50 years back. I took a bat and took my stance, one of the boys bowled. Since I still play some games, I could connect. Rama Raju bowled a few balls while myself and Bapuji tried our hand at batting. Unfortunately we could not go to our college as the bus we were traveling was very tall and was touching the over head lines.

When we came out of the OUT Gate I remembered the bunk shop where we used to collect and hear cricket commentary. It was still there, now slightly larger.

We then returned to the hotel, had lunch and relaxed. People collected in small groups and were talking good old college day stories.

Photographs of the entire group and three more of individual branches were taken.

Later we left on a trip along the beach road to Kailash giri.(See Photos). From there we came to Ramakrishna mission Beach and the Scandal Point where quite a few of us had spent great evenings during our stay in the Pithaapuram hostels. Some bought Pidatha Kinda pappu while some had butta (Corn).
We then returned to the hotel and after freshening up collected in the garden for the evening programme. I was surprised when copies of the group and departmental photographs were handed over. So prompt. By the way, photographers from THE HINDU were appointed to cover the event. Great photographs.

The event started with some of us talking about our stay in the college, friendships forged and some anecdotes. Radhika gave a recital on veena for 15 minutes. J. Rambabu and his wife joined us now. Around 8.30 pm some of our teachers joined us in the celebrations. I could recognize Mr. Janaki Rao(Survey), Mr. Janardhana Rao ( applied Mechanics), Mr. Bangareswara Sharma(survey) and Mr. LBK Sastry (electrical). Some were so old it was impossible to identify them. They were very happy that after such a long time their students appreciated their role and invited them to the meet. They were presented with shawls and a gift pack.

Shawls and gifts were also presented to the Vizag organizers who took lot of trouble, efforts in making the event a great success.

Over dinner there was further exchange of information and some decided to have another meet in February in Hyderabad. Every one wanted the next meet on completion of 50 years.

A great day was coming to an end. People started leaving. Rama Rao who was interested in hearing the veena recital missed it as he had gone to pick up the teachers. We were invited by them for lunch next day.

Next morning my self and Radhika took along walk a long the beach. On the way we saw the Pithaapuram hostels which were in ruins. We visited the Kali temple at the RK.Mission point. This was not there during our time. We had lunch with Ramraos. His wife Uma speaks Tamil and was a good company for Radhika. While we were there we saw a write up about our meet in a local newspaper “SAKSHI”. We also learnt that a good coverage will be published in THE HINDU the next day.
After lunch we bid good bye to Rama Raos hired a taxi and visited Simhachalam temple. There were hardly any one at the temple and we had a good darshan and performed archana.

We reached the airport and left Vizag at 7.30pm after enjoying two great days.

We should once again thank our friends at Vizag for all the efforts they took and making this event a great success.

Hume Sastry presented a Ganesh idol to all during the meet.

Incidentally DGR sent two CDs one with still photographs and another of videos and the souvenir to all those whose addresses were available with him.