Our visit to Norway on 1st June 2010
THE VIGELAND PARK, OSLO,NORWAY
The Vigeland Park in Norway is the largest sculpture park made by one single artist in the world. The unique sculpture park is Gustav Vigeland's lifework with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron and was mainly completed between 1939 and 1949. Clay was Vigeland’s chosen material. In soft clay he could work quickly. He would free-hand model the full-scale sculptures based on small three-dimensional sketches. He occasionally used a grid to guide him. Then professional craftsmen did the carving in granite and casting in bronze.
Most of the sculptures are placed in five units along an 850 meter long axis: The Main gate, the Bridge with the Children's playground, the Fountain, the Monolith plateau and the Wheel of Life.
1.THE MAIN GATE
The Main Gate in granite and wrought iron marks the beginning of the long axis. The Main Gate consists of five large gates and two small pedestrian gates in wrought iron. Railings curve outwards on each side and end in two copper-roofed gate houses, topped by guilded weather vanes.
2.THE BRIDGE
The 100 m long and 15 m wide bridge, lined with lanterns and sculptures on the granite parapets, is built on top of an old bridge. There are 58 sculptures in bronze. These include a rich variety of children, women and men in different ages, some alone, others in groups. Dominant motifs are the relationships between man and woman, adults and children. Stationary figures that flank the cube formed lanterns alternate with dynamic groups. By the run of the waterfall the bridge widens to each side and is marked with figures surrounded by massive bronze wheels. Here you will also find Sinnataggen, the little Angry Boy.In spite of his size, the little angry boy is one of the most popular figures in the park.
There are four tall granite columns portraying humans fighting lizards. These show demons in absolute control of their victims.
Below the bridge is a circular playground with eight bronze sculptures of small children. In the centre, mounted on a small granite column, is the figure of an unborn child.
3.THE FOUNTAIN
In the Fountain, the principal theme is the cycle of life, in which Man is depicted in a variety of typical human situations and relationships.
The fountain is surrounded by 20 tree groups. Beneath the crown of the trees the life of man, from cradle to grave, unfolds. After the tree group, the skeleton which is about to decay in nature, and a tree full of children follows.On the outer circle around tthe pool,there are about 60 bronze reliefs.
3. THE MONOLITH
On the highest point of the park, on the Monolith Plateau, rise circular stairs towards the Monolith. The Monolith with 121 figures is 14.12 m and the total height, including the plinth, is 17.3 m high. The Monolith was carved from one single granite block, hence the name (mono: one, litho: stone).
Vigeland modelled it in full size in clay . It only took him ten months. Thereafter it was cast in plaster. The autumn of 1926 a granite block weighing hundreds of tons was transported by sea up the Oslofjord from a stone quarry near Halden. The block arrived its destination in the early 1927 and was erected the following year. It took three stone carvers 14 years to finish the work.
Monolith is supposed to represent man's longing and yearning for the spiritual and divine. People are drawn towards heaven, not only characterised by sadness and controlled despair, but also delight and hope, next to a feeling of togetherness, carefully holding one another tight in this strange sense of salvation.
There are sculptures of 36 figure groups on the Monolith Plateau.
4. THE WHEEL OF LIFE
The Wheel of Life was modelled in clay and then a master copy was cast in plaster. Then smiths made an iron armature in full scale of three metres in diameter. The large bronze "Wheel of Life," is composed of figures swirling in an eternal circle.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
BHANDARADARA AND TREK TO KALSUBAI PEAK
TRIP TO BHANDARADARA AND TREK TO KALSUBAI PEAK
On 31st December 2009, Ravi left Mumbai with Pritti and Rhea for Pune, where he wanted to celebrate New Year eve with his friends. I and Radhika decided to avoid the New Year eve rush and left Mumbai at 08.30 am on 1st January 2010, for Bhandaradara.
Bhandardara is a village on the western coast of India in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, about 185 kilometers from Mumbai. We took the Mumbai–Nasik highway and went up to Ghoti Village which is 9 kms after Igatpuri. Here we took a right turn on to the Shirdi by- pass road. This road goes to Rajur and then joins Pune-Nasik road at Sangamner. About 35 kms from Ghoti, turn right and travel about 5 kms to reach Bhandaradara on a narrow road. It takes about 4 hrs to cover this whole distance. We reached around 12.30pm.
Ravi and family left Pune on the 1st afternoon and joined us at Bhandaradara around 6pm.
Bhandaradara is nestled in the Sahyadri Range and offers pristine beauty and serenity. This is still not a much explored area and hence peaceful with no commercialization. There are only two resorts in the area offering good accommodation and food. During the day it was very pleasant and evenings were slightly cool. The resort had arranged wonderful tribal dance shows in the evenings.
I checked up with the resort reception and came to know that Kalsubai peak can be approached from a village 8 kms away from the resort and the trek will take about 6 hours. I had not actually planned to take this trek when we left Mumbai. But once in Bhandaradara, I decided to take up the challenge.
Next morning at 8.30 am, I put on a light jacket, cap, took an apple, an orange and a bottle of water in a small back pack and told my wife I am going to Kalsubai peak. I took the car and drove to Village Bari. From here the peak is about 5 kms. I parked the car and talked to the villagers for a guide. A tribal young man offered to guide me to the peak. We started at 9 am. Initially it was more or less level ground. We walked through couple of villages on bunds separating paddy fields for about 2 kms and reached a temple of Hanuman and another deity. From there it was a gentle slope for another kilometer or so. There was some vegetation, mostly bush, all round. Very few trees were present. The track was dusty with some pebbles and boulders. I had some problem walking as I was not wearing proper trekking shoes.
There is a well at half the climb, which had cool, clean water. I am told that the water level in the well does not drop even in summer.
Suddenly the track became quite steep, some times even up to 45 deg. In some places to cross ravines or where the slope is very steep, iron ladders with railings have been provided. These have pipe rungs at about 30 cms spacing. If you miss a step you will be in the ravine. Some such ladders have more than 75 steps and you cannot stop in the middle as it will obstruct those going up or down. You have to keep pegging along. It was very tiring. The guide kept goading me on and with frequent rests I made it to a plateau right at the top. Suddenly you find a huge rock formation about 50M high in front of you, which is the peak. Kalsubai temple is on the peak. I had to again take the iron ladder which is almost vertical, to climb up to the peak. And then there I was at the peak Kalsubai. It was 12 noon. My guide told me that I had made the climb faster than an average person. The peak is a flat ground of about 30M X 15M with the temple at the center.
At 1,646 mts, Mount Kalsubai is the highest peak in Sahyadri range of hills and is a favourite of trekkers. The trek is however strenuous and requires quite an amount of stamina.
I met a group of young men at the peak, who had come on motor cycles from Mumbai. They brought camping tents with them and had decided to stay at the plateau for the night to watch the sunset and the sunrise. The air was cool. There was thick fog all round and visibility was poor. Through the haze we could see the Sahyadri Range, some other peaks,(Along, Malang, Kulang and Mahuli), the Bhandaradara dam and the lake. The guide pointed out a spot where JATAYU’s wing is supposed to have fallen when he fought with Ravana who was taking away Sita. A small temple for Rama is built at the spot.
I ate the fruits, drank some water and started the descent at 12.30 pm. The descent was also not easy especially on the iron ladders, as you have to climb down backwards. The dust and small gravel on the ground made it slippery. We had made it almost 85% when we had to go down a steep slope. I did not get a proper foot hold, slipped and fell on my back. Luckily no serious injury except some bruises on elbows and palms. After a little rest we reached the village by 2pm.
Unfortunately. I found that one of the tyres of my car had gone flat. The village is so small, that no one knew to change the tyres. I was too tired to do anything. I just sat on a rock wondering what to do. Then a young boy of around 15 years approached me and said that if I could guide him he will try to remove the flat tyre and fix the new one. It took him half an hour to do the job while I went on telling him how to do it. I was happy the job was done and he was happy that he learnt some thing new. I gave him some money and left the place and reached the resort by 3pm.
No communication with outside world was possible on the trek as hills all round block signals. Surprisingly when my son called me I was right on the peak and I could talk to him. After that there was no communication for nearly three hours and my family were bit worried, specially my grand daughter Rhea. As soon as I reached the resort, she ran to me and shouted at me “why did you go on such a trip alone?” I stood still for a moment and to lighten the situation, just turned around and showed my back which was covered with red earth from the fall. She had a hearty laugh. She asked me about injuries and when told that there was nothing serious she was relieved.
I had some thing to eat and took rest for some time. In the evening my son took us around in the car to see the dam and the lake. On the way we saw some fields where traditional ploughing was in progress. I got down and took Rhea around and showed her the plough, the bulls, furrows, sowing of seeds, watering the fields and explained how it is all done. She was also thrilled to see a huge well, fields of cabbage (each one weighing some 3kgs), tomatoes and brinjal. Where does a child get to see such things in a city like Mumbai?
Back at the resort, we had a glorious time together. We played table tennis, badminton, cards. Rhea took a cycle and had some fun.
We left Bhandaradara next morning for Mumbai. Back to routine.
On 31st December 2009, Ravi left Mumbai with Pritti and Rhea for Pune, where he wanted to celebrate New Year eve with his friends. I and Radhika decided to avoid the New Year eve rush and left Mumbai at 08.30 am on 1st January 2010, for Bhandaradara.
Bhandardara is a village on the western coast of India in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, about 185 kilometers from Mumbai. We took the Mumbai–Nasik highway and went up to Ghoti Village which is 9 kms after Igatpuri. Here we took a right turn on to the Shirdi by- pass road. This road goes to Rajur and then joins Pune-Nasik road at Sangamner. About 35 kms from Ghoti, turn right and travel about 5 kms to reach Bhandaradara on a narrow road. It takes about 4 hrs to cover this whole distance. We reached around 12.30pm.
Ravi and family left Pune on the 1st afternoon and joined us at Bhandaradara around 6pm.
Bhandaradara is nestled in the Sahyadri Range and offers pristine beauty and serenity. This is still not a much explored area and hence peaceful with no commercialization. There are only two resorts in the area offering good accommodation and food. During the day it was very pleasant and evenings were slightly cool. The resort had arranged wonderful tribal dance shows in the evenings.
I checked up with the resort reception and came to know that Kalsubai peak can be approached from a village 8 kms away from the resort and the trek will take about 6 hours. I had not actually planned to take this trek when we left Mumbai. But once in Bhandaradara, I decided to take up the challenge.
Next morning at 8.30 am, I put on a light jacket, cap, took an apple, an orange and a bottle of water in a small back pack and told my wife I am going to Kalsubai peak. I took the car and drove to Village Bari. From here the peak is about 5 kms. I parked the car and talked to the villagers for a guide. A tribal young man offered to guide me to the peak. We started at 9 am. Initially it was more or less level ground. We walked through couple of villages on bunds separating paddy fields for about 2 kms and reached a temple of Hanuman and another deity. From there it was a gentle slope for another kilometer or so. There was some vegetation, mostly bush, all round. Very few trees were present. The track was dusty with some pebbles and boulders. I had some problem walking as I was not wearing proper trekking shoes.
There is a well at half the climb, which had cool, clean water. I am told that the water level in the well does not drop even in summer.
Suddenly the track became quite steep, some times even up to 45 deg. In some places to cross ravines or where the slope is very steep, iron ladders with railings have been provided. These have pipe rungs at about 30 cms spacing. If you miss a step you will be in the ravine. Some such ladders have more than 75 steps and you cannot stop in the middle as it will obstruct those going up or down. You have to keep pegging along. It was very tiring. The guide kept goading me on and with frequent rests I made it to a plateau right at the top. Suddenly you find a huge rock formation about 50M high in front of you, which is the peak. Kalsubai temple is on the peak. I had to again take the iron ladder which is almost vertical, to climb up to the peak. And then there I was at the peak Kalsubai. It was 12 noon. My guide told me that I had made the climb faster than an average person. The peak is a flat ground of about 30M X 15M with the temple at the center.
At 1,646 mts, Mount Kalsubai is the highest peak in Sahyadri range of hills and is a favourite of trekkers. The trek is however strenuous and requires quite an amount of stamina.
I met a group of young men at the peak, who had come on motor cycles from Mumbai. They brought camping tents with them and had decided to stay at the plateau for the night to watch the sunset and the sunrise. The air was cool. There was thick fog all round and visibility was poor. Through the haze we could see the Sahyadri Range, some other peaks,(Along, Malang, Kulang and Mahuli), the Bhandaradara dam and the lake. The guide pointed out a spot where JATAYU’s wing is supposed to have fallen when he fought with Ravana who was taking away Sita. A small temple for Rama is built at the spot.
I ate the fruits, drank some water and started the descent at 12.30 pm. The descent was also not easy especially on the iron ladders, as you have to climb down backwards. The dust and small gravel on the ground made it slippery. We had made it almost 85% when we had to go down a steep slope. I did not get a proper foot hold, slipped and fell on my back. Luckily no serious injury except some bruises on elbows and palms. After a little rest we reached the village by 2pm.
Unfortunately. I found that one of the tyres of my car had gone flat. The village is so small, that no one knew to change the tyres. I was too tired to do anything. I just sat on a rock wondering what to do. Then a young boy of around 15 years approached me and said that if I could guide him he will try to remove the flat tyre and fix the new one. It took him half an hour to do the job while I went on telling him how to do it. I was happy the job was done and he was happy that he learnt some thing new. I gave him some money and left the place and reached the resort by 3pm.
No communication with outside world was possible on the trek as hills all round block signals. Surprisingly when my son called me I was right on the peak and I could talk to him. After that there was no communication for nearly three hours and my family were bit worried, specially my grand daughter Rhea. As soon as I reached the resort, she ran to me and shouted at me “why did you go on such a trip alone?” I stood still for a moment and to lighten the situation, just turned around and showed my back which was covered with red earth from the fall. She had a hearty laugh. She asked me about injuries and when told that there was nothing serious she was relieved.
I had some thing to eat and took rest for some time. In the evening my son took us around in the car to see the dam and the lake. On the way we saw some fields where traditional ploughing was in progress. I got down and took Rhea around and showed her the plough, the bulls, furrows, sowing of seeds, watering the fields and explained how it is all done. She was also thrilled to see a huge well, fields of cabbage (each one weighing some 3kgs), tomatoes and brinjal. Where does a child get to see such things in a city like Mumbai?
Back at the resort, we had a glorious time together. We played table tennis, badminton, cards. Rhea took a cycle and had some fun.
We left Bhandaradara next morning for Mumbai. Back to routine.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
THANJAVUR
OUR VISIT TO THANJAVUR, 20TH AND 21ST NOV, 2009
CHOLA DYNASTY
The Chola dynasty ruled most of South India,Sri Lanka and parts of South East Asia from 200 BC to 1280 AD except for a period of 200 years during which they were subservient to the Pandyas and Pallavas. This is one of the longest reigns by one dynasty.
Their reign can be divided into three periods.
THE EARLY CHOLAS: FROM 200 BC TO 800 AD.
Mention of the Chola Kingdom has been made in Ashoka’s pillars of 273 BC. Mention is also found in SANGAM Literature of 150 BC, in writings by geographer Ptolemy, in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Periplus Maris Erythraei) by an anonymous Alexandrian merchant of 81-90BC.
Their capitals were Urayur(now part of Tiruchirapally) and Kaveripattinam.
While the Sangam literature records the names of a number of Chola kings of this period,the most famous among these were Karikala Chola, Nedunkilli and Perunarkilli.
Mythology says that during the reign of one King Kantaman, Kaveri was brought to the earth by sage Agastya.
It is also recorded that one of the kings, Elara invaded Sri Lanka.
THE MEDIEVAL CHOLAS: FROM 800 AD TO 1070 AD:
Before the advent of medieval Cholas, they were overcome by Pandyas and Pallavas and were compelled to seek refuge under them. They continued to have their capital at Urayur and ruled a small area, till Vijayalaya rose to power in 848 AD. Taking advantage of conflicts between the Pallavas and Pandyas,he captured Thanjavur and eventually established the imperial line of the medieval Cholas. There is an abundance of materials from diverse sources about Vijayalaya and the later Chola kings. A large number of stone inscriptions by the Cholas themselves and by their rival kings, Pandyas and Chalukyas, and copper-plate grants, have been instrumental in constructing the history of Cholas of that period.
Under Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola I, the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South Asia and South-east Asia.At its peak, the Chola Empire stretched from the island of Sri Lanka in the south to the Godavari-Krishna basin in the north, up to the Konkan coast in Bhatkal, the entire Malabar Coast in addition to Lakshadweep, Maldives and vast areas of Chera country. The kingdoms of Deccan and the eastern coast were subordinates, feudatories of the Cholas.Other kingdoms like the Chalukyas between 1000-1075 AD paid tribute to the Cholas. Rajendra Chola I completed the conquest of the island of Sri Lanka and captured the Sinhala king Mahinda V prisoner, in addition to his conquests of Rattapadi (territories of the Rashtrakutas, Chalukya country, Talakkad, Kolar (where the Kolaramma temple still has his portrait statue) in Kannada country. In addition Rajendra's territories included the area falling on the Ganga-Hooghly-Damodar basin, large parts of Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, Laos, Kambodia, the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. The kingdoms along the east coast of India up to the river Ganges acknowledged Chola suzerainty. Chola navies invaded and conquered Srivijaya in the Malayan archipelago.The wars against the Chalukyas were mainly fought in Chalukya territories in Telugu country like Vengi, Kakinada or Anantapur or Gutti.
Marital and political alliances between the Eastern Chalukya kings based around
Vengi located on the south banks of the River Godavari began during the reign of
Rajaraja following his invasion of Vengi. Rajaraja Chola's daughter married the
Chalukyan Prince Vimaladitya. Rajendra Chola's daughter was married to
Eastern Chalukya Prince Rajaraja Narendra( the mentor of Nannaya, author
Of Mahabharata in Telugu).
Under the Cholas, the Tamil country reached new heights of excellence in art, religion and literature. Monumental architecture in the form of majestic temples and sculpture in stone and bronze reached a finesse never before achieved in India. With heavily ornamented pillars accurate in detail and richly sculpted walls, the temples are classic examples of Chola art and architecture.
Temple building received great impetus from the conquests and the genius of Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola I.The maturity and grandeur to which the Chola architecture had evolved found expression in the two temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram. The magnificent Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, completed around 1009 AD, is a fitting memorial to the material achievements of the time of Rajaraja. The largest and tallest of all Indian temples of its time, it is at the apex of South Indian architecture.
This temple along with the temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were declared as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, and are referred to as the Great living Chola temples.
Another famous form of art was the bronze figurines that were crafted during this time. The craftsmen used to beautifully decorate the statues with garlands and jewelry while carving the statue itself. Famous examples of bronze statues are the Nataraja and Lord Shiva as Ardhanarishwara.
The Chola conquest of Kadaram (Kedah) and Srivijaya, and their continued commercial contacts with the Chinese Empire, enabled them to influence the local cultures. Many of the surviving examples of the Hindu cultural influence found today throughout the Southeast Asia owe much to the legacy of the Cholas.
The Tang dynasty of China, the Srivijaya empire in the Malayan archipelago under the Sailendras, and the Abbasid Kalifat at Baghdad were the main trading partners.
In general, Cholas were adherents of Saivite Hinduism but were favourably disposed towards Vaishnavism. Throughout their history, they were not swayed by the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.However during the rule of the later Cholas there seems to have been some antagonism towards Vaishnavism, specially against Sri Ramanuja.The age of the Imperial Cholas (850–1200) was the golden age of Tamil culture, marked by the importance of literature.
Kamban flourished during the reign of Kulothunga Chola III. His Ramavatharam (also referred to as Kambaramayanam) is a great epic in Tamil literature.
Jayamkondar’s masterpiece Kalingattuparani is an example of narrative poetry that draws a clear boundary between history and fictitious conventions.
The famous Tamil poet Ottakuttan was a contemporary of Kulothunga Chola I and served at the courts of three of Kulothunga's successors.Ottakuttan wrote Kulothunga Cholan Ula, a poem extolling the virtues of the Chola king.
Jain and Buddhist authors flourished as well, although in fewer numbers than in previous centuries.Jivaka-chintamani by Tirutakkatevar and Sulamani by Tolamoli are among notable by non-Hindu authors.
LATER CHOLAS: 1070 TO 1279 AD.
In 1070 AD, Kulothunga Chola I, the son of Rajaraja Narendra(Chalukya Chola), ascended the Chola throne starting the Later Chola dynasty. The rule of the later Cholas was not as strong as those of the emperors up to Rajendra Chola II. The decline of the Chola power started beginning 1215 AD. The Cholas lost control of the island of Lanka and were driven out by the revival of Sinhala power. Around 1118 AD, they lost control of Vengi to the Western Chalukyas and Gangavadi (Southern Mysore districts) to the Hoysalas. The Hoysalas were routed from Kannanur Kuppam around 1279AD by Kulasekhara Pandiyan and in the same war the last Chola emperor Rajendra III was routed and the Chola Empire ceased to exist thereafter.
BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, THANJAVUR
The temple gateway
The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channeled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. There is a small bridge across the moat giving access to the temple gateway. The complex is made up of many structures that are aligned axially. The complex can be entered either through a five-story gopuram or directly to the huge main quadrangle of about 152.40x76.20 m, through a smaller free-standing gopuram.
The Temple
This temple is one of India's most prized architectural sites. The temple stands amidst fortified walls. The 'Vimana' - or the temple tower - is 66 m high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. This is referred to as Dakshina Meru. It is a tower of fourteen storeys, finely decorated with pilasters, niches and images of gods of the Hindu pantheon. The plinth of the Central Shrine is 45.72 square m., while the shrine proper is 30.48 square m.
The Kalash or 'Shikhara' (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple, an octogonal structure, is about 4 m high and is of monolithic granite weighing 81.25tons. It is believed that this block was carried up a specially built ramp from Sarapallam, a site 6 kilometers away from the temple. It is said that the shadow of the temple tower does not fall on the floor at any circumstances by sun light.
The Shivalingam - Peruvudaiyar, Rajarajeswaramudaiyar - is a huge one about 4 m high, set in a two storeyed sanctum.The walls surrounding the sanctum delight visitors as a storehouse of murals and sculpture.
A 107 paragraph long inscription on the walls of the Vimanam records the contributions of Raja Raja Chola and his sister Kundavai to the Thanjavur temple.
The temple is an example of the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and representative of the Chola Empire ideology and the Tamil civilisation in Southern India. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Cholas in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. The entire temple structure is made out of hard granite stones, a material sparsely available currently in Thanjavur area where the temple is located.
There is a big idol of Nandi (sacred bull),facing the Sanctum Sanctorum, dating back to the Nayak rule, carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 5 m long and 4 m high, and weighs about 25 tonnes.
THE PALACE
The palace is located inside the fort and consists of large buildings constructed during the Nayak and Maratha periods. The world famous bronze musuem, Maharaja Sarfoji’s Saraswathy Mahal library, Sangeetha mahal, Art Gallery, Lakshmi Vilas Durbar hall, the Royal museum(personal collections by the Maratha kings),Raja Sarfoji Memorial hall and museum are all part of the palace complex. The whole complex is in extremely poor condition. Grass has grown everywhere. There are cobwebs all over. Structure is dilapidating.
The Saraswathy Mahal Library was a great let down. The palm leaf manuscripts are kept in glass cases, which are poorly ventilated and lit. It is supposed to have about 30,000 manuscripts and 6500 printed books. The place is not even air conditioned.
The Lakshmi Vilas durbar Hall has a single slab of granite measuring 18 ft X16 ft X 2.5 ft carved all round used as a throne by Nayak kings. It now has an intricately carved marble statue of Sarfoji in Royal attire made in England in 1807 AD. In the couple of hours we were in the palace we did not notice even one other visitor. The entry charges are Re1 or Rs.2. Dirty slips of receipts are given. The whole maintenance is dependant on Government grants. I really do not know whether any grants are being received and how they are being spent. Very soon the buildings will crumble to dust. The whole picture is very depressing and is unlikely to attract any visitors. I learnt that they are another 15/16 rooms which were vacated by the descendants of the Marathas available with the government, which are locked up. The descendants have shifted to modern houses outside the palace.
I have collected the information about the temple from Saraswathy Mahal Library, local folk lore and some web sites.
CHOLA DYNASTY
The Chola dynasty ruled most of South India,Sri Lanka and parts of South East Asia from 200 BC to 1280 AD except for a period of 200 years during which they were subservient to the Pandyas and Pallavas. This is one of the longest reigns by one dynasty.
Their reign can be divided into three periods.
THE EARLY CHOLAS: FROM 200 BC TO 800 AD.
Mention of the Chola Kingdom has been made in Ashoka’s pillars of 273 BC. Mention is also found in SANGAM Literature of 150 BC, in writings by geographer Ptolemy, in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Periplus Maris Erythraei) by an anonymous Alexandrian merchant of 81-90BC.
Their capitals were Urayur(now part of Tiruchirapally) and Kaveripattinam.
While the Sangam literature records the names of a number of Chola kings of this period,the most famous among these were Karikala Chola, Nedunkilli and Perunarkilli.
Mythology says that during the reign of one King Kantaman, Kaveri was brought to the earth by sage Agastya.
It is also recorded that one of the kings, Elara invaded Sri Lanka.
THE MEDIEVAL CHOLAS: FROM 800 AD TO 1070 AD:
Before the advent of medieval Cholas, they were overcome by Pandyas and Pallavas and were compelled to seek refuge under them. They continued to have their capital at Urayur and ruled a small area, till Vijayalaya rose to power in 848 AD. Taking advantage of conflicts between the Pallavas and Pandyas,he captured Thanjavur and eventually established the imperial line of the medieval Cholas. There is an abundance of materials from diverse sources about Vijayalaya and the later Chola kings. A large number of stone inscriptions by the Cholas themselves and by their rival kings, Pandyas and Chalukyas, and copper-plate grants, have been instrumental in constructing the history of Cholas of that period.
Under Rajaraja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola I, the dynasty became a military, economic and cultural power in South Asia and South-east Asia.At its peak, the Chola Empire stretched from the island of Sri Lanka in the south to the Godavari-Krishna basin in the north, up to the Konkan coast in Bhatkal, the entire Malabar Coast in addition to Lakshadweep, Maldives and vast areas of Chera country. The kingdoms of Deccan and the eastern coast were subordinates, feudatories of the Cholas.Other kingdoms like the Chalukyas between 1000-1075 AD paid tribute to the Cholas. Rajendra Chola I completed the conquest of the island of Sri Lanka and captured the Sinhala king Mahinda V prisoner, in addition to his conquests of Rattapadi (territories of the Rashtrakutas, Chalukya country, Talakkad, Kolar (where the Kolaramma temple still has his portrait statue) in Kannada country. In addition Rajendra's territories included the area falling on the Ganga-Hooghly-Damodar basin, large parts of Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, Laos, Kambodia, the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. The kingdoms along the east coast of India up to the river Ganges acknowledged Chola suzerainty. Chola navies invaded and conquered Srivijaya in the Malayan archipelago.The wars against the Chalukyas were mainly fought in Chalukya territories in Telugu country like Vengi, Kakinada or Anantapur or Gutti.
Marital and political alliances between the Eastern Chalukya kings based around
Vengi located on the south banks of the River Godavari began during the reign of
Rajaraja following his invasion of Vengi. Rajaraja Chola's daughter married the
Chalukyan Prince Vimaladitya. Rajendra Chola's daughter was married to
Eastern Chalukya Prince Rajaraja Narendra( the mentor of Nannaya, author
Of Mahabharata in Telugu).
Under the Cholas, the Tamil country reached new heights of excellence in art, religion and literature. Monumental architecture in the form of majestic temples and sculpture in stone and bronze reached a finesse never before achieved in India. With heavily ornamented pillars accurate in detail and richly sculpted walls, the temples are classic examples of Chola art and architecture.
Temple building received great impetus from the conquests and the genius of Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola I.The maturity and grandeur to which the Chola architecture had evolved found expression in the two temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram. The magnificent Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, completed around 1009 AD, is a fitting memorial to the material achievements of the time of Rajaraja. The largest and tallest of all Indian temples of its time, it is at the apex of South Indian architecture.
This temple along with the temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram at Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were declared as World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO, and are referred to as the Great living Chola temples.
Another famous form of art was the bronze figurines that were crafted during this time. The craftsmen used to beautifully decorate the statues with garlands and jewelry while carving the statue itself. Famous examples of bronze statues are the Nataraja and Lord Shiva as Ardhanarishwara.
The Chola conquest of Kadaram (Kedah) and Srivijaya, and their continued commercial contacts with the Chinese Empire, enabled them to influence the local cultures. Many of the surviving examples of the Hindu cultural influence found today throughout the Southeast Asia owe much to the legacy of the Cholas.
The Tang dynasty of China, the Srivijaya empire in the Malayan archipelago under the Sailendras, and the Abbasid Kalifat at Baghdad were the main trading partners.
In general, Cholas were adherents of Saivite Hinduism but were favourably disposed towards Vaishnavism. Throughout their history, they were not swayed by the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.However during the rule of the later Cholas there seems to have been some antagonism towards Vaishnavism, specially against Sri Ramanuja.The age of the Imperial Cholas (850–1200) was the golden age of Tamil culture, marked by the importance of literature.
Kamban flourished during the reign of Kulothunga Chola III. His Ramavatharam (also referred to as Kambaramayanam) is a great epic in Tamil literature.
Jayamkondar’s masterpiece Kalingattuparani is an example of narrative poetry that draws a clear boundary between history and fictitious conventions.
The famous Tamil poet Ottakuttan was a contemporary of Kulothunga Chola I and served at the courts of three of Kulothunga's successors.Ottakuttan wrote Kulothunga Cholan Ula, a poem extolling the virtues of the Chola king.
Jain and Buddhist authors flourished as well, although in fewer numbers than in previous centuries.Jivaka-chintamani by Tirutakkatevar and Sulamani by Tolamoli are among notable by non-Hindu authors.
LATER CHOLAS: 1070 TO 1279 AD.
In 1070 AD, Kulothunga Chola I, the son of Rajaraja Narendra(Chalukya Chola), ascended the Chola throne starting the Later Chola dynasty. The rule of the later Cholas was not as strong as those of the emperors up to Rajendra Chola II. The decline of the Chola power started beginning 1215 AD. The Cholas lost control of the island of Lanka and were driven out by the revival of Sinhala power. Around 1118 AD, they lost control of Vengi to the Western Chalukyas and Gangavadi (Southern Mysore districts) to the Hoysalas. The Hoysalas were routed from Kannanur Kuppam around 1279AD by Kulasekhara Pandiyan and in the same war the last Chola emperor Rajendra III was routed and the Chola Empire ceased to exist thereafter.
BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE, THANJAVUR
The temple gateway
The temple complex sits on the banks of a river that was channeled to make a moat around the complex's outer walls, the walls being built like a fortress. There is a small bridge across the moat giving access to the temple gateway. The complex is made up of many structures that are aligned axially. The complex can be entered either through a five-story gopuram or directly to the huge main quadrangle of about 152.40x76.20 m, through a smaller free-standing gopuram.
The Temple
This temple is one of India's most prized architectural sites. The temple stands amidst fortified walls. The 'Vimana' - or the temple tower - is 66 m high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. This is referred to as Dakshina Meru. It is a tower of fourteen storeys, finely decorated with pilasters, niches and images of gods of the Hindu pantheon. The plinth of the Central Shrine is 45.72 square m., while the shrine proper is 30.48 square m.
The Kalash or 'Shikhara' (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple, an octogonal structure, is about 4 m high and is of monolithic granite weighing 81.25tons. It is believed that this block was carried up a specially built ramp from Sarapallam, a site 6 kilometers away from the temple. It is said that the shadow of the temple tower does not fall on the floor at any circumstances by sun light.
The Shivalingam - Peruvudaiyar, Rajarajeswaramudaiyar - is a huge one about 4 m high, set in a two storeyed sanctum.The walls surrounding the sanctum delight visitors as a storehouse of murals and sculpture.
A 107 paragraph long inscription on the walls of the Vimanam records the contributions of Raja Raja Chola and his sister Kundavai to the Thanjavur temple.
The temple is an example of the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida type of temple architecture and representative of the Chola Empire ideology and the Tamil civilisation in Southern India. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Cholas in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting. The entire temple structure is made out of hard granite stones, a material sparsely available currently in Thanjavur area where the temple is located.
There is a big idol of Nandi (sacred bull),facing the Sanctum Sanctorum, dating back to the Nayak rule, carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 5 m long and 4 m high, and weighs about 25 tonnes.
THE PALACE
The palace is located inside the fort and consists of large buildings constructed during the Nayak and Maratha periods. The world famous bronze musuem, Maharaja Sarfoji’s Saraswathy Mahal library, Sangeetha mahal, Art Gallery, Lakshmi Vilas Durbar hall, the Royal museum(personal collections by the Maratha kings),Raja Sarfoji Memorial hall and museum are all part of the palace complex. The whole complex is in extremely poor condition. Grass has grown everywhere. There are cobwebs all over. Structure is dilapidating.
The Saraswathy Mahal Library was a great let down. The palm leaf manuscripts are kept in glass cases, which are poorly ventilated and lit. It is supposed to have about 30,000 manuscripts and 6500 printed books. The place is not even air conditioned.
The Lakshmi Vilas durbar Hall has a single slab of granite measuring 18 ft X16 ft X 2.5 ft carved all round used as a throne by Nayak kings. It now has an intricately carved marble statue of Sarfoji in Royal attire made in England in 1807 AD. In the couple of hours we were in the palace we did not notice even one other visitor. The entry charges are Re1 or Rs.2. Dirty slips of receipts are given. The whole maintenance is dependant on Government grants. I really do not know whether any grants are being received and how they are being spent. Very soon the buildings will crumble to dust. The whole picture is very depressing and is unlikely to attract any visitors. I learnt that they are another 15/16 rooms which were vacated by the descendants of the Marathas available with the government, which are locked up. The descendants have shifted to modern houses outside the palace.
I have collected the information about the temple from Saraswathy Mahal Library, local folk lore and some web sites.
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