Yes, you read that right. When all attention is centered on the newly consecrated Ram Temple in Ayodhya, many do not know about this 1600-year-old Ram Temple near Chennai. Vishnu temples are aplenty in Tamil Nadu, but a temple where Vishnu is worshipped in his avatar as Ram and the presiding deity of a temple, is not common.
Many a time, I have travelled on the GST Road from Chennai bound for the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. On a few occasions, have traversed this route by train too. Be it by road or rail, a common sight around 85 kilometers from Chennai will be the gopuram of this famous temple and a little way off, one can see a large lake. The small town, from the midst of which the gopuram stands up majestically is called Madurantakam. The town is said to be named after Uttama Chozhan, popularly known as Madurantaka Cholan, who ruled the area between 971-985 CE. So, did he also build the Ram Temple here? No. Though the artificial lake was created by the Cholas, the Ram Temple is said to have built at least 500 years earlier, during the reign of the Pallavas.
This time as were returning from down south by road, we decided that we would take a detour and have darshan at this Ram Temple. So, we branched off from the superb expressway and onto an almost half-circle road that came down into Madurantakam. Surprised, that the gopuram was not visible yet, even as I was peering around, we had reached the temple gate. What? Then it dawned on me. A major renovation of the temple was underway and hence the gopuram (temple tower) was covered. Limited darshan and poojas were taking place, we were told, and we walked into the holy precincts of the temple.
Renovation underway
Not much of a crowd and as we stood before the Lord, He presented an awe-inspiring sight. Unlike in Ayodhya, where Ram is worshipped as a child, Ramlalla, here in Madurantakam, Ram is worshipped as an adult, in a standing posture with Sita and Lakshmana by his side. Strangely enough, Hanuman is not seen here but worshipped in a separate temple, some distance away. Why? It is believed that Ram had sent Hanuman to inform Bharat about his whereabouts and hence Hanuman did not come here. Ram is seen holding the hands of Sita, again something not seen often. Karunakara Perumal, whose moorti Ram worshipped here is seen in front of the presiding deity Ram.
Ram, Sita & Lakshman with Karunakara Perumal
The priests explained to us that the ‘kumbabishekam’ after the temple renovation would take another six months, and also explained us the temple’s history. The presiding deity here was originally known as (and officially, still is) Kothanda Ramar. How He came to be popularly addressed as Eri Katha Ramar(Ram who saved the lake, in Tamil) in the last 250 years is simply incredible and gave us goosebumps. In the late 1790s, there was a British Collector of Chengalpattu district (of which Madurantakam is a part), by the name Colonel Lionel Blake. Blake was worried about the incessant rains and a possible breach of the massive lake’s bunds, that could be disastrous for thousands of people in many neighboring villages/towns. As he was taking stock of the situation, he visited the Ram temple and found a large number of stone blocks lying around. When asked, what they were for, the priests explained to the Collector that they planned to build a separate ‘sannadhi’ (temple block) inside the temple for Jankavalli, as Sita was known here, but owing to financial difficulties, work had stopped. Blake suggested using the stone blocks for fortifying the lake bund to prevent flooding, to which the priests protested vehemently. Blake sarcastically asked them – ‘ Will Lord Ram protect the lake?’. Yes, was the reply, if we prayed sincerely to Him. It was pouring heavily that night and Blake decided to go out with his team to the lake shore to have a first-hand account of what was going on, even as the local people started praying to Ram. There was a roll of thunder and a bright flash of lightning and then Blake had this vision ………. He saw two warriors armed with bows and arrows, walking slowly along the lake bund, protecting it. An excited Blake called out to his team members, but none of them could see the warriors. Blake prostrated himself and prayed to them to protect the lake, realizing they were Ram and Lakshman. By morning, the rains ceased, and the lake had not been breached. Colonel Blake took it upon himself to build the temple block for Jankavalli, as a thanksgiving. Kothanda Ramar became Eri Katha Ramar and the picture of Colonel Lionel Blake, having his vision can be seen painted on the wall. When the renovation would be completed, the original plate showing Blake as the contributor towards building the Jankavalli sannadhi would also be restored.
When Ram & Lakshman appeared before Lionel BlakeJankavalli Thayar sannathi
Many centuries before the British came to India and Lionel Blake had a vision of Lord Ram, the temple in Madurantakam had great historical significance as a major center for Vaishnavism or worshippers of Vishnu. The renowned, Vaishnavite saint, philosopher and social reformer, Ramanuja met Acharya Peria Nambi here at the instance of Lord Vishnu and he was initiated into the ‘Pancha Samaskaram’ below a Makila tree ( Magizha tree) that stands to this day. The ‘Dwayam Manthara’ was also told to Ramanuja and hence this place occupies an important place of worship for Vaishnavites, who refer to Madurantakam as ‘Dwayam Valaintha Tirupati’ also. The small pavilion (mandap) where Ramanuja sat, could also be seen.
The Magizha tree below which Ramanuja’s initiation to Vaishanvism took placeRamanuja mandap
Made an instant decision to visit this temple again after the renovation. An important place , close to Chennai, not to be missed.
This is the concluding post in my 4-part blog about our family holiday in Sri Lanka —A week in Sri Lanka, Up… to the Sri Lankan highlands and Down… to the coastal plains. The last 2 days were entirely devoted, literally to ‘all creatures great & small’ as we joined the children in seeing and admiring animals, birds, reptiles in their natural habitats.
Having checked into Cinnamon Wild after dark, couldn’t have a proper look at the facilities. The resort is in the buffer zone of the Yala National Park and there are signboards in the resort premises not to wander around on your own as animals could be on the prowl. There is no compound wall or fencing separating it from the jungle. We were accompanied to our cottages by a guard flashing a torchlight. It was a clear night sky with twinkling stars and the stillness was broken by the sounds of frogs croaking. Had seen a Youtube video of this place that shows a wild elephant that often wanders into the resort and moves out without harming anyone or damaging anything. The security guard told us, how one family in a cottage had woken up in the morning to see a bear asleep on the verandah. OOOH! Exciting, a bit frightening too.
Checked into our cottages that had conical, slanting roofs (wooden structures) and the interiors plush. The lighting was quite diffused, in keeping with the forest, perhaps. The guard asked us to freshen up and when ready, call reception and a guard would accompany us to the dining hall on the first floor. There is another dining place, partly open near the pool too. Went up for a sumptuous buffet, spent some time in the semi-open reception area and asked the resort for packed breakfast, as our safari in Yala National Park would start by 6.30 AM/ We planned to return by 11 AM, pack -up, have lunch somewhere on the way to Mirissa. The package charges for the safari that will include the entry fees plus jeep and driver charges are flexible and one needs to negotiate hard. We went to sleep, dreaming of leopards and bears.
We were ready by 6 AM. There is a dedicated spot beside the resort, where jeep pick-ups for Cinnamon Wild take place. A resort attendant accompanied us to the waiting jeep, with the breakfast boxes and bottles of water. I repeat, bottles i.e. reusable glass bottles, strictly no plastic.
Yala is Sri Lanka’s most popular national park and the one, European tourists throng to spot the elusive leopard. The beauty of the park is that it is on flat plains, hugging the Indian Ocean. Yes, a forest, besides the sea. We made slow progress along a long, straight mud path, made even less motorable due to recent rains. The scenery kept changing, as we moved along. Peacocks, Jungle fowl, monitor lizards, aplenty, but the ‘Big L ‘was still to be sighted.
Interesting terrain, lovely sights but no leopard, though we had been inside the jungle for well over two hours now. Moving along a different path, we caught sight of some excellent scenery, two distant hillocks almost standing out in the middle of nowhere, waterbodies that had Bisons lazing around.
Moving along, we saw a wonderful sight at close quarters. A wild elephant stripping a tree bark and slowly munching on it. Stood there transfixed, as kids and adults alike enjoyed the scene.
Close to 10 AM, we couldn’t spot the spotted one. Due to recent rains, possibly they had moved deeper into the jungle to slightly higher ground, suggested our driver-cum-guide. The jungle trip had been eventful, no doubt but not to see a leopard was a wee bit disappointing. Now we moved to a place adjoining the sea , where tourists can relax, have their packed breakfast and use the well-maintained toilets. The building and its vicinity presents an ideal location for photo-shoots, as well. Got down, stretched our legs a bit, gobbled up the breakfast and admired the forest-seashore combo, a rare sight indeed.
We know the leopard is spotted, but not spotted by us. Exciting morning in the forest, we chatted, as we got off the jeep at our resort. Started dreaming of dolphins and whales next.
Setting off around noon, our plan was to have lunch on the way, visit the Bird’s Park in Hambantota then on to the picturesque Coconut Grove Hill, before checking into our resort at Mirissa. However, we had to alter our plans. It was a very hot and humid day. After lunch at a small town en route, we had two options — 1) Take a detour to Hambantota 2) Proceed straight to Mirissa. It was 2.30 PM now. The heat plus the early morning jungle trip had tired us all out and it was unanimously decided to go along to Mirissa. We raced past small coastal villages/towns with tiny hotels and seafood eateries along the way. Now, close to 4.30 PM, we could see the Weligama Bay and some large hotels such as the Marriott. Weligama and Mirissa are what you call, twin-towns. We were booked at the Mandara Resort in Weligama. Had to pass through a narrow lane and then voila, it opened out to the resort right on the beach. A huge property that had seen better days. The rooms too were large, overlooking the sea but the facilities were quite spartan.
The boat-owner who was to take us on the dolphin & whale-watching trip the following morning arrived with printed tickets. Printed or not, negotiate the price to around 50% of what is printed ………. and you will get a deal. Spent the rest of the evening playing on the beach and then poolside, before trooping in for an early dinner.
After we had retired to bed, there was a knock on our door. As I opened it, I found one of the hotel staff who asked me ” Are you the Russian who left his coolers at the poolside table? Angrily I replied — ‘ Do I look a Russian even in your wildest imagination?’ He beat a hasty retreat.
6 AM next morning. We were ready to go. The packed breakfast took a while. Soon we were on our way in our van and Nuwan told us , it would take about 15 minutes to Mirissa fishing harbor from where we would sail away for whale/dolphin watching. Reached the harbor and found a number of boats moored close to one another. Our man was there, and he told us not to talk about the price he had charged us, as he had charged the others more. Each boat has a lower and upper deck. The boat-owner advised us to take the lower one, though he said tourists thought upper deck presented better viewing. Why? This was our question. He replied that dolphins and whales may suddenly be visible on either side. On the lower deck, it is easy to move from one side to another to take a closer look while on the upper deck, the larger number of seats do not allow for such movement. Further the toilets were available only on the lower deck. We found the logic sound and took our places on the lower deck.
Soon, we were moving out of the harbor, where there were a number of small fishing boats apart from these larger tourist ‘whale-watching’ boats. First step, we were given ‘sea-sickness’ tablets to be popped in, if one felt sea-sick. Slowly, we moved into the open sea, straining our eyes for dolphins and whales. Amazing views of the turquoise sea and sweeping coastline and other tourist boats sailing at some distance.
Suddenly, the ‘Look-out’ shouted ‘Dolphins’ and pointed to our left, Sure enough, we could see a school of dolphins gamboling on the waves. As i admired them for a moment and was about to click my camera, they had gone. Two or three more times, same shout, same sighting but no capturing on camera. We were having a chat with the Master of the boat who spoke fluent English. He said they would continue sailing till we found whales. On some days after seeing dolphins and whales, we return by 9 AM, while on other days it goes on till even 11.30, he said. Now breakfast, comprising of sandwiches (vegetarian and tuna) were served along with soft drinks. As we had carried our breakfast too, there was more than enough to eat. Now, there were many who were feeling sick and throwing up, including my granddaughters. They were sitting quietly now, when suddenly there was a shout— ‘Whale’. Sure enough, to our right, we could make out a black form on the ocean surface that went down after a while and then resurfaced partially again. When we asked the Master, why it was not spouting water into the air or doing a ‘tail-up’ dive back into the ocean, he said this was a Fin whale and what we were referring to were blue whales. He added that during some seasons, we could see blue whales too. Alas! Again, no pictures only pictures captured in our minds through our eyes. Fruits were being served now — watermelon slices and bananas. Time to return to the shore. By 11 AM we should touch land, we estimated as the boat chugged along towards the harbor.
Back on the road, we were soon at Galle Fort, a picturesque, historic town with its fort wall, cricket ground, clock tower and the small shops. Dutch architecture is prevalent. Just drove around in the blazing sun, stepping out only to click a few snaps.
Now to see the turtles, demanded the children. Yes, we said, as we drove along the Galle Colombo Road. Hugging the coast, we could see small villages boasting of ‘surfing coaching’, seafood, homestays, etc. with the Indian Ocean being a constant companion to our left. There were a number of turtle hatcheries too, but Nuwan suggested we visit the biggest one called Ahungalla Sea Turtles Conservation Project called Sealife. The drive seemed endless and finally… we were there. The entrance itself is shaped liked a giant turtle. They have separate entrance charges for locals/SAARC passport-holders and others.
Glad that we visited the place. Not only the children, but we adults too felt sorry at the damages human beings were causing to turtles. We saw varieties of turtles that had been rescued — Leatherbacks, Hawksbills, Loggerheads, Olive Ridleys. Some of them had their limb(s) chopped off by ship propellors, some had injuries while getting entangled in nylon fishing nets and the most pathetic one — A turtle that had swallowed plastic waste mistaking it for jellyfish. Consequence– Gas filled the upper part of the shell and the bloated creature could swim on the surface but could not go down into the water to forage for food. How cruel humans are, said my seven-year old granddaughter. Another turtle had its limbs bitten off by a shark.
The Center is a non-government non-profit organization that runs on donations, entrance fees, sale of souvenirs, etc. We were told they buy out Olive Ridley eggs from natives who would otherwise eat them. The eggs are incubated appropriately, and the hatchlings released into the sea on a regular basis. We got to see 48-hour old hatchlings that would be released into the sea that very night.
Lunch, followed by the drive to Colombo. Shopping for souvenirs, dresses and then into the comforting arms of Taj Samudra. At last, an Indian hotel. Colombo has changed phenomenally since the last time I was here. A Chinese feel everywhere, but the Taj remains Indian at heart and spirit, Next morning, a heavy breakfast with a birthday cake and then, it was time to move out to the airport and fly across the Palk Strait to our homeland. Thanking Nuwan for his help and safe driving, all through, we boarded our flights.
Upon landing at Chennai, the poem that echoed in my mind was…….
We had barely travelled fifteen minutes from our hotel in Nuwariya Eliya, when we had our first halt, right on the main road towards Ella — The Sita Amman Temple (Temple dedicated to Seetha matha). Little did we know then, that today would be the longest, most exciting and obviously the most tiring day of our tour.
Quaint, little temple built beside a fast-flowing stream with thick forests providing the backdrop.
Siat Amman Temple entranceThe temple from a distanceHanuman idol at the entranceThe gurgling stream behind the temple
Stepping inside, we find the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana & Hanuman in the sanctum sanctorum. Hey, wait a minute, there seems to be another sanctum as well. The priest explains that the first one was ‘swayambhu’ or that the idols were found in the vicinity (self-created) while the second-one was by ‘Pratistha’ i.e. man-made. Even as we were offering prayers, there came in, a group of westerners, wearing sarees, bindis, bangles, etc. accompanied by a local guide. Recalled that this temple forms an integral part of the ‘Ramayana Tour’. The actions of these westerners inside the sacred precincts of the temple, left much to be desired. They were striking odd poses, giggling away and clicking photographs/selfies, all over the place. Puja too was performed on their behalf and prasad handed over to them. Wondered what they did with it! in the name of tourism, the faith of Hindus who throng this temple should not be hurt. The temple authorities/Sri Lankan Tourism authority would do well to address this issue.
Hanuman in a different pose inside the templeSteps leading down to the streamThe green mountains provide a perfect backdrop
Legend has it, that this was Ashoka Vatika and the place where Sita was held captive by Ravana. This is also said to be the place where Hanuman, as Rama’s messenger met Sita and reassured her that Rama would come to save her. Stepping out into the open, towards the rear of the temple, we see and hear the gurgling stream, where Sita is supposed to have had her bath. Also, we see large imprints on the ground, believed to be Hanuman’s footprints. A small lamp is lit therein and the footprint worshipped.
Hanuman’s footprint
Over an hour spent at the temple and we were on our way to Ella to see the Nine Arch Bridge.
We had originally planned to travel from Nuwara Eliya to Ella by train, as it is stated to be one of the most picturesque train journeys in the world. However, as the train timing was not suitable and also the journey time of 4 hours would impact our trip, we continued by road, in our van. Greenery on both sides, as we passed numerous homestays, small hotels, picturesque villages and beyond the town of Bandarawela, we touched the town of Ella. Drove pat the busy town center on to the railway station, the point from where one can reach the Nine Arches or simply Nine Arch Bridge. There were autorickshaws, called ‘Tuk-Tuks’ locally and the drivers agreed to ferry us to the Nine Arch Bridge for LKR 1500, one way. The other option was to walk along the narrow dirt track beside the railway line. The third option was to trek through a forest path, not a very difficult trek but were told should take 30-45 minutes. Being in an adventurous mood, it was an unanimous decision to trek through the forest path. Oh boy! Was it enjoyable? It sure was, not a difficult trek and the greenery all round is so soothing and then ……………………. the first sight of the bridge is simply WOW.
Marching towards the Nine Arch BridgeUp, we are goingUnder the jungle canopy
There is small restaurant on the way, where the path takes a slight detour. We had been walking for close to 40 minutes, when through thick foliage, I caught the first sight of the bridge and shouted out ‘There it is’.
First view of the Nine Arch BridgeNotice the railway track and the milling tourists
It is a lovely viaduct bridge with 9 arches, spanning across the valley at a bend. The location is in between Demodara and Ella railway stations. It was built in 1921 and surprisingly, no steel was used in its construction and it is wholly made of brick and cement. There is a single railway track and tourists throng this place to view trains passing over the bridge and then passing into the nearby tunnel. The trains too, have their share of tourists taking in the lovely sights. Surprisingly, very few Indian tourists. As we walked closer to the bridge, we saw a group of tourists sitting on the edge of a small ledge, where there was a makeshift bamboo frame. Even as I wanted to join them there over a rough, uneven path, we heard a sudden loud, thud. There were no screams or cries but we could see some activity among the people sitting there. Soon, there was a small cry of celebration, as a tourist who had slipped and fallen down the ledge (thankfully, not down into the valley, as he had hung on) climbed/was pulled up using a thick bamboo stick, part of the frame. He was badly bruised but did not appear to have suffered any serious internal injury, as he quietly walked away. Now we were on the track on the bridge and a little way down, could see the tunnel too. As we took in the beautiful sight, some of us walked into the tunnel and back.
A closer look!The short tunnel ,a few hundred meters from the bridgeWalking with grandpaLook, what’s that?Its a butterflyV 2 B4 9archI am Power!
Now, we could hear the horn of a train approaching. Immediately, the crowd moved closer to the track, looking for vantage positions, with their mobiles/cameras held high.
Here comes the trainMobiles go up… to click
Truly an incredible sight! Now to get back to Ella town. Again, a unanimous decision — We are too tired to walk back. Stepped out from the viewing place and we had a number of tuk-tuks waiting. The fare demanded now LKR 3000. We hired two tuk-tuks and took the nicely tarred, hilly road and reached the restaurant in Ella, where we had agreed to meet Nuwan, in twenty minutes. Chatting nineteen to the dozen, we polished off the lunch and were ready for the next attraction.
Soon we were at a bend of the road and Nuwan parked the van. We could see some ‘tuk-tuks’ parked nearby, a small tarred road on a steep incline nearby with a signboard proclaiming ‘Ravana Cave -1.8 km’. Our van would not go up the narrow road and we had to take the tuk-tuks only. A bout of bargaining followed, we threatened half-heartedly that we would walk up the 1.8 kilometers and back, but the tuk-tuk drivers called our bluff. Finally, a deal was stuck at LKR 3000 per tuk-tuk for a to-and-fro trip. We were off and the Bajaj tuk-tuks manfully took us up the steep hill road. Green and brown was the color on both sides, not the thick vegetation we had seen earlier. We had reached a small clearing where there was a tiny eatery, ticketing booth and not-so-clean toilets. No tourists around. We bought the tickets and were about to move when the person manning both the ticket counter and eatery ran behind us with some sticks in his hand. He said we would need them for support as we walked around 1000 rough, steep steps apart from a narrow, and at times slippery path over the rocks. a bit off concern spread over our faces , but we marched towards the small gate, that was opened by the ticket counter guy, allowing us to start the upward climb.
Way to Ravana Ella The way up to the caveCannot wait to meet RavanaPuffing and pantingLong way to goAlmost there…From inside the caveTired after the climb and the cave is damp and mustyView from aboveAnother view from near the top
Arduous climb. Many among us, decided to stop midway and then go down for some relaxation. The sun was high in the sky and we were sweaty and thirsty. Three of us made steady but slow progress. Should have carried a water bottle, we thought, as our throats got parched. No stalls on the path, except for an old lady selling buttermilk. Looked around, some good views and we were now at the mouth of the cave. Over some slippery rocks and a rusted iron ladder, we reached inside. We could see a small tunnel a little higher, to which one has to literally crawl or be pulled up by someone. This tunnel, as many others led to the Ashok Vatika , we had seen in the morning, but apparently now the tunnels are sealed. We saw a Russian couple coming down and we asked them how the inside of the tunnel was. Musty, they said. We could only a few feet and it is full of … bats. Eeeks! Immediately took the decision to return down. Came down and joined the rest of the family for a cool drink. Ravana Cave– Was it worth? Will say No. If you skip it, you do not miss much. This is, again a part of the Ramayana Tour. Senior citizens walking up — Unlikely and not advisable. Back on the tuk-tuks to our van on the road.
A brief halt a short while later at the Ravana Falls. Ravan Cave, on another side of the mountain is said to be behind the falls. No clear evidence of that. A small crowd had gathered to click pictures of the fall from the roadside.
Ravana FallsRavana FallsMr. Monkey
We wanted to visit Katargama Murugan Temple, but Nuwan said it was too late, without assigning any reasons. We insisted we go there, even if it meant a slight detour from our route and a late arrival at Yala. Reluctantly, Nuwan agreed and we were on our away on a desolate road leading towards Katargama. There was a forest check-post and the officials warned us that a couple of elephants had been sighted in the afternoon on our route and warned us to be careful, as they were not in groups and hence could be dangerous. We were munching on snacks and chatting away, when we saw him — a lone elephant, standing quietly by the side of the road, to our left. We just slowed down a wee bit and then sped away.
Look who’s standing by the road-side
Even as we were excitedly talking about the sighting, we could see peacocks and then a monitor lizard on the other side of the road. A few kilometers further and I pointed half in fear and half in excitement at a lone tusker moving purposefully towards our vehicle. As he drew closer, Nuwan swerved the vehicle to the right and stepped on the gas. A close shave but a wonderful experience…….on hindsight.
4.30 PM — We were in Katargama. Neat little town, with a temple complex comprising a Muruga Temple for Hindus as well as a place of worship for Buddhists called Kiri Vehera Dagoba. One has to cross a bridge spanning the River Manik Ganga, a river whose water, it is said absolves you of sins if you take a dip there. Forget taking a dip, we were disappointed that the sanctum sanctorum of the Murugan Temple was closed. The temple personnel told us that it closes at 1 PM and re-opens at 6.30 PM only. If we were to wait and worship, considering the 2 hour drive to our place of stay in Yala, we would reach only by 9 PM or later. Late dinner apart, the journey through the jungle in the dark was not advisable. So, we just strolled around in the temple courtyard, promising to revisit at a later date. Being 228 kilometers from Colombo, it appeared that, to have darshan here, one has to stay overnight at Katargama or Yala and then come over to the temple, considering the timings.
Katargama Murugan TempleLook at the number of elephant motifs on the wall
Rest of the journey to Cinnamon Wild, our place of stay inside the buffer zone of the Yala National Park was without incident, but not entirely smooth. Driving in pitch dark, we could see herds of village cattle and then the final two kilometers or so, to the resort was along a rough , narrow path that cannot be called a road.
Bovines dazzled by our headlights
Finally ……… after a strenuous day, we were at the open reception of the resort, waiting to get to our cottages, change and come back for dinner. It was 7.30 PM. About the resort itself and the happenings of the next two days………….. another post, it will be.
We were on the road again, after a good breakfast, not as sumptuous as in Negombo, but decent. Swiftly moved out of Kandy town, taking in the sights with not much traffic. The giant Buddha beamed at us from the hilltop as though conferring his blessings. We were proceeding to Nuwara Eliya, a beautiful hill-station. Greater part of our journey would be uphill, said Nuwan, and hence a little slow. A little over an hour on the road, and we reached the Stonefield Tea factory near the town of Gampola. Perched on a small hillock, we had to walk up some rough steps/path to reach the main building.
Moed into the large hall where various teas were on display and sale. Seeing that we were Tamilians, a lady staff who was Tamilian too, approached us and explained the details of the factory and types of teas. The narration is available in English and Sinhalese too through other staff members. The factory set up in 1930 is still operational, though on the day of our visit (January 15th), it was closed on account of Pongal.
Shocked to learn that the strong, dark tea we enjoy drinking is actually the cheapest form of tea with the highest component of tea dust and low on aroma, flavor and overall quality. Of course, we enjoy drinking this with milk. Sri Lankan or Ceylon tea is broadly of 3 types — 1) Black tea 2) Green tea 3) White tea. There are different blends/grades in each of these. Green tea as also White tea are always taken without milk or sugar (Totally different from our ‘garam chai’). The process of making/manufacturing Black tea involves Plucking two leaves and a bud, Withering, Rolling, Drying, Fermenting, Sifting and then Grading. The plucking is always done by hand. In case of Green tea, the process is similar except that fermentation or oxidation is not carried out, as a result it is rick in antioxidants. White tea is the costliest of the lot and the process of making it too is different. It is totally hand-made tea. The difference starts with the plucking. Only the unopened buds are plucked at dawn (Yes, at dawn and no leaves are plucked). Here again, no fermentation is done and the rolling is done individually, by hand. The tea is light, subtle and preferred by connoisseurs. We were offered 8 tea varieties to taste and then the pitch to buy some tea, ever so gently. Found the prices quite high, but still bought some packets of white tea. Steeped out after more than an hour, a few swigs of water from our bottles, some biscuits and we were away, towards Nuwara Eliya.
We were constantly moving up inclines on a winding road with lush greenery now on either side. It was a little after 12 noon, when the driver halted the vehicle, saying ‘Ramboda Falls’. Yes, we could see the falls right from the road, but this was the Lower falls or one part of the falls. The view from the High Falls or from top will be great, we were told.
The sun was high in the sky and looking at the sharp climb, all but three of us decided to stay in the van/watch the falls from below. The three of us walked to the entrance and had to buy tickets for going up — LKR 200 each. The hike started. Narrow, slippery path, moving up, now widening a bit, again narrowing, now some roughly hewn steps, up, up, we trekked. Lush greenery all round and on one side, we could see more slippery paths going down to small pools of water formed by the waterfall. People were taking a dip there, despite written warnings, not to do so.
We had been walking for about 20 minutes. One of the three had stopped midway. Checked with some people coming down on how far to the top. The reply was another 15-20 minutes. We were tired, sweaty and extremely thirsty. Decided to call it quits and began the downward trek to our van. The Bhakta Hanuman Temple, that is part of the much publicized ‘Ramayana Tours’ was some few kilometers before the Falls and the signboard pointed to an uphill climb. Wondered how, senior citizens who took the Ramayana Tour would reach the temple. Fortified with water and light snacks, we moved on. Nuwan stopped the vehicle after a while, saying we could get some grand views of the distant mountains from the small terrace adjoining a restaurant. we had decided we would have lunch at Nuwara Eliya, so just clicked some pictures quickly and moved on. We could see boards of numerous tea estates advertising visits, tea tasting, tea lounges, etc. Ha, this was big business here!
Finally, Nuwara Eliya. Though it was bright and sunny, there was a nip in the mountain air, and it added to our appetite. Ravenously hungry, we went to an Indian restaurant, where the service was really slow. Finally wound-up lunch by around, 3.30 PM and checked into our hotel, Araliya Green Hills, a hotel with old-world colonial charm. Decided we would visit Lake Gregory in the evening for some water sports, return and then enjoy the heated, indoor swimming pool of the hotel.
Evening . It was quite cold and misty now. Out came the sweaters, mufflers and windcheaters as we head for Lake Gregory that is in the center of the town. Decided to give the botanical gardens a skip and proceed for some water sports. No not the usual rowing or pedal boats, but speedboat, it will be, was the decision. Put on our lifebelts and had the entire boat to ourselves. An icy cold wind blew on our faces and as the boat lived up to its name of speedboat, whizzing across the surface of the lake and in zigzag motions, the younger kids started crying. The chill and the wild movements of the boat were a bit too much for them, but the adults enjoyed it thoroughly. Got off, took a stroll along the banks. There were large crowds and a number of small stalls selling snacks, but mainly of the non-vegetarian kind and so we had to wait for dinner at the hotel. An evening well spent outdoors, we said to ourselves as we drove back to the hotel.
Back at our hotel, the group said, the evening was young. Though I was tired, the kids enjoyed their stint in the heated pool and had to be literally dragged away for dinner. Good spread for dinner. Went off to bed with memories of a wonderful day outdoors and looking forward to the next day tour down to the plains.
I’m If the cultural show in Kandy left us in wonder
At Ramboda Falls, we could hear the thunder
Hanuman’s footprint and Ravana Falls
Sita Amman Temple is open to all
Varieties of tea we got to taste
Galle Fort, we had to do in haste
Human callousness was in evidence
As we looked at turtles’ painful existence
Once beautiful Colombo now has a Chinese feel
Thanks to the Belt Road Initiative deal
As we touch down in Bharat, a rousing welcome
AR Rahman croons ‘Thaai Manne Vanakkam’
Wonderful memories to last a lifetime
Home sweet home any time, every time
Few posts would start with a summary but mine does. The rhyme sums up our family trip to Sri Lanka. In a series of 3 or 4 posts, I’d make an attempt to flesh out the details of our vacation. A family group of 9 with the largest age-difference between two members being 60 years. You can well imagine — 3 small children below 8, one adult above 55, one a senior citizen and the rest in their thirties. At the outset, it was clear that all the spots in our itinerary may not excite all group members and in fact some of the spots could be beyond the kids and elders. So, the ground-rule was — We may decide to skip some of the spots, however important they may be, unless there was unanimity in the group. Another rule was that no travel at night and we should reach our hotels latest by 7 PM.
Landing at Colombo, we found that visa formalities were a breeze. We had taken e-visas and it only took a moment for our passports to be stamped. We stepped out and the Toyota KDH High-roof with chauffeur-cum-guide, Nuwan Ratnayake who would be with all week, was waiting for us. Piled in and the kids chattered away excited, even as I told the chauffeur that we had to take lunch first before checking-in as it was already 2.30 PM. Stopped en route at Negombo town and had food at a small joint. Vegetarian fare was hard to come by. Lunch comprised parotta, hoppers, curries, dosa and sambar. This was washed down with a local bottled drink that was unimaginably sweet, with little trace of the fruits it was said to contain.
Checked into Jetwing Blue, a resort, bang on the beach. Walked past the swimming pool that was brimming with westerners taking a dip, sipping beer or just lounging under the large umbrellas put up alongside. As we walked towards our rooms with our luggage being wheeled away, we were informed by Nuwan that around 5 PM we can try water sports at a nearby place, a few kilometers away. Immediately, there were howls of protest. The kids wanted to simply spend time in the pool and not go out anywhere. Thus started our vacation — After a short snooze, we were up, walked on the sand for a while, washed our feet and jumped into the pool.
Hotel Jetwing BlueThe dog has his day on the beachCoolThe sun sets behind
As the sun went down, we reluctantly stepped out of the pool and walked back to our rooms. A pre-wedding photo-shoot was on, on the lawns and we learnt that this was preferred location for such shoots. Ravenously hungry, trooped across to the dining hall for an early buffet dinner. Spent some time, enjoying the cool sea breeze before retiring for the day and excited to start our sight-seeing from the next day.
I was up early and decided to have a stroll on the enticing beach. As I walked about, met up with one of the hotel staff and started chatting. Learnt that this was the only 5-star property in Negombo . The one next to this ( no separating wall in between) is also a Jetwing property but a 4-star resort. Walked across and saw a separate swimming pool here too. Asked if the beach was private and the staff member responded saying, No. The hotel group believed in being close to the locals and hence there was no separating wall/fence from the beach. Unhindered access to the public beach and he said even local vendors selling snacks, trinkets, etc. were welcome in the hotel premises, though not inside the buildings.
Beach in the morning hoursToddy-tapper at work, up in the palm treesFresh todday, undistilledSmelling the toddy. Note the native attire.
Saw another native worker standing below the row of palm trees in the premises of the resort. Conversed with him in Tamil and pointed his finger upward. Ha, there I noticed two strong ropes forming a sort of passage on top of the palm trees…….. and there was a man walking on this passage too. He now lowered an earthen pot that was tied to a rope and my Tamil friend picked it up. He explained it was toddy, that they used in the resort kitchen as a fermentation agent for the hoppers (appams) they prepare. It had to be filtered before use and hence could not be drunk right away. Now, the grandkids had come out too, and it was time to get packed and ready for check-out, after breakfast.
Fruit plate. Note the starfruit ,passion fruit and the glass of wood-apple juiceAppam, idiyappam with sambhol
Breakfast buffet was sumptuous. Starfruit, Passion fruit were exotic for us, as was the wood-apple juice. Of course, the hoppers (appam & idiyappam) were excellent with the ‘sambhol’ or chutney. Saying bye-bye to Jetwing Blue, we boarded our vehicle en route to Kandy that would be our next halt, with a visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a ‘ must see’ for the children …. and adults alike.
We had been on the Negombo/Colombo to Kandy Road for around two hours passing through small towns, quaint villages, all along on a good, well-laid road. However, as it is not a six-lane highway and as there are numerous bends, one cannot race along. Now, were taking a left turn towards Pinnawala. All along you see signboards of lodges, restaurants, hotels …. with everything having some connection to the term ‘Elephant’. Elephants were the main drivers of tourism here, it appeared. Soon, we stopped and our chauffeur said this is the place where we could see elephants, walk with them ride them, bathe them, etc. I was a tad surprised at this announcement, as I had been to the elephant orphanage earlier and this sounded different. We were at the ticket counter and I read the signage there — ‘ Millenium Elephant Foundation’. I told the lady at the counter, we wanted to see the Pinnawala elephant orphanage. She made her sales pitch that this was a private, family-owned foundation (NGO), where we could see and walk the elephants, of course for a price. Not that the elephant orphanage offered free entry, but that was the place we had come to visit. She reluctantly stated that the orphanage was some two kilometers further down the road. I sternly told our driver that he should not misguide us but take us straight to the Pinnawala elephant orphanage. Cannot comment on how good or bad the Millenium Elephant Foundation is, but there seems to be tie-up between tourist operators and the Foundation for bringing unsuspecting tourists here instead of the Pinnawala elephant orphanage or making them visit the foundation first. A further fifteen minutes’ drive and we were there — Pinnawala elephant orphanage, that is run by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation. Separate prices for entry tickets to locals, SAARC citizens and other foreigners.
A clearing with a viewing gallery from where we could observe elephants eating, at play, relaxing……… elephants of all sizes including a couple of cute babies. Most of them are rescued orphans from the surrounding jungles but some of them have been bred and born here.
Then, there is another gallery from where one could feed a full-grown elephant with fruits. A fruit plate costs LKR 540. The children (and adults too) enjoy feeing the elephant, feeling its rough trunk as it greedily snatches the fruits offered.
Two other major attractions here are 1) Watching the elephants bathing in the river 2) purchasing paper products made of elephant dung or poop in the official souvenir shop or any of the private stores outside. The elephants are taken by their mahouts for bathing in the river Maha Oya which flows on the other side of the road from where the orphanage is. So, when the elephants go for a bath, traffic is stopped for a few minutes on the road, as elephants have the right of way here. We came out of the orphanage, crossed the road and walked through the narrow street towards the river. Our tickets were checked (Yes, the same ticket entitles you to watch the elephants bathing in the river, outside the orphanage). The street is lined with shops selling elephant products, souvenirs, refreshments, small eating houses and lodges (some overlooking the river). The sound of the fast-flowing river and the elephants enjoying their dip in the cool water is a mesmerizing sight.
Getting clean in the Maha Oya RiverWater babiesShop selling paper products made of elephant dungThe restaurant where we had lunch
It was very hot and humid now. We were all hungry too. Walked back to the main road and found this small place, Cafe Pinnalanda. The lunch buffet was okay and we were particularly impressed with a salad made of greens. Time to hit the road again. Kandy in two hours announced Nuwan as had to traverse the inclines of the central highlands. We estimated to be in Kandy by 5 PM, in time to catch the cultural show at Kandy Lake Club by 5.45 PM, something the ladies in the family did not want to miss. It was decided to give the Peradeniya Gardens, a miss. If you have more time, this is a place that you must visit. It was a little over 5 PM. We were in Kandy town but our place of stay was at Fox Candy, atop a hill and accessible by narrow, steep roads with hair-pin bends thrown in. Kandy looks picturesque with the lake in the middle of town and surrounded by green hills on all side, with a giant Buddha statue overlooking the town. Finally, we were at our resort wherein the reception and dining were at a higher level with the chalets/cottages down in a small valley. While walking down to our chalets, we took in the amazing views of the hills all round, a swimming pool that appeared to be on the edge of a cliff, even as our luggage was being wheeled down in the luggage carts. A quick freshening -up and were back in our van to go down for the cultural show.
Considering the uphill drive along narrow roads in the darkness, we took a quick. momentous decision. No sooner the cultural show ends, we would return for dinner, missing, possibly the most important site in Kandy — The temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa. Group was not keen, and I didn’t mind as I had been there earlier but for visitors to Kandy, this UNESCO World Heritage site should be a ‘Must see’.
Traffic was slow round the lake, as some road repair work was going on. It was a little after 6 PM, when we reached the Lake Kandy Club where this cultural show happens. I was the only male member in our group who went to watch the show with the ladies. The others decided to chill outside. The show had started an possibly we had missed the first 3 dances. What we saw in the next one hour had us transfixed — the ancient culture of Sri Lanka, the skill, grace and flexibility of the dancers, the jugglers, musicians and other performers. There was the Peacock dance, Devil dance to ward off evil, Panthera natuma, Ves natuma in traditional Kandian finery & jewelery, harvest dance and of course the fire-eating performance. At the end of the tour, when I had asked my 3-year-old grand-daughter, what was the highlight of the tour according to her —- her answer was, the ‘fire-eating’ act. The cultural show has an interval too, enabling the audience to have refreshments of their choice served in their seats, including liquor. The crowd was mostly European/American and apart from us, could not see any Indian tourists.
Peacock dance
The final act in the show is outdoors. Fire-walking, where trained people walk on a pit full of burning embers and they come out unscathed. A sight to behold, though for some, from Tamil Nadu they must have seen these at temple festivals where devotees walk on fire. At the end of the show, one could give a small tip and click pictures with the performers.
The firewalkersFire-walking.A click with the firewalkersMaybe will try firewalking…… next time round
8.30 PM — Reached our resort. Went for the dinner buffet. passable, more of continental and non-vegetarian fare. Not too many choices for vegetarians here. Got to crash soon, as we have an early morning start, after breakfast, further up the highlands to Nuwara Eliya. As we walk down to our rooms, I look up at the starlit sky and with lights of houses twinkling on the hills, it sort of gives the feeling of being in Fairyland.
Three friends were spending the weekend at a quiet farm stay in Govitri village near Kamshet. Went for a walk to the nearby Vadiwale Dam built on the Kundali River and returned back to our farm house, where we met the supervisor who had come visiting. Our talks veered towards paragliding in Kamshet and suddenly the supervisor Praveen, mentioned he was trained paraglider pilot himself and detailed the place from where paragliding took place. Got me all excited and I said I wanted to try it out. One of the friends agreed, the other was a wee bit skeptical but he was won over. We discussed with Praveen and the rate was fixed at Rs.3500 per head that would include a tandem paragliding (with a pilot) and photography + videography. Roughly 15 minutes of flying. On weekdays, the cost would be Rs.3000, he said.
Next morning at around 9 AM, we were off towards Hotel Rangoli on the service road off the highway, that was our meeting point. Praveen had mentioned that he would be up at the paragliding spot and we were to meet up with one Sagar here. Sure enough, there was Sagar waiting for us in a battered Tata Sumo that would be the only mode of conveyance to the paragliding point. We parked our vehicle in the hotel’s parking lot and moved towards the Sumo, that already had 7-8 people inside. We managed to squeeze in, albeit with different degrees of discomfort and we were off. Pre-boarding instruction was — Pick up some water bottles as absolutely nothing would be available on the hilltop.
The Sumo rattled along for about 10 minutes along a good tarred road with a slight incline, as we chatted up with fellow passengers. One was a couple out to try tandem paragliding, just like us. There were a couple of trainee pilots with their huge backpacks. Yes, there is 11 day certification course that enables one to qualify as a paraglider pilot. The training involves ground activities first, followed by tandem flying, then sol flying and later flying with a passenger. One young man was from Hyderabad and was staying in one of the hostels that provides accommodation for these trainees. Soon, the Sumo swerved on to a narrow mud trail in the thorny jungle and moved ahead. The window glasses had to be rolled up as the branches of these trees would otherwise graze the occupants. The road was so bad that we felt our body parts were exchanging places inside as we swerved, shook and bounced. Suddenly we saw another Sumo coming down. Expertly, our driver Sagar maneuvered our vehicle in reverse to a small enclave, providing just that wee bit of room for the other vehicle to pass. We were constantly moving up an incline and in another 15 minutes, we reached an open clearing. James Bond would have said ” Shaken not stirred” but as we got down we were both shaken and stirred. Sagar collected Rs.100 from each of us for the trip and asked us to walk along the narrow trail to reach the paragliding point, that was nowhere visible from here. Further, he said, we were to call him, once we started walking back and he would make his way to this point, if not already there with his vehicle.
We began our trek along the trail of a dry stream , then along a narrow mud trail constantly moving downhill. Little vegetation only giving way to open meadows as we kept walking briskly, when suddenly we could see some small hillocks towards which we moved walking uphill. Twenty minutes later, we were there. A large green canvas (or was it washable waterproof material?) that was to serve as the airfield, deflated gliders and other allied equipment and a small group of people standing there was all we could see. Met up with Praveen who said gliding had been stopped for a while as the wind was too high. His team members came and asked for our body weights, ostensibly to adjust the glider/parachute attached to the pilot. A stiff wind was blowing as eager enthusiasts waited. The view from the hilltop was amazing. A sheer drop from the ledge with fields and roads below and …… we would be gliding over these places. Thrilling, a wee bit frightening too. What if? What if the wind was too strong and we dashed against the hill face? What if the strings of the glider broke midway? What if the parachute did not open?
Now some of the gliders were taking off as the wind had dropped a little. As we watched the prelude to a take-off, it became a bit more unnerving. A lady fully strapped with harness and a bright red helmet was standing for take-off. Behind her was the pilot. They both walked a few steps forward, the glider which lay limp on the ground, now sprung up in the form of a canopy ad now the lady was asked to sit on the small seat as the ground personnel gave a final push to the flight off the cliff, and……… she was away in the air, swaying to the left, a little to the right, then moving higher up even as we could see her hand holding the selfie-stick. One more, one more….. now many gliders dotted the sky. but no sign of our turns.
Some gliders were coming in to land now and again the ground personnel swung into action. As the glider came down with the pilot’s feet touching the ground the green tarpaulin aerodrome, the ground personnel quickly latched on to the strings of the glider to slow it down and then unbuckle the harness of the passenger and helping her get up from her seat on the ground. She was all smiles, her face flush with excitement as she narrated her adventure to her family.
Now came the call for one of us, the lightest in terms of weight. He stood fully strapped with the harness, a gentle walk, swoosh, he sat and away he went into the air. We friends cheered him on with Victory signs. After all, a paragliding senior citizen is a rarity, is it not?
He landed in around 15 minutes, smiling. Said he thoroughly enjoyed the flight, chatting with the pilot all along. Hmmm, more confidence to us. Now it was my turn. Ha, I stepped across to the spot, was suitably harnessed, helmeted and given instructions. I was not to sit on the seat till the glider canopy opened up completely and we were about to lift-off. Okay, I said confidently. We started to roll, moved forward a few steps, but alas….. the take-off was aborted as the wind was high again. WTF, I muttered to myself as I stood there with harness and a shining red helmet like a mannequin for about 10 minutes. Another attempt to take-off, canopy ballooned up , we moved forward, I sat down on the seat and we were off. Phew! Even as I looked around, the pilot was asking me if I was comfortable. ‘No issues’, I replied. We seemed to hovering close to the cliff without moving sideways or higher as the wind howled in my ear despite the helmet covering. Why no movement further? I questioned the pilot. Oh!, wind is too strong, he muttered. Still, I did not get worried at all. Felt quite safe. You yourself click the pictures, I told him as I wanted to enjoy the sights, rather than focusing on selfies. We were about five minutes in the air, when the pilot said we are landing. Shocked, I asked him that the duration was to be 15 minutes, so why land so soon when we had hardly soared in the skies. Sheepishly, he replied that the cartridge of the camera was faulty and a new one had to be inserted. Of course, I thought, if pictures are not there for posterity, what’s the big deal? We came down to land and the ground crew quickly held on to the strings and completed the landing. The pilot disengaged himself and said another pilot would fly me with a new cartridge in the camera. Why was my query. Another sheepish reply that both of us were ‘ heavyweights’ and a lighter pilot would be better. Ha, I saw the reason for the difficulties we had in the flight. The new pilot was taller and slimmer, named Prashant. He quickly got into position. When queried about the wind speed, he mentioned it was just right for gliding. Just before take-off, a small girl of about 7-8 years came, offered him a 5-star bar and requested a selfie. Oh, Prashant said casually, we had just flown a Trandem, meaning three people together — Prashant, the little girl and her mother. So…… a tandem with two of us was no big deal.
One, two, three and over the cliff we went, floating a while before soaring up. I looked around, looked below and was amazed. The green fields far below, the tarred road with some vehicles plying on them and on the other side the sheer face of the mountains. Prashant asked if I was enjoying the flight. Without a doubt, I said. A sense of calm and power descended over me, as though I had been freed of any bondage soaring over the sky like a bird having a bird’s eye view of the world below.
Even as Prashant kept clicking pictures and shooting a video, I looked around for spots I could identify. Oh, there to the right was the small clearing where our Sumo had dropped us and wow, right below, I could see the hilltop with the green canvas landing ground dotted with people standing all round. Now I was feeling confident enough to let go off of both my hands and sing ‘Udta hi phiroon in havaon me kahin,…’. Prashant laughed and then we got talking , even as the wind whistled in our ears.
Our talk turned to the business model. Prashant said, a complete glider kit had to be imported and would cost around INR 550,000-600,000 and which will have a life-time of around 350 flying hours after which the strength of the fabric would deteriorate hampering flights. Do you keep log records of flying hours, I asked. No, we do a rough math was the reply. I shuddered involuntarily for a moment — what if this glider was close to the end of its flying life. Prashant proudly proclaimed that since the late 1990s , when paragliding started in Kamshet , there had been no accidents on tandem flights, though there had been some mishaps on sol flights by trainees. What if suddenly, the wind becomes stronger and we are unable to land, was my next doubt. Prashant coolly replied that they have a Plan B, i.e. landing in the open fields far below.. The problem then would be to lug the heavy glider kit back to the main road before finding a vehicle or for the passenger to connect with his family/friends who may be on the hilltop. What is that below? Oh, that was another glider smoothly gliding way way below us. We were really high in the sky now.
Time to land now. As Prashant expertly managed the strings to the left and right much one uses a rudder on a boat, we were losing height, the ground crew was ready and a smooth landing. Back on terra firma with another item on my bucket list ticked off. The photographs and video were immediatley loaded on to our mobile phones.
Now began the long trek back to the clearing where our Sumo would pick us up. Quite hungry and thirsty, we made our way to the clearing. Interestingly, no advance payment is insisted upon for the flights. We made digital payments only after reaching Hotel Rangoli along with Praveen.
An unexpected adventure but somewhere deep down in the sub-conscious was this desire to fly.
We were to visit two places in present-day Madhya Pradesh that owed their popularity to the centuries gone by, when two women made them famous. So, under overcast skies and with a cool breeze blowing even at 2 PM, we set off for the first of these places — Maheshwar. Does the name ring a bell? Perhaps a temple for Lord Maheshwara or a place for the renowned Maheshwari sarees? Partly true, but Maheshwar is steeped in history and legend. Reached our hotel on the main road and the reception boasted pictures of many of the film stars who had stayed there while shooting in Maheshwar. It was raining quite heavily now, so we decided to have a short nap and see if the weather would improve.
4.30 PM and the drizzle was persisting. Had a cup of tea and decided to step out to fulfil the purpose of our visit — to see first-hand and admire the work of a famous daughter of this area — Ahilyabai of Holkar.
Hailing from Maharashtra, Ahilyabai was married off at the age of 8 to the son of Malhar Rao Holkar, a commander in Peshwa Baji Rao’s army. She showed great intelligence and a pious, spiritual streak even when young. She accompanied her husband on various campaigns but when her husband was killed in war, she wanted to commit sati. It was her father-in-law who stopped her, trained her in warfare and administration. So much so that after her father-in-law’s death, Ahilyabai’s son became the ruler of Indore under her guidance but died a few months later. Ahilyabai, despite the personal tragedies plaguing her life, took over as the Ruler of Indore, the Holkar dynasty. What a rule it was! Apart from successful military campaigns, her emphasis was on development and well-being of her people. Being a religious person, she spent a lot on building and restoring many temples all across India. Jawaharlal Nehru in his book ‘ Discovery of India’ describes Ahilyabai as — “She was a very able ruler and organizer, highly respected during her lifetime, and considered as a saint by a grateful people after her death.”
Ahilyabai had made Maheshwar her seat of power or capital and that is what we had come to see. The car wound through some narrow roads before the driver pointed to a mud path leading from the side upwards towards Maheshwar Fort. His advice — Walk up, explore the insides of the fort, climb down the steps on to the Narmada Ghats, walk across, see the Rajarajeshwar & Kashi Viswanath Temples up the slope and you will reach the place where I will be waiting for you.
Entering the fort after a brief walk uphill, in the shaded garden, we see a statue of the grand lady herself in her classic pose of holding a mud shivling in her hands. It is said she used to make mud shivlings daily, pray to them and then immerse them in the Narmada. We entered the Rajwada now (photography here is strictly prohibited and there are guards all round), where we could see the place from where Ahilyabai sat and administered, a few of her personal belongings and the temple where she prayed. Moving along to the large prayer room, we could see a swing made of gold (sone ka jhoola)in which the moorthis of Gods were placed and swung gently. Moving out, we entered another temple where the priest explained the presence of an ancient tree and how poojas are performed here even now.
Walking a few steps, we were awestruck at the first view of the structures in the courtyard below and the Narmada in the background. The Maratha architecture looked grand, as did the Rajwada but there was nothing ostentatious about it. The beauty lies in its simplicity.
An elaborate corridor with beautifully carved doors and windows …. it hit me suddenly, this is where the song ‘Snegidane snegidane..’ from Maniratnam’s Tamil film ‘Alai Payuthe’ was shot. Fancied myself as Madhavan for a while.
Now, we stepped down into the courtyard to admire the Vithoji chatri. The Narmada was in full view and on the ghats there were numerous visitors out for a stroll, children driving battery-operated cars, balloon-sellers, etc…. it presented the sight of a fair, even in the midst of a light to heavy drizzle.
Walking on the ghats, with a cool breeze caressing our faces and the drizzle cooling us down further was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Recalled some of the films shot here — ‘ Dabbang 3’, ‘Padman’ and ‘Yamla Pagla Deewaana’ came to mind. Could visualise the background dancers on the steps leading down to the ghats dancing in ‘Alai Payuthe’. Interestingly, the Maheshwar ghats pass off as the ghats in Varanasi in the film ‘Padman’. Now we climbed up a little and reached the Ahileshwar Temple. A beautiful, paved pathway leads us to the next temple, Raja Rajeshwar Temple. A very clean courtyard and temple precincts. The priest explained that the temple is also known as the Akhand Deep mandir since 11 lamps here have been burning continuously since pre-historic times in honor of Agni. The ghee required for the continuous glowing of these lamps is provided by devotees. The inside of the sanctum sanctorum is lined with mirrors.
Time to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple which is further up and almost close to the road level. This temple is said to have been built by Ahilya Bái Holkar herself and she would walk down daily to pray here. It is believed that, praying here is equivalent to visiting all the jyotirlings in different places.
Walked up to the road where our car was waiting. Hopped along to our next destination — shops for purchasing Maheswari sarees. Too exhausting to write about the experience. Suffice to say, we got very good deals on genuine Maheshwari sarees. So, back to the hotel, dinner and dreaming of the other famous woman of Madhya Pradesh, whose history we would see the next day.
The following morning was bright and sunny but as we were to drive uphill to Mandu or Mandav, as it is called, we may not feel the intense heat, we assumed. Driving along tree-lined roads, with small valleys on both sides, we wound our way uphill. We were told there were seven ancient gates (stone structures) to be crossed before entering Mandav. None were on this road, and we would see two of these gates (Alamgir Gate for one), while returning to Indore by a different route. Mandav is a town steeped in history. There is nothing else but for the historical monuments spread across this town, perched atop the Vindhyas in the Malwa-Nimar region. Lush greenery all round, with monuments sticking out in between! The town has a clear Islamic influence even if it was initially ruled by the Paramara kings. Later, taken over by the Delhi sultanate, Afghans & then the Mughals, the Islamic influence is not surprising.
The famous woman from these parts? I was already humming the popular song ‘ Aa laut ke aaja mere meet, tujhe mere geet bulate hain’ from the film ‘Rani Roopmati’. Yes, the poetess, queen Rani Roopmati is the acknowledged heroine of this area — A simple Hindu shepherdess and her love affair with a Muslim ruler, Baz Bahadur forms part of history, legend and romanticism. Baz Bahadur, encouraged her singing, fell in love with her, did not pay enough attention to his kingdom and as a result when, the Mughals led by Adham Khan attacked Mandu, Baz Bahadur fled the kingdom. It is said Adham Khan’s attack on Mandu was mainly driven by his infatuation with the beautiful Roopmati. After the defeat of Baz Bahadur, Roopmati poisoned herself rather than fall into the hands of Adham Khan. A love story with a tragic ending. There are many missing links in the whole narration though.
So… here we were at the Rani Roopmati Palace, said our driver. Got off, purchased our entry tickets and started climbing the steps to reach the Rani Roopmati Pavilion (its rightful name). A small road can also be used to walk up, something we tried while coming down.
No crowd at all. When we reached the top, were a bit unnerved at finding the monument totally bereft of humans. Wait a minute…. a lone figure was approaching us. He said he was a guide from the local town and we heaved a sigh of relief. Good to have someone to talk to (and click pictures) and the fee quoted was Rs.100.
Rani Roopmati Pavilion was a watchtower (two of them, actually) where sentinels used to watch over the Nimar plains and the Malwa kingdom below. It is said Rani Roopmati used to come over here daily on palanquin to have a darshan of the Narmada, far out in the distance and also possibly to gaze at her paramour, Baz Bahadur’s palace below. When we asked where Rani Roopmati’s palace was, there was no proper response from the guide. The literature available too does not mention this. Were Roopmati & Baz Bahadur married? Did they live together in Baz Bahadur’s palace? Grey areas where history and folklore are silent. There is wall running round the entire structure and this was supposed to be the border with Nimar. Though the Narmada is not visible these days, the deep valleys on either side present a panoramic view. The ground floor of the Pavilion housed the stables where the horses were kept with rooms for provisions as well. A level above were the watchtowers.
Rainwater harvesting
Stepping below the ground, we see an underground chamber for collecting rainwater, rain-water-harvesting from those days. Remarkable. A few swigs of water/lemon juice ( no, not the harvested rain-water) and we were off in our car. En Route, passed the famous Juma Masjid. Not too keen to get off in the heat now, we moved to the Palace of Bagh Bahadur — the place where he enjoyed hearing the songs of Roopmati. Tastefully done, with gardens, courtyards and ponds, one could imagine how it must have looked in its halcyon days.
Drove down to the central or touristy part of Mandav. A huge complex wherein we find all the ancient monuments relatively close to one another. The first of these is the Jahaaz Mahal meaning ‘Ship Palace’. It is built in the form of a long, narrow ship where one has to climb the steps to reach the top deck. Interestingly, the palace is built between two water bodies, the Kapoor Talab & the Munj Sagar Talab, thereby giving an impression of a ship lying at anchor. Said to have been built by Ghiasuddin Khilji in the 15th century for housing his harem of 15,000 women. Wow! The terrace is massive and each of the two floors have lotus-shaped pools, which during their heydays would have been filled with water. The steps to the upper flow resembles that in a ship.
Model of the Jahaaz MahalActual Jahaaz MahalUpper deck or terrace of Jahaaz MahalInside Jahaaz Mahal
Stepping down from the Ship Palace, we could see a model of the same kept in the well-manicured lawns. Next stop was the Hindola Mahal or the Swinging Palace. This was used an assembly or meeting place and formed part of the palace complex. Said to have been built during Hoshang Shah’s regime, its peculiarity is in the manner in which its outer walls lean out at an odd angle, giving the impression of a building that would swing. Reasons for it is not well documented, possibly to allow free flow of air.
Hindola Mahal. Note the angle of the wall.
We were by now tired and decided to give Hoshang Shah’s Tomb a miss but went ahead to view Rewa Kund with its pavilion. Said to have been built by Baz Bahadur for Roopmati, it had water from the Narmada flowing in through aqueducts. It is said that on days when visibility was poor and the Narmada could not be viewed from the Roopmati Pavilion, the queen would instead look at the water in Rewa Kund. Not too well maintained now.
Rewa Kund
Sad to see a woman washing clothes in Rewa Kund of today. A monument left unattended and unguarded. Anyways, a wonderful trip to Madhya Pradesh. Mandav and Maheshwar are really two hidden gems of this state and both stand testimony to two famous women.
King Midas had got a boon that whatever he touched turned to gold. He was overjoyed thinking he will the richest man in the world. His happiness lasted only till lunch. Feeling hungry, when he touched the food, alas, that too turned to gold. It was only then that the greedy king realised his folly.
We were in Indore, a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. We were told by our driver that we should try the eatables at ‘Sarafa Bazaar’, that in Hindi literally translates to Bullion Market. Hey, will we not end up as Midas was my question. The reply was No, as a whole range of vegetarian eatables were available daily at Sarafa Bazaar. Oh, so earlier it was bullion market that has now become a ‘Khau gully’, is it? –My question. No, was the reply, it is actually a bullion market even now.
We set off around 9 PM to have dinner of a different kind. The driver dropped us on the main road as vehicles are not allowed in Sarafa Bazaar in the evenings. A small walk of a few minutes, and before us was Sarafa Bazaar — a single street stretching to about half a kilometer with jewelry shops and bullion trading shops on either side of the street, all closed. The whole place was lit up with gaily-colored posters, banners and festoons of various stalls/carts on either side selling eatables. We were informed that during the day, the jewelers transact their business. Once they shut shop, by around 9 PM, the place is taken over by these night-time operators, the food stall owners. The stalls are open till 3 AM and then they remove all traces of the business including clearance of all discarded materials, waste, etc. No trace of the night eateries in the mornings, when the jewelers come to open their shops. This cycle continues day after day and Sarafa Bazaar at night is the biggest tourist attraction in Indore. Not that the locals do not flock to this place.
The crowds were just coming in and we walked the entire length of the street, taking stock of all that was on offer. There were stalls selling the ubiquitous pav bhaji, chaats of different kinds, sweets, ice-creams, juices apart from Chinese, South Indian and even Italian stuff such as pizzas. Decided to start off with something we hadn’t tasted before — Kiss. No, not the physical one but a chaat made of ground corn and seasoned with masalas. Tasted yummy.
Next in our sights was the Garadu — Sliced and diced yam, fried in oil with a liberal sprinkling of some secret masalas. Spicy, tasty but a bit on the heavier side. Maybe an acquired taste for some.
Some of the stall-keepers were dressed in ethnic wear while some sported heavy chains, wrist-bands, rings and bracelets. Time for some dahi bhalla and more important, a photo-op with the stall-owner who appeared to be a Bappi Lahiri fan given his penchant for flashy jewelry.
Thirsty, we looked for something to drink. Chanced upon the Coconut crush stalls, announcing they were 100% natural stuff. The shopkeeper chops the green coconut with gusto, shouting all the while as he scoops out the malai( white flesh inside) after pouring out the water into a jug. Next, the water along with the malai is beaten together in a mixie and poured out in glasses for you. A bit of a weird taste, but a good experience.
We decided to give the Fruit Shots a miss as also the dosas and ‘kullad pizza’ ( pizza in an earthen cup). Ice-creams were out of bounds, as I had a bad throat but desserts were certainly on. Found it difficult to choose from the mouth-watering sweets. A diabetic would surely have his sugar-levels up, merely looking at the sweets on display. Opted for kalakand and rasmalai. We were too stuffed to try out the syrupy malpuas.
There was slight drizzle now. We had to call it a day and get back but not before trying out the Smoke paan. Paste of cashews, almonds and other condiments in the green leaf, dipped in dry nitrogen, a cool feeling envelops the mouth, even as cool vapour in the form comes out of the mouth and nostrils. A video shoot of the act is captured by the paan stall owner for posterity. Thought my looks, breathing smoke (no fire) would have put any self-respecting dragon to shame.
As we walked back towards our car, our thoughts were — Was this fine dining? Certainly not, it was more of fun dining. A word of caution — Garadu may not suit everyone. We felt the after-effects in 24-36 hours. Do not over-indulge.
I can see you wondering — ‘What, a split jyotirlinga? Yes, one among the 12 jyotirlingas is in fact a split jyotirlinga — two of them close by are taken together as one jyotirlinga viz. Omkareshwar jyotirlinga. Now how did this happen? Two legends are attributed to this jyotirlinga. One says that King Mandhata was an ardent devotee of Shiva and pleased with his devotion, Shiva appeared before him. The king requested Him to stay on the island called Mandhata, shaped liked an OM when seen from the air. Shiva agreed and stayed there as Omkareshwar and at the request of the devas, split into two parts, the other being on the mainland as Amareshwar or Mamleshwar. The other narration is about Mount Vindhya praying to Shiva for growing taller and taller. Shiva granted the boon subject to the condition that Mount Vindhya would not trouble anyone. Shiva resided there after splitting the lingam. Having darshan of both Omkareshwar and Mamleshwar would only constitute a jyotirlinga darshan.
We set off from Ujjain by around 8.15 AM on an empty stomach. Halted at a small but apparently renowned stall for breakfast on the way at Sawer. Piping hot and spicy poha, local version of dhokla and kullad chai made for a satisfying breakfast.
Poha, Dhokla & chai in kullad
As we drove along, our driver remarked that he learnt from a friend that darshan at Omkareshwar the previous day, had taken 7 hours. Oh, I said’ But with special darshan, it should be quicker’? The driver’s response was there was no special or VIP darshan at Omkareshwar. He added that the temple pandits ‘facilitated’ quick darshan for a fee. Seeing no response from my side, he added that the temple will close at 12 noon and re-open by 1.30 PM. It was close to 10.30 AM when the driver insisted we see the Navagraha Shani Mandir on the main road itself in the village of Baigam. A new temple designed specifically for the navagraha, more specifically for Saturn or Shani. It is claimed to be the world’s largest temple for Shani based on vaastu shastra. Oil was being sold in small containers that could be used for performing abhishek on Shani. Certainly, a place worth a halt.
Shani Navagraha Mandir in Baigam
Continued on our way across long winding roads, small villages, dhabas in the midst of nowhere and finally by around 11.AM, we reached the Omkareshwar mainland called Brahmapuri. Parked the car along the road and then our driver asked if he should contact the temple pandit for our darshan. Reluctantly, I said okay. He called on his mobile and within two minutes, Panditji walked across to us. I was taken aback. I had in mind, a temple priest who would ask us to come over to the temple and then discuss.Here was a man in ochre robes, looking like a ruffian, right at our car. I was curt and asked him how much he would charge. What he said shocked me — ‘ Rupees one thousand five hundred for me and of course you will have to pay Rupees three hundred per head as VIP darshan charges’. I recalled our driver saying there was no VIP darshan and sensed a well-oiled racket. I laughed and told Panditji, if there is a paid VIP darshan, why do I need you? He talked about facilitating an abhishek for us. I cut him short saying, we only want to have a darshan, no poojas, abhishek, etc. Now he played his last card — If you give money to a Brahmin, it will be a ‘punya’ or that I will be absolved of my sins. How much was I prepared to give? I literally shooed him off, looked daggers at our driver and started walking briskly along the narrow street where arrow-signs showed the way. En route, we saw many more pandits, some approached us and were shooed away. Now, we passed through a covered market-place lined with small shops and a little further up saw an arrow pointing the way to the Mamleshwar Temple. We wished to see Omkareshwar first ( said to close at 12 noon) and hence moved ahead. Saw one branch of the street leading down to the Narmada river, where we could see some boats as well. The other branch of the road was up a small incline. Checked with a passer-by, which route to take. He explained that, one can go down, take a boat and cross over to Omkareshwar temple. This will necessitate climbing up the temple steps from the jetty. The other alternative was to walk up the other way and take the 235 meter-long suspension bridge ‘Mamleshwar Setu’ that would lead us right to the temple door on Shivpuri island or Mandhata island. The island is surrounded by the Narmada and its tributary known as Kabri or Kaveri ( not to be confused with the Cauvery in south India) We opted to walk over the Narmada. Walked briskly without even looking at the lovely scenery from the bridge, we reached the covered passage before the temple and soon sought out the VIP darshan counter, shooing away a couple more pandits. No crowd there and we bought our tickets paying Rs.300 per head. We were guided to a separate entrance where our tickets were checked and we went up a small flight of stairs to the next level, then came down a narrow, flight of stairs right into the temple.
Inside the Omkareshwar temple
We had hardly moved a few feet in the queue, when we were facing the one, we had come to see. Surprised, I asked, ‘ Is this the Jyotirlinga ?’. Yes, the Omkareshwar jyotirlinga, said the lady managing the security and waved us forward as others in the queue were waiting for the darshan. It happened in a fleeting second. I could make out that the jyotirlinga was on the floor with a pipeline through which water was dripping on it. Between devotees and the lingam is a glass partition and some people doing the abhishek poured milk from over the partition.
Omkareshwar jyotirlinga
We were quite awe-struck by the very quick darshan and considered ourselves truly blessed. Walked back to the ticket counter and made a small voluntary contribution to the temple. Some devotees after darshan do a parikrama or circumambulation of the temple, that is a good 7 kilometer walk . We were told that the path goes up and down along the river and has a number of smaller temples along the way. Parikrama can also be done on the river by going round the island on a boat and having a dip at the sangam, the confluence of the Narmada and Kaveri. Not wanting to do either, we walked back along the bridge, stopping to click some pictures of the lovely views of the Narmada. Lovely no doubt, but on a closer look, lot of waste material thrown by people are seen along the river bank. We can do much better.
Mamleshwar suspension bridgeBoats plying on the Narmada with Omkareshwar tempe on the other bankOmkareshwar Dam viewed from the bridgeThe grime and discarded materials on the river bank
Now we were back on the southern bank of the Narmada again, that is at Brahmapuri. Extremely thirsty, we had to stop for a drink of cold nimbu-paani before proceeding towards completion of our jyotirlinga darshan by having darshan of Mamleshwar. Being the smaller of the two temples, we thought darshan here will be easy. How wrong we were! It had started to drizzle , as we stood in the queue under a covered passage. The queue was not moving at all and here in this temple, there really was no facility of a special darshan. Now, we started moving slowly, and were soon in the open courtyard of the ancient temple. As we neared the temple steps, there was pandemonium. The lines were broken and it was a free-for-all, with people jostling one another for going up the narrow steps. There was a warning board asking us to beware pickpockets, but there was absolutely no security or crowd-management. We managed to enter the sanctum sanctorum after some effort, but the effort was worth it. We could see Mamleshwar at close quarters in all His glory. Devotees are allowed to touch the lingam too. As we stepped out from the small temple confines into the open courtyard, gulping in fresh air, we saw an argument going on and a crowd had gathered in one spot. Learnt that someone’s bag had been cut whilst in the crowd entering the temple. Devotees need to be extra careful here. A beautiful, ancient temple ……. could do with better crowd management and safety.
Crowds at Mamleshwar TempleThe ancient Mamleshwar TempleNandi idol facing the jyotirlingaIt’s me
We walked back to our car and narrated to the driver the extra-quick darshan we had at Omkareshwar. He looked on sheepishly. Not wanting to embarrass the poor guy further, asked him to quickly find a good place for lunch, as were famished.
UJJAIN – A city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh considered among the holiest of cities by Hindus. One of the 4 places in India where the Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years. Ujjain is also known as the City of Mahakal, one of the most prominent jyotirlings. It can be safely said that the economy of Ujjain is built around its religious places more, specifically the Temple of Mahakal to which pilgrims and tourists throng from far and near. More so, after the Central government gave the temple a fresh makeover and also built the magnificent 900 metre-long Mahakal corridor.
First, the historical significance and legend surrounding Mahakal. When was the temple first built is difficult to say, though it is assumed the temple dates back to pre-historic times. Religious texts of the 6th century BC mention Mahakal as does Kalidasa later in his works. Successive Hindu dynasties that ruled Ujjayani or Avantika, as it was then called, all paid obeisance to Mahakaleshwar and made extensive contributions/additions to the temple. After being destroyed and looted by Islamic invaders, the temple was rebuilt in the 12th century AD by King Udyaditya and further additions were made by the Maratha rulers.
Mahalaleshwar temple
The temple has five levels with one level said to below ground. The third level houses Nagaparameshwar and is open to the public only on Nagpanchami day. Mahakal is the only jyotirling that faces south, while the rest face east. Why? Because, South is said to be the direction of Death and Mahakal, being the Lord of Time, if He blesses you, you can challenge death and disease. Legend has it that King Chadrasena was an ardent devotee of Shiva. A small boy Shikhir too wanted to pray with him in the palace but was thrown out by the guards. As he sat praying on the on the banks of the River Shipra, he heard enemies of the king planning to attack the city supported by a demon named Dushan. Shikhir ran to Vridhi, a priest and narrated this to him and both prayed fervently to Shiva. Pleased, Shiva assumed the form of Mahakal and in a rage demolished all the adversaries of the king including Dushan. He was requested by His devotees to stay in the kingdon. He agreed and manifested Himself as a jyotirling.
Having heard and read a lot about Mahakal, it was my desire that on my birthday, I have a darshan of His, in Ujjain. Off we flew to Indore, landed in Ahilyabai Holkar airport, an hour later than scheduled. The car was waiting for us and in an hour, we had reached Meghdoot Resort in Ujjain. A good place that had seen better times, now losing out to younger, newer hotels and resorts. Freshened up, we checked with our driver-cum-guide, if all the noted sites in Ujjain could be done in a day. He assured us it was possible and said the first visit will be, of course to Mahakaleswar Temple. Our driver enquired if we were interested in the ‘Bhasma Aarti’, that takes place at around 4.30 AM and devotees have to line up by 1.30 AM. He said, even though tickets had to be booked in advance, he could arrange entrance through some pandits for a fee of Rs.2500 per head. What is Bhasma Aarti? The lingam is washed and then an abhishek performed using ash that was originally taken from crematoriums. These days it is only holy ash and this aarti is said to be the highlight of Mahakal temple. We politely declined the offer, citing the long journey to be made the following day. Soon we got off the main road to take the turn towards the temple entrance, when we were stooped by the usual tricksters directing us to the parking lot, a kilometer away forcing us to walk OR, pay them a ‘ convenience fee ‘ and they would allow the car to be parked on the road near the temple. Our driver, being a local said we were not going to the temple but beyond to Narsingh Ghat. we were allowed to pass.
Wife wanted to visit the Bada Ganesh Mandir first. I said, let us have darshan of Mahakal first and directed the driver to park near the ‘Sheeghra Darshan counter’ or special darshan, for which the cost was Rs.250 per head. Mobile phones and other electronic items are not allowed inside the temple, so we dutifully handed them over to our driver before proceeding to but special darshan tickets. Imagine my shock, when I found the counter closed and the person sitting behind the counter counting cash. A gentle knock at the counter and I was told no more special darshans for the day. I pleaded with him for 2 tickets but to no avail. He asked us to check around 4.30 PM and if not to come tomorrow. Tomorrow? All our plans will be defeated. Our driver suggested that we try the common darshan that could take anywhere upto 3 hours. No choice, so we trudged back towards the common darshan entrance, passing the Bada Ganesh Mandir again. Now that we were on foot, decided to have Ganesh darshan. Not much crowd. What a sight! An enormous and benevolent Ganesh or Ganpati! Sought His blessings for a good darshan of His Father, Mahakal.
Bada Ganesh
Made our way towards the common darshan of Mahakal. A few hundred meters of walking and we were at the entrance to the magnificent temple. As we entered, we saw that there was no line but a number of people were walking briskly/running up an inclined passage to the chants of ‘Bam Bam Bole’ & ‘Jai Mahakal’. We too quickened our steps and to our side below could see a massive modern hall with dividers for serpentine lines of pilgrims. It was empty today and we were straightaway allowed up the incline. Further up we went and the chants grew even louder. Karthikeya Mandapam -said the board as we admired the clean, well-maintained temple. Now we were moving downwards and could see Ganesh Mandapam, as the chants now grew to a crescendo. Moved down a little further and the people now moving in a line were moving slowly now. Nandi Mandapam……. and all of a sudden we were in front of Lord Mahakal in all His glory. We were looking at the lingam from a distance as Garba Griha darshan is not allowed on all days. A well-decorated and well-lit garba griha with the lingam in a silver surrounding was awe-inspiring. A solitary priest was inside. What is more, there is a giant TV screen on which one can see, up close the garba griha. We were now moving towards the exit, when we were accosted by two priests who inquired if we wanted to perform abhishek. We politely declined and soon we were out in the sunshine. The darshan had taken us 25 minutes. Truly blessed to be before Mahakal on my birthday and sent a silent thanks to Bada Ganesh for facilitating the darshan. We passed a portion of the Mahakal corridor, where we decided we would come in the evening, when it would be lit-up.
Our driver was surprised at our quick return and we drove around half a kilometer to Harsiddhi Temple, one of the Shaktipeeths. When Shiva was carrying the burning body of Sati, her elbow fell in this place. It is also said that when Shiva and Parvati were alone in Kailash, two demons Chand and Prachand barged in. Shiva asked Parvati to take the form of Chandi to destroy the, which she did. Shiva gave her the epithet ‘Harsiddhi’. A small, beautiful temple built in the Maratha architectural style where the deity appears as if She is looking only at you. The two tall lamp-towers are said to be lit with lamps during Navratri. Must be a wonderful sight. Finished our darshan and as were quite hungry, wanted a quick lunch.
Lion statues in the roundaboutHarsiddhi MataHarsiddhi Mata mandirThe Lamp tower in the temple courtyard
Lunch was at Shree Guru Sandipani Restaurant adjoining the Sandipani Ashram. Simple, but wholesome vegetarian thali with unlimited portions of every item. Nice fluffy rotis, laddu with coconut, apart from the usual dal, vegetable plus the local dish – Dal Bafla. If you are looking for air-conditioned comfort and liveried waiters, diffused lighting, ambience, et al, forget this place. Enjoyed the homely meal and was rearing to visit the Sandipani Ashram.
Shree Guru Sandipani restaurant
Now we were at the Rishi Sandipani Ashram, the place where Krishna, Balarama & Sudama are said to have learnt the arts and sciences under him. It is a cool shaded place and in the main hall, the walls are adorned with paintings and narrations about Krishna’s life here. It could well take over an hour for those interested to read and appreciate the paintings. What are the interesting aspects of this Ashram that need to be seen? One, the Kundeshwar Mahadev temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Here we see a standing Nandi, very rarely seen. The priest explained that there was an occasion when the Lord Himself got up, all the devas got up and Nandi had no choice but to stand up. The second is the Sarveshwar Mahadev temple, where the lingam is said to be 6000 years old. Here, a charge of Rs.50 is collected for visitors to perform milk abhishek, a small cup of milk being provided by the temple. The third place is Gomti Kund, a small pond with steps, that Krishna is said to have filled with water from various holy rivers/lakes/springs for the benefit of Guru Sandipani.
Kundeshwar Mahadev templeStanding Nandi before Kundeshwar MahadevSarveshwar Mahadev temple housing the 6000-year-old lingamGomti Kund
It was around 3.30 PM and our driver was confident that we could cover all the intended spots before retiring for the day. A short drive to a less crowded portion of the city and we were at the Mangalnath mandir, a temple dedicated to Mangal or Mars, who is said to have been born here. The temple is on a small hillock, the highest point in Ujjain and overlooking the Shipra river, that was algae-laden here. Surprisingly, there was a queue and we could see many with ‘Mangal dosha’ performing various poojas in the hall aided by pandits, obviously for a fee. Darshan of Mangalnath done, we stepped out into the courtyard to catch the cool breeze and the great view.
Queue inside Mangalnath MandirThe sanctum sanctorumMangalnath or Mars in red
View from the top of Mangalnath Mandir
The weather had turned a little cloudy and there was a threat of rain, when we drove to the Kal Bhairav Mandir. Having parked the car in an open parking lot, we walked across a mud road lined with shops selling materials for the pooja. Among other things in the pooja basket was a small bottle of liquor. Yes, liquor is one of the offerings made to Kal Bhairav and it is believed that in the evening pooja, the priest opens a bottle of liquor and pours a portion of it in the lips of the Kal Bhairav murti and the liquor actually disappears. The original temple is said to be built by King Bhadrasen and the current structure by the Maratha rulers. We joined the queue in the open that moved at a snail’s pace. Add to it the partly slushy ground, our bare feet and swarming flies, I was pretty irritated. The parting barricades were covered with threads/beads that were offerings by devotees. After an hour, we could make it before Kal Bhairav, the guardian deity of Ujjain and had a nice darshan. The effort and wait seemed to be worth it.
Pillgrims ProgressColorful threads & beads tied by devoteesKal Bhairav mandirUp the temple stepsCrowds inside the templeJust outsdie the sanctum
I’m almost there
We now drove down to a small temple, the Temple of Gadkalika. It is a quaint temple, not crowded for Shaktipeeth. Gaily painted and we could see an assembly of musicians getting ready for the evening aarti. We had a quick darshan before moving ahead. The importance of this temple — It is said that Kalidasa prayed to the Kali here and from an uneducated youth, he got transformed to a legendary poet. The idol is said to be very old, dating back to even before the Mahabharata war. It is also said that when Shiva was carrying the burning body of Sati, her upper lip fell here.
Gadkalika TempleGadkalika Mata
At a short distance from Gadkalika, at a slight elevation are the Bhartrihari Caves. These are the underground caves where Bhartrihari, stepbrother of King Vikramaditya is said to have been in penance as an ascetic. He was a king, who became an ascetic, disgusted with his wife’s infidelity. Frankly, I did not find the place worthy of a visit. There are boards with the stories of Bhartrihari, idols of gods and of course the underground caves. My wife refused to climb down. I did go inside one of these underground chambers, climbing down steep, narrow steps, only to step into a musty smelling hall with a low ceiling. Slight difficulty in taking in the stale air, but wonder of wonders, I could see a couple of hermits meditating here. I hastily beat a retreat outside to breathe the fresh air. The sight of a gamboling langur in the open courtyard was more interesting to the visitors.
Gopichand Gufa -Bhartrihari CavesThe story of BhartrihariLangur in full flow
We were now getting late for the Shipra aarti. Soon we reached the ground where the Kumbh Mela is held with the adjoining bathing ghats on the Shipra. We were extremely thirst and surprisingly not a single shop nearby selling cool drinks. It was only roadside vendors hawking ‘nimbu paani’. Walked further up, finally found a cool-drinks stall, our thirst satiated walked back to witness the aarti on the opposite bank. Possibly, the riverfront could be cleaner and made more tourist friendly.
Shipra River with small temples all roundJai MahakalShipr River ghatsCould be cleaner
We were yet to see the Mahakal corridor and drove towards it. Alas! There was a traffic problem in the marketplace and we couldn’t reach close to the corridor. Took an instant decision that we would retire to our hotel and visit the corridor first thing in the morning before departing for Omkareshwar, which we successfully accomplished, by 7 AM. The Mahakal corridor is 900 meters long , created recently and some parts still being developed. It has a number of statues depicting scenes from our ancient epics. A neat and clean corridor in which people can walk, relax on the benches with facilities for drinking water & washrooms. It is being developed as a tourist attraction while at the same time re-kindling people’s interest in Hinduism, for all generations.
Mahakal corridorBam Bam BoleMahakal in actionThe Markandeya storyParashuramBharat Mata mandirBaby Ganesh with Mother ParvatiKarthikeyaKal BhairavShiva lords over allPanchmukhi Hanuman
A birthday well spent; I thought as I drifted off to sleep.
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