Kanheri Caves (Mumbai)

यहाँ हिंदी में भी देख सकते हैं

Several years ago while trying to locate the footprints of the Satavahana rule in Dakshina Kosala, I learnt about their inscriptional evidences  at Kanheri, Naneghat and Nashik (Pandav Leni) rock cut caves. I was curious to visit these holy places of the Buddhist regime, from that time onwards, so as to spend some moments living in the ancient past.

 

Although I have visited Mumbai numerous times, my friends over there were either reluctant or uninterested to take me to Kanheri (Krishna Giri) which was otherwise comfortably reachable. Last year during a routine visit to Mumbai I made up my mind to visit Kanheri Caves by myself. Moreover, my son was also with me. Incidentally my younger brother in law got enthused to accompany us. On one morning after breakfast, we three of us, boarded a suburban train from Dadar (West) and landed at Borivli within 30/40 minutes. Fearing that we may have to remain hungry, we located a good restaurant and had our fill. While we were out of the restaurant, we spotted a vacant auto which took us to the main gate of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. We got inside the main gate after buying the entry tickets. We were happy to see a Tourism Development Corporation bus parked inside, which takes people to the Kanheri Caves, situated 6 kilometers deep inside the park. Unfortunately there were few people around  and the driver bluntly told us that the bus wont move unless there are adequate number of passengers. We were loosing time. Fortunately a van entering the park stopped by our side and offered us a lift for Rs.100. We readily agreed and boarded the van. The vehicle entered the dense forest winding its way through the lush greenery. The surrounding flora and fauna and the forest smell was a feast to our eyes and nostrils. Well here is a place in Mumbai where people can breathe fresh air and revitalize themselves. Within 10 minutes,  there appeared a hoarding of the Archaeological Department with a booth dispensing entry tickets. We were dropped at this point asking us to be back within 2 hours. The vehicle then pulled itself to the parking place. We bought the necessary tickets and took the stairs carved out on the surface of  hard volcanic rock.

Kanheri is the largest Buddhist site in India  in terms of the number of caves made in a single hill.  In the western part of India, Buddhism was introduced at Sopara which was once the capital of Aparantaka (North Konkan) way back in the 3rd Century BC. From that time onwards Kanheri being closer to Sopara was developed as a seat of learning for the Heenayana branch of Buddhism. Later it also continued to play its educational role for the Mahayana branch as well. Its history spans from as early as 3rd Century BC to as late as 11th Century AD. That makes it a unique site  that has gone through the rise and decline of Buddhism in India. The earliest rock cut cells, devoid of images or any other ornamentation, dates back to that period of Heenayana form of Buddhism. On the other hand the cells and Viharas (monasteries) with Buddha’s images and other designs belong to the Mahayana cult. Chiseling the hill and making monasteries etc. has however  continued up to the 9th Century AD.

Having completed climbing our first phase of the stairs. we found ourselves in a relatively leveled ground with the rock cut structures staring at us. At first sight we had a notion of having seen similar structures elsewhere. Then we recalled the Petra in Jordan which we never visited but had seen them through movie clips/photographs.There were many people exploring that particular structure. We also proceeded in that direction. It was a Chaitya Griha.

 This top one  is  at Kanheri

 This is the one at Karla (Lonavla)

Outwardly it did not look ornate but when we entered, it was a stunning experience. At the point of entry itself, there stood two Buddha’s on either side of the porch. They are supposed to be the tallest images in India.  A very large hall with an arched  roof (barrel vaulted) at the end of which there was a stupa with a semispherical top, the object of worship in the Chaitya. There were ornate pillars on either side. I loudly said “I shall cherish this experience” to which my brother in law reminded me of another such Chaita Griha at Karla near Lonavla. The Chaitya Griha there is said to be much more larger and beautiful. In fact it is the  largest cave Chaitya in India whereas the one at Kanheri is reckoned as the second largest.

Once after getting rid of my emotions/notions, I started discovering faults. Yes, the six pillars at the right end were simply square, there was nothing great about them. Also the pillars lacked symmetry. Anyway this was the place for the monks to meditate and referred to as Cave No.3. One of the most important ones at Kanheri. It is 26.36 meters long, 13.66 meters wide and 12.9 meters high. This was made during the reign of the Satavahana ruler Yajn Shri Satkarni (172 – 201 AD). However he was a Hindu ruler but was tolerant towards Buddhism or else he would not have funded this project. As an evidence he has left his inscription in Brahmi script of that period.

Two structural stupas existed near the Chaitya Griha (Shrine). One was built of stone and when dug up, it yielded two copper urns containing  ash, a small golden box with a piece of cloth, a silver box containing rubies, pearls, some golden pieces and a copper plate of the year 324 AD. The second stupa was built of bricks which yielded a stone slab bearing inscriptions in a script which was prevalent in the 5th/6th Century.

It seemed that we had spent considerable time at this chaitya Griha alone and realized that we need to speed up. We swiftly proceeded to the adjacent Cave No.1 which was planned as a two storied structure but remained unfinished. It has huge pillars. Next to it there was the Cave No.2, a small one. There is a stupa inside and the walls adorn Buddha as well as Avalokiteswara.

Cave No.1

Cave No.2

Though the cave clusters are scattered in random, many of them are aligned along some sort of terrace that makes it a common courtyard. The footpaths are connected from such cluster to cluster. In  many cases , especially as you proceed deep into the site, you've to scale the steps carved on the rocky surface to reach the caves. It dawned on us that we may not be able to see all that the place offers, for paucity of time. A fellow tourist advised us that apart from Cave No's.1, 2 and 3 Caves numbered as 11, 41, 67, 89 and 90 have sculptures carved on their walls. Therefore we hurriedly proceeded towards Cave No.11. This is referred to as the Darbar Hall. There is a stupa inside and on both sides there are Cells for residential purposes. Many viharas have benches and seats carved as integral part of the caves. Several inscriptions could also be encountered on its walls. Cave No.41 is said to be unique where Avalokiteswara is represented with 4 hands and 11 heads. Such an iconography of this sage is not obtainable anywhere in India. Avalokiteswara is said to have declined Enlightenment unless salvation of all the lesser mortals comes along.In the walls of Cave No.67 there are sculptures carved out representing the Jataka stories. 

Darbar Hall

Avalokiteswara

Inscription of Satavahanas

All these Cells and/or Viharas have a pillared verandah in the front. A cistern is located in the courtyard right next to the entrance of a cave. They served as water storage tanks for the daily use of the residents. We could  see the grooves and channel networks that direct rainwater to the cisterns. What is thus collected during the monsoon season could be preserved in the cistern for the summer. There are even some large open ponds excavated on the surface of the rock. Probably these served as community utility for bathing and washing clothes. Right beneath, at the cleft of two hilly formations is the remains of a dam. Here too the water stored was for community usage and for agriculture. A very beautiful example of water management by our ancestors.

Water Channel

There is a long stairway to the top of the hill, carved in the hard rock, in a superbly preserved condition. At the top there is a large cremation ground where the monks were being cremated. Number of structural  stupas, small and large made of bricks  reportedly exist there. However we had to contain our temptation and had to return from Cave No.67. When we were back at the parking site of our vehicle, we found the driver blowing up. 

Steps leading to the top of the hill

Again at Borivli we caught a local train to take us back to Dadar and from there we hired a taxi to be back at home at Chembur by 7.30 PM. We need to visit again.

Raisen Fort

हिंदी में यहाँ देखें 

Once a friend of Irish origin, Tom Baker,  from England,  happened to visit Bhopal. It was immediately after winter. Days were becoming warmer but evenings were pleasant. Friends here, proposed to take him for sightseeing to Sanchi, one of the World Heritage sites closer to Bhopal. After breakfast, we four of us, embarked upon our journey by a car driven by me. In those days the journey to Sanchi used to be horrible because of bad roads. On reaching Sanchi we took our foreign friend around the Buddhist monuments and in the process we ourselves acted as his guide. In between we also had our lunch at a restaurant preceded by chilled beer. Incidentally our friend was a teetotaler, an exception in his family.  

The steps leading up the hill

By 4.30 PM we decided to return back after visiting the local museum. For the return trip we decided upon a different route to avoid the trauma. We decided to proceed to Raisen and then to Bhopal.  Although it meant traversing around 35 kms extra. This was quite acceptable in anticipation of better road conditions ahead. The distance from Sanchi to Raisen which was around 20 kilometers had to be covered on a road which was not much better than what we had seen. However, we were at Raisen around 5.00 PM  travelling by the western side of a hill on which  ruins of a grand fort stood. This fort has always attracted me while passing through the Eastern side of the hill. Whenever we desired to have a look at that we were told that there is no motor able road leading to the fort and that it would be strenuous to climb the hill. Further some stray incidents of waylaying the visitors was also reported.  Tom, our guest also spotted the fort and was keen to know about it. Encouraged with that we decided to give a try this time. From the eastern side there was a road leading to the foot of the hill but it was full of rubble. Driving very slowly with bumps and jerks, we could manage to reach the point beyond which we were to take the dilapidated steps leading to the fort.

Mr. Devdas rested after crossing this door

We noticed some people coming down along with some tools and implements and perceived them as being masons. We conversed with them and learnt that some work was being carried out at the top. They also assured us that the place was quite safe except for some reptiles running around. We drew solace and built up courage to proceed with the climb. On reaching a turn where a huge ruined gate stood, one of our friend Mr. Devdas, expressed his inability to go any further stating that his limbs wont carry his weight. He was a little heavy built. We could only sympathize and leave him behind asking him to rest there itself.

A canopy at the entrance

The large Courtyard

The Pool

The town beneath the fort

A building with a dome in ruins

Age old Cannons

Inscription found on a wall of the Fort

When we finally entered the fort, there was wilderness all around. There was thick under growth of vegetation and wild long grass. A large court yard surrounded by many buildings with domes could be seen. All of them seems to have been taken over by thousands of bats whose chirpings could be heard from a long distance. A beautiful large pool (known as Bawadi in vernacular), though in a bad shape was in the foreground. We did not dare to explore the buildings except the one which was at the eastern edge known as Baradari. This structure was relatively in good shape and provided a breathtaking eastern view. We could even see our car parked down the hill. Adjacent to that there seemed to be a tomb in an enclosure whose doors were closed. In our assessment the structures standing there combining Hindu and Muslim styles of architectures were really beautiful . If only some restoration work is carried out, it could become a major attraction for tourists visiting Sanchi. This ruined edifice is of great historical interest as we would see from what follows. As it was getting dark, we had no option but to leave the place and climb down. On our way back, our friend Mr. Devdas was complaining that he came all the way up but could not locate us and returned because of darkness engulfing. However, we discounted his stance.

Raisen town was established by Rai Singh, a Hindu ruler in 1143 AD followed by the construction of a fort on the hill top during that period. However, remnants of an earlier fortification datable to the 6th century AD have also been encountered. In 1485 during the rule of Gayasuddin Ghouri, mosques, madrasas and several buildings were got constructed at Raisen. Another name which deserves mention is that of one Silhadi (Shiladitya) who had sway in the northern part of Malwa. He was a Tomar Rajput Chieftain. He along with the army of Rana Sanga of Mewar helped Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujrat to annexe Malwa Sultanate in 1531 AD. As promised by  Bahadur Shah,Ujjain and Sarangpur were to go to Silhadi.   realizing that it would make Silhadi too powerful to control, Bahadur Shah instead  ordered Silhadi to handover Raisen fort and all his territory in Malwa and relocate to the town of Baroda. Bahadur Shah seemed to have learned his lessons from the fate of Silhadi’s previous allies. When Silhadi refused to agree to these terms, Sultan Bahadur Shah promptly took him in captivity and along with him proceeded to Raisen fort, which was being held by Silhadi’s brother Lakshman Rai. Ostensible cause of this expedition was given as to free some Muslim women in the household of Silhadi. 

Sultan’s army could not make any headway against the Raisen fort even after many months of sieze. Silhadi, however,  persuaded  Bahadur Shah to send him inside the fort so that he could convince his brother to vacate it. This was agreed to and Silhadi went inside. In an emotional family meeting, the two brothers weighed their options. Situation in the fort was hopeless because of dwindling food supplies. Durgavati, Silhadi’s wife who was also besieged in the fort, forcefully pleaded for Jauhar and Saka, a traditional Rajput victory-or-death stand. Martyrdom was decided upon. It can also be said that they had no other real choice. Nobody could realistically believe that Bahadur Shah really wanted to rehabilitate them in Baroda. In all probability he planned to put all of them  to sword as soon as they came out of the fort.

Rani Durgavati (not to be misconstrued as the Gond Rani), taking her daughter-in-law (daughter of Rana Sanga) and her two children by the hand jumped into the Chita, a fire-pit dug for the purpose. Seven hundred other women followed her in the Chita. Silhadi and Lakshman then armed themselves and died as consecrated warriors in a fight with sultan’s army at the foot of the fort. This happened in 1532 AD. During 1543 Sher Shah Suri attacked the fort and captured it from one Puranmal in whose custody it was. From 1760 onwards the fort remained with the Nawabs of Bhopal.

See through a broken dome

The Shiva Temple

The grill gate of the temple

We learn that the palaces in the fort are named as Badal Mahal, Rohini Mahal, Itradaan Mahal and Hawa Mahal but at the time of our visit there was no way to identify them. There is temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, of the 12th century, which opens its doors once a year i.e.on  Shivratri day. Devotees coming on other days usually tie a piece of cloth on the grill gate for fulfillment of their wishes. The hill also abound in rock shelters with paintings done by the cave dwellers. Although the fort is presently under the ASI, not much has been done for restoration of the palaces. Some domes have collapsed and one can see the blue sky as could be seen from the photograph here. We learn that an approach road has either been constructed or is under construction. If the reports emanating from the Ministry of Culture are to be believed, the State Government has decided to develop the fort as a tourist attraction. The MP Tourism Development Corporation is collaborating in this initiative.

Jews of Konkan (Bene Israeli) – Alibaug and beyond

From times immemorial, India was considered to be a safe place for various religious groups facing persecution in their home lands. Jews are considered to be the earliest, seeking refuge and  settling in this hospitable country. Once, while at Kochi (Cochin), roaming in the Jews Street, we found a dead Jew waiting for 10 persons of their clan,  for the religious ceremonies to commence, for his burial. (You can find it here). This created an urge to know about this community, still found in various states of India.    

Samuel Halegua

Incidentally we learn that Mr. Samuel Halegua, the head of Kochi’s Paradesi Synagogue, a great story teller, passed away to his heavenly abode on the 17th September last year. He was 76 .Our homage's to him.

It was a mere coincidence that we got the opportunity to learn about the Jews settled and still found in the State of Maharashtra when we were on a visit to Mumbai during the second half of last year. We had knowledge that  Central Konkan was the area where they flourished and therefore Alibaug  became the preferred place from where we could make a beginning. Although the easiest way to reach Alibaug is to take a ferry from the Gateway of India, we decided in favor of the land route via Panvel, Pen and Wadkhal Naka. This way the distance worked out to be nearly 135 kilometers (one way).

We embarked on our journey in a Sedan and reached Pen, a small town en-route by 10.00 AM. In a Udipi hotel, we had our  breakfast. Alibaug was still an hour’s drive from that place. We were there by 11.00 AM.

Alibaug is a weekend getaway for Mumbaikar’s in general and for the fun loving in particular. Many affluent people of Mumbai including the film stars have got lavish villas constructed at vintage points. The town is said to have been established by one Muslim trader called “Ali” who got many gardens/orchards and wells constructed there. One Kanhoji Angre, a general in Shivaji’s army, feared by the Portuguese as well as the British, is credited for bringing fame to this beautiful place. He hailed from Alibaug where his memorial (Samadhi) still exists. It is only on reaching Alibaug that we learnt it to be the head quarters of Raigad District.

The Direction Board - The small board telling about the Synagogue was over looked

Driving straight through the town, we came across a direction board showing the way to the sea front. We followed it and within five minutes, were facing the Arabian Sea. A tiled platform with attractive lighting/seating arrangements and lined with trees has made the beach look more beautiful. The Colaba Fort, deep in the sea, was visible but  not approachable due to high tide during that point of time. During the low tide, i.e. mornings and evenings one could visit the fort hiring the horse drawn carts or even by foot.

The Colaba Fort as seen during High Tide

The platform on the beach

Colaba Fort - 1855

A closer view of one of the bastions of the fort

The Colaba Fort was got constructed and developed as a naval base by the great Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1652 to keep an eye on the movements of the Portuguese and British ships as also on the African Siddhis who were based nearby at Murud Zanjira. There are several temples inside the fort and the important one being that of ‘Siddhi Vinayak’ which was built by Raghoji Andre, the general of Shivaji, in the year 1759. Additionally there are temples dedicated to ‘Jai Bhavani’ and ‘Hanuman’. It would be interesting to learn that there are several sweet water wells inside the fort though it is surrounded by the sea. From a photograph of the fort taken in 1855 and available in Wikipedia, it appears that at that time the fort was very much on the coastal land but over a period of time the sea has made deep inroads. There was frustration amongst the lady members in our group for not getting an opportunity to visit the ‘Siddhi Vinaka’ temple inside the fort. They were pacified by a promise to take them to another equally important Vinayaka temple some 20 kms. South.

While returning from the beach, we decided to have a look at the Jewish Temple (Synagogue). We reached the very place from where we had taken a right turn towards the beach. In the corner there was a general store where we stopped and sought for directions to the place we intended to visit. We were delighted to learn from the owner of the shop that the road  adjoining the shop was the Israeli Lane and that the synagogue was very close, located in the 1st lane to the left. Incidentally the shop owner himself was a Jew, which we learnt later but he had given some Maharshtrian name which we forgot. We found that people were familiar with the synagogue if one asks for the Israeli Masjid.

Typical houses in the Israeli lane - Here we were required to turn to the left

We took the road as suggested to us and parked our vehicle at the corner of the 1st lane to the left and proceeded to  spot  the synagogue by foot. At a small distance on the left side of the lane there was an old well and some ladies were drawing water in buckets. We again sought help from  them and were told that the next building is the one we were looking for. Soon we were in front of the small gate which was at  the back of the synagogue. We peeped inside. There was an outhouse like structure within and by its side an old man was seen washing his hands in a tap. Though the main entrance was some distance away,  we led ourselves in through the small gate and confronted the old man. We asked him whether the synagogue is open to visitors . He smiled and asked us to make ourselves comfortable on the benches  at the main entry. We did so and within 10 minutes the same old man appeared well dressed  carrying a bunch of keys. He opened the main door and switched on all the lights inside and then invited us to come in. We desired to give full respect to their traditions and therefore requested the lady members in our small group to cover their heads with the Sari’s ends to which my wife retorted, No! we (South Indians) do not do that while entering our temples. The males, only two of us, covered our heads with the hanky's we had. We explained to the ladies that the temple belongs to a different faith and that we need to follow their system when we enter their place of worship. The message was well received and they obliged.

Front view of the Alibaug Synagogue

All of us entered the Synagogue and found it well maintained. There was a raised platform (Pulpit or the Altar) at the far end covered with a railing with a chair for the Rabbi (priest). Several wooden benches were also there for the people. The hall was not very much ornate as compared to the synagogue at Kochi. It looked like a Christian Church. We wanted to know about the “Tora”, their religious writings. The old man was surprised, perhaps he never expected us to know about it. He immediately opened the cabinet on the back wall in which were placed three cylindrical drums placed vertically. They contained the “Tora” scrolls. In front of the cabinet, a burning brass lamp shielded with a perforated covering was hanging by the ceiling. We were told that the lamp is kept burning all the 24 hours  using coconut oil.

Jacob Eliza in the Pulpit

While the other members of the group were busy going around, I engaged the old man to learn about him. He was very co-operative. He told that he is Jacob Eliza and is 72 years old. I wanted him to repeat his name but now he added ‘Dandekar’. When asked, if he is a Maharashtrian,  he said that he is a ‘Bene Israeli’ and that the surname is linked to the village to which he belonged, as is the practice in their community.  We were told that there are now only four families residing at Alibaug. He is the head of that Synagogue and offers prayers three times a day regularly, all alone. He has a son who has migrated to Israel but his wife lives with him. The shop keeper who guided us was also a ‘Bene Israeli’ whose son aged 16 is the youngest member in the community. He narrated their history.The community believes that they came to India even before the construction of the 2nd temple at Jerusalem i.e. around 500 BC. They left Israel to save their lives but due to ship wreck in the Konkan coast, they swam and found shelter at ‘Nagaon’. Only 14 people survived which included 7 lady members. The dead were buried on the sea coast. When their population rose, they started migrating to other parts of Konkan. For their livlihood, they became farm workers. Many of them became oil expellers/traders. They adopted the local dialect and surnames akin to other Maharashtrians. In all there are 142 surnames based on the names of villages they got settled. They prefer to call  themselves as ‘Bane Israeli rather than a ‘Jew’. However in Konkan area they are referred to as ‘Shanivari Teli’ since they never went to work on Saturdays (Sabbath). They were, however, ignorant of various rituals associated with their faith. During the 17th century, one David Rahabi, a jew from Kochi identified them as belonging to one of the 12 lost tribes on the basis of certain traditions followed by them.  He made them conversant with “Hebrew”, their ancestral language and also trained them  in religious rituals.It is believed that though Jews had animosity with the muslims, the Quran recognises Bene Israelis as the people close to Allah. This is one of the reasons that Bene Israelis did not prefer to be called as Jews so that they could live in peace with the muslims here. They also do not eat beef lest the Hindus get annoyed. Presently their number is reckoned at around 4000 in Maharashtra. One of the most beautiful synagogue is stated to be at Pune whereas the one at Panvel is said to be the most benevolent where wishes get fulfilled.

After thanking Mr. Jacob for the insight provided by him, we proceeded to a Gujrati Resraurant as we were feeling hungry. After taking lunch with liberal doses of butter milk, we were heading for the Birla’s Vinayaka Temple which was at ‘Agarkot’ near ‘Revdanda’ some 20 kilometers away. Initially the road was winding through rice fields and started passing through beautiful villages with good houses. There was greenery all around. Vegetation was very thick. Houses were surrounded by Coconut, Aricanut, Jackfruit and many other trees. We felt as if we are passing through the interior parts of Kerala. En-route we passed through ‘Nagaon’, the place where the Jews originally settled. Then there was ‘Chaul’ which was once a main centre of the Portuguese. An old church of their times still exists together with the ruins of the fort they had built. From the ramparts of the ruined fort one can have a captivating view of the ‘Revdanda’ coastline. We tried capture it in our Camera but the shutter refused to open up. Therefore a borrowed view is given here. It seems that we lost our way. After crossing a bridge we were to reach Revdanda and then to Agarkot but before we could consult the passers by, there appeared a medieval temple. We stopped there and visited the deity inside the temple which was Someshwar Mahadeva and the place was Chaul Sarai. The road beyond could have taken us back to Alibaug.

Revdanda Coastline

Revdanda Synagogue

Someshwara Mahadev Temple, Chaul Sarai

From Chaul Sarai we returned back and found our way to Revdanda where we could find one more synagogue which was tile roofed and appeared as a residential house . We could not spend much time there and proceeded to locate Agarkot where the Birla temple is located. Passed another bridge which was at the end of river Kundalika joining the Sea (Roha creek) . There were several barges/small ships laden with iron ore which was being loaded onto a conveyor belt system. Farther away the Vikram Ispat Co.(Birla Group) was in full stream. We presumed it to be rolling mill manufacturing steel plates/sheets as we also came across several trucks standing there laden with rolled sheets of steel. The Vikram Vinayak Temple is located few kilometers away from the plant on a small hill. On reaching the place we found that there were numerous steps leading to the temple and the ladies got scared. There was also an approach by road which was opened up after several pleadings with a condition that the vehicle should return back immediately after leaving us at the temple. Cameras and mobile phones with built in cameras were strictly prohibited. (We could not understand the rationale behind this as this is a modern structure) We agreed to all their conditions and proceeded. When we reached the top, it was really a marvelous sight all round. The temple was built of white marble with a Sydney opera like structure in the front. Apart from the Vinayaka (Ganesha) there were other deities in closed shelters on  the sides. The premises were kept very clean surrounded by a garden. In one corner there was a statue of Vikram Birla as well.

After the visit, we observed a deep sense of fulfillment appearing on the faces of members in our group, specially the ladies. Although there were several places to be visited at Revdanda and Chaul, we had to rush back to Mumbai as we were obliged to relieve the driver before 8.00 PM.

The Bengalis of Amer/Amber (Jaipur), Rajasthan

हिंदी में यहाँ देखें

Few years ago, I had to visit Jaipur in Rajasthan (India) along with my son and stayed there for couple of days. On reaching there we could get some nice accommodation at a moderately priced hotel near the Railway Station. After we freshed up, the Manager of the hotel was kind enough to tell us about the options available for sightseeing. We, however, decided to first accomplish the purpose of our visit and once it was was over, we lunched in a different Rajasthani restaurant and hired an Auto Rickshaw to take us straight to the famous Amer/Amber Palace/Fort which was actually at a distance of 16 kms.

When we were just near the fort the Auto driver stopped his vehicle and advised us to either take the elephant ride or a Jeep to go to the top. The Elephants were lined up waiting for passengers. We preferred a Jeep as an Elephant ride seemed to be too expensive. While travelling in the Jeep, the driver cum guide told us about Lal Bazaar which was on the left and that it is a Bengali settlement. I wondered as to how there is a Bengali settlement here and while I was conversing with my son, the driver also informed us that the Priests of the temple inside the fort are also Bengalis. I remembered that the owner of the hotel, we were staying at as well as the Manager there, were also Bengalis. Very soon we were parked at a place above the top and the driver asked us to visit the fort/palaces and return back to find him at that point.

We entered the complex through the entrance known as Sinh Pol, At right through a flight of steps there was a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga known here as Shila Devi. The main door is made of silver on which images of Durga and Saraswathi were carved out. There were two lions of large proportions as if standing guard to the Goddess. We had the darshan and thereafter started loitering around the marvelous complex.

Back home, in our own complex we have a Bengali friend Shri Subhash Bhattacharya, a DIG with CBI (Central Bureau of Investigations). We knew that he had his house at Pilani, Rajasthan. An animal lover and a staunch environmentalist. We told him about our visit to Jaipur and about the Bengali settlement there. To our surprise he told us that for over 400 years his ancestors were the head priests of the Shila Devi temple in the Amer Palace complex. Even today his eldest brother Shri Mahesh Bhattacharya is the head priest there. He narrated his experiences when as a child he used to beat the drums while his father used to perform the rites (Pooja) inside the temple’s sanctum sanctorum. He also showed us his family album and an important photograph was that of a Raja Chood Singh Palace which was provided to the Bhattacharya’s for their residence. 

It is now their property and is being sought after by a heritage hotel chain. Their family also have their own temple known as “Mansa Mata Mandir” of which Shri Mahesh Bhattacharya is the Trustee. It is believed that all your wishes get accomplished if you pray to the deity (Goddess) there. However, one needs to bow to the Bhairava as well, at the top of the Jaigarh Fort which is visible from that point. It is needless to emphasize that the Goddess alone cannot fulfill your wishes without her better half !.

Apart from the information we received from our dear Bhattacharya, we also made some independent searches and learnt that one Shri Vidyadhar Bandopadhyay, an architect was instrumental in the town planning of Jaipur which was established in 1727. He belonged to a Goswami (Gosai) clan who are the priests in the Shri Krishna temple in the City Palace. One Shri Sansar Chandra Sen, a highly accomplished personality, was earlier the Prime Minister of the Pricely State. A road in the city is named after him. Late Rajmata Gayatri Devi hailed from Cooch Behar (West Bengal) and therefore there was further influx of Bengalis into the city.

The present day Amer/Amber Fort cum Palace was built in 1592 AD by Raja Man Singh, the trusted lieutenant of Akbar, the Moghul ruler. Man Singh was appointed as the Governor of Bengal which included today’s Bangladesh. Man Singh wanted the Raja of Jessore (Bangladesh)to be subdued. However, this was not an easy task. Man Singh understood the perils which awaited him. He is then supposed to have worshipped Goddess Kali (Durga) to help him to win the battle. Mother Kali is supposed to have come into his dreams and instructed him to dig out the black stone slab lying in the river bed which was her own sculpture. She wanted the sculpture to be installed at the Amer/Amber Palace with human sacrifices every day. If this condition was acceptable, he could win the battle other wise not. Man Sinh relented and finally won the battle. The sculpture was traced out and moved to Amer Palace some where in 1596. However there was a need for performing the daily rites. Man Singh got a family of the priestly class identified for the purpose and brought them to Amer with promises of hereditary priesthood to that family as also some villages by way of grants. This is how the Bengali priests arrived.

The Goddess needed a human head everyday. The Prisoners of War came handy. This continued as long as Man Singh was there until his natural death at Ellichpur in 1614. We may well imagine the number of heads that might have been severed out to appease the Goddess. After Man Singh’s death his, son Mirza Raja Bhan Singh is supposed to have prayed to the Goddess to accept Goats instead of humans and some people suggest that the Goddess turned her head away. Even today the head of the deity in the temple remains swayed to the right. Although the sacrifice of a horned goat is carried out everyday, even now, the downfall of the Kachhwaha clan to which Man Singh belonged is attributed to the negation of human blood to the presiding deity in the Amer Palace!.

After the Goat is butchered, the head is kept in a silver vessel and offered to the deity early in the morning at about 5.30 AM. Wine is also a part of the offering which is kept in two silver vessels. The rituals are carried out behind the curtain and a visit to the temple after the rites are over is supposed to be rewarding as the deity is supposed to be in a happy mood after relishing the offerings. The slaughter was being carried out publicly but due to the laws being enforced, it is now done in a separate room.

Photo Credit (except the goat): GIL trotter@sapo.pt

Most Unusual Churches around the World

Arun Babu (babuarun007@hotmail.com) has sent in an interesting mail detailing the most unusual Churches around the World. It looks as if he has collected the photographs from:  http://www.boredpanda.com/50-most-extraordinary-churches-of-the-world/. This site is more informative and lists  50 churches. One could visit  the above link to relish the contents. 
1. The Church of Hallgrímur, Reykjavík, Iceland

The Church of Hallgrímur is very very unusual, never seen anything like that.

This Lutheran parish church is also a very tall one, reaching 74.5 metres (244 ft) height. It is the fourth tallest architectural structure in Iceland.

It took incredibly long to build it (38 years!) Construction work began in 1945 and ended in 1986.

The Architect of this building is Guðjón Samúelssondesign.

More info: Hallgrímskirkja

2. Cathedral of Brasilia in Brasilia, Brazil

This is a very famous Cathedral of Brasília designed by Oscar Niemeyer. It looks really modern but somehow childish to me. These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven.

The construction was finished in 1970.

More info: Cathedral of Brasília

3. Paoay Church (St. Augustine Parish) in Philippines

(Image Credits: Storm Crypt)

Paoay Church reminds me of Aztec architecture. It looks very massive and strong. The walls of the church are 1.67 meters thick and are supported by 24 carved and massive buttresses.

Its construction started in 1704 and was completed in 1894 by the Augustinian friars led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo. It is said, that Its construction primarily was intended to withstand earthquakes. And it could test the strength of the walls very soon, because the church was damaged by an earthquake in 1706 and 1927.

The design of the church is a mixture of Gothic, Oriental and Baroque influence.

4. Duomo (Milan Cathedral) in Italy

Duomo looks incredibly tall and majestic. It even has an evil and scary look in this picture. After checking the Wikipedia for more info I found there were more photos of this cathedral, but they don’t look as cool as this photo here. Maybe its just an illusion made by a good photographer that this building is so amazing.

On the other hand, Mark Twain said the following of the Duomo in Milan in his work, Innocents Abroad:

“They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter’s at Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands.”

More info: Wikipedia.

5. Church Ruins in Goreme, Turkey

The rock cut ruins of a church by persecuted Christians.

Not sure when it was built, but definitely look very ancient. How did those guys carved the inside of these rocks?

The Cappadocia valley, where this church stands, is very popular for its rocks that the people of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries.

There are an estimated 150 churches and several monasteries in the canyon between the villages of Ihlara and Selime.

Those rocks are volcanic deposits, so that means they are soft rocks, making it possible to carve such structures.

6. Green church, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Don’t have info about this church, nevertheless it’s very unusual. I have never seen a church so green, have you?

Michael: “a parish church in Buenos Aires, Argentina known as the “Huerto de Olivos”, or “Garden of Olives,” most likely a reference Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives”

7. Borgund Stave Church, Lærdal, Norway

Stave churches may have been very usual all over medieval northwestern Europe but now you can only find them in Norway. Well ok, there is one one in Sweden, but nowhere else.

Borgund stave church located in Borgund, Lærdal, Norway is the best preserved of Norway’s 28 extant stave churches. This wooden church, probably built in the end of the 12th century, has not changed structure or had a major reconstruction since the date it was built.

Interesting fact: the church is also featured as a Wonder for the Viking civilization in the video game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

8. Paraportiani Church, Mykonos, Greece

I will just cite, what the author of this picture wrote about it:
“Paraportianí Church is one of the most famous architectural structures in Greece. Its name means secondary gate, because it was built on the site of one of the gates of the Medieval stone walls. Some parts of this beautiful church date from 1425 and the rest was built during the 16th and 17th centuries. ”

9. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

I have never seen anything as incredible as this building! Never been to Spain, but if I ever happen to do so, I will definitely include Sangrada Família on the must-see list. I wonder, how does it look in reality?

Sagrada Família is a very massive Roman Catholic basilica under construction in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Construction began in 1882 and continues to this day. A very famous architect Antoni Gaudí worked on the project for over 40 years, devoting the last 15 years of his life entirely to this endeavour.
In the center there is going to be a tower of Jesus Christ, surmounted by a giant cross; the tower’s total height will be 170 m (557,7ft)..

There is so much info on this one, that you should check Wikipedia.

10. St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed , is a multi-tented church which stands on the Red Square in Moscow.

This church looks really cool, because It has very unusual onion domes which look playful and colorful. Sometimes people even say, that they remind them of lollypops.

The cathedral was built in 1555 -1561 by Ivan IV (a.k.a Ivan the Terrible) to celebrate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan.

A legend says that Ivan had the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, blinded to prevent him from building a more magnificent building for anyone else. In fact, Postnik Yakovlev built a number of churches after Saint Basil’s..
More info: Saint Basil’s Cathedral

11. Church in Stykkishólmur, Iceland

This church in Iceland looks really weird, like some alien structure. It was built in 1990 and the architect is Jón Haraldsson.

12. Basilica de Higuey, Dominican Republic

Basilica de Higuey is located in the city of Higuey, Dominican Republic. Its unusual look reminds me of a basket.

The church is one of the most respected monuments of the Dominican Republic. The basilica was inaugurated on January 21, 1971, and was built by French architects.

13. Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD, USA

This strange building is actually a church. Once it was famous for being “Detroit’s most beautiful Chinese-American restaurant”. Later it closed down and became the Omega Baptist Church and then the Grace Fellowship Baptist Church. Located at 265 Baltimore, MD, USA.

14. Las Lajas Cathedral in Colombia

Las Lajas Cathedral looks unusual to me because one side of it seems to be a part of a bridge across the river and the other side rests on the hill. The overall look is really fascinating.

Built in 1916 inside the canyon of the Guaitara river where, according to local legend, the Virgin Mary appeared.

You can find this church in southern Colombian Department of Nariño, municipality of Ipiales, near the border with Ecuador.

15. Jubilee Church in Rome, Italy

Jubilee Church has very distinctive curved walls which look like sails to me. Designed in 1996 by architect Richard Meier, the church has curved walls which serve the engineering purpose of minimizing thermal peak loads in the interior space.

The walls are made from a special cement, which contain titanium dioxide, so it destroys air pollution.

According to Borgarello “When the titanium dioxide absorbs ultraviolet light, it becomes powerfully reactive, breaking down pollutants that come in contact with the concrete.”

16. St Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago, IL, USA

Maybe I’ll better don’t tell what those domes remind me (haha). Very very unusual looking building I must say. Its massiveness and gray color looks like Soviet architecture. I was amazed when I read that it was actually in USA and not somewhere In Soviet Union.

St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic church is a is most known for its ultra-modern thirteen gold domed roof symbolizing the twelve apostles and Jesus Christ as the largest center dome.

It is celebrating its 52 years, so it was built in 1956 (if my calculations are right).

More info on Wikipedia: St Joseph Ukrainian Church

17. Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France

Someone told that the roof of this building looks like Elvis’ hair.

Informally known as Ronchamp, the chapel of Notre Dame du Haut was completed in 1954 and is considered one of the finest examples of architecture by the late French/Swiss architect Le Corbusier.

Most interesting fact to me is that, when it rains, water pours off the slanted roof onto a fountain, creating a dramatic waterfall.

More info on Wikipedia: Notre Dame du Haut

18. Odd Church in Huntington Beach, CA, USA

Don’t have info on that one, only this photo and the location: Huntington Beach, CA, USA.

As far as I understand it must be sponsored by Shell, because it has a huge SHELL logo on it (this statement can be absolutely different from the reality). Looks terrible overall.

19. Chapel of St. Gildas, Brittany, France

This church is really odd one, sorry I have no info on it, only the words of the picture author: “This was on the canal to Carnac. Really odd church in the (seeming) middle of nowhere. ”

Mads: “This is the chapel of St-Gildas, which sits upon the bank of the Canal du Blavet in Brittany, France. “Built like a stone barn into the base of a bare rocky cliff, this was once a holy place of the Druids. Gildas appears to have travelled widely throughout the Celtic world of Corwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. He arrived in Brittany in about AD 540 and is said to have preached Christianity to the people from a rough pulpit, now contained within the chapel.” (from ‘Cruising French Waterways’ by Hugh McKnight p.150)”

20. Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro looks like a Pyramid of Egypt or Aztecs.

It was built between 1964 and 1979. Conical in form it has internal diameter of 96 metres (315 ft) and an overall height of 75 metres (246 ft). The church has a standing-room capacity of 20,000 people.

Four rectilinear stained glass windows soar 64 metres (210 ft) from floor to ceiling.

21. Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe chapel (Le Puy-en-Velay, France)

Perhaps one of the most remarkable sights in France, a chapel perched on a volcanic plug. This is the Rock of Aiguilhe, on the edge of the town of Puy en Velay, in the Auvergne. The Chapelle Saint-Michel has stood there for 1042 years, since Bishop Gothescalk had it built in 962 on his return from a pilgrimage to Santiago del Compostella in Galicia. In 1955 workers found relics under the alter that had been there since it was built.

22. The Wireman Chapel at Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Florida, USA)

A kid on the tour to Eckerd College once said it looked like a “Jesus spider from outer space.” Inspired by 20th-century architect

Eero Saarinen, the Chapel was designed by the highly respected Chicago architectural firm of Perkins and Will. Its key design features are its octagonal shape and in-the-round seating, the oculus at the center of the roof that directs sunlight to the center of the sanctuary, the lower glass panels which reflect light from the water outside to the interior, and the girders which recall the flying buttresses of the medieval cathedral, instilling a sense of timelessness in a contemporary structure.

23. Chapel in the Rock (Arizona, USA)

This facinating Roman Catholic church is literally built into the rock... The views from outside are unbelievable but the serenity inside is awesome

Some say, that Chapel in the Rock can move even the non-religious.

24. Device to Root Out Evil (Calgary, AB, Canada)

It was too hot for New York City; too hot for Stanford University. But a controversial, imposing sculpture by renowned international artist Dennis Oppenheim finally found a public home in laid-back Vancouver. A country church is seen balancing on it’s steeple, as if it had been lifted by a terrific force and brought to the site as a device or method of rooting out evil forces. In 2008 it was moved from Vancouver to Calgary, AB, Canada.

25. Trendsetters Church (Phoenix, AZ, USA)

Trendsetters Church in Phoenix, AZ, built in 1973 by Neil Frisby as Capstone Cathedral. I’m sure Neil Frisby visited Egypt just before designing this church.

26. Church of St. George (Lalibela, Ethiopia)

Possibly the most famous of Lalibeli’s churches, the Church of St. George is completely carved out of stone in the shape of a cross.


27. Written Stone (Monastery, Romania)

Local tradition confesses that,during the construction of a railway , at the opening of the a tunnel, it was found an icon painted in stone representing the Holy Trinity. The monastery was built at the opening of the tunnel The monastery was built at the opening of the tunnel on the rock.

28. Bruder Klaus Chapel (Mechernich, southern Germany)

A concrete chapel on the edge of a field in Mechernich, southern Germany, built by local farmers in honor of their patron saint, the 15th-century hermit Bruder Klaus,” according to icon.

29. Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, (Cundinamarca, Colombia)

Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral) in Zipaquirá, about 25 miles north of Bogotá, is an underground church built in a tunnel of salt mines deep inside a salt mountain. It is built into a space left by salt mining; everything you see here is salt. As you descend into the church, you pass 14 small chapels representing the stations of the suffering of Christ. The sanctuary at the bottom has three sections, representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus.

The first Salt Cathedral was consecrated in 1954, but structural problems and safety concerns led the authorities to shut down the sanctuary in 1990. The current church was built between 1991 and 1996 about 200 feet below the old sanctuary, again using caves left behind by previous mining operations..

30. Cathedral of Maringa (Parana, Brazil)

This is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in downtown Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, measuring 124 m high. It was completed in 1972 and is the tallest church in South America and the 16th tallest in the world.

Architect José Augusto Bellucci was inspired by the Soviet sputnik satellites when he projected the modern design with conical shape of the cathedral, which was idealized by the archbishop Dom Jaime Luiz Coelho.


31. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, (Milwaukee, WI, USA)

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1956, and completed in 1961. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is one of Wright’s last works. Its shallow scalloped dome echoes his Marin County Civic Center.

32. The Felsenkirche a.k.a. Church of the Rock, (Idar-Oberstein, Germany).

The Felsenkirche (”Church of the Rock”) , a church built into a natural niche in the rocks, rises high above the houses of Oberstein.. Nicely blends into the mountain, making all this place magical.

33. Catholic Church (Uruguay)

34. Grundtvig’s Church, (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Grundtvig’s Church (Danish: Grundtvigs Kirke) is located in the Bispebjerg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a rare example of expressionist church architecture. Due to its unusual appearance, it is one of the best known churches in the city.

35. Mr. Eko’s Church (The Island)

Architects: Eko and Charlie.

36. Church with an A (Madrid, Spain)

A Parish Church at the beginning of Alcalde Sainz de Baranda St. (Madrid, Spain).

37. Pilgrimage Church(Neviges, Germany)

Pilgrimage church designed by Gottfried Böhm and constructed during the period of 1963-1972. The sunken cathedral in autumn colors. Böhm used the terrain to lessen the impact of the enormous church on its small scale context.


38. San Francisco de Asis Church (Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico)

San Francisco de Asis Church is a small mission in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. Construction on the church began around 1772 and was completed in 1815 by Franciscan Fathers and its patron is Saint Francis of Assisi. It is made of adobe as are many of the Spanish missions in New Mexico. It a few miles south of Taos Pueblo and has inspired among the greatest number of depictions of any building in the United States. It was the subject of four paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, and photographs by Ansel Adams and Paul Strand. Georgia O’Keeffe described it as, “one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards.”

39. Church in a Hill(Luxembourg)

This church is built into the hillside on which it perches. One of the reasons the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has survived as an independent state for a thousand years against such powerful neighbors as Germany and France, is that the area is eminently fortifiable.

40. Church Birdhouse (Greer, South Carolina, USA)

A colorful birdhouse, made in the shape of a church, hanging on a fence of someones yard in Greer, South Carolina. The bird living in this church must be a bird-priest raising donations from other birds in a form of seeds.

Alpana Verma from Abu Dhabi has sent in the following photograph of the World"s Smallest Church in Canada which continues to be used. She says it is world's smallest church which is always open and functioning.doors are 10x10 feet.It is situated on the River Road [between Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake]