Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Pune – a slice of subterranean history

Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Pune

A slice of subterranean history

Also see: FAM Trip of Pune

Pune, popular as a cantonment town with a rich array of educational institutions, is often hailed as the education capital of India. Unknown to many, the city also harbours a significant historical site nestled in its very core.

Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Pune

The Pataleshwar Cave, situated on Jangli Maharaj Road (commonly known as JM Road), traces its origins back to the 8^th century CE. Constructed by the Rashtrakuta dynasty (753 – 982 CE), this cave stands as a testament to Pune’s historical legacy and is likely the oldest surviving structure in the city.

Kashi Grass Artifacts – An unknown use of Kash Phul Plant

Kashi Grass Artifacts

An unknown usage of Kash Phul Plant

Also see: FAM trip of Seraikela Kharsawan and Mayurbhanj District

The words Kashi or Kans grass may not ring a bell, but the word Kash Phul definitely does. For Bengali’s, the Kash Phul is not just a feathery, silvery-white flower, but an emotion, as its blooming marks the beginning of Durga Puja festivities.

Kash Phul in bloom and artifacts made of Kashi Grass
Kash Phul Photo: Joydeep (Wikimedia Commons)

The blomming happens at the end of the monsoon season and signals the arrival of autumn and major festivities like Durga Puja. The flower is seasonal but the perennial Kashi Grass (Saccharum spontaneum) grows throughout the year. It is distributed throughout South Asia, tropical Africa, and northern Australia.

Ibrahim Rouza – A 17th century funerary complex in Bijapur

Ibrahim Rouza

A 17^th century funerary complex in Bijapur

Also see: Bijapur Travelogues

Ibrahim Rouza or Ibrahim Rauza is an exquisite 17^th century funerary complex located in Bijapur (now Vijayapura), Karnataka. It is widely considered one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture in the Deccan.

Ibrahim Rouza (left to right: Mausoleum, gateway and mosque)

Ibrahim Rauza is often described as the “Black Taj Mahal of South India” or the “Taj of the Deccan,” but it has hardly any resemblance to the Taj Mahal. Strangely, the name is widely used and visitors make desperate attempts to find similarities.

Charaideo Maidam, the royal burials of the Ahom Royals

Charaideo Maidam

Royal burials of the Ahom Royals

Also see: Family trip of Assam

At first glance, it looks like a series of hemispherical rolling hills covered with lush green grass. A closer look reveals a perfect geometric shape and a stone boundary at the base, confirms these are not natural but man-made.

Charaideo Maidams

These are the Charaideo Maidams, the sacred royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty, which ruled the Ahom kingdom in Assam for nearly 600 years. Frequently referred to as the Pyramids of Assam, these hemispherical earthen mounds serve as a grand testament to medieval engineering and the ancestor worship traditions of the Ahoms

Kochi, backwaters and Arabian Sea sunset cruise

An amazing way to explore Kochi’s backwaters

Also see: Travelogues from Kochi (Cochin)

Kochi Backwaters consist of a lagoon system interconnected by a labyrinth of water channels and separated from the sea by narrow estuaries. This network of lagoons and water channels is centred around Vembanad Lake and is a recognized Ramsar site of international importance.

Bird’s-eye view of Kochi backwaters (not shot during the cruise)

The backwaters are best explored on boats. There are a series of options. These include small boat rides that meander through narrow channels, offering glimpses of rural life in Kochi, and luxury houseboat rides that take tourists from Kochi to Alleppey.

Four Genres of Chhau Dance across Jharkhand and Odisha

Four Genres of Chhau Dance

Seraikela Kharsawan (Jharkhand) and Mayurbhanj (Odisha)

Also see: FAM trip of Seraikela & Kharsawan and Mayurbhanj District

Chhau dance, a vibrant folk dance form, martial art imbibed, originating in the Chota Nagpur region of eastern India,  is widely practised across Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha. Chhau dance was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Four Genres of Chhau
Top row left to right: Manbhum (Purulia) Chhau and Seraikela Chhau
Bottom row left to right: Kharsawan Chhau and Mayurbhanj Chhau

Chhau is practiced in the Purulia district of West Bengal, Seraikela & Kharsawan district of Jharkhand and Mayurbhanj District of Odisha. Purulia and Mayurbhanj districts each have a single version of Chhau. Seraikela Kharsawan district in Jharkhand is special, being in the border of Purulia and Mayurbhanj, three separate versions of Chhau are practiced here – Seraikela Chhau, Kharsawan Chhau, and Manbhum Chhau.

Karla Caves, the best-preserved ancient Buddhist Prayer Hall

Karla Caves

The best-preserved ancient Buddhist Prayer Hall in India

Also see: Lonavala Travelogues

The Karla Caves are a complex of 16 ancient, rock-cut Buddhist shrines located in Karli, 15 km from the popular hill station of Lonavala in Maharashtra. The caves are directly cut out into a basaltic cliff side between the 2^nd century BCE and the 5^th century CE.

Great Chaitya Hall (Cave No. 8), Karla Caves

The Great Chaitya Hall (Cave No. 8), Karla Caves is the crowing jewel of ancient rock-cut architecture in South Asia, serving as the largest and most pristine ancient Buddhist prayer hall in India.

Jahan Begum’s Tomb, Ainapur Mahal and Ain-ul-Mulk’s Tomb, Bijapur

Jahan Begum’s Tomb, Ain-ul-Mulk’s Tomb and more

Exploring the heritage sites east of Bijapur

Also see: Bijapur Travelogues

Bijapur served as the capital of the Adil Shah dynasty, which was an early modern kingdom in the western Deccan of South India from 1490 to 1686. During the period, the city became a massive citadel, complete with towering domed structures.

Heritage sites east of Bijapur
Top row left to right: Jahan Begum’s Tomb and Graves of Jahan Begum’s Tomb
Bottom row left to right: Ainapur Mahal and Ain-ul-Mulk’s Tomb

Today, the medieval domes, including that of Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Rouza, still dominate the Bijapur skyline. The heritage of Bijapur extends beyond the city limits and is extended both on the eastern and western fringes (Also see: Heritage sites west of Bijapur). About 5 km east of Gol Gumbaz and outside the citadel of Bijpur lies the sleepy village of Ainapur. The village lies on the left side of the highway and houses 4 heritage sites.

Heritage sites east of Bijapur:

• Jahan Begum’s Tomb
• Mosque No. 366 (Ainapur Mosque)
• Ainapur Mahal (Jahan Begum Mahal)
• Ain-ul-Mulk’s Tomb (Chota Gol Gumbaz)

Exploring the temples of eastern Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar – Temple Series 2

Also see: Bhubaneswar Travelogues

According to legend, Bhubaneswar once housed a thousand temples. Sadly, many of these have crumbled to dust and many more have been reconstructed into modern structures, but the few that have survived the test of time and still stand to this day are worth a visit.

Temples of eastern Bhubaneswar
Top row left to rigt: Megheswar and Bhaskereswar Temple
Bottom row left to right: Rajarani and Brahmeswar Temple

Visiting all the temples of Bhubaneswar in a single day is an almost impossible task. 3 to 4 days are a bare minimum to explore the temples of Bhubaneswar and this needs a systematic planning. The planning involves dividing the temples into different zones.

Haripur Garh, ruins of an ancient fort of Mayurbhanj Estate

Haripur Garh

Ruins of an ancient fort of Mayurbhanj Estate

Also see: FAM trip of Seraikela & Kharsawan and Mayurbhanj District

Haripur Garh or Haripur Gada is a 15^th century fort (Google Map Location) located 25 km south of Baripada, the present district headquarters of Mayurbhanj District in Odisha. The fort once served as the capital of the Bhanja dynasty of the Mayurbhanj estate.

Haripur Garh
Top row left to right: Cows graze inside the Haripur Garh complex, Rasik Raya Temple and an archway inside the Haripur Garh complex
Bottom row left to right: Ruins of the queen’s palace, Jaganath Temple and Radhamohan Temple

Harihar Bhanja was a powerful 14th-century ruler of the Bhanja dynasty who famously founded the historic city of Hariharpur (now Haripur Garh) in 1400. After the invasion of Firuz Shah Tughlaq, Harihar Bhanja decided to shift his capital from Khiching to the newly built fortress of Haripur Garh.