A look back. Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India. 24.03.2011

Kanyakumari

We left Kovalam on the 24th of March, 2011 and headed south, to the southern most tip of the Subcontinent of India. Our destination was Kanyakumari, where 3 oceans meet, the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It is a very sacred place, where devotes of Kanya Devi and religious pilgrims of all kinds flock by the tens of thousands to visit the Vivekananda Memorial and the Kumari Amman Temple.

It was a different feeling, coming to the end of something as significant as a Subcontinent. I've never been to Key West, or Cape Horn or the Horn of Africa, but I would imagine the feeling would be the same. And to stand where 3 oceans converge is also something to boast about.

Ptolemy wrote of the relationship between Kanyakumari and Alexandria, and this relationship would have been forged many years prior to Ptolemy and for many years after. Trading in pearls and being an important route point for sailors at the time, meant that Kanyakumari would always be a hub of activity.

Today, Kanyakumari, aside from being a pilgrimage spot, is also an active tourist destination not only for India, but for the entire world. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants between the main roads and the tip of the land, as well as a plethora of souvenir shops that really crank up in the evening.

Looking at the entrance to the Kumari Amman Temple, with the Vivekananda monument in the far background. In between, is the Thiruvalluvar Statue. It is a 133 feet (40.6 m) tall stone sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint Tiruvalluvar, author of the Thirukkural.

We woke at 3:30am in order to wind our way to the Kumari Amman Temple, which is dedicated to the virgin goddess Kanya Devi. We were not a lone of course, but the crowds were definitely smaller at this hour, at which only the truly devoted dare to venture.

After experiencing a wonderful puja, we left the temple to go back to our hotel. The streets were very empty, just my wife and myself and a handful of worshipers leaving the same temple. Walking ahead of us was an elderly gentleman, wrapped only in his dhoti, walking with a staff and singing. It was mesmerizing. His voice, weakened due to age and the fact that he was slumped over, still wafted through the empty streets and filled my wife and me with joy. it was haunting, but in a good way. It is times like these that make it wonderful to be a traveler.

very early sunrise

about an hour after sunrise

A popular event is the sunrise viewing from the rooftops. We had been getting up quite early anyway along the journey, to view the magnificent sunrises, so doing it here was not anything out of the ordinary. We got up early and headed for the roof were about two dozen sleepy-eyed hotel patrons had the same idea! As I looked out over the city I saw many of the rooftops in a similar state, loaded full of people hoping to capture a glimpse of what would hope to be a spectacular sight. It did not disappoint.

Suchindram Thanumalayan Temple

We also took a side trip a few kilometers away to the Suchindram Thanumalayan Temple. This was one of my favorite temples on the whole trip. I love architecture and I love history, and this temple had both. It has a huge Hanuman statue carved out a single block of granite. It was buried in 1740 to prevent it from being damaged in an attack from the Tipu Sultan, better known as the Tiger of Mysore. It was forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1930.

The temple Brahmins, aids and priests were very nice to me, giving me the full "treatment" of a VIP. They were patient and supportive and showed me how to do things properly. There are many rituals that are performed in a specific order and you need someone with you that knows them or get someone to help you. I wanted to be immersed in it, to experience everything like I had done it all my life. We were escorted into the inner sanctum, which was a treat. These temples are unlike religious buildings in the west. They are made from large solid blocks of granite, moved into place in a way that time has forgotten, and are carved so precisely that there is no need of mortar. It smells of centuries of incense, oils and flowers and is very unique.

Swami Vivekananda Memorial

Carving detail

For some, this is a lifelong journey

Looking from the steps of the memorial back towards land

Looking dead south from the tip of India

 A few hundred yards off the tip of land is the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Only accessible by ferry, this large rock outcrop is said to have been the place Swami Vivekananda swam out to and meditated and actually attained enlightenment. There are several attractions on the rock, one of which is a compass rose set into the stone that points due south. The temple building is quite nice and has elaborate carvings. It was built in 1970.

We also visited the Vivekananda Kendra or the ashram of Swami Vivekananda. There is a nice museum that shows a great timeline of his influential work. There is also a Memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, but I was very disappointed with that and thought it was lacking in anything substantial and does not do the great Gandhiji justice. It it situated on the spot where his ashes rested before being scattered into the sea a few yards away.

Delhi, India. Lodi Gardens. 13.08.13

India's big cities are green. And they are getting greener every day. Not that India was ever a dry, barren landscape. But there is a big push in big cities to be greener. From the CNG buses and cabs to the plantings in every median, India is planting.

There are also the large green spaces that were created during the Mughal era. These are, for the most part being maintained, but probably are not an accurate representation of the way it was during it's heyday. Even the texts from the time describe the gardens around the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb being much more elaborate than they are now.

Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque

Lodi Gardens are located about a mile from the India Gate. The stone path leads you in under a cooling canopy of trees, slowly revealing it's first treasure of Mughal architecture, the Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque. As you walk around the path to the right of the structure, there are little area where young people congregate and lovers sneak to be alone for a while.

The grounds are well kept and there are a variety of Plumeria and Canna all around, many in colors I have never seen before, so it was a real treat.

along the path around the Bara Gumbad or "Big Dome"

Plumeria

Canna

If you love architecture as much as I do, then you will love this place. You should plan on spending at least a couple of hours here, as there are so many details. Some of the original colors are still evident, but is is a ruin of sorts, and just the shells of the building survive. But then you get to see the bones of the structure, the mathematics involved in the overall design and symmetry.

walking up to the Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque

architectural detail

3 Domed Mosque architectural detail

architectural detail

Mosque architectural detail

sandstone carving architectural detail

overlooking the gardens

Looking over to Sheesh Gumbad

The Sheesh Gumbad, or "Glass Dome", so named for the glazed tiles used to cover its outer skin, some of which you can still see today, sits right across from the Bara Gumbad. Bright spots of color are the only thing letting you know that in its prime, this was a sight to see. Its proportions are nearly perfect.

Sheesh Gumbad

The view inside invites us to use our imagination, knowing that it was once, truly magnificent

looking back to the Bara Gumbad

Inside the high dome with the tombs of a family long forgotten

looking out over the gardens from the Sheesh Gumbad

A lovely place to visit

Don't forget the Bonsai garden

The local Delhiites come here to relax, spend time with family and loved ones and to perform yoga and meditate. I say do not leave this off your list of things to do in Delhi. You will be sorry if you did.

Tomb of Akbar the Great. Sikandra, Agra, India. 27.07.13

Tomb of Akbar the Great

Just a few kilometers away from the great Taj Mahal sits the tomb of one of the greatest leaders in all of India. The Tomb of Akbar the Great was built in 1605-1613. During this time, settlers were building crude wooden huts in Jamestown, Virginia. The Mu

ghals gave us some of the most beautiful artistry and architecture. If you love architecture, this is one you will not want to miss.

this is just the inlay detail from the Entrance building

The level of detail in the inlay is stunning and is a great example of Mughal architecture. The grounds are large, approximately 119 acres, however not really accessible to the public. You hear and occasionally see Peacocks roaming around in the grass, or sitting in trees, along with antelope grazing. After walking through the south gate with its four minarets, there is a large expanse of sandstone, which at one time, harbored a water system that was so prevalent in the Mugal architecture of the time. It must have been very impressive to see all of the water features working at a time when there were no man made machinery.

The evidence is still there, although the structures are long gone, of some type of railings or lighting systems (torches) that lined the large sandstone walkway. It is fun to come up with solutions and speculate what it must have looked like.

South entrance architecture and inlay

sculpted and colorfully painted ceilings on the mausoleum

the tomb of Akbar the Great in the lower level

stone lattice work is quite impressive

Akbar's cenotaph in the mausoleum. His tomb lies directly beneath

Circumferential Gallery around the cenotaph

Fatehpur Sikri. India. 28.07.13

inside the first courtyard at Fatehpur Sikri

Situated a short drive of about about 38km from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is a Mughal era fortified city made of local red sandstones. It runs along a ridge that at one time was in its entirety, part of the walled city complex. Only the central part is rebuilt and part of what you will see. I started to get excited when while driving up, as I started to see ruins from a few kilometers away. I'm sure you can walk the perimeter of the 5 mile long wall, but much of the wall is now in ruins.

you can see where a decoration was chipped away

Started in 1571, it was built by Akbar the Great and served as the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1585 and has many features that make it stand out from most other Mughal era architecture. Unique and intricate water features can be found all over, and as always, Hindu and Mughal design elements are spread throughout, as was the habit of stonemasons sneaking in sculpture of their own here and there. Some Hindu elements had been chipped away over time. Most of the design elements though, are geometric shapes and repetitive patterns.

sculptural detail is second to none

You will notice that the entire place in made of red sandstone, from the blocks under your feet, to the huge thin flat plates that make up the roofs of the buildings. Some have specs of yellow in them, which is a variety of sandstone known to come from this area. There are some buildings with minimal decoration or carvings, while others are extremely ornate, leaving you to stop and really take it all in.

One of the many buildings left in the complex

these stalls, are where many of the workers and servants lived, each having their own niche

central water channels moved water throughout the complex to the many pools and cisterns

part of the wall now

A look back. Munnar, Kerala, India. 03.19.2011

March 19, 2011 Munnar, Kerala, India

While in Kochi, we met a man who owned a travel agency. We knew we wanted to go to a hill station for our next stop and experience the tea fields and he told us he had just the place. He actually owned the house we were to stay in, a kind of bed and breakfast if you will, for there was a couple from Australia there also. He gave us the directions and told us the housekeeper, Dahs, would meet us and take care of us. The house was about 5km outside of Munnar and we could see many things from there, he said.

The house was situated on a steep hillside in a cluster of small homes, and we had to drive through some tea fields to get to it from the main road. The views were fantastic and we were welcomed with open arms.

the view from the rooftop

The area has a lot to see so small day trips can keep you busy. We visited a Tea factory, where they showed us the entire tea-making process.

Our guide showed us the furnace used to dry the tea leaves

One day we drove to a place called Top Station, elevation 8000 ft and we could see over the border into Tamil Nadu. The views from there were stunning and it was nice and cool! There were not that many people visiting that this time of year and it made for a nice quiet afternoon.

The view from the road to Top Station

Beautiful flora everywhere

Having a snack at 8000 ft. Nice and quiet getaway

This area is known not only for its tea, but for tons of other spices and herbs that grow here, some only grown here at this altitude, like cardamom. They also grow coffee here. There is a self-titled "Spice Museum" along the road before you get to Munnar. We drove back to see it one day. The owners gave us a guided tour, told us what we were looking at and even took photos of us in the gardens. This was about 1-2 acres of forested area, growing all kinds of trees and plants in a natural setting. Have you ever wondered where cloves comes from? Pepper, vanilla or cinnamon? They have all in their natural settings. It was quite educational.

a resident of Munnar

The sunrises and sunsets are spectacular here. This is a sunrise that greeted me one morning from the rooftop of our house

this little boy lived across the street

Kolam is a form of sand painting that is drawn using rice powder  or chalk by female members of the family in front of their home. Kolam are thought to bestow prosperity to homes. It is widely practiced by Hindus in South India. A Kolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots.

Every morning in Southern India, millions of women draw Kolam on the ground with white rice powder. Through the day, the drawings get walked on, rained out, or blown around in the wind; new ones are made the next day. Every morning before sunrise, the floor is cleaned with water, the universal purifier, and the muddy floor is swept well for an even surface. The Kolam are generally drawn while the surface is still damp so that it is held better.

Less than 100 yards away, we stepped into the tea fields

Munnar was one of my favorite places in India. It was a huge difference from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, and much more laid back and quiet than even some smaller towns. The lush greens, the cool air and the sounds coming out of the forest canopy at daybreak was unique. I can't wait to go back.