Gate of magnificence

          On our visit to the imperial palaces of Mughal Empire in India, we preferred to start the day tour with Fatehpur-Sikri, Agra. The journey to the Fatehpur Sikri ended as we reached at the Buland Darwaja or the gate of magnificence. It was unbelievable for me to experience the Buland Darwaja in reality. The legacy of Mughal architecture was standing before me, with its strapping feature, like an undefeatable fortress. The beauty of the mighty doorway made me spell bound instantaneously, and compelled to look upright to gaze the unfathomable firmness of the great Mughal emperor Akbar. I was simply elated by its architectural uniqueness, and kept starring towards the unbeatable look of the doorway. The beauty was truly magnetizing like the huge heart of an emperor, and the impetus dragged me spontaneously as I began my walk to the door way. The marvelous calligraphic decoration, with mesmerizing view of the surrounding was a matter of recurrent joy that reached at its peak as I reached at the main entrance of Buland Darwaja.

Buland Darwaza, Agra

              Everything was so huge to envisage the personality of great Mughal emperor Akbar. Buland Darwaja is also the entrance to the cluster of fascinating Mughal architectural examples as well as like a complete chapter of history that introduces us with many noble characters of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It was an incredible at the same time a thrilling experience too, to capture the unbinding view of the surrounding landscape in my roving eyes. Like the resolute determination of its creator, everything appeared insignificant from Buland Darwaja, and the entire world was literally at my feet.

Buland Darwaza, Agra

       

             The mighty doorway Buland Darwaja, was constructed by the Mughal emperor Akbar to mark his victory over Gujarat and construction of Buland Darwaja was completed in 1601. The coastal cities of Gujarat lured the Mughals especially to pursue the sea trade, and ironically the East India Company of Britain also first time arrived in India through the port of Surat, Gujarat, on 24 August, 1600.(Source: Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre) So, erection of Buland Darwaja was made at the juncture that also marks the initiation of the Mughal decline as well as beginning of British dominion in India and Gujarat is associated with this transition.

Agra fort, an immortal creation

The surrounding environment appeared like dozing under the red stone drape in sweltering midday, as we were approaching to the premises of Agra fort. The radiated heat from the gigantic structures could be felt even from the farthest part of the premises. The mammoth structure of Agra fort came into the sight like a heat erupting volcano. It was inexplicably very hot. Immediately after our vehicle stopped, we were thronged by the tourist guides, some of them were even child and still confident enough to escort us. It was a confusing situation as I overheard a thrown word from a tourist, “no more guides”.

Agra fort

                Leaving behind the group of tour guides, we started our walk towards the Agra fort. The UNESCO world heritage site of Agra fort was in front of us like an upright symbol of masculinity, power, courage and strength. The apparently silent premises of Agra fort was likely to wake up any time with the entry of the marching band of insidious soldiers, churning dust and displaying their blood stained swords. I was inundated by the interesting anecdotes of history associated with the fort, the history of transformation of Badalgarh fort of the Rajputs to the present Red fort of Agra of the Mughals. To me, it is a fascinating remainder of the jubilant kings and emperors who dared to enjoy the possession of the fort with their indomitable courage and with the power of their sword. Agra fort is a place, where time has written numerous history of invasion, stories of great warriors and paved their way to achieve immortality. To me Agra fort is a centre of power, an exciting example of Mughal architecture, a place where art and architecture got new dimensions under the patronage of great Mughal emperors, and a jail where a great emperor passed his last days looking towards his immortal creation.

Agra fort

The memorable journey through the palaces of the emperors came to an end with an approaching dusk. Afar from the Agra fort the Sun was slowly setting down like a huge fireball.

Agra fort

Wilderness

Gorumara National Park

Yesterday on our drive from Siliguri, the entire way to our destination was through picturesque landscapes of tea gardens and hills. Like floating on the wings we reached our final destination Lataguri. The tiny locality of Dooars is adjacent to the Gorumara National Park and the permits of entry into the forests had to be obtained from Lataguri. It was refreshing for eyes surrounded by rustic green and we were in the kingdom of wilderness where the wild animals very often raid the human habitations. I was impatient for my jungle safari of next morning.

Journey through the greens of Gorumara

It was a soothing morning in the Gorumara National Park; the tropical rain forest appeared a bit reluctant to efface its curtain of mist. Keeping the wild greens on both sides our pursuit began on a hoodless jeep accompanying with safari guide. Slowly with a fascinating Sun up, entire jungle was again enlivened with the chirpy note of different birds. It was screaming peacocks welcomed us as we made an entry into the territory of the sanctuary. Agile eyes of the guide were fast shifting on different directions to spot the wild animals and he spotted very often huge peacocks sitting on trees near and afar. The safari jeep stopped at a point from where the forest guide pointed his hand towards a marshland in the forest in our left and began avidly observing the movement of herons. We patiently waited staring towards the direction with our eyes forgot to blink. After a while a herd of Indian bisons or Gaur displaying their heavily toned muscles, appeared with calves, and forwarded calmly on grazing in the meadow. Rest of the safari sometime it was a glimpse of jungle fowl before our jeep; sometime the barking deer stared at us behind the camouflage of greens, sometime the silhouette of flight of birds and huge footmarks of a lone elephant amused us on our journey through the woods.

Peacock at the Gorumara National Park

I knew the time will come to end and we will mingle again with the urban crowd in the sanctuary of concretes but, the memories of visit will definitely remain evergreen and I will ever recognize the freshness of the morning that rejuvenated me thoroughly.

Exterminator

Jaigarh Fort,Jaipur,Rajasthan

My first interaction with cannon was “Jahan Kosha” during my schooldays, while on a visit to Murshidabad, West Bengal. It was a fabulous experience to get acquainted with ensembles of various sized cannons, from miniature to mammoth. Jahan Kosha was the biggest and it was believed that thundering of Jahan Kosha would have annihilated the entire world. In sixteenth century it was an effort by the rulers of Bengal intended to keep the marauders at bay.

Jaivana Cannon

Now, it was my journey to interact with the World`s largest cannon on wheels. The image of Jahan Kosha was peeping through my memory as we were approaching the Jaigarh fort of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The picturesque scenario of the vast stretch of the Aravalli Hills, were spread like a natural barrier to the enemies trying to access the fort and on top of the hill the sprawling stretch of the ramparts of Jaigarh fort emerged like a reminder of a fairy tale. Sounding like hooves of thousand horses immediately a spell of torrential rain trampled with their war cry accompanied with thundering mirth and the weather shrouded with sudden gloom. The rain slowly ceased after repressing the unruly dust and as we reached the fort Sun already came out with ebullient sheen.

Jaivana cannon

First glimpse of the legendary cannon Jaivana was inexplicably very engrossing. Lifting the muzzle on gigantic wheels it was gleaming in predatory elegance, like a creepy crocodile basking before deadly assault. Huge strapping body and bigger than all my previous experiences. Jaivana, the legacy on wheels was manufactured in the foundry of Jaigarh fort with a disastrous shelling range over 30-kilometres. It was test fired only once to witness the capacity of shelling and measure the enormity of rampage and as expected it landed shell on the target very viciously and ghastly. The shock wave produced due to its thundering hurl caused casualty in gunner’s side too.

foundry of Jaigarh fort,Jaipur

The felicitation of life

Khajuraho temple

I was in a dilemma, how to encapsulate the experience of my Khajuraho visit. Should I reckon Khajuraho as the fervour of an unknown sculptor who depicted many moods of life on the solid rocks of sand stone? Was it a tribute to divinity and life, expressed through a pulsating Indian art form on the temple walls of Khajuraho? Should it be named, a thrilling synthesis of idolatry and art of love making? Sometime, I felt it like flaunt of living, felicitation of biological relationship between men and women or the teachings of love making expressed on the temple walls of Khajuraho. The display of arousing moods of playful human body or precisely the art of erotica has transformed into a spectacular form of art, which proclaimed bold and proud maturity, thousand years ago. The panoply of sculptures of Hindu god and the expressive love makers on temple walls, gravitated, hypnotised, churned my nerve and surreally left their everlasting magnificence in my memory.

The divine sculptures on Khajuraho temple

The jubilation of life or splendid picture of living Khajuraho, began its journey during the reign of King Bidyadhar Chandella, who initiated the work of the temple arena. As per myth, the King was a descendent of the moon. The heritage site of Khajuraho was a collaboration of Chandella Kings during 950AD to 1150AD and to save the ravages of invasion the inhabitation was shifted from this area. As the time elapsed the premise of Khajuraho remained shrouded with forests to slip away into oblivion and to some extent escaped the threat of demolition by the invaders. After a long time it was rediscovered and brought to light again with measures of restoration taken by British engineer T.S.Burt. The temple achieved its deserved recognition before the world with thronged inquisitive visitors but, all available accounts of History remain veiled before the inevitable questions in respect of Khajuraho.

Insignia of tourism

Cooch Behar Palace

West Bengal has diverse range of fascinating holiday destinations. Somewhere the sun rises midst of sea and somewhere a glimpse of sun smear the snow clad peaks in golden tint. Somewhere, it is spell binding display of generosity of nature that resuscitate the soul and somewhere it is reminder of exquisite historic legacies with assiduous treasure of myths and lore. Each of them is unique in their identity with fathomless beauty. Surrounded by wide stretch of forests and wildlife sanctuaries, blending the grandeur of royal era the district of Cooch Behar frames the explicit picture, like an insignia in the tourism map of India.

Cooch Behar Palace

Erstwhile princely state Cooch Behar was among few richest states of India during British domination. At the royal coronation of Edward-VII in 1902, apart from two other kings of Indian princely states the illustrious king of Cooch Behar Nripendra Narayan was accorded the honour of riding as honorary ADCs beside the royal carriage and he was founder President of the Calcutta club.

Present palace of Cooch Behar was built in 1887 during Nripendra Narayan`s rule with estimated cost of construction was Rs. 80, 00,000/-. The palace is an assortment or a confluence of fascinating western architectures and it was one of the finest in India.

Educated in pioneer institutes of India and England, 21-st king of Cooch Behar, Nripendra Narayan was among the new generation of rulers of Indian princely states who were described as less flamboyant, less self-indulgent, than their predecessors, more conscious of the need for changes and the reformation of their states. King Nripendra Narayan was married to Suniti Devi, and the royal couple extended their support in many social reforms. Abundant examples of discriminating architectures and regal edifices of Cooch Behar carry the flavour of splendour and the legacies that remind the rich history of Bengal.

Survivor of ravages

Iron Pillar,Delhi

In the complex of Qutb Minar, Delhi, I felt a tryst with sublimate stories of history confined in the array of decrepit structures, the roofless colonnades and in remnants of nicely carved arches essence of sensational stories of history could be felt and enlivened many fascinating tales of bravery in my mind. Like a landmark or a juncture of history, where a sun down of Hindu rule and subsequent advent of Muslim rule in India were merged.

Iron Pillar,Delhi

In the Qutb Minar complex, Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque happened to be Rai Pithoda temple; an assemblage of twenty seven Hindu and Jain temples later ruined and renamed by Muslim rulers (Pritviraj Chauhan was also known as Rai Pithoda). Marks of destruction by the invaders were everywhere in the precincts of the complex but an upstanding iron pillar miraculously survived ravages of invasion, corrosion and pollution.

Iron, as we commonly see, when exposed in air get oxidized and thus result corrosion. As the scientists say some particles present in air are the main inducing agents for corrosion. The exceptional example of iron, where adverse components of weather could not erode its anti corrosive coating has been a cause of great curiosity to the world wide tourists’ as well as to the scientists and historians. Extensive research revealed due to high phosphorous content, the pillar sustained to withstand corrosion or other hazards of nature.

Metallurgical wonder, The Iron pillar,Delhi

Inscriptions in devnagri were engraved on the pillar. It was Gupta devnagri and the inscription elucidated, founder of Tomar dynasty Anang Pal, brought it from an unknown location, defined as Vishnupad Giri and placed it in Rai Pithoda temple. The inscriptions on Iron pillar insinuated that it was raised actually to accolade posthumously a Gupta king called Chandra. Chandra was presumably Chandragupta II of Gupta dynasty of fourth century A.D. The scientists of fourth century coated the iron with a protective film to prevent it from getting oxidised that sustained anti corrosive property notwithstanding the ravages of corrosion and pollution.