Pratapgadh - the victor and the vanquished

Here’s another fort that is significant in Maratha history. Pratapgadh is where Shivaji killed Afzal Khan with his tiger claws after his concealed armour saved him from getting stabbed by Afzal Khan’s dagger during one of most vicious embraces that history has witnessed. The mausoleum of Afzal Khan lies at the foothills of Pratapgadh and the saffron flag symbolizing Maratha rule still flutters atop Pratapgadh.

Taj of the Deccan

I have blogged about my jinxed trip to the Taj Mahal but I must say that I have visited the Taj of the Deccan. Bibi ka Maqbara is called the Taj of the Deccan because it is inspired by the architecture, carvings and landscaping of the Taj Mahal. Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra which had become an important centre for the Mughals in the 17^th century, the Bibi ka Maqbara is said to have been built somewhere between 1651 and 1661. Although the name means it is the ‘tomb of the wife’, it was actually built by Aurangzeb’s elder son Azam Shah (Akbar’s brother) in memory of his mother Rabbia Ul Durrani or Dilras Banu Begum. When I cross-checked the dates through a search on Wiki, I found that Azam Shah was born in 1653 so it is unlikely that the construction would have started in 1651 although these are the dates mentioned on the inscription put up by the Archeological Survey of India. The same inscription states that the monument took shape under leadership of Ata-Ullah, who was the architect and Hanspat Rai, the engineer. It is also called ‘poor man’s Taj’ because it was built with a fraction of the resources spent on the Taj Mahal and tries to copy the grandeur of the Taj.

Some things change and some things don't

Spaces for children in urban areas are dwindling rapidly and Mumbai is no exception. Very few parks have been designed keeping children in mind. One of the oldest parks that has been the top favourite among children is the Kamala Nehru Park. All those who have grown up in Mumbai would recollect that this used to be a regular spot for school picnics. After all these years, when I passed by Kamala Nehru Park some time ago, it was heartening to see that at least some things in life are still the same.

Zero Mile Marker at Nagpur

The geographical centre of India is located at Nagpur, Maharashtra and the ‘zero mile marker’ located in the heart of the city is considered to be the central-most point in the country. This stone pillar is supposed to have been erected during the British period although it is not clear for what purpose they thought of building it. We can see the old names of cities marked on different sides of the pillar indicating the direction and the distance between the city and the zero mile marker. Located adjacent to a busy road junction on a small patch of a green lawn, one can just pass by it without even recognizing its importance.

Next to the pillar stands a sculpture with running horses. Although the sculpture is nice per se, it simply does not go well with the old stone zero mile marker (hence it has been smartly cut off from this picture). I would have rather appreciated the tourism department putting up a small board indicating the significance of the place and a little bit of its history. I am not even sure if all the local autorickshaw drivers know about the place because we had to ask many people on the way for directions and not all knew what we were looking for. But if you are in Nagpur, you should certainly check it out at least. Whatever said, it is a nice feeling to be standing at the centre of our vast country.

Sinhagad - a chapter from Maratha history

Having grown up reading Maratha history at school and a dose of Amar Chitra Katha stories about Shivaji, a trip to Sinhagad was a great way of refreshing all the history lessons from my childhood. Sinhagad literally means Lion’s Fort. It is located around 30-35 kms from Pune on a hill (about 800 metres high) and is a lovely spot for making a day trip.

Sinhagad, which was earlier called Kondhana, was strategically important for the Marathas because it was located at the centre of other important forts like the Purandar, Rajgad and Torna and they captured the fort every time it was snatched away from them. But Sinhagad is significant in Maratha history primarily because of the Battle of Sinhagad which was fought in 1670 to recapture the fort from the Mughals. During the battle, Tanaji Malasure, Shivaji’s most reliable lieutenant surprised the enemies by climbing up the steep cliff of the fort with the help of a monitor lizard and putting up a brave fight. Although he died fighting valiantly in the battle, the Marathas were victorious and recaptured the fort. Shivaji is said to have then remarked, ‘Gad aala pan Sinha gela’ (The fort has been won but the lion is lost). Today, when one looks down the sharp vertical cliff standing on top of Sinhagad at the same spot, one can only imagine the sheer courage and loyalty of Tanaji.

Although one can trek right up to the fort from Sinhagad village at the foothills, we drove up as we were traveling with little kids. However, the road was in a bad shape. From the parking lot, the climb up to the fort was comfortable. It was very hot and there were not many trees on the top providing shade. The steps were uneven in many places and had a lot of gravel. Thankfully, we were prepared for both these conditions with caps and comfortable shoes. 

Pune Darwaza at Sinhagad

There were two entrances to the fort – Pune Darwaza taken by most visitors and Kalyan Darwaza. A tour around the fort can take even an entire day, depending on how much one wants to explore. There is a Tanaji Smarak (memorial) on top; several water tanks, including the Elephant tank; several temples including a small temple dedicated to Kondhaneshwar; several towers, ammunition storehouse, a rock-cut cave-like horse stable and also the Doordarshan TV tower. One can not only see the majestic Sahyadri ranges from top, one can also spot other forts around. During summer, the mountain ranges look blackish because they are dry with little vegetation. But in monsoons, we were told that they look as if they are covered with green velvet. We would have liked to see more displays depicting a map of the fort, explanation about the history and significance of every spot. The place somehow assumed that every visitor would be familiar with Maratha history. Back in the parking lot, there were many places that served typical Marathi food, but we settled for a glass of buttermilk.

On the way back, we wished we had spent the entire day at the fort, wished we had trekked instead of taking a bumpy road ride and wished that the kids were slightly older to understand what they saw. Anyways, now we have more than one reason to visit Sinhagad again.

Deeksha Bhoomi, Nagpur

On October 14, 1956, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his wife Savitribai embraced Buddhism along with lakhs of followers on an open ground in Nagpur, Maharashtra.  This open ground came to be known as Deekshabhoomi (literal translation is the land where religion is embraced) and it has what is said to be one of the largest hollow domed Stupas in the world. The place attracts thousands of followers, students and scholars of Buddhism. When I visited this historical place, there was a photo exhibition depicting the events around the time of the mass conversion. What struck me was that firstly, it was one of the largest voluntary mass conversions to have happened anywhere in the world and secondly, Dr. Ambedkar passed away within a couple of months after this ceremony.  

Inside the quiet Stupa, standing peacefully in front of Ambedkar’s picture, my head naturally bowed to the great man who remains a guiding light of hope and inspiration to millions of Indians. Standing erect outside the Stupa, the Bodhi tree not only protects the visitors from the blazing hot Nagpur sun, but with its spreading branches it seems to be showering blessings on all those coming under its shade while on their path to liberation.  

Timeless Guhagar

Guhagar is not my native place. I am not visiting this scenic village as an urban tourist checking out a quick getaway. I am here to witness how life in this laid back Konkan village has remained almost unchanged over the years. Coming back to Guhagar after 30 years, it is delightful to see how it has more or less retained its own special character.

Guhagar is a small village located in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. Stretching along the Arabian Sea with clean pristine sands, it offers a panoramic view of the Konkan coast. Early one day, when I went for a jog on the beach, I was pleasantly surprised to see I had no company, except a dozen odd fishing boats trying to get a decent morning catch. Sometimes, we do tend to be indifferent towards the most beautiful sights in our own backyard, I thought as I tried to handle the rigours of running on the dry sand. However, the beach did see some visitors in the evening – mainly local college goers and a few tourists – each getting ample space of their own on the long stretching sands. I watched myself basking in the sun’s setting rays and drowning in the sense of vastness that solitude by the seaside offers.

Back in the village, the two important nerve centres of Guhagar are the local State Transport Bus Stand and the single main road that runs through the village leading upto Varcha Paat, an adjoining habitation. The Bus Stand also doubles up as an open air movie hall during important village events and I remembered as a child watching “Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki” on a curtain-screen sitting on the ground. The Vyadeshwar Temple and the Durga Temple are important religious destinations. I was able to attend the annual celebrations at the Durga Temple and the experience offered an intensive induction into the socio-cultural life of Guhagar.

Some of the other interesting must-see places around Guhagar include: Modke Agar which roughly translated means Broken Station and is created due to backwaters of dam built over river Vashisht; Velneshwar temple and beach; and Dabhol which can be accessed by ferry from Dhopave.  I also visited the Khatu Masala factory at Patpanhale and picked up loads of local specialty spices.

Back home in Bangalore, a city that has changed almost beyond recognition in the past two decades, I am wondering if the variable of time uniformly applies to all geographical spaces. And if it does not, should it really?