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Published: January 16th 2007
Ajanta Caves...
Deffinatly The Most Impressive, Mainly Due To The Preservation...So i left the sandy beaches behind for the sacred sights of inland India, luckily the sun decided to follow!!!!... My trip would take me from Goa inland to Hampi which was my first of many 12 hour overnight journeys during next few days!!! Where i stayed for 2 nights and 3 days, done lots of walking lots of temples and spent lots of time watching the locals and just reading by the river... Then another 12 hours to Pune (poona) where i just got of had brekkie and hopped back on an Eight hour bus and headed for Jalgoan. Found my best little hotel in India so far there, even had Cable TV!!!! and the town was a bustling little place with great street markets... From here i visited the Ajanta Caves then headed to Ellora caves over a couple of days. And then my first train!!!! It was the night train from Aurangabad to Agra!!!!!!!
I loved all the places i went too but as you will see from the 3 pages of pictures in this blog the Ajanta Caves were truly stunning and are up there in my Top 5 most impressive things ive seen!!!!!!!!!
"Travel" Hampi
View of the entire Main Street Leading Through the Bizaar.. I'd been dreading the travel side of India!!! As most of the things you hear before hand build into a picture of intoerable queueing for tickets, major harasment while on your journey both when your awake and asleep!!!! and the general condition of your vehicle...
But in all fairness apart from one incident on my sleeper train to Agra all has been fairly dooable with little hassle or trauma...
"The Train To Agra"
I originaly prebooked and paid for a reservation from Aurangabad to Ajmer only to find when i got there i was in the wrong station!!! and were not talking wrong part of town the place the ticket was for was 300 miles away!!!!!!!! a case of lost in translation at the ticket booth!!!.. So i redeamed my 50%!!!! refund and revised my plans as needed to move on and North... I got another ticket this time for Agra (where the taj Mahal is) as the train left in only 4 hours.... I was too late to reserve a sleeper so enitialy i only had a general ticket for my 18 hour trip!! but i was able to upgrade after a conversation with the train
Ellora Caves.... View...
This View Shows 5 Of The 34 Caves... conductor.... So i had my first sleeper bed in a cabin containing 6 guys on two separate 3 bunk hign system in which the bottom bunk is a day time seat for all 3 then blue shinny foamlined plastic coated boards fold down from the wall to reveal bunks, the main walk way ran along the end of my bed which i was reminded of everytime someone past by my long legs and sticky out feet!!!! The releif came in the form of an old police officer who was on the opposite bottom bunk to me and had sleeping with him an assalt riffle!!!... No muggings for me tonight!!! (even still i took the precausions and chained up by pack under my bed..).. Now the funny bit is with his collegues as in the aircon carriage which never had room for my new friend was booked out with a further 20 younger police officers, they had all just been on a course and were heading back to Delhi... So after numerous visits from differing offices one in particulure came back and asked me to come into the gap in between carraiges and talk?? i plightly jestured i'd rather stay in
Ellora Caves..... Kailasa Temple
The Above View Of This Stunning Temple... by bed with a small head shake in corparating a downward stare at my bed, to which he replied "Come you my friend i just like to talk to my new friend!!"... so i go!!!!!! After the usual questions (Country, Name, Age??) i couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with his constant stare and queer smile, so when he asked if i was married i said in the most deffinate tone "im engaged to a women!! in england", "Very beautiful girls in England" i proclaine while doing the outline of a female figure with my hands in from of him just to get the point across... Then i return the question "are you married?" and to my relief he says "Yes" at which point i run with this right into my next question "Children?" to which he answers "NO, Never i like sex to much!!!" and then "Do You Like Sex???" to which i'm a little taken aback but use this as a conformation for him and again drawing a mid air female figure reply "Yes".. Then it gets a bit wiered and too scarey!!!! "Do you like Homosexual sex?"... Looking at the at the sink unit behind him so as not
AAAaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhHHHHH!!!!
Mum!!! Big Scarey Ginger Orangatang Thingy Comming Right At Us!!!!!!!!!!! to make eye contact again i reply and the conversation go a bit like this...
"No Just hetrosexual sex with girls"
"You never think you might like"
"No it's just not in my mind to want to try" (Pointing at by brain)...
"But why not" as he leans towards me and touches the writting on my tshirt as about to ask what it says!!!!!!
I turn to make eye contact with the uniformed gun wielding officer and clearly say "No i like girls, thankyou for talking!!!" shake his hand and run the 6 meters to my safe bed alongside shotgun man!!!!!..... pretending to be asleep in the safe confines of my cocoon inpenatrable sleeping bag....
"A Moment Of Realisation"
Its strange how you become adapted and no greater showing of this was when i was on the platform awaiting my train and i was content and oblivious to the goings on around me. A goat to my left tucking into the sweept up junk of yesterdays passangers, two beggars opposite throwing the smile at me along with a head wobble and an outstretched arm holding a stainless little cup for coins.... These things set with a backdrop of 200
Gateway To Virupaksha Temple - Hampi
The temple has a 50 m tall,elaborately carved gateway and has been renovated in 1510 by Krishnadeva Raya. people all watching my every move!!! ("Wonder what he'll do next???...)....
"People" Apart from my first enitial day in Mumbia ive been totally at ease with everyone (Except Police..lol).... Side by side you get the full spectrum from beggar to young lad in slacks and goory shirt to the elderly, i haven't worked out the caste system yet but will let you know when i do...
The Head Wobble that you expect is not all too common, but that just enlarges your smile when you do see a good one!!!!!
Beggars ive found a little touristy if i'm honest (in that just in rags, not to many disabilities), although i am expecting things to get worse the further North i go!!!!!!! but on the whole easy to shake of and quite pleasant...
The one thing however that does drive you mad in the mundane 3 golden questions that you have to endure whenever you make contact with ANYBODY!!! "What Is Your Country?" "What Is Your Name?" "What Is Your Occupation?"....
"England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I
Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha or the Pampapathi temple is the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi. This temple is in ruins but is still in worship and is dedicated to Lord Shiva,known here as Virupaksha or Pampapati,as his wife Pampa is associated with Tungabhadra River(daughter of Lord Brahma). Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!"...."England!!"...."Ray....No R Ray"...."Nothing I Dont Have Job!!".... "ENGLAND!!!!"..."RAY, NO R...RAY!!!!" "NOTHING!!!!!"
If you do mannage to get past this strict first stage then you get to mutter the following answers.... "Northampton" "About 1 hour in car North of Lords Cricket" "No Not Married" "No, No Children" "No Not Had Indian Girl???" " Bye, Nice To Meet You Too!?!"
I have questions of my own but i keep them to myself:-
"How do your teeth get that shade of greeny redy black with actually falling out first????"
"Would you mind letting go of my hand as i just saw you shitting in that bush over there!!!!"
"How come you don't understand its the easiest english word to learn!!! N-O....Nooooooo!!!"
"If i do what are you really gonna spend it on?"
"Food" Its probably unfair to southern India but im writting this in Pushker In North India and the food over the last 3 days has been amazing, even the street food. So although i did enjoy the food in the south its doesn't touch the north!!!!
Hampi - Down By The River...
Temple Elephant Bathing and Blessing The Local Hindu, then he too gets a good scrubbing himself too, Only Fair!!!! Mainly ive stayed away from meat. Deep fried street food so i know all the bacteria are a least dead as i eat them, breads and chapatis along with spicy sauces... And then in the evening i have a spinach dish of sorts with biryarni and a nann.....
Prices don't differ much from the shanty street shack to the Silver Palace restuarant, maybe 50p on your final bill....
"Religion" India is rightly known as the land of spirituality and philosophy, and was the birthplace of some religions that exist in the world today.
The most biggest and most dominant religion in India is Hinduism. About 80%!((MISSING)830 million People!!!) of all Indians are Hindus. Hinduism is a very colorful religion with a vast gallery of Gods and Goddesses. It is one of the ancient religions in the world. It is supposed to have developed about 5000 years ago.
Around 500 BC two other religions developed in India. Buddhism and Jainism. Today only about 0.5%!((MISSING)4.5 million) of Indians are Jains and about 0.7%!((MISSING)8 million) are Buddhist. In ancient times Jainism and specially Buddhism were the most popular in India. Indians who accepted Buddhist philosophy spread it
Hampi - Down By The River
Locals During Their Morning Bathing... not only within the Indian sub-continent but also to kingdoms east and south of India.
These three ancient religions, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, are seen as the molders of the India philosophy. In 'modern' period new religions were also established in India.
One comparatively new religion in India is Sikhism and it was established in the 15th century. About 2%!((MISSING)20 million) of Indians are Sikhs.
Along with the religions that developed in India, there are followers of non- Indian religions. The largest non-Indian religion is Islam. They are about 12%!((MISSING)140 million!!) of India's population. Christians are more then 2%!((MISSING)24 million) of India's population. There are also Zoroastrians who even though make less then 0.01%!o(MISSING)f India's population, are known around India. There are also a few thousand Jews in India. Judaism and Christianity might have arrived in India before they arrived in Europe.
"Accomadation" Ive been amazed with the standard so far!!!!!!! had cable tv in a couple of the pricy places and just the basics in others... some with Hot water and some not.... But all fairly clean...
Not to fond of the loo's, just a whole in the ground with two pocalin
Hampi - River Massage Center!!
Aaaaaarrrrhhhh!!!! Yes just behind the ear to the left.....
She even got scrubbed with soap first!!! foot plates (If your lucky!!) and a bucket for flushing.... Never any paper!!!! so you have to carry your own supply or as occaision do the finger-wipe-wash routene.....
"Money" 85 rupees = 1 pound
Money Money Money!!!!! Mixed bag here, with Rooms beeing a little more than i imagined, i've paid between 150rps and 400rps for a place.... Transport is cheap with the 12 hour overnight bus being the best as you also save on a nights accomadation, average trip 400rps..
Food is a winner never more than 85rps or a pound for a main, rice and a drink and street portions can cost between 10-20 per feed... It is possible to eat much cheaper but the risk goes up as the price comes down!!!!!!
"Done A Bit On The History Of The Caves & Hampi".. Feel free to scroll down to the goodbyes if not for you...
"Hampi" Saint Vidyaranya established the seat of Vijayanagara empire in 1336 A.D, with the help of his devotee disciples Hakka and Bukka. The empire later became famous for its support towards renovation/reconstruction of temples through out India. It also became renowned for re-establishment of Indian culture,
Hampi - Main Street
The street was about half mile from Temple Gateway to this point which led over the horizon and to bolder strewn countryside.. its support for music, art and literature. With the prime purpose of caring for the people and their welfare, this empire stretched physically covering Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtra and became a by-word for golden rule.
HAMPI, the seat of the famed VIJAYANAGARA empire was the capital of the largest empire in post-mogul India, covering several states. The empire reigned supreme under Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor. The Vijayanagara empire stretched over at least three states - Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. The destruction of Vijayanagar by marauding Moghul invaders was sudden, shocking and absolute. They reduced the city to ruins amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors beggaring description.
Although in ruins today, this capital city once boasted riches known far beyond the shores of India. The ruins of Hampi of the 14th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth. The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tells a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together
Tunel Vision..
Nice to get in the shade for a bit... with his capacity for senseless destruction.
"Ajanta Caves" pictures page 2..
The cave temples of Ajanta are situated about sixty two miles north of Aurangabad in western India. The caves are first mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India between A.D 629 and 645. The caves were "discovered" dramatically during the course of military manouevres being undertaken by British officers in 1819. Public attention was roused and the East India company instructed the Viceroy to procure good copies of the paintings. Publicity, however, was nearly fatal to the original paintings, as many archaeologists and officials cut out the heads to be presented to museums. Therefore, in 1903, wire screens were fixed in all the important caves.
All sections of people of the contemporary society from kings to slaves,woman,man and children are seen in the Ajanta murals interwoven with flowers,plants,fruits,birds and beasts.There are also the figures of Yakshas,Kinnas(half human and half bird),Gandharvas(divine musicians),Apsaras(heavenly dancers)which were of concern to the people of that time.One thousand years of neglect,and exposure to the hostile elements of nature have damaged many of the beautiful works of the past but those which have survived in caves 1,2,16
Hampi - Temples
Hampi the 14th century capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire lies in the Deccan heartland,in the state of Karnataka. and 17 can be ranked high among the greatest artistic works of the contemporary world. The Ajanta caves are excavated in a semicircular scarp of 75 m height overlooking a meandering stream,Waghora that descends as a steep ravine with seven leaps.The caves have a horse-shoe pattern of arrangement covering a stretch of 550 m.Their floor levels are not uniform and they have got no symmetry in their subsurface distribution probably due to their excavation in different times.
The thirty temples at Ajanta are set into the rocky (Deccan basalt) sides of a crescent shaped gorge in the Inhyadri hills of the Sahyadri ranges. At the head of the gorge is a natural pool fed by a waterfall. Though this pristine spot was chosen to enable the Buddhist monks to meditate undisturbed, it should be noted that all sites of Buddhist excavations were situated close to the main trade routes.
The excavations span a period of about six centuries. The earlier monuments include both chaitya halls (halls divided into a central nave and side aisles by two rows of columns) and monasteries. These date from the 2nd to 1st centuries B.C. After a period of more than six centuries,
Hampi Countryside...
Walked around here for ages... lots of hideing places for a sneaky sunbath and read.... excavations once again revived during the Vakataka ruler Harishena. The sculptures contain an impressive array of votive figures, accessory figures, narrative episodes and decorative motifs. The series of paintings is unparalleled in the history of Indian art, both for the wide range of subjects and the medium. A large number of incidents from the life of the Buddha are depicted. Tales from the Jataka legends were executed vibrantly by large scale compositions depicting life in court, town or forest. Overlapping figures suggest perspective, colors are harmoniously blended, and the linework is sinuous. However, the identities of the artists responsible for the execution of the Ajanta caves are unknown. This is not only a testimony to their extraordinary faith in the Buddha, but is characteristic of Indian traditions of anonymity and abnegation of self. Even today, these cave temples at Ajanta provide the most complete illustration of Buddhist tradition.
"Ellora Caves" Pictures page 3
Ellora is the finest example of cave temples with almost 34 caves with intricate interiors and ornamental facades. Carved during the 350 A.D. and 700 A.D., the rock temples and monasteries represent three faiths - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Cave 10 is a
Hampi - Temple Painting
Pastal painting of the hindu god Hanuman, renowned for Courage, Power, Faith and Selfless Servise... Chaitya-hall (prayer hall) and is popularly known as 'Visvakarma' with a seated Buddha in a Stupa. The Ramesvara cave has figurines of river goddesses adorning its entrance. The Dumar Lena cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Among the Viharas (residences of the monks). Cave 5 is the largest. The most impressive vihara is the three - storeyed cave called 'Tin - Tala'.
The Kailasa temple in cave 16 is a masterpiece in itself. The temple that took nearly 100 years to be completed, is decorated with themes and incidents from the Puranas. Consisting of exquisite carvings, the cave temple is the most striking one amongst the other 30 at the site. Though carved out of one single rock, the temple looks like a freestanding structural southern type temple.
The exterior of the temple is richly carved with niches, plasters, windows as well as images of deities, mithunas (erotic male and female figures) and other figures. Most of the deities at the left of the entrance are Shaivaite (followers of Lord Shiva) while on the right hand side the deities are Vaishnavaites (followers of Lord Vishnu).
The whole temple consists of a shrine with a ling at the
Hampi - Anyone For Cricket??
School kids playing cricket in the street... rear of the hall with a Dravidian sikhara, a flat-roofed mandapa supported by sixteen pillars, a separate porch for Nandi surrounded by an open-court entered through a low gopura. There are two Dhvajastambhas (pillars with the flagstaff) in the courtyard. The grand sculpture of Ravana attempting to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva, with his full might is a landmark in Indian art.
All the carvings are done in more than one level. The lower storey consists of several large shrines while the gallery along the three sides at the rear contains huge sculpted panels. A two-storeyed gateway on the west side provides access to the main temple and the Nandi Mandapa, both on the same level, and is approximately seven meters high. The lower storey of the main temple as well as the Nandi Shrine are solid and cannot be entered. Stone bridges carved from the living rock connect the Nandi pavilion and the entrance porch of the temple. The main temple has a southern style superstructure. The lower storey has almost life-size elephants carved as if they are holding up the temple.
The Jaina Caves (30 to 34) are massive, well-proportioned, decorated and mark
Hello...
Me on me mozzie netted bed... Sporting a little more grown than usual due to an effort to go a beared for a month??!! manly as i never would at home and Bee wants me too!!!! the last phase of the activity at Ellora.
"Good Bye's"
Ok Thats it from "Uncle Traveling Mac" (take yur cares away, worries for another day....Let the musice play, down at fragil rock!!!!!!)....
I'm In Pushker & Loving It!!!! Gonna Settle For A Week, Even Unpacked Me Rucksack Onto Little Shelves In My Hotel!!! Great Atmosphere and lovely group of locals and travelers...
Hope you all well and your new years are off to a good start...
Got pictures on pages 2 (Ajanta Caves) & 3 (Ellora Caves)....
Love To You All...
Ray....
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Lizibeff
non-member comment
India
Wow Ray - those caves are amazing and definately some if not the most amazing photos I have seen so far. Truly stunning.