Hoysaleshwara Temple at Halebeedu

Even before I decided to write anything at all on my blog again after a hiatus of about three years, I started reading my previous posts- to relive those moments that had inspired me to start writing about the kind of treasures that this Indian sub-continent holds for a travel enthusiast (more specifically for a person with interest in historical architectural monuments). The intent was clear- to document the love for photography and travel, whether someone saw it or not was secondary. The focus was to create a digital presence for the places that spoke for themselves.

Fascination towards historical monuments can never be a simple, straightforward path. As much a person is awed by the beauty and hard work in the making of the monument, one can never forget the atrocities the place had (or has) to undergo for its very survival. 

The same holds true for this temple at Halebeedu too.  A former capital of the Hoysala empire, the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebeedu (formerly known as Dwarasamudra)  stands as a testimony to the ruthless plunder and sacking by the Muslim rulers in 14th century.   

The construction of the twin Shiva temples- Hoysaleshwara and Shantaleshwara was commissioned by a merchant Ketamalla in 1121 CE at the court of the  King Vishnuvardhana. It proceeded further under the direction of chief architect Kedaroja and was completed around 1160 CE during the reign of Narasimha I. The rivalry between Narasimha III and Ramanatha during the mid-13th century fractured the kingdom to a considerable extent only to crumble further during the reign of Narasimha's son Veera Ballala III due to the threat that came from Malik Kafur (general of Alauddin Khilji). Malik Kafur remained in the city for twelve days and left with immense treasures- including 312 elephants, 20,000 horses and vast quantities of jewels. Dwarasamudra was left to ruins and compelling the king to retreat to Belur.   

When the Delhi rulers again sacked Dwarasamudra in 1327 CE, Veera Ballala is said to have shifted his court to Thiruvannamalai. He was also said to have estabished the fortified city on the Tungabhadra river that later became the Vijayanagara empire (what is now the popular heritage site called Hampi). Hakka and Bukka were appointed to govern the new city Virupakshapattana. 

According to Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveler, the king Ballala III met a brutal fate- his body was reportedly flayed, his skin stuffed with straw and displayed upon the walls of Madurai. The repeated invasions that reduced the once-flourishing capital to near ruin came to be known as Halebeedu (the old city). 

The Hoysaleshwara temple consists of two shrines placed side by side unified by a common hall. One shrine dedicated to Hoysaleshwara (linked to the king Vishnuvardhana), the other shrine to Shanthaleshwara (to queen Shantala Devi) and named after the masculine and feminine aspect of Linga. Directly opposite to each shrine are two large Nandi sculptures (Shiva's vahana) adorned with bells and jewels.  The entire structure is built on a raised platform that elevates the temple physically.  The geometrical star-shaped platform was one of the hallmarks of Hoysala architecture that dramatically increased the surface area leaving room for minute structural details, ornamentation and clarity. The temple had towers on top of each sanctum that were destroyed and is missing now.  

Carved out of soapstone due to its softness soon after quarrying and hardening with subsequent years, the material provided all the fundamental requirements to attain the refined details of the sculptures.

The design of the Hoysaleshvara temple’s exterior walls is divided into three parts. On the bottom are eight sculptural friezes (horizontal bands of imagery) depicting elephants, lions, vines, horses, narratives, makaras (mythical aquatic creatures, that has body of a pig, mouth of a crocodile, legs of a lion, eyes of a cow, trunk of an elephant, eyes of a monkey and feathers), and hamsas (geese). Above them is a succession of large figural images, carved into blocks more than five feet in height, representing Hindu deities, divine musicians and dancers, and other celestial beings. Along the top are schematic images of temple towers supported on pillars, separated from the figures below by an overhanging eave carved in a motif of jeweled garlands. This three-part design is seen on the western, northern, and southern sides of the temple, and on the central section of the eastern side. Along most of the eastern side, stone screens fill the space between the narrative friezes and the roofline. 

The outer walls of the temple feature a staggering 340 large reliefs from the Hindu divine pantheon with each image of nearly 1.7 mts high. The friezes and wall images on the outer wall predominantly narrate the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, the other major Shaiva and Vaishnava Puranas. Some of the main displays are Samudra Manthan, Prahlada Hiranyakashyapu Narasimha legend, Mahishasuramardini and many more. 

Nandi carrying Shiva-Parvathi

What catches the eye in each of the large reliefs are the intricacy with which the gem and pearl studded ornaments have been carved out. The dexterity of fingers, attention to the minutest of details are unmissable. 

While the exterior walls are extensively carved without leaving any room for plainness, the interior walls are kept plain in contrast. But what draws attention instead are the Dwarapalas-Jaya and Vijaya at the doorways and the ceilings. The precision in scale and dimension while maintaining the symmetry at all times is overwhelming.

The details of the weapons held by Dwarapalas inside the temple

The intricate carving of the ceiling inside the temple

The Nandi Mantapa located opposite to the Shiva shrine

One visit to this temple can never suffice. It is impossible absorb all the details with just a visit. It is an experience to be cherished over and over again slowly. A walk around the temple will not leave to contended. Rather, it leaves you inspired, overwhelmed and wanting to come back for more.    

In the Land of Chettiyars

Madurai had always been a transit point for many of our trips to the state of Tamilnadu- Kodaikanal and Kanyakumari being important ones. One more destination was added this year- the Chettinad region. Not far away from Madurai (an easy 2-hour drive), Karaikudi is the closest town that can offer a peep into the simple yet opulent mansions that belong to the Chettiars.

The name Chettinad does not refer to any particular village or town but to a group of around 80 villages where the people from Chettiyar community lived. Nattukotai Chettiyars, as they are popularly referred to, were fine businessmen who traded with European and Southeast Asian countries such as Burma, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. These overseas trades made them settle down close to the sea. But a tsunami -like event stuck the town and all the properties of the Chettiyars were submerged. That is when they decided to move towards Karaikudi, away from the sea. 

They had accumulated so much wealth that they eventually became money lenders- lending money even to the East India Company. The mansions that we see today are an example of their prosperity and their taste for 'all fine things'- Italian marble floorings, intricately carved Burma teak pillars, Moroccan chandeliers and Belgium mirrors and glasses; not to miss the very local and colourful Athangudi tiles for interior parts of the manor. Each element of the mansion reflects their taste and prosperity. Interestingly, all the European elements blend with the Indian design beautifully. 

The First mansion that I witnessed upon entering Karaikudi

Another mansion in the heart of Karaikudi market

The Chettiyars were a joint family with members in one family extending up to 40-45 members. The innumerable rooms, open courtyards, elaborate dining halls ensured every member in the family had their space. Each room would, then, have the name of one family head written on it indicating its owner. The layout of all Chettiyar mansion remain same- entrances with Burma teak wood doors (with an extensive intricate work carved out of mythology) that lead to open courtyards with intricately carved wooden beams on both sides. The entry hall is always led by outer veranda (called the Thinnai). These 'thinnais' have huge marble columns and these were the places where the men conducted business. All the rooms of the house were arranged around the open courtyard, and it was the heart of the house where most of the activities occurred. The interior section of the houses was reserved for kitchen along with the second courtyard meant for light and ventilation. These palatial houses were built keeping in mind the arid weather that would keep the house cool and ventilated during harsh weathers. The sloping roofs aided in collecting water for household chores, the excess of which would eventually flow through an outlet and get collected in the village tank.

The open courtyards were, by far, my favourite part of these mansions. It may have served many purposes back then but for me, it served as a place to stand and wonder about the grand old days of the past. 

There are about 40 villages that consist of these mansions, and they are beautifully lined along the narrow lanes in and around Karaikudi. Kanadkathan is the village that houses many mansions; it is a quaint, little sleepy village that seems to take you back in time. The whole village can best be explored on foot. While many mansions have been converted into boutique hotels, others have been occupied by elderly couple or left to the mercy of caretakers. VVR Mansion and SASRM Mansion are open for tourists with an entry fee of Rs. 50 per head. And for the ones that have been converted to hotels, one can pre-book a lunch and get a chance to view the interiors of the property. We chose the Chettinad Mansion for lunch while in Kanadkathan. Though most of the hotel restaurants are overpriced, they served one of the best Chettinad thalis. 

The empty streets of Kanadkathan

A mansion in Kanadkathan which was at the mercy of caretakers

The outer wall of the same mansion

SASRM Mansion

VVR Mansion

Other hotels worth visiting are the Bangala, Chidambara Vilas, Saratha Vilas. The Bangala and Chidambara Vilas are quite popular landmarks in the area, the former for its hospitality and latter for the sheer grandeur of the mansion. Since we stayed in Chidambara Vilas for a day, it definitely needs a separate post to do justice to its' opulent beauty.  

Another place of equal importance that cannot be missed during this trip is a visit to the Athangudi village. The handmade Athangudi tiles are famous for its unique patterns, there are several factories in the village that allow the visitors to witness the process of making each tile by skilled laborers. Some factories even allow the tourists to try their hand in the making. The village is also an abode for one of the most colourful palaces in the area. The palace may look like a regular house in a village from the outside but as soon as one enters the front porch, they are immediately attracted to the colourful glazed tiles used on the walls and the stained-glass arches. 

Chettinad Palace/Raja's Palace that is not open for public due to property dispute

The open courtyard of Chettinad Mansion that has been converted into a boutique hotel

Grand interiors of Chettinad Mansion

View from the terrace of Chidambara Vilas

Visible grandeur of Chidambara Vilas as soon as one enters! 

The stunningly intricate wooden carvings at the main entrance of Chidambara Vilas

Inside Athangudi Palace

All the important mansions and the village tour can be completed in two days. Of course, you will need more time if you are an antique lover! The antique market of Karaikudi has much to offer and can take half a day if you would like to dig in some unique brass, enamel and metalware while bargaining a good deal with the shopkeepers. While some shopkeepers are generous, some are stone-hearted and would not reduce a rupee. 

Monsoon magic in Malshej Ghat

 A trip to the state of Maharashtra during the monsoon was long due in the bucket list. Of course, a trek to any one of the innumerable forts of the state was the ideal way to relish the true beauty of the place.  But gradual research had revealed that many of them were quite demanding in terms of physical strength and stamina. And we were definitely not in the mind set for a trek this time. After lot of contemplation about several forts and ghats, the list was brought down to two places: Lohagad fort (that was considered ‘easy’ in terms of difficulty level) and Malshej ghat (to enjoy the scenic view of uncountable number of waterfalls).

A separate blogpost will follow for more details on Lohagad fort. I am sticking to Malshej ghat for this one.

Since it was third in our list of itinerary, the drive to Malshej had started at the base of Lohagad fort and had passed through Lonavala and Khandala. The winding roads of the ghat and the backdrop against which the buildings stood during the drive had made us stop several times. The building complexes looked like tiny, packed boxes against the background of lush green mountains with crevices made exclusively for waterfalls. I envied the people who had a chance to live those buildings with such a view to behold each day of the monsoon.

A 3-hour drive of 130 kms in drizzling rain along the way and a late afternoon snack of vada pav had brought us to the base of Malshej ghat. The whole stretch of road bore the colours in shades of green and the hillocks that rose between them added a new dimension and depth to the landscape. It was the first trip where we (my daughter and I) shot the most number of videos instead of photos. 

Breathtaking view throughout the way...

Malshej is often referred to as the Rain Traveller's Abode. Its numerous lakes, waterfalls and mountains make it a favourite spot among trekkers and local tourists. Harishchandragad fort and Kalu waterfall trek are the most famous treks around this region which we hope to complete sometime in future. Malshej is one of the numerous mountain passes in the Sahyadri mountain ranges. In historic times, it was used by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to gain access to Deccan plateau.

Though most travellers from Mumbai and Pune make a one-day trip to the place (weekends being an exception), we had decided to stay at the base of the ghat and spend the next day exploring the whole stretch of ghat. 

After reaching the base village, we were definitely tempted to drive towards the ghat for once. We were sure that the crowd would be very less since it was a weekday. Though thick fog enveloped the stretch, we drove another 10 kms ahead of our hotel and stopped at various small waterfalls for a quick play. Eventually, the visibility grew so low that we had to drive back. 

Various viewpoints at Malshej Ghat

Casa De Recurso, the hotel hidden amidst the lush greens of the place, were very good hosts with compact rooms and delicious food served at night. 

The reminder that the following day was a Saturday and we had to avoid the crowd had driven us out of our beds and to be back on road. And as expected the crowd was dense and the fog very similar to previous evening. We drove through various viewpoints that are thoughtfully constructed. The best among them being the Car Wash point (where the water from cliff falls directly onto the roof of the car while driving) and the Tunnel point. The end point of these viewpoints is the place where the MTDC hotel is located further which is the Pimpalgaon Joga backwater, highly popular for camping. It is the location to reach the base village Khubi Phata for the most spectacular Kalu Waterfall trek (which is still in the bucket list).  

Pimpalgaon Joga lake and dam

By late afternoon, the fog lifted and revealed us sights unmatched by anything else. There were shades of green as far as our eyes could see which was broken by either the white waterfalls or the brown mountains. After completing the journey by late afternoon, we had devoured on a meal of Bhakri and Thecha (a Maharashtrian specialty chutney) only to end the journey on a bad note with a lost network and maps and losing our way towards Pune. With low fuel and no petrol bunks near our sight, we drove towards Thane instead of Pune. When we thought things were getting under control, we were stuck in a traffic on the expressway due to the long weekend madness! 

Village scenes from Malshej ghat

The landscape enveloped in fog 

A small video of the foggy drive ...