Paigah Tombs

After much cajoling and coaxing, Mr. Husband had finally agreed to take me to Paigah tombs. The distance to reach the place from Hi-tech city to Santosh Nagar being long, I decided to keep some snacks handy for my little girl. Excited, she lay everything in her picnic basket which I thought was a bad idea as it was no place for her enjoyment. Nevertheless, she said "Even if I eat something from the basket then it's like a picnic". Half the basket was empty by the time we reached the place.

Pic credit: Mr. Husband

Though Paigah tombs can be reached easily from P.V. Narasimha Rao Expressway, it is not easy to locate the lane within which it exists. Thanks to Google Maps! I had decided to visit the place for my love of photography and after witnessing some beautiful 'jaali' work of the place on Instagram.

Arches...

The tombs complex looked deserted as we entered; we were the only people around. There was no entrance fee and the first sights were of number of trees cut down  till their stumps!

The tombs complex looks simple from outside, but on close examination one can see the intricate stucco and jaali work all around the place. The architecture that is seen here a mix of Asif Jahi as well as Rajputhana style and is an excellent demonstration of craftsmanship.

 Stucco work on the walls...

Intricate jaali work...

The Paigah nobility was founded in 18th century by Abdul Fateh Khan Tegh Jung Bahadur. He was appointed to protect Nizam Ali Khan, the second ruler of Nizams of Hyderabad. He commanded an army for this purpose which was called 'Paigah' which also meant 'right hand man'. His son married the Nizam's daughter which marked the onset of Paigahs marrying the Nizams. Thus, they were held in highest regards in the Nizam's aristocracy.

Paigahs were primarily responsible for defence and security. At the same time, they were also great patrons of art and known for erecting palaces around Hyderabad. The very famous Falaknuma Palace was built by Paigah Nawab Vikhar-ul-Umra Iqbal-ud-doula and later gifted to sixth Nizam.

The tombs are famous for its' intricate stucco work, geometric and floral designs and beautiful marble fences and canopies.

It surely is a place to visit for the one who loves architecture and photography; of course much of the work is in ruins at present.

P.S. Tons of thanks to my dearest husband and daughter for putting up with me!

Road trip to Bangalore from Hyderabad- consider taking these diversions...

Ever planning a road trip to Bangalore from Hyderabad, then consider taking these diversions (if you have the time) along the route.

When we first chalked out the plan for the trip there was only one place in our list- Lepakshi. But later, we found out that Belum caves  and Gandikota (near Kurnool) too were not very far to reach.

So we decided to visit Lepakshi temple near Ananthpur while going towards Bangalore and Belum caves and Gandikota at the time we would return to Hyderabad.

Driving on a misty December morning, we were welcomed by a thick cloud of fog as we entered the highway making our drive almost invisible. This, soon cleared out and gave way for us to reach Lepakshi by noon.

Lepakshi 

Lepakshi is a small village in the Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is about 350 kms from Hyderabad and 120 kms from Bangalore.

No sooner did we enter the village than we were welcomed by the monolith Nandi at the entrance. Standing tall at 15 feet height, it surely is a sight not to be missed. The sculpture has been positioned in such a way that it faces the Shivalinga which is shielded by the seven-headed serpent inside the Veerabhadra temple.

The monolith Nandi...

The Shivaling inside Veerabhadra temple...

The Veerabhadra temple was built by two brothers Viranna and Virupanna and is an excellent example of Vijayanagara architectural style. The temple is famous for its' hanging pillars.

The hanging pillars...

The scorching heat and the empty stomach didn't let us loiter around the temple to take more pictures so we headed towards Bangalore soon.

Gandikota 

We headed towards Gandikota after staying in Bangalore for three days. Though we started from Bangalore at an early hour, we stopped at Nandi hills and spent sometime midst the fog and of course a big crowd of people.

To reach Gandikota one can look for stay option at the APTDC hotel in Gandikota but we were 'so lucky' enough that all the rooms were booked. So we had decided to stay overnight at Proddatur from where Gandikota would be just half hour drive.

The drive from Bangalore to Gandikota should take around 5 hours 30 mins but our delay in visiting Nandi hills and the view of the landscape and the stop overs made us reach Proddatur by 7 at night.

Lovely landscape during the drive...

The stay at Proddatur turned out to be a sour experience; not in terms of stay but because of food. Being a very small town, restaurant options were bleak and especially so because of being pure vegetarians.

'Re- visiting the nightmarish restaurant for an early breakfast would be foolish', with this thought in mind we agreed in unison to reach Gandikota for breakfast. At least we knew we could get something at the APTDC hotel. The drive between Proddatur and Gandikota is filled with a stretch of Jowar fields and tiny flock of birds feeding on them.

After filling our stomachs at the APTDC hotel we headed towards the famous Penna river gorge.
Popularly known as the Grand Canyon of India (it truly is...), Gandikota village is situated on the banks of the river Pennar.

The magnificent Penna river gorge...

Gandikota was founded by Kapa Raja, a subordinate of the Chalukyan king in 1123 A.D.

Gandikota acquired its' name due to the presence of a 'gorge' between Erramal hills (also known as Gandikota hills) and the Pennar river. The gorge acted as a major defence against enemy attack. The massive red granite boulders truly are natural defence systems.

A glimpse of this beautiful gorge has been recently captured in the movie 'Bajirao Mastani'.

One should to be prepared to climb on the big boulders to get a complete view of both the sides of the gorge. But the view of the valley that is around 300 feet deep is worth it.

Other structures located within the fort are the Madhava temple and Ranganatha temple. But like other small structures, they too are in ruins.

View of Jama masjid and Madhava temple from Ranganath temple...

Within Madhava temple complex...

Inside view of Madhava temple...

Belum caves

We drove directly to Belum from Gandikota which is around 60 kms. and reached Belum at lunch time. To our surprise, the place was thronged by hundreds of people but there was not a single restaurant on sight to fill our famished souls! We gorged on some of the snacks that we carried and entered the caves.

At the entrance of the cave...

Belum caves is the largest tourist cave in the Indian sub-continent. It is well known for its' stalactite and stalagmite formations. Formed by the constant flow of underground water, it is a natural underground cave. The deepest point of the cave measures upto 150 feet and it has a length of around 3000 meters. But the actual length accessible for tourists is only 1.5 kms.

The interiors of the cave are unusually hot. But vent holes made by the APTDC gives respite at several places. The cave was discovered in 1884 by a British surveyor Robert Bruce Foote. Later in 1988, it was taken over by the state government.

The cave has many chambers with a specific name given to each chamber. The installation of soft illuminating lights adds to the beauty of the caves.

By the time we came out of the cave, we were sweating profusely but were thrilled at the same time. Without wasting any time (as were extremely hungry) we headed towards Kurnool for our night's stay which is about  100 kms. At night, we were only happy to snuggle up ourselves inside the soft beds DVR Mansion.

Jaisalmer-The Golden City

A trip to Rajasthan wouldn't be complete if one doesn't see the Desert city of Jaisalmer. We (I and S) had heard a cry of exclamation from people when we had declared that we were planning to spend around 3-4 days in this Jaisalmer. They said "it's understandable if it were Jaipur or Jodhpur but what's there in Jaisalmer!" Whenever we encountered these questions, we would contemplate on our decision but nevertheless we stuck to our plan. And were glad we did!

The city of Jaisalmer was named after its founder Maharawal Jaisal Singh in 1156 A.D. Jaisalmer means “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”. It is nicknamed as the Golden City of India because of the availability of yellow sand and yellow sandstone in this place which is evident in every architectural piece of the city. This gives the whole city and the surrounding area a Yellowish-Golden tinge.

The city is dotted with many historical monuments and places. Tourism being a major contributor to the city’s economy, hotels and travel agencies can be found in every nook and corner of the city.  And there is no doubt in this fact when we witness the tourist attractions of the city for which one would definitely require 3-4 days.

Gadisar Lake

Gadisar lake was excavated in 1367 A.D by Rawal Gadsi Singh. It was originally conceived as a water conservation tank to fulfill the water requirement of this acrid city. Though the lake doesn’t serve the historic purpose of supplying water to Jaisalmer city, the lake still retains rainwater and acts as a major picnic spot for locals as well as the tourists.

View of the setting sun upon the hillock next to Gadisar lake

Jaisalmer Fort/ Sonar Quila

Jaisalmer fort was built in 1156 A.D by King Rawal Jaisal. It is one of the largest fortifications in the world. It stands tall on a hill called Trikuta Hill that rises above a height of 250 ft from the surrounding area. The fort is 1500 ft long and 750 ft wide and has four entrances. Its massive sandstone walls take tawny lion colour during the day and they fade into honey- gold as the sun sets thus camouflaging it against enemy attacks midst yellow desert. This gives the fort its other name Sonar Quila/ the Golden Fort.

During medieval times, the city had trade relations with Persia, Egypt, Arabia and Africa. The fort contains three layers of fortification. The first wall was constructed merely to reinforce the loose rubble of the Trikuta hill. The second wall snakes around the hill. It is from the third wall that Rajput kings attacked their enemies by hurling down boiling water and oil as well as massive blocks of rocks.

Ala-ud-din-khilji invaded and conquered the fort in the 13^th century and held on to it for nine years. During the siege of the fort the Rajput women committed Jauhar (Sati). Later, the fort was taken over by Babur and subsequently by Akbar in 1570. The Rawals even got their daughters married to Mughals during this invasion.

At one time, the entire population of Jaisalmer resided inside the fort. Now, with increase in population they have moved to foot of the hill. Increased population has also affected the safety inside the fort. Water seepage, derelict houses and irregular seismic activities are the major concerns. The fort has been built on a weak sedimentary rock hill which makes it vulnerable to water seepage and seismic activity. 

Jain Temple inside the Fort

Within the Golden Fort are beautifully carved interconnected Jain temples that belong to 15^th and 16^th centuries. All the temples are carved out of yellow sandstone; they rival with the temple found in Mt. Abu which is made of white marble. The temples inside the fort are dedicated to Rikhabdevji and Sambhavdevji, the Jain hermits or popularly known as ‘Thirthankaras’. The temples inside the fort are built in ‘Dilwara style’, a name taken from the famous Dilwara temples of Mt. Abu. 

Jaisalmer is home to some of the oldest libraries of India that contains the rarest manuscripts of Jain tradition. 

Stone carved 'Thorana' found at the entrance of the temple...

Stone pillars inside the temple

Jain temple at Lodurva

Lodurva once flourished as a capital city under the rulers of Bhatti Rajputs. It lost its glory once the city of Jaisalmer was founded and made the capital. Around 15kms away from the city of Jaisalmer, it now lies deserted like many other villages in the desert.

Entrance of the temple

Ceiling inside the temple

Jaali work at temple

But, the place is still well- known for its Jain temple built in 12^th century. The place was attacked and ransacked several times by Mahmud Ghazni and Mohammad Ghori. The temple was renovated later. It is dedicated to the 23^rd Thirthankara, Lord Parshvanath. The beautiful jaali work in the temple make this place a piece of marvel.

The place was also famous for flourishing love story of Moomal and Mahendra which unfortunately turned out to be tragic. The details of the Rajput Love Story can be read here.

Kuldhara- A haunted village

About 15kms from the city of Jaisalmer lies a cursed and haunted village- Kuldhara. Eerie silence envelopes the whole place which once consisted of 84 villages. Kuldhara was the name of the largest village of that community. The village was established in 1291 by the Paliwal Brahmins. They were rather a prosperous community and well known due to their business acumen and agricultural knowledge. But one night in 1825 all the villagers of Kuldhara and the nearby villages fled the place and vanished into the oblivion.

The mud houses in the village that lay testimony to their simple yet stylistic living

According to the local stories, the ruler of the place had set his eyes on one of the young girl- possibly the daughter of the local chief. The Paliwals were given no choice other than a deadline of one day to accept the proposal. In desperation, to protect their pride and honor the village vanished in a matter of one night cursing the village behind them.

The ruined walls of the houses in Kuldhara village

Now, broken walls and ruined houses stand as witness to tell the story of the past.

Patwon-ji-ki-Haveli

Havelis were the elaborate homes of the rich merchants of Jaisalmer. Ostentatious carvings were etched on sandstone with minute and innumerable details and then were painstakingly pieced together. Havelis are often characterized by wall paintings, jharokas (balconies), frescos and archways.

Beautiful jharokas…

Patwon Haveli is the most important and largest Haveli in Jaisalmer. It was the first haveli to be erected in Jaisalmer in 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa. It is a cluster of five havelis, one built on top of the other. Patwa was a rich trader of jewellary and brocades so he ordered different havelis to be built for each of his five sons. All the havelis were completed in a span of 50 years.

This haveli is also called as the ‘Mansion of Brocade Merchants’ as the family dealt with threads of gold and silver used in embroidery (zardosi) . It is also speculated that the family made money by Opium- smuggling and money- lending.

Intricate carved stones of the haveli…

Each story within the haveli is unique- while one haveli has wall paintings, the other is ornate with mirror work and the next has special wood work. The intricate carving on the jharokas and balconies is truly a treat for the eyes. 

Painting and ceiling inside the haveli…

Bada Bagh

Bada Bagh (or Big Garden) is a complex of cenotaphs of the royal rulers situated about 6kms away from Jaisalmer city. The Chatris of the cenotaphs pop-up against the towering the windmills at the back drop. The complex comes to view far and above even before we reach the actual site. And, it is a perfect setting if you reach the place just before sunset.

Bada Bagh complex

The construction of these cenotaphs was commissioned by Maharawal Jaisal Singh but was completed by his son Lunkaran. The base of the Chatris are either square or hexagonal in shape. There are separate cenotaphs built for different rulers. Each cenotaph has a memorial slab with a male figure and various female figurines. This indicates the number wives the ruler had and who committed sati on his funeral pyre. 

Hexagonal shaped cenotaph

Square shaped cenotaph

The guide (who is a history student) also explained us that after the construction of each chatri the ruling king had to feed the whole kingdom. The last ruler didn’t complete his father’s cenotaph as his father died of a mysterious disease and also he feared he would not be able to feed the large population.

Tazia Tower

Tazia tower is a five- storied structure located inside Badal Palace Complex. It was once the residence of royal family. Each story possesses a unique design of its own. It was constructed in 20^th century by Muslim carvers and gifted to the royal family. Intricate carving of the balconies is an architectural marvel in itself.

Here too we were welcomed by the setting sun which gave a chance to our camera never to rest.

Sam Sand Dunes

A trip to Jaisalmer is never complete without a night’s stay in the Thar desert. The regular options one would get is either Sam sand dunes or Khuri dunes. We chose to stay in Sam sand dunes without any tents- under the stars. Though it’s a good experience, we’d rather chosen the tent experience as sleeping under the stars is a common sight for us who have lived in Ghats of Karnataka. Moreover, the sand dunes experience comes with its’ risks too- fear of bitten by scorpions!

 Riding on a camel’s hump to reach the Sand dunes is an experience in itself!

Mud houses that we came across along the ride…

Sunset that we witnessed throughout the ride

The sun rose thus in the morning

To conclude, ‘You want to see the real Rajasthan, visit Jaisalmer’!