The Lost Glory of the city of Gangaikondacholapuram The beautiful temple known as Brihadisvara Gangaikondacholesvara in Gangaikondacholapuram stands tall, proudly proclaiming the 11th century victorious march of the Chola army up to the banks of the Ganga, where they defeated king Mahipala of the Pala dynasty. While the city and the mighty emperor’s palace are now…
Category: people
Brihadesvara Peruvudaiyar temple in Thanjavur – an architectural marvel by the dynamic Raja Raja Chola I
“When we recall the nature and extent of the efforts and sacrifices that must have gone into the construction of this magnificent temple… and the manner in which numerous villages all over the empire were linked with the daily routine of the temple… when we consider further, how all the learning and the arts that…
Kailasanathar in Kanchipuram/ Kanchi- A Pallava marvel in stucco and sandstone
Looking back at Kanchipuram Kanchipuram, the city of thousand temples, was a part of Tondaimandalam division during the ancient and early medieval times. The city which lies between the two rivers Palar and Vegavati, is situated in the north-eastern part of Tamil Nadu. Kanchi is broadly divided into two main parts: the Vishnu Kanchi and Shiva…
What do Ganas, Gandharvas, Mithuna Couples, and Dancing girls on temple walls tell us
When we embark on a circumambulation of a temple (pradakshina), our eyes come across many figures besides those of the gods and the goddesses. Among the ones we most frequently meet are the chubby ganas busy blowing into conch shells, or bearing heavy loads of the temple, or sometimes playing the musical instruments. Others that…
What to explore in Mahabalipuram (Part I) – The Shore temple, Sri Stahala Sayana Perumal temple, and the giant Rock Relief
Looking Back Once the hub of commercial and political activities in ancient India, Mahabalipuram is now a buzzing tourist hub, owing to the UNESCO Group of Monuments that bring in many foreign tourists. Beyond these monuments, the town, which is more a village, retains its sleepy and laid back attitude, with pretty green paddy fields…
The Dolls and Masks of Bengal: a depiction through pictures
The history of Bengal goes long back archaeologically, wherein tools from the Stone Age era dating back to almost 20,000 years have been found from various excavated sites. In historical texts, we find that the epic Mahabharata talks of this area as divided into different kingdoms: Magadha, Banga, Pundra, Anga, and Suhma. Each part was…
Gaganendranath Tagore- A forgotten part of Bengal Art History
Few days back I came across a news link that spoke of the recent installation of paintings by Gaganendranath and Abanindranath Tagore in the Victoria Memorial museum gallery (Kolkata). The first feeling was of immense happiness seeing the two artists finally receiving their due places in the hall of fame. The second feeling was of…
Exploring the history of tea
Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things ~ Chaim Pot. “I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky Origin of Tea – China or India? Some historians believe that tea originated in China and is said to have been…
Tibetan Culture and Traditions
In the land of lama, don’t be a gamma. A sage advice given by those that build and maintain roads in these cold, barren lands. Whoever has travelled to the distant high mountains of Ladakh and Spiti have seen these cautionary yellow boards with advice written in black by the BRO, asking drivers to be…
Temple of Dance- the Ramappa temple complex in Palampet, Telengana
“The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the house of the Lord.” ― Howard W. Hunter The Palampet temples In a serene valley of the long forgotten village of Palampet, amidst vast crop fields, surrounded by wooded hills and a large lake, stands…
Moni Gāthā 