by Daniel Otero
Hanfu Lu (Street), like most of Nanjing (Jiangsu Province) holds mysteries and hidden treasures which not even the locals know about. One has to look carefully. Then there it is! The Pilu Temple, it’s one of the largest grounds in the whole of China for practicing Buddhist.
One to contemplate on life’s existence through worship of the Buddha and did you know, the Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty. It roughly took forty-four years to build and complete (1522 – 1566).
For 20 RMB the grounds hold an opportunity to walk in, and with three incense given once a ticket is purchased to light-up and bow towards all four corners of the Temple several times. After, there’s a place to put the incense upright upon the blessings. There’re other forms of blessings, like buying a red-ribbon and tying it to the veranda or tree.
This temple holds promise and hope. Most of it either has red or gold colors through its premises. The first structure is for prayer, while to the right there’s a huge golden bell indicating a call for silence and respect, as the rings indicate to focus and leave behind [for a moment] all worldly desires.
How one enters the temple and how to conduct oneself? It’s as simple as stepping over, with feet not touching the small barrier through its doors and walking over a small bridge always on the right or left, but never through the center. A person can take photos outside; however, one never takes photographs of the Buddha inside the respective buildings.
Then, another delightful surprise, there’s a pagoda to climb up for a view of the Temple and area. Enjoy. Blessings on your journey and I hope you can find your nirvana!
Nanjing City Highlights Private Day Tour
If You Go:
How to get to the temple? Daxinggong Station on metro line 2 (red color) is the best and easiest way to arrive, if not familiar with Nanjing. Also, with enough time, the metro station holds beauty and surprises of its own. There’re two artistic murals: one showing an elegant portrait of Chinese Opera and another of beautiful women—showing them in dress, through a fashion timeline.
How to exit? Take line 3 (green color)—exit 5 in route towards the former Nanjing Presidential Palace. You’ll be in the vicinity of the 1912 neighborhood. Once you locate the Palace, take a right and walk over 700 meters to the Temple entrance on the left.
Well worth the walk and price, while viewing Nanjing’s other historical monuments.
Daniel Otero is a New Yorker who has been living in China for almost seven years. His work has been mostly in teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) to young adults at Nanjing University of Finance and Economics. On a part-time basis he loves to travel and write about history and the relative social issues affecting China today.
All photos by Daniel Otero.
One of the most popular attractions of Kochi is a cruise along the backwaters of one of India’s largest lakes, the Vembanad lake. A boat ride along the placid backwaters gives you an excellent opportunity to witness the varied sights of this wonderful port city. You can opt for a short cruise cruise that will literally give you a bird’s eye view of the city’s skyline including the islands of Willingdon and Vypeen. Some cruises even take you upto the estuary point, the point where you can witness the mouth of the massive Arabian sea.
Arguably, one of the most engrossing sights of Kochi is the area of Fort Kochi which is the historical part of the town which has distinct European influences. Best explored on foot, this is the first European township in India and characterized by heritage bungalows, churches and of course the famous Chinese fishing nets. Definitely Kochi’s most recognizable sight, the fishing nets are a truly a mechanical wonder in that they have been around since the 14th century and are effectively used even today! It is worth watching a live demo of how these wonderful structures that are fixed installations work. About 10 meters in height, these nets are held by bamboo and teak poles and are operated in an unusual manner from the shore. The nets spread as much as 20 meters into the water and are laid for a short duration of about five minutes. It is indeed a unique experience and eager fishermen can give you a detailed account of these nets for a small fee; it is something not be missed while in the city!
St. Francis church is an important landmark in Fort Kochi and is believed to be the oldest European-built church in India. The church once had the mortal remains of the great explorer Vasco de Gama, who died here in 1524. The remains were later transported back to Portugal. The Dutch cemetery is yet another important site which houses the tomb stones of several Europeans who had left their homes and settled in the trading centre of Kochi. The place is currently managed by the Church of South India. Fort Kochi is an extremely vibrant locality with scores of little shops selling a wide variety of magnets, souvenirs, beaded jewellery and other knick knacks. Do have your bargaining skills handy while shopping here. A stroll along the charming Princess Street, one of the oldest streets in the area is a great idea. Lined on both sides with a number of European style restaurants, you can sample some great local food here.
A truly captivating area, the ancient and historical township of Jew Town is the centre of spices and antiques. Again teeming with little outlets, you can pick up anything from nutmeg, mace, cloves and cinnamon that are stored in sacks outside the store. The plethora of antiques available in the Jew town is truly mind boggling. From a wide variety of copper and brass artifacts, you can shop for items like antique bells, lamps and even stone sculptures.
Yet another historical part of the city, Mattancherry is synonomous with the Dutch palace or the Mattancherry palace. Originally built by the Protuguese in 1555 as a gift for the Raja of Cochin, it was later renovated by the Dutch. A treasure house of information on the history of the city of Cochin and its rulers, this place has a remarkable collection of beautiful murals. Articles of use by the royals and portraits of the Rajas of Cochin right from 1864 are on display.
While in the mainland city of Ernakulam, the Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom is a renowned centre of pilgrimage. This famous ancient Christian Church built in 1524 is visited by scores of people from not only Kerala but all over the world. Irrespective of caste, creed or religion, people throng here in great numbers to seek the blessings of Mary, the mother of Jesus, popularly known as “Vallarpadathamma” here. The annual festival of the church held each year in September is also very famous.
The mausoleum appears to be so far away, almost completely at the opposite end from where we stand admiring it from the southern gate. The complex on this side of the river occupies 42 acres. Regardless, the walk will be worth it.
Arriving on the plinth, we can see that the mausoleum is 8-sided, but not a true octagon. Instead, the corners are chamfered to give four wide faces and four narrower corners of the building. All sides, though, incorporate vaulted archways. From here, we also have a much better view of the onion dome. Four more onion domes grace the chamfered corners. The ivory marble mausoleum sits on yet another raised platform. At the corners of this platform are 130 foot tall minarets. Our guide explains how these minarets are not quite straight. Instead, they are tilted slightly outward so they will fall away from the mausoleum if they collapse. This is a brilliant example of the detailed planning and engineering involved in constructing the Taj Mahal.
Finally standing on the raised platform, we can see the exquisite inlay of semi-precious stones in a twining vine and flower pattern above the immense archway of the entrance. Calligraphy of black marble inlay into white marble panels frames the archway as well. Our guide tells us how the calligraphy at the higher levels has been created in slightly larger script so that it appears to be the same height when viewing it from below. Again, the architects and artisans really show their skill in planning and executing this. About 20,000 artisans labored to create the mausoleum and plinth from 1632 to 1643. The rest of the complex took another decade to complete.
Looking beyond this screen, it’s startling to see the positioning of the sarcophagi. Everything else in this complex has been so painstakingly symmetrical, that it’s jarring to see the symmetry interrupted here. The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal had been placed in the center. Shortly after the completion of the Taj Mahal, one of Shah Jahan’s sons deposed and imprisoned him for the rest of his life. Surprisingly, this same son decreed Shah Jahan’s tomb to be added to the side without disturbing the original tomb. We discover later, however, that these are not the real sarcophagi. As per custom, the real ones are located in the same positions in the less elaborate lower level of the mausoleum and are inaccessible to visitors.
We also venture to the back and finally discover the river that had been hidden from all the other vantage points. We find out later that another garden had been created on the opposite bank of the river in order to best view the mausoleum in the moonlight. Unfortunately, this garden on the other bank has fallen into disrepair.
All photos by Marilyn Escue:
As it is a beach city, the Promenade is a hot spot for locals and tourists alike. About 1.5 km long this runs along Goubert Avenue (Beach road) and overlooks the Bay of Bengal. There are huge rocky boulders that prevent one from getting into the water but there are benches to sit and a fairly broad pavement where you can enjoy your morning and evening walks. Walking along the promenade you can see the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. About four meters tall and surrounded by 8 granite pillars, the Gandhi statue is a prominent figure on the beach front and is of special significance on National days. The French War memorial which is dedicated to the martyrs who laid down their lives during World War I is also along the Promenade. The old lighthouse that is one of the famous landmarks of Pondicherry can also be viewed from here. The place is full of life during the evenings especially on holidays and weekends with scores of hawkers selling street food, souvenirs, trinkets, junk jewellery and the like. The cafes and restaurants along the promenade are also great places to sit back, relax and watch the beautiful sunset.
One of the key points of interest in Pondicherry is the Aurobindo Ashram which houses the tomb of Sri Aurobindo. He was a famous Indian nationalist, poet and yogi who joined the Indian movement for independence against the British rule. During his stay in Pondicherry he discovered a technique of spiritual practice called Integral Yoga and with the help of his spiritual collaborator, Mirra Alfassa (“The Mother”), he founded the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The Ashram and its surroundings are serene and peaceful with a detail for cleanliness. The stone ‘sammadhi’ of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother are located in the central courtyard of the building which itself is set in a beautifully maintained colorful garden. There are several shops, guesthouses around the city that are run by the Ashram. You need to leave your footwear outside and children under the age of 3 are not allowed inside the premises.
Located in the vicinity of the Ashram is the popular “Manakula Vinayagar Temple” which is a temple dedicated to the elephant God; Lord Ganesha. With beautiful carvings and an elaborate “gopuram” which is the exterior tower of a temple, this place also houses an elephant that is stationed outside the temple. Right in the middle of the old French town, this temple attracts scores of tourists and locals as the deity is considered very powerful. The market outside the temple is equally colorful with flowers, idols and articles of worship on display.
The Pondicherry museum and the botanical gardens are worth a visit if you are a first time visitor. The museum has a wide collection of a number of sculptures belonging to the Pallava and Chola dynasties and also archaeological findings from Arikamedu, an erstwhile Roman settlement located about 7 km from Pondicherry. The botanical garden boasts of a large variety of plants and includes the Japanese garden and a “toy train” as its main attractions.
A little away from the city at about 7 km, Chunnambar or Paradise beach is yet another haven for tourists. Accessible by ferry, this is located at point where the Chunnambar River backwaters meet the Bay of Bengal. The view of the pristine waters, sand and sun make this a great addition to the itinerary.
Auroville or the “city of dawn” is located about 8 km north west of Pondicherry and was founded by the Mother. Conceived as a universal town where men and women of various countries can live together in peace and harmony, this place has over 2000 people living and are involved in activities like agriculture, handicrafts, healthcare, administration etc. The central Matrimandir, which is not a temple but a place for individual silent meditation is stunning and set in an area of 62 acres in the centre of the township. The Auroville visitor center is a unique place to visit and one can spend at least half a day at the boutique stores and cafeteria within.
The tour I eventually booked was planned to include a stop at an observation site along the DMZ and the third infiltration tunnel, one of the numerous tunnels from which members of the North Korean Army have tried to infiltrate the South. Unfortunately, I was in Seoul during the height of the MERS scare. From the day I arrived in the city until the day I left, I probably saw the number of Koreans wearing surgical masks in public double. So when the day of the tour came around, the tunnel had was closed due to concerns about the spread of the disease in its close confines. The tour company replaced the trip to the Infiltration Tunnel with one to the Bridge of Freedom, formerly a location where prisoners of war could be repatriated to the South.
However, other than those early experiences, for the most part the tour did not feel like a propaganda exercise. Of course, the negative aspects of life in the North were emphasized, but this would be hard not to do considering the indisputable realities of life in the Kim family’s North Korea. Most of what was said did not feel over the top. This was refreshing. Often stories from the North that make their way to the United States tend to be filtered through the most fervently anti-North Korea media or are just plain inaccurate. For example, a report that Kim Jung Un’s uncle had been executed by being fed to hungry dogs, which was picked up by media throughout the United States, turned out to not be true. It originated with satirical Chinese social media post.
Far from completely creating a manufactured view of the North, the tour’s first stop was a museum with an observation deck where one could look directly at a small farming village across the DMZ. The museum housed artifacts including treaties between the two countries, North Korean military medals, currency, and even soju, Korea’s national liquor. There were also symbols of reunification, including examples of countries that were once divided. Some of these were inspiring (Germany) and some were less so (Yemen). The most interesting symbol of reunification was the imagined “Seoul-Pyongyang-Paris” bullet train, which the Museum suggested would take tourists from Korea to Europe as soon as reunification was achieved. Dorasan Station located in another part of the DMZ did indeed once connect the North and South by train. It is, however, understandable why a rail link between the North and South might figure prominently in the imagination of some South Koreans, South Korea currently has no land borders, aside from the one with the North.
s seen from the overlook at the top of the Museum, the contrast between the two sides of the DMZ was stark. Within sight of the viewing platform were both the dense skyline of Seoul and the vast expanse of suburbs surrounding it. Turning 90 degrees and facing the North revealed a small farming community with a few crudely built structures, some of which lacked roofs. There were about twenty North Koreans working on the farm. The area of the DMZ near Seoul is one of the most populated parts of the DMZ owing to the fertile farming made possible by the Han River.
After the museum, we headed to the Bridge of Freedom located adjacent to Imjingak Park. During the Korean War, the bridge was a place where defectors could cross from the North to the South, knowing that they that they may never be able to go to the other side again. Since the end of the war, families would come to the sight to remember their relatives from whom war had separated them. Despite the sadness associated with its history, the area has a carnival like atmosphere. For most Koreans, those memories are much more distant that they were in the last century, so to keep the location attracted for the younger generation an amusement park, complete with a Viking ship has been built near the bridge.
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