Asia Travel - Part 30

Cathedrals, Churches, Chapels and Convents

Old Goa, India

by R. Niranjan Das

It was a lovely morning ride on my hired Royal Enfield all the way from Anjuna to Velha Goa. Velha Goa! That is the Portuguese translation for Old Goa. In fact the name Velha Goa is quite commonly used by people of that region. From Panjim, along with the Enfield, I had River Mandovi for companionship through the villages of Ribander till I reached the UNESCO World Heritage site of Old Goa. As I rode from Panaji, the landscape, houses, people and everything changed. Even though it was crowded, the place with numerous Cathedrals, Churches, Chapels and Convents still holds an old world charm. The prominence of Christianity cannot be ignored in this part of the world.

Built by the Bijapur Sultans in the 15th century, the city was evangelised from the 16th to the 18th century by the Portuguese before abandoning it in the 18th century after it was hit by a plague. The beautiful structures have intricate carvings both on the outside and inside.

Basilica De Bom Jesus with its imposing facade and baroque architecture stands tall and was the first one that I visited. The Basilica looked quite different from others with respect to its dark colour and size. Though it might seem dilapidated at the first look, the Basilica with its reddish brown colour, ornamented pillars and magnificent carvings stands rock solid even after 400 years. Dedicated to infant Jesus, this grand structure also rests the mortal remains of St.Francis Xavier which is taken out for public viewing once in ten years. The interiors of the basilica has a lot of art work, murals and numerous altars which captivate every visitor.

As I came out of the Basilica, a few meters away stood the white coloured Se Cathedral of Santa Catarina. Dedicated to the Catherine of Alexandria, it was once considered the largest cathedral in Asia. Built in Portuguese architecture, it was constructed to portray the power and fame of the Portuguese. The cathedral also houses many altars, paintings and a large bell known as the Golden bell.

From Se Cathedral I moved to Church of St.Francis of Assisi which also has baroque style architecture with beautiful frescoes on the walls and ceilings. The church also houses some brilliant 17th century wall paintings. Next to it lies an archaeological museum which displays ancient statues and portraits.

Half a kilometer away lies the beautiful Viceroy’s Arch next to Mandovi quay. The arch built in 16th century must have been witness to thousands of people landing on the Goan shores. Near to the arch lies the Gateway of the palace of Adil Shah. Built before the arrival of the Portuguese, it is only the gateway that survives now.

From the gateway I walked towards the immaculate looking Church of St. Cajetan. It is built in Corinthian architectural style using laterite blocks with two towers on either side of the main dome. The interiors of the church look neat and its altar is one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen.

I walked further towards the de Bom Jesus Basilica and from nowhere appeared the Chapel of St. Catherine which looked abandoned and dilapidated. It was built by Alfonso de Albuquerque in early 16th century when he took over the possession of Goan territory.

In a different direction but not far away from de Bom Jesus lies the Towers of St.Augustine church. Built in the early 16th century this church was over a period of time abandoned and neglected which led to the fall of the vault and the body of the church in mid 19th century. By the mid 20th century every part of the church collapsed except for one of the four towers that existed. Now this single tower is the only remnant left.

Next to the Augustine tower lies the Convent of Santa Monica and a christian museum which definitely is worth a visit.

A few meters away from Santa Monica and Augustine tower is the Church of Our Lady of Rosary. Built in the 16th century it has a mix of renaissance and gothic architecture. The view of the Mandovi river from the church is spectacular.

There are many more churches, structures and museums to excite any traveller in Old Goa which have not been mentioned here. The above list shows the most well known and frequently visited locations in Old Goa.

Full Day Goa Churches Spice Plantation and Old Bazaars Tour

If You Go:

♦ Goa Tourism
♦ UNESCO World Heritage sites (churches and monastaries): Churches and Convents of Goa
♦ Old Goa in Wikipedia

Old Goa & St Estevam island tour including ride on canal boat & lunch

About the author:
Niranjan is passionate about travel, be it long bike rides or treacherous trekking or leisure holidaying or backpacking through the countryside or an engrossing train journey, He dreams of setting foot on every single country on planet earth and meeting adorable strangers and learning new cultures. His travel blog link: rajniranjandas.blogspot.in

All photographs by Niranjan Das:
Cathedral of Santa Catarina
Basilica De Bom Jesus
St. Augustine Church
Church of St. Cajetan

Slow Boat To China

Freighter Travel Across the North Pacific

by Barry Truter

Within six hours of boarding the massive freighter that would carry me and four other passengers – along with 5,500 containers – from Vancouver to Hong Kong, I knew I’d made the right choice of travel plans. Standing on the dimly lit navigation deck of the French flag container ship CMA CGM Tosca, docked at Deltaport at midnight, I had a brief, blissful moment when the licensed pilot, just coming aboard, mistook me for the captain.

Alas, I had not achieved my boyhood dream of becoming master and commander of my very own ship. But the 21-day trip that followed provided not only spectacular sights and unusual experiences, but also satisfied more personal reasons for choosing such an adventure. It meant I could channel my first career as an 18-year-old indentured navigating cadet on a tramp freighter in the British merchant marine. It allowed me to sail across the North Pacific for the first time. And it dropped me off in Hong Kong, where I had lived as a boy. Too many touchpoints to ignore.

Friends had raised concerns about pirates, seagoing accidents and other dangers, but weighing up the risks just added to my excitement. Recently divorced, newly laid off from work, and in the process of re-inventing my life, this was a journey in more ways than one.

Travelling aboard a freighter proved to be an Open Sesame to the inner workings of ship life, perfect for someone rediscovering that fascinating world. I haunted the navigation bridge after Captain Jean-Michel Serra said passengers were welcome there, I climbed 15 decks down into the bowels of the ship for a tour of the engine room, and watched as huge cranes descended on the ship to unload it at four harbours.

The Trip

The journey began Dec. 10, 2012 up the coasts of British Columbia and Alaska. Then we headed through the Aleutians, west across the international dateline, south past the Kamchatka peninsula and Kuril Islands, and along the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu to Yokohama. From there we sailed the China Seas to the ports of Shanghai, Ningbo and Hong Kong, where I disembarked on New Year’s Eve.

From my privileged position as a passenger on the navigation bridge, I saw some unforgettable sights. Five days into the journey, travelling through Unimak Passage in the Aleutian Islands, we sailed between Unimak and Ugamak islands, each of them rocky cliffs covered with snow and ice and glacier. The weather was clear, the sea calm, the vista stunning. Periodically the sun peeped out. From the inside warmth and comfort of the bridge, it didn’t look cold until I walked out on the wing and caught a blast of icy wind, a reminder that once through this passage we would be in the Bering Sea. Whales spouted as a pod swam. It was magical.

Another memorable morning, as we sailed up the channel leading to Tokyo Bay, I got a magnificent view of the volcanic peak of Mount Fuji in all its snow-sloped splendour. Normally gossamer-garbed in cloud or mist, it was resplendently naked as we motored past, our huge vessel dwarfed by the mountain.

The spectacular sights outside the ship were matched inside by the warmth and hospitality of its 28 officers and crew, mostly French and Romanian, who adopted the passengers as part of the ship’s family. So much so that they held their Christmas celebration – including a tree, presents and a festive dinner – three days early because some passengers were disembarking before Dec. 25.

Besides myself, the passengers included Nicholas, a retired Brit who divides his time between England and Thailand to make his pension stretch; Hiroki, a 27-year-old taking the slow boat home to Japan after studying English in Canada; and Tony and Liz, a recently retired Australian couple homeward bound after making their way around the world. Liz, witty and vivacious, had no trouble being the only woman on board. She participated in all the activities and said she had a great time – a comment I’ve heard from other women who have travelled aboard freighters, either singly or with a companion.

Our little band of passengers got along so well that we put together a Christmas concert with songs from our varied backgrounds for captain and crew. And with no cruise director to coddle us, we made our own entertainment – ping pong tournaments, card games, movie nights. We had our own passenger lounge, with couches, card table, DVD player, and a hodgepodge of pirated DVDs – the closest we got to anything piratical on this trip. On Sundays and special occasions we were invited for a drink in the officers’ lounge, with the captain and the chief mate hosting the bar.

The Christmas feast was sumptuous, but throughout the trip, the food exceeded my expectations. Simon Pascal, the chief cook, was a French chef who served five-course gourmet meals for lunch and dinner complete with wine and cheese board. There was even a small gym with weights to help us work it off.

As for accommodations, for 90 Euros a day – about $120 Cdn in today’s dollars – I had a double cabin to myself high up in the midships tower, just two decks below the bridge. There were two beds, a large desk, a three-seater couch, two armchairs, a coffee table, and an attached bathroom. Three big windows provided dramatic sea views forward and starboard.

The Ship

But for me, the best part of the trip was the chance to indulge my fascination with the workings of the ship, the biggest ocean-going vessel I’ve ever sailed on. The Tosca was 334 metres long (the length of three football fields), 42 metres wide, and 94,410 gross tons in weight.

Early in the trip, chief engineer Nicolas Le Scornet led a 90-minute tour of his department, an amazingly clean basement world of surreal lighting and sound. The engine control room, the brain of this nether world, was a universe of control panels with lights and levers, dials and displays, switches and gauges. We went up and down ladders, across gratings, through doorways. Always there was noise, sometimes there was heat. We wore ear plugs, making it doubly difficult to hear over the racket of the pounding engines. At one point, we walked along a narrow outer corridor to see an emergency control panel that can operate the steering gear manually. We were below sea level and the cold clamminess of the steel hull signaled the freezing waters of the North Pacific on the other side.

Watching the ship unload, especially at Yokohama, was another high point. After picking up the channel pilot, we moved in slow procession with other ships along a channel marked with buoys. Outbound vessels passed us in line to port, and we overtook a cluster of small motorized fishing vessels, each with a coloured lateen sail keeping its head to the wind.

Docking a ship the size of the Tosca is an extremely delicate dance choreographed between the pilot, the two tugs, our forward and aft docking parties, and the dockside gang. The tugs nudged us gently toward the pier. A heaving line thrown to the dock was attached to a four-inch-thick nylon mooring line, one of four that would eventually secure us forward. The same process was conducted aft. The gangway went down, was quickly secured and before you can say banzai, the dockside cranes were cranking up, flatbed trucks were lining up, and containers were swinging through the air on their way from ship to land.

We carried 5,500 containers, although our capacity was 8,500 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), stacked nine deep in the hold with a further eight tiers on deck. It’s a logistical nightmare carefully managed by the head office planners in Marseilles, the chief mate on board, and the port agent and dockside crew, with the help of automated systems that ensure a balanced load fore and aft. It’s important to get this right. Can you imagine the chaos of having to unload 16 stacked containers to get at the misplaced 17th one in the bottom of the hold!

At my last stop, Hong Kong – where I lived from 1952-55 – my heart beat a little faster as the tugs warped us into our Modern Terminals container dock. It was a clear day and the skyscrapers of Victoria harbour were in plain view to starboard.

As I prepared to leave the ship, deck officer Romica Apostol paid me a big compliment. He said, “After three weeks it’s like you are part of the crew.” I thanked him – and started plotting my next freighter trip.

If You Go:

There are a few freighters that accommodate a handful of passengers, and a small number of travel companies that can make the necessary arrangements. Google “freighter travel” to find out. The main requirements are a medical certificate from your doctor, travel insurance that includes emergency air evacuation, and visas for ports of call. Cost for my trip was €90 per day not including insurance and visas. Length of the voyage segment depends on your inclination and the vessel’s availability.

About the author:
Barry Truter is a musician and writer based in Vancouver, Canada. He has been a traveller all his life, having lived in India, Hong Kong, Fiji, USA, Pakistan, England and Canada, as well as a spell at sea working on a freighter. His most recent articles have appeared in Vancouver’s The Province newspaper and in the Canadian Folk Music Journal. As a musician, he performs solo and with his band, Fraser Union. His latest CD, Traveller, consists of originals and carefully selected covers reflecting his journeys, and is available online through www.fraserunion.com.

All photographs by Barry Truter except #1 by Elizabeth Wood and #6 by a passerby:
The author models an “abandon ship” survival suit
The stark beauty of the Aleutian Islands
Sailing to Yokohama past the snow-capped splendour of Mount Fuji
Crew members dressed up for the Christmas party
Tugs gently nudge the ship towards the Yokohama dock
The author at the Kowloon-side Star Ferry terminal with Hong Kong island in the background

Discovering Samatata, Bangladesh

by Reema Islam

I said “Itakhola Mura.” With a puzzled look he said “There is no such place here.” I went into panic mode and spluttered something incoherent until his face gradually lit up and he said “Oh Ittkhola mura!” He revved up his CNG run tuk-tuk and heaved it up a hillock while we sat shaking our heads at the many phonetic wonders of our trip.

Armed with bursting enthusiasm, guide books and various brochures from the museum’s dusty shelves, I with two of my trusted girlfriends had set out on an adventurous weekend to Comilla, East of Bangladesh, to check out the ancient sites popularly known as moinamoti. Comilla was known as Samatata from around 6th-13th century AD. Parts of Bangladesh fell under the region called Vanga at a close proximity to Maghada, which was quite a powerful state since the time of Asoka (304-232 BC). The Mahajanapadas or Great Learning Centers were a group of institutions that are said to have had an interactive relationship of knowledge sharing. The most famous one of these centres is said to have been Nalanda Institute in the now Bihar region of India. A corresponding university was said to be in Pundranagar, now lying in Naogaon district of Bangladesh. This centre is now designated a World Heritage Site and is called Paharpur. However a learning centre of probably a lesser kind was also discovered further South of the country.

Our first stop in Comilla was the museum where the remains of a fossilized tree greeted us at the entrance. Pottery shards, huge stone mortars and pestles or “Shil & Batta” (where the mortar had caved in considerably with such extensive use) Buddha in a Vajrasattva pose (sitting in a typical lotus pose, holding a thunderbolt in his right hand which is diamond shaped, supposed to cut through anything and not be cut itself, symbolizing purity and in his left hand is held a bell to symbolize wisdom and compassion. Together these two are essential in reaching enlightenment). The museum is large and houses many relics set in simple glass shelves, from the times of the Guptas, the Palas, the Chandra Senas and also the local ruling dynasties such as the Khagdas and the Devas. Comilla was known as Samatata from around 4th-13th century AD. The name Samatata was first mentioned on the Ashoka pillar in Allahabad where the Gupta ruler Samudragupta (ruled 335-376 CE) noted this as one of the principalities of that period. With monasteries built in a distinctive style of that era, Samatata has much to reveal as it flourished through kingdoms ruled by local rulers for about 500 years from 6-11 centuries AD. Housing some of the greatest vestiges of Buddhism in the form of the various monasteries around Comilla, Samatata attracted many a pilgrim seeking enlightenment.

Thus when Wanderlust and an inquisitive mind made the monk Hiuen Tsang smuggle himself out of China in the 7th century AD to make the perilous journey to India, his main aim was to read up on Buddhism. His journeys through the terrains that preached the gospels of Buddha also bought him to a deltaic region, with green fields and meandering rivers. Tsang visited the famous Nalanda Institute now in Bihar and its corresponding university, Somapura Vihara, the now World Heritage Site Paharpur in Naogaon, Bangladesh. These were both part of the great Mahaviharas, or Great Learning Centers. However a learning centre of probably a lesser kind was also discovered south-east of the country. Tsang was surprised to note bustling universities and hostels for up to 2000 monks and his documents have helped us understand Samatata a little better. An institution noted by him as Kanakastupa Vihara could well be the now excavated Salban Vihara.

Salban Bihar or Salavana Vihara as the signboard stated (Vihara means monastery and Salbon for the sal forest that once was), confused my two friends who had yet to catch onto the phonetics of the Sanskritic versus Bengali names. The disintegrating parameters of this once ancient monastery are now surrounded by an artificial garden sprawling around it. The main part is said to be the area that housed the main monastery for the students, with little cubicles that possibly accounted for the little cells where the monks resided. 115 cells and remnants of what could be a kitchen, abbot’s office and courtyard have been identified by the experts. This site is not only the most excavated one, but shows the perfect cruciform design-a crucifix shaped structure, (a popular style as seen at Angkor Wat or other Javan, Burmese sites of those days). However to inquisitive novices like us all we could make out were possible windows or door jambs or a seat.

Itakhola Mura, another red brick built structure depicts either a monastery of sorts with a residence area, courtyard and maybe an office or two. With a quaint passage that has little alcoves in the wall meant for oil lamps, Itakhola also houses the largest in-situ stucco (plaster) statue of Buddha in a lotus position, found in the country. This whitish torso-less statue placed in a walled up chamber is left to dazzle its visitors. Similar alcoves in the walls surrounding it make one wonder how the people of Samatata must have lit them with lamps, considering the only way in was from one storey above. A ladder, ropes, or agile monks, Itakhola Mura left us animated and rearing to visit the next site.

Rupban Mura on the other end of the hillock has several structures strewn about. The most distinct ones here are the two votive stupas. Stupas, especially votive stupas were a tradition that were popularized by Asoka when he had the remains of the Buddha brought in and distributed them in several hundreds of urns and placed these in the various temples that he had built. Thus the dome shaped stupa structure got absorbed into Buddhist architecture and morphed into the Pagodas of Japan and the striking tall, chimney type version of the Thai, Cambodian or the Java versions.

We had come to Comilla hoping to learn something about ancient eastern Bengal, but came away thirsting for more, as Samatata gave us a sneak peak at its heritage. With over 50 sites being discovered in and around Comilla, precious little is known about its people. From the Khadgas to the Devas many a ruler lived but left us little to draw a picture out of. Since we know that Samatata housed many institutions, it may be assumed that the locals supplied the monks with food and other necessities, creating a flourishing job market. But their legacy remains hidden between the disintegrating bricks of the Moinamoti ruins, a name popularized in some stray ballads and in museum brochures.

4-Day Bangladesh World Heritage Tour: North Bengal

If You Go:

Comilla is about a 2 to 2.5 hrs drive from Dhaka on a holiday. Snacking on the way is highly recommended since Comilla is home to the famous Rosh Malai & Pera, sweets made out of cow’s milk curd. Local buses leave every few hours from the main bus terminals but it is recommended to hire a private car so one can stop along the way and also the many sites of Moinamoti. You can also book a berth on the local train going to Chittagong and stop off at Comilla station.

Dhaka Cultural Tour Including Traditional Theatre Performance

Photographers are as credited below:
Buddha in Vajrasattva (Tarek Murshed)
Buddha in sandstone (Tarek Murshed)
Salban Vihara (Reema Islam)
Pathway of alcoves (Sadia Faruque)
Rupban Mura (Reema Islam)
A kind of altar (Reema Islam)

About the author:
Reema is an environmentalist with an active wanderlust and luckily gets to travel through work as well. She is currently on a mission to discover ancient Bengal as she lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh and writes for national and international magazines on archaeological news, updates and general information about the sites around her country.

Poetry In Stone At Hampi

Karnataka, India

by Trupti Devdas Nayak

A mere six hour drive from the bustling technology hub of Bangalore, the city of Hampi lies along the Tungabhadra river, amongst the ruins of Vijayanagara, the last grand capital of King Krishnadeva Raya’s empire. Hampi derives it’s name from Pampa, which is an ancient name for the Tungabhadra river. The monuments of Vijayanagara city were built between AD 1336-1570. A large number of royal structures covering an area of nearly 26 sq km were built during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign (AD 1509-30). He is considered the greatest ruler of this era, which saw widespread adoption of Hindu religion, art and architecture. It’s no surprise that Hampi has always been popular with travelers seeking the bygone era of royal kingdoms, kings, queens and the artisan people.

Given its historical significance, Hampi has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This means the tourism infrastructure and maintenance is much better now than what it used to be. For many years, as the bustling cities around Hampi grew, the stone mandapas (stone pillared pavilions) on the mountains and carved dancing girls on the stone walls were silent witnesses to all that modern growth brings. Even now when you drive to the main site of Hampi, you pass many historic sites, with ruins of temples and mandapas, carved splendidly, surrounded by the bustling sprawl of city life, cars, modern houses and people. With recent improvements however, the main sites have been well preserved with security and infrastructure enabling travelers to experience this historic city to the fullest.

Everywhere in Hampi you will not escape the sense of richness and grandeur that must have prevailed in the kingdom of Vijayanagara at it’s zenith. Hundreds of artisans and sculptors toiled over years to produce some of the most beautiful, intricate carvings and architected fabulous temples, which to this day survives mainly because they were all painstakingly carved out of solid rock. Time and tide have done little to alter the artistic sensibilities of Hampi.

Wandering inside the sprawling metropolis is like traveling back in time. You can almost hear the trumpeting of horns as they welcome the royal family, with gloriously decorated elephants and horses, and the cheer and applause of the people as their beloved king and queen go by. King Krishnadeva Raya was a lover of good things in life, including good art. He ensured that many of the artisans and architects in his kingdom were kept busy and happy creating the most beautiful city in the world, coming to life out of solid boulders. A city which time and tide would never be able to transform into dust, a city which would remain standing forever. And so it does, to this day.

The Virupaksha temple is one of the longest running active temples in South India, and has been so since before the founding of the Vijayanagara empire. The aroma of incense, jasmine flowers and camphor fill your nostrils as you step into a cool darkened chamber and listen to the priest chanting his hypnotic mantras to appease the gods. Virupaksha temple is in the middle of the small bustling bazaar (market) area that has plenty of restaurants and shops which have sprung up to provide everything you would need when visiting.

Hemakuta Hill is behind the Virupaksha temple and as we climbed up the mountain, several stone mandapas cast their long shadows on the granite as the sun began to set. Smaller temples and gopuras (stepped roof of a temple) rose in the distance. English-speaking tour guides are available for a fee and you can get a comprehensive history of the place on a full-day tour. Hemakuta Hill is capped by a “Sunset vista point” which is highly recommended for viewing glorious sunsets over the city. From the top, one also has a vantage viewpoint over the vast fields of banana and sugarcane in the distance. It is a very peaceful and serene scene. A hush falls over everybody as the mellow sun gets warmer, brighter and more beautiful. The glowing orb dips beneath the horizon to the tune of a thousand chirping birds on their way home.

As we explored more of Hampi, we were intrigued as to how these huge boulders were transformed into beautiful structures, with nothing other than bare hands and primitive tools. There were no power-drills and cranes at that time to do the heavy-lifting. These people must have had a lot of endurance, conviction and patience to work on these monuments for years at a time. As we later learnt, their methods were very innovative! The way the artisans of the Vijayanagara empire used to get the huge boulders into manageable pieces for sculpture and carving is to drill small holes in a row on a section of the rock. The holes were filled with wooden pegs, and water was poured over the pegs into the holes continuously. The wooden pegs would eventually expand and the boulder would split neatly along this edge into smaller pieces with flat faces!

Hemakuta Hill and Matanga Hill are popular for day hikes. The sunrise atop Matanga is legendary, but we did not get a chance to see this for ourselves. All the main sites in Hampi are close by, although it would take longer to walk across to each, it’s easier to hop on to an auto-rickshaw to save time. We met a French traveler who was visiting Hampi for the second time, the first time being 10 years ago when he was just a young man eager to travel and see the world. Now he was much older and had a family. He was excitedly exploring the city on a bicycle to see what had changed and to relive the adventures of his youth.

One of the most impressive sights in Hampi is a 10+ foot statue of Narasimha (visualized as half-man, half-lion), carved out of solid stone. This was a massive sculpture and the lifelike details were mind-blowing. The eyes, the expression, the deity’s seated pose, everything was carved out of one rock. This deity had Goddess Lakshmi seated on his left leg, but her statue had been destroyed, likely hacked away by Mughal invaders, who also destroyed the faces of many gods and goddesses carved into the walls of temples to prevent people from idol worshipping. Signs of this type of destruction is all around, beautiful statues with faces missing, exquisitely peaceful smiles wiped away, now expressionless and mute as wars with the invaders raged on, empires rose and sank around them. But not all were subjected to such a fate. There are still many statues, thankfully intact, which a thousand hands since have touched, not to destroy … but only to caress and feel the cool granite moulded into fine details, to marvel at the lovingly created intricacies of each carving.

We left the best for the last – the Vittala Temple which is said to have the best carvings and sculptures in all of Hampi. We hiked up to the temple, stopping by at several pushkarni reflections (structures created in the ground to hold water, possibly for royal baths and other purification purposes), and a temple with horses carved out of the pillars (Kudremukh – horse’s face). At the Vittala temple, two things took our breath away. The ornate musical pillars and the royal stone chariot.

The ornate musical pillars of the Vittala Temple are justifiably world famous. The stone has an inherent property such that tapping gently on the pillars produces musical notes which are clearly audible! Emitting musical notes is a property of the stone, not of the size or shape of the pillar carvings. When tapped gently, the stone in the shape of the pillar resonates and one can hear clear musical notes.

The royal stone chariot is a marvelous sculpture and the mascot of Hampi. This famed structure is carved out of one big boulder for the main chamber, and several others to make the wheels and axles. It stands in the middle of the Vittala temple courtyard. The level of detail and carving on the stone chariot is breathtaking. The chariot even moves! In ancient times, it was used to host the deity in the main chamber, along with the priest who would be chanting hymns. Temple elephants would pull the chariot forward and circle the temple as devotees followed.

We spent an entire day exploring many nearby temples, spellbound at all the beautiful carvings and sculptures made out of solid stone, imagining what it must have been like at this bustling city at the height of it’s richness and grandeur, with thousands of artisans, artists and sculptors carving away at these huge boulders to create what we are lucky to be able to still see and touch today. Hampi was a truly fascinating and memorable experience. We will be back again, and this time for longer. Maybe we will even get one of those bicycles like the French traveler and spend a couple weeks in this magnificent place, soaking up a bit of history!

Full day tour of Hampi & Vijayanagar Empire UNESCO sites

If You Go:

Nearest airport: Bangalore (BLR) airport. Hampi is 350 km (approx 6-8 hour drive) from Bangalore. You can take the Hampi Express train that goes from Bangalore City Junction to Hospet Junction. It will take around 9-10 hours. From Hospet, take a bus or a auto-rickshaw to Hampi.

Where to stay:
There are a number of places one can stay overnight when in Hampi, including the nearby town of Hospet. However, if you’re planning on doing sunrise/sunset hikes and want to stay closer to the magnificent ruins and the bazaar area, there’s no better choice than the plethora of family-owned guest-houses in Hampi bazaar itself. With terrace views of the Virupaksha temple and Hemakuta hill beckoning guests, many friendly families make a brisk business as they rent out rooms in their mansions, meals included, for an affordable price. Call ahead to make reservations as these places fill up during the peak summer months of travel. We stayed at Padma guest-house in the Hampi Bazaar area, with views of Virupaksha temple. This is the most convenient area to stay at, since the Hampi bazaar is always bustling with activity and is a fun place to explore in the evenings. Many of the sights (Virupaksha, Hemakuta, Matanga Hill) are all within walking / bicycling distance. Alternative options include staying at the city of Kamalapura (a few kms away) or in Hospet (12 kms away) or across the river at Virupapur gaddi, which means you will have to cross the rumbling Tungabhadra river in a primitive round cane boat to get across. An enticing option for fearless adventurers. Best Guesthouses and Hotels in Hampi

Where to eat:
The Hampi Bazaar area has streets and back alleys lined with dozens of restaurants and plenty of south-indian delicacies to choose from to fill your tummy after a day of clambering over the ruins. One delightful place in particular is the Mango Tree restaurant, which has a set meal (thali) that comes with generously portioned side-dishes providing a complete feast – vegetables, lentils, tortillas, rice, curries, yogurt, dessert, juice.

Popular sights:
Virupaksha Temple, Hemakuta Hill, Sunset point, Ganesha Temple, Krishna Temple, Krishna Bazaar, Pushkarni, Lakshmi-Narasimha Statue, Underground Shiva Temple, Mughal Palaces and Watch towers, Nobleman’s quarters, Hazara Rama Temple, Lotus Mahal (Queen/Royal Ladies quarters), Elephant Stables, Queen’s Bath, Kudregombe Mandapa, Vittala Temple, Musical Pillars in Vittala Temple, Royal Stone Chariot in Vittala Temple, King’s Balance.

Private tour: 2-Night Hampi and Hospet Tour from Bangalore

All photographs are by Trupti Devdas Nayak:
Sculpture of a dancing lady
Reflections of Virupaksha Temple in a pushkarni
Sunset from Hemakuta Hill
Narasimha Statue
Musical Pillars at Vittala Temple
Royal Stone Chariot at Vittala Temple

About the author:
Trupti Devdas Nayak is a freelance writer and photographer who loves (and lives!) to travel. When not writing or traveling, she is busy planning her next adventure. Amongst other things, Trupti has trekked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, snorkeled with sharks in Oahu, witnessed horses dancing flamenco in Andalusia and she has hiked in over 30 national parks around the world and counting. She writes about her travel experiences at Exploring The Blue Marble (exploringthebluemarble.wordpress.com).

Remembered Moments at Jim Corbett National Park

Uttarakhand, India

by Jessica Frei

Everyone deserves a break from the monotonous lifestyle and I am no exception to it. With having said that, there is an exception in my definition of ‘a break’. I want my break to be full of adventures; no sitting back at home, no chit chat with long lost friends, all I want is thrill. And this hunger for thrill took me to Jim Corbett National Park.

Located in the foothills of Uttarakhand, this is the oldest established National Park of India and this is was another reason for my visit over there. So finally, last month I headed off for my expedition to the wilderness of Corbett. However in my over excitement, I forgot to take my camera on the safari and this I only came to know after leaving the resort, ‘too late to realize’. Nonetheless, being an optimistic person I decided to capture every bit through my eyes. The best part is that I succeeded in it, if I would have clicked images, then they would have been tasting dust in some corner of my drawer. But the memories clicked through the eyes are stored in my heart and today I am pouring my heart out here.

From Delhi to Jim Corbett National Park

I hired a cab and left for Corbett early in the morning at 4′ o clock. Please see, I hate getting up this early in the morning, but that day was an exception. So, after the cab driver tuned in his radio the journey began with a spiritual song and in next ten minutes I guess I was wandering in my dreamland. (I woke up at 4:00 AM, I deserved a quick nap). The next time I opened my eyes I saw the long stretched road, on my query the cab driver told we were at NH24. Meanwhile the cab stereo was playing some dancing beats and I wished good morning to myself.

Then the twists and turns of the road took me to Garhmukteshwar, where people take holy bath in River Ganga. I was surprised to see so many people taking a dip in the river, as if the entire India was there for a bath. From there on we headed to Gajarula. There the cab had its share of tea, I mean fuel and we (me and the driver) had ours. Our fuel was served in the form of hot tea and butter dipped Aloo paratha at the Tadka Dhaba, located just behind the fuel pump. I still can feel that taste in my mouth. Thereafter, with a heavy tummy we went back into the cab, while I was making myself comfortable at the back seat for another quick nap, the stereo gave a wake up call with some more dancing beats. With that music we crossed Muradabad, then Kashipur – the place where the famous Surya Roshni Limited is located, complete industrial area. By the time we reached Ramanagar, I could feel the aroma of the forest. Finally around 10 AM, I was there at the Corbett Leela Villas, the resort I had to stay in.

Corbett Leela Vilas

While I was making online booking for a wildlife resort, I read a lot about the Corbett Leela Vilas. On reaching the resort I realized that all those adjectives used for the resort were not sufficient, as the resort was much more splendid than what I read. The luxury of the resort complimented by my cab lag (when there can be jet lag, why can’t be cab lag), insisted me to spend a lazy day at the resort. So I checked in, made myself comfortable, took a shower and ordered the meal, sorry royal meal. The food was just awesome, I am no big foodie but for a meal like that I am ready to turn into one. I was so engaged in licking my fingers that didn’t even realize the time, it was 2.30 PM. After that tasty treat I spent a few hours relaxing in the room and then, went for pool refreshment. By the time it started getting dark, I knew I had to travel the next day, so very quickly I finished my dinner and went to bed. The next morning was the big day and that’s why I left the bed sharp at 4.30 AM. The resort arranged a drop to the Durga Devi Gate of the Park, where an elephant was getting ready to take us on the wildlife safari.

The Elephant Safari

I remember the last time I sat on an elephant, I was just nine years old. After a big leap, it was the time to climb on the back of the huge mammal. I wasn’t afraid, after all I love adventure; however, this was my first visit to a national park and I just got overwhelmed by seeing an elephant welcoming me. Meanwhile, the Mahavat and the travel guide were trying to accommodate everyone (I was accompanied by a group of other tourists) over the elephant. Once everyone was on their seats, the giant mammal took his course of action. We entered the Dhikala Zone of the park and meanwhile I was simply amazed by the sites that fell in the way. The foremost thing was that I was on an elephant and from that height I was able to get a very nice view of beautiful birds. Earlier I only used to hear their chirping, but that day I saw them from a close angle. I wanted to capture them in the camera that I unfortunately forgot in the resort, so I decided to let them fly in my eyes. The blue sky was filled with numerous colorful birds, as if a painter has sprinkled his entire color palette on the canvas.

My pleasurable moments of bird watching got disturbed when the tour guide indicated towards a herd of Spotted Deer. They were so beautiful; I couldn’t get my eye off from their sharp features. Their big innocent eyes were so compelling, especially the little baby deer were too adorable to take home. But, I gave my sentiments a break and told myself “you are not at zoo, it’s a safari in Jim Corbett”. Thereafter, we witnessed various other wild species especially the monkeys who were climbing from one tree to another, making highly annoying noise. Meanwhile other tourists were using their cameras for capturing the wild; I was just capturing the memories of the wild in my heart. Amidst all this chirping of the birds and noise of the monkeys, everyone paused by a big roar! The tiger was somewhere nearby!

Spotting the Majestic Cat – Tiger

Tiger, before visiting Corbett I had only heard and read about these big cats. But that day the royal cat was right in front of my eyes. Due to safety reasons, the elephant was standing at a distance from the furious predator, but I was able to see the tiger clearly. My heart and mind were going through mixed emotions; I was excited, happy but at the same time I was a little scared. With every single step of the tiger, my heart missed a beat. The perfect physic, that royal walk, that carefree attitude in eyes that glow of the fur coat; every detail of the tiger made me deaf towards the guide. I hardly paid attention to the guide as I was busy capturing the tiger in my eyes. The way he roared everyone understood that the entire forest is his kingdom. Though the tiger is a furious predator and his roar gives me goose bumps but his unmatched royalty made me his aficionado. He is undoubtedly the most beautifully dangerous wild creature. Before I could have thought of more adjectives for the big cat, he left us and vanished in the bushes. My eyes wanted more of him and I will be visiting Corbett again just for getting a mere glimpse of him.

The Memories

During my first encounter with the tiger, I actually even forgot that I had a camera or not. However once he went out of sight, for the first time I cursed myself for leaving the camera at the resort. Meanwhile it started getting dark and we moved back to the resort. I was too tired to write a blog about my experience but was too happy to share. Therefore, I ended up writing this piece of story.

3 Days Corbett Tiger Safari Private Tour from Delhi

If You Go:

LINKS TO SAFARI
Resorts in Corbett
Corbett National Park

Private 3-Day Corbett Safari Holiday Tour From Delhi

The entry and exit timing varies with seasons.

WINTER TIMINGS:
ENTRY:
Morning Safari: 0730 hrs
Evening Safari: 1500 hrs
EXIT:
Morning Safari: 1030 hrs
Evening Safari: 1700 hrs

SUMMER TIMINGS:
ENTRY:
Morning Safari: 0630 hrs
Evening Safari: 1600 hrs
EXIT:
Morning Safari: 0930 hrs
Evening Safari: 1800 hrs

About the author:
Jessica Frei is a wildlife enthusiast and a traveloguer too, she likes to travel different national parks and wildlife sanctuaries all over the globe. She is currently in India for her wildlife tour. She always shares her experience through articles and blogs.

Photo credits:
Tiger by Soumyajit Nandy / CC BY-SA
Elephant at Corbett National park by Vikram Gupchup / CC BY-SA