Kedareshwara Temple and Jain Basadis, Halebidu, Karnataka

“As the cradle of the human race, southern Asia would alone have a dim and reverential feeling connected with it... No man can pretend that the wild, barbarous, and capricious superstitions of Africa, or of savage tribes elsewhere, affect him in the way that he is affected by the ancient, monumental, cruel, and elaborate religions of Indostan, &c. The mere antiquity of Asiatic things, of their institutions, histories, modes of faith, &c., is so impressive, that to me the vast age of the race and name overpowers the sense of youth in the individual.”

– Thomas De Quincey, “Confessions of an English Opium-Eater” (1821)

Forbiddingly dark, appealingly photoshopped - Parshvanatha Basadi

It had poured tremendously the entire night and consequentially the beautiful pink-blue early morning was chillier than usual. The still undisturbed landscape, lethargically being tinted yellow-green by feeble rays of sunshine twinkling and sparkling like otherworldly diamonds against tiny water droplets immovably lodged amidst leaves and foliage, was awash with telltale earthly fragrances indelibly associated with any respectable countryside – the distasteful, yet strangely attractive, odor of water-drenched rotting wood and plant waste coupled with that of fresh cowdung littered about, the unmistakably rural wood smoke drifting around and thoroughly enveloping a few households and, piercing it all, the uplifting aroma emanating from sugarcane and paddy fields interspersed by fragrant flower-bearing weeds and wildflowers. Even more pristine at this early hour than its idyllic reputation would foretell, Halebidu, formerly referred to as “Dwarasamudra”, the celebrated capital of the distinguished Hoysala sovereigns (reign AD 1026-1343 over most of Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh), was slowly beginning to rouse from its undisturbed soundless slumber. Lined along the streets, several of the bovine species sat contentedly ruminating and uninterestedly regarding the languid appearance of orange-red sun streaks on the horizon. Goaded into action by the sudden realization of querulous crows and roosters spontaneously awakening with daybreak, a few mangy dogs sprinted about collecting whatever rotten leftovers they could. Only the majestic eagles appeared to have conscientiously taken to heart the adage “Early bird gets the first worm” and were already gracefully reconnoitering in successively loftier circles the immense green fields.

Couple of hundred meters from the astonishingly gorgeous Hoysaleswara Temple, the foremost of the remarkably conceived, meticulously sculpted and architecturally unsurpassed Hoysala-era shrines dotting Karnataka’s indescribably verdant vast landscape, I stood opposite another cluster of sanctified shrines of Hindu and Jain denomination, assiduously designed, extraordinarily executed, similarly ornamented, physically smaller, equally historic, and yet far less renowned, in fact nearly irredeemably forgotten, vis-à-vis their enormous magnificent neighbor.

Minimalist - 180° panorama depicting (left to right) the Brahma Stambha, Shantinatha Basadi, Adinatha Basadi and Parshvanatha Basadi

The first self-effacing cluster, whose discontinuous construction was initiated during the supremacy of Hoysala sovereign Bittideva Vishnuvardhana (reign AD 1108-52), comprises three austerely ornamented Jain shrines ("Jinalaya"/"Basadi") composed of rudimentarily sculpted resilient granite intermittently interspersed by intricately ornate decorative panels and exquisitely polished lathe-turned pillars. Also existential within the limited peripheries of the small compound enclosing this cluster are an irregular zigzag-shaped sacred step-well (“pushkarni”) and a soaring 20-feet tall “Brahma stambha” pillar which unmistakably indicates the existence of a consecrated Jain site. The shrines, heralded by a huge, partially ruinous but excellently conserved and restored gateway and a Kannada inscription inscribed on a massive stone also depicting representations of a seated Jain Tirthankar (lit., “ford-maker”, omniscient spiritual teachers who attained liberty from the terrible cycle of rebirths and worldly attachment by fierce contemplative meditation, unremitting emphasis on non-violence, and the renunciation of worldly relationships and responsibilities) flanked by fly-whisk bearing celestial attendants, even though architecturally and artistically terribly austere and traditional, nonetheless undeniably succeed in impressing a casual visitor through their graceful humility and abhorrence of pretentious flamboyance.

It was also in Emperor Vishnuvardhana’s glorious reign that the aforementioned evocatively spellbinding Hindu shrine dedicated to Sri Hoysaleswara, and also the similarly magnificent one dedicated to Sri Chennakesava at Belur nearby, were conceived and commissioned (refer Pixelated Memories - Hoysaleswara Temple complex, Halebidu and Pixelated Memories - Sri Chennakesava Temple complex, Belur). Jain faith too found unequivocal resonance in his immense empire since he originally adhered dutifully to that faith, and his ethereally beautiful Queen Shantala Devi afterwards too continued to sincerely believe in and plentifully patronize Jainism despite his conversion.

Symbolism - Doorjamb, Parshvanatha Basadi 

Dedicated to the legendary twenty-third Tirthankara Parshvanatha (BC 872-772) and therefore unimaginatively christened “Vijaya Parshvanatha Jinalaya” (although it was originally acknowledged by the nomenclature “Dhrohagharatta Jinalaya”), the first shrine, physically grander and artistically significantly better refined than the other two, is preceded by a large, freestanding pillared hallway and possesses embossed on its doorjamb an exquisitely intricate depiction of a tiny seated figure of a long-eared Tirthankara superimposed with three successively smaller umbrellas above his head and a voluptuous, richly attired, heavenly attendant on either flank bearing regal yak-tail flywhisks. Against the wall rest several large stone tablets delicately carved with similar religious representations and engraved with numerous medieval inscriptions chronologically recounting the commission and construction of the shrine in AD 1133 by Boppadeva in loving memory of his father Gangaraja, a high-ranking minister in the illustrious court of Emperor Vishnuvardhana, and the subsequent financial donations and structural and ornamental additions to it.

The initial disappointment, if any, upon exploring the understated exteriors of the shrines instantaneously dissipates on stepping within. Originally, the drop-dead gorgeous interiors were illuminated only by minute streams of sunlight tracing their way in through the formidably set entrance, however presently numerous high-wattage fluorescent lamps have been embedded along the indentations and sharp vertexes defining the extensively conceived roof designs. Nonetheless, the unrelentingly grim severity of darkness further accentuates the forbiddingly straight vertical and horizontal lines that define the numerous deftly designed stone pillars that support the immensely heavy roof and are tantalizingly decorated with ornate strings of sculpted trinkets and meshwork patterns, but it also succeeds in blurring all but the most prominent of the methodically detailed nature of the delicately carved stone roof that graces the hallway preceding the sanctum.

Flawless symmetry - Subsidiary shrine, Parshvanatha Basadi

In the constricted sanctum, almost frighteningly rises wraith-like an enormous 18-feet tall, eerily glistening grey-black sculpture of Tirthankara Parshvanatha compassionately smiling, standing entirely naked against an exceptionally magnificently designed, highly symmetrical archway interposed with an enormous slithering seven-hooded serpent which also reverentially forms a protective canopy above the Lord to shield him from the elements. That the meager sunlight streaming through the cavernous entrance, which is equally proportioned as the massive sculpture, so brightly illuminates the latter that it almost perceptibly glows amidst the terrifyingly blinding darkness somehow initially proves intimidating, invoking a singular aura of being as emotionally threatening as visually mesmerizingly.

Except for the spatial dimensions of the considerably narrow, pillared hallway preceding it, the Shantinatha Basadi is almost equally proportioned, identically conceived and likewise ornamented as the Parshvanatha Basadi. Consecrated to the gold-complexioned sixteenth Tirthankara Shantinatha (who supposedly lived for over 50,000 years 10^194 years ago!!), it was commissioned in AD 1196 by an affluent merchant Madhukanna Vijayanna during the reign of Emperor Vishnuvardhana’s grandson Hoysala Veer Ballala II (reign AD 1173-1220), however it’s explicitly contended that the inelegant pillared hallway composed of unsophisticatedly rough-hewn granite was constructed during the culturally renowned Vijayanagar Dynasty reign (AD 1336-1646). Curiously, the entirety’s massive spatial extent regressively reduces the adjacently located, considerably smaller, far simplistically intended and rudimentarily crafted Adinatha Basadi, which it almost physically embraces, to the visual impression of being forcefully and asymmetrically wedged between its two larger contemporaries despite it being commissioned decades earlier in AD 1138 by Devara Heggade Mallimayya, another eminent minister in the distinguished court of Emperor Vishnuvardhana.

Medieval impressions - Commemorative inscription, Adinatha Basadi

Compared to the dexterously sculpted Parshvanatha Basadi, Shantinatha Basadi is a significantly simpler affair, both internally and externally, in terms of additional decorative appendages such as exquisitely carved decorative panels and the artistic nature of the 18-feet high hallowed sculpture deified in the congested, extraordinarily dark sanctum. Along the roof-level of the aforementioned pillared hallway are employed as restrained adornments fairly rounded, markedly well-spaced and singularly thick “kangura” patterns (battlement-like ornamentation).

The Karnataka circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) deserves to be highly commended for preserving and restoring these historic monuments as well as excellently maintaining the limited grass-shrouded space around them. The diligent caretakers employed too consider their duties as essential public service and perform them laudably conscientiously. What is most impressive however, which I’m sure any adherent to the essentially non-violent and all-embracing tenets of Jainism will indulgently approve, is that even though high-wattage fluorescent lights have been meticulously installed within the shrines to highlight their unique artistic adornments and architectural features, none have been mounted within the constricted sanctums where numberless tiny bats still continue to cheerfully roost and ceaselessly chirrup.

Displaying an unparalleled excellence of artistic conception and decorative embellishment including a spatially stellar geometric structure, a dense abundance of detailed representations of mythical entities, mythological deities and anthropomorphic creatures, and an overspilling profusion of dexterously carved, highly adorned sculptures festooned with flawless jewelry and religious symbolism, the Kedareshwara temple is located very slightly more than a stone’s throw away from the surprisingly simplistic Jain Basadi cluster. A beautiful exemplar of consummate Dravidian architecture, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death and destruction, and was jointly commissioned in AD 1219 by Emperor Veer Ballala II and his famous queen Abhinava Ketaladevi.

Unequaled - The Kedareshwara Temple

I shall only briefly touch upon enumerating the unique considerations exhibited by the Hoysala's Hinduism-oriented architecture since the same have been several times previously comprehensively described on this blog. Immediately conspicuous here too is the diligent attention to the minutest of ornamental details introduced by the extraordinarily accomplished artists, the overindulgence of the representation of imaginary entities like “Makara” (entities possessing the body of a fish, the face and tusks of an elephant, the limbs of a lion and the tail of a peacock) and “Kirtimukha” (the ferociously wide fanged, lion-like face of an all-consuming demon conceived and originated out of thin air by Lord Shiva to destroy other, mightier demons), the incredibly fantastical number of beyond-belief gorgeous sculptures of mythological deities and mythical anthropomorphic entities employed along the exterior surface barely below the layered-roof delineation and the composition of the hallowed superstructure’s colossal base comprising an outstanding variety of individualistic tiny horizontal columns (counting vertically upwards – charging elephants, fearsome lions, mounted horses, mythical “Makara” and beautiful swans respectively symbolizing insurmountable stability, formidable strength, matchless agility, unchallenged might and elegant grace; intermittently punctuated by extravagant flourishes of floral foliage scrolls and creepers and miniaturized discontinuous depictions of tales from the epics Ramayana, Mahabharata and the various Puranas, followed eventually in their turn by an exaggerated mesh work of small arched alcoves inset with tens of hundreds of smaller inconsequential deities, celestial dancers and divine devotees). The smaller images give way to larger sculptures, each an exemplar not only of unparalleled sculptural art, but also of excellent ancient mythological fables that even precisely specify how a deity is to be visually depicted and which weapon and which facial expression and bodily movement symbolically represents what action and which boon-bestowing capability!

Poetry in stone (V5.0)

On the walls are carved massive sculptures of several Hindu deities and their numerous different incarnations, most prominent being Lord Vishnu, the God of life and nourishment, and Lord Shiva, the God of death and destruction – thus there is the anthropomorphic, boar-faced Varaha mightily lifting Earth Goddess Bhudevi from the sea of ether after defeating the demons who had imprisoned her; the benevolent, boon-bestowing, omniscient aspect of Lord Vishnu flanked on either side by his wives Bhudevi and Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity; the ten-faced, ten-armed intellectual demon King Ravana of Lanka attempting to physically lift the massive Kailasha mountain, the abode of Lord Shiva; the supremely gifted archer-warlord Arjuna; the ten-armed Goddess Durga, a fierce manifestation of primordial feminine energy, piercing the body of buffalo-demon Mahishasura with her intimidatingly long trident; several representations of Lord Shiva furnishing his terrific trident and celestial drum and indulging in “Tandava” (the destructive dance of universal obliteration); Goddess Kali, the unruly manifestation of primordial feminine energy who reigns supreme over sexual acts and inclinations and death and destruction, being reverentially worshipped with musical instruments by cadaverous ghouls as she unusually exclaims with regret and shyness upon unknowingly stepping on her prostrate husband Lord Shiva; Lord Krishna (aka “Govardhana Girdhari” or “The Lifter of Mount Govardhana”), the ostentatious playboy-strategist-statesman-cow herder-warrior-philosopher who supposedly lived some 5,000 years ago and is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, physically lifting the mountain Govardhana to shield the inhabitants of his domain from a merciless hammering of fierce hailstorms invoked by indomitable demon lords; and Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness, knowledge and beginnings. My personal favorite, as always, remains “Gajasurasamhara”/“Gajacharmambaradhari” – six-armed, combative Lord Shiva wielding numerous weapons of death and devastation while dancing blissfully upon the decapitated head of the slain elephant-demon Gajasura whose flayed hide he triumphantly raises and brandishes as an enormous cloak while his followers gaze wide-eyed terrified and deferential.

"Gajasurasamhara" - The ecstasy of a triumphant God (V4.0)

The marvelous shrine’s and consequentially the sculptures’ smaller, more human, dimensions succinctly allowed the outstandingly accomplished craftsmen-sculptors to dexterously execute astonishingly vividly detailed artworks and exceedingly convoluted foliage flourishes and jewelry. What is more interesting however is the sartorial treatment of several of the more prominent sculptures – indeed numerous portrayals of Lord Shiva have been represented unclothed, except for extensive headgear and layers upon layers of slithering snakes and serpentine foliage not very differential from each other, therefore exposing his genitalia (more often than not, like numerous other exceedingly elegant sculptures, incorrigibly damaged and disfigured by the fiercely fanatical-iconoclast Muslim armies led by Malik Kafur, the ferociously barbaric eunuch General of Sultan Alauddin Khilji (reign AD 1296-1316) of Delhi Sultanate, who invaded and pitilessly ravaged Halebidu).

The road leading to the enviable shrines literally terminates at the sacred complex’s enclosing peripheries and beyond it begin ceaseless bountiful vibrant green fields. Adoringly gazing at the exceedingly delicate shrine while leaving, I could not help immediately reflecting that in numerous figurative ways too, it is indeed the end of the road. Historically, the breathtaking shrine can be chronologically considered one of the last Hoysala-era achievements and can unquestionably be regarded as cherished among its foremost distillations of miniaturization sculptural ornamentation. Little did I realize however that it would prove an agonizing end of road for me as well and soon I shall be leaving charismatic Karnataka for the immensely well-tread pathways of my beloved Delhi. I nostalgically hope to return someday.

Reconnoitering

Location: Basadihalli, approximately 500 meters from Halebidu bus stop.

How to reach: Hassan is accessible from different parts of Karnataka by regular KSRTC bus and Indian Railways train services. It is approximately 180 kilometers or five hours away by road from Bangalore. From Hassan, Halebidu is located about 32 kilometers or roughly one hour away by bus at the end of a journey that does take one on certain thoroughly pockmarked stretches of road winding through hill-flanked barren plains and fields. The bus service between Hassan and Halebidu is however not very regular and one might occasionally have to wait up to 30 minutes.

From Halebidu bus stop, keep walking towards the right for about 300 meters until you encounter another road branching off towards the left. Follow that road to reach the two temple complexes located almost adjacent in a straight line. The road terminates at Kedareshwara temple.

Open: Everyday, 8 am – 5 pm. On the occasional Sunday however, the part-time ASI caretaker, part-time knowledgeable guide at the Jain Basadi complex (though he vehemently refuses to accept pecuniary benefits for his generous assistance) might arrive around 8.30 am. The straightforward interiors of Kedareshwara temple are presently kept perennially locked and one can only look within through the iron grille.

Entrance fees: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 45 min each
Remarks – Footwear are not allowed inside the temples and have to be left outside. No toilets and drinking water facilities are available here, but the same can be availed at Halebidu bus stop/Hoysaleswara temple complex.
Relevant Links -

Other Hoysala-era shrines in Karnataka -

1. Pixelated Memories - Hoysaleswara Temple complex, Halebidu
2. Pixelated Memories - Sri Chennakesava Temple complex, Belur
3. Pixelated Memories - Sri Pataleshwara Temple, Belur
4. Pixelated Memories - Sri Prasanna Chennakesava Temple, Somnathpura

Suggested reading -

1. Deccanherald.com - Article "Halebeedu Jain basadi cries for attention" (dated Jan 17, 2012)
2. Fullstopindia.com - Kedareswara Temple: Off The Beaten Path in Halebid
3. Jainworld.com - 24 Tirthankaras
4. Karnatakatravelogue.blogspot.in - Kedareshwara temple and Parshwanatha Jain Basadi of Halebid
5. Thehindu.com - Article "Incredibly beautiful, but simply ignored" (dated July 10, 2010) by Shama Sunder
6. Wikipedia.org - Adinatha (Rishabhanatha)
7. Wikipedia.org - Parshvanatha
8. Wikipedia.org - Shantinatha
9. Wikipedia.org - Veera Ballala II

Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi

“When you’ve lived with someone for so long, the first few weeks after the break-up are strange times indeed. You have two options: you can either sit huddled up in a corner, a bottle of gin in one hand, a fag in the other, howling the lyrics of all those love songs or you can get up, get dressed and get out. I chose Option Two. I went out. Every night. Every single night, so incapable was I of staying home and facing my solitude. I went to the cinema, the theater, pubs, clubs, wine bars, restaurants, galleries, cultural talks, city walks – the opening of a tin of tuna if I thought there’d be people there. Even the gym held a certain appeal, for verily it is written: misery loves company. When I did find myself home alone, I had the TV and the radio blaring and was on the phone non-stop. Bewitched, bothered and bewildered was I.”

– Wendy Salisbury, “The Toyboy Diaries”

My recent break-up, heartrendingly painful as it was, pushed me to seek solemn solace in the streets of my beloved Delhi – my feet traversing paths that they had tread on numerous occasions previously; my mind, numbed as it was with recollections and idealizations, longing for company and asylum in delicate restaurants, magnificent monuments and forgotten corners that the city graciously offers to those who pry through its hordes of unmentionable secrets. I found myself once more in the beautifully pristine, wilderness reclaimed, forgotten and secluded Mehrauli Archaeological Complex where lie scattered, amidst the considerable remnants of large settlements and massive trees with gnarled, all-encompassing branches, magnificent ruins of enormous mausoleums, mosques and step-wells pertaining to almost a millennium of construction that cannot but be nonetheless regarded as only a fraction of architectural and cultural heritage in the immensity that is the grand city’s historical existence – and yet, despite its unmistakable reputation as being one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements within the city, the area possesses the unenviable notoriety as being a potentially unsafe, spine-chillingly haunted dark forest, redolent of death and destruction, where the trees bend closer to whisper dark secrets and even the birds too maintain a hushed unmentionable silence.

Haunted territory - Mehrauli Archaeological Park

I realized I hadn’t yet penned an article reflecting upon the complex’s renewed lease of life at the hands of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) who are exhuming the remains of structures, colossal and small, from underneath layers of earth and vegetation where they were buried for centuries since soon after the area was abandoned by the general population following the revolt of 1857 (First War of Independence/Sepoy Mutiny) and the implications that followed – in fact within the park complex, it isn’t surprising at all to come across huge chambers, buried underground in their entirety, their arches and collapsed roofs peeping through the grass and shrubbery, nor is it inconsequential to realize that here, of all places, in this distant corner of the city, ornamental British monuments (“follies”) exist next to splendid, miniaturized Mughal-era (AD 1526-1857) mausoleums, tell-tale distinctive Lodi-era (AD 1451-1526) mosques and even earlier still settlement ruins and mausoleums inspiringly dated to the Slave Dynasty reign (AD 1192-1290). I have indeed penned individualized posts about most of the major structures within the complex and here of course, they shall be interconnected along with a map depicting the presence of each of these structures, nonetheless it is the smaller, regrettably insignificant structures that I shall dwell upon here since it is these that I somehow find the most surprising and bewitching, not because of their commendable architectural and artistic features, but simply because there is such an overabundance of them that I feel astonished at the existence and requirement for so many of them – wall mosques (“qibla”) of varied dimensions and artistic ornamentation, yet retaining the overall similar structural features; rows upon rows of enclosed chambers, stables and residences; smaller mosques, many of them now encroached upon, refurbished, rebuilt and repainted to function as madrasas (Islamic seminaries) and residences for local Muslim priests and scholars; and such diminutive domed structures that I’m apprehensive of regarding as funerary structures and would have, if I was qualified enough, classified as guardhouses or some such similar functional building.

Fragments of an eventful history

It is said that the region was crisscrossed by trade routes that connected Delhi to central Asia and beyond and thus was frequented by caravans consisting of camels, horses and pack mules laden with aromatic spices, luxurious silks, precious jewels and royal gifts; mendicants and learned dervishes, their thirst for knowledge and religious mysticism unquenched and their pursuance of the same drawing them to the erudite sages and masters of Indian peninsula; regal messengers and couriers with their secretive messages and exclusive gifts and mementoes. It was here that Sultan Ghiyasuddin Bahauddin Balban (ruled AD 1266-86) decided to commission a beautiful, sober mausoleum for his deceased son Muhammad “Khan Shahid” and where he himself was laid to eternal rest in a grand and architecturally prominent tomb after he mournfully expired bereaving the latter’s demise (refer Pixelated Memories - Khan Shahid's Tomb and Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb). The establishment of a small rural settlement adjacent the trade route prompted the renowned Sufi mystic Sheikh Fazlullah Jalaluddin Khan “Jamali” Kamboh Dehlavi to establish his monastery here and construct the massive mosque complex (and later his artistically remarkable mausoleum), still thoroughly famed as Jamali-Kamali and presently the epitome of architectural heritage within the park where, seated upon an expansive incline, it prominently occupies the position of honor as the single outstanding monument which architecturally and artistically inspired nearly all the lavish mosque complexes that chronologically followed it (refer Pixelated Memories - Jamali Kamali Complex). I generally make it a point to enter the park complex through a small obscure opening in the periphery wall slightly offset from the intersection of the arterial, perennially crowded Mehrauli-Badarpur and Mahipalpur-Gurgaon roads at Lado Serai since the path quickly takes one past these two major set of ruins (two motorable entrances also exist – the first adjacent the renowned Qutb complex (refer Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex) and the other on the other side of Balban’s tomb projecting from the Mahipalpur-Gurgaon highway).

Flamboyance personified - Within the mausoleum of Sheikh Jamali Kamboh Dehlavi

The large settlement that existed here must also have possessed several inns and resthouses for weary travelers which might explain the presence of such large stables and it is quite possible that many of them did construct smaller, individualized wall mosques in the vicinity to cater to the religious needs of their influential patrons. In one of the furthest corners of the complex where the comprehensive folds of thick, impenetrable vegetation gives way to an open ground used by the local kids for games of crickets, exists the thoughtfully landscaped, beautifully adorned mausoleum of Mirza Quli Khan, a foster brother of Mughal Emperor Akbar (reign AD 1556-1605) (refer Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb). Sir Charles Metcalfe, the Agent (negotiator) of British East India “trading” Company at the royal court of Emperor Bahadur Shah “Zafar” (reign AD 1837-57) purchased this monument and had it luxuriously converted into his summer retreat and guesthouse retrofitted with additional “follies” (ornamental architectural entities eponymously designed to appear ruined/monumental) such as “chattris” (umbrella domes surmounted upon slender ornamental pillars), gingerbread hut-like guardhouses, adornment bridges and stepped pyramids (“ziggurats”) – one such chattri was also conceived and commissioned upon a slightly rolling hillscape immediately opposite the attractive Jamali-Kamali complex (refer Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Chattri).

Unbelievably contrasting with the magnificently multi-hued and symmetrically ordered rose garden that has been established within the park periphery abutting its extremities along the Lado Serai-Qutb Complex connecting road, past the portion of the park where there still is some semblance of civilizational presence, past the region where the winding serpentine pathways have been shrouded with layers of red soil and cobbled stone and there do exist varieties of flora and fauna apart from lithe goats, ubiquitous Kikar trees (Prosopis juliflora) and ever-garrulous Jungle Babbler birds (Turdoides striata), the thoroughly-vegetated 200-acre complex transforms into a threatening, dark and forgotten patch of forest crisscrossed by deep sewage channels, untrodden pathways and desolate remains of decrepit mausoleums (most of which have been documented on this blog in the past, follow the links mentioned at the end of this article). Nearby appear like mirages two majestic step-wells (“baolis”), since christened “Rajon ki Baoli” and “Gandhak ki Baoli” as a consequence of their association with masons (“Rajon”) and Sulphur (“Gandhak”) (refer Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli and Pixelated Memories - Gandhak ki Baoli).

Detritus from an age of sophistication - One of the disintegrated Qibla walls within the complex

Several of the predominantly small, single-floored structures, vibrantly painted white bearing highlights in green, continue to function as mosques in this part of the complex and bear names such as “Choti Bagh wali Masjid” (“The Mosque within the Small Garden”) and “Neem wali Masjid” (“The Mosque with the Tamarind Tree”) – the entire area within the park complex and beyond was originally referred to as “Nazir ka Bagh” (“Nazir’s Garden”), though sadly it is no longer remembered who Nazir was or what age did he live in, however the Muslim Waqf Board (the custodian of Islamic funerary zones) inherently claims most of the park as its property on account of it largely being an enormous funerary land, leading to tussles with the ASI and Indian National Trust for Cultural and Architectural Heritage (INTACH) and counter-accusations of encroachment and monumental damage (point in case – Pixelated Memories - Choti Masjid Bagh wali). One does reverentially hope that the issues are quickly resolved and the complex can be conserved and the monuments restored to present a larger, better preserved archaeological and heritage zone in continuation with the majestic Qutb Complex adjacent. Nonetheless, observing the immensely satisfactory restoration drive affected upon several historically important monuments, especially the hallowed Jamali-Kamali complex, one is subconsciously reminded of the below mentioned phrase from Bible (John 11:25) –

“I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”

Situated like an eagle’s nest upon an eyrie and overlooking the massive expanse of the archaeological complex from across the Gurgaon-Mahipalpur highway exists the formidable mausoleum of Azim Khan, another foster brother and army general in the court of Emperor Akbar (refer Pixelated Memories - Azim Khan's Tomb). The entire area, in fact, is literally dotted with monuments, shrines and mausoleums, considerable and minor, and can be unarguably regarded as one of the foremost sites of civilizational heritage in the beautiful cityscape – a postcard image of Delhi that was, frozen to portray the amalgam of political and financial power, majestic architecture and exquisite artworks nestled amidst lush foliage and vast landscaped plains – this truly is a representative of Delhi, The City of Cities, the City of Djinns!

White with green highlights - Neem wali Masjid

Location: Lado Serai intersection
Nearest Metro station: Qutb Minar
Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai
How to reach: The park's entrance is immediately opposite Lado Serai bus stop at the intersection of Mehrauli-Badarpur and Badarpur-Gurgaon roads. Walk/avail an auto from Qutb Minar metro station or avail a bus from Saket metro station. Visually appropriate sandstone markers indicate the routes to different monuments inside the park.
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: Approx. 6 hrs
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food or drinking water) available within the complex. While one can avail food and refreshments at one of the restaurants at Lado Serai, toilet facilities can only be availed at the shopping malls close to Saket Metro Station, almost a kilometer away. The park remains deserted in the evenings and is best avoided then by female enthusiasts.
Monuments within the park complex -

1. Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb 
2. Pixelated Memories - Chaumukh Darwaza
3. Pixelated Memories - Gandhak ki Baoli
4. Pixelated Memories - Jamali Kamali Complex
5. Pixelated Memories - Khan Shahid's Tomb
6. Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb
7. Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Tomb
8. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Chattri
9. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Ziggurats and Guardhouses
10. Pixelated Memories - Mughal Tombs and Choti Masjid Bagh wali
11. Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli
12. Pixelated Memories - Rectangular Canopy
13. Pixelated Memories - Ruins, Mehrauli Archaeological Park 
14. Pixelated Memories - Settlement ruins
15. Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb

Other monuments/landmarks located in the vicinity -

1. Pixelated Memories - Ahinsa Sthal
2. Pixelated Memories - Azim Khan's Tomb
3. Pixelated Memories - Hazrat Kaki's Dargah
4. Pixelated Memories - Moti Masjid
5. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex
6. Pixelated Memories - Unmarked Ruins, Mehrauli

Suggested reading -

1. Indianexpress.com - Article " Years of neglect and many talks later, Mehrauli park will get a touch-up" (dated Dec 30, 2010) by Sweta Dutta 
2. Milligazette.com - Article "Heritage Park in Mehrauli area is Waqf land" (dated Aug 02, 2014) by NA Ansari
3.  Thefirstmail.in - Article "Demarcate area of Mehrauli Archaeological Park & Waqf land: HC" (dated May 20, 2015)
4. Thehindu.com - Article "Unkempt and uncared for" (dated Jan 12, 2013) by Sohail Hashmi 

Gandhak ki Baoli, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi

A few posts ago, I wrote an article pertaining to Rajon ki Baoli in Mehrauli Archaeological Park (Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli). Continuing with the thread, we head to Gandhak ki Baoli located not very far from the former at the periphery of the park and demarcating the vast complex from the congested, overcrowded Mehrauli village. The easiest way to reach the baoli therefore is not through the forested archaeological complex stuffed with thorny shambles and dense overgrowth, but from the outside – simply walk from Adham Khan’s tomb/Mehrauli bus terminal towards the adjacent shrines dedicated to Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki and Sardar Banda Bahadur (the nondescript route is indicated by numerous markers and painted signage along the road), the baoli is only a couple of meters from the bus terminal along the route. In a commentary on the neglect on the part of authorities towards this beautiful medieval structure, though there are direction markers leading to the shrines, there are none indicating the presence of the baoli.

Containing water rich in sulphur ("gandhak") that is considered beneficial for skin ailments, the baoli was constructed during the reign of Sultan Shamshuddin Iltutmish (AD 1296-1316) – one belief is that the Sultan himself swiftly commissioned the baoli when he arrived uninvited to Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki’s monastery and learnt that the saint, not being able to avail potable water for the purposes of bathing and ablutions, was forced to remain in a disheveled and unwashed state. The unadorned structure possesses five levels and diminishes in thickness as it descends deeper underground in order to withstand the increased subterranean pressure. The two monotonously plain arms of the baoli are composed of rough rubble and stone; simplistic narrow walkways define the boundary between the successively less wider levels and there are neither chambers circumambulating the structure nor alcoves ornamenting the surface as is the case with most baolis throughout the city. Only the topmost level displays a rudimentary cloistered area utilizing thin pillars that are reminiscent of pillars observed in the nearby Qutb complex (refer Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex) that were derived from Hindu and Jain shrines for the construction of Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque; the lower levels display just two pillars demarcating the wall that separates the baoli tank from the well shaft behind. Despite its location in a naturally arid region unable to retain monsoonal overflow, the baoli continues to remain brimming with cool water for a major part of the year – in fact, though I visited the monument in scorching June and July, it was filled with water till just below its topmost level and local children were diving from the terraces into the tank. The splash of divers, combined with the laughter and shrieks of kids and the shouts of the elders sitting along the stairs and exchanging everyday news and gossip, is indescribable since it immediately transports an onlooker to a time framed eight centuries ago when the baoli was constructed since the scene hasn’t changed at all since then. This is one baoli that, true to its original purpose, continues to function as a venue for social congregations while providing respite from the sweltering heat.

Water, water everywhere

The baoli has not remained untouched by the urbanization pressure exerted by an ever expanding congested neighborhood and while its periphery has been wedged in by high iron railings, the entire area around has been engulfed by thickly populated residences and shanties – notwithstanding the important legislation prohibiting construction activities in a 100 meter radius around a monument, the baoli’s backyard has been taken over by a slum and commercial establishments are being ominously raised and run along the road snaking adjacent to the baoli unmindful of its historicity or heritage value. Though Delhi High Court severely reprimanded the municipal authorities and police way back in March 2014 on account of their failure to curb construction activities, I noted buildings coming up and being renovated immediately opposite the baoli as late as July 2014. As it is, the baoli already remains dry part of the year and is experiencing a decrement in its water level on account of the relentless massive water supply requirement of the local population, the construction work further compounds the problem many fold and endangers the baoli structure. It would be a major loss if the neglected baoli is any further damaged – the serene experience of being magically transported back in time and being alienated from the noise and commotion that ensues outside the enclosure is simply otherworldly and would be hard to replicate if this majestic 800-year old water monument is lost. There was a era long gone by when divers would jump in the water chasing after the coins thrown by visitors – that age is never coming again given Delhi’s depleted water table and the impossibility of reviving it; hope we don’t reach a situation in the future when people rue the absence of water in the baoli. 

And not a drop to drink! (Photo courtesy - Wikimedia.org)

Sincerest thanks to Rangan Datta, a very warm person and an amazing blogger chronicling Calcutta's culture and monuments (Rangandatta.wordpress.com) for visiting the Mehrauli area with me and helping explore almost a dozen monuments, including this baoli.

Location: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset
Entrance Fees: Nil
Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai
Nearest Metro Station: Saket
How to Reach: The Archaeological Park's entrance is immediately opposite Lado Serai bus stop and at the intersection of Mehrauli-Badarpur and Badarpur-Gurgaon roads. The metro station is further away and one can avail a 10-min bus ride from Saket to Lado Serai. Sandstone markers indicate the routes to different monuments inside the park.
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: Approx. 20 min
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food or drinking water) available within the Archaeological Park. While you can avail food & refreshments at one of the restaurants at Lado Serai, you can only find toilets at the shopping malls close to Saket Metro Station, almost a kilometre away. The park remains deserted in the evenings and is best avoided then by female enthusiasts.
Other famous baolis in Delhi -

1. Pixelated Memories - Agrasen ki Baoli
2. Pixelated Memories - Baoli, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
3. Pixelated Memories - Feroz Shah Kotla fortress and baoli
4. Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli
5. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort Baoli
6. Pixelated Memories - Baoli, Wazirpur cluster

Other monuments within the Archaeological Park premises -

1. Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb
2. Pixelated Memories - Chaumukh Darwaza
3. Pixelated Memories - Jamali Kamali Complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Khan Shahid's Tomb
5. Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb
6. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Chattri
7. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Ziggurats
8. Pixelated Memories - Rajon ki Baoli
9. Pixelated Memories - Settlement ruins
10. Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb

Also located nearby - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki's Dargah
2. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex

Suggested reading - 

1. Simondetreywhite.com - Delhi’s Baolis
2. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com - Article "Ancient baoli under siege" (dated March 30, 2014) by Abhinav Garg and Richi Verma

Rajon ki Baoli, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi

Despite the presence of river Yamuna, Delhi has always been besieged by a deficiency of water, a problem further magnified by an amalgamation of extremely long spells of sweltering summer and the proximity to vast arid regions of Haryana and Rajasthan towards the south and west of the state. The medieval-era population of the city, thus overwhelmed, resorted to construction of wells, dams and artificial lakes to hold water during the short but cheerful monsoon and make it available for agriculture and daily consumption when the summer became scorching. Of all such practical water conservation and transfer structures built, the most aesthetically pleasing were the “baolis”, or step wells, that are even centuries later regarded as a brilliant fusion of architectural and artistic sensibilities conceived to serve simultaneously the purpose of both form and function. The general plan of a baoli consists of an enormously deep subterranean shaft equipped with a wide staircase descending to the water level, the face opposite the staircase outfitted with numerous shallow chambers and passages for the people to rest in and enjoy the considerably cooler ambiance, while the two arms connecting the staircase and the baoli face might possess similar chambers or ledges for the patrons to walk on that also act as diving boards facilitating plunges into the deep tank underneath for the more adventurous. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule – the baoli in Delhi’s medieval citadel Feroz Shah Kotla (refer Pixelated Memories - Feroz Shah Kotla) is circular, so are numerous other baolis scattered throughout north and central India; the one in Red Fort is L-shaped (refer Pixelated Memories - Red Fort Baoli) and though most baolis commissioned by Islamic rulers and patrons are relatively plain and unadorned, the ones built by Hindu kings and patrons are very finely detailed and sculpted into places of religious devotion and congregation. These step wells were not just source of water for daily ablutions and washing, but were also used for gatherings, leisurely swimming and as a resort against the sweltering summer heat. 

The well of the masons

The historically important settlement at Mehrauli, considered to be the oldest populated region in Delhi and its vicinity, would have once faced an extreme scarcity of water given that the area is dotted by natural rocky outcrops that would not have been capable of retaining water runoff, hence the presence of several baolis, dams and water reservoirs here spread over more than a millennium of construction and architectural development. Rajon ki Baoli, also known as Rajon ki Bain, not the most popular, nor the largest or deepest, but certainly one of the most beautiful and architecturally prominent baolis of the city hides in plain view in the wilderness of Mehrauli Archaeological Park, camouflaging itself amongst numerous other medieval structures. 

The beautiful baoli complex - On the right terrace are the tomb-mosque complex

Said to be constructed by a certain Daulat Khan during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi (ruled AD 1489-1517), the grand baoli is said to be christened considering that it was used as a residence by local masons (“rajon”/”mistri”) till around the early 20th century. Descending down four levels, the baoli today holds a very small amount of black gooey water (hence the alternate name “Sookhi baoli” or “the dry step well”) and is not in use for any particular purpose except dumping wastes and polythene packets, but it nonetheless retains its original graceful charm and architectural beauty, especially since it has been very recently restored as part of the overall conservation effort for the entire archaeological complex being spearheaded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) – the baoli’s magnificence has more to do with the sudden thrill that one unexpectedly experiences on entering the small enclosure that makes up the circumference of the baoli and its associated structures since the descending structure slowly reveals itself to the eye as one walks towards the broad staircase. On either side run a row of chambers along the first level culminating into a circumambulatory cloistered and enclosed passageway on the baoli’s opposite face. The levels down below, except for the chambers on the face, are entirely plain and display the rough hewn rock and the bare rubble framework of the entire structure. On the left side though, a few large fragments of the underlying rock still protrude from the walls and it set me thinking as to why these fragments were never removed even though the baoli has been in existence for over five centuries and has been in use for a major part of its age. The walls also have small shallow alcoves where once earthenware lamps (“diyas”) would have been lighted up for ease of use during night gatherings and ablutions. 

Dry and desolate - Another view of the baoli's structure

Staircases on either side lead up to the terrace level and from here one can spot the vast expanse of the archaeological park spread around and even make out the domes and outlines of several tombs and wall mosques (“qiblas”) strewn around the historic baoli complex. On the right terrace exist a small rectangular mosque and a distinctive twelve-pillared canopy tomb (“barakhamba”). Opposite the tomb is an alternate entrance  that connects the terrace to that particular side of the archaeological complex. The entrance gateway is a compelling structure, it is always interesting to observe the trabeate arches (thick stone ledges of subsequently increasing sizes placed one over the other to span space), invented (and modified to resemble arches) by Hindu masons for their Muslim patrons and emperors in the immediate aftermath of the first Muslim invasions in the country (late 12th century), but the touch of Hindu influences, in the form of elephants and round vessels overflowing with vines or floral outbursts, is ubiquitous in the entire structure despite the fact that it was being used several centuries after it was first modified for use in Muslim religious buildings. Though the construction of a proper arch (Roman arch) had been mastered by the time the baoli complex was developed, the artists and sculptors continued to use the trabeate arch and ornament it in the fashion of yore proves that the unique design found resonance amongst the patrons who commissioned these structures. Proceeding towards the mosque-tomb duo one occasionally peeps down on the expansive stairs of the baoli – the depth and the square strength of the structure, combined with a fear of heights and an inability to swim, gave me a sudden rush of adrenaline and set my heart racing apace!

Blue! - The twelve-pillared tomb and the mosque adjacent

The tomb is a handsome little structure with a perfectly round dome embossed with an inverted floral imprint and surmounted by a lotus finial. Very well preserved considering its vintage, the tomb displays remnants of blue tiles ornamenting the kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation) along its roof and drum (base) of dome. A red sandstone plaque embedded in the side facing the entrance gateway is inscribed with calligraphy text detailing that it was commissioned in AD 1506 and constructed during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi. Externally, the tomb appears to be an exact, though slight larger, architectural replica of a similar tomb that stands opposite the baoli complex and has been mentioned about here – Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb, but when one peeps in one can make out numerous differences, for instance this tomb doesn't have any decorative sandstone brackets along the dome’s concave surface for ornamentation, but does possess a fairly well-defined incised plaster roof medallion and a pretty band of calligraphy above a strip of decorative alcove patterns. 

One of the gorgeous stucco medallions on the mosque's surface. Similar medallions of several exquisite designs also adorn the baoli's cloisters.

The mosque adjacent, though restored and plastered over externally, remains untouched internally and presents a strange gloomy picture as if it sits at the interface of two extremely different and separated time periods – one modern, glowing and majestically ornamented, the other dark, decaying and subjected to isolation and neglect. Indeed there couldn't have been a better picture of contrasts, while on the exterior the gorgeous and very exquisite medallions beckon visitors, the interiors are draped in layers of cobwebs and small mud nests of hornets. Nonetheless, the mosque retains an outward appearance of serenity, further magnified by the silence and seclusion it espouses – the three wide arched entrances throw in large swathes of light and set the double pillars, the intricate clusters of brackets along the roof and the medallions adorning the walls ablaze in a play of light and shadows. The mihrabs (wall of a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca, to be faced by the faithful while offering prayers) have been sculpted skillfully and ornamented with intricate medallions and elaborate rows of calligraphic inscriptions interspersed by dexterous use of convoluted and striking floral and geometric patterns. Through staircases built in each edge of the mosque’s front face, one can climb up the domeless roof and observe the majesty of the gigantic baoli foreshadowed by the perfect dome of the tomb seated between and the vibrance of the brilliant blue tiles shattering the dull monotony of red sandstone. Hundreds of peacocks that nest in the trees surrounding the baoli take to air suddenly and without any provocation and dazzle every onlooker – from the workers intent on restoring the baoli’s structure to the visitors marveling at its beauty – with a noisome flutter of wings and shuddering of entire trees when they alight. 

Dark and ignored - The mosque's interiors and the distinctive Lodi architecture influences

Climbing down, I headed to the cavernous cloistered passages on either side of the baoli – I still cannot fathom why all medieval monuments have such narrow stairs built in their walls, and then too with such far-spaced steps – hoping that in those days the walls flanking the flight of steps weren't engulfed in thick layers of spider webs like they are today, the dark and narrow staircases still are disasters waiting to happen! The elegant symmetry of the passages, with rows of arched openings on one side looking down to the baoli and walls lined with solid pillars culminating in arched walkways, is beyond belief picturesque. The silence is mesmerizing, one can easily be lost here and spend hours with a book or with earphones plugged in without the outside world bothering or even knowing. One can also climb, through similarly narrow staircases, to even lower levels of the baoli, if not inhibited by a fear of rough uneven staircases and the surface holes one is supposed to descend into to reach and explore them. 

One of the passages and one of the most common click of the baoli

It is a pity that the baoli, delightfully bejeweled with stunning medallions and fine stucco moldings in several patterns, is nestled amidst such a wilderness in the extreme corner of the vast archaeological complex, with only thorny bushes, feral dogs and stinking pigs for company, though it is in a much better condition structurally and aesthetically when compared to the twelve-pillared canopy tomb immediately opposite it and across the unpaved pathway, or the other assorted crumbling and forgotten structures that encircle it on all sides throughout the massive complex, but one has only to walk around behind the baoli to see that the mosque’s walls are still blackened and at several places reveal the rubble base underneath, or that the arcade around the octagonal well abutting the baoli on its backside is entirely assimilated in vegetation and can do with a much-desired clearing of the thorny foliage. One can only hope that in a few years when the structures in the archaeological complex have been properly excavated and restored and the park is entirely developed and lined with walkways and gardens, the baoli would be a centerpiece, far more renowned and attractive than it is today.

Forested and forgotten - The baoli mosque's backyard

Location: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset 

Entrance Fees: Nil

Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai
Nearest Metro Station: Saket
How to Reach: The Archaeological Park's entrance is immediately opposite Lado Serai bus stop and at the intersection of Mehrauli-Badarpur and Badarpur-Gurgaon roads. The metro station is further away and one can avail a 10-min bus ride from Saket to Lado Serai. Sandstone markers indicate the routes to different monuments inside the park. 

Photography/Video charges: Nil 

Time required for sightseeing: Approx. 30 min
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food or drinking water) available within the Archaeological Park. While you can avail food & refreshments at one of the restaurants at Lado Serai, you can only find toilets at the shopping malls close to Saket Metro Station, almost a kilometre away. The park remains deserted in the evenings and is best avoided then by female enthusiasts.
Other famous baolis in Delhi -

1. Pixelated Memories - Agrasen ki Baoli
2. Pixelated Memories - Baoli, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
3. Pixelated Memories - Feroz Shah Kotla fortress and baoli
4. Pixelated Memories - Red Fort Baoli
5. Pixelated Memories - Baoli, Wazirpur cluster

Other monuments within the Archaeological Park premises - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb
2. Pixelated Memories - Chaumukh Darwaza
3. Pixelated Memories - Jamali Kamali Complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Khan Shahid's Tomb
5. Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb
6. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Chattri
7. Pixelated Memories - Metcalfe's Ziggurats
8. Pixelated Memories - Settlement ruins
9. Pixelated Memories - Quli Khan's Tomb

Suggested Reading - Terrascape.in - "The baolis of Mehrauli" by Sohail Hashmi