Mysore Palace, Mysore

"We are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven,

That which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

– Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Ulysses"

It was with memories of Delhi's unparalleled historicity, inimitable visual settings and unsurpassed monumental and architectural heritage that I made my way towards Mysore, the city of majestic palaces and exceedingly affluent Maharajas, and realized that the beautiful city – with its exceptional palaces, splendid gardens, delectable food, unequaled crafts and sculptural streetscape – can never possibly disappoint me.

A hundred years ago, in the years 1897-1912, inspired by an urge for the facilitation of posterity, Wadiyars/Wodeyars, the prosperous and far-sighted Maharajas of Mysore/Karnataka, constructed in the heart of the city at the exact location where an earlier wood palace existed and burnt to ground a magnificent palace christened "Ambavilas", whose numerous domed towers dominated the skyline and the stories of whose unimaginably rich opulence traveled far and wide. The emblematic palace complex, commissioned by H.H. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (reign AD 1894-1940) at the insistence of his mother Maharani Vani Vilas Sannidhana and designed by the renowned British architect Henry Irwin in the unique Indo-Saracenic style (which involves an aesthetic infusion of traditional Indian architectural features to an otherwise largely Gothic/Victorian building plan) has since come to be considered as a remarkable exemplar of the building style and is, both as an exceedingly important heritage and visual feature, impossibly hard to miss as soon as one steps within the expansive city. The structure was further expanded by Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (reign 1940-50, following which he signed the instrument for the assimilation of the state of Mysore in the Republic of India) to its present majestic proportions.

Grace, granite and symmetry

Stepping through the ornate southern gateway, intensely decorated with elaborate plasterwork patterns culminating into numerous motifs, overhanging ornamental windows ("jharokhas") and sculptures of Hindu deities, one comes face to face with the mammoth palace diagonally visible. The feeling of excitement at witnessing the beautiful gateways and the intricately carved massive temple complexes that are scattered throughout the complex (including immediately opposite the gateway just a few steps within the complex periphery) spontaneously gives way to disbelief – the colossal three-storied palace looms indomitable in the distance, the subdued simplicity and graceful curves of the sunlight-yellow temples embedded along its sides and the flanking cream-yellow tinged with white ancillary buildings harmoniously contrasting and lending a masculine footing to the astounding magnificence of the splendid gray-red granite front facade – one realizes that none of the photos seen online or any of the stories about the structure's opulence can do justice to the marvel it really is. The inspiringly symmetrical facade with its nine giant arches (of which two slightly narrower ones flank the central) and the numerous smaller ones stretching along the ground floor are terminated by the soaring five-storied corner towers that are surmounted by onion domes whose vibrant pink-red tinge glimmers against the brilliant blue of Mysore's sky; the center, crowned by a complicated golden dome that sits on an enormously high and narrow base and supports upon itself a domed kiosk, is surrounded by clusters of smaller ornamental "chattris" (onion domes surmounted upon slender decorative pillars) and is further outlined against the breathtaking symmetry of the roof and the line of arches by a curved, gently upraised shrine housing in its bosom a beautiful sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity being showered with milk and nectar by two impeccably carved elephants. To the credit and genius of the the architect and his team of builders, the visual depiction is unbelievably flawless, undeniably fascinating. In the distant background rise the sheer peaks of the renowned Chamundi Hills.

Delicate - The southern gateway, presently used for tourist entry

Heading closer to the palace building, one comes face to face, through an obstructive veil of ungainly net that keeps the birds away, with the alluringly detailed artwork adorning the numerous (slightly perceptibly) curved concave surfaces of the roof that stretch between each of the giant arches – the central one depicts, within an inconceivably excellent paintwork design consisting of peacocks strutting amidst numerous floral and vegetative motifs, a vivid blue expansive sky, interspersed with zodiac constellations and angels and cherubs. In the center of the unblemished blue blossoms a gigantic, resplendent, multi-petalled flower, whose center is divided into quarters, three of which illustrate the three supreme omnipresent, omnipotent Hindu deities – Brahma (the God of creation and learning and the progenitor of all soul and matter) seated with the two forms of his consort Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge, learning and music) upon the celestial swan, Vishnu (the Lord of life and nourishment) seated with his consort Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth and auspiciousness) upon the primal seven-headed serpent deity Sheshnaga and Shiva (the Lord of death and destruction) and his consort Parvati (Goddess of love, feminine fertility and devotion) flanked by their sons Kartikeya (the young God of war and victory) and Ganesha (the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness). The fourth quarter depicts the eight-armed benevolent Goddess Durga astride her mighty lion – legend is that the nomenclature "Mysore/Mysuru" is derived from "Mahishasura", an incredible powerful demon lord endowed with immense physical and spiritual strength and sorcery who could exist either in human or buffalo form and was eventually slayed by the Goddess after he unquestionably defeated the divine armies and set them back with irreversible losses. Wadiyars consider the Goddess, or rather her alternate form Chamundeshwari (the fearsome primordial feminine spirit who revels in bloodbath and necromancy), as their patron mother deity. Though equally immersed in the intricacies of the artwork and impressed by its colorful grandeur, one doesn't as yet even begin to imagine a minute fraction of the palace's splendor nor conceive its overall awe-inspiring visual magnificence and aesthetic superiority. Nonetheless, Amir Khusro's famous quote comes to mind instantaneously –

“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o, hameen ast-o, hameen ast”

("If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this")

Paradise on earth?

The entrance to the palace is through a passageway on the other side, where, before proceeding any further, one has to take off one's footwear and deposit them at one of the numerous counters over which painted in capital, bold white against indig background are the words "Free Counters/Don't pay tips" (but then, it being India and rules being necessarily violable, the shoe keepers did ask for tips when I returned at the end of the day to collect my shoes – I did not pay, of course). On the ground floor exist two individualistic but interconnected stunning passages which together constitute a viewing gallery christened as "Gombe Thotti" ("Doll pavilion") and where housed within glass frames are numerous traditional Indian dolls dating from 19th-20th century along with several ceremonial objects, richly dressed, finely adorned sculptures of Hindu deities and royal regalia such as elephant "howdahs" (huge royal pavilions that used to be mounted on elephants for the King and his kin to sit in during processions and religious ceremonies) decorated with several score kilograms of gold.

Chiseled to perfection - One of the several jaguar sculptures that dot the palace complex

Wedged between the two passages is an enormously vast and immensely high double-storied octagonal chamber supported upon slender ornamental fluted pillars and sheltered from the elements by perplexingly beautiful stained glass windows whose numerous vibrantly colorful patterns mirror the mesmerizing beauty of peacock tails and are reflected in the outstanding multi-hued geometric-patterned kaleidoscopic mosaic that adorn the floor. The chamber, remarkably conceived, designed and crafted in its entirety in Scotland and referred to as "Kalyana Mantapa", functions as the religio-ceremonial hall of the royal family and is where all the marriages, christening ceremonies and birthday parties are organized. Impressive passageways running along the sides, demarcated from the central functional area by another line of pillars (this time considerably thicker, elaborately ornamented and supporting amongst themselves rows of arches that append additional grace and depth of character to the luxurious chamber) are lined with several elegant paintings of which some portray mythological scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and others the erstwhile splendor of the majestic palace and its numerous regal ceremonies, including the renowned Dussehra/Dasara processions.

Behold stone peacocks - The Kalyana Mantapa (Photo courtesy - Mysorepalace.gov.in)

Up a staircase past the second half of the viewing pavilion and through intricately, painstakingly crafted silver doors (outside which rests an extremely realistic life-size plaster sculpture of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV seated upon a chair) embedded with streams of floral artwork delineating numerous panels portraying divine images, one reaches the enormous "Diwan-i-Aam" (Public Durbar Hall) from whose massive balconies the King used to appear before his subjects on public occasions and ceremonies – it is a visual composition that the eye cannot fully contemplate and the mind cannot possibly forget – the warm profusion of gold, cream-orange and red soothes the eye and the extraordinary symmetry afforded by the seemingly limitless rows upon rows of highly embellished fluted pillars extending throughout the massive rectangular hall, supporting in their midst cusp arches adorned with an inexhaustible array of embossed stucco geometric patterns, floral bouquets and divine figurines and providing both structural support and visual composure to the numerous equally decorated concave surfaces along which are aligned rows of overhanging chandeliers sprouting from bases resembling golden floral outbursts in their entire magnificent glory, uplifts the weary spirits. The aforementioned minutely concave roofs stretching far beyond the confines of the hallway, decorated with representations of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and heavenly constellations, can now be visualized in their complete eminence since there is no net impeding the view – one realizes that it was the Diwan-i-Aam that one witnessed from the ground level and feels supremely wonderful as comprehension dawns that earlier one noticed the stupendous structure through the eyes of a common visitor, a view that hasn't witnessed any change in the hundred years or so since the palace's construction and would have been easily recognizable to those subjects, rich and poor, young and old, strong and frail, who would have clamored to set eyes on the Maharaja's regal abode soon after its construction was completed, and now one looks at the unprecedented monumental immensity through the eyes of the Maharajas themselves! The arched alcoves existing along the furthest wall of the exalted hall are embedded with vivacious paintings of Hindu deities most of which were conceived and executed by the renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma (lived 1848-1906).

Limitless - The Diwan-i-Aam (Public Audience Hall)

Connected to the Diwan-i-Aam via a long, dark, perennially crowded picture gallery fringed throughout with photographs and portraits of the erstwhile Maharajas and their families in distinguished attire and lavish settings, is the Mahraja's Private Durbar Hall or "Diwan-i-Khas", a beyond description resplendently ornate chamber bejeweled throughout its surface with copious quantities of gold, crystal glass and semi-precious stones. The luxurious chamber is supported upon and divided into portions by fluted pillars structurally not very different from those of the Diwan-i-Aam except in the exterior adornment which boasts of an abundantly luxurious finish of gold paint fringed with slightly off-blue highlights that only seem to magnify the overall visual impact of the gold to an extent where one cannot easily take one's eyes off the numerous embossed motifs and mosaic work. The scene is unblemished and spellbinding, to say the least; the chandeliers, their incandescent light reflected and refracted into infinite number of rays by crystalline glass that forms their core, further serve to maximize the optical composition and the perception of extravagant opulence and self-indulgence. This was the only room where the policemen didn't let me photograph the interiors (photography is prohibited in its entirety within the palace!), elsewhere they were kind to allow me to click 2-3 quick snapshots of the chambers upon hearing that I need them to write this particular article (permission is rarely, if ever, granted and it is highly advisable to ask for the same before clicking away berserk since numerous CCTV cameras are positioned along the walls and pillars of each of the rooms and passageways). Had the incredulous visitors who were incredibly crammed into the narrow picture gallery known that such a wonderful sight awaited them afterwards, they wouldn't have proceeded so unbelievably slowly through the passageway! (Yes, I'm very impatient and I hate standing in queues unnecessarily!)

The Maharaja's extravagant gold throne that is assembled annually in the Diwan-i-Khas Hall during Dussehra celebrations (Photo courtesy - Thehindu.com)

On the way out, after collecting one's footwear, one is directed to a narrow open courtyard flanked on one side by a museum depicting the Maharajas' affluent lifestyle and possessions and on the other by a small private temple, dedicated to the mythological Krishna (a flamboyant cowherd-king-statesman-warrior-philosopher who supposedly lived over 5,000 years ago and is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu), that is surmounted by a fairly moderately-sized, intricately sculpted pyramidal spire within an alcove of which is set an incredibly realistic sculpture of the God himself flanked by one of his beloved cows and playing his divine flute. The Wadiyars claim descent from Krishna and the temple was commissioned by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (reign AD 1734-66) who felt distressed at the absence of a temple dedicated to the former within the periphery of the palace that originally existed here. The courtyard opens to a wider green patch enclosed within a perimeter where patrons can avail for camel and elephant rides – it had been awhile since I saw an elephant and clicked happily for almost a quarter of the hour! For a little extra money besides that paid for the ride, one can even have one's photo clicked with the tip of the elephant's trunk resting on one's head in a manner characterizing divine elephantine blessings!

An entirely unexpected surprise!

One has left the huge sunlight-yellow temple complexes that dot the palace grounds for the last and now one comes face to face with the first of them – Sri Lakshmiramana Swamy temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and housing in its exalted sanctum a black-faced gold sculpture of the God along with several smaller brass representations. At the very outset, all three major temple complexes within the palace circumference – Sri Lakshmiramana Swamy temple, Sri Varaha Swamy temple and Chamundeshwari temple – possess the same external appearance with an exactly identical massive pyramidal towering gateway divided into seven individualistic levels, each of which, except the first and last, is set in the center with large twin portrayals of the Lord's gatekeepers flanked by geometric multi-tiered projections surmounted by mythological symbolism that run throughout the length of each level. This is where the similarities end. The Lakshmiramana temple, said to be the oldest temple in the city and constructed in AD 1499, is set within a considerably smaller circumference as compared to the other two, possibly owing to its immediate proximity to the palace complex's mammoth and highly symmetrical horizontal spatial projection. The central shrine, around which run the high-raised, simplistically whitewashed colonnades that facilitate circumbulation ("Parikrama") of the deity, proves to be even more gorgeous than the imposing gateway and (if your heart is into sculptural art and ancient architectural heritage like mine is) the grandiose palace – the rectangular structure's roof, again painted sunlight-yellow in uniformity with the peerless gateway and the boundary walls and supported upon simplistically carved granite pillars, is an epitome of stucco plasterwork culminating into arrays of small, highly embellished pyramidal spires, each inset with an alcove inside which stands a different incarnation of Lord Vishnu (my favorite remains that of the anthropomorphic Varaha – the boar-faced, four-armed God who rescued the Earth Goddess Bhudevi from a demon who had carried her to the bottom of the cosmic ocean) and decorated with numerous geometrical and floral motifs, peacocks, vines bursting into floral blossoms, mythological and mythical creatures and dwarf demonic figurines. The immediate perimeter of the relatively smaller sanctum located on the far-side of the shrine is surmounted by a substantially larger double-storied spire, again similarly designed and sculpted except with the singular exception of possessing large lions (which realistically do not resemble lions at all, a phenomena repeated in almost all the temple and palace complexes in south India, thereby prompting many architectural and cultural historians to conjecture that lions never existed here and the sculptors/artists never ever set eyes on them, therefore leading to such deformed representations) seated at each of its extremities.

Juxtaposed - Sri Lakshmiramana temple's spire and (background) gateway

Decorative sculptural panels crafted out of sheer stone compose the doorjambs and lintel in which is embedded the gateway leading to the sanctum – on the lintel is the depiction of Anantashayi Vishnu (Lord Vishnu reclining upon the endless seven-hooded serpent deity Anant Sheshanaga) being venerated by his two wives Lakshmi and Bhudevi. In a departure from the otherwise yellow color scheme, the exterior and interior walls of the sanctum are whitewashed and bear plasterwork embossments of a three-illustration cluster – a "V" sign with a vertical line dividing it into two halves (where the "V" and the line are emblematic of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi respectively) flanked by depictions of Lord Vishnu's "Sudarshana Chakra" (serrated spinning disc weapon) and "Panchajanya" (divine conch shell) – symbolically portraying reverence to Lord Vishnu. Apart from the garlanded and silk-wrapped gold and brass idols within the sanctum, a smaller shrine embedded within the wall near the entrance gateway houses a silk-wrapped, black stone sculpture of Maharaja Shri Raja Wadiyar I (reign AD 1578-1617) himself – possibly he had something to do with the commissioning or expansion of the temple complex, which till date remains testimony to the unparalleled skill of the medieval architects and artisans, though the priests officiating here seemed to know next to nothing about the complex and could only enlighten me by divulging that the temple is supposedly ancient and was constructed by the very first Kings of the Wadiyar lineage. One legend states that a half-blind devotee was cured of his condition within the temple precincts at the intercession of Raja Wadiyar I! I find that hard to believe, but then that is the thing about lore, you can choose to believe or not to, but they continue to persist in the atmosphere and influence the way one looks at history and even architecture.

Details! - Gateway - Sri Varaha Swamy temple complex

The Varaha Swamy and Chamundeshwari temples, again exactly identical in their external appearance and located opposite each other along the front face extremities of the palace complex, were for some reason closed that particular time (possibly, it, being afternoon, was time for the presiding deities to rest), but the officiating priests in the Varaha Swamy temple (again dedicated to the veneration of Lord Vishnu) granted me the permission to wander around and photograph the temple complex and the shrine as long as I did not disturb the deep-red velvety curtain that now engulfed the sanctum. The temple complex, painted the usual brilliant yellow, is considerably larger than the Lakshmiramana Swamy temple and, besides the similar seven-tiered ornately chiseled gateway and whitewashed, simplistically-pillared colonnades circumbulating the central shrine, also possesses as a fringe around the extended roof those telltale rows of delicate pyramidal serrated spires with the alcove and the plasterwork figurine of the Lord's incarnations. The major difference from the other shrines being that the plasterwork sculptures inset within the alcoves are additionally intricately detailed and therefore rendered many times more captivating.

A tribute to the Lord - A stucco figurine, inset along one of the sides of Sri Varaha Swamy temple

Also the larger pyramidal spire surmounting the sanctum is a study in architecture involving immensely straight lines converging to a common pinnacle and in the process culminating into a fascinatingly detailed, highly elongated and extremely straight pyramid the monotony of whose vertical dimensions are punctuated by grooves and contours running horizontally against its surface and the smaller ridges and miniature shrines fashioned against its otherwise flawless surface. Standing in close proximity to the spire and eying its glistening yellow summit that seems to spontaneously and without premonition rise from the black-grey granite base as if of its own free volition without in any way disturbing the continuity of the pattern work lines and edges, one miraculously feels transported to the fictional space age where such numerous ridges and lines and incomprehensible motifs might have been commonplace. Interestingly, the frieze above the entrance gateway is decorated with a fairly colorful, well endowed and garlanded sculptural scene depicting Lord Rama, his three brothers, his wife Sita and his faithful friend Hanuman, the powerful monkey God. The interior walls too of the inadequately lit shrine display an amazing variety of vibrant, multi-hued mural artwork which, owing to their appreciable deterioration and flaking, appears to be quite vintage. Even more surprising is the presence of scenes from the epic Ramayana war where Lord Rama, the ideal son-husband-brother-friend-king-warrior-incarnation of Vishnu-and-who-knows-what-else, battled against the monstrous armies of the demon Lord Ravana who is often depicted as a ten-headed, twenty-armed, grotesquely mustached warlord wielding the bow and arrow with supreme efficiency and unsurpassed lethality – though both Varaha and Rama are considered incarnations of Lord Vishnu and supposedly (read mythically) existed in separate eons, one would have expected a temple dedicated to Lord Varaha Swamy to depict paintings related to his life and times instead of his successor separated by millions of years.

An escape from modernity - Sri Varaha Swamy temple's spire and (background) gateway

The complex, though belonging to the royal family, is managed by the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the Government of Karnataka which conserves and restores the interiors as deemed necessary, manages the tourists and the facilities made available to them therein and maintains the exteriors, the gigantic gardens and the numerous sculptures that exist throughout the estate. Recently, following allegations of corruption and the use of substandard materials in a conservation effort, the Government created a new post of Palace Board Director that will be handled by a state-level administrative officer. The Government also sponsors the annual 10-day long extravagant celebrations that are observed on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Dussehra/Dasara/Vijay Dashami (which have been a tradition since 1610) during which the entire complex is decorated, brilliantly lit up and converted into a host for a range of cultural and religious programs. An idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari is worshiped in the palace by the royal priests during this 10-day period following which, on the day of Dussehra, it is taken on a round of the entire city on the back of a massive, richly-adorned elephant. If one cannot make it to the palace grounds during Dussehra festivities, hope still abounds – it is advisable to visit the palace complex on a Sunday morning and top it off with a return visit in the evening when each of the structures within, including the gateways and the temples, are outlined with millions of incandescent bulbs that, much to the wide-eyed amazement and bewilderment of onlookers, glitter and glimmer against the background of sheer dark blue-black skies that further magnify the mesmerizing effect. The overall picture presented by the illuminated multi-storied structures is resplendently spellbinding, to be seen to be believed!

I wouldn't have missed it for anything!

Open: All days, 10 am – 5:30 pm
Entrance fees: Indians: Rs 40; Foreigners: Rs 200; Free entry for children below 7 years of age and Rs 25 entry charge for children between the age 7-12. Extra charges applicable for audio guides, elephant/camel rides and visit to the museum.
Palace illumination: Every Sunday and all Government holidays, 7 – 7:45 pm, Free entry during the illumination window.
Sound and Light show: All days expect Sundays and Government holidays, 7 – 7:45 pm, Same entrance charges applicable as day entry.
Photography/Video charges: Nil. Prohibited within the palace building.
Note: Footwear have to be removed prior to entering the palace building or any of the numerous temple complexes within the precincts.
Facilities available: Washrooms, drinking water, audio guides and souvenir counters within the palace building.
Other palaces in Karnataka –

1. Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Palace, Bangalore
2. Pixelated Memories - Nandi Hills (Nandidurga fortress and Tipu Sultan's palace), Chikkaballapur

Suggested reading –

1. Business-standard.com - Article "Government tightens grip over Mysore Palace" (dated July 6, 2014) 
2. Dailymail.co.uk - Article "Four hundred-year-old 'curse' returns to haunt Wadiyar royals" (dated Dec 11, 2013) by Vanu Dev 
3. Deccanherald.com - Article "Mysore palace private durbar on, but a change in tradition likely" (dated Sep 8, 2014) 
4. Deccanherald.com - Article "Mysore palace will complete 100 years next year" (dated May 8, 2015) by Ravindra Bhat 
5. Mysorepalace.gov.in (Official website of Mysore Palace)
6. Thehindu.com - Article "An empty throne this Dasara" (dated Sep 18, 2014) by R. Krishna Kumar 
7. Wikipedia.org - Chamunda 
8. Wikipedia.org - Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV
9. Wikipedia.org - Wadiyar Dynasty

Kankaleshwar Kali Bari, Bardhaman

After traversing through the small lanes that make up the Kanchanpara locality in Bardhaman, Bengal, I came across a wide swathe of open land in the center of which a motley group of boys played a cheerful game of cricket. With no wickets, a single bat & a torn ball, the game progressed as naturally as it would have on the grounds of Eden. The boys, with not a care in the world & immersed in their revelry, were used to the ancient structures that stood around them & once again reminded me that we humans do not value what we have close to us. As Rabindranath Tagore put it in vernacular, "we travel far & wide at great expense to see the mountains & the oceans, but fail to appreciate the beauty of the dew drops glistening on the ear of the corn at our doorstep". Bardhaman is an ancient city, with structures & spots even older – here was I, a guy from Delhi, documenting the architectural heritage of the city & enjoying the game of cricket played by the boys who were ignorant of their temple’s history but were easily impressed by the flash of a camera. The temple that I was looking at is one of its kind in the country. Dedicated to Goddess Chamunda, a form of Kali, the Hindu Goddess of death & destruction, the temple is locally known as Kankal Bari (“House of the skeleton”, pronounced "Kon-kol-Bari") or Rakta tola (“Temple of blood”) – the name could not have been more suited.

"Blood Temple"

Kali has always been depicted in terrifying forms – her red tongue sticking out of her mouth, eyes glaring, bosom naked, a neckpiece of human skulls & a waist band of severed hands being her only modesty. She is death incarnate, the symbol of destruction, blood lust & sex. But here this depiction is carried forward to the next level – the black stone idol has eight hands & is carved in such a manner so that most of the major bones & the arterial veins of the Goddess’s body are visible. It is said that the idol was found from the bed of river Damodar after the devastating floods of 1923 (although many accounts say the temple itself was built around the year AD 1700). Belief is that the idol’s conception was influenced by the concept of “Tantra”. 

Kali - The mistress of death

Set in a square courtyard, the small temple has three tiny rooms – the central one houses the said idol, while the other two house Shivalingas (phallus symbol of Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death & destruction & Kali’s significant other) & tridents (“trishul”, Shiva’s heavenly weapon). The shrine is entered from three arched entrances, each of which faces one of the three rooms. The temple was under renovation when I visited it, artists & laborers were at work on its roof as well as the shrine. The president of the temple managing committee was there too & so was a lady who made me believe that she held some important post in the management team. She downright refused to let me photograph the shrine, no amount of coercion could make her budge, until the president himself intervened on my behalf when I told him I would write about the place. The laborers were more than happy to have me amongst them as I proved to be a change from their daily monotonous schedule. The temple is topped by nine spires in tradition Bengali style of architecture. The front of the temple is profusely decorated with terracotta panels displaying sages, kings & mendicants. In fact, these panels are what make the Bengali temples so mesmerizing – they tell so many stories & present an entire lore through numerous scenes!! In the courtyard surrounding the temple are several smaller Shivalingas, & in one corner is a small building that houses the management committee’s office. The temple, though small, is an extra-ordinary structure - peaceful, enthralling & tranquil. 

Under renovation..

In the ground next to the temple complex, the boys had stopped their cricket game to observe me & scrutinize my activities. In one corner of the ground stands another small temple dedicated to Vishnu (the Hindu God responsible for creation & nourishment of the universe). Topped by five spires, this temple is even more brilliantly decorated with terracotta panels than the Kali temple itself. However it is relatively less known & not many people visit it. Three arched entrances lead into the shrine, each arch is bore by strong pillars betrayed by their gentle curves. 

The Vishnu Temple

The arches are decorated with panels that depict scenes where groups of monkeys have climbed up buildings (perhaps temples, given pyramidal roofs topped by flag masts), birds fluttering around & flowers blooming in the skies. The bigger panels are surrounded by numerous smaller ones that depict sages, kings with bows & arrows, monkey-men carrying maces & mountains (Are the larger panels depicting a scene from the Hindu epic Ramayana -  the welcome given to King Rama (one of Vishnu’s many incarnations) by his monkey-men army when he returns to India after sacking Ravana’s capital?? I don’t know – there are no sources that I could trace that detail the temple’s history or construction). 

Carved with precision!! 

In both the temples, what I found worth-mentioning is that the terracotta panels ornament only the front face of the temple, the embellishments stop as soon as the front wall ends & the other three walls are simply painted over with no decorations but only very small windows breaking the continuity. The single shrine within the Vishnu temple is barred by a grille, the gate of which is locked. I had to be content with photographing the shrine from the outside. The inner entrance too is ornamented with more terracotta panels, though owing to the lack of space there are no other decorations except for three big panels. The shrine consists of a depiction of Vishnu painted on the wall, the offerings are but simply holy water & a few marigold flowers. A few bronze utensils are scattered around the figurine – broken platters, lamps & an elongated spoon for burning clarified butter (“ghee”), thus completing the image of a temple where the same traditions & practices are being followed that were being performed several millennia ago. The paint itself is peeling away & flaking to reveal the temple’s ancient history. In dire need of a restoration, the temple has become blackened with time as a result of the action of the elements. I do hope the managing committee of the Kankal Bari do spare some time & effort for this temple too. 

Vishnu - The master of the universe

As I step outside, I notice an old beggar come & spread his coarse mat expecting visitors to spare him some alms. He told me that if I wait here half an hour, the priest might come & open the grille to the sanctum. However there isn’t anything in the sanctum which I haven’t already seen from between the bars of the grille. I take my leave from the Gods, for the first time I feel sorry for leaving!! The place, remarkable & yet depressingly secluded, makes my heart cry out. The silence & the serenity invoking passive emotions & commanding me to stay some more. I feel bliss, I feel happy for having stepped out & traveled to Bardhaman. Forgetting the travel fatigue that had gripped me a few days back, I feel eager again to travel throughout India to witness these forgotten structures & write their splendid stories. 

Location: Kanchanpara, Bardhaman (aka Burdwan)

How to reach: From the Bardhaman Railway Station, take a bus till Kanchanpara. From there ask for directions to Kankalbari (pronounced "Kon-kol-bari"). You will have to walk a lot from there, it is quite a trek actually (you encounter bridges enroute too!!) away & no rickshaws are available here.

Entrance Fee: Nil

Photography/Video Charges: Nil. But prior permission is required.

Time required for sightseeing: 30 min

Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Kali Puja

ISKCON Temple, New Delhi

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”

– Invocation to the beautiful and pleasurable lord by members of ISKCON society

Unlike my usual visits to monuments/heritage structures that are generally pre-planned and well-laid out, the visit to ISKCON temple was as spontaneous as it was unplanned – I was supposed to meet some college mates at Nehru Place market (a large locality composed of big corporate offices housed in large glass buildings and small electronics and hardware shops housed in small, congested shops), but they called at the last hour to inform that they would be late by an hour at least (what? not again!). I had already reached the metro station and was left with nothing to do to kill my time except fiddle with my mobile phone and gaze out of the large glass panes. Looking out of the windows at the tall towers of ISKCON temple and the complex architectural layout of Lotus Temple and wondering why do I always have to be on time even when my friends always arrive late, I impulsively decided to visit the former – now that I reflect on it, I guess it must have been the aforementioned lofty towers of the temple that attracted me in the first place, though to be sure, the temple doesn’t look very eye-catching nor does it boast of an architecturally/artistically ingenious construction, it is just another temple except that it is spread over a much vast area. The other reason that guided me to the temple complex is the fact that I had already been to Lotus Temple several times in the past, and no matter how mesmerizing it appears, there are only as many times that you can visit it (refer Pixelated Memories - Lotus Temple). I must have passed ISKCON numerous times too, and were it not for the long queues of foreigners snaking their way in and out of the temple complex, I wouldn't perhaps have even wanted to visit the place so eagerly. The temple is extremely popular amongst tourists, as is apparent from the number of visitors – Indian and foreigners alike – that it commands. Besides an enviable fan-following including the uber-rich and powerful, the temple also has its own website and facebook page.

The ISKCON temple - One of the largest and most popular temple complexes in the city

The temple was built on a rocky natural outcrop in 1998 by the "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna" cult, otherwise known as the "International Society for Krishna Consciousness” (ISKCON), which originates from Krishna worship prevalent for over five hundred years in the Gaur region of Bengal. The cult has commissioned atleast two score other ISKCON temples all over the world (mostly in India) and has the primary mission of disseminating and propagating the philosophy of Krishna and the way of life as dictated by Bhagvad Gita, the sacred book of Hindus. According to Hindu religious texts, Krishna, a warrior king and master statesman, was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the God of life and nourishment – besides being an exceptional flute-player, he was also a cow herder and romantic lover in his younger days, maturing into a pragmatic, worldly-wise philosopher and an extremely powerful and cunning territorial overlord in his later days. One has to make corrections for poetic license while listening to legends associated with him – he was a demon-slayer, could lift elephants and mountains, was a pied-piper who could control all mankind and beasts through his ethereal flute music, fought massive, underwater seven-hooded serpents and could even make time and universe stop, besides the usual romantic escapades and defeating evil, megalomaniac emperors. One account even talks of him as having over sixteen thousand wives, the chief of whom was Queen Rukmini, who too is believed to be a deity and an incarnation of Lakshmi, the boon-bestowing Goddess of riches and prosperity. Yet he is almost always depicted in paintings and temple shrines as being accompanied by his childhood beloved Radha (why not Rukmini? Radha never even married him). Krishna was also the best friend and spiritual guide of the archer-warrior prince Arjuna, glorified for his archery skill and battle might in the epic Mahabharata, who, along with his four brothers and several relatives, supposedly reigned over the Gangetic plains some 5000 years back from their massive citadel at Indraprastha – the site of Delhi's Old Fort (refer Pixelated Memories - Old Fort). In my opinion, Krishna wasn't really a God – it could have been that there were at the same time or at different times but in close continuation different individuals each christened Krishna – the romantic cow-herder, the mighty weightlifter, the skilled warrior and the cunning statesman – over time, the many stories got jumbled up and morphed to create a superhero incarnation of God himself. Plus, it is assumed to be given that the lore merged with the legends and has been highly-embellished and exaggerated by successive poets and writers.

All that glitters might actually be gold! - The idols of the presiding deities encased within gold canopies

I quickly crisscrossed my way through the surrounding gardens, asking my way to the temple complex’s entrance. Externally, the temple, designed by the renowned architect A.P. Khanvinde and funded through voluntary subscriptions (a major portion of which was donated by the Hinduja business conglomerate), is very similar to most North Indian temples, the only exception being that its towers extend so high that I was having difficulty clicking them properly – referred to as ”Shikharas”, they are each over 90 feet high and from certain angles, especially when looking up at the portion flanking the large circular cavities, appear to be skillfully crafted so as to depict the graceful peacock feather that Krishna was believed to ornament his headgear with – the extensive use of red sandstone in contrast with the otherwise white structures throughout the complex is endearing too. Spread over a majestic three acres of landscaped area, the temple complex is formally known as “Glory of India – Cultural Center”, but is referred to popularly as ISKCON. The security guards informed me that I can photograph the entire temple complex, except the shrine – thankfully, the guards posted within the shrine too let me click when I informed them that I need to write an article about the temple – I was till now cursing my friends for never being on time and leaving me stranded in such scorching heat – things got better when I realized that since it’s so hot, there would be fewer people around and thus relatively less-cluttered photographs (though of course there were several devotees in the central prayer hall since it is fully air conditioned).The temple, by the simple act of allowing photography inside its well-maintained and aesthetically-pleasing premises, won my heart and scores over several other more famous temple complexes throughout the city.

A huge sculpture of Lord Vishnu reclining on the primordial serpent Sheshnaga (considered independently to be an incarnation, a brother and a devotee of the former by several legends) and being served by a consort

I dashed to the central prayer chamber which is essentially a huge, incredibly beautiful, marble-lined room with the roof marked by triangular panels alternately demarcated by blemish-free white paint and splendid paintwork depicting the life and adventures of Krishna; from the center hangs a massive glass chandelier that must definitely light up the paintings at night and endue them with a pristine glow. Convergent with the ISKCON society’s commitment to congregational prayers in devoted religious spaces, visitors can almost always be found at all times, sitting cross-legged in the prayer chamber, chanting prayers and invocations, and often clapping their hands with the beat. Simultaneous chants of “Hare Krishna, Hare Rama” erupt from the devotees gathered at near-constant intervals – they can be rhythmic music to some, and crass jarring to others, but the words and their flow continue to ring in the ear for a long time after exiting the temple complex.

Adorned - The central prayer hall

The sanctums are three in number, each a cavernous niche in which are set large gold canopies. The presiding deity of the temple is Krishna and hence the temple’s formal nomenclature after the set of idols set in the central sanctum – Sri Sri Radha Parthasarthi Temple – Radha being Krishna's beloved and Partha Arjuna's alias. “Sarthi” literally translates to charioteer – "Parthasarthi" thus is "Arjuna's charioteer" following the rules of word conjugation – which brings us to another dilemma regarding accepting all the fables about Krishna’s existence – if he was indeed a great warlord and a much esteemed governor–ruler, why did he decide to charioteer Arjuna's horses in the great war depicted in the Mahabharata? In fact, according to scriptures, it was as Arjuna's charioteer that Krishna narrated Bhagvad Gita, after bringing the universe and time itself to a halt, in the middle of the battle field with the two sides raring for bloodshed – Bhagvad Gita, a collection of rules related to the way of life and the story of genesis as believed by the Hindus, has since become one of the most acclaimed and highly venerated religious text. 

The idols are covered in expensive, glittering clothes and jewelry and the entire scene – the small idols, housed in their pretty gold canopies – presents a picture of unabated affluence and a colorful, sparkling existence. The sparkle of gold certainly awes all visitors, many would have actually wanted to bite it to test its purity – but a barricade separates the deep niches from the visitors while a large retinue of security men and women ensure that visitors do not venture too close to the idols or reel on the barricades. Opposite the sanctums and near the entrance sits a life-like sculpture of Swami Srila Prabhupada, the convener of ISKCON group, a much revered saint and philosopher-author and the (posthumous) commissioner of this magnificent temple complex. The statue looks incredibly realistic and at first glance it struck me as an actual person and I felt I was blocking the field of view of the priest by standing in front of him. It was only after a few seconds that it registered that it was just an idol! All idols in the temple have been sculpted by Russian sculptors and one has to concede that they have performed an unsurpassable job in creating such wonderful and exquisite pieces of art.

The statue of Srila Prabhupada - It doesn't look as realistic in photos as it actually is.

Like other Hindu temples, a passageway is provided here too around the idols of the deities for the purpose of “parikrama” (circumambulation) – the entire passageway has been lined with paintings depicting scenes from Krishna’s life and the recital of Bhagvad Gita by him in the battlefield; besides, marble has been skillfully carved to depict the different incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the one I liked the most was an engraving of four-armed Vishnu dressed in his entire divine regalia and resting inclined while holding his weapons in two hands, a lotus in third and granting blessings with the fourth. The temple is flamboyantly modern in decor and can definitely be regarded as a marvelous beauty in itself made further appealing by means of striking idols and intricate artwork. The central hall is said to be capable of housing 1,500 people at one go, however it did not look that large to me.

The temple also hosts special animatronics show titled “Gita Saar” with the use of three specially design robots, built to imitate Krishna, Arjuna & Swami Prabhupada, which deliver the message of Bhagvad Gita and other Hindu scriptures by playing the roles and discussing upon the philosophies inherent in the text. I found the sermonizing boring and especially sleep-inducing given that photography is not allowed within the darkened chambers where the entire play is carried out – the attendants even asked people to switch off mobile phones on the pretext that the magnetic waves emitted within the chamber will interfere and damage the phones, however, as is evident from the photo I clicked (albeit a poor quality one since it had to be clicked in dark with the mobile phone when the attendant was away), nobody turned off their phones.

Robots enacting the roles of Krishna and his disciple Arjuna in the animatronics show

After the dark chamber, it is exciting to get out into the open – the beautiful surrounding lawns and manicured landscaped areas with fountains, waterfalls and well-laid terrains are praiseworthy – one prefers to roam around in the complex or near the rugged hill face than be in the prayer hall. One of the major attractions is a striking sculpture of Krishna dancing upon the heads of the seven-hooded mythical serpent Kalia Naag situated at the bottom of a large, deep fountain. Like most parks in the country that are christened as memorials to historical/religious figures, this entire area too is known as “Krishna Jayanti Park” – the fountains and greenery ensure a cool, airy environment despite the scorching summer heat. The multiple-layered complex also boasts of a vegetarian restaurant and a publications and souvenir outlet located immediately next to the media hall. Besides these, there also exists a museum dedicated to spiritual and philosophical knowledge that was a hallmark of ancient Indian civilization, especially the Vedic ages when most of the Hindu holy scriptures came into existence or were penned down; I couldn’t visit the museum due to paucity of time since my friends had arrived by then and were continuously calling me. Given its numerous features and especially mesmerizing idols and stone artwork, the temple is at least a one-time attraction. Though I would still venture to claim that it isn’t much different from ordinary Indian temples despite all the claims and protestations of its priests and managing committee, yet the extraordinarily enchanting surroundings and the graceful sanctum make a visit worthwhile – the best view is of course from the Nehru Place metro station which directly overlooks the dizzying towers and the huge complex and then one begins to appreciate the massiveness and the innovative architecture of the entire scheme.

Flamboyantly colorful - Krishna and the serpent Kalia

Special prayers and spiritual discourses are preached in the central hall every Sunday. The temple is especially ornamented with incandescent bulbs and flowers on the auspicious occasion of Janamashtami – Krishna’s birthday – prayers are organized from early morning (4:30 am) and continue well after midnight, the entire complex wears a festive look and thousands of devotees thong to adore the decorated temple complex and the idols of Krishna and other deities. As before, the most spectacular view can be had from Nehru Place metro station, but one should head to Kailash Colony metro station if the purpose is to click both the temple and the nearby Lotus temple in a single frame.

Janamashtami glitter

Location: East of Kailash
Timings: Open on all days from 4:30 am – 1 pm and 4 pm – 9 pm
Prayer timings: 4:30 am, 7:15 am, 12:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm.
Nearest Metro Station: Nehru Place
Nearest Bus stop: Nehru Place
How to reach: Walk from the metro station/bus stop.
Time required for sightseeing: 1.5 hrs (including the 30 min animatronics show)
Entrance fees: Nil (Rs 50 for the show)
Photography Charges: Nil (Video recording is not allowed)
Relevant Links –

1. Pixelated Memories - Lotus Temple
2. Pixelated Memories - Old Fort

Links to ISKCON organization – 

1. Iskcon.org - Official website of "The Hare Krishna Movement"
2. Iskcondelhi.com - Official website of ISKCON Temple, Delhi
3. Iskconnews.org - Article "ISKCON Delhi to open eighth and ninth temples" (dated July 19, 2013) by Madhava Smullen
4. Facebook.com/iskcondelhi - Official facebook page of ISKCON Temple, Delhi