The Larger Surang Temple, a 10th - 11th century architectural masterpiece of the Chandelas is one of the many shrines in the dilapidated temple complex at Dudhai village. Commonly known as Badi Sarai, this temple is best known for its twin shrines that share a majestic shikhara. On first glance, this temple sits on... Continue Reading →
Lesser Surang Temple (Choti Sarai), Dudhai Village, Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh
A stunning example of the architectural ingenuity of the Chandelas is the lesser-known Lesser Surang Temple in Dudhai village in Lalitpur district. This temple is part of a larger complex that is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It is extremely unfortunate that the glorious period of the Chandelas and... Continue Reading →
Rock-Cut Narasimha, Dudhai Village, Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh
Located a little away from the hustle and bustle of Dudhai village is an extremely rare rock-cut image of Lord Narasimha that is nothing short of an engineering and artistic feat. One must remember that the facial expressions, posture and ferocity of Lord Narasimha is probably one of the most difficult to depict even for... Continue Reading →
Chausath Yogini Temple, Dudhai Village, Lalitpur District, Uttar Pradesh
Lalitpur district, once the stronghold of the Guptas and the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti has some of the earliest brick and stone edifices found in Akhanda Bharat. Though a sizeable number of these magnificent structures did not survive the savagery of the Muslim invaders and the British, some of them have been restored to their former splendour... Continue Reading →
Pisanahi Mandir, Birshibpur, Ghatampur Tehsil, Kanpur Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh
It is perhaps not known to many that Hamirpur road in Ghatampur tehsil has some of the most beautiful brick temples in Kanpur district. The ancient Temple of Mahadeo Baba in Parauri, Auilyeshwar Mahadev Mandir in Karchulipur, Two ancient temples at Koratha and some smaller ruined temples on this road have exquisite carved brickwork and... Continue Reading →
Two Ancient Brick Temples, Koratha Village, Ghatampur Tehsil, Kanpur Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh
Another impressive edifice of the Gupta period is the pair of brick temples located in Koratha village in Kanpur Nagar district. This ancient temple complex is frankly in the middle of nowhere and yet, has been remarkably preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). On first glance, one will see the complex divided... Continue Reading →
Temple of Mahadeo Baba, Parauri Village, Ghatampur Tehsil, Kanpur Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh
Another excellent example of the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the Guptas is the ancient brick temple of Mahadeo Baba in Parauri village in Kanpur Nagar district. This charming brick temple, though relatively unknown and relegated to obscurity for centuries sits in the midst of stunning natural beauty. Archaeological excavations conducted in the late 1800s... Continue Reading →
Ancient Brick Temple (Auliyeshwar Mahadev Mandir), Karchulipur Village, Ghatampur Tehsil, Kanpur Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh
It is perhaps not known to many that Kanpur Nagar district is a treasure trove of ancient brick temples dating back to the Dwapura Yuga. Though tourists head straight for Bhitargaon and Nibiya Khera, there are several other brick temples that have managed to remain hidden for centuries and have only recently caught the interest of... Continue Reading →
Puneri Pagadi, Maharashtra
Pagadi or turban has historically been a sign of culture, wisdom, virility and often used identify the different sections of community. Puneri pagadi is an inseparable part of Pune which is the cultural capital of Maharashtra. Puneri pagadi is conceptualized from the Peshwe turban worn by the Peshwas which itself was inspired by the traditional Chakribandh... Continue Reading →
Waghya Ghevada, Maharashtra
One of the most famous cash crops of Western Maharashtra is Waghya ghevada. Grown extensively in North Koregaon taluka of Satara district, this rajma was first cultivated in 1950 by the late Kashinath Mahajan who bought seeds of this variety from a trader in Pune. This variety soon became popular with the locals and was... Continue Reading →
Bhitargaon Temple, Bhitargaon, Kanpur District, Uttar Pradesh
One of the finest brick temples of India is the Bhitargaon Temple at Bhitargaon village in Ghatampur tehsil in Kanpur Nagar district. Considered to be the earliest surviving temple built by the Guptas, this architectural masterpiece is constantly in the news for its innovative construction as well as its mysterious background. Though the plan of... Continue Reading →