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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका । पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः॥ Kashi, a name that evokes a multitude of emotions ranging from bliss, joy, ecstasy, love and relief is the city that promises liberation. Since the dawn of time, Kashi has been considered to be the centre of learning, knowledge, wisdom and Advaita. Sages,... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1666 had taken refuge in the ancient city of Benares after his miraculous escape from captivity. He was most distressed on seeing the fear in the eyes of Hindus who had suffered immensely in the hands of the Mughals. Even though Raje desired to rebuild Kashi after the horrific desecration in... Continue Reading →
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 →
Aurangzeb seized absolute control of the throne in 1661 after murdering Dara Shikoh, instigating the execution of Shah Shuja in the hands of local rulers of Burma, executing his younger brother Murad Bakhsh in jail and imprisoning his father, Shah Jahan. Memoirs and court records graphically describe his fanaticism and deep roots in Islamic... Continue Reading →
It is difficult to ascertain the extent of damage inflicted by the Delhi Sultanate, but a fair number of mosques and tombs built on the sites of temples during this period using the stones of the temples demolished are still visible in the city. It has been documented that Razia Sultana had built a mosque... Continue Reading →
The second attack by the Muslim invader Qutb al-Din Aibak in 1197 - 98 effectively ended the golden period of the Gahadavalas and established a violent intolerant Muslim rule that was determined to destroy every trace of the glorious heritage of Kashi. Kashi, a city that has existed since the dawn of creation grew in... Continue Reading →
The stature of Benares as the seat of learning, knowledge and wisdom grew under the patronage of the Maukharis of Kannauj, Gurjara-Pratiharas and the mighty Kalachuris towards the end of the 10th century. The period of the Kalachuris is often referred to as the golden era in the city's history marked with the construction... Continue Reading →
Banaras, the golden city of knowledge, wisdom, spirituality and Advaita, has from the ancient times been considered to be one of the most sacrosanct places of Akhanda Bharat. This glorious city has a rich history that can be traced back to the time of creation. Archaeological excavations have uncovered rare artefacts from the Vedic Period... Continue Reading →
One of the lesser-known architectural gems of the Gupta period is Garhwa Fort at Shankargarh that houses a group of ancient temples, halls, tanks as well as other structures within its pentagonal stone enclosure. According to historians, Garhwa used to be known as Bhattagram (Bhattapraya) during the Gupta reign and appears to have been an... Continue Reading →
The ancient city of 'Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra' holds the key to understanding our glorious past dating back to the Vedic times. Every square inch of this city and its outskirts is both historically and archaeologically important. Kurukshetra has been at the helm of many significant events and has faced the brunt of successive Muslim invasions over... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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