Sunday, December 09, 2007

The wonder of Ellora

This is a panoramic view of the Kailasa temple at Ellora. To take this picture you have to climb up a pagdandi and huff and puff your way up - not many visitors do. But the effort is worth it.

And all I could think, from up there, was wow! Which ancient genuises whittled down an entire mountain to create this... and how?? Much is said and written about the pyramids and the Taj Mahal. Those are amazing feats in engineering and architecture but at the end of the day they were built bottom up.

Which is difficult but not impossible.

How do you humble a mountain into submission with a mere hammer and chisel? Even if you have several hundred years at your disposal?? "Shayad unke paas chemicals thhe... to loosen the stone," was the explanation from one local. Phir bhi.

And all said and done, we've heard of Ajanta-Ellora but they just haven't got the hype they deserve. The Kailasa temple is a 'world heritage site' but how many of us living in Mumbai have visited it? Or plan to, in the near future? I for one experienced it for the very first time a couple of days ago. And not because I had planned a trip as a tourist.

Kuch aur kaam se gaye thhe - khaali time mila so sightseeing par nikal gaye. And I simply couldn't believe my ignorance. I mean I vaguely knew Ajanta mein paintings hain, but had little clue about Ellora. Maybe we read it in our history textbooks but I had long forgotten the details.

Despite it being December - peak season for tourism - there were not that many visitors. Among foreigners, mainly Japanese, all with guides and taking the tour in the most systematic way possible.

The Indians generally wandered from one cave to the next (there are 34 in all - Buddhist, Hindu and Jain). None of them had guides (the standard rate being a steep Rs 450 as against an entry ticket of Rs 10). And of course, the ASI or government or whoever is responsible has not bothered to even put up signs outside the caves, explaining their significance. "Ek number (first cave) par board laga hai... uske baad pata nahin, baaki chhod diya," shrugged one of the 'caretakers'.

These are the guys who take care to switch on a flashlight and point out sculptures to foreign tourists so they can take snapshots with fancy cameras, flash et al. Which is explicitly prohibited!

The one thing I must commend ASI or whoever is in charge for is the fact that the caves are very clean. No garbage lying around, no paan stains, no urine ki smell. I guess we Indians are pious but certainly vigilance also plays a role.

Speaking of Indian tourists sights like this one really pained me. This guy was typical of the bhartiya sightseeing party. The kind who go from cave to cave amusing themselves with how much 'echo' they could generate. There was a huge bunch of schoolkids also doing the same thing but you can forgive the bachchas. The glee of bunking school for 'picnic' is something we've all experienced. Although I am sure if someone took the trouble of bringing history alive for those kids, they would be most receptive.

Then again, it's the overall chalta hai attitude we have towards our own culture. And I am no one to point fingers. Just that I was overawed, not just by the sight but the energy that vibrates at this place. The ancient wisdom that went into its creation. And the devotion to a divine power which made it possible

I will be back one of these days (there was no time to visit Ajanta!) and I hope you guys put this on your must-see list as well. Wonder if National Geographic or Discovery have made a documentary feature on Ajanta-Ellora... would love to see it.

And finally, no piece about the attractions in and around Aurangabad would be complete without a mention of the 'non-attraction' - 'Bibi ka Maqbara' also known as the poor man's Taj Mahal. Built by Prince Azam Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb, in the late 17th century as a loving tribute to his mother.

It has none of the grandeur or the romance of the Taj. It's a soulless, bonsai version of the original - a futile and boring me-too!

20 comments:

  1. I was a child when i visitied ellora caves..was mesmerised by the sheer genious of the Sculptors.It was mind boggling to imagine that those guys had the skill and technology to chisle out a mountain into something that beautiful ....14 years since ...looks like nothing has changed...its sad ....the apathy remains ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, that sounds awesome. The only thing that resembles this is the Lord of the Rings' Khazad-Dum, and that was in a fantasy book!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've left you something at The Reluctant Writer. Please collect it and don't forget to spread the goodwill!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes! I have been there done that!
    I visited the Ellora caves in 2004 and how? - on a trip with an american colleague from my then company's california office who was visiting india for the first time. if it wasn't for her, i probably would've never "discovered" the marvel that is Ellora. I had exactly the same question - how can anyone possibly cut such huge structures entirely out of the mountain? its really awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! I am at a loss of words here! Will go there for sure one day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I saw first India-related episode of "Lost Worlds" on History Channel last week. It was about... surprising as it may sound, Khajuraho.

    I guess Taj Mahal and Khajuraho are the only "ancient" monuments remaining in India now, right?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Friends,
    Really enchanting & mesmorising experience to see the Kailash Temple of Ellora! One can observe the feelings of various emotions in those sculptrues, especially the numerous elephants, carrying the whole temple on their backs. Even the blood veins have been carved on the ears of some elephants.
    Nice pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  8. saw this when i took a trip across maharasthra(mumbai-aurangabad-akola-nagpur) for 6 days on 500 Rs..:)
    this was one among the other highlights of the trip...
    left to pursue my MS in the sam land soon after...
    your post brought back the memories of that maharashtra trip...nice one...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Now my next place to visit is going to be the Ajanta and Ellora caves :) Like you have said, i do vaguely remember paintings being their context, but now I think its high time i got down to seeing it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for sharing this: especially the great pics. I was considering visiting this place in the coming months. I heard there is some construction underway?

    Re: cleanliness, I heard the Japanese were collaborating on running this place (one of the many joint Govt. initiatives).

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your article was very interesting to read. Got to know so many things. There is definitely a need to upgrade the maintenance facilities of the historical sites. Also people need to understand the significance of the heritage sites of the country. Only then, can we proudly showcase our heritage to people from other parts of the world. The Ajanta and the Ellora caves are treasures and must be protected from any harm due to negiligence or ignorance. Found more information on Ajanta Ellora on Ajanta Ellora

    ReplyDelete
  12. I wonder why no body is coming out with the idea of audio-guides at the tourist locations in India? You can find audio-guides almost everywhere abroad. More on the topic at my blog space (http://oshantomon.blogspot.com/2008/01/audio-guides-and-tourist-spots-in-india.html)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hmm..Seems like you have written my travel blog from a year back.Exactly the same trip. Exactaminto feeling on the Mini Taj.But i think its not the place but the We the tourist who make it boring too in someway. Ellora though is another thing altogether.Mesmerizing and breathtaking.Don't know if you seen the stone carvings and temples in Mahabalipuram near Chennai. You might find yourself wondering yet again "How do you tame a mountain?"
    Best of luck with the book.Happy new years.Cheerz

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Rashmi,

    Completely agree with your comment on how many Mumbaites know about, much less visit these absolutely fantastic sites. In my opinion, the Kailasha temple at Ellora is the most impressive monument in India, far superior to the Taj. But then, I have not visited Konarak. I have captured my impressions of the place here.
    I had recommended these places to a colleague, and she came back completely in awe. You should visit Ajanta as well.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Rashmi I am an irregular reader of your blogs :)... but this blog about ellora and ajanta raelly caught my eye(i think its very late to say this).... amazing article and yes special thank to get the name of aurangabad on board.... i am a resident of Aurangabad and a regular visitor of these places.
    Anyways you did not mention the Daulatabad fort near Aurangabad... The noticeable thing about this fort is that it could never be conquered by anyone. If it has ever changed hands its because the ruler gifted it ot abandoned it. The security measures on the fort are a must see.. request u to visit the fort next time u visit aurangabad.

    ReplyDelete
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