Chausatti Ghat and Digpatiya Ghat, Varanasi

The Chausatti Ghat at Varanasi is named after the Chausat Yoginis, the 64 sacred feminine beings who are representations of Shakti, the primordial cosmic energy. The word chausatt means 64 in Hindi. According to popular legend, the Chausatt Yoginis were sent by Shiva to reside in Varanasi. 

 The fourth canto of the Skanda Purana, called Kashi Khanda (which is dated to the 14^th Century), mentions the 64 yoginis in Chaussati Ghat. Thus we know that at least since the 14^th century, the worship of these goddesses has been practiced in Varanasi. Yogini worship was very popular in India in the 10^th and 11^th centuries; so it is possible that these goddesses existed in Varanasi even earlier.

In the 16^th century, the great Sanskrit philosopher Madhusudana Sarasvati (1540 – 1640) lived at Chausatti Ghat. He is famous for his treatises on advaita philosophy. Madhusudana initiated many sanyasins into the Dashanami orders, in order to form large groups of martially trained ascetics.

King Pratapaditya of Jessore, Bangladesh (1561 - 1611) changed the ghat into a 'pucca' structure in the 16^th century. In 1670, the Mewar king Rana Jagat Singh I built the Rana Mahal near the Chausatti Ghat, and the goddess idols were kept there. In 1690, the Udaipur rulers further improved the Chaussati Ghat.

The lower portion of Chausatthi Ghat was re-built in 1830 by the Raja of Digpatia; so that part is now called Digpatia Ghat. You can still see the beautiful architecture of the palace built by the Digpatiya king.

The stone steps lead up to a temple. In the temple compound there are old images of Kali, folk goddesses, Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Among the 64 Yogini images, only 16 are presently existing in Varanasi. Out of these, only two are in the vicinity of the Chausatti Ghat, i.e. Gajanana, “the elephant-headed” (House: D 21/ 22) and Mayuri, “the peacock-headed”, on the steps of the ghat.

Currently the Sitaramdas Omkarnath Kashi Ashram is located on this ghat. This sect has its headquarters in Calcutta. They welcome people of all faiths and castes. The founder, Sitaramdas Omkarnath, believed that religion is fundamentally the relationship between one's soul and God. Through chanting the Name of God, the mind can be oriented towards god. Thus, the ashram’s activities are designed towards promoting the chant of Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Rama Rama Hare Hare; Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. You can hear the chant in Sitaramdas Omkarnath’s own voice here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/1008-Sri-Sri-Thakur-Sita-Ram-Das-Omkarnath/284717055452
 
Chausatti Ghat is also the location of "Satyalok", the home of Lahiri Mayasaya, who is mentioned in the famous book Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. You can read more about Lahiri Mahayasa here: http://www.kriyayogalahiri.com/ His grandson continues to live in Satyalok and teach Kriya Yoga 

Kannada language - history and script

The Kannada language is very old and it is of Dravidian origin. It is believed that there originally existed a Tamil-Kannada proto-language, which split into Tamil and Kannada between 8 to 6 BC.

The photo below is an example of the Kannada Script, from a 6th Century cave-rock carving at Badami, 500 kms northwest of Bangalore.

Badami Rock Carving, Photo Credit : Wikipedia

 From what I have read, there seem to be several eras/types in Kannada language: the proto-Kannada tongue which I listed above, then after that ancient Kannada (Halekannada), middle (Nadukannada) and modern Kannada.
Different historians attribute different years to these terms but broadly they all agree that ancient or Halekannada absorbed various vernaculars (various types of Prakrits) as and when Kannada-speaking people came into contact with them. HaleKannada also absorbed Sanskrit influences, including Panini (4 BC) and other non-Panini versions of Sanskrit.

The Kannada language has been constantly evolving due to political changes, as each new dynasty which ruled the area spoke different languages. The Karnataka region as we know it today was under Nandas (5th & 4th century BC, capital in Bihar), then Ashoka (Maurya empire, also from Bihar); then the Satavahanas (capital in Paithan Maharashtra), then briefly the Pallavas of Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu), then the Western Ganga dyasty (capital in Talakad near Mysore), then Kadambas (North Canara), Rashtrakutas (Gulbarga) and Chalukyas of Badami (6th to 12th century AD).

With all these shifting centres of power (and language) the hale-Kannada language had ample opportunity to absorb many vernacular Prakrits. With the advent of Muslim rule in the Indian continent, and later the formation of the Deccan Sultanates, Arabic words became part of Kannada. With British rule, English words also crept into the language.

As a result of all these changes, modern Kannada is very different from the original proto-Kannada-Tamil.

As for written Kannada, well the script is descended from the Brahmi script (the earliest known record of Brahmi is Ashoka's edicts, 3rd century BC). The Kadambas and Chalukyas used a form of Brahmi. During the hale-Kannada phase, the script underwent many changes especially because of the need to be able to write new loan words from Sanskrit and other Prakrits. By the 13th century, this script had split into two similar but different calligraphic styles, Kannada and Telugu. In the 1800s, the Kannada script that we see today was recorded by British missionaries.

The Churning of the Ocean, carving at Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

These carvings are only a small section of the gopuram of the famous Meenakshi Temple in Tamil Nadu. See how richly detailed they are!

The top panel depicts the Hindu legend of the churning of the Ocean of Milk (paal kadal) and in the lower panel you can see Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati riding their mount, Nandi the bull.

Legend has it that the Gods and the asuras (demons) once began their search for amritam (ambrosia) by churning the Ocean of Milk (the Milky Way galaxy). They used the serpent-king Vasuki, for rope and the mountain Mandara as the churning pole. As the churning continued, either the snake’s head started to spew venom. The Gods fearfully rushed to Lord Shiva asking him to save them. He drank the poison. Fearing for his life, his wife Parvati squeezed his neck to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body. The potent venom turned Shiva’s throat blue, thus giving him his name, Neelakantha (The Blue-Throated One).

The Meenakhshi Temple at Madurai is full of such carvings. At every nook and corner one is likely to find some interesting mythological depiction or reference. What a heaven for a mythology buff!

Photo credit: Vandita Parashar

Banana leaf plates, Chennai

If you’ve ever googled South Indian meals, chances are you’ve come across a photo of the standard ‘banana leaf meal’ laden with rice, curries and a number of other colourful dishes.

Banana leaves are used as plates all over South India, especially in rural areas. They are available in plenty; because in literally every village household which has a compound, you'll find a couple of banana trees growing.

These leaves are a hygienic and convenient option. One just has to sprinkle some water and wipe the leaf - there is no fear of unclean utensils. Banana leaves are always used at religious ceremonies, such as the wedding meal in the photo above. As you can see, for this kind of feast, you need a large plate! The size of the leaf and its ability to hold so many dishes is very useful!

Here's another photo, from the Sowcarpet area market in Chennai. You can see how the long leaves are converted to plates by expertly slicing them.

The unused edges are converted into smaller plates, typically used for "tiffin" items. Here's another shop in the same market, selling leaf plates:

Banana leaves are the preferred wrapping case for carrying food while travelling. Tamarind rice, curd rice, idlis, vadas, dosas, chutney - everything is packed in banana leaves and carried on train and bus journeys. These leaves keep the food from spoiling; they are easy to throw away, and light to carry.

Unfortunately, these ‘green’ plates are fast disappearing from homes and restaurants, and being replaced by metal and plastic.

New logo of Telengana State, explained

Telegana is the 29th state to be created in India.

Here is the new logo of the state,

Key design elements:

1) Kakatiya thoranam - http://magictoursblog.blogspot.in/2014/05/the-ruins-of-kakatiyas-at-warangal-near.html

2) Charminar - the iconic monument of Hyderabad - Placing the Charminar in the logo indicates that the city of Hyderabad is the heart of Telangana.

3) Lion Capital of Ashoka - from 3BC, four lions facing four directions, I saw the original at the museum at Sarnath, stunning and still shining in polished stone. Now the national emblem of India.

4) Text in three languages:
English (Government of Telengana)
Telugu (Telangana Prabhutvam)
Urdu (Telangana sarcar)

5) Satyameva Jayate in Devnagri script at the bottom - Truth Alone Shall Conquer - from the Mundaka Upanishad. Now the national motto of India.

6) Gold outer circle - denotes the hope, desire and determination of Telanganites for ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden Telangana).

7) Green inner circles - prosperity

Incomplete tomb of the last Qutb Shahi King, outskirts of Hyderabad

It's not easy being a king. This is the incomplete tomb of the last Qutb Shahi king, Mirza Nizamuddin Ahmed (who died in 1687 in captivity in Daulatabad Fort). With him, the rule of the Qutb Shahi emperors ended. 

It was a practice among the Qutb Shahis that each king built his own tomb, in preparation ahead. The plans for this tomb ended rudely after an eight-month seige by Aurangazeb. Seeing the tomb reminded me that dizzying heights are also accompanied by dizzying lows. Maybe there is something to said for a life without such pomp and splendour!

Molagapodi, homestyle

Yesterday we made molagapodi at home.

There are many variations in the recipes, but no matter what variation, this is definitely Chennai's favourite lentil powder. Go to any Tamil house and you'll find people happily eating idli and dosa dunked in molagapodi and oil. My house is no exception :)

Typically, urad dal, channa dal, and sesame are ground together, with dry red chillies and asafoetida. Each ingredient is roasted separately before grinding.

But really, you can pretty much experiment with adding other lentils if you wish. We added a little bit of tuar dal and moong dal to the batch we made yesterday, and we skipped the sesame. It turned out pretty yummy.

As long as you get the proportion of chillies, asafoetida and salt ok, all these lentils can be combined in any way you want, to make an awesome powder.

There are lots of recipes online if you google for it.

Osmania Biscuits at Nimrah Cafe and Bakery, Charminar, Hyderabad

- by Deepa Krishnan

At the Nimrah Cafe and Bakery, there is always a crowd. Located right next to the iconic Charminar, this cafe has both locals and tourists filling it. The signboards are in English, Urdu and Telugu.

Every half an hour, fresh trays of biscuits and other baked goodies are brought to the counter-tops, still warm from the oven. The photo below has 2 trays of Hyderabad's famous Osmania biscuits.

We ordered Irani chai and Osmania biscuits; and they also gave us a Khopra Biscuit (the larger one in the photo below, it has coconut in it). The Osmania biscuit was delicious - crumbly, flaky, sugary and salty, all at once. Too much sugar, of course, but hey, I wasn't complaining. The tea was also milky-sweet.

The biscuit is named after the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who died in 1967. Apparently he was very fond of them, and ordered them from Vicaji's Hotel (which was popular at that time). He would send his car to Vicaji's to fetch the biscuits.

Vicaji's Hotel doesnt exist any more. The original Vicaji refers to Vicaji Meherji (1781–1853), a Parsi from Thana, who along with his brother Pestonji Meherji, moved to Hyderabad in early 1800's. One of their mansions - called Pestonji ki Kothi - was converted to Vicaji's Hotel by Naorozji Bapuji Vicaji, a descendant of Vicaji Meherji. Vicaji’s Hotel was the numero uno of Hyderabad hotels in the 1940s and 1950s. It was sold in the 1950's to a Punjabi businessman who called it the Three Aces Hotel and Bar. In the 1980s, the mansion was demolished and Hyderabad lost a slice of its history.

But the Osmania biscuit has survived unscathed, and continues to be enjoyed by all Hyderabadis.

The gorgeous Badal Mahal at Junagarh, Bikaner

The fabulously coloured Badal Mahal, Palace of Clouds, with its blue and gold and red depiction of monsoon clouds, and Krishna-Radha.

The ruins of the Kakatiya Empire, at Warangal Fort near Hyderabad

These are the ruins of the grand Swayambhu Temple at Warangal Fort. Simply fabulous. Poetry in dolerite.

The Archaeological Survey of India has tried to reconstruct / reimagine the original temple partially; in addition, they have also placed other artefacts found nearby, to make a sort of grand open-air architectural ruin. 

The Kakatiyas were Jains originally, but converted to Saivism (worship of the Hindu god Siva). In Warangal, we see the worship of Harihara; half-Siva and half-Vishnu. In the Harihara statue in the photo above, you can see the damru of Shiva in the right hand, and the conch of Vishnu in the other.

The Kakatiyas were Telugu-speaking and they ruled Andhra Pradesh for 300 years, from 12th to 14th century. The Kakatiyas were defeated by the armies of the Tughlaqs of Delhi, and their kingdom at Warangal was ruined. But even what little remains is very impressive. Here is one section of the ruins. You can click on it for a larger view.

On each of the four sides of the temple, there is a grand square gateway, a torana, which is typical of Kakatiya architecture. They have beautiful carved swans mounted on top. The toranas have survived, making me wonder why the temples and palaces were destroyed but the toranas left intact. Perhaps some belief or superstition?

To imagine the size of the torana, see the garden bench at the bottom right of the photo, that will give you a sense of proportion. I was really saddened to see the headless swans on the ground. Such destruction!

The Kakatiya torana is famous in Andhra Pradesh. It is represented in state tourism brochures, and copied and used in many forms and variations by many institutions. Here is the entry road from the highway into Kazipet, see the grand torana that they have made, this one is of course, not dolerite rock, it is just concrete, but it is still attractive! Of course, the local bill stickers have not spared it!!

Patola Silk Weaving

-By Aishwarya Pramod

Patola is the name of the silk saris unique to Patan. One version of the Patola legend is that King Kumarpal (12th century) commissioned Patola robes from Jaina (South Maharashtra), a new one for every daily puja. When he learned the King of Jaina was sending him used clothes, he went to the south to attack and defeat the southern ruler. He brought back 700 Patola weaver families to Patan. Of those families, only the Salvis continue the craft today.

Patola is one of the most difficult forms of weaving in the world. It uses a double ikkat style where the warp and weft threads are dyed meticulously before weaving, according to a pre-designed pattern. The weaver then aligns them perfectly on the loom, which naturally creates a unique combination of geometric delineation with soft hazy outlines. It is said that an Indonesian king visited India, was awed by the Patola craft, and took it back to his land saying that only Indonesian royalty would be allowed to wear it.

The saris take 4-6 months to make, with more than 70 days for the coloring of the silk threads, and about 25 days for the weaving. They come in four styles: 1) for the Jains and Hindus, with flowers, parrots, elephants, and dancing figures, 2) for the Muslim Bohras, with geometric and floral design, to be used at weddings, 3) for Maharashtrian Brahmins, in solid dark colors bordered with designs of women and birds, called Nari Kunj, and 4) for traditional export markets in the Far East. Immense dexterity is required of the dyer, for visualizing the pattern of dyeing, especially for the weft threads which are woven in zigzag, and also of the weaver, for working at an even pace, so that the warp and weft meet at precisely the right place without breaking the silk threads. These extreme levels of craftsmanship give Patola artists enough reason to put a high price on their work, and to guard closely their patterns as a trade secret.

To watch the masters of the craft at work, or order your own piece, visit Vinayak and Bharat Salvi at Patan Patola Heritage +91 2766 231369, Patolawala Salvivado, Patolawala St. or Ashok Salvi at Patolawala Farm House +91 2766 232172, outside Phatipal Gate. The price of saris start at Rs. 90,000. There are also smaller scarves available, starting at Rs. 5000.

Visiting Kalighat Temple, Calcutta

The Kalighat Kali Temple is one of the four 'Adi Shakti Peethas' of India.

The Shakti Peethas are places in the sub-continent where the Goddess is worshipped.

Kalighat Temple, 1887

All major temples in India have sthala-purana or sthala-mahima, which explains the legend behind the temple. For the Kalighat temple, the legend is here: 

King Daksha was one of Brahma's sons. One of his daughters was Sati or Dakshayani, who wished to marry Shiva. Daksha forbade it, but Sati married Shiva anyway. Daksha disliked Shiva intensely, calling him a dirty, roaming ascetic with a cohort of goblins and ghouls. Once Daksha announced a great yagna (religious sacrifice) and invited all the Gods. Although she was not invited, Sati visited her father, only to have him ignore her and insult Shiva. In great sorrow and rage, Sati immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. 

When Shiva learnt the news, he let loose his goblin armies and they wreaked havoc on the yagna and killed Daksha. Later Shiva revived Daksha, by attaching a goat's head to his lifeless body. He then picked up Sati's body and in his grief began to wander the world. Another version of the story is that Shiva took Sati's corpse and began to dance the Tandava. To relieve Shiva and to end the grief, Vishnu spun the Sudarshana chakra (a discus) and sliced the body of Sati into many parts. These parts fell to the earth, forming the Shakti Peethas.

The right toe of Dakshayani is said to have fallen here, at Kalighat, imbuing the ground with the sacred presence of the Goddess. Originally Kalighat was a ghat (landing stage) on the old course of the Hooghly river. It is believed that the name Calcutta is derived from the word Kalighat. The Hooghly river has moved away from the temple, and the temple is now on the banks of a small canal called Adi Ganga which connects to the Hoogly.

Pilgrims bathing at the ghat, about 60 years ago. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kalighat_1947.jpg

Here are three photos of the temple which I clicked a couple of years ago. The bazaar below has many shops selling religious items and souvenirs. The path to the temple is lined with flower-sellers, offering hibiscus garlands.

Visiting the temple is rewarding for anyone who is culturally and spiritually curious. However the experience is marred by the aggressive hardsell that you experience from the priests (pandas). There are often long queues for darshan at the temple. While the pandas offer short-cut queues for a fee, they will also insist you purchase puja offerings from shops that they recommend, and they will also ask for fees for doing some instant pujas and mutterings. It is really a pity that such a sacred site is abused by the priests, making it impossible to visit it in a peaceful state of mind. To add to the priests, there are also beggars who come up asking for alms. Overall, unless the state of things improves, this is not a temple I would recommend for a first time overseas visitor to Calcutta. The Kali temple at Dakshineshwar is a much better experience.

Ahilyabai Ghat in Varanasi

Continuing the series on the ghats of Varanasi: this is Ahilyabai Ghat, named after one of India's most popular Maratha queens. 

There was an earlier ghat here known as Kevalagiri Ghat. In 1778-1785 it was extended and rebuilt by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar and after that, the name changed. The Holkars were a Maratha clan which ruled the Malwa kingdom (present day Madhya Pradesh) with their capital at Indore and Maheshwar. Queen Ahilyabai was renowned not only for leading her men in battle, but also for her patronage of culture, arts and religion. In her 30-year reign, she built literally thousands of wells, temples, dharamshalas and did many other charitable works, for which she received enormous respect from people all over India.

 At this ghat there is a palace and residential compound. The palace compound opens towards the city side, there is a gateway there with a noubat-khana (welcoming drum). There is also a group of religious buildings including temples and servants’ quarters, some of which are used as an akhada. There are two temples on the ghat in Nagara style, and in addition there is a Hanuman temple and Shiva temple also. The quarters of the Brahmin priests attached to the Indore estate are also on this ghat; it is a set of 10 houses and is called Brahmapuri (it is on a street parallel to the river).

The building in yellow is where Pandit Kaviraj Ashutosh Bhattacharya lived. He came from a lineage of ayurvedic doctors, but was blessed with musical ability. He was famous as both an extraordinary tabla player and teacher and reputed Ayurvedic doctor.

Women's restaurant initiative in Kerala

Photo credit: The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com

Kudumbasree (meaning family prosperity) is a Kerala state government initiative to improve women’s economic self-sufficiency through self-help groups. The program is supported by the Central Government, local bodies and NABARD (National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development).

Under this program, poor women with little access to education and medical care are trained and aided in finding avenues for earning. They learn better methods of agriculture, floriculture and as a means to diversify, restaurant management, cooking, handicraft making and pottery. Information on money management, women’s rights and payment entitlements is shared so women are able to make informed demands and decisions.

The impact: Women who earlier worried about sending their kids to school due to the expenses now find themselves better-equipped to educate their kids.

Tribal women have been able to ban the brewing and consumption of arrack (local liquor), the bane of family life. They control prices of provisions and vegetables by hiring jeeps to bring goods in bulk and sell them to members at the cheapest possible price. Earlier, families that were dependent on low-quality provisions doled out to them in limited quantity are able to purchase good quality items on their own strength.

The program also works on highlighting new areas where the women may focus attention to boost income. Thekkady and Alleppey are seeing an increase in tourism. Hotels, resorts and restaurants need quality vegetables in supply. Women are learning to grow new foods that are high on demand. Prices are better regulated since they are not working as isolated producers but as a large entity.

Sometimes, earning is insufficient to meet emergencies or social requirements. Each member deposits a small amount (Rs 10) and can avail a loan to get by the immediate need.

In the male-dominated tribal communities, the success of women’s self-help is particularly interesting.

Part of the success is the organisation structure at a grassroot level. At each district, Kudumbasree has a Community Development Society (CDS) which operates with the help of volunteers from the health and education sector, infrastructure and income generation. Apart from them, there is a representative from the finance department, a secretary and a president. Responsibility is shared as office bearers are regularly rotated to keep out vested interests. The role of Panchayat (community head) is limited so the women are free to present crucial issues like water, power or housing, earning (otherwise sidelined under a male-dominated structure).

Seeing the success of this movement, the state has introduced similar models to include more people (not only women) in the move to eradicate poverty.

Lentil Hunter with Chef Michael Smith

My friend Amit Vaccharajani helped produce this film set in Ahmedabad, for a Canadian TV show called Lentil Hunter.

Chef Michael Smith travels to Ahmedabad as part of his worldwide journey, hunting for lentil based recipes.

You can click this link, select Ahmedabad on the map, and enjoy this wonderful introduction to all the ways in which Gujarat celebrates dal. http://www.lentils.ca/lentilhunter/

Have fun :) :) The visuals are great.