Arjun Kumar Profile picture
Mar 20, 2019 12 tweets 11 min read Read on X
Iconography, inscriptions and grandeur inside the 10th century CE Chola-built Somanatha temple at Melpadi, #Vellore dist, TN. ImageImageImage
#Jain iconography carved into a natural overhang; 9th century CE. #Vallimalai village, #Vellore dist, TN. The state is dotted with numerous #Jain sites similar to this. Wonder if there is a book that explores the Jain history of the region? ImageImageImage
Perhaps the most unique structure in the Kanchipuram-Vellore-Arcot region, a monolithic rock cut temple at Mahendravadi, #Vellore dist, TN. Dates to the 7th century CE. Built under the patronage of Pallava ruler Mahendravarman, this Vishnu temple now houses an idol of Narasimha. ImageImageImage
A wonderful climb up the Rajagiri hill, one of 3 hills making up #Gingee fort-complex, #Villupuram dist, TN. Views of and from Kalyana Mahal. The Konars, Cholas, rulers of Vijaynagara and Bijapur, Marathas, Nawabs of Carnatic, Brits & French - seems everyone passed through here. ImageImage
Halfway up the Rajagiri hill in #Gingee, in a forested part of the climb, lies the site of an ancient shrine. Dedicated to Senji/Chenji Amman, the site perhaps pre-dates the current fort structure. Nayaka-era paintings behind the temple are under threat of being destroyed. ImageImageImage
Several local traditions about Senji Amman, the goddess. One holds her to be Draupadi, another links her to a manifestation of Mahisa-sura-mardini. The latter belief has been manifest in buffalo sacrifices taking place at this shrine. This stone carving seems to capture that link Image
Battlemented walls, watch-towers, temples and water tanks, the fort-complex at Gingee has lots to offer a heritage explorer. ImageImageImageImage
Venkatraman Temple, #Gingee, 16th century CE. Structure has been vandalized repeatedly in the course of its existence. On entering the innermost courtyard, was amazed to see a priest emerging from the sanctum. The place remains in worship. A strong case for full restoration. ImageImageImage
The small but stunning Vaikuntha Perumal Temple at #Kanchipuram, TN. With row upon row of carved iconography, is there any part of this temple's walls that has not been worked upon by master artists? The ASI needs to do much more to conserve this 8th century CE Pallava shrine. ImageImageImageImage
An amateur video of the Vaikuntha Perumal temple at #Kanchipuram: . This video does not do justice to the beauty of the temple which has to be seen in person.
@sudhagee Thanks a ton for pointing me to this temple. What a place!
Sharing some details of the fascinating Kailashnathar Temple, #Kanchipuram. This 8th century Pallava-built, sandstone temple is a riot of carvings. Temple is under restoration by the ASI. ImageImageImageImage

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More from @Hiddenheritage

Aug 26, 2020
Been asked what fascinates me abt #Chanderi. More than the fort, baolis, tombs & mosques, Jain rock cut sites & ancient rock art, perhaps what draws me here is the fact that heritage is everywhere in Chanderi. Like this grp of lost temples at Sitamarhi ImageImageImageImage
Spotted in a field outside #Chanderi. Was this structure a shrine or was it part of a walled complex housing a now-lost shrine? It has fragments of icons kept within which probably came from another structure. ImageImageImage
Some yrs ago, while wandering through the area outside #Chanderi, bumped into a sadhu. This person didn't say a word, just kept pointing in a certain direction and off I went... Image
Read 18 tweets
Jun 14, 2020
Beginning a thread on some less-known temples of #Gujarat. These pics are of a grp of 7th century CE temples, Maitraka dynasty, Bhanasara vil, #Junagarh. Lie a short drive frm the coast, on the road that connects #Mangrol to #Porbandar.
A giant stepwell, with four entrances, outskirts of Chobari vil, #Surendranagar, #Gujarat. But perhaps more shrine than stepwell, going by its ornate iconography, including a 12-13th century CE Shesasayi Vishnu. A story I did on this once: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad…
At Miyani vil, close to #Porbandar, a medieval gateway leads to two 13th century CE temples. One of these, called the Neelkanth Mahadev, remains in worship, despite being in bad shape. #Gujarat
Read 4 tweets
May 23, 2020
Rajgir, #Bihar, once the capital of a powerful kingdom - a kingdom that grew into an empire straddling much of the subcontinent. Today, it is a second-rate town even in its state. But a town dotted with heritage, such as this stupa dated to the 4th-5th centuries BCE.
A pity that the heritage of #Ragjir, #Bihar has been allowed to gently decay sans restoration. This is the shrine of Mani Naga, dated to 4th-6th centuries CE, Gupta period. Now called Maniyar Math, its focal point is a stupa-like circular structure with a hollow core.
Structure called Jarasandh-ka-akhara, #Rajgir, #Bihar. Date unknown. A feature common to many structures here is an elevated platform. There is a site called Jarasandh-ka-teela, in Haryana, a partially excavated stupa site. Not sure of the latter's connection to Jarasandh though.
Read 7 tweets
Jan 25, 2020
#Karnatakatrail: Dusk on a Dec evening found me exploring the Bahmani tomb complex at a village called Holkonda, north of Gulbarga. Structures here being swallowed by the vegetation. ImageImageImage
#Karnatakatrail: The fort at Gulbarga, being gradually swallowed by vegetation. Rusting cannons, crumbling walls. A difficult task for the resource-strapped ASI. ImageImageImageImage
#Karnatakatrail: Unlike neighbouring #Bijapur where stepwells, pleasure pavilions have survived, Gulbarga is dotted with tombs, which are literally everywhere. Like ghosts of a forgotten past! This huge structure looms up in a residential area called Santraswadi. Image
Read 6 tweets
Jan 23, 2020
#Chanderifauna: Some yrs ago, on a cold Dec morning in #Chanderi - my fav heritage destination - I was woken by a persistent knocking on the window. It turned out to be this bird, shot through the frosted glass. Perhaps it was urging me to get up and begin exploring. Image
@MPTourism #Chanderifauna: Spotted this bird - a woodpecker I think - perched nr #Chanderi fort, lost in thought. Was black & white ever as striking as this? Image
@MPTourism #Chanderifauna: Butterflies aren't always perfect, some are frayed, like this one I spotted in the #Jain temple complex in Budhi Chanderi. Image
Read 7 tweets
Jan 7, 2020
An interesting recent addition to the collection, a book that plunges into the historical linkages of a mammoth epic. The connections are perhaps easier to make as I have visited most of the excavated sites mentioned, esp Kaushambi. Image
More recent additions, these from the world book fair, in Delhi. A massive 3-volume listing of #hiddenheritage monuments in #Odisha. Amazed that the govt's publications division was giving this set away at a throwaway price. Image
More from the book fair: the memoirs of Britain's best known WW II commander and a book on personal anecdotes from the war. Image
Read 9 tweets

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