Taking the first step into a new territory for me, #Chhattisgarh exploration begins.
An unexpected find. A magnificent carved column embedded into the mandapa wall of the Ramachandra Temple, 12th century CE, Rajim, Gariaband district, #Chhattisgarh
An interesting depiction of Vishnu, with long locks. Antiquity unknown. Found in this state on the banks of a pond. Nearby are two temples dating to the 14th-15th century CE. Sahaspur vil, #Bemetara district, #Chhattisgarh
A tiny shrine in a beautiful setting, alongside a pond. Sita Devi temple, 12th century CE, Kalachuri. Deorbija vil, #Bemetara district, #Chhattisgarh. The ASI list incorrectly places the village in Durg dist.
Pics of the Bhoramdeo Temple. Is there any part of this structure that is not carved? Is there a Hindu icon not represented here? 11th century CE, Kalachuri. Kabirdham district, #Chhattisgarh.
In a complete contrast to the Bhoramdeo, a short distance from the richly embellished temple, stands the Madwa Mahal. Attributed to the patronage of a 15th century queen. Some accounts also speak of it as being built to commemorate a royal wedding. Kabirdham dist, #Chhattisgarh.
I initially thought this idol depicted Hanuman. Locals clarified that it was a depiction of Narasimha and that the local name for Narasimha was 'Ghughus Raja', after whom the temple was named. Temple dates to 17th-18th cen CE. Deokar vil, #Bemetara dist, #Chhattisgarh
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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
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.
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...
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
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.
#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.
#Karnatakatrail: The fort at Gulbarga, being gradually swallowed by vegetation. Rusting cannons, crumbling walls. A difficult task for the resource-strapped ASI.
#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.
#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.
@MPTourism#Chanderifauna: Spotted this bird - a woodpecker I think - perched nr #Chanderi fort, lost in thought. Was black & white ever as striking as this?
@MPTourism#Chanderifauna: Butterflies aren't always perfect, some are frayed, like this one I spotted in the #Jain temple complex in Budhi Chanderi.
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.
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.
More from the book fair: the memoirs of Britain's best known WW II commander and a book on personal anecdotes from the war.