So I'm here this weekend. Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh. A UNESCO World Heritage site and glowing example of syncretic cultural growth. Built by Emperor Ashoka, and embellished by the Sungas, Satavahanas, Guptas and Parmaras 🤩🤩
The most magnificent part of the Sanchi Stupa are the Ornamental Toranas or the Gateways. Four of them facing the four Cardinal directions 🤩 #Sanchi#ThisHeartWasMeantToWander
Lucky to have a 200 Rupees note on me. Could get this pic 🤩😄😄
History lovers would appreciate it. This broken pillar is the among the famous 3 Schism Edicts of Ashoka (Sanchi, Sarnath and Allahabad). Here, Emperor Ashoka warns of dissent with the Sangha and threatens dissenters with explosion
The ruined monasteries around the Sanchi stupa complex. Built over millenia of history by various Hindu and Buddhist emperors, some of them outsiders like the Parthians and the Scythians #Sanchi
Don't miss the Archeological Museum at Sanchi. Just a Rs 5 entry for this Marvel in a nutshell. And witness the wonder of the Sanchi Lion Capital. Shimmering in Mauryan polish, these Ashokan lions stand atop a panel of geese and Madhumalti (Rangoon creeper) flowers #Sanchi
The other attraction is the smaller Gupta era Lion Capital. It has a partially broken Dharma Chakra Wheel atop it. The Sanchi Museum takes you almost two millennia and a half back within 15 minutes 🤩
The Museum's photogallery offers the painstaking efforts which have brought Sanchi back to the light from its condition as an abandoned forest site #Sanchi
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Ever heard of a town where Lord Rama is worshipped as the king and the local police offer a daily guard of honour to him?
No??
Then we need to see the town of Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. A 🧵 on the temple town.
Orchha is a town located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, around 15 kilometres from Jhansi, making it the perfect weekend trip for folks from Delhi.
Orchha is the heart of the area known to us Bundelkhand and served as the capital of the Bundela kings.
The town of Orchha is famous for its beautiful fort and scenic Chattris along the Betwa river. But the story of our present thread is the Raja Ram Chandra Temple located in the heart of the town.
Whenever one thinks of Andhra/Telangana, the first temples that come to your mind would be Tirupati, Srisailam, Simhachalam or Bhadrachalam. But we have several ancient shrines which are little known outside the state. A 🧵on such places, each with an enthralling story behind.
1. Ahobilam NarasimhaSwamy Temple, Kurnool. Legend has it that this is the location where Lord Narasimha kills Hiranyakashapa to save Prahlada. The deity is wedded to Chenchu Lakshmi, an avatar of Mahalakshmi supposed to be born in the local Chenchu tribe. Confluence of cultures.
2. Chengalamma Parameswari Temple in Sullurpet. The kshetrapalika, local protector of Sriharikota. The fierce goddess to whom all the ISRO Chairmen pray before India's satellite launches. A model of the satellite is invariably placed at her feet before each mission.
Ever heard of a story of when heavy Monsoon rains unearthed the remains of a temple destroyed by Aurangzeb? No?
Come on. I shall tell you the story of Bijamandal of Vidisha. A thread 🧵
Bijamandal (or Vijaya Mandir) was a temple built by the Parmara dynasty in the 9th/10th century. The temple was supposed to be amongst the grandest temples of its time, rivalling the style and size of the Konark temple.
Inscriptions on the southern walls of the temples have indicated that the temple was built during the reign of the Parmara king Naravarman Parmara, who ruled over a turbulent period of Malwa in the middle ages.
He is well known for his Lakshmi embossed coinage
The Heliodorus Pillar of Vidisha. History students must have studied about the Besnagar inscription of the Sunga period. And here we have it, among the first instances of a Vishnu Dhwaja anywhere in India. #ThisHeartWasMeantToWander
Situated on the confluence of the Bes and the Betwa rivers just outside the historical town of Vidisha, this pillar was erected in 113 BCE by Heliodorus, the Greek ambassador from the IndoGreek king Antialcidas to the Sunga Emperor, Bhagabhadra.
The Ambassador Heliodorus calls himself Vishnu Bhagawata on the Inscription, a clear indication that he had embraced Vaishnavism and the Bhagwata Cult. Perhaps among the earliest converts to Hinduism.
The Varaha cave (Cave 5) of the Udayagiri Caves near Vidisha. Here Varaha saves Bhudevi from the evil demon Hiranyaksha. This 5th century Gupta period relief has a colossal Varaha rising to the heavens. You can spend hours just admiring this masterpiece
This was the main reason i made this last minute impromptu trip to Vidisha. Just to see this Colossus of Lord Vishnu as Varahavatar. And i am blessed to have been able to finally witness it
Seshasayee. Lord Vishnu reclines atop the endless curves of Seshanaga. Cave 13 of the Udayagiri caves
I'm in a bus and the guy behind me is loudly talking on the phone regarding his office politics.
Apparently some guys called Ramesh and Sashi are ganging up against him to deny him the credit for the latest project.
I know it's weird but I'm unexplicably invested in it all.
So my bus friend has decided to take the presentation directly to the boss on Monday along with Santosh before Ramesh/Sashi can do anything. It's like a coup d'etat.
My bus friend is apparently hurt over some "Airport" incident and Sashi.
What did you do Sashi????
My friend has apparently worked on the project for the last three weeks while Ramesh has been taking sick leave citing COVID.
How can anyone keep testing positive over three tests in two weeks, fumes my buddy!
A valid question.
So while Ramesh relaxed, my friend slogged