The usual misconception is that it is the IT(computer software) industry which put Bangalore on the global map. The fact is Bangalore was officially known to the western world much before the first mainframes were invented. Here’s the history behind how this small town was first, literally, put on the map. The article has been published in Deccan Herald, Spectrum edition today.
You could also read it at here (epaper) or here(text)
This is a sequel to the Vadodara post.
Around 45 km from Vadodara stands a huge hillock – Pavagadh. Standing at a height of 822 meters,it is home to a Kali temple that draws thousands of devotees. There are also remains of a fort settlement on the hill.
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My travelogue on Vadodara aka Baroda, Of the regal past, was recently published in Deccan Herald’s Sunday Supplement.
Here’s the unedited version.
The Queen Regent Jamna Bai was relieved. The terror reign of Malhar Rao was finally over. That he had tried to poison the Resident was the final nail in the coffin. Now, she had one more task –of choosing a worthy successor who would rule the Gaekwad Kingdom wisely. Among all the boyschosen to become the next Maharaja of Gaekwad, she found young Gopal Rao very promising. Andshe had made the right choice. Gopal Rao became Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III, the Maharaja of GaekwadKingdom. Under his rule, the region at large and its capital, Vadodara (Baroda) thrived.
(Image Courtesy: Google maps)
Baroda or Vadodara lies in Western India, 120 km from Ahmedabad. It is also the former capital ofGaekwad State.
The city’s progress can be divided into two segments – before Sayaji Rao III and after. Sayaji’s reignin Baroda was during 1863 to 1939.
Lakshmi Vilas Palace
Hence my first stop was at the majestic Lakshmi Vilas Palace in the heart of the city. The Palace wascommissioned by Sayaji Rao and was architected by an Englishman, Major Charles Mant. It wascompleted in 1890. The Hindi speaking guide narrated the story of the dynasty in the flattering tone that spoke of loyaltyfor his royal employers. The Palace though open for public, is privately owned and maintained by theroyal family.
Built in Indo Sarcenic Style, the heritage structure reflects an Indo European amalgamation ofarchitecture. The paintings that adorn the entrance to the ornate Diwan –e-Khaas hall, the Italianfountain, the main staircase built with no extended support, the busts of royal family all reflect thesame feeling.
As the guide led the group from one room to another, I mentally drifted to those days when theMaharajas ruled in all their pomp and splendour. The Maharajas in full Regalia in the court, thecrystal chandeliers, the marble and granite statues, the paintings with an Italian feel to them, theportrait of the successive Kings and Regents, the various arms and ammunition used in those days.
The palace from the outside just like the city reflects the cultural amity through a combination ofdome, turrets and towers; with respect to the different religious symbols of architecture – Christian,Jain, Muslim and Hindu.
Predictably, our guide spoke highly about Maharaja Sayaji Rao III who did much to the bettermentof the city.
A Maratha King to a Gujarati township he ensured the strong cosmopolitan culturewhich the city holds is maintained. He made primary education compulsory in his state. He foundedthe Bank of Baroda in 1908 and was instrumental in setting up the first inter city railway in India,between Bombay and Baroda. He also initiated the idea of a University in Baroda accessible toall; the task however was completed by his grandson, Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad. He gifted theKomati Baug now called as Sayaji Baug to the Baroda City. He put Baroda on the Industrial map bypromoting Textile industry.
As I heard his achievements narrated quite emotionally by the guide, it reminded me of our ownNalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar who reigned Mysore State around the same time(1884 to 1940).
In fact there are a lot of similarities in their rule and hence their cities – encouragement for arts andculture, importance to education, promoting economic and industrial growth in their respectiveKingdoms. In fact, the main thoroughfare in Mysore is named after Sayaji Rao Gaekwad!
(Image Courtesy: Wikipedia)
Mulling over such similarities, I walked along with the group out of the building and stood facing the Palace. It looked magnificent and somehow reminded me of Rajasthan. “You are right in a way”,replied our Guide. “The entire palace has been built using Sandstone, imported from Jodhpur”, he explained.
The Lakshmi Vilas Palace reminded me of the Amba Vilas Palace of Mysore. Sadly, thereis no write up about the place and one has to rely on the guide’s accented Hindi. The only one audioguide instrument is slow with the music fillers more than the description.
The greens around the Palace are now converted into a golf course. An outdoor auditorium is rentedout for weddings. The Fateh Singh Museum next door, once the school for Princes, consists of anexcellent collection of Ravi Verma’s paintings, much of them are portraits of the royal family. Theone that caught my eye was a couple of horses with two princes that looked different from differentangles.
That the Gaekwads loved the railways is evident by the fact that Maharaja Pratap Rao Gaekwadhad a three km long mini railway track around the Palace grounds to ferry the young Princes andPrincesses from the palace to their school. Built by Mr Bullock the owner of Survey Border andCamberley Railway in 1936, it made its maiden run in 1941 on the third birthday of Maharaja RanjitSingh Gaekwad. A scaled down model of the train stands proudly in front of the Museum.
History before Gaekwads
However, the history of the city dates even further back. The city was supposed to be created on thebanks of Vishwamitri river, named after the famous Sage Vishwamitra. Today however the town’smain water source is Ajwa lake.
The region’s documented history dates as far back as 812 AD when traders settled in this region. Theregion was ruled by Hindu Kings until 1297 and then it was ruled by Independent Muslim rulers untilthe Mughals conquered them. It finally fell into the hands of the Marathas who reigned from 1732until Independence when the Kingdom acceded to Indian Union.
Baroda Today
(Image Courtesy: Wikipedia)
Baroda is better known to day for its University. Its huge dome looms large inside the city. The day I was in the city, Venki, the Nobel laureate was giving a lecture in its premises. The Universityhas a number of courses ranging from performing arts to sciences. Predictably the areas where itsstudents’ hang around have a very lively ambience.
The old city area is very crowded and thrives as a busy shopping place. The streets are extremely narrow and many old houses are built in the typical old Maratha architecture, snugly fit, complete with narrow wooden staircases and a rope to hang on to! The busy area can be compared to Bangalore’s pete (Chikka pete) where every house has a shop andvehicles are driven through the narrowest of lanes.
The main language of the city is Gujarati; however the cosmopolitan group also speak Hindi. As is the case of every town or city, the bungalows in the new city are being replaced by set of apartments.
Udaipur – founded by Maharana Udai Singh II, when he lost the famous Chittor fort to the Mughals. A picturesque city set amidst aravalli hills, surrounded by lakes, a rich culture and a famous history. I was very excited to leave the more commercialised Jaipur to experience this land of Rajputs. Added to the fact was that we had booked a suite that faced the famous lake Pichola.
Journey
Udaipur is 401.4 km from Jaipur. Travelling from Jaipur, one has to take NH8 route. However that day, the road was blocked due to Gujjar protests. So we took a slightly longer route from Pushkar, via Chittorgarh on NH79.
I was very keen to see Chittor – the doomed fort town which withstood more than three attacks by Mughals. But the most famous tragic tale is that of Rani Padmini who fell into the pyre(jauhar) with other royal ladies while their husbands along with the King Ratan Singh committed Saka – fighting till death a losing battle with Alauddin Khilji, Sultan of Delhi.
In fact, the doomed tale of Chittoor led to the founding of Udaipur. During the third raid on the fort by the Mughals led by Akbar, Maharana Udai Singh II ran away from Chittor and founded a new city, Udaipur in the foothills of Aravalli range. Since it was well nestled among the mountains, it was safe from the ravaging Mughals.
While the stories are very interesting and full of drama, the landscape is far from it. Going on the NH 79, the scenery appeared dusty, arid and with occasional dry bushes on either side. The bright burning sun gave the final composition to the stark region; we had not even touched the desert region! I dreaded to have a flat tyre in this highway.
Still, it was a good journey, atleast we were in a car! Imagine crossing these regions on a horseback! I loved the stark contrast of the landscape with the colourful clothes the people wear here. While the journey was uneventful, the last leg took away much of my enthusiasm of arriving at Udaipur. Thanks to the President of India!
It seems, Ms Prathibha Patil, our honorable President had arrived at Udaipur to offer prayers at Jag Mandir, the lake temple. This resulted in the inevitable traffic jam that usually occurs in such occasions. The last few kilometres of tarred road looked like a badly packed closet with every kind of vehicle trying to nose its wheel into the last inch of space left on the highway. So what should take 30 minutes took us 2 painful hours of crawling at the speed of an ant.
We finally reached the hotel at 11 in the night and my son went to sleep without dinner – well, atleast in a comfortable bed. Thank you bureaucracy!
Jagat Niwas
The next morning, we rose from our beds to appreciate at the location of Jagat Niwas. The heritage hotel overlooking Lake Pichola was right next to the huge Udaipur Palace. Our room was the lowest one that had box windows jutting into the lake. Sipping chai and looking out, it seemed as if our room was precariously perched on the water.
As I wandered around the courtyard, I spotted a huge tulsi plant with a traditional katte (platform). Jagat Niwas hotel, like every other hotel in this area, was once a haveli. Build in the traditional style with an open courtyard in the centre and surrounded by myriad suites, I suspect this corner to be a ladies’ section. The hotel is a very popular one and one needs to book in advance, especially if you want a lake facing room.
Lake Pichola
Lake Pichola is a vast lake 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. Perched high on one side is the huge Palace and smattering set of heritage buildings that are now hotels. On the other side one can see the ghats, Jagdish temple and in the far end, one can spot the Sajjangarh fort, a summer home of the Mewar royals which is also a good spot to enjoy a good sunset.
The lake however is man made and built in 13th century, by Rana Banjara who evacuated an entire Picholi to form this lake! Lakes such as these were then used as water sources (for bathing, washing etc) other than providing a surreal ambience. Very beautiful and picturesque, this lake can however get completely dry in summer.
The lake has two islands that are home to Lake Palace and Jag Mandir. While the former is now a hotel, the latter is a small Shiv temple with a restaurant and calm instrumental music wafting in hot afternoons. An obvious delight to have lunch at.
About the food, be warned, since most of the tourists here are foreigners, the heritage havelis and the palace hotels serve continental or standard north indian food. To try a local cuisine, one has to leave the lake side and visit the inner areas.
After a series of dal bhatis, we craved for some idli dosas and visited a south indian hotel in the market area. Surprisingly it was great food that we did full justice too! In the western part, look for Gujarathi hotels, they would also serve good South Indian food. I loved the colourful chutneys(atlest four!) that they serve before the main course is ready.
City Palace
When you go for a boat ride on the lake Pichola, look at the palace from a distance. The huge palace complex appears atleast half the size of the hillock nearby. You’ll get a rough estimate of how huge this palace is. A local guide said with pride that this was the largest palace in Rajasthan & the second largest Palace in Asia! I can vouch for his pride but am not sure about the fact:)
The Palace is actually a huge complex of palaces built during different eras spanning over 300 years. The ‘Rai Angan’ was the first to be built by Rana Udai Singh II. Consequently the Fateh Prakash Palace, Krishna Mahal, Mor chowk etc have been built in different eras. As one enters the palace through a three arched gates (Tripolia), there are several toranas in the passage that leads to mehak chowk. These were then used to weigh the kings and an equal amount of gold was distributed among the people. No wonder the locals like there royalty so much!
The passage leads to a huge courtyard which is often hired for private weddings. Though lucrative for the Palace upkeep, it does take away the royal ambience that goes with such huge palaces. Some of the palaces here are hotels. Check with the reception in advance if you plan to have lunch here since they get booked for private parties where general hungry public are not allowed. Its quite a distance from one end to the other here, so be prepared & keep your rucksack full.
Apart from Udai Singh, the other famous King of the Sisodia clan is Maharana Pratap who defeated Akbar in the battle of Haldighati. The Mewar dynasty is quite long and the stories make a charming book that can be taxing even for a history buff. My advice, take a guided tour – if you get tired, make it across two days for a couple of hours in a day each.
Sajjangarh
(image courtesy: Wikipedia)
This hilltop fort is actually a hunting lodge cum palace of the Rajputs, built by yet another Rana, Rana Sajjan Singh. Perched on the very top of the hill, its interiors are stark, unlike the beautiful City Palace. However the tourists visit this hill top fort for its views of the udaipur city and the magnificent Sunset.
I like the sunsets in Rajasthan. Unlike South India, which have skies with passing white clouds that give a haze to the brightness of the sun, the Sun in Rajasthan is magnificent and hot. Its the only thing that decorates the sky. And at 6pm (atleast in winter), one moment its there and the next moment its gone, taking away the heat and making way to the coolness of the moon. I’m not being poetic, the Sun is.
Udaipur City
The best way to know more about the old city is to walk everywhere. While the recent added areas are much like any other modern Indian city, the roads in old area near the Ghats have deceptive narrow roads that almost seems to lead you into someone’s haveli turned hotel. Along the small lanes are shops that sell almost everything – colourful clothes, bags, handicrafts and also ‘fast and furious internet’ connection. Massage Parlours are very popular here and some of them tout the Lonely Planet recommended badges.
While the entire area has a venice like ambience, with every nook or corner leading into an charming haveli, I was taken aback with the aggressive driving in these matchbox like areas. An area that was originally planned for pedestrians have very little of them today. Two wheelers, rickshaws, tongas, cars and even small tempos zip in & out of the urban maze! Enjoyable until you get caught in a traffic jam.
Just one advice to Indian tourists. Most of the LP recommended restaurants serve good continental food. So dont just go by the LP rating – see what kind of food you would prefer.
I just saw that my last post in this blog has been in June 2010! Work had taken so much of my mental space that i was too drained out to write anything. So now in 2011 I am coming back with a vengeance.The next few posts will be about Rajasthan, the much written about and most popular tourist place in India. More significantly, a place that I have never been to even though I have lived in India for almost all my life.
The first of the posts is on Amer Fort near Jaipur.
It was a family trip to Rajasthan in December 2010. Jaipur was our first halt. That afternoon; after a good lunch in the old Jaipur city, we were on the way to Amer.
Jaipur as a city consists of 3 townships – Amer, old Jaipur and new Jaipur City. Amer or Amber (pronounced as um – bur which means Sky) Fort was originally built by Raja Man Singh I in the 15th century. Amer was the capital of Kachhawa rulers who ruled the region from here until Sawai Jai Singh II founded Jaipur.
Our guide explained to us the significance of the word ‘Sawai’ that’s prefixed to Jaipur rulers. It seems when the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah on a hunting spree in the forests of this region was surprised that every Lion had a pierced nose. When he came to know that the Raja of Jaipur had performed such a feat, he proclaimed the king as ‘Sawai’. From then on, all the kings of Jaipur have a ‘Sawai’ prefixed to their names.
As we reached the foothills of Amer, I realised that it’s not just a small fortress but spans across a whole hilly region. One can see the fort boundaries around the many hill peaks and troughs. Amer is a whole fortified township with a separate governing body. Amer has an Amer Development Authority, much like our BDA (Bangalore Development Authority).
As the car drove uphill, we could see many old dilapidated havelis. Our guide mentioned that some of them were in litigation and hence the bad upkeep. He was pretty excited about a couple of heritage dwellings that Vasundhara Raje and Lalit Modi had bought in this heritage zone. Since then there was hue and cry the places were returned to the government, he continued.
We entered the main palace through the entrance that Kings used after a successful battle.
A small temple of Kali stands here locked – not for public view. A Ganesha Idol, carved on a single piece of coral, is placed atop the door. The goddess, it seems, is a very fiery one and claimed human sacrifice when she was first installed. Since then there has always been animal sacrifice here.
Pol means ‘gate’ in Rajasthani. The courtyard can be entered through Suraj Pol and Chand Pol. A small staircase leads us to the inner courtyard. As we enter, on the left is Diwan-e-Aam, a place where the King used to hold meetings with the people. Since the Rajasthan rulers had made peace with the Mughals, the Hindu and Mughal friendship reflects in the architecture of this period in Jaipur.
Within the palace is a much beautiful Diwan-e-Khaas, the Durbar hall where the Kings met his ministers.
The Diwan-e-Aam is pillared and much simpler in style and architecture compared to Diwan-e-Khaas which blew my breath away. Bejewelled with Belgian mirrors, the hall is a perfect example to tout Rajasthani craftsmanship. The design has been immortalised in the set created for the Madhubala’s famous song (‘Pyar kiya toh to Darna Kya’) in the movie Anarkali. Movies, thankfully, are not permitted in the area.
In front of the Diwan-e-Khaas is a small garden with fountains. The entire palace area is very beautiful. While from outside it looks strong and sturdy as any fortified area is, the inside reflects the famous Rajasthani craftsmanship and paintings. But what I was really surprised and awed was the civil engineering of those times.
Some excellent examples are in the seasonal chambers for the Queens’ chambers.
Winter: The insides of these rooms are designed with Belgian mirrors that are slightly convex. In winter when the lamps are lit, the glass gets heated and provides much warmth in the room.
Summer: Ducts carrying rainwater are very strategically placed just above the thin curtain that covers the room. As the water drops on the cloth, the draft through the huge windows cools the wet cloth and creates a natural air conditioning to the place.
Spring: Perfumes are strategically placed in inlets that bring in monsoon water. As the water flows over these perfumes, the room suddenly becomes fragrant. The water flows further down and drains into a central garden.
Bathing area: Separate inlets carry hot and cold water into a common room that has a pit, a kind of a bathtub. The waste water can is then channelled through another outlet.
In such a hot place, especially atop a hill, water has always been a precious resource. From the small hunting lodge like Sajjan garh to a huge palace at Amer, the engineers have harvested rain water very skilfully. A common pit is constructed in the palace courtyard where all the collected rain water is streamed into. In those days, battles went on for months. The pit served as an excellent well to pack water for the soldiers.
As we left, our guide mentioned that we could ride up to the fort on an elephant like how they used to come in the old times– something that my four year old would have appreciated more than all the history. We then settled for a camel ride near Jal Mahal as a reward for putting up with his parents and a hot relentless December sun. (It was anything but cold here when we visited. We missed the cold wave by a week I think).
Fact File
Where: Amer is 13 km from Jaipur city
How to go: You can hire a cab/taxi from Jaipur. Vehicles can go until the top. Alternatively there are elephant rides from the foothill to the palace.
What to do: I would recommend a guide to accompany you. Audio guides are also available. Guides fee for the Palace can be around Rs 100 to 150/-
(Image courtesy: Citizenmatters)
Blame it on the Environment day or my active conscience pricking me; for the last few days I have been travelling by bus from office to home. So far it had been great, the bus service is more frequent than auto rickshaws in my route and there are several new Volvo buses, BIG 10 and JNNURM sponsored sleek ones. My bus experience has been pleasant, similar to bus travel in the Western countries.
Yesterday, however, it was a different tale. Waiting for nearly 10 minutes, I couldn’t find any new buses that could take me home. So I caught the next bus that came along with a sign board that said ‘Yelahanka’. The bus seemed empty. Unluckily when my turn came to board the bus, I could not spot any vacant seat. I bought a ticket and stood silently behind the driver seat, in front of the motor. So far, so good. More people came in and left the bus at next few stops but, alas, no place to sit.
At the Hebbal bus stop, several people rushed in through the front door. The bus was suddenly very crowded and I could hardly stand. It then dawned to me that it was a Doddaballapur bound bus & hence the rush.
It must have been a regular commuting time for them & they were waiting for this very bus.
A little boy stood beside me, stamping my foot whenever he lost balance. A lady kindly elbowed me when she had to find the right change for the ticket. Another girl, although tall, had to hold the bar in front me so that I could smell her armpit. I amused myself by comparing her oscillating hand to a car windshield’s wipers. After a few minutes of braving it, I gathered enough courage to request her to hold the rod above my head; she obliged to my request by moving a quarter of an inch.
So there I was, standing on one and a half feet, trying to keep my nose away from the moving hand, avoiding elbows and generally looking at the roof which was the only sparsely occupied space in the bus. It was then I spotted the Kannada translation for ‘LADIES’ label above the first seat. It said ‘LADIES’ & ‘Angavikalarige’ (for handicapped). Very true. We were handicapped for space in the bus. Oh, the painter must have been an enlightened soul!
The old Hyderabad area, the shopping centre around Charminar is a photographer’s paradise(apart from being a shoppers’ dream). The busy market area, the colour, the vibrancy will make a photographer go into a clicking frenzy, especially with a weather more pleasant than Bangalore(this was post monsoon time in 2009).
But with a cranky 3 year old, I could just take a few shots from a flying auto(still have to get used to hyderabad’s rickshaws) that raced through the area.
I have uploaded some photos of the area. In case you call them bad, try clicking snaps crouched in the back of an auto with a eager infant wanting to click some on his own.
The colourful Market Square.
I like the bright orange dress.
Charminar, a first glimpse.
I wonder how the area looked like when this structure first came up. Did the market sprout around the structure or the other way round?
A Bollywood message or a simple design on the auto?
