Angkor Wat : A Divine Magnificence

Angkor Wat : A Divine Magnificence

As we were approaching Siem Reap (in Cambodia) the greenery on either side of the road became denser and there was a profusion of lotus ponds filled with pink and white blossoms. Siem Reap  city was neat and clean with tree-lined wide roads and eye-catching hotels.Our hotel, Soma Devi Resort and Spa’s garden greeted us with an abundance of rose periwinkles (nayantara) and giant, red hibiscus (flowers that are offered to Goddess Durga and Kalimata).The stage was set for a great spiritual experience.

History

Before we saw Angkor Wat we were introduced to the Siem Reap river. It plays an important part in the city’s history, culture and religion. The Khmer Empire, a powerful Hindu dynasty in Southeast Asia was founded in 802 AD by Jayavarman II, a warrior-priest . But what the Hindu kings missed was the sacred Ganga. So, in the 11th century, Suryavarman I decided to create an artificial Ganga. A river, Stung Kbal Spean was identified which descended from the Kulen Mountains in the northeast of Angkor in Siem Reap district. Under the aegis of the king’s minister, a thousand Lingams were carved on the river bed by the local hermits. Though the carving of the Lingams began in the reign of Suryavarman I, most of the sculpturing was done during the reign of Udayadityavarman II. The river becomes sacred as it peacefully touches the thousand Lingams, runs over them and then flows downstream, into the Siem Reap river,  which passes through the plains and more especially the Angkor Wat temple complex; eventually flowing into the Tonle Sap lake. This sanctified river is used for dispersing the ashes after cremation of humans and also for other holy purposes.

Sanctified Siem Reap River

Angkor (from Sanskrit nagara) Wat (from Sanskrit vata) was hidden from the world for centuries by dense vegetation. It became known to the west only after 1861, when a French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot through his writings (published posthumously) encouraged archaeologists to Cambodia to discover a lost, ancient civilization. Following such fragmentary clues, French explorers and scholars hacked their way through the jungles to discover this magnificent architecture. Further discovery in recent times was possible through Lidar, a form of aerial laser scanning, that is mounted in helicopters and sees streets and buildings, where the naked human eye will only see fields and forests. This woodland is evident even today because the road leading to Angkor Wat is cut through dense jungles on either side. The extensive vegetation could not encroach upon the temple complex only because of the moat surrounding it on all four sides. This moat is fed by a canal from the sacred Siem Reap river. Khmer architects typically surrounded temples with moats to represent the Hindu sea of creation.

Road to Angkor Wat  Through Dense Forests

Angkorian kings considered themselves to be Devrajas and therefore erected huge temples to the Gods under whose protection they stood. Angkor Wat, the temple complex in Cambodia is the largest religious monument in the world even today, built on a site of 402 acres. It was constructed by the Khmer king Suryavarman II in the early 12^th century in Yasodharapura (present-day Angkor).It was the king’s state temple and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It has become a symbol of Cambodia and appears on its national flag. Angkor Wat (city of temples/temple city in Khmer) was included in UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992.

Angkor Wat : World's Largest Religious Monument

Architecture and Divinity

Angkor Wat is oriented to the west rather than the east. This had led some scholars to conclude that Suryavarman II (1113 -1150 AD) intended it to serve as his funerary temple. But other scholars suggest that Angkor Wat’s alignment was due to its dedication to Lord Vishnu who was associated with the west. It is a temple mountain designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the Devatas in Hindu mythology. The central quincunx of towers symbolizes the 5 peaks of the mountain. It has a series of enclosure walls and moat which signify the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean. The temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the city. The original name of the temple was Vrah Visnuloka which means sacred dwelling of Vishnu.

We obtained our tickets from the main entrance gate of Angkor Archaeological Park. It costs 37$ per person for one day. This ticket or ‘Angkor Pass’ is a sort of ID card because it has your photograph on it which is taken free of charge at the spot. As our bus moved in Angkor Wat campus through the road emerging from dense vegetation, the sanctified Siem Reap river greeted us. Our bus halted at the parking lot, overcrowded with buses with tourists from all over the world. One has to wear decent clothes with shoulders and knees covered to gain access to Angkor Wat. From the parking area you have the option of hiring a Tuk-Tuk, one dollar per person or to go on foot. The Tuk-Tuk deposited us near the temple complex but we had to walk a little farther, climb down a wooden staircase, cross the moat and then again climb up a wooden staircase until we reached the towering, ornate gates or Gopuras of Angkor Wat. There are two entrances on either side of the Gopuras known as elephant gates because they were large enough for those animals to pass through. Under the southern tower stands the 5 meters tall statue of Vishnu known locally as Ta Reach. Pilgrims give offerings to it. This standing statue of Lord Vishnu has eight arms. It is carved from a single piece of sandstone and is draped in yellowish-orange clothing. We entered through the western tower, the main gate. The architecture had turned black due to age but the grandeur is indescribable—the vastness, majesty and intricate carvings on the ceiling and walls with Devatas, apsaras, flowers and animals.

Moat  Leading to Angkor Wat

Wooden Staircase Leading to the Entrance

Ornate Gates or Gopuras

Original Idol of Lord Vishnu ,now worshipped as Ta Reach

We travel from the western Gopura to the main temple by the inner causeway which has naga (serpent) balustrades. Each side of the causeway also has a library. Six steps on either side lead to the city below. This enclosure of about 203 acres was occupied by the city and royal palace in ancient times. But now nothing remains except the outlines of some streets and dense vegetation beyond. Satellite imaging has shown that Angkor during its peak between the 11^th and 13^th centuries was the largest pre-industrial urban center in the world and greater than modern Paris.

Naga Balustrades

Global Population  Walking towards  Angkor Wat

We climb a few more steps and then the 5 lotus-bud shaped tips of Angkor Wat comes into view albeit from a distance. The lotus pond below the causeway is also visible which is the setting for the iconic picture of the temple.

Ancient Library on the Right Side

Lion Statue near Naga Balustrade

Ancient Library on the Left

Parts of Ancient City

Ancient City Framed by the Distant  Lotus Peaks of Angkor Wat   

We reach the principal temple, climb a few steps and enter the first level. The main building material is sandstone, while laterite is used for the outer wall and for hidden, structural parts. The inner walls of the outer gallery are sculpted with a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, in a 'linear arrangement of stone carving'. The western gallery shows the battle of Lanka and battle of Kurukshetra; of lord Krishna sitting on his chariot and advising Arjun, i.e. enumerating the holy book, "Bhagavad Gita". The southern gallery follows the historical scene, a procession of Suryavarman II; the 32 hells and the 37 heavens of Hinduism; of Yama and Chitragupta. There are engravings of king and his consort or with his soldiers. The king and the queen could be distinguished by their umbrellas. The commander- in- chief was the next in line. As the line descended in hierarchy the umbrellas reduced in numbers and luster. In the eastern gallery is one of the most celebrated scenes, the churning of the sea of milk, showing 92 asuras and 88 Devtas using the serpent vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu’s direction to produce Amrita, the divine elixir of immortality. The ceiling too had intricate carvings. If you concentrate on the reliefs on the walls you’ll miss the splendid craftsmanship on the ceiling; so that always your eyes and heads are moving horizontally and vertically. However, there are some holes and bullet marks in the walls made by stray American shells and a shoot out between Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese soldiers during the Cambodian civil war (1978-1991) when Khmer Rouge forces took refuge in the temple. After the war art thieves working out of Thailand stole prized artifacts and bronze sheets decorating the walls.

Disfigurement by War 

Defacement by Bullets

Deformity Caused by Theft

 As we turned left at the outer level we saw that the carvings had a pronounced sheen. This was because the tourists used to touch them while passing. Now a rope separates the visitors from the wall. The outer gallery is open to the outside of the temple with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure.

Sheeny Carvings

Outer Gallery

We exit the first level, climb a few steps and come to the second level enclosure. This might originally have been flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru. The second level has huge, open courtyards with age-blackened architecture, prayer wheels and walls carved with apsaras and Devatas. In this second level we see the inner craftsmanship of the five temple towers especially the tallest one, the central tower representing Mount Meru.  

Climbing to the Second Level

Flooded During Ancient Times to Denote the Ocean

A View  of the Mammoth Edifice

Broken Idols

Tallest Peak Denoting Mount Meru

Sunken Courtyard with Buddhist Influence

The next is the third level, the central tower raised very high above the surrounding levels and 213 feet above the ground. The very steep stairways leading to it represent the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the Gods. In ancient times ordinary people were not allowed and only the king accompanied by the royal priest had access to this level. The spectacle of the stairs from the second level is itself daunting. At the pinnacle of the stairs is a temple, which was once adorned with the shrine of the eight-hand Lord Vishnu seen at the entrance. The temple was open on each side but it was walled in when Angkor Wat was converted to Theravada Buddhism. Those steep stairs, looking more deadly due to age are now abandoned and for the tourists two wooden staircases with iron railings have been made for entrance and exit. There is a long queue peopled by world-wide population and wearing the third level’s entry badge. We climbed many steps and came to the third level. There are dark passages, galleries, temples, windows at the projected landings, small flight of steps in shadowy corridors and sunken courtyards open to the sky. In one temple is the reclining Buddha accompanied by sitting Buddhas. In another is Buddha in lotus posture, his head haloed by a naga. A temple featured Buddhas in standing position. Only limited people may enter this third level and can stay only for fifteen minutes. A temple guard ordered us to leave because we had overstayed.

Climbing up to the Third Level

Intricate Carvings on the Peak

  

Buddhist Statue in the Third Level 

Ancient Blocks of Stones Used as Building Material

Close-up of the Ancient Temple's Ancient Steps

Side View of the Ancient Temple

Frontal View of the Ancient, Original Temple

Ancient Temple's Original Idol : Lord Vishnu

View from the Third Level

Everlasting Vista of Dense Woodland from the Third Level

Restoration in the Third Level

Open- to- the-Sky Courtyard in  the Third Level

Dark Corridors inside Third  Level

Climbing  Down from the Third Level
Photo: Supplied

We climbed down, deposited our entry badges and walked back through covered pathways, massive doorways, until we reached the lotus pond before the temple. 

We had walked long distances in the hot, humid climate, ascended and descended countless steps but felt grateful and blessed that we had the opportunity to witness this superb structure. Everywhere there is creation: blackened with age, ruined by time and war but with the unmistakable imprint of genius. It is grander and prettier than what is described in history books and seen in travel shows. What we were fortunate to see was nothing compared to the things left unseen because a couple of hours at this massive complex gives us just a glimpse of the mammoth structure. Did human hands really build it? No wonder, legends say that it was commissioned by Devraj Indra. The 13^th century Chinese philosopher Zhou Daguan had said that some believed that the temple was constructed overnight by a divine architect. 

Photographs : Bulbul Sur

Tags: Angkor Wat Temple, Siem Reap River, Soma DEvi Resorts and Spa

On the Way to Angkor Wat

On the Way to Angkor Wat

Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat, is a six-hour bus journey from Phnom Penh, including three stopovers. As we left Phnom Penh, we could see apartment buildings coming up on the outskirts of the city. The scenery was not spectacular. On the way, temples, monasteries and pagodas whizzed past. A humble, red, single-storey building bore the inscription, CPP Office; that is Cambodian People’s Party, the main political party in Cambodia. Vast, green fields on either side of the road were abundant proof that agriculture was the main occupation of Cambodia and employed 80% of the workforce. Small towns and hamlets sprang up at regular intervals. A notable feature in isolated locations  near rice fields were elevated wooden houses called stilt houses .These rural Khmer houses  are raised on stilts or wooden pilings to prevent the main room in the house of rice farmers from floods and to maximize air circulation. The simplest of these traditional dwellings consist of only one main room on the upper floor, which is partitioned into separate units used to provide a storage place for rice, a bedroom for the parents, and a further space for  unmarried daughters.  

Rural Khmer Stilt House

Rural Khmer Stilt House

We first stopped at Spider Village (also Spiderville) at Skuon. It is a busy market town about 75 kilometers north of Phnom Penh. It is the district capital of Cheung Prey district. Vendors sold fried spiders, fried cockroaches and fried grasshoppers. The shopkeepers, mostly women, gave careless glances at the tourists because they knew that the foreigners would never buy those eatables but only click pictures of them. Some vendors also sold figs, dates and jaggery. The jaggery tasted wonderful, somewhat like the jaggery available in the winter months in West Bengal.

Spider Village

The next stop was for lunch in Kampong Thom at a restaurant called Prey Pros River Rest Area . The setting was picturesque with seating arrangements under thatched huts, overlooking a scenic waterfront.

The last stop was Kampong Kdei Bridge, locally known as Spean Praptos or Spean Preah Toeus which means ‘Direction Bridge’ in local Khmer language. It is also called the ‘Dragon Bridge.’ It is located on highway number 6, the main road leading to Siem Reap city. Till 2006, all kinds of transportation, including heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses passed over it. Nowadays, heavy traffic is diverted to a 1.3 kilometers-long bypass where a new bridge has been constructed .This was done to preserve Kampong Kdei Bridge. Now only pedestrians and villagers who travel in bicycles or motorbikes are allowed to travel over it.

                                                           Kampong Kdei : Bridge on the Stream of Time

Dragon Bridge

This bridge was built by King Jayavarman VII in the 12^th century, during the Angkorian period. It was restored by Bernard Philippe Groslier in 1965. The bridge, which is made of stone, spans the Chickreng River. “It is 86 meters long, 16 meters wide and 10 meters high above the river bed.” It is recognized as the longest, corbelled-arched, stone bridge in the world and the oldest laterite bridge in Southeast Asia. It has about "21 corbelled, narrow arches, spanning 285 feet (87 meters) and sustained by 20 laterite pillars".  

The entry points of both the sides of Kampong Kdei Bridge are marked by balustrades with huge snake heads, exquisitely carved with detailed engravings of seven-headed (nine heads according to some sources) nagas. The parapet on either side is shaped like a scaly, snake’s body. Nagas or serpents play an important part in Cambodian mythology .It is said that an Indian Brahman, Kaundinya invaded Cambodia which was under the dominion of a naga king. The naga princess, Nagi Soma fought valiantly but was defeated. Another source records that she fell in love with Kaundinya. She married the victorious Kaundinya and the first Cambodian royal family was established. The Khmers are the descendants of that union.

Naga Heads on the Balustrade

There are few souvenir shops in that area selling cane artefacts and other things. The bridge is a great photo stop. Mobile studios give you instant, framed photos with the bridge providing a perfect backdrop.

The bridge is open for public visit throughout the day. Its beauty is enhanced during the rainy season (May to October), when the increased water level bordered by dense greenery is a feast to the eye.  This longest rock bridge in the world, surviving the ravages of time, harsh weather, battles, bombardment is still standing strong for more than a thousand years. It is truly a bridge on the stream of time uniting the ancient, Angkorian period to the modern world.    It is a national heritage and is printed on the bank note of 5,000 Cambodian riel. It is one of the few Angkor empire era bridge standing tough and picturesque in the 21^st century.

Photographs: Bulbul Sur

Tags: Dragon Bridge, Rural Khmer Stilt House, Spider Village

Education's Many Tongues

Education’s Many Tongues

Before we talk of education, let us salute some of the great, uneducated people who changed the world with the light of their own intelligence. The Wright brothers built the first flyable airplane. Ed ‘Doc’ Ricketts became an ecological expert and invented such terms as ‘Ecosystem’ and ‘Habitat’. Steve Jobs was the mastermind behind the mega company ‘Apple’. Benjamin Franklin helped to establish libraries and universities, made huge advance in electricity as a scientist, invented lightning rod, bifocals etc. and was one of the founding fathers of United States. Gregor Mendel was the father of Science of Genetics. Henry Ford manufactured motor vehicles. John D. Rockefeller was the world’s first billionaire. Rabindranath Tagore avoided classroom schooling, yet won the Nobel Prize for literature and founded Visva Bharati University at Santiniketan. William Shakespeare, till date the world’s greatest writer, only knew ‘small Latin and less Greek.’ But unknowingly, we use  many Shakespearean words and phrases in our daily English conversation : ‘last but not least’, ‘a foregone conclusion’, ‘Good riddance’, ‘The be all and end all’ ‘A wild goose chase’, ‘Auspicious’, ‘Bated breath’, ‘Spotless reputation’, ‘Baseless’ ‘All that glitters is not gold, ‘Watchdog’, ‘A laughing stock’, ‘Fair play’ etc. Those outstanding people unleashed their inventiveness, imagination and talent and created everlasting work which changed mankind and enhanced the world.

But formal education is absolutely necessary in the flowering of an individual’s potential. Literacy rate is an important datum to judge a country’s progress. Leaders all over the world have made huge effort to impart education to their citizens even on a war footing. Cuba’s Fidel Castro sent out teachers called ‘literacy brigades’ into the island’s hinterland to impart education. Gujarat government’s iCreate, an incubation centre, provides youth the opportunity to make their ideas see the light of the day. In Scandinavia, the system of ‘Forest Kindergarten’ model provides unstructured playtime to the children in natural setting which enhances their learning ability and develops their natural curiosity.

 Due to modern technology, innovations in education all over the world are increasing in leaps and bounds. In some classrooms in South Korea, students learn English from Engkey, a robot English teacher. Gems Modern Academy in Dubai has classrooms and labs connected by a super-high-speed fiber optic network through which science lessons are delivered on a 3D platform.

In India, the situation is somewhat lopsided. While kids in junior classes are burdened with heavy school bags, their mind stuffed with bookish information and a plethora of class tests, quarterly, half-yearly etc. to test their mechanical memory and not  their knowledge or comprehension, the students of 10^th and 12^th board answer  objective-type questions so that they can easily score  99%. Colleges have cut-out marks hovering only in the range of 95% or above. Now the trendy thing is to score 100 % in English. Coaching classes have become the most profitable business in India today. There are such teachers  who give recorded lectures to students while being absent from class .And then there is a 29 year-old teacher called Rajinikanth Mendhe  who travels 50 kilometers daily in his motor cycle to go to a village called Chandra (100 kilometers away from Pune) to teach his class which comprises of only one student , Yuvraj Sangdale. Mr.Mendhe is very dedicated in his work .He uses solar power in this backward village to teach Yuvraj through e-learning facilities.

Violence in school campus all over the world is very scary. In United States, gun violence in school campuses has devastating influence on children and teens. In 2018 itself there have been 53 incidents of gunfire on school grounds. In India, violence is of another kind where a senior of a reputed school killed his junior, a seven-year-old boy, to escape exams. In West Bengal, a student broke his teacher’s nose because the teacher objected to his fiddling with the cell phone during teaching hours. Sometimes teachers beat up students viciously. Even cartoons (meant for kids) are not free from violence, so much so, ‘Tom and Jerry’ cartoon series are banned in Egypt because they propagate too much brutality.

E.R. Braithwaite’s world famous autobiographical novel, ‘To Sir with Love’ (1959) dealt with this problem of indiscipline in an innovative way. In this school in East End of London, he was black and his students were white. Those reckless students were grown-ups with maturing bodies and adept in teacher-baiting. Mr. Braithwaite struck a deal with them. He treated them as adults and allowed them to decide which topics they wished to study. In return, they must respect him as a teacher. He also encouraged extra-curricular activities such as a visit to the museum. In this way he motivated those unresponsive students to learn. He did not exercise rigid control over them but developed their dormant intelligence. Such discipline which resulted from intelligence diminished the violent streak in the students and taught them self-discipline.

Learning is a two-way process. Teachers and students learn from each other but teachers learn the most. Teachers can get hardwired of hackneyed and boring viewpoints and force students to believe of how a thing is or should be. But students with their fresh outlook sell a new reality. They have the capacity to raise a teacher’s standards, widen his limiting beliefs and change his strategy. In this age of internet and social media when the student is bombarded with information, teachers and parents should be like helmsmen who must steer the boat of the student safely through the storms and take him to the shore of refinement, freedom and conscious intelligence.

List of my Routine Reread Novels

List of my Routine Reread Novels

My early memories of reading novels started during my school days when the best-loved were Enid Blyton’s adventure stories. Then in my teens, I was introduced to Barbara Cartland’s romantic novels. They were banned in the school library and the school premises but somehow the books were smuggled in the class and exchanged among   the girls. Since the books were forbidden, they were all the more irresistible. Those novels were love stories between very beautiful, accomplished women and very handsome, extraordinary men who met, fell in love, and lived happily ever after.

 Then in class eleven we had a Pulitzer Prize –winning novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee in our curriculum. The central character was Atticus Finch, an American lawyer but he was far from being a hero material. In fact, the fiftyish widower Atticus Finch was so ordinary that even his school-going children Scout and Jem were embarrassed of him. He did not play any games; he was an introvert who spent his free time in reading and watching TV. But when the   crunch time came he stood up with a warlike attitude, coping single-handedly against his enemies. That was the first time when we realized that a true hero is the one who is a man of character. Looks, wealth, superficial smartness are secondary to the man who is morally upright and fights for truth. Atticus Finch was defending a black American who was falsely accused of raping a white girl. This happened in a county in Alabama, in the southern state of USA, before the civil war when slavery of blacks was prevalent.  Atticus Finch was ostracized by his own white society and his children were bullied in school by the white children wherein Atticus was called a ’nigger lover’. But Atticus still carried on with a military attitude of his soul against his fight for racial injustice and even forbade his children to get provoked by name calling and harassment. He lost the case but his splendid heroism won our hearts. It was made into an Oscar-winning movie where Atticus Finch was played by Gregory Peck. 

The alluring novels of boy meets girl, of candlelight dinners and ballroom dancing were over and we craved for real characters, which were true to life. Sensing our enthusiasm, our English teacher suggested that we should read ‘Gone with the Wind’ which had the same setting and had won a Pulitzer Prize too.  It is written by Margaret Mitchell and is also based in the southern states of USA (in Georgia). It is an epic, historical novel in five parts, with many characters. The main theme is a love story against the backdrop of the American civil war. Rhett Butler loves Scarlett O’Hara but she loves Ashley Wilkes. Ashley loves Melanie Hamilton and marries her.  The hero Rhett Butler steals the show. He is more of an anti-hero who adopted questionable methods to pursue his businesses, who visited a disreputable house, who hurt people with his outspokenness but he was a man of truth. He did not put on a show .He helped needy people and truly loved Scarlett, the heroine. On the other hand, Ashley, the copybook hero, well read and well mannered turned out to be a fake, a pseudo-intellectual because he exploited Scarlett’s love for him .He was happily married, yet he kept Scarlett in expectation, thus destroying her married life with Rhett Butler.  This was made into a super hit movie starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. I read this novel often because of the lessons it taught me:  to differentiate between hypocrites and men of action; that a man can have some grey shades but he can still be a hero if his actions are based on truth. I also like the witty dialogue of Rhett Butler and his smart one-liners.

The third novel was in my college curriculum, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. I read this novel frequently because of the heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Her sister Jane was more beautiful than her but Elizabeth stood out because of her sizzling character and her tremendous self-respect which did not allow her to cozy up to the most eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy. She was prejudiced against Darcy because of his pride. Darcy was proud of his wealth, his looks and his upper class family lineage but Elizabeth with her fiery character and blazing, black eyes brought him to his knees.  I read this novel because of Elizabeth and also because of the English society which seemed somewhat similar to Indian society. Elizabeth’s mother Mrs.Bennet’s only aim in life was to get wealthy husbands for her five daughters. When she heard that Mr.Bingley, a rich, eligible bachelor had come in her neighborhood she decided to catch him by hook or by crook. She and her family were often insulted because of their inferior social status (compared to Bingley and Darcy) but she persisted nevertheless and became successful in getting Jane married to Mr.Bingley. She is so much like Indian mothers. It was twice made into a movie; in 1940 and in 2005.

The fourth novel is Rebecca, written by Daphne du Maurier.It’s a murder mystery and romance rolled into one. It is written through the eyes of the hero Maximilian de Winter’s second wife who was an orphan and a companion to a rich, middle aged American socialite. Maximilian had met her in a hotel in Monte Carlo and had married her in haste. Rebecca was Maximilian’s first wife and throughout the novel, the second wife remained nameless. When the novel began, Rebecca had already died in a boat accident but the whole novel is only about Rebecca, Rebecca and Rebecca. She was very beautiful, aristocratic, accomplished in everything; be it throwing parties, interior designing, socializing, riding horses, looking after the vast Manderley estate etc. She had designed the de Winter’s mansion, the garden and everything in Manderley immaculately so that it had become a tourist attraction.  She had set the daily menu, party menu and the guest list for the parties. The servants and especially the fishy, dominating housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers followed Rebecca’s rule even after her death. So much so the second wife was afraid to touch anything in the house or make any alterations in the plans for fear that the well-oiled household would stop functioning. Even the society held Rebecca in high esteem, thus isolating the second wife. The second wife’s anguish was heightened because she felt that her husband didn’t love her and he was still in love with his dead wife. All along the narrative there is an undercurrent of suspense which makes the novel a superb thriller.   Towards the end there is a marvelous twist in which the mystery is unraveled.

I read this novel because of the engrossing plot and the description of the  house , the sea, the seven star, luxurious daily living; the sumptuous  breakfasts, high teas and dinners, the lavish socializing; in short the lifestyle of a super wealthy, classy English landlord to the smallest detail. This was also made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock, the greatest master of suspense.

I reread Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s   detective novels on winter nights or rainy evenings because they create the correct atmosphere. They become all the more fascinating because the murderer is known to me and it’s thrilling to watch the games the characters play to dodge the detectives.

Many of Agatha Christie’s novels were made into films ;such as ‘Murder on the Orient Express’, ‘Death on the Nile’, ‘Evil under the Sun’ , ‘The Mirror Crack’d etc. Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series is also popular in the movie and television circuits. The Hound of the Baskervilles is not only a popular English movie but also a super hit film in Hindi (Bees Saal Baad, Biswajit and Waheeda Rehman).

These books are my best friend and they have sustained me in times of isolation and sorrow as well as jubilation and joy. The movies on these literary classics were no doubt excellent but the joy of reading written words is unsurpassable. Herein lies the glory of literature. While too much TV and movies make us mentally fatigued, a book enhances our intellect, strengthens our imagination and brings clarity into our lives.           

Ha Long, Vietnam: Bay of Limestone Karsts, Green Islands on Emerald South China Sea, and Enchanting Grottoes

Ha Long, Vietnam: Bay of Limestone Karsts, Green Islands on Emerald South China Sea, and Enchanting Grottoes

Thang Long was the original name of Hanoi when Ly` Thai To established the capital in the area in 1010. The city is usually referred to Thang Long-Hanoi when its long history is discussed. The name of our hotel in Hanoi was ‘Thang Long Opera’. Thang Long means ‘Rising Dragon’ or ‘Ascending Dragon’. Long means dragon and it is very auspicious in Vietnam.

The journey from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay is about 4 hours depending on the traffic. As we were nearing Ha Long Bay the scenery changed. There were large expanse of water and clenched-fist-like rocks springing up from the earth. The rocks looked raven black under the cloudy sky. The wind was chilly and the scenery suggested that heaven was waiting for us. Beautiful hotels and lodges peeped through lush greenery.

Lodge through greenery

Expanse of Water Bordered by Rocks

Ha Long was essentially a fishing village in ancient times. According to our guide, the history of Ha Long Bay is interesting. There are many versions. Ha long Bay is called the bay of the descending dragon because the islands of Ha Long Bay were formed when a dragon descended from the mountains. Another version is, one day a tornado rose in South China Sea where the fishermen had gone fishing. They prayed to the Sea God to save them from the big rains and storm. A dragon rose from the sea, covered the black clouds and calmed the waves. According to local legends, when Vietnam had just started to develop into a country the people had to fight against invaders. To assist Vietnamese in defending their country, the gods sent a family of dragons. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into islands and islets. Magically, numerous rock mountains abruptly appeared in the sea. The invaders’ ships collided against the rocks and were destroyed. After winning the battle, the dragons decided to live in this Bay. The place where the mother dragon descended was called Ha long.

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World heritage site and one of the natural wonders of the world. It is in Quang Ninh province in Vietnam. It features thousands of karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes. Most of the islets (1960-2000) are of limestone. In this bay, limestone has gone through millions of years of formation due to the rise and fall of the sea in different conditions and environment. Historical research has shown the presence of prehistoric human beings in this area thousands and thousands of years ago. Ha Long Bay was not mentioned in nautical maps and history books until the late 19^th century when it first appeared on the maritime map of France.

The limestone, monumental islands are topped with thick, tropical rain forests. They stand in a classic fenglin landscape (isolated limestone hills) with heights from 50m to 100 m. Fengcong (clusters of conical peaks) are also seen. Another special feature is the abundance of lakes inside limestone islands. During the Vietnam War many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by US navy, some of which pose a threat to fishing even day.

The climate was cold in March but generally it has a warm, wet, tropical climate. We got down from our bus and walked to the pier. From there we were transferred to a small speed boat wherein we had to wear life jackets. Then we reached our cruise ship, V’Spirit.

From the deck I had a good view all around. I was astounded with such a profusion of beauty. It’s like lots of Eiffel Towers on a marine expanse. Huge, green rocks spectacularly shot up from the still, aquamarine water at regular intervals and stood as sentinels, as if guarding the fishermen. So the legend was true after all. The rocks were of various shapes and sizes. One was shaped like the rear of an enormous prehistoric animal sitting comfortably after having its fill. Another was shaped like Lord Shiva, complete with the high coiffure on the head.

Riveting Shapes of Towering Karsts

In the afternoon we went in speed boats to a ticket office where our guide booked tickets for our sail in junk boats on South China Sea. There was a mad rush. One large group of about 20 returned from its sojourn and the boat was immediately booked by another group who was ready to pounce on it. In this mad rush we stood close to each other waiting patiently for our turn. Our guide was a quiet man unlike the others and not adept in capturing boats. Some of the global population were in a hurry to embark and disembark so much so, while coming ashore, the whole lot tried to get down at once, tilting the boat, almost toppling it. They screamed in unison, stepping back and the boat again regained its balance. Then our turn arrived. We got up carefully with discipline. Our boat went under the narrow, uneven opening of the grotto and then it was darkness. However, in the faint glow from the exit, we could see stalactites, stalagmites and flowstones on the walls. Again our boat came out from the cavern’s pit to the sky’s underbelly but this time we were rock-locked on all three sides. This watery space was small due to the encroaching karsts-sentinels and also because it was jammed with boats filled with worldwide tourists. The scene was mesmerizing…a bit of sky through the soaring, dark green rocks on all sides, their reflection making the water emerald. There was a fair amount of kayaking too.      

Karst-Locked in South China Sea

In V’Spirit cruise ship, we had a Vietnamese lunch of rice-noodle soup, delicious salad, white rice, vegetable noodles, stir-fried cauliflower and broccoli and the inevitable tofu curry, culminating in dragon fruit and pineapples as dessert. There was ample non-vegetarian cuisine too, in which the centerpiece was baked fish. After lunch, we went on a trip to an island. The climate was pleasant; the afternoon warmth had replaced the morning chilliness. We wore life jackets as we settled in a boat. After a very short travel the boat moored on the shore and we had to climb a bit uphill, footslogging through sand that has been washed to a snowy white by the tide. Then we reached the crescent-shaped islet, called Ti Top Island named after a Russian cosmonaut Gherman S.Titov. It is also the view point in the entire Ha Long Bay. In November 22, 1962, this tiny island had the honor of receiving a visit from Titov, a hero of the former Soviet Union, accompanied by president Ho Chi Minh. To commemorate this visit, Ho Chi Minh named the place Ti Top Island.

 After walking a few paces we came across a huge statue of Gherman Titov, which was more of a photo stop. As usual, the island was crowded with people from all over the globe.

Then we walked past the statue and came to a point where we had to climb about 400 steps to reach the summit of Ti Top mountain, where there is an  observation deck to see the sunset and also a 360 degree view of Ha Long Bay. The steps were irregular, not steps as such but stone blocks of various sizes arranged as steps. The staircase was very narrow .On one side was a dense, hill forest bordering a deep gorge; on another side was a green hill .This side was secured by strong ropes. The entry and exit points were one and through this narrow path a constant stream of tourists were ascending and descending in a very organized, quiet, manner. After climbing for about ten minutes, I gave up. I came to a platform from where I got a panoptic view of the surroundings and also the sunset. The scene from here too was out of this world. So you can imagine what awaits intrepid travelers who reach the top. But there was still more to climb.  One foreign lady, coming down the steps, informed me, “Too long. Ten minutes more.” The path was narrower and it had become conical indicating the peak. The climbing down was easy .On a ledge at the basement were stone stools around a low, stone table. There were refreshment stands selling green coconuts. Facilities were also there.

Sunset from Ti Top Mountain

The return to V’Spirit was again by the speed boat. On the deck of our V’Spirit cruise ship, tea was served to us accompanied by biscuits, tiny, juicy oranges and chenet, a small fruit like litchi and very sweet.

There were floating villages in the sea and also floating markets. Residents of the bay mostly live on boats/floating houses and rafts to facilitate fishing, cultivating and breeding of aquatic and marine species. A community of around 1,600 people lives on Ha Long Bay in 4 fishing villages. Their main occupation is fishing and marine aqua culture. While we were relaxing on the deck and in the open lounge, a lady came in a small boat selling chips and colas. For supper, the menu was more or less the same except that there were special spring roles. The lights suddenly went out and in came an illuminated pineapple with its inside cored, and resting within it were crispy spring rolls. The illumination was due to the flame within it. While having food we could see through our dining room glass window, the limestone rocks silent and seductive in the dark.

The next morning at six there was a Tai Chi class for us on the sun deck .The riveting rocks looked Oxford grey in the dawn. The wind was cold. Our Tai Chi master played soft, oriental music and signaled us to be silent while doing the exercises as if he were performing heavenly rituals. Then the sun rose from behind the rocks. The scene was celestial; the charcoal grey rocks covered in a golden halo and the iron blue water turning blonde.

Sunrise from the Sun Deck of V’Spirit and Tai Chi Class

After an early breakfast we set out to explore the caves. It was just 7:30 a.m. We sat in speed boats and headed towards the grotto called Sung Sot cave or Surprise cave. It is on Bo Hon Island and was discovered by the French in 1901 who named it “Grotto des surprises” (grotto of surprise).It is one of the most spectacular, widest and largest Karsts caves in Ha long Bay. We got our tickets and then we entered the stony, rocky environs. We climbed up stone steps to reach a platform. We walked for sometime and then sat on rock benches or paved high stones under rock ledges to gather our breath. The scene was as crowded as any other touristy place with global populace. There was a small loggia-type platform on one level from where the view of Ha Long Bay was exhilarating.

Way to Sung Sot Cave

The path to Sung Sot cave is quite steep and lined with shady trees. From the wharf, there are many steep, stone stairs leading up to the cavern which is about 25m above sea level. Then the stage came to enter the cave. We climbed down about ten stone steps and came to the mouth of the grotto. This limestone cave occupies around 10,000 square meters and comprises of two vast caverns. As we entered the cave we came across an undulating stretch where there was a small conical gap with a signboard ‘Way to heaven’. Above was the vault of rocks but there were tiny chinks through which natural light filtered through. The interior of the cave was well lit. The stylish lights were silvery and yellow of various degrees creating the right atmosphere, making the interiors mysteriously beautiful with its play of light and shade in the brightly-lit and dimly-lit areas. 

Play of Light and Shade in the Cave

Dragon on the wall

This first chamber is known as the waiting room. At about 30 meters high it provides a grand entrance to the larger, second chamber reached by a narrow path. An enormous space surprises you with its surreal decorations of magnificent stalactites, stalagmites and columns formed through millions of years. This inner chamber is known as the serene castle. Many stalactites hung from the high ceiling with numerous possible forms and shapes. The roof is decorated with various natural designs but they looked as if carved by human hands. Shawls, straws, flowstones, helictites, cave corals, dogtooth spar, cave pearls, lily pads (shelf stones) are seen a plenty in this cave, taking various shapes and sizes .It depends on the imagination for their interpretation. Such natural phenomena of rain, wear and tear, have created on the wall, an open-mouthed dragon in a running pose.

The walls of this chamber too generate a variety of hues that blend with the setting of the area.

Breathtaking Natural Phenomenon with Sunlight Filtering in through an Opening

Columns or pillars developing from stalactites and stalagmites extended from the floor to the roof. The floor was full of hollows and stones, rise and fall pavements and protuberances; so we had to walk slowly. After walking through very narrow strips on several such undulations we came to the exit. We climbed up the irregular steps bordered by thick foliage into the open air and under the blue sky. There was no dearth of facilities even in the cave premises.  

Splendorous Designs in the Cave

We walked past souvenir shops, climbed down steep, stone steps to the waterfront and boarded our speed boat. We came to V’ Spirit where a delicious vegetarian and non vegetarian lunch awaited us. The rice had an Indian touch with ample fried peanuts to accompany it. After lunch we had our cooking class. Each one of us was given thin rice sheets and julienned carrots, onions, lettuce etc. We learnt the art of making spring rolls and then ate them up. They tasted all the more better because of our personal touch.  

The journey back to Hanoi was mundane as the emerald and white South China Sea dotted with stand-alone, lofty islands and snow-white cruise ships was receding and the road was lined by massive commercialization with hotels and buildings coming up at a fast pace. However, all this was far away from the unspoiled gorgeousness of Ha Long Bay. Its exquisiteness attracts tourists in droves. This massive surge in tourism has improved the life of the locals to a vast extent.      

Au Revoir Ha Long Bay

                                                    Photographs : Bulbul Sur                   

Tags: Vietnam, Ha Long Bay, South China Sea, Limestone Karsts, Ti Top Island, Sung Sot Cave