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

A Superb Specimen of Military Architecture and a Hush-Hush Treasure Trove

A superb specimen of Military Architecture and a Hush-Hush Treasure Trove

Jaigarh Fort

 A Superb Specimen of Military Architecture and a Hush-Hush Treasure Trove

Jaigarh Fort ,Jaipur

Jaigarh Fort     
 courtesy: Abhinavmnnit Wikimedia commons 

At Subhat Niwas, the king was briefing his soldiers about strategies to be adopted to counter a possible aggression. Suddenly, he was   informed that the enemy, in a surprise attack, had overpowered the guards at the gate and had entered the fort. The undaunted king   ordered his commander to meet the exigency, while he retreated through a secret tunnel to a safer venue, Khilbati Niwas, to open a second line of defense. The intruders pursued the king but the escape tunnel was too narrow. Moreover, after a certain distance, it became pitch dark .The guard, invisible in the darkness, could see the foes enter the tunnel in single file. He intercepted them easily, while the king had ample time to escape.

Section of a Huge Courtyard 
courtesy: Jakub Halun Wikimedia commons

Meanwhile in the courtyards , the   soldiers  had encircled the opponents who  had no place to retreat, because all the doors leading to  other apartments were closed .Outside, the  attackers  could not scale the fort  because thorny bushes beyond the ramparts formed obstacles .

Various Corners of the Bulwark of Impregnable Jaigarh Fort 
courtesy: Wikimedia commons

The walls  were extended  in   angles ,  to lessen the chances of a direct hit . The defending soldiers had positioned themselves at different cusps on the battlements and shot down the intruders or rolled down stones from above. The enemy was at a disadvantage, because there were hardly any deep ravines or projecting cliffs near the fort to shelter them from the onslaught.

A Structure with an Expansive Courtyard
courtesy: anupamg, Wikimedia commons

This is a battle scene in Jaigarh fort, which is a remarkable example of military architecture. It is   15 km. from Jaipur city and one and a half km. from Amber Palace. It is 602 m. above mean sea level. Its length extends 3 km. from north to south and its width is 1 km. from east to west. The whole area is secured with a fortified wall, so long, that it covers almost the entire Aravalli  hilly area. This wall was further guarded with 27 chowkies/check posts.     

A Wide  View of Jaigarh Fort
courtesy: cherisam Wikipedia commons

History of Jaigarh Fort

The medieval rulers believed in the Divine right of Kingship and considered their primary duty was to protect their subjects and the honor of their women. For this they needed a stronghold which could give security not only to royalty but also to the citizens. Hence, they built forts small or big, garh or garhi. Forts to medieval kings were not only crucial for war and defense purposes but also symbolized power and wealth .So, the bigger the king, the grander the fort.

Physical Features of Jaigarh Fort's Terrain 
courtesy: Wikimedia commons

The history of Jaigarh Fort dates back to Kakil Deo, son of Duleh Rai, the first Kachhawa/Kachhawaha ruler to enter Dhundhar in the 10^th century. Kakil continued with his father’s policy of aggrandizement and annexed Amber from Rao Bhatto, a Mina of the Susaot family. Kakil understood clearly the strategic importance of Amber, located on a hilly terrain, commanding a wide view of the northern and southern regions. So he made it a base for the future expansion of his territory and removed his capital from Khoh to Amber. 

                                 Unending Rampart                                           
courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org  

He founded Jaigarh Fort in 1036 AD, on the spine of the northern range of the Aravalli Mountain. It was further developed, modernized and remodeled by Raja Man Singh I (1589-1614) and Mirja Raja Jai Singh (1621-1667).

Entrance Gate of Jaigarh Fort  
courtesy: Jakub Halun Wikimedia commons

The fort has three entrance gates - Doongar Darwaza (1942) in the south; Awani Darwaza (the oldest) in the east; and the third is Sagari Gate, through the west—towards Sagar, the well-known tank of Amber.  Formerly known as Amber Fort, it was christened Jaigarh by Sawai Jai Singh II (1699 - 1743).

Military Architecture

A Portion of the Crenelated Fortification   
courtesy: Ameya_Clicks Wikimedia commons

Jaigarh Fort is 'Giri/Parvat Durg or a hill fort which is considered to be the best among all kinds of forts. During the medieval times it was one of the most important forts of Rajasthan because of its strategic location as it lay in the trade route from Delhi to Gujarat and Malwa.

 It is a supreme example of military architecture. The main purpose of Jaigarh Fort is exemplified by its guardian deity, Kal Bhairav. The idol is in black stone and has eight hands, each hand holding a weapon. The protector is a fierce form of Lord Shiva and in Jaigarh Fort, a small temple is dedicated to it. It was built by Kakil Deo in 1036 A.D. 

Watch Tower 
courtesy: Vssun commons.wikimedia.org 

If we enter the palace through Doongar Darwaza, we come to the Jaleb Chowk (which  houses the offices and two museum galleries) and the first complex that we encounter is Subhat Niwas, the courtyard where the king addressed his soldiers before a war .It is 150 ft. from east to west in width and 168 ft. from north to south in length. The attached hall where the plans and strategies were discussed during war time measures 69 by 34 feet.  

Khilbati Niwas or Hall of Private Audience, stands on a high platform and measures 32 by 13 ft. It was a meeting place for army generals, Thakurs and Thikanedars (nobles) where secret matters of the state and strategies of war were discussed. The distinctive feature of Khilbati Niwas was that it was built of a special material which made the sounds echo.       

Surya Mandir 

This is an eleventh-century building with seven rooms, each accompanied by a veranda. It houses the tools for gun foundry, carpentry and blacksmithing.

Ranawat Chowk

In its heydays it was used as a durbar  or royal court. Later, as new palaces were added to Jaigarh Fort, it became a place for making matchlock guns. At present, it is used as a store room for ancient military equipment such as cannon wheels and shafts of gun carriages.  

Vijaygarhi

In the south-west part of Jaigarh Fort is Vijaygarhi. It is a small castle within the fort and since its first inception it is being used as the armory . This heavily-fortified castle is the only building in the whole fort which has gun bases in all its four corners. In one of  its areas Sawai Jai Singh II kept his brother, Vijay Singh as a prisoner. Since then it is called Vijaygarhi. 

Strategic Tunnels

A Tunnel in Jaigarh Fort 
courtesy: Vssun Wikimedia commons

 

Description at the Entrance of a Tunnel
courtesy: Vssun Wikimedia commons

What makes Jaigarh Fort unique among all the forts in India and perhaps in the world, is its several covered and uncovered tunnels. The tunnels in Jaigarh Fort is a magnificent display of the military acumen of the rulers. Besides the tunnel for the king's escape from Subhat Niwas to Khilbati Niwas, there are other tunnels leading to all parts of the fort. From the roof of the Royal Palace Lakshmi Vilas, a 116 ft. tunnel passes to Lalit Mandir, the summer palace of the royal family. The royal kitchens are connected to Lalit Mandir by a 107 ft. tunnel which opens out to the Aram Mandir (16th century royal garden house) and the garden. The Aram Mandir is connected by a 263 ft. tunnel to the 17th century Vilas Mandir ( meeting place for royal ladies).The double-storied 17th century Puppet theater for royal audience is connected to the courtyard of Vilas Mandir by a 93 ft. long tunnel. 

Weapons

Jaivan 
 courtesy :Swapnil Karambelkar Wikimedia commons

Jaigarh has the world’s largest cannon on wheels called Jaivan. It was cast in 1720 during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (1699-1743) at the foundry in Jaigarh Fort. Its range is 22 miles (1 mile=1.6 km approximately). Jaivan cannon rests on a high, four-wheeled carriage. The height of the front wheels is 9 ft. and the height of the rear wheel is 4 and a half feet. The barrel of the cannon is 20 ft. 2 inches and it weighs 50 tons. For firing each shot, 100 kilograms of gun powder and a cannon ball weighing 50 kg were used. The barrel of the cannon rests on a 24 ft. long shaft. The other cannon called Bajrangvana (1691)  is an example of a garrison cannon and it was driven to the battlefield by 32 oxen.

Barrel of Jaivan Cannon 
courtesy: Nvvchar Wikimedia commons 

Gun Foundry

This 16^th century gun foundry with its tools spreads over an area of 162 by 57 feet .It was built during  the reign of Man Singh I. Maharaja Man Singh, the Commander-in-chief of Akbar's army attacked Kabul in 1580,won the battle and remained as Governor of Kabul for 6 years where he acquired the knowledge  of making cannons. The gun foundry had a reverberatory,  open hearth furnace, its oval-shaped bath/hearth was made of refractory material. The furnace can bear a temperature of 1200 degree centigrade. The drilling complex has a mechanical device which was used for drilling bores in the barrels of the cannons. An octagonal room, 31 ft. high, has four wooden bars revolved by four pairs of oxen. The gear system lying below this room consists of 2 vertical and one horizontal wheel. The oxen rotated the crossbars which made the giant horizontal wheel to rotate.   

Since secrecy is one of the main aspects of  warfare so cannon-making was a strictly secret affair. The Maharaja watched the proceeding from the balcony of a double-storied building. Rituals were performed in Ganesh Temple before the commencement of the job. Swastika and other Hindu religious symbols of auspiciousness can be seen at the mouth of Jaivan's barrel. 

Armory Gallery

That Jaigarh Fort's main purpose was to serve as a defense fortress is further reflected in the museum which stretches across the length and breadth of Jaigarh Fort. In the armory gallery, plans and war maps, medieval rockets, guns such as matchlock, flintlock and jujawal (camel gun) are displayed. Cannon Nagin, Cannon Singhvan, Cannon Dhoomvan etc. are some among the many that hold pride of place in the museum. The earliest cannon is the  Karak Bijli Cannon made during Raja Bhagwan Das and it was used by the army of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in the battles fought in Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Deccan etc. It is said that cannon making in Jaigarh foundry continued till late 19th century.

The Armory gallery contains Artillery Tools and rockets. The war rockets were introduced in the  18th century. The rockets in Jaigarh were cast iron cylinders filled with gun powder fixed with a fuse. They were used near the cavalry to throw front line troopers into disarray.

The Collection Gallery

The artifacts in this gallery are mostly in line with the defense nature of Jaigarh Fort. The Treasury Lock is one such item. This lock is made of iron and five keys are needed to open it. Huge oil containers are also unique in this gallery. Made of camel leather, the containers are not only sturdy but superbly crafted. Oil was not only used for lighting but also for defense purposes. During an enemy attack hot oil was poured over them. Copper War Drums with the top covered by animal leather are also on display because they are necessary in the defense structure. Since there were many check posts in  the fortification of Jaigarh Fort, the war drums provided signals of the enemy's movement. 

Foundry Gallery

Foundry Gallery is located in Surya Mandir and it displays the tools of furnace and lathe machine. 

Treasures

Jaigarh is also famous for its closet - lock -and -key of secret treasures. It is said, that Duleh Rai had stormed the Bar-Gujar fort of Deoti and amassed its treasure, accumulated through ages. Kakil Deo had hidden the treasure in Jaigarh. Another version says that Raja Man Singh I, the great general of Emperor Akbar’s army, had gained enormous wealth from his Kabul expedition (1581-1587) and 22 other parganas. It was impossible to stash the fortune without a fort, so it was stored in Jaigarh. The treasury was guarded by the loyal men of the qilledars. The keys of the famous five-key lock was placed in the hands of two most trusted qilledars of the Maharaja. 

There is a further story that the  buried treasure of the Kachhawa dynasty  was  fiercely guarded by the Mina tribesmen  in Jaigarh and  each successive Raja was taken to the treasure blindfolded and allowed to choose just one piece from it .Therefore , the actual location of the treasure is still  unknown .

In the Collection Gallery there are coin containers on display. Jaipur rulers undertook different campaigns on behalf of the Mughal Kings. Those rulers brought booty from such campaigns. So Jaigarh Fort became the store house of wealth and booty. Coin containers of various sizes and shapes were produced for this purpose. The inner side of the containers is fitted with wood while the outer side is made of copper.  

In 1976, a 250 year-old document of Sawai Jai Singh II’s era was discovered, which had a reference to the hidden treasures of Jaigarh. The cost of the jewels mentioned in the document was estimated to be about rupees 30 cores in 1726 and the cost of the total wealth was estimated   to be rupees 110 crores.

There are 5 major tanks inside the fort .The dimension of the largest tank is 158 by 138 by 40 ft. and has a storage capacity of 60 hundred thousand gallons of water. The second tank is adjacent to the bigger tank but is full of mystery. It measures 69 by 52 by 52 ft. There are nine holes in the roof of this tank and there is a room under each hole. It is conjectured that the rooms were used as treasury houses till the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It is also argued that the wealth stored here was used by  Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II for building the new city of Jaipur in 1727-28.

The Indian government launched a massive treasure hunt at Jaigarh Fort in 1976 during the Emergency declared by Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. 500 workmen dug for 5 months .Metal detectors were used. The important places where the digging took place were: all the major tanks, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Lalit Mandir, Aram Mandir, the Puppet show theater and the kitchens. But nothing was found. There was also a question raised in the Parliament of India on this issue whether a "search for treasure was carried out from 10th June 1976 till November 1976 by the Income Tax Authorities at Jaigarh Fort on the Delhi Jaipur Road was closed to ordinary traffic  for one or two days so as to make way for military trucks carrying treasures to the residence of the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi?" (Wikipedia)  

Aesthetics

 

Aram Mandir and Char Bagh       
courtesy: Vssun commons.wikimedia.org 

Jaigarh Fort is built mostly with red sandstone and red -spotted white stone. It is a fantastic display of Rajput architecture.  Subhat Niwas, Khilbati Niwas, Lakshmi Vilas, Surya Mandir, Vilas Mandir, Aram Mandir and its beautiful, square garden, Char Bagh, the Palace Hall with its decorated canopies, carved pillars done in araish plaster are a feast to the eye. The successive courtyards, suites, verandas, enclosed open spaces, cupolas with pointed or circular crests, crenelated fortification and the panoramic view from the seven-storied Diya Burj (turret of lamps) create everlasting magic. Even the barrel of Jaivan Cannon is beautifully carved with floral designs; an elephant rests on the tip of the barrel, a pair of peacocks is carved at the center, and a pair of ducks decorate the rear of the barrel.

Semicircular Arches ,Typical of Jaigarh Fort Architecture
courtesy: anupamg Wikimedia commons

 

      Diya Burj 
courtesy: Vishalginodia Wikimedia commons

As we look at the grand edifice, mounted as high as a bird can soar, we think of the dark tunnel where perhaps many hapless soldiers had toiled desperately to find open air; the treasure which might still be hushed somewhere within the hollow mines of the fort. But Jaigarh Fort, detached from these speculations, stands with peaceful majesty like a natural sculpture, sculpted by time on the memories of mankind.

  Tags: Military architecture, Hidden Tunnels, Hidden Treasure Trove, Search for Treasure, Cannon, Foundry, War Drums, Water Tanks, Jaigarh's treasure, Jaivan,  Karak Bijli Cannon