Murud-Janjira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Murud-Janjira is the local name for a fort situated at the coastal village of Murud, in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is famous for being the only fort along India's western coast that remained undefeated despite Maratha, Dutch and English East India Company attacks.
Read more about Murud-Janjira at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janjira
http://indianbureaucratsdiary.blogspot.com/2007/11/murud-janjira-invincible-fort.html
Tuesday 22 April 2008
Wednesday 2 January 2008
Friday 28 December 2007
Solapur and Akkalkot
Solapur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Solapur (Marathi: सोलापूर))), is a city and a municipal corporation in south eastern Maharashtra, India near the Karnataka border and is the administrative headquarters of Solapur District. It is an important junction on the north-south railway line. Solapur is a town with an array of small and medium scale industries. Solapur is a leading center for cotton mills and power looms. Solapur bed-sheets ('chaddars') have earned fame and reputation for their novel designs and durability. The chief deity of the city is Shri Siddeshwar. The "Nandidhwaj" procession on Makar Sankranti fair is attended by millions of devotees.
Solapur District leads Maharashtra in beedi production. The Martyrs’ Memorial here is saluted daily by thousands of visitors. Kudalsangam, Karmala and Barshi have adopted the path of development through industry and education. Akkalkot is the site of Akkalkot Swami Maharaj Math, visited yearly by huge number of people from Maharashtra and neighbouring Karnataka. Also a annual fair is held in the month of January wherein huge croud comes from various parts of country, which is called as Gadda Fair in vernacular language. The very famous and most following almanac दाते पंचांग *[1] is also published from Solapur.
Solapur District leads Maharashtra in beedi production. The Martyrs’ Memorial here is saluted daily by thousands of visitors. Kudalsangam, Karmala and Barshi have adopted the path of development through industry and education. Akkalkot is the site of Akkalkot Swami Maharaj Math, visited yearly by huge number of people from Maharashtra and neighbouring Karnataka. Also a annual fair is held in the month of January wherein huge croud comes from various parts of country, which is called as Gadda Fair in vernacular language. The very famous and most following almanac दाते पंचांग *[1] is also published from Solapur.
It is an ancient historical and religious place with Shri Siddharameshwar as its "Gramadaiwata". Shri Siddharameshwar was a historical figure of the 12th century whose "Karmayoga" on his own native land-Solapur, turned him into a God-figure over the course of time.
Siddharama was a great conributor to Lingayata religion and he is considered as one of the six prophets of Lingayat religion. He had gained the "Siddhi". As Solapur was a drought prone area, Shri Siddharameshwar dug a lake with the help of 4000 "Sharanas" to solve the problem of potable water. He entombed himself alive (Shivyogsamadhi) at Solapur.
Siddharama was a great conributor to Lingayata religion and he is considered as one of the six prophets of Lingayat religion. He had gained the "Siddhi". As Solapur was a drought prone area, Shri Siddharameshwar dug a lake with the help of 4000 "Sharanas" to solve the problem of potable water. He entombed himself alive (Shivyogsamadhi) at Solapur.
Akkalkot (35 KMs from Solapur)
Akkalkoth is widely known for its association with Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj [1]held by some to be a reincarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Swami Maharaj lived for over two decades at Akkalkoth, mainly at the residence, where his Samadhi and shrine are now located. The shrine complex, The Vatavriksh Mandir , which also encloses the famous banyan tree beneath which the Swami would preach his message, is the hub of devotions for his followers; free accommodation and meals are provided to pilgrims by Shri Swami Samarth Annachhatra Mandal also.The other shrine is of Samadhi of Akkalkoth Swami located at some distance from the main shrine but in the city limits.
Koodalasangama - Aikya linga of Lord Basaveshwara
Koodalasangama
ullavaru shivalaya maaduvaru naanena maadali badavanayya,
enna kaale kamba dehave degula shirave honna kalashavayya
Koodala Sangama Deva kelayya sthavarakkalivuntu jangamakalivilla
The Lord of meeting rivers - his insignia of all his vachanas - Kudalasangamadeva in Kannada.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kudalasangama/Koodalasangama (also written Kudala Sangama in India is an important center of pilgrimage for people of the Lingayat faith. It is located about 15 km from the Almatti dam site in Bagalkot district of Karnataka state. The Krishna and Ghataprabha rivers merge here and flow towards Srisaila (another pilgrim center) of Andra Pradesh. The Aikya Mantapa or the holy Samadhi of Basavanna, the founder of the Lingayat faith along with Linga, which is believed to be self-born (Swayambhu), is situated here. The Kudala Sangama Development Board takes care of the maintenance and development of this place.
Basava (also known as Basaveshwara (Kannada:ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರ) or Basavanna(ಬಸವಣ್ಣ) 1134–1196) was a philosopher and a social reformer. He fought against practice of caste system and rituals in Hinduism. He is also called as "Vishwa-guru". His teachings and preachings go beyond all boundaries and are universal and eternal. He was a great humanitarian. Basava advocated a new way of life wherein the divine experience was the center of life giving equal opportunity to all aspirants regardless of the gender, caste, and social status. The cornerstone behind his movement was the firm belief in a universal concept of God. Basava has a proponent of monotheistic concept of formless God.
He believed in the principle Kaayakave Kailasa one step ahead of Ravindranath Tagore's 'work is worship'. It was at this time that the Vachanas, simple and easy-to-understand poetic writings which contained essential teachings, were written. Below are couple of the thousands of Vachanas that were produced:
The power of knowledge destroys ignorance;
The power of light dissipates darkness;
The power of truth is foe of all untruth;
The sharana's experience of god is the sole cure of worldliness; - Lord Kudala Sangamadeva
ullavaru shivalaya maaduvaru naanena maadali badavanayya,
enna kaale kamba dehave degula shirave honna kalashavayya
Koodala Sangama Deva kelayya sthavarakkalivuntu jangamakalivilla
transliterated as
The rich will make temples for Shiva. What shall I, a poor man, do?
My legs are pillars, The body the shrine, The head a cupola of gold.
Listen, O lord of the meeting rivers, Things standing shall fall, But the moving ever shall stay.
The rich will make temples for Shiva. What shall I, a poor man, do?
My legs are pillars, The body the shrine, The head a cupola of gold.
Listen, O lord of the meeting rivers, Things standing shall fall, But the moving ever shall stay.
The Lord of meeting rivers - his insignia of all his vachanas - Kudalasangamadeva in Kannada.
Read more about Basavanna at:
Wednesday 26 December 2007
Bijapur_23 Dec 2007
Bijapur
Bijapur (Kannada: ವಿಜಾಪುರ) is a district headquarters of the Bijapur District in the state of Karnataka. Bijapur city is well known for the great architectures of histrorical importance built during the Adil Shahi dynasty. Bijapur City is the head quarters of the district and is located 530 km northwest of Bangalore. The city is about 550 km from Mumbai (Maharashtra)
The city established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Chalukyas of Kalyani was referred as Vijayapura (City of victory). The city came under the influence of the Khilji Sultanate in Delhi by the late 13th century. In 1347, the area was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga. By this time the city was being referred as Vijapur or Bijapur
Bijapur is rich in historical attractions, mainly related to Islamic architecture.
Gol Gumbaz: This is the most famous monument in Bijapur. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627-1657). It is the second largest dome ever built, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome. A particular attraction in this monument is the central chamber, where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction at the Gol Gumbaz is the Whispering Gallery, where even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 metres away. Gol Gumbaz complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana (a hall for the trumpeters) (Now it is used as museum) and the ruins of guest houses.
Ibrahim Rauza: This is the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the fifth king of the dynasty and, like the Mughal emperor Akbar, known for religious tolerance. Built on a single rock bed, it is noted for the symmetry of its features. It is said that the design for the Ibrahim Rauza served as an inspiration for that of the famous Taj Mahal.
Malik-e-Maidan (The Monarch of the Plains) the largest medieval cannon in the world. Being 4 m long, 1,5 m in diameter and weighing 55 tons, this gun was brought back from Ahmadnagar in the 17th century as a trophy of war by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and tens of men. It was placed on the Sherza Burj (Lion Gate) on a platform especially built for it. The cannon's nozzle is fashioned into the shape of a lion's head with open jaws & between the carved fangs is depicted an elephant being crushed to death. It is said that after igniting the cannon, the gunner would remain underwater in a tank of water on the platform to avoid the deafening explosion. The cannon remains cool even in strong sunlight and if tapped, tinkles like a bell. In 1854 the cannon was auctioned for Rs. 150 but the sale was cancelled in the end.
Upri Buruj, Built around 1584 by Hyder Khan, is an 80 ft high tower standing to the north of Dakhani Idgah in Bijapur. This is a spherical structure with stone steps winding round the outside. Top of the tower offers a commanding view of the city. This is also known as ;Hyder Burj", "Upli Burj". On top of Upli Burj there are two guns of huge size. The parafeet this tower which was used for monitoring purposes has been fenced now. One needs to climb the circular stairs to reach the top. However except for this tower there is very little evidence of the citadel wall in this area due to rampant construction.
Chand Bawdi, Ali Adil Shah (1557-1580) built this tank near eastern boundary of Bijapur. When there was large influx of people into Bijapur after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire, and new settlements came up within the walled city raising the need for better infrastructure and providing water supply. This has a storage capacity of 20 million litres. Later it became a model for many other tanks constructed in the city. A grandeur complex came up around it, which was mainly used to house the maintenance staff though members of the royal family occasionally used it for recreation. He named this after his wife "Chand Bibi".
The incomplete masolueum of Adil Shah, Barakaman(Ali Roza-II), India, which means twelve arches in Urdu. Ali Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty wanted to build a masoleum of unmatched quality of architecture. As per the plan tweleve arches will be placed vertically as well as horizontally surrounding the tomb of Ali Adil Shah. However due to unknown reason the work on the structure was left incomplete and only two arches were raised vertically. However still, the remains of the tweleve arches placed horizontally can be seen. The site is managed by The Archeological Survey of India.
Bijapur (Kannada: ವಿಜಾಪುರ) is a district headquarters of the Bijapur District in the state of Karnataka. Bijapur city is well known for the great architectures of histrorical importance built during the Adil Shahi dynasty. Bijapur City is the head quarters of the district and is located 530 km northwest of Bangalore. The city is about 550 km from Mumbai (Maharashtra)
The city established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Chalukyas of Kalyani was referred as Vijayapura (City of victory). The city came under the influence of the Khilji Sultanate in Delhi by the late 13th century. In 1347, the area was conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga. By this time the city was being referred as Vijapur or Bijapur
Bijapur is rich in historical attractions, mainly related to Islamic architecture.
Gol Gumbaz: This is the most famous monument in Bijapur. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah (ruled 1627-1657). It is the second largest dome ever built, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome. A particular attraction in this monument is the central chamber, where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction at the Gol Gumbaz is the Whispering Gallery, where even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 metres away. Gol Gumbaz complex includes a mosque, a Naqqar Khana (a hall for the trumpeters) (Now it is used as museum) and the ruins of guest houses.
Ibrahim Rauza: This is the tomb of Ibrahim Adil Shah II (ruled 1580-1627), the fifth king of the dynasty and, like the Mughal emperor Akbar, known for religious tolerance. Built on a single rock bed, it is noted for the symmetry of its features. It is said that the design for the Ibrahim Rauza served as an inspiration for that of the famous Taj Mahal.
Malik-e-Maidan (The Monarch of the Plains) the largest medieval cannon in the world. Being 4 m long, 1,5 m in diameter and weighing 55 tons, this gun was brought back from Ahmadnagar in the 17th century as a trophy of war by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and tens of men. It was placed on the Sherza Burj (Lion Gate) on a platform especially built for it. The cannon's nozzle is fashioned into the shape of a lion's head with open jaws & between the carved fangs is depicted an elephant being crushed to death. It is said that after igniting the cannon, the gunner would remain underwater in a tank of water on the platform to avoid the deafening explosion. The cannon remains cool even in strong sunlight and if tapped, tinkles like a bell. In 1854 the cannon was auctioned for Rs. 150 but the sale was cancelled in the end.
Upri Buruj, Built around 1584 by Hyder Khan, is an 80 ft high tower standing to the north of Dakhani Idgah in Bijapur. This is a spherical structure with stone steps winding round the outside. Top of the tower offers a commanding view of the city. This is also known as ;Hyder Burj", "Upli Burj". On top of Upli Burj there are two guns of huge size. The parafeet this tower which was used for monitoring purposes has been fenced now. One needs to climb the circular stairs to reach the top. However except for this tower there is very little evidence of the citadel wall in this area due to rampant construction.
Chand Bawdi, Ali Adil Shah (1557-1580) built this tank near eastern boundary of Bijapur. When there was large influx of people into Bijapur after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire, and new settlements came up within the walled city raising the need for better infrastructure and providing water supply. This has a storage capacity of 20 million litres. Later it became a model for many other tanks constructed in the city. A grandeur complex came up around it, which was mainly used to house the maintenance staff though members of the royal family occasionally used it for recreation. He named this after his wife "Chand Bibi".
The incomplete masolueum of Adil Shah, Barakaman(Ali Roza-II), India, which means twelve arches in Urdu. Ali Adil Shah of the Adil Shahi dynasty wanted to build a masoleum of unmatched quality of architecture. As per the plan tweleve arches will be placed vertically as well as horizontally surrounding the tomb of Ali Adil Shah. However due to unknown reason the work on the structure was left incomplete and only two arches were raised vertically. However still, the remains of the tweleve arches placed horizontally can be seen. The site is managed by The Archeological Survey of India.
Here are few photos of our trip:
Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole-The rock cut temples of Chalukyas_22-24Dec07
BadamiFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Badami (Kannada: ಬದಾಮಿ), formerly known as Vatapi, is a panchayat town in the Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for rock cut and other structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake.
Badami was the capital of the Early Chalukyas, who ruled much of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh between the 6th and 8th centuries. It was founded in 540 A.D. by Pulakesi I(535-566 AD), an early ruler of the Chalukyas. His sons Kirthivarman (567-598 AD) and his brother Mangalesha I (598-610 AD) constructed the cave temples. The greatest among them was Pulakeshi II (610-642 AD) who defeated many kings including Pallava king Mahendra Verman I and extended the kingdom.
It is located 128 kilometers from Bijapur, 132 kilometers from Hubli, 46 kilometers from Aihole, another ancient town, and 500 kilometers from Bangalore, the state capital.
Pattadakal
Pattadakal (Kannada - ಪಟ್ಟದಕಲ್) is a town in the Indian state of Karnataka famous for its group of monuments that are the culmination of earliest experiments in vesara style of Hindu temple architecture. The temples were built in the 8th century CE. The uniqueness of this place derives from the presence of both the Dravidian or the Southern and the Nagara or the Northern (Indo-Aryan) styles of temple architecture!!
Pattadakal is 22 km from Badami, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Southern India, who built the temples in the seventh and eighth centuries. There are ten temples including a Jain sanctuary sourrounded by numerous small shrines and plinths. Four temples were built in Dravidian style, four in nagara style of Northern India and the Papanatha temple in mixed style.
The group of mounuments in Pattadakal was designated a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Pattadakal is 22 km from Badami, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty of Southern India, who built the temples in the seventh and eighth centuries. There are ten temples including a Jain sanctuary sourrounded by numerous small shrines and plinths. Four temples were built in Dravidian style, four in nagara style of Northern India and the Papanatha temple in mixed style.
The group of mounuments in Pattadakal was designated a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Aihole
Aihole (Kannada ಐಹೊಳೆ) is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. Early inscriptions call this town "Ayyavole" and "Aryapura". Aihole has its own historical significance and is called as cradle of Hindu rock architecture. Many temples and caves of historical importance can be found at Aihole. It is a very popular tourist spot in north Karnataka.
Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and is said to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. Aihole is to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, while Badami is to the west of both. Pulakesi I, one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty, moved the capital to Badami nearby. Badami was then known as Vatapi. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal. The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the 6th century CE, the second phase up to the 12th century CE. Some temples were even built as early as the 5th century CE.
Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and is said to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. Aihole is to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, while Badami is to the west of both. Pulakesi I, one of the greatest rulers of this dynasty, moved the capital to Badami nearby. Badami was then known as Vatapi. It is from these temples that the Chalukyas gained their experience and went on to build the great temples of Pattadakal. The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the 6th century CE, the second phase up to the 12th century CE. Some temples were even built as early as the 5th century CE.
For further information visit
My friends Kiran and Girish Udupa were visiting Bagalkote during christmas holidays. I joined them from Pune and we planned to stay in Kiran's relative's house at Bagalkote and visit Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole, Banashankari, Bijapur, Koodalasangama and other places of interest around that area. Here are few pictures from our trip.....Bijapur and Koodalasangama are updated as different posts.
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About Me
- K M Anil Kumar
- Born and bought up in Coorg, now staying at Bangalore. Interested in trekking, travelling and getting to know people and cultures....
