The Enchanting Banarsi

The Enchanting Banarsi- A timeless weave

       
        The photo shoot at Bhoginandeshwara Temple made me relive the  dream world inhabited by the brocade, tanchoi, jaal, jamdani woven on kora or a double silk or georgette … the woman whispering into Nandi’s ears resplendent in her Banarsi brought out the timelessness of the weave. Like Kashi; the Shivnagari that has no aadi or anta it seems the banarsi too is  timeless and eternal. It is Annapoorna to the nameless weavers who have woven the tales from time unknown!

     Banarsi has been an integral part of my growing up. It always conjures up sweet memories like the soft warm hand of your baby on your cheek before she nestles on your shoulder and sleeps ! My world of Banarsis is inahabited by my mom, aunts, elder cousins, all resplendent in their vibrant  coloured silks with zari borders, bootis, jaals  and  insanely rich pallus which were all was clubbed as Banarsi ! It was only later while shopping for my own wedding that i was to learn about the rich weaves of Banarsis.

So how do I spin this tale …where do I begin?

Well from the very beginning !

Princep's drawing of Banaras( Source internet)

     The Banarsi weave  is as old as the city:  Kasika a  textile  synonymous with a city  is a precursor to Kanjeevarm, Pochampali. Banaras has a unique place in Indian history and culture. As far back as 4th century B.C., it was a rich, flourishing city ; renowned world wide for its textile industry especially with Rome causing it much economic distress !

     Hence scholars find it safe to say that Banarsi weave had cotton origin .It  might have been woven with gold and silver threads later with silk when the Chinese silk was introduced. But then we also know that there was indigenohous silk cultivated from wild….and what about Hiranya? The cloth of gold mentionedin the Rig Veda  which might be the earliest equivalent of Kinkhab/ brocade?

   Who knows for sure about the history and origin of this rich Banarasi weave except for the fact that it synonymous with the city and that it has found mentions in secular and religious literature.

    There were important factors that  sustained the Banarsi - Royalty, Religion and  trade. It was the  regional capital under the Nandas, the Mauryas and the Sungas the royal patronage sustained the rich weave of Hiranya. It  was fabric meant for divinity; Hiranya which the Gods in their resplendent grandeur wear it, as they drive in their stately chariots! The mortal remains of a  renunciator like Buddha  were wrapped in a Banaras fabric radiating with rays of yellow, red and blue ! Thus we can safely ascribe to the unbroken tradition of brocade weaving from times immemorial

    The Dhamek stupa carries patterns laid on brick that were woven in silk and cotton! Patterns carved in relief on the Saranath stupa were transferred from the textile designs of the Gupta period, A number of such motifs appearing on the Dhamekh-Stupa at Sarnath (Banaras) presuppose the transference of the textile designs on stone or a copy of some textiles, which originally wrapped such stupas (such textiles were called the Devadushyas) Murals at Ajanta wear patterns identical to ones found at the Stupa.

     Banarsi synonymous with Brocade is on a surer historical footing with the coming of Mughals. The weaving industry reached its peak during the Mughal period due to the patronage of  Akbar. From this  period onwards, we begin to get an uninterrupted account of the zari work and brocades through the Mughal and Rajasthani paintings. It is significant to note that in the sixteenth century the old designs abruptly came to an end; we find from the contemporary paintings that wholesale-personalized motifs were introduced although modified to the Indian taste. More emphasis was given to floral designs. For example, the ancient animal and bird motifs were given up for good. There was an influx of Persian motifs due to the influence and importance of Persian masters in the court of emperor Akbar; Ghias Naqshaband being the greatest Persian master among them to the royal atelier of Akbar. 

Pic source internet

         The Banarsi got  a dynamic boost at the hands of weavers from Surat who were taught by the Chinese.Silk weavers from Gujarat migrated to Kasi in 17th century after a famine. A new environment for weavers gave a way to various innovations and by 19 th century the city flourished as the textile capital of the region. Seventeenth century is the time for Banarsi Brocade as we know it today.

Pic source internet

      The Banarsi that  came under the influence of Persians, Chinese  still remained loyal to its lord. It was still the Hiranya - the divine fabric of Lord of Kashi! Peter Mundy, traveller to Banaras (1632 A. D.) records that in the Viswanath temple, he found a silk canopy hanging over the Siva-lingam. Describing the Bindumadhava temple of Banaras, Tavernier informs that over the holy platform he noticed brocades and other silks.

     The wheel turns full circle. Romans of yore who exported fine cotton weave now bought the divine fabric! Manucci in his famous travel-book “Storia Do Mogor”records that Banaras in the second half of seventeenth century exported to all over the world, its gold or silver zari textiles, which were “of the best quality”!

It is this  brocade that is eponymous with Banaras and has made it world famous.

What is a Brocade?

   The Banarsi is woven on four diff kind of fabrics…Pure silk, Katan, Organza(kora) with silk and zari; georgette and Shattir.   Brocade style of weaving is synonymous with Banarsi. Brocade is a speciality of Banarsi weave. It is a characeristic weave in which the patterns are created by thrusting the Zari threads between warp at a calculated interval so as to evolve the design line by line. But brocade is not the only Banarsi weave.

    It has numerous off springs the most famous ones being Tanchoi. It requires only silk yarn as raw material.

   Jamdani is another Banarsi innovation. It involves laying designs by hands without using any mechanism. It works around cotton only and is still executed on traditional pit looms.

  Tanchoi,  Cutwork, Tissue and Jamevar are other mind boggling  variants!

     I love the resilience of Banarsi . It is one weave that has lived for more than a thousand of  years. How has it done so ? By showing inventiveness and diversity in terms of adapting to new patterns and motifs.  Europeans introduced chemical dyes, mechanization of looms and  new motifs . Consequently the looms used in Banaras  are pit looms, Jacquard looms and power looms.

     Banarsi has seen many changes in terms of colours, patterns , motifs, borders and styles . In the pre - Mughal period, floral patterns, animal and bird were woven with great delicacy. By medieval times these weaves were defined by  the Islamic sensibilities . Butidar designs were in great demand and with the coming of Mughals a new efflorescence in Banarsi weave was witnessed. And in 19th century the weavers started imitating Victorian style wall papers , geometrical patterns and softer shades of pinks and lilacs!

    It is indeed amazing  that in a city that is as old as time the weaving tradition has kept abreast with changing tastes. It  has seduced women of all generations with its elegant craftsmanship. It is the nameless weaver who transforms a six yard into a piece that embodies the spirit and culture of  the Shivanagari. Thus he  embeds the sari so deep  in the conscience of a woman who is left with no choice but to mark important occasions in her life with a Banarsi!

   The wonder spinner works alone ; a karaigar on a single power loom or in the karkhana of a master weaver. Madanpura and Alaipura are considered traditional weaving areas in Benaras. Each group has its own distinctive style of weaving. The work of Madanpura is traditional and known for its fine designs and colours and woven light transparent materials. The weavers  of Alaipura  experiment with new techniques and designs. The galis where the weavers go over the warp and weft the wooden rafters beating a music of its own you feel as if the looms have not changes since the times when Gods rode out resplendent in Hiranya!

Pic source internet.

                It is the naqshaband who gave life to the various bootas and jaals. He experimented, innovated and gave the dynamic pulse to the Banarsi weave.

                      

         Behind the glitter of the Banarsi lies a tale of toil and unsung mundane work.

      The yarn is dyed to give it color. It is usually done with acid dyes. Before the dyeing the yarn is put in boiling soap water to give the product a shiny texture. 

Pic source Internet

The threads are spun to spools with the help of spinning wheel to prepare the spools to load to the fly shuttle, the threads that fill up through fly shuttle is called weft. The warp threads are got ready by spreading them length wise creating pulls and is rolled to beam which is later fixed to the loom.

The yarn for bana is then rolled on a cylindrical structure, called ‘nari barana’. The tana yarn is rolled on a ‘dharki’ (a shuttle).

 The desired design that is to be worked on the saree is drawn on a sheet of graph paper. The designs sometimes are hand drawn or mostly done in pixel calculations and printed on the graph sheet. This graph sheet becomes the reference to punch the cards. They are made to a set of cards that will be tied together and loaded to the jacquard machine. A large brown sheet is cut into small rectangle sheets of height 3inches and width of 12inches approximate. Then these cards are punched following the graph sheet that will have the desired designs. Once these cards are punched they are tied together. The Jacquard cards are completed to be loaded to the jacquard machine.

All the preparations are over .The loom is set up with the threads and the process of weaving begins before which the jacquard cards are fixed to the jacquard machine and following the cards the threads are pulled and the desired design and the saree is weaved. In weaving warp, craftsmen build the base that runs of the required length. Once the punched cards are prepared those are spun with altered threads and colours on the loom allowing to design and are paddled in an orderly manner that the main weaving picks up right colour and pattern to produce the design and weave as well.

     Finally it is while weaving that the weaver creates  different patterns by using different techniques . This he does with a comb that controls the separation of the tana threads. The open space between each wire is called dent. Helped by a hook, the warp thread passes through the heald and then the dent. This is the denting process. 
Lo and behold ! The different  patterns as jangla, jamdani, tanchoi, kharua, etc. are created .

  It may seem that time has frozen still but delicately  remove  the layers and you  will see the changes and the spirit  of Banarsi.The Banarsi had almost become moribund in the 60s. Designers like Ritu Kumar and Jain  gave a fresh  breath of life to Banarsi and now every designer worth his diploma  has his karkahna in Banaras.

     Of late, many more designs comprising of motifs and patterns of folk-art of Assam, Bengal and Gujarat, as also some adaptations of those that are depicted in the art of Mughal, Rajasthan and Pahari, have been introduced.Parsi ghara  on a Banarsi is  unique adaptation. Most of us have become experts on banarsi waxing gyana on shikargarh  thanks to greater information and Google. The GST has dealt a big blow to the weaver  but I know about the courage of  the Banarsi weaver. He has carried it on for thousands of years , what is a mere GST? I remember the time when the Bombay blasts took place , work stopped for days . Babri masjid fell  but the looms did not fall silent…there was no rioting. What is GST against Anushaka's Banarsi swirls  on social media ? 

  What appeals to me most is the eclectic nature of the weave. It stands for the most beautiful representation of Ganga Jamuna Tezeeb , only a Banarsi saree can have the mangla kalash and the dome of a mosque in the same panel woven in red and gold which is to be  worn by the beaming bride!

    Banarasi is a must in the trousseau of any girl getting married in UP , Bihar, Bengal. In parts of UP and Bihar she is married in a yellow Banarsi . She takes the seven steps with countless stars in her eyes in a Banarsi that matches the beat of the groom's heart.

       Who can beat the romance of Kimkhab? Kimkhab means stuff of dream and one in brocade is no less a dream girl. What about the sensuousness of Tanchoi ? The romance of the Banarsi can never fade. It goes stronger every day.Tanchoi – forget the Chinese Tan. When the weaver shows his collection at the gaddi of the wholedealer in the gaalis of Banaras he calls it tanchui meaning touching the body;  a weave that promises you'd  be a dream of someone , a weave that sensuously touches your form , a weave that was Hiranya thousands of years ago, yesterday was a kimkhab and today  a ballad to Virukshaka's romance, even the most cynical will go soft when the tanchui grazes their not so hard skin!

    This is the weave from the city of Kabir .The surreal sufism of the weave resonates deep. While weaving he would sing Jhini jhini bini chadariya ….yes this chadariya ; the body as well as the saree is ephemeral. Nothing is eternal. Why should I spend my time in asking kahe ka taana kaahe ka baana…

But if I was to pass on this love for the Banarsi chadariya to my daughter or daughter in law or my granddaughter, who knows the love affair with Banarsi may transcend time and may become eternal like the very  Shivanagri? 

Acknowledgements
Fabric Art : A Heritage of India ShuklaDas
http://eacharya.inflibnet.ac.in/data-server/eacharya-
documents/53e0c6cbe413016f234436ed_INFIEP_8/77/ET/unit-
1%20Lesson%202.pdf
http://www.varanasiweavers.org/the-weave.html

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/fashion/warp-weft-and-wah-taj/article4898056.ece


http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/saree.html

Lepakshi - Lores set in stone

Lepakshi Lores set in stone

Living in North, one oes not realise that storie from Ramayana and Puranas are a great part of the living experience down south as well as it is up North ! One such eye opener was Lepakshi !

Lepakshi  was a synonym   for AP government’s emporium on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi from where I would buy my lovely cottons. Little did i know about Lepaksi the town in the distict of Anantpur in state of Andhra Pradesh. Moving to Bangalore i was to learn about the stories of Lepakshi, the sacredness of the place set on tortoise shaped hill - the sanctity of the Kurma shila kshetra !

It is named after the fallen Jatayu . His  wings were chopped off at this very spot and he was set free by L Rama by the words...Le Pakshi, Rise ! Bird! The hill abounds with lores. This is the very place where Veerabhadra roamed after the death of sati,14 swayambhu lingas were found in this region ! In the very neighbourhood Arjuna fought the mighty Shiva disguised as Kirata and won over the the Pashupatastra by his devotion ! Rishi Agastya had consecrated this spot with a small temple.

Thus it was  only a matter of time before a grand temple rose at Lepakshi. And it rose in the Fifteenth century The temple was begun by Virupanna, Achyutaraya’s treasurer, in 1530 AD. He was assisted by his brother Veeranna.Considering the fact that the temple was begun by a minister and that it could not be completed owing to petty politics, we can only give an unbridled reign to our poetic imagination. We can guess what an example of Vijayanagara style of architecture it might have been, had the premises not been encroached and the Kalyan Mantapa been completed.

The temple had 7 structural rings, outer most being the Nandi and the inner most being the gaairbha griha. But now o rings remn, rest have been encroached. So much so that the Nandi is no more a part of the existing complex, sitting desolately about a km away from his deity.

India’s biggest monolithic Nandi is at the entrance of this village. This Nandi is supposedly in the 6th corridor Nandi iIts no more a part of the existing complex, sitting desolately about a km away from his deity carved in perfect magnificence with hara and Gandaberunda and the beauty of his countenance is palpable.

pic of gopuram

The small Gopuram and a  rather simple door way with Ganga on the entrance does not prepares one for the grandeur insisde .This temple fortified by plain walls is sprawling with the best specimens of the Vijayanagar style of sculpture and mural paintings.The temple system became more elaborate with increasing number of buildings within the temple enclosure.In addition to the main temple in the middle there are separate shrines, pillared halls, pavillions and other annexes each having its special purpose. The Amman shrine located in the northwest of the building , enshrined with image of the consort of the deity .

As one enters the Navaranga mantapa one is tranfixed by the surfeit of carvings....beautiful sculptures everywhere ! On pillars . on ceilings on wall as friezes , the door jambs. One  runs out of names for such carved structures but the shilpakars never ran out of spots to carve.

The Ranga mantapa is adorned with pillars that astonishes one  with its  exquisiteness and design dexterity.The most striking pillar type is the type  whose  shaft becomes a central core for the attachment of statuary of heroic size and chiselled entirely in the round. 

Bhikshatana carved in the finest details is one such example.

The Natya Mantapa re created the divine nritya mantapa with Rambha holding the centre court 

Guru Bhringi guiding her from the aisle and audience watching her dance. The audience that includes Lord Dattatreya, Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Surya, Tumbara, Riteshwara, Brahma, Nataraja, Chandra and other scholars, some of whom are seen holding musical instruments giving talam to her padam!

The temple can be reference text book where all diifferent kinds of Vijayanagara style pillars can be found The pillared pavilion on the sides of the Ranga Mantapa...the Chitrakhanda pillars with ornamental brackets as part of the capitalsand below the bracket is a pendant that terminates into an inverted lotus bud.

Pavilions containing groups of columns are a form of architectural scheme to add drama to the temple complex.

The Maha Mandapa has three shrines, the main one being of Veerbhadra. Another one is dedicated to lord Papanarheshwara and the third one is for lord Rahunath.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Veerabhadra - the angry manifestation of Shiva.One sees Veerabhadra in the sanctum , on the mural of the ceiling and the rawness of his emotions deeply moves you.

When Shiva found out that his Sati was no more he was seized by violent grief . He tore apart his locks and created Veerabhadra who in a blazing fury almost destroyed the creation. The anger, the sorrow , the resignation and finally the acceptance that Shiva shows as Bhikshatana speak a lot to you . Who will not be touched by the humanness of the Divine Love story ?

 The  temple is not about the fury of Shiva . It  also carries tales of joy and happy endings.Sati  comes back in Shiva's life as Parvati as Girija.Walking under the ceilings that have murals showing petite Parvati getting ready for the nupitals and Shiva waiting for her one is filled with assurance and great joy at this eternal lovestory.

Pic of murals

The temple has some beautiful murals on the ceiling in Fresco-Secco style.The maha mandapa has a beautiful mural of Lord Veerabhadra on the ceiling. 

The ceilings are richly painted. The murals painted in natural colors add visual drama to the granite temple.One cranes the neck to admire the paintings.
Parvati grooming herself and peering into a mirror; Baby Krishna, with his eye following you all around; Ravana with his Shivalinga, and many more such mythological tales. The ceiling of the Ranga Mantapa and the antarala are beautifully covered with tales from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. 
These paintings are a visual document of the social cultural mores of the times

One steps  out of the Rangamantapa to walk  in the open prangana  to seek the blessings of Doda ganesha . This being a temple for Veerbhadra, it is necessary to invoke Ganesha before entering the sanctum!

As one leisurely  walks  through the  pillared corridors winding down the Kurma shila with the sun setting , you realise there is still much to be savoured : like the unusual Natya mantapa...

One of the most fascinating part of the temple is the Lata Mantapa. A corridor filled with designs carved on pillars  that has been an inspiration for the weavers since eternity !

         Patterns carved on granite for eternity, asking for no royalty no credit nothing…

Veerupana's eyes were gouged out because he was accused of graft by the jealous courtiers hence the temple remained uncompleted the natya mantapa saw no roof and Shiva weds Parvati under open skies star lit with the who's who Hindu Pantheon blessing the divine couple.

The temple architecturally may not be as grand as the Chola temples or sculpturally as rich as any of the Hoysala temples, but many enthralling anecdotes are carved all over the temple. These anecdotes win you over with their human sentiments. It entices you with its sculptural narrative. Lo and behold, “Here is the feet of Sita, there fell Jatayu’s wings and therOne cannot remain untouched and unmoved in this Lepakshi and its sea of stories kind of atmosphere!!

I will leave these anecdotes with you as teaser - just permit me to spoil one for you:
There is a cute story about brothers who were working in the temple precinct. They were hungry and they wanted lunch. Their mother went to cook their meal and asked them to sit quietly. When she came out with their lunch’ she saw a huge seven fanged Naga carved where nothing existed earlier!



Today when I try to give 10 sums to my children to solve while I am organizing their meal, the elder one will deftly post 10 likes on Facebook and the younger one will try to finish off one episode of her TV serial.
How times have changed!

Nolamba Stalkers ----23/9/2016

Thoughts on putting it in action 1

Stalking began in all earnest at least we moved beyond sharing information, pics, links on the fb group the fb group then finally meeting at Nolan's oops Shankar;s house the inceptor, conceiver the conceptualiser....
My thoughts? A sinking feeling that i may  be the Albatross or the proverbial mill stone Why do i feel ss? Because that is how it has been till now, always a slip between the .....
And i don't want that. Two of my favourites are finding a purpose a sense of fun and fulfilment and i don't want to take it away from them.
I am good for others but not for myself. So what do i do? Nolan is not convinced Nolani doesn't know.
So i am playing along...as such i love visiting the places with Nolan in my head on my laptop when i am reading about them and he shares one or two pics. I have travelled  to Gandikota, Srilanka  visited V&A so how important is to put my name in this enterprise ? I belong i am a part why to put a name? And abort the venture before it sees visits Begur ? Why am i needed? A sensitive photographer is there and so is there a writer who can express like never before. What will be doing? I will doing that anyway.....prodding , poking, pricking, exasperating driving eveyone up the wall...all this i'd be doing any ways.
So i will enjoy this love not labour for love for i don't want to be burdened with the outcome,

Remembering Banaras on Teacher's Day

Banaras-A City of Learning and Great teachers

Banaras has been the janamabhoomi as well as the karmabhoomi of sages and seekers from the time, time began.

It was a centre of Vedic learning and many Upanishads were written in Banaras.

The earliest teacher who made a great impact was born in Banaras. Parsvanatha was a compassionate teacher who inspired many, Mahavira was being one such seeker!

                                           

                                                                 Sarnath

It was at Sarnath that Dharmachakrapravartan sutta was proclaimed. Thus emerged a teacher in whose sharan everyone wanted to find assurance. Siddhartha after finding the true path came to Banaras to propound it. Why Sarnath? The reason was because Banaras was at the crossroads of intellectual learning.

                                           Buddha with his Five disciples

Buddhism, Jainism and Ajivika learning  criss- crossed the intellectual mindscape of Banaras, yet Banaras was never tamed by any one teacher or held hostage by any one school of learning. There was a constant churning of ideas and a play of dialectics.

The dialectical learning would always give rise to a new school of thought and inspiration. Banaras saw one more entrant. If Brahmanical learning was the thesis and Buddhism, its anti- thesis then synthesis came out of the work of another important teacher- Jagadaguru Sankaracharya. His learning gave a new dynamics to the Vedic religion- Advaitism.  It was at Banaras that an encounter with chandala helped him realise the oneness of universe. The chandala was Siva!

If there was Adwaita then could Vishishtadvaita be far behind?  

Vishishtadvaita was popularized by Ramananda at Banaras. He synthesised Advaita with Vaishnava bhakti traditions. This would again be reworked by Nirguna and Saguna thinkers.

I guess Banaras taught philosophers temperance. Every seeker had to learn from his peers and yet he had to find his own path.

Banaras was conducive not only for intellectual growth and stimulation; it also took care of its humbler, simpler folks. It produced Kabir-the first radical thinker, a Rastafarian perhaps who called upon the masses to stand up, get up and seek salvation of their souls on their own without any mediation by mullahs or pandits!

Banaras helped Tulsidas to spread his bhakti for Rama to masses. His Manas became a household name.

The learning curve was to receive a jolt with the coming of the British. The missionary zeal stifled the intellectual atmosphere of Banaras. It was being challenged by an alien sect backed by a foreign rule. Was banaras to be tamed by the proselytizing missionaries or was it to rise-phoenix like?

To convert or to change was the big question. Change it did. But it changed the Britishers. They ended up starting Sanskrit  College at Banaras to teach Sanskrit and Hindu law to the British! This college became a pioneering centre of Sanskrit learning and by default of Indology.

A new wind was blowing, dialectics was again at play and the result was the emergence of new secular learning, a learning that would help India develop and discover its true self.

  

                                            Krishnamurthy Foundation, Rajghat   

                                   

The exponent was J.D. Krishnamurthy. He believed that the teacher should be able to transform the minds of students; empower them to free their mind from all dogmas. Free societies can only  be the result of a free individuals.

                                                     Experiential learning

 His vision was to find a practical realization through the  school he established at Rajghat, next door to Sarnath.The wheel had turned full circle. Buddha to Jiddu , Banaras had shown the way to the world !!

Banaras also gave us a teacher who turned Macaulay’s minute upside down.BHU was established to train world class engineers and doctors, from clerks to experts, what a leap! This was the challenge taken up by Madan Mohan Malviya.

                                                         BHU

 I had this epiphany while sitting in the Sayaji Rao Gaekwad library or the Central library at BHU, pouring over numerous Constituent Assembly Debates. I was dozing, the whirring of the old fans, the quiet of summer had induced a state of sleep and half-asleep...

But all of a sudden I was jolted out of my reverie when the name Dr Radhakrishnan stared before my eyes. What was this great president doing in the yellow musty pages? 

I read it carefully and it said,"Dr Radhakrisnan Vice chancellor of Banaras Hindu University”. It was an overwhelming moment, mildly putting it! Before being elected as the President, this great man was  an erudite scholar and a very warm encouraging teacher. 

He was the Vice-chancellor of BHU after Madan Mohan Malviya resigned and trusted him with the immense responsibility.

                                                       Central Library

Dr. Radhakrishnan always wanted to be remembered as a teacher. 5^th of September, his birthdate is celebrated as Teacher’s Day. On this day we remember all the teachers great or humble for this profound reason:

Guru gobind dou khade,kaje lagoon paye

Balihari guru apne gobind diyo batay.                                                    

Kabir said that a teacher is more important than God because only a teacher can tell one about God.

The devotion towards teacher has never been expressed better in any language, either before or ever after and it was expressed at Banaras!

                                                   

A Tree, A Dam and A Hill

A decision taken at a moment’s notice, with minimum preparation and zero

expectations proved to be immensely rewarding and enriching.

On Sunday morning we decided to take a trip to the famous Banyan tree that has been

around for more than 400 years. We have been in Bangalore for almost ten years and

yet had not crossed this off from  our to-visit-list. Why? Because of the mixed

reviews this place has generated. Some didn’t think much of it, calling it just a bargad

ka ped  (hindi), others were put off by the swinging, snatching, sneering  simians.

But our time to visit the tree had come. It was our first halt on a whirl wind hop on hop

off tour of three destinations.

First Stop- Banyan tree

We started at 7:30 am after a light breakfast at our favourite darshini and got some idlis vadas

packed to satiate  if- we- will- peckish kind of a  feeling! In no time we were on the Nice corridor, 

one big advantage of living south!

After exiting at Mysore, we drove down further for a few more kilometers and took the

right  at the Kumbalagod junction. We drove for 7 kms more through the industrial

 area and arrived at our destination.  The voice on the GPS language as the prompter said 

 in a few hundred metres  the ‘banian’ tree will be arriving on your left! Of course there was 

 no Banian tree but the Big Banyan tree!

                                             Rooted Forest                          

The Big Banyan tree- Dodda Alada Mara, the name in Kannada makes it sound even

more huge.

The main trunk of the tree has fallen and consequently the place gives the feel of many

banyan trees of all ages and sizes spread over an area which the eyes cannot cover. As far

as the eyes can see only roots greet the eye.

                               

                                            Display of Roots                  

The prop roots are a characteristic of Ficus Benghalensis.This place has hundreds.

 Aged trees have many aerial roots that grow into thick woody trunks.

These woody trunks, over time, have become indistinguishable from the main trunk.

The old trees have  spread out laterally and their prop roots cover a wide area-4 acres or

more by Dodda Alada Mara. The mesh of roots growing round the support tree applies

considerable pressure on the main tree and eventually kills it. Hence the Modalina

rembe (original branch) of Dodda Aldamara  is dead  but long live Chikka Aldamaras!

Since it was early morning there were few visitors and the regular ice-cream carts, corn

sellers were missing. It was as if the place was ours and we soaked in the fresh morning

bliss, the simians were behaving, the butterflies were flitting and squirrels were darting

from trunk to trunk!

                                         

                                             Squirrel or Usain bolt?

 There was unbelievable Nirvanic  peace and quiet  prevailing. We just reflected and

  remembered Siddhartha becoming Buddha under the Bodhi tree!

                                               Zen Zone

To add to the sanctified atmosphere there was a small temple - the sounds of the

temple bells, aarti and vandana added much to the atmosphere. Even to the Hindus the

tree is equally sacred as it symbolizes the Hindu trinity.

                                                      To infinity and beyond!

By this time, the vaanar sena  was  waking up to its  antics. I assure you, one can spend

hours looking at them albeit from a distance! Having seen Disney’s Jungle Book at least

ten times, I just felt that these cousins of King Louie were  about to start  swing dancing

to, “I wanna be like you…..."

                                   

                                           Sheltered in Love              

                                          Swinging Times

                                           Trouping Simians                   

After a while the monkeys got bored of us and trooped out. So did we, like them we went

out looking for tea and some snacks. Because we realized that we had not collected our

food parcel from Darshini. Some yummy egg buns were spotted and the non-vegetarians

had a field day, got them packed and having learnt the lesson I zipped the food packet in

my bag!

Now was the time to move to drive to the next stop - The Dam.

Second Stop- Manchanabele Dam

Manchanabele dam is situated in Manchibele village of  Magadi taluk of Bangalore. It

is built on River Arkavati

The reservoir is about 8kms from the banyan tree.  At Dabagguli take the left turn and

continue driving.

We had read about this spot but were totally unprepared for the out of the world beauty

of this place. Just as the road takes an almost serpentine turn, the lake, pristine blue

waits patiently for you to brake suddenly, let out a scream or a silent prayer that, thank

God, no one was tailing you close,  lethargy leaves you, all the senses are wide awake

and you get down admiring the vale, dale and the lake!

                                               Surreal                               

The glorious morning, blue skies and miles and miles of fluffy clouds were simply divine. It is an

undulating meadow reminding you of the Lake District and the tinkling of the cow bells add the

musical charm that was missing so far!

                                            Tree lined meadows            

The blue waters looked inviting but the meadows looked equally tempting. Before we

could make up our minds, we saw a giant monolith forming the backdrop of the lake.

What was that? It looked like the Ayers  rock. Some googling revealed  that it was

Sawandurga

                           
                      

 Sawan durga won hands down. We packed ourselves and drove further on the

serpentine, narrow, country road.

                               

                                           Enchanted drive  

                  

Even more surprising was the change in terrain from gentle undulating terrain we drove

through some interesting rock formations. At times boulders were placed as if the children had

arranged them for a game of seven stones !

                                           Rock arrangements  

            

Sawandurga proved to be enticingly out of reach. It kept on playing hide and seek with

us. Now it was there and now nowhere!

                                       

                                            Peeek-a-boo                  

The road conditions were bad.  Pot holes and countless potholes but the picture perfect

surrounding egged us to drive on. After all Sawan durga was only 12 kms. Really? 

 Because after a while the distance seemed to increase and the hills began to look like a mirage.

The GPS signal was lost. There was no human sighting and there was no vehicle criss- crossing,

not even a cycle!

                                           Happliy Lost...

Fortunately victory greets the brave and we came across a rundown forest department

post kind of a structure, manned! Since I was the best Kannada speaker amongst the

three of us, I was forced out of the car to ask for directions, which I did. And hence the

trip owes everything to me!!

Driving for about 2 kms more we took a right and hit the Magadi - Bangalore Road. The

road was much better and we got the connectivity back.

A metal arch on the right ushered us in Sawandurga.

Third Stop-Sawandurga

Sawandurga is the Bahubali of all monolithic hills in Asia! It is formed by two hills,

Karigudda(black hill) and Billigudda(white hill). It is an extension of Deccan plateau so

geologically it has aged ruggedly!

                                     

                                            The twin hills                   

Pre historically it was home to the early man. Megalithic urns bearing skeletal remains

have been discovered by ASI in the hills.

Historically the earliest mention of the hill is found in the records of Hoysala BallalaIII

where in it is mentioned as Savandi. Another theory is that it was named Samantadurga

after the governor of Achutaraya  posted  at  Magdi, Samantharaya. This was the

secondary capital of the Magdi rulers such as Kempe Gowda. Mysore annexed it and

this history will be continued later.

                                           Miniature Sawandurga or...          

                             

                                           The humblest Nandi, yet...           

Religiously also it is of great significance. It has two important temples. The guardian

deity of the area is Virbhadra. The temple of Sri Savandi Veerabhadraswamy is at the foot of

Sawandurga hills.

                                           Savandi Veerabhadraswamy Temple

                                         

                                          Swinging, sailing clouds.

 I was more fascinated by a small temple which had a stucco finish, adjacent to the temple

than in in the giant concrete structure that is still being erected. Faith comes in many

sizes and forms and to me the dilapidated run down temple looked more devotion worthy.

                          A stuccoed mantapa                                                

There is a Temple of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, where there is an Idol of Lord

Narasimha. It  has been worshiped for many generations

                                           Devotees                          

Sawandurga is a haven for trekkers and nature lovers. It has a thick green cover of dry

shrubland but being monsoons, the area could be mistaken for an evergreen forest!

                                          Beauty and Laterite

Rock climbers, cave explorers and adventurers are among other types of people who frequent

the locale.

                                            The Summit                    

Since we had come unprepared we walked around a bit, lazed on the rocky surface

under the shade of trees and pondered over the irony of this trip.

This trip was unplanned because my husband had vetoed the well planned trip to

Rayakottai in Krishnagiri. My penchant for Tipu’s fort is my compass for planning any

trip. But my husband has been OD’ed by the ramshackle forts of Tipu and he wanted

 a change. What a change?? !!

                                            The Entrance              

The first level of the gentle climb greeted us with  the remnants of a Fort wall and I had

gleeefully guessed it be the external wall of a Tipu's fort. And it was indeed so!

 It was lost to the British in the Fourth Anglo Mysore war. Guess one cannot avoid tripping

 on Tipu’s forts if one is tripping in Karnataka!!

l

                                         The Fort wall- First level

After a gentle trek of few metres we retreated, saw couple of brave hearts on the the top

near the Nandi mantapa, saluted them, mentally and sat down to munch and crunch our

lays, kurkure etc etc..

Another family had come with a big picnic basket and a huge tarpaulin. Their planning

was an affront to our lack of  planning and we decided to climb down.

The journey back was uneventful, really? But then what was that?

Two temple towers were spotted in the forest, stuccoed and looking aged. The green

cover was very thick and I was strictly restrained from exploring. I could only manage

 few pictures.It looked similar to the structure which I had seen at Veerbhadraswamy

temple.

This trip suddenly became much more. Because now it held promises of things still to

discover. The aged temple, the megalithic urns and the remnants of  Tipu’s fort -

all added to the promise  of things to come and before I had touched Bangalore I was

planning on returning to Sawandurga. Yes planning !!!!