Murud Janjira

Murud is a beautiful fishing village on the western coast of India – about 5 hours drive from Bombay (Mumbai). Since it has a municipality, water supply, schools and hospitals, you could even term it a small town.
It has a beautiful beach ideal for swimming, bathing and water sports. The beach is fringed with swaying coconut trees, a variety of palm trees and casuarinas. Unfortunately, the only water sport presently available is boating, sailing and deep sea fishing.
Murud is historically important because it was the capital of the Janjira State (area – 842 sq. kms.). The Nawabs of Janjira ruled the area around from here. The Janjira Fort is located 2 kms. into the sea – about 6 kms. from Murud.

History of Janjira State

During the past several centuries, traders brought slaves from Abyssinia and other parts of East Africa and sold them in Egypt, Arabia and India. The Abyssinian slaves had black skin and curly hair. They did not have the thick lips the Negroes have. They were called Habshis or Siddis.
They were faithful, brave and hard working. They were very trust worthy. In India, successive rulers appointed them to positions of high trust.
In 1490, King Malik Ahmed Shah of Ahmednagar broke away from the Brahmini kingdom and established his own Nizamshahi kingdom. He appointed his Abyssinian slave the commander of the Janjira Fort.
In 1621, Janjira became an independent state. Siddi Ambar Sankak Habshi became the first ruler of independent Janjira State. The Siddi rule continued for 327 eventful years till the merger of the State with India in May 1948. The last ruler was Siddi Mohamed Khan, who after the merger, settled down in Indore.
His successors have a palatial palace at Murud complete with a museum. But the present Nawab also lives in Indore.

History of Janjira Fort

The Janjira Fort has a colourful history. During the 15th century, the Rajpuri village which is 4 km. from Murud was inhabited by fishermen and the Nizams ruled the entire coastal region.With the Nizam’s permission, the fishermen built a wooden fort (Medhekot) on a huge rock in the sea, 2 km. off the shore of Rajapuri, to protect themselves from pirates and thieves.
Later, Burhan Khan, the minister of Nizamshah, the ruler at Ahmednagar, demolished the wooden fortress; and between 1567 and 1571 built an impregnable stone fort in its place. He named it Janjira Mehroob (Mehroob means crescent moon).
Siddi Ambarsatak, the fore father of the rulers of Janjira (later, they adopted the title of Nawabs), was nominated the commander of Mehroob.Shivaji made six unsuccessful attempts to conquer this fort. Later at various points of time, Sambhaji, the Peshwas, the British and the Portuguese tried to take over the fort, but Janjira remained unconquered till its merger with India in 1948. Janjira is one of the rare forts in Maharashtra which could not be taken over by the Marathas. The reason for this is the impregnable fort and superior naval forces and marine skills of the Siddis.
The Siddis ruled from the Janjira Fort which is located 2 kms. into the sea. Surrounded on all four sides by the Arabian Sea, the fort is undefeatable. It could never be captured by anyone. In the 1950s, the Archaeological Survey of India took over charge of the fort. They relocated all the residents of the fort to the nearby villages. Some restoration work is presently going on.

Nawab’s Palace

As you enter Murud, you will see the stately mansion of the Siddhi Nawabs of Murud Janjira perched on a high hillock overlooking the entire bay. You can visit the museum there. The present Nawab usually lives in Indore.

Janjira Fort

India has a large number of forts. But Janjira Fort is unique.
To visit Janjira, you have to go to Rajpur village (4 km). From there, you have to go to the Janjira Fort by sail boats. Rajpur has a harbour and a beautiful sea beach. For the first time in my life, I saw buffaloes swimming and bathing in the sea.
Once you reach the fort, you will find it most captivating. The strong entrance has successfully withstood numerous attacks.
The five-storied Surulkhana palace is almost in ruins. The top two stories have fallen off. Some renovation work is going on.
There are 2 large fresh water tanks inside the fort and some tombs.
The fort had about five hundred canons. But only a handful remain today. There are in all 19 Buruj (ramparts) in the fort. Every Buruj has huge guns capable of sinking any approaching vessel. Some of the guns bear names. The 3 most important big guns are ‘Kalal Bangadi’, ‘Chavari’ and ‘Landa Kasam’. These were built by an alloy of five different metals.
During its hey days, a large number of people lived inside the fort. But after it was taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India, the residents were moved out. Much of Janjira Fort has been corroded and washed away due to the insistant battering by the Arabian Sea. But what remains is still a most formidable structure.

Dattatreya Temple

The temple of Dattatreya is located on a high place on a hillock. You get a panoramic view of the entire bay from here.

Places to see around

Janjira Caves
For those interested in history, archaeology or religion, the 2000 years old Buddhist Caves near Bhalgaon (20 kms from Murud Janjira) are a must see. Leave a full day for exploring the caves and a wonderful picnic.

Padmadurg Fort
The Padmadurga Fort built by Shivaji Maharaj is situated to the north west of Janjira. It is not as big as Janjira Fort, but Padmadurga Fort is also an interesting sea fort which can be visited and enjoyed.

Beaches
There are two unspoiled beaches on the way to Murud – Nandgaon and Kashid. You can spend time swimming and sunbathing in these beaches.

Getting there

Distances
Murud is 150 km from Mumbai,

Air
The nearest airport is Mumbai 150 km.

Rail
Nearest railway station is Roha 122 km.

Sea
A most convenient way to go there is by ferry from Mazgaon Ferry Wharf to Rewas (23 km from Murud); or by catamaran from Gateway to Mandwa. From Rewas or Mandwa, you have to take a road transport.
(The ferry services are suspended during the monsoons)

Road
Mumbai to Murud 150 km
You can go to Murud by car or taxi. There are plenty of local public buses, too. The drive takes about 5 hours.
You have to travel up to Panvel and then take the road that passes through the Karnala Bird Sanctuary upto Pen. You have to cross Ali Bag (100 kms. From Mumbai). You will also cross the beautiful Nandgaon and Kashid beaches.
After 20 kms. From Alibag, you can also go to Murud via Roha, a small town dotted heavily with large and shady trees. This route is 10 kms. longer, but you will pass through beautiful country side.

Accommodation

There are a number of hotels where you can get food and accommodation at reasonable rates. There are no four or five star hotels. Try to stay in a hotel on the beach side.
There are a large number of restaurants where you can taste the authentic local (Konkanese) food.

Best Time to Visit

Murud has a pleasant coastal climate and can be visited any time of the year. But carry plenty of sun protection and light cotton clothes.
During the monsoons (rainy season), the sea can be rough and could be closed for swimming.

Conclusion

Murud Janjira is a beautiful tourist spot quite close to Mumbai. It is enjoyable. But it has yet to be fully developed to realize its full potential.

Mahabalipuram

Site of a lost City

On 26th December 2004, the killer Tsunami waves struck the shores of Mahabalipuram. When the waters receded, there were rumours that they had left behind some statues, rock carvings and remains of what could be the work of human hands.
All this stirred up expectations. Once again, archaeologists, historians and scientists began wondering whether there indeed was an ancient city which now lies buried under the sea.
The Archaeological Survey of India and the Indian Navy have just completed joint underwater excavations for this year. Alok Tripathi, a Deputy Superintending Archaeologist from the Archaeological Survey of India, and leader of the expedition team, told the media that the Tsumai had given Mahabalipuram a lot of publicity but nothing in terms of archaeology.

History

The ancient town of Mahabalipuram was a flourishing sea-port during the days of Periplus (1st century A.D.) and Ptolemy (140 A.D.). Many Indian colonists travelled to South-East Asia from this port town. Apart from these facts, we do not know much about the history of ancient Mahabalipuram. There are too many missing links in its history. And we do not know why almost all the monuments are incomplete.
The major attractions of Mahabalipuram include 14 rock cut cave-temples called mandapas, 9 monolithic shrines called rathas, 4 sculptured relief rock panels and the famous Shore Temple.
These structures were built by three successive Pallava Kings who developed the Dravidian style of temple architecture within the short span of a hundred years.
King Mahendravarman (600-630 A.D.) laid the foundations of elaborate rock cut cave-temples. The Dhramaraja Mandapa was built by him. Even at that time, Mahabalipuram was an important pilgrimage centre.
King Mahendravarman’s son, Narasimhavarman I (630 to 688 A.D.), who was called Mahamalla, started the Mahamalla style of temple architecture which consists of free standing monolithic structures. Most of the monuments at Mahabalipuram – the monolithic rathas, sculptured scenes on open rock faces like Arjuna’s Penance, the rock cut cave-temples of Govardhanadhari and Mahishasuramardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple (the sleeping Mahavishnu at the rear part of the Shore temple complex) were built by him.
Narasimhavarman I’s son, Narasimhavarman II (700 to 728 A.D.), who came to be known as Rajasimhan, started masonry constructions. The magnificent five-storied Shore Temple on the sea beach was built by him and is one of the finest examples of Dravidian masonry temple structure. Narasimhavarman II also constructed the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram during the 8th century. The Shore Temple was the last work of Pallava dynasty.
Mahabalipuram is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and is a popular tourist spot in India. Numerous foreign and Indian tourists come to Mahabalipuram in search of history, relaxation and sea bathing.

Name of the site

During the 7th century A.D., the place was known as Mahamallapuram (City of the Warrior King) after King Mahamalla (meaning Great Warrior), an honoric name of King Narasimhavarman I (630-688 A.D.), who created most of the monuments. The word Mahamallapuram was first corrupted to Mamallapuram, and then to the present Mahabalipuram.
Ever since the first western visitor wrote about the place in the 16th century, Europeans have called the place Land of the Seven Pagodas (land of seven temples).

The Shore Temple

The Shore Temple was built by Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha) and is one of the earliest masonry temples in Tamil Nadu.
It stands on the edge of the Bay of Bengal. At high tide, the waves sweep into its compounds. The walls and their sculptures have been battered and eroded by the winds and waves for thirteen hundred years. Yet they stand intact.
There are three shrines in the Shore Temple. The one facing the sea and another facing west towards the township are Saiva (Lord Shiva). The one between the two is Vaishnava (Lord Vishnu) with an image of Lord Anantasayi made of rock. There are Vimanas (a kind of temple structure) over the Saiva shrines, but none over the third. Probably, it has disappeared with time.
There are Somaskanda (depicting Lord Shiva and Parvati) reliefs on the walls of the Saiva shrine. In front of the eastern shrine is a stone Dhvajastambha (flag post), frequently under the waves. The light on top of it must have served as the last glimmer of homeland for thousands of citizens immigrating to South East Asia.The Dhvajastambha and the Balipitha (sacrifical altar) normally stand in front of the main shrine. Here they are located west of the shrine. There was a Prakara here with small nandis (bulls) on its walls. Some of the nandis still stand on what little remains of the walls.
The sea is an ever-present danger. A semi-circular groyne wall has been built to the east.
Parts of the temple were buried under the sand. Colonel Colin Mackenzie (1754 to 1821), a military officer and surveyor of the East India Company, dug them out. Mackenzie produced many of the first accurate maps of India. He was an art collector and orientalist. In 1799, he took part in the battle of Srirangapatnam, where Tipu Sultan was defeated.
There is an old legend here that originally there were seven temples. Of these, six have been swallowed by the sea. Only one temple – the Shore Temple – has remained. There are evidences of submerged structures under the waves. Sporadic excavations are going on. But it is too early to say whether there really was a glorious city and six more temples which now lie submerged under the waves off the coast off Mahabalipuram.

Arjuna’s Penance
Largest relief sculpture in the world

There are two low hills in Mahabalipuram about 400 metres from the sea.
On both sides of the larger one are eleven excavated rock cut cave-temples called mandapas; two open air bas reliefs – one unfinished, and a third enclosed one. And a monolithic shrine, called a ratha, sculptured out of a big free standing rock nearby.
The surface of the larger hill consists of two large boulders measuring 29 metres by 13 metres, with a fissure in between. The two surfaces (southern and northern face) and the fissure contain some of the most exquisite relief carvings in India.

The beautifully carved 29 x 7 metres rock on the southern face, known as Arjun’s Penance, is the largest bas relief sculpture in the world. It is named after the figure of an ascetic standing on one leg performing severe penance. The current view is that the ascetic is Arjuna, hero of the epic Mahabharata, doing penance to Lord Siva to obtain from him a celestial weapon to use in the impending war against the Kauravas. However, some experts believe that the figure is actually Bhagiratha praying to Siva to let the river Ganges flow down to the earth.
Near the ascetic is Lord Shiva, with his attendants. Immediately below them is a small shrine with a relief sculpture of Lord Vishnu inside. By its side are many seated sages in meditation.
Other carvings on the rock are of animals and heavenly beings witnessing the descent of the Ganges from the Himalayas and episodes from the Panchatantra tales.

Elephant sculptures

On the northern face are carvings of huge elephants. These are the finest elephant sculptures in India. There is a cat pretending to perform penance, waiting to pounce upon unfortunate unsuspecting rats. There are also a lion, a tiger and a boar. In the upper part of the surface are rows of semi-divine beings flying towards the fissure. Close by, is a beautifully carved monkey picking lice from the head of another. This was not sculptured here but brought from the nearby Mukunda Nayanar temple.
A little distance to the south is an unfinished attempt of the very same scene on another boulder. Probably, the maker of the first bas relief tried his skill here first.
In the cleavage are carvings of a serpent god and a serpent goddess. The fissure indicates a river. It is believed that during the Pallava days, water actually flowed down the cleavage from the hill behind because there are remains of what could be a water tank.
There is a third bas relief depicting Lord Krishna protecting the people of Brindavan from Indra’s wrath by interposing a mountain. Strangely, there are a few small sphinxes and gryphons at the edges of the huge composition. During the Vijayanagar times, a Mandapa was built in front of what originally was an open-air bas relief.
On top of the bigger hill is a structural temple. At a little distance are the beginnings of a magnificent Vijayanagar Gopura and remnants of a palace.

The Five Rathas

Out of the other hill, much smaller and standing about 200 metres to the south, were fashioned five beautiful rathas, and three beautiful sculptures of a nandi, a lion and an elephant.
The word ratha means chariot – but this is an incorrect expression for these structures because the rathas are not chariots, but really Vimanas. These five rathas have been named after the five Pandavas of Mahabharata – Dharmaraja; Bhima; Arjuna; Draupadi; and Sahadeva and Nakul (one ratha named after the two brothers Sahadeva and Nakul). But once again, they have no connection with the Pandavas of Mahabharata.
From the largest part was made Dharmaraja, the biggest of the five rathas. Then proceeding towards the north, in descending order of height, were made Bhima, Arjuna and Draupadi. Sahadeva and Nakul was made out of a comparatively large rock a little to the west of Draupadi.
Two smaller rocks in front of the Draupadi were sculptured into an elephant and a lion. Behind Draupadi and Arjuna, which stand on a common base, is a nandi.
There are some superb sculptures on Dharmaraja and Arjuna. The former contains splendid divine and secular portraits, with labels beside some of them. The latter are certainly kings, but it is difficult to identify them. There are some lovely royal couples on Arjuna. Again, it is impossible to say who they are.
Draupadi is the ratha dedicated to Goddess Durga. Her mount, Lion, stands right in front of the ratha.
We do not know the purpose of building the rathas. It is believed that early temples were made of perishable materials. Some one probably decided to preserve these styles for posterity and built the rathas in stone. There is nothing like these rathas anywhere else in India outside Mahabalipuram (except in Kazhugumalai – in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu).
These sculptures show how beautiful, delicate and sensitive Pallava sculpture was, making it one of the greatest schools of Indian art.

Four other rathas

Apart from these five rathas, there are four more rathas in Mahabalipuram taking the total to nine. Among themselves they represent four different styles: the apsidal, the barrel vaulted, the domical and the hut. The first two styles are comparatively rare and the last very much so. The third style was to become the main style in future.The rathas with the domical sikhara are the Dharmaraja, the largest of them all; the Arjuna, a smaller version of the first; the Pidari and the two Valayankuttai – these three located elsewhere in Mahabalipuram.
The Bhima and Ganesa, near the larger hill, are barrel vaulted. Sahadeva is apsidal. Draupadi is hut shaped. Not a single monument in Mahabalipuram is complete. Probably, there was a school of sculpture here in the ancient days. This would explain the existence of probationary and incomplete sculptural and architectural efforts all over the place.

Mahishamardhani and Adivaraha mandapas

Of the many excavated rock cut cave-temples in Mahabalipuram known as mandapas, the two best are the Mahishamardhani and the Adivaraha.
The Mahishamardhini temple has been excavated in a rock on the eastern side of the top of the hill. There are three shrines in the Mahishamardhani Mandapa. A small mandapa projects forward from the central shrine.
On the northern and southern walls of the Ardhamandapa facing each other, are great sculptural reliefs of Goddess Durga fighting the demon and of Lord Vishnu in His cosmic sleep. The energy with which the young Goddess Durga goes to war with the buffalo headed demon is in magnificent contrast with the cosmic sleep of Lord Vishnu on His serpent couch.
These two are the finest sculptural reliefs known to Indian art. Both are connected in their common scriptural source becauses the incidents are from two consecutive cantos of the Devi Mahatmyam.
Right above it is a structural temple and a lighthouse which functioned for decades until a new lighthouse was erected close by. Near the Mahishamardhani temple is a smaller rock where an unfinished attempt at excavating a fane has been made.The Adivaraha temple also has two groups of royal sculptures, also facing each other. In one, a king is seated with two queens flanking him. In the other, a king is standing with his two consorts by him. There are many opinions but it is generally thought that the seated monarch is Simhavishnu (574-600) and the standing one his son and successor, Mahendra I (600-630). There are, besides, reliefs of many divinities.
Besides, the temple here is the only one in Mahabalipuram (apart from the Sthalasayana Perumal) where worship continues today, but fitfully.

Sthalasayana Perumal Temple

Immediately to the north of the bigger hill is the Perumal Sthalasayana temple where worship continues to this day. There was a temple here from pre Pallava times. But the present temple is a result of many enlargements made by Vijayanagar rulers.

Dance festival

Mahabalipuram was a renowned centre of arts and culture during the Pallavas. The Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, organizes a highly acclaimed Mahabalipuram Dance Festival every year.
The Dance festival starts on Christmas day every year; and is conducted on all Saturdays and Government holidays right up to the first week of February. Dancers and musicians of repute from India and abroad thrill the crowds every year. Indian folk dances are an added attraction.
How to get there
Mahabalipuram is only 58 km from Chennai – a pleasant one hour drive from Chennai.
AirChennai (58-km) is the nearest airport with both domestic and international terminus. Chennai is connected with all the major places in India through the numerous domestic flights. International flights operate from various parts of the world to Chennai.
RailThe nearest railway stations are Chennai (58-km) and Chengalpattu (29-km). From these stations one can travel by road to Mahabalipuram.
RoadFrequent buses are available from Chennai, Chengalpattu, Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, etc. The road to Mahabalipuram is good. Taxis are also available.
Accomodation: There are plenty of accommodation to suit all budgets. Or you could stay in Chennai.

More temples under the sea?

A British traveler J. Goldingham, who visited Mahabalipuram in 1798 wrote about certain ancient legends. Once upon a time a large city stood here. This city was so beautiful that the Gods became jealous and sent a flood that swallowed up the entire city in a single day. Even today, the local fishermen and priests talk about seven temples – of which six were submerged under the waves leaving the seventh temple still standing on the seashore. This is the reason sailors called Mahabalipuram Land of the Seven Pagodas.
On the basis of these legends that in remote times a great flood in the area inundated the ancient city and the local fishermen’s pointing towards a series of large submerged structures, the best-selling author Graham Hancock in his book Underworld and Channel 4 television series Flooded Kingdoms of the Ice Age proposed a theory that there was a submerged city in the area.
In April 2002, a joint team from the Dorset based Scientific Exploration Society (SES) and marine archaeologists from India’s National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) undertook some archaeological diving and discovered submerged ruins – a series of structures off the coast of Mahabalipuram – that clearly showed man made attributes. Graham Hancock dived with the expedition. The submerged ruins are spread over several square miles at distances of up to a mile from the shore and at depths of 5 to 7 meters (15 to 21 feet).
Mahabalipuram was recently ravaged by the killer tsunami. In March 2005, a team of divers from the Indian Navy and Archaelogical Survey of India carried out extensive exploratory work in the area with INS Darshak, a hydrographic survey vessel, providing administrative support.
They again found structures buried in the sea off the coast of Mahabalipuram that show evidences of human activities.
Archaeologists say they have found stone blocks and pottery under the sea, and are examining whether the site is that of the fabled temples that went under water.
“Some of the rocks we found under sea bore definite signs of human activities. We have already found remnants of a temple offshore. This new finding is not in isolation and we will have to compare and correlate it with the onshore structures,” said Alok Tripathi, Deputy Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
“We have recovered artefacts and structures which resemble the shore temple, during the expedition which lasted more than three years”” Vice-Admiral, Sureesh Mehta, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, told reporters here.
But a lot of underwater archaeological work is required to assess the nature and full significance of these underwater structures.

Conclusion

Mahabalipuram has a lot of things that makes a site memorable.
The rock cut cave temples, the rathas and the Shore temple are a few of the oldest temples in South India. If you are fond of archaeology, history, temples, simple sight seeing, or are fascinated by tales of cities lost long ago, visit Mahabalipuram.
If you are a connoisseur of music and dance, come to Mahabalipuram during the Dance festival. Sit before an open-air stage created 13 centuries ago. Treat yourself to the unique and unforgettabe aesthetic event. Witness Indian dances – Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, presented by the best exponents of the art besides folk dances.
All this amidst the mystical ambience created in the neighbourhood of sculptures built by the Pallavas and the soft lapping of the waves.

Goa

The Old Portugese Settlement

Goa is a dream world of fun, frolic and leizure – rolling stretches of silver sands, wonderful golden beaches and waving palm trees.

HistoryAccording to Hindu mythology, the sage Parashuram (sixth of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu) created Goa; and Goa became a popular retreat for the Gods in times of stress.

Lord Shiva, the Destroyer, visited Goa twice, after marital squabbles with his wife, Parvati. But on both occasions, Parvati followed him, made up and they returned back to the heavens!

During the 3rd century BC, Goa was part of the great Mauryan kingdom of Emperor Ashoka. After his death in 232 BC, the region came under the rule of various Hindu dynasties such as Satavahanas, Kshatrapas, Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas.

The Kadambas, an indigenous dynasty, rose to power in the 10th century. They ruled for over three hundred years and using the natural harbours, they turned Goa into a thriving centre of maritime trade.

The 14th century was a turbulent period. Goa passed from the Yadavas of Devagiri to the Delhi Sultans (1356-1378), and finally to the Vijayanagar Empire who ruled it for almost a hundred years.

Towards the end of the 15th century, the Bahamani Sultans of Gulbarga and the Adil Shahis of Bijapur held sway.

In 1498, the Portuguese landed in Calicut, Kerala. They could not get a foothold there, so in 1510, they snatched Goa from the Adil Shahis. They established maritime supremecy in the Arabian Sea and controlled most of the prosperous trade routes.

Goa became the seat of the Portuguese Empire in India and the Far East. Its capital, Old Goa, became a centre of immense wealth and opulence, attracting hoardes of Portuguese immigrants. By the end of the 16th century, Old Goa had a population of around 300,000 – much larger than that of Lisbon, Paris or London!

During the early 18th century, the Marathas posed a threat, but the Portuguese not only managed to retain control, but enlarged their territory further east. Some movements for independence did begin in the late 19th century, but Goa remained under Portuguese rule till its merger with India in 1961.

Goa

Goa is actually a state with its own capital which creates some confusion.Goa state is geographically divided into North and South districts.

What to see

North Goa

The capital of Goa is Panaji. It lies on the southern bank of the Mandovi River in North Goa.

Here, you can purchase almost any thing you like. There are also some good hotels and restaurants.
 

 The dominating structure

of Panaji is the Church of Immaculate Conception (1541 AD). In medieval times, all Portugese sailors arriving in Goa came to this Church for thanks giving mass for their safe arrival. It is situated in the main market place.

9 km east along the river is Old Goa – the old centre of the rich and wealthy Portugese. Old Goa was practically abandoned after the river silted up and the new capital Panaji was set up in 1843. All that remains of this glorious city are half a dozen churches, cathedrals, a monastery and convent. You can still see the old style houses and streets.

The Se Cathedral of St. Catherine, is the largest church in Asia. It has 14 altars, an 80 metre long aisle and 5 bells including the Golden Bell – one of the finest in the world.

The 16th century Basilica of Bom Jesus with its richly gilded altars is famous for believers and non believers alike. Since 1553, the beautiful Church contains the embalmed mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier in a silver casket.

Beaches in North Goa

Miramar Beach is closest to the capital Panaji (3 km), and therefore far more crowded and dirty. But from here, you can watch spectacular sunsets as the sun sets at the confluence of the River Mandovi and the Arabian Sea.

Dona Paula, 9 km south west of Panaji, is a small, idyllic beach.The Palm-fringed Sinquerim beach is at the foot of Fort Aguada.Nearby is Candolim beach. Further north are Calangute, Baga and Anjuna beaches.
The Baga Beach is popular for various water sports – parasailing, jet skiing, body boarding and surfing. During the seasons, you can go out into the sea to watch the dolphins. Calangute and Baga both have flea markets where you can purchase all kinds of handicrafts.

There are a number of other beaches further north. They are more secretive and more secluded. If you want peace and quiet – head North.

South Goa

South Goa is quieter than North Goa.

The main cities of South Goa are Margao and Vasco da Gama.
Some of the popular beaches are Majorda, Colva and Varca.

If you have time, you could drive down south of Goa and visit the picturesque beaches of Karnataka.

What to do

You can take a cruise on one of the many vessels there. On the vessel, you can watch the local dance and music and taste the local liquor feni.

You can go to the casino on the floating vessel Santa Monica and try your luck.

Try to visit a Spice Garden. You will see different kinds of spices. The entry fee includes a good local meal and a traditional dance.

The night life of Goa is legendary. There are plenty of discoes, pubs and bars.

Other Places to see

There are a number of other places to see around Goa. Old Forts. Water Falls. Wild Life sanctuaries.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit is between late October and early April.

Goa is all play and no work during the Christmas week. The entire place is teeming with tourists.

If you plan to visit Goa during Christmas, make all your reservations well in advance.
A second season is during the rains. The tariffs are very low. And the entire place becomes a fairy land.

Accomodation

There are numerous places of all kinds from the 5 star to the budget type available.

And if you like sea food, Goa is the place to visit.

Clothing

You need only cottons throughout the year.
But bring beach wear, caps, sunglasses, sunscreen creams and suntan lotions.
Don’t worry, you can purchase all these items in Goa at reasonable rates.

Reaching there

Air
Goa has an international airport at Dabolim – 30 km from Panaji.
Goa is well connected with Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kochi, Chennai and other major cities of India.
A number of overseas travel organizations organize cheap charter flights to Goa.

Train
There are two main railway stations – Margao (Madgaon) and Vasco da Gama. The train journey from Mumbai and Mangalore on the Konkan Railway is picturesque and delightful.

Road
You can even travel from Mumbai, Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore, Pune by car.
The road is good.

the Gateway to Manipal University and Dharamstala

Because of the similarity of names, many people confuse Mangalore with Bangalore.Mangalore is an altogether different city – about 357 kms from Bangalore.Recently, I received an invitation to visit Mangalore.

I literally jumped up…….. because for some time past, I had actually been looking for an occasion, or rather an excuse,to visit Mangalore.I wanted to visit Mangalore for two purposes:
· To re-visit Manipal University(I have visited it earlier, too), conceptualized by Dr. T M A Pai, who ushered into India the era of private, self financing, paid education, attracting a large number of overseas students; and
· to see one of the most exclusive resorts in India in its final stages of construction.Introduction to Mangalore

In Mangalore, I purchased the book ‘Beware Falling Coconuts’ written by Adam Clapham.

Claphan worked as a TV producer with the BBC for more than three decades.

He spent most of his working life in India – making documentaries for the BBC.

In one of the chapters of this book, he has described his search for a good place to settle down after he had retired from the BBC.

He chose India, he explains why, and finally landed up in Mangalore where he now lives in a nice spacious bungalow.

Mangalore has its own rustic charm.

Even today, there are plenty of old style tile-roofed buildings (called Mangalorean tiles) surrounded by coconut groves and banana plantations.

In the distance, you can see fishing boats outlined against the skyline as the fishermen draw in their catch.

Mangalore is also the gate way to Udipi, where Manipal University is located, and to Dharamstala – another fascinating place.

These are the two places you must visit.

History

Mangalore was named after a local Hindu deity Mangaladevi.

According to local legend, Matsyendranath, an important protagonist of the Nath cult, arrived at Mangalore with Premaladevi, the princess of Kerala.

Matsyendranath converted the princess to his cult and rechristened her Mangaladevi.

But Mangaladevi died after a brief illness and the Mangaladevi Temple was constructed at Bolar in her name.

The temple was renovated by the Alupa king, Kundaverma Alupendra II, in 968 A.D.

Mangalore has a long and chequered history.

There are many historical references relating to the city.

Even a thousand years back, Mangalore was a flourishing port and trading centre.

Location
Mangalore is surrounded by rivers on three sides.

To the south is the Netravati River.

To the west, and curving sharply inwards towards the north, is the Gurupur River.

To the west, the Gurupur River is followed by a sand bank, followed by the Arabian Sea.

The National Highway No. 17 runs through the district for more than 95 kms – almost parallel to the sea.

The distance between the highway and the sea is never more than a few kilometers.

Mangalore has several beautiful palm fringed beaches and is surrounded by lush green fields and dense forests.
Places to see

Mangaladevi Temple

The Mangaladevi Temple, situated about 3 kms from the main city, is a major place of attraction.

A colourful festival takes place here during the Durga Puja (October).

Sultans Battery

The Sultans Battery is situated in Boloor – 4 kms away from Mangalore City.

It was built in black stone by Tippu Sultan to prevent battleships from entering the Gurupur river.

The surviving portion of the fort is known as Tippu’s Well.
Sultans Battery is actually only a watchtower.

But from a distance, it gives the appearance of a miniature fortress.
St. Aloysius Church

This Church, built in the year 1899-1900, is situated 1 km away from the city’s main center. The walls of the church are covered with paintings by the famous Italian artist Antony Moshaini.
St. Aloysius College Chapel, situated on lighthouse hill, is comparable with the Sistine chapel in Rome.
Places to see around Mangalore

Gometswara Statue (54 kms)Situated 20 kms north of Mudabidri is Karkal, famous for Gometswara – a 13 metre high statue of Bahubali, located on a small hillock on the outskirts of the town.This statue was carved in the year 1432.
From here, you can get a good view of the Western Ghats.
Krishna Temple at Udipi (60 Kms)Udupi is famous for its Krishna Temple installed by Sri Madhavacharya about 700 years ago.It is believed that Lord Krishna himself asked Viswakarma to make his image out of Saligram stone.

There is no front door leading to this statute.

The main entrance is actually on the southern side of the temple.

You have to view the idol through a window.

In front of the window there is a small ‘gopuram’.

On the right side of the temple is a tank called Madhwa Pushkarani.

Manipal University at Udipi (60 Kms)
Manipal University does not need any introduction.

The foundation of Manipal University was really laid down by Dr. T M A Pai (Tonse Madhava Ananth Pai – born April 30, 1898).

Dr. Pai was an ordinary man.

He studied medicine and practiced surgery for 15 years.

Then he gave up his medical practice and established the Syndicate Bank.

After that, he diversified into education.
He started the Kasturba Medical College in 1953 and went on to establish several other colleges – medical, dental, pharmacy, allied health sciences, engineering, management, etc.

In 1993, the Government of India granted “Deemed University” status to the institutes and the Manipal Academy for Higher Education (MAHE) was established.

Manipal Academy for Higher Education was the first institute in the private sector to be recognized as a Deemed University in India.
In December 2006, the name Manipal Academy for Higher Education was changed to the more appropriate Manipal University.
Malpe Beach (6 kms from Udipi)
The beautiful Malpe Beach is situated 66 kms north of Mangalore, near Manipal.

The uninhibited St. Mary’s Island, just a boat ride away, has a fine beach and an impressive geological formation of basalt rock pillars in the sea.

Dharmastala (75 Kms)

Dharamstala has a number of Jain bastis and the famous Manjunatha Temple.

There is also a 14 metres high statue of Bahubali, which was erected in 1973.

There are two museums – one containing a wonderful collection of vintage cars – all in working condition; and the other a large assortment of different objects.
The temple provides free boarding and lodging to all visitors.
The same food is served to both the rich and poor.

Dharamstala is also the headquarters of SDM group of educational institutions running medical, dental, ayurvedic, naturopathy, engineering and other colleges throughout Karnataka.

The head is Virendra Hegde, who is worshipped in the same manner as Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

I had the fortune of meeting him personally and discussing with him a lot of things.
Kadri Temple
Kadri Manjunath Temple is located at the foot of Kadri Hills near Dharmasthala.

It dates back to 1068 and is built in the Vijaynagar style of architecture.

The ancient temple, with its nine tanks and square temple, is the highest and largest temple in the region.

The seated 1.6 m high, three-faced bronze statue of Lokeshwara, with six arms, is one of the finest bronze statues in India.
Pandit’s Health Resort & Spa
This is the exclusive resort I wanted to see.

It is located near Moodbidri on the National Highway No. 13 about an hour’s drive from Mangalore.

It has comfortable cottages; beautiful gardens and landscaping; swimming pool; meditation halls; etc. Even a helipad.

Offering all modern facilities one could possibly desire, this will be the latest holistic vedic healing resort in the country.

In its final stages of completion, this resort is an exclusive centre, meant for the rich and wealthy, and therefore pretty expensive.
Reaching there

Air

Mangalore has an international airport (20 km from the city).

There are several flights every day from Mumbai, Bangalore and Kochi.

There are also a number of flights from the middle east countries.
Rail

Mangalore has a railway station.

Road

Mangalore is connected to all the major cities by good all weather roads.

Where to Stay

There are a number of hotels and lodges of all kinds in Mangalore.

Mangalore is also famous for its spicy exotic delicacies.

The Holy Sagar Island

When I was a young student in Calcutta, I often heard about Gangasagar (also known as Sagar Island, Sagar Deep or simply Sagar).

There is a popular saying that you can visit all the places of pilgrimages again and again, but you can visit Gangasagar only once.

I fancied Gangasagar was a small mysterious place which would come out of the oceans every year on the annual ‘Makar Sankrati’ festivities held there on the 14th January.
(Don’t ask me how an island can come out of the oceans and later disappear – because no one could ever explain this to me).

I first visited Gangasagar in 1986, to watch the Hailey’s Comet zoom past in the pristine early morning sky there.

The visit was organised by the Sky Watchers Association of Calcutta.

They had selected Gangasagar for the sighting because there was no electricity there.

But there were many other small villages without electricity – nearer to Kolkata.

Probably, the mystique surrounding the island was the reason they selected Gangasagar.

There was no electricity.

A generator provided power for three hours every day.

Even today, a generator powers some areas of the island for three hours every day between 6 and 9 PM.

The second time, I visited Gangasagar on ‘Makar Sankrati’ day, the 14th January, to see the festival.

My younger brother, a senior police officer, was in charge of the police arrangements there.

He invited me to visit the island.

I watched in fascination as he and other police officials worked almost continuously for three days and nights with short spasmodic spells of sleep.

A fire broke out in the fair.

Thick black smoke filled the air.

But the fire brigade quickly moved in and quelled the fire.

This is the largest fair in India – after the Kumbh Mela which is held every 12 years in three different centres – Haridwar, Allahabad and Nasik – by rotation.

But in Gangasagar, the logistic problems are multiplied several times by the fact that the pilgrims have to be ferried to the island.

The boatmen try to overload their boats.

After all, they get this unique opportunity only once a year.

Sometimes, boats collide with one another.

Sometimes, they capsize.

In 2008, the auspicious day spilled over to the 15th January.

The number of pilgrims swelled to 5 lakhs (half a million).

The Island
Gangasagar is a little known island located on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal at the confluence of Hooghly river (a tributary of the Ganges River) with the Bay of Bengal – about 150 km south of Kolkata.
Gangasagar does not sink into the sea.

It is quite a large island with an area of about 300 sq km.

It has 43 villages with a population of over 160,000.

There are schools, post office and even a police station.

There are numerous waterways and small rivers.

There are mangrove swamps.

This is also the home of the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Kolkata Port Trust has a pilot station and a light house here.

The West Bengal government is planning to build a deep water port on the island.
Mythology

According to legend, after slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to perform the Ashwa Megh Yagya to proclam his supremacy to the world.
A horse would be taken around the earth accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons from Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas from the second queen Kesani.

Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, was afraid that if the Yagya was successful, he might lose his throne.

So he wanted to interfere with the Yagya.

He stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, who was then in deep meditation.

When King Sagar’s sons could not find the horse, they searched everywhere.

Finally, they found it tied near the meditating Kapil Muni.

The sixty thousand and one angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of Kapil Muni disrupting his meditation as Indra had planned.

Kapil Muni was very angry.

He opened his eyes and turned all the sons into ashes.

The only way to bring them back to life was to bring down Goddess Ganga from the Heavens and wash the ashes with the holy water.

Bhagirath, grandson of King Sagar, meditated for a long time to persuade Ganga to come down to the earth.

But the coming down of Ganga would have been too torrential and would have caused colossal damage.

Finally, Lord Shiva agreed to receive Ganga in his large tresses to break her fall.Ganga descended down to the earth through Shiva’s tresses.

King Bhagiratha then preceded the holy river in his chariot and ripped open a gorge through which Ganga could flow.

The river followed Bhagirath to Gangasagar where Kapila Muni livedand washed the ashes.

All the sons came back to life.
Reaching there
To reach Gangasagar, you have to cross the Muriganga river/creek by ferry.

You can take the ferry either from Harwood Point (80 kms from Kolkata) or Namkhana (13 kms more from Harwood Point).

After landing at Sagar Island, you will have to cross the whole stretch of the island (32 kms) by local bus or taxi.

It is possible to travel from Kolkata right up to Gangasagar by car or taxi.

At Harwood Point, the car can cross the river on a barge.
Places to see
· Kapil Muni Temple
· Fair Grounds
· Sea Beach
· Sagar Marine Park
· Sagar Lighthouse and Port at Beguakhali
· Ramkrisna Mission Ashram
· Sushama Devichowdhurani Marine Biological Research Institute. (SDMBRI) at Bamankhali
Accommodation
There are sufficient boarding and accommodation facilities at Gangasagar.

· State Youth Hostel
· Bharat Sevashram Sangha and some other ashrams
· Larica Sagar Vihar (the only hotel)
Recommendation

Gangasagar is a remote, secluded, not much visited spot.

If you are looking for novelty and raw nature – this is the place you should head for.

The West Bengal Government is planning to construct a bridge connecting the mainland with Sagar Island.

The 3.3 kms long bridge is likely to cost around Rs 600 crores.

A feasibility study has already been completed.
Visit the place before the bridge is constructed.