Namdroling Monastery-Bylakuppe, Karnataka Part I

Bylakuppe, a small town about 2-3 hours drive from Mysore city is the 2nd biggest Tibetan settlement in India after Dharamsala. As we enter this area it just gives us a feeling we have landed in another country. This settlement houses the beautiful Namdroling Monastery also known as Golden temple, it is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapaa, a lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

The place is so inviting, it mesmerises you as you set your foot inside. The greenery with its well maintained gardens, the brilliantly painted main temple in myriad colours , the vibrant and brightly lit interiors of the temple gives you a break from external world and one can definitely soak in the peaceful atmosphere. The prayer hall with beautiful Tibetan paintings houses finely carved golden idols of Buddha’s disciples.

A prayer session was in progress when we visited. Hundreds of uniformly clad monks sat on the floor behind small desks and were reading or chanting collectively . The rhythmic chanting ,the sound of gongs, the discipline with which the rituals are followed are a visual treat .

One will be astonished to see even very young disciples in the age group of 4-5 years in the monastery performing all the religious ceremonies with same gusto like their seniors. The saffron robes,the nearly close shaven heads, Japamala or rosary in hand with the peaceful countenance is hallmark of a each monk you come across here.

Definitely a good place to be included in the itinerary when one visits Mysore.

As there are many images I will be publishing this in 3 parts .

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Glimpses of Monastery

See you soon!

Nandikeshwara

Nandikeswara is Shiva’s mount and one would find this image in front of all Shiva temples. Devotees worship Nandikeshwara first before entering the temple.

I have seen some magnificent figurines of Nandi in various temples during my travels. Sharing a few pictures here. These are huge monolithic carvings in granite and soft stones.

shall be back with more.

Tanjore Big temple

Hampi temple

Gangaikonadan temple

Chamundi hill , Mysore

Lepakshi Nandi

Bull temple Bangalore.

Hampi temple

Hanging Pillar of Lepakshi Temple

Some personal commitments kept me away from blogging .  I am back and  making a quick post from my travel .

As I am raking my brain where to start let me post one from my recent Lepakshi visit. Once I get into the groove more will follow.

Lepakshi is a small town in Andhra Pradesh and I had visited the 16th century Veerbahdra Swamy temple in February 2020 and was totally astonished to see the multi pillared dance hall here in front of the main temple. The 70 odd pillar hall has a  single pillar suspended from the roof which doesn’t touch the ground. This is nothing short of a miracle as it has  baffled many architects and engineers and many have even tried to find the secret behind the same without any success. This  pillar keeps everyone guessing.

A great salute to the great architects of yore.Really incredible!!

Picture clicked by me.

 

 

Jain temples -Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

During my brief stay in Jaisalmer I could visit some Jain temples Amarsagar  and the temples  inside the Fort of Jaisalmer.

It was a mind  blowing experience to see the fine ornate  work on stones making one wonder how these stones slabs were finely chiselled to perfection in the absence of modern day tools. It would have taken years to  create these  masterpieces which reflects the culture and narrates the story of the ancient days.

Both the temples  are dedicated to Jain Tirthankars and  worship takes place regularly here.

The architectural splendour attracts many tourists to these shrines.

Sharing a few pictures here of the same.

I do have a separate blog for Temples  My Pilgrimage

 

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Mandir Palace, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Mandir Palace was the magnificent abode of the rulers of Jaisalmer, and history says they lived here for a couple of centuries. Presently this Palatial building  is being used as a Heritage hotel  and one can enjoy and view only the exterior of this great palace as entry is restricted. There is a tall tower attached to this palace and is known as ‘Badal Vilas‘. This happens to be the second tallest structure in city next to Jaisalmer fort

This palace is well maintained and in good shape than Patwon Ki haveli. The sprawling courtyards, ornate balconies, domes, intricate work on stones is marvellous. Stone work appears like fine lace work here; amazing indeed. Check it out yourself.

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Thar Desert, Jaisalmer

Thar desert is also known as the great Indian desert  .  A short ride through the desert  was a great experience which is going to  remain in the memory for a long time.

The hot and colourless desert which spread endlessly in front of the eyes , the camel ride  and the camel carts moving through the sand dunes reminded me of Arabian tales.

Here are a few pictures from my Thar desert trip. More details here.

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Patwon Ka Haveli, Jaisalmer,Rajasthan

It is difficult to believe that one is going have a great feast for their eyes  as one   traverses through the  narrow by lanes Jaisalmer leading to this  Haveli and what unfolds as one enters is a jaw dropping experience. That is Patwon Ki Haveli for you.

Patwon Ki Haveli, is a group of magnificient mansions,  constructed by a rich trader  Patwa Gumanmal Bafna for his 5 sons. The Haveli was constructed in 19th century and reflects great art , craft work of intricate nature on stone and wood and glass.

The stone engravings, the latticed balconies, mirror work, engravings on ceilings are really extra ordinary.

My pictures below.

will be back with more on Jaisalmer.

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Beauties of Jaisalmer Fort.

What attracted me most in the fort were the local women selling their wares sitting on the footpath and steps of the fort. They add lot of colour and make the surroundings lively with their presence. It is difficult to miss these lovely ladies.

Check my earlier post on Jaisalmer fort.

They deck up very well, wear vibrant colours with a vermilion in their hair parting; a symbol of married women among Hindu community, the head is also covered with bright cloth , quite matching to their whole costume.  They also wear heavy jewellery around their  neck,  head,  nose and anklets on legs.  With a bright smile they coax customers to buy from them.

 I was captivated by their charm and got permission from them to take a few pictures.

 

Jaisalmer fort

Jaisalmer fort, also known as the golden fort  or Sonar Quila, stands tall in the centre of the town,  it was built in 1152 AD and  it was known as Jaisalmer city and later as population increased the settlements extended beyond the four walls.

This magnificent fort is the one of the very few ‘living forts” in the world with about 3000-4000 inhabitants. A walk through the fort is a must to understand the life and culture of the people  living here. There is always  a festive mood here, the shops and street sellers displaying   colourful trinkets, the walls and doorways of houses decorated with colourful festoons and cloth, Tourist and dwellers meandering through the narrow lanes , the local women in their colourful costumes trying to coax the people to buy their wares. It is really a beautiful experience.

The  wood work and stone carvings in each every inch of this fort will make one spellbound and it  is a something to be experienced.

There are also street singers to enthrall the  crowd and one can enjoy the same here.

Yet another extremely impressive thing here is there are many  Jain temples with exquisite sandstone and marble work. There are about 600 to 700 idols here and cameras are allowed with a small fee.

I will reserve the temple pictures for my next post.

Now just let me take you through the Golden fort. Enjoy a few moments within the fort.

 

Jaisalmer, Golden city,Rajasthan

Jaisalmer is known as Golden city because of the yellowish sandstone available here and the whole town wears a golden yellowish tinge. The houses, temples, walls, forts,  pathways or name any construction, it  is built of yellow sandstone. The town lies in the middle  of Thar desert and  faces extreme temperature variations.

The town has beautiful forts and Jain temples which throws light into the life of the people here. Will take you to more places through my posts.

Enjoy a few pictures, and check for yourself why it is called a golden city.