Art from utensils

This gigantic steel sculpture glistening in the afternoon sun stands tall at National Gallery of Modern Art here. It is the art work of a famous Indian artist Subodh Gupta, who has been using steel in his art for a very long time.What caught my fancy here is that it is made of steel utensils that you will find in almost every Indian household.If not as much but people still use them :)  

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Fort of Jinns!

My interest in 'Baolis of Delhi'(step-wells of Delhi) instigated my visit to the ruins at Firozshah Kotla. So when my friends suggested on taking a trip on HOHO route, I said yes to the idea and hopped on :)

Palace of 'Fifth city of Delhi', Firoz Shah's 'Firozabad' by the river Yamuna. Most of the citadel is in ruins today.Successive rulers plundered and dismantled many of the beautiful structures here.

The palace was built by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq (AD-1351-88)

Firozshah Kotla fort, famous for it's value and place in history is a huge fort with large garden and lawns in it's vicinity. What remains today to be seen here is a 14th century roofless mosque called 'Jami Masjid', a cellular pyramidal structure with Ashokan Pillar on top of it and a circular Baoli(step-well).

Once I entered through the gate, all I saw was ruins of fallen walls,half remaining towers and chambers around.This place like all other forts and ruins of Delhi has, on itself, the mark of changing times!

The mosque is still functional, people still come and pray here.The entrance to Baoli and the pyramidal building is closed. 

'Circular Baoli'. Unfortunately it was closed for visitors. This Baoli was an essential source of water for the citadel. Unlike the other step-wells, this one doesn't have steps leading down to the water level.  

Standing tall and shiny on the northern side of the Mosque is the Ashokan Pillar. It is 13 mtr tall pillar built in third century BC, was brought in from Ambala by Firoz Shah and re-installed on a three storeyed pyramidal structure.   

While we were taking our walk around the ruins we couldn't help but notice diyas(earthen lamps) and aggarbattis(incense sticks) kept at a few places. It was as if someone had come and prayed there. yes, these ruins are supposed to be housing Jinns as well. People from many faiths come here every thursday and pray to them. They ask/pray for their wishes to be granted. Some write letters, they write their wishes on papers and leave it there. Some offer milk,aggarbattis and diyas to please the Jinns and some simply pray in the quiet. 

The garden area 

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When I saw Dancing Dots!!

A constant headache and the super power to see those Dancing Dots finally drove me to visit an eye surgeon nearby. Once in the clinic,I sat, unwantingly, on the chair that had all his sophisticated gadgets (all big & small ones). After listening about my newly acquired super power and other details he offered to check my eyes. 

Then came 'reading those alphabets test'  Big deal! I  told my self I can do it....and I started reading.

          First line...Big, Bold letters...Perfect! *wink*

           Second line...a little smaller letters...piece of cake! *Grin*

               Third line...a weeebit more smaller...wait! I got to lean a bit forward, strain my  eyes..Voila! I can read that *yippy*

          Fourth line...why does this one has to be this small!..*Grrrr* Never mind! I can manage..yeah yeah! I am trying to read here! and with some hesitation I read it..*finallyyy*

This means -my eyes are fine and are as beautiful as they were. But this exercise demanded that I read those alphabets again.*phew* So, here we go again...

First line...Second line...Third line andddd

Fourth line...wait a minute ! *surprised* how come one or two alphabets are different this time. I mean how could I not identify a 'G' from an 'O' here.

*Zapped* I gave a mean look to the Doctor, asking as if how dare he change those alphabets on that board this time.

 The doctor smiled and said "do not worry it will be fine". He scribbled the details on the prescription and gave a little friendly chat on how our vision works and how glasses will help. Not to Worry!!! *blah* worrying I was...

Big Deal- Yeah! may be for a while it is- for someone who is not in the habit of wearing even sunglasses for a short duration, will have to wear glasses every time...The fact that there is some metal/whateverstuff sitting on my nose and helping me read and see clearly is a big adjustment, atleast for sometime. 

I know most of you reading this may not consider it a big deal, as once on, these glasses are a part of life. As my cousin puts it- she has them since childhood and one gets used to it :) So, while I try and adjust to it/get used to it and choose a smart frame to sit on my nose. I want you to share your experience on how you felt when you had glasses on or any other necessity that became a part of life like this.

On the thought of choosing a smart frame.*wink wink* the optician cheerfully displayed the ones with professional look, writer's look, sporty look, funky & colourful look and what not look. Eh! I didn't know I could have a choice of these many frames sit on my nose one by one and decide on any of these looks.

On a lighter note..I will not see those dancing dots again and my eyes would still be beautiful as there were earlier.

Image courtesy- Google Images

Bonding

This photograph was taken on a wintry morning at Jim Corbett National Park buffer zone area.What caught my attention here was this pair (I think its red-vented bulbul) that hopped from branch to branch together, not leaving each other even for a small fraction. 

Let me take this opportunity to wish all a cozy, happy & prosperous new year together!! Have a happy 2014 :)



Sharing with SWF & OWT family 

Sunset at Old Fort

I was lucky to catch this setting sun in camera the other day when I visited 'Old Fort'. Also known as Purana Quila, it is the oldest fort in Delhi and tells the history of Delhi in detail. 

Linking it to skywatch friday

Peace & hope

I sometimes visit this famous gurudwara for its peaceful sarovar (holy water tank/pond).Looking at the temple from this side of the sarovar gives me a sense of composure and peace.While standing & admiring like always, I noticed the reflection in the water and I took this picture. 

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One December evening!

Sometimes, instead of taking my usual brisk walk in the garden I prefer just a casual one in the company of my camera.Today was one such day! It's fun to actually sit there on the bench and observe people & the surroundings. 

 This park that I go to is famous for its historical monuments. Plenty of place to walk and jog around.There were areas where parrots were in plenty too :)

To know more about Lodhi Garden read my old post :New Delhi-How much could I explore in a day :)

To see more beautiful skies around the world,click here: Skywatch Friday

                                                                    &

                                                         *a piece of heaven*

Ugrasen Ki Baoli OR Ugrasen's step-well

Sitting there on top of the last steps, I could not stop but be amazed at how both the old and the new world have existed together all these years here. 

Spending time here was like those sci-fi movies where the character travels through time and within fraction of a second transports oneself from modern world to some place in history!

I too felt something like that when I entered through the gates to this historical step well (Baoli).

Honestly,I was amazed to see this step-well sitting quietly in the middle of this ever modern,ever growing and ever busy part of the city.Yes, it's right there in the heart of capital. Truly an off -beat place to visit.

There are stairs through these huge arched corridors that lead you to the next floor.I did manage to take one such flight of stairs. But I found that these were too claustrophobic with pigeons making their nests in it.

The step-well is inactive for a long time.The roughness on the walls, lots of pigeons, webs and the algae like substance lined on the sides of the lower steps completely gives the old & experienced look to it.

Coming out of the Baoli, I couldn't stop myself from capturing these two beautiful paintings/Graffiti on the wall at the entrance to the Baoli. Whosoever did this, could have added more and made the long wall more colourful.[Just a thought:)]

Facts about Ugrasen Ki Baoli:

-It was built by Raja Ugrasen,the forefather of the Agrawal community.He got this Baoli(step-well, an underground structure)constructed in order to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability.

- It measures 60 m along north-south,50 m wide at the ground level.

- Has been built with rubble and dressed stones.

- Sits quietly in the heart of the city:)

Skywatch

Delhi's Famous Lotus Temple

I recently visited Lotus Temple and took these pictures. This is a beautiful lotus flower like structure with 27 petals.Made up of white marble in the shape of a half opened lotus flower,this complicated yet beautiful structure was brought into realization by Fariborz Sahba,Canadian architect of Iranian origin and his team members.

There are 9 pools surrounding the building that signify green leaves of the Lotus. From the inside of it, it's a huge meditation hall with a seating capacity of around 1300 people at a time.There are no religious icons and symbols inside.

Temple height is 34 m from floor to apex and it is 70 m in diameter. In appearance it looks very much like Sydney Opera House, looks spectacular at dawn when its floodlit. 

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Next hop- Mysore!

After my visit to Nandi hills we decided to go on a car tour to Mysore. Yes! while we were in B'lore for one more day, we decided on taking the road to Mysore. Mysore is about 140 km from b'lore and is famous for its beautiful palace.The tour taxi was there on time at our place so this was also an early morning start. 

The road to Mysore from B'lore is famous for the 'The town of toys' - Channapatna. I mean, somewhere between Mysore and B'lore exists this explicit town. You would know when you start noticing roadside shops selling colourful wooden toys. Unfortunately, we did not spend much time there but luckily my friend managed some pictures of the toys there.And thanks to her that I am able to share the pics from the rest of the trip too:)

These toys are non-toxic and are made of wood and natural vegetable dyes. In local (Kannada)dialect this town is called as "Gombegala ooru"-i.e, toys town. 

If you make a trip here do not forget the visit the factories and the locals to see how these toys are made 

It is said that it was Tipu Sultan who in order to encourage toy making, invited artisans from Persia to train local artisans so that they learn the art of wooden toy making. 

Our breakfast at a local food joint, mouthwatering vada- idli 

A statue in the palace garden

Mysore Palace- It is also known as Amba Vilas Palace. This palace is a beautiful and huge property that has been converted into a museum now. It is said that originally it was built of wood and got burnt down in 1897. It was rebuilt completely later on and was designed by English architect Henry Irwin. 

Palace's interior is a beautiful mix of stained glass,mirrors,bright colours, wooden carvings and mosaic floors. Huge carved wooden doors were really impressing.I observed that there were large series of paintings that depicted important events from Mysore history. Although there were many Hindu temples inside the palace grounds but the one that caught my attention was 'Shweta Varahaswamy Temple' hehe...yep! you guessed it right, it had my name on it:) A temple dedicated to lord Vishnu. No cameras are allowed inside the palace. One can only use it outside of the palace. The palace is the official residence of the Wodeyars (the erstwhile royal family of Mysore) they ruled Mysore for seven centuries. Palace is illuminated every Sunday and all public holidays in the evenings.

We enjoyed admiring huge paintings statues artifacts depicting valuables of the royalty that were on the display but honestly I wasn't much impressed by the care given to the palace. Given the footfall this palace receives daily, it needs a little bit of more attention and care.

View of Mysore Palace

Mysore is famous for its Dussera celebrations. Arrangements are made for a lavish preparation with huge elephants decorated with large ornaments, dance and cultural programs. The celebrations & festivities go on for 10 days and is culminated on vijayadashmi.  

Illuminated Mysore Palace, newsonair.nic.in

Srirangapatnam- it is a small oval town, surrounded by river Kaveri, in Karnataka  located near the city of Mysore. this town is majorly famous for its beautiful shrine of Tipu Sultan and his family members. However, it also has religious, historical and cultural significance. If you are curious to know about Tipu Sultan then a visit here is a must.This whole town is surrounded by river Kaveri as it has been formed by the two subdivisions of the river. 'Sangam' meaning confluence in english. At the entry point of Srirangapatnam river kaveri splits into two streams. Sangam is a regular picnic site. One can also ride those round handwoven rafts called 'Coracle'.I noticed that People consider the presence of Kaveri as auspicious and pious.

A beautiful view of the river Kaveri

And this was a special ride for me:) yes, my first ever ride on those round handwoven rafts called Coracle.

A beautiful carved temple dedicated to lord Vishnu called Ranganath Swami Temple is also a major attraction here.The temple was originally built in the 9th century by Ganga dynasty rulers. However, one can see a impressive mix of Hoysala & Vijayanagar style of architecture on it as it was strengthened & improved by them later.

Ranganath Swami temple in Srirangapatnam

Daria Daulat gardens, Gumbaz & Masjid-Srirangapatnam was also the capital of Mysore under the rule of Hyder Ali & his son Tipu Sultan. It flourished during their rule.Hence, came up some Indo-Islamic structures that are today a big tourist destination here. 

Gumbaz is the burial chamber of Tipu Sultan along with his father Haider Ali and mother Fatima Begum. This chamber is built on a lifted platform and has many other tombs of his relatives and nobles around it. A beautifully carved Masjid(Mosque)is there next to the chamber.

Chamundeshwari hills- Beautiful hills !! Famous Chamundeshwari temple is situated at a height of 3489 ft, atop Chamundi hills. This is about 13 km from the palace city. It is named after a fierce avatar of Durga that has been revered by Mysore maharaja's for centuries. Her temple stands as a beautifully carved architecture. Chamundeshwari is also considered as the patron goddess of Mysore.The view from top of the hill itself is very serene. There are both steps (around 1000 or so) and a motorable road to reach the top of the hill. A beautiful Nandi statue (16 foot black monolith) statue stands half way through the hills. I admired the way it has been carved and beautifully ornamented with anklets and pendent bell.

Famous Chamundeshwari Temple on the hills. This is a must see when you are visiting Mysore.Not just the temple but the view that these hills hold especially during the sunrise and sunset. Standing there on the huge stairs nears the temple makes you want to freeze time for a moment.

The beautifully carved monolith of Nandi. A time well spent here observing the decorations on the statue and the hustle - bustle of the people around.

This was interesting :) there were a lot of vendors selling these small bronze idols of Hindu deities and other religious signs. I bought a small Ganesha statue for myself that day.

Tired but still in festive mood !!

Diwali wishes for all 

With Diwali gone by yesterday, people around me are still in the festive mood :) For me the last two days have been pretty hectic. Like every household, we were also busy cleaning & wiping every corner of the house, changing upholstery and doing a bit of a shopping for Diwali puja. Basically preparing with all our zest to welcome goddess Lakshmi to our house. 

Despite being a tired looking cleaning freak, to mela (fete) hopping shopper, to being a decorating expert during this time of the year, I love Diwali (festival of lights) the most. Believe me I am never in mood to take on the initiatives I just mentioned above during the rest of the year ;). Therefore, the idea of making lunch for myself today after all the commotion & festivities, totally seemed a very distant dream to me. I was just so tired that I thought of ordering food for myself from outside.(You would understand why!)

Sitting there with an empty stomach and not in a mood to visit the market I thought of this online food ordering portal that was suggested by a friend recently.  I was told that it comes handy during such times only. What the heck! I thought and started browsing the restaurant list, menu & food options.  

To tell you the truth I am not the kind who would open the laptop to order food! yeah, why ! 'coz we have grown up believing that food is something that is always enjoyed warm and hot at home or sitting in a restaurant having it served there. 

Then why order today *Grrr* Well ! today was different ! I was dead tired and almost died of hunger when food panda came handy.(funny name right but the panda looks cute there:)) I liked the name and the red and white flashy website and above all the menu kicked the taste buds of the hungry panda inside me. 

There's is a very easy to use and customer friendly website. It comes as a phone app too. I used the phone app and I am sharing pictures from my phone here. Once you enter the details like your city and area it helps you with the open restaurants and take aways near you. Order away as your appetite is and find interesting offers/deals too. I got mine clicking my way on my phone.

Not bad at all for a lazy person like me! I thought I'd share this post as my house is looking pretty with Diyas and my tummy is full :)Yeah, makki di roti, hara bhara kebab & paneer tikka made my day.( If you are still wondering, I had ordered veg platter for lunch).  Not to forget the fast customer service by the online portal. Yes, the food was on time as mentioned in the sms sent on my number. 

Next time when you feel like finding your food quickly, do it on food panda :) try it!