Bagor ki haveli A trip to the kings land

 On an amazing day in Udaipur, taking a casual stroll across town, we decided to go to the ‘Bagor ki Haveli’.  It is a magnificent haveli (palace) built by Amir Chand Badwa, the then president of mewar, in the 18^th century and is located right of the waterfront Lake Pichola.

For any of you with even a slightest interest in history, it is a must go. After the death of Amir Chand, the edifice came under the control of the royal family of mewar and was later restored and made into a museum by the joint efforts the government and the west zone cultural centre in Udaipur. It now acts as a brilliant doorway to the time of the Maharanas, portraying every aspect of the royal household from the personal chambers of the royalty to the big public events. It also very eloquently displays the royal wedding with every major ceremony, from fixing the date to vidai and graha-pravesh (departure of the bride from her home, and her welcome to her husband’s).

This museum also houses a great collection of Pagadis (turbans), and this was for me the most fascinating part of the tour. What was really fascinating to me was that the design of the Pagadi changed with the state, class and even caste and profession of men.  Apart from these colorful Pagadis, it also houses the royal weaponry, displaying the actual weapons used by the Maharanas in wars. This collection of arms is so enthralling that for a second I found myself transported to that world of war and chivalry. With every blade having a different story to tell, it was an unforgettable experience.

The meueum is however not all that this place has to offer, and you would not want to miss out on another major attraction within the haveli, so wait here a bit longer for Dharohar, which is a cultural event held here within the haveli, every evening 7pm to 8pm, in collaboration with  WZCC (West Zone Cultural Centre). This musical evening combines the 7 traditional Rajasthani folk dances, performed every day, from last 10 years. This musical evening is actually too good to be missed and what can be better than a majestic end to such a magnificent day. 

The Pagadi Collection

                                                                                  

The Royal Wedding

Part of the Weaponry

Yashaswini Sauda

A Date with the Past- The Elephanta Caves

                                           

On our short trip to Mumbai, we decided to visit the elephant cave, which is one of the biggest tourist attractions in India.

Situated on the Elephanta islands, just 10kms from the east Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, this place Is just as good as you have heard and believe me, you will not be disappointed. To get there, we took a ferry from the Gateway of India and it took us almost an hour to get there. The calmness of the sea and the light breeze made that journey a magical one, and ones ashore, we were quite mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the island.
 

The caves are at the distance of almost 2 km from the coast, and there is a facility of a toy train, however we preferred walking. The whole route is bustling with venders selling different food items, mostly fruits and corn. I specially loved the ‘kairi’ or raw mango, which I really recommend to anyone who visits the place. Don’t finish the tour without trying it. Then there are quite a number stairs to the caves and on the both sides of these stairs are small street shops with various traditional items and souvenirs, which is in fact a treat for those who love to shop.
 

The caves too are just as beautiful and amazing the rest of the place. These are the group of 7 caves, of which 5 are Hindu caves and 2 are dedicated to Buddhism. although it is still unknown, when and by whom these caves were built, the local belief credit these to the Mahabharata era, and say that these were not manmade. The main cave which is the first cave you see is a pillared hall with mesmerizing stone sculptures dedicated to various Hindu gods, especially Shiva and his incarnations. Most of these sculptures were however destroyed with the Portuguese invasion, but one can still see the brilliance of these medieval sculptures. Though one statue, a Trimurti (faces of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh sculpted together), stands out as completely untouched. Apparently this was the main statue of the caves and in order to protect it from the invaders, a wooden wall was constructed right in front of it, so that it is not directly visible to anyone who didn’t know about it. It was much later after the discovery of these caves that this Trimurti was discovered. Fascinating isn't it.
 

There are 6 more caves which are equally mesmerizing and one can see on them, the imprints of the rich culture and heritage of India. Even outside the surroundings are equally amazing with lush greenery and the vast ocean surrounding and keeping alive the medieval magic.
 

This journey from the bustling traffic, rush and noise of the city, to this calmness of the wilderness, is almost like a leap through time itself, and this touch with the past is a must do, if you are in India.

                                                                     The Trimurti

Yashaswini Sauda