Posts by "Photo Journey"
Showing posts with label Photo Journey. Show all posts

on June 27, 2026 0
 
 
I visited the picturesque Burzahom archaeological site near Srinagar with my friends Will and Kiara, when I had gone to Kashmir for the filming of the "End of the World" documentary. 

Burzahom has been dated by archaeologists to around 3000 BCE. The name Burzahom means, "the place of birch” due to the profusion of birch trees which grow here. It is believed that the megaliths may have been erected as memorial stones or for commemorative purposes. This was the primary reason for the erection of megaliths across the world.

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on June 25, 2026 0

 

The Martand Temple is certainly the most majestic temple of Kashmir, dating to the 8th century CE. The architecture is an amalgamation of the Greco-Bactrian style and the Gupta architectural style. 

Historians tell us that this is a Sun Temple (the term "Martand" means "Sun"), but on exploring the site I could not find a single evidence of it being a Sun Temple. In fact, everything about the site suggests that it used to be a grand Shiva temple. Right at the outset, let me summarize the main points why I think so.

1. The temple faces west, unlike the Sun temple at Konark which faces east, towards the rising sun. On the other had, many Shiva temples of India are west facing. 

2. A remnant of a large Shiva-lingam lies in the temple courtyard, which is completely out of place in a Sun temple. But it is expected in a Shiva temple. 

3. There are no relief carvings of the Sun God or his solar horses on the temple walls. None at all! However, there are surviving relief carvings of Shiva, Bhairava (a manifestation of Shiva), Vishnu and Brahma. 

4. On either side of the entrance to the garbagriha (main shrine), there are relief carvings of Vishnu and Brahma. This is very incongruous in a Sun temple. But it would be expected in a Shiva temple, since Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva constitute the Hindu trinity. 

I am really curious to know on what basis this temple has been classified by archaeologists as a Sun Temple. The ASI guide at the site could not provide any convincing answer, nor could I find anything from online sources. Given the the long history of Shaivism in Kashmir, it will be appropriate if the most imposing temple of the valley is a Shiva temple.

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
The imposing entrance to the temple. Must have looked grand in its heyday.

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
The main temple. The courtyard has a water tank (pushkarini)



The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Water channels leading to and from the central water tank

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
There is a remnant of a giant Shiva-lingam inside the temple premises. This may have been the lingam installed in the central shrine (garbagriha).

The Martand Temple, Kashmir

The Martand Temple, Kashmir

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
The backside of the temple has an imposing arch in the Greco-Bactrian style.

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Vishnu

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Bhairava - a manifestation of Vishnu

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Shiva on his bull mount

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
The view from the top of the temple stairs

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
With my friends Will and Kiara

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Relief carving of a three-headed Brahma on one side of the garbagriha entrance

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
Relief carving of Vishnu on the other side of the garbagriha entrance

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
View from the garbagriha

The Martand Temple, Kashmir
A parting shot

I honestly did not expect the Martand Temple to be so architecturally striking. It deserves a lot more footfalls than it receives. But then, most people go to Kashmir for its natural beauty, so it's architectural grandeur goes unrecognized.  

I am convinced that the Martand Temple is a Shiva temple. All the evidence points to it. There is absolutely no reason to call it a Sun temple. Did historians actually go by the name of the place where the temple is located i.e. Martand to classify it as a Sun Temple. If so, that is absurd! Can a place called Rampur only have Ram temples?  

Besides, Martand is not only the name of the Sun god, there was a rishi named Martand who was popular in the Kashmir valley. In fact, there is a Martand Tirth in the Anantnag district of Kashmir named after Rishi Martand. It is possible that this place was also named after Rishi Martand. 

Well, that's it for this photo journey. I hope that you enjoyed the pics of the Martand Shiva Temple, and are already making plans to go there on your next Kashmir vacation.

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on June 25, 2026 0

 

I visited the little-known Harwan Buddhist settlement near Srinagar, Kashmir, with my friends Will (William Collinson) and Kiara (Kiara Windrider). The three of us had met in Srinagar to film for Will's documentary called "End of the World".

The Harwan Buddhist site used to be the epicenter of Buddhism in Kashmir from where it spread westwards. It was here that the Fourth Buddhist Council was held during the reign of Kanishka (c.78 AD). The Buddhist monk Nagarjuna is believed to have lived here.

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on June 24, 2026 0


For a small town in central India, Orchha surprises you with its profusion of well-preserved and uniquely designed historical monuments - palaces, forts, temples and cenotaphs - most of which were built by the Bundela Rajput rulers of Orchha from the 16th century onwards. 

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on June 24, 2026 0

 

The temples of Khajuraho are some of the grandest of ancient India. A cluster of around 10 temples comprising the "Western Group of Temples" lie in close proximity inside a well-maintained archaeological park, and they can be covered in an evening's outing at a leisurely pace. 

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on February 02, 2021 0


The La Venta Museum in Villahermosa, Mexico, has an intriguing collection of Olmec sculptures, including three colossal Olmec stone heads. The artifacts had been moved there from the Olmec settlement of La Venta in western Tabasco, when petroleum exploration in the 1950s had threatened the safety of these rare objects.
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on January 05, 2021 0

 


The "Char Bangla" temples in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal were built by Queen Bhavani of Natore in 1755 CE. Each of the four terracotta temples were built in the style of the traditional village huts of Bengal with two sloping roofs, called "Do-Chala" or "Ek Bangla" temples.

Each of the temples have three arched openings and 3 Shiva-lingas. Their facades are ornamented with terracotta panels, depicting scenes from the daily life and and Puranic legends.  

When the temples were built nearly 250 years ago, the Ganges (Bhagirathi) used to flow nearly a kilometer away. But today the temple is barely 10 feet away from the river bank, and its boundary wall has already been damaged by the river.

Getting to the temples is half the fun. Since they are located in Baranagar, on the other bank of the Ganges from Murshidabad, we took a ride on a country boat from the Azimganj sadar ghat for a 25 mins trip upstream. A road journey would have taken considerably longer, and certainly less enjoyable.
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on April 17, 2020 0

The temples of Bishnupur were built by the Malla kings between 1600 - 1758 AD. The temples are primarily known for their structural variety and exquisite terracotta work. Although terracotta art has a long history in Bengal, it saw a revival under the Mallas. Many temples were also erected using laterite stones with stucco decoration. Interestingly, the Malla kings maintained cordial relations with the Mughal Emperors at Delhi, because of which temple building flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries.

According to legends, the Malla kings trace their ancestry to a King who ruled near Vrindavan in the 7th century AD. This King had embarked on a pilgrimage to the Jagannath temple at Puri, when his wife gave birth to a child. Due to the difficulties of carrying a newborn on a journey, he was left in the house of a forest dweller. The child grew up to become an unmatched wrestler, and was conferred the title "Adimmalla" - meaning the "original wrestler" - by the local king. Eventually he became a chieftain himself, and went on to found the Malla dynasty. After 300 years, the 10th king Jagatmalla shifted the capital of the kingdom to Bishnupur.

Originally, the Malla kings were "Shakta" i.e. worshippers of the Mother Goddess. The first temple established at Bishnupur was the Mrinmoyee Temple in 997 AD, which still has a clay idol of the goddess Durga. This is regarded as the oldest Durga Temple in Bengal. In the early 17th century, King Bir Hambir converted to Vaishnavism. This started a long tradition of building temples dedicated to Krishna and Radha in Bishnupur. Some of these temples are today regarded as the pinnacles of Bengal Terracotta art.

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on April 17, 2020 0

Teotihuacan is a fascinating Mesoamerican archaeological site, located roughly 40 kms from Mexico city. The name Teotihuacan means "The Place where Men became Gods" or "The Place where Gods were born". The name was given to the city by the Aztecs when they discovered it centuries after it had been abandoned at around 550 CE.

The origins of Teotihuacan are lost in remote antiquity. Scholars believe that the city was established at around 100 BCE, but it could be far older than that. The city was destroyed and burned down in 550 CE, possibly due to a volcanic eruption, and by the time the Aztecs found it the city was already in ruins. The ethnicity of the inhabitants of Teotihuacan are not known.

I had visited Teotihuacan in 2009, in course of a long journey through some of the most fascinating archaeological sites of Mexico. Teotihuacan was probably the most intriguing and spectacular of all the places I had seen in Mexico. Its vast dimensions and grand layout speaks of a time long past, when the ancients modeled their cities and palaces following the map of the heavens.
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on August 09, 2019 2

The Nartiang Monoliths is one of the most fascinating megalithic sites in India. Located in the Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, roughly 60 kms from the state capital of Shillong, it has the largest concentration of monoliths at one place in the state.

 The locals refer to the place as "Kper Mawbynna", which means "Monolith Garden". As per Jaintia legends, the biggest monolith in the site was raised by a "giant" man named U Mar Phalyngki, a trusted lieutenant of a Jaintia king, to commemorate his victory in battle. The other monoliths were erected by U Mar Phalyngki, U Luh Lyngshkor Lamare and various clans of the Nartiang village between 1500 - 1835 AD.

The Jaintia kings ruled in these parts from 1500 - 1835 AD, with their capital in Jaintiapur, in the plains of Bangladesh at the foot of the Jaintia hills. Nartiang was, apparently, a summer capital of the Jaintia kings. As I roamed around in the monolith garden, I was struck with wonder at this large collection of megalithic monuments. Some of the stones were gigantic, and I wondered how such large stones were transported to the hilltop, and what made the ancient inhabitants of this place expend so much time and effort for erecting these formations. I will share my observations as we go through the photo journey.
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on August 07, 2019 0

The ruins of the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire that flourished from 1343 to 1565 AD are scattered throughout the medieval city of Hampi, located on the banks of the pristine Tungabhadra river. One could spend days out here, exploring the temples and palaces, markets and rock cut monuments, riversides and rock-strewn hills. Most of the gorgeous monuments here were built by the Vijayanagara rulers, but they were destroyed, burnt and left in ruins by a coalition of Muslim sultanate armies in 1565 AD.
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on August 06, 2019 0

The Vittala Temple in Hampi is grandest of all monuments in Hampi and represents the epitome of the Vijaynagara style of architecture. Built in the 15th century by King Devaraya II, it is dedicated to Lord Vittala or Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is famous for its iconic stone chariot and the unique musical pillars. Because of its amazing architecture, visitors to Hampi see this place after having seen all other attractions. In my case, as well, the visit to the Vittala temple capped of a memorable tour of this fascinating temple town.
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on August 05, 2019 0

The Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is located in the Nandi village, at the base of the Nandi Hills, Karnataka. The temple is not very well-known and a only a few people visit it everyday. Yet, it has some of the most exquisitely carved pillars and sculptures in the whole of Southern India.

 We visited the temple after going to the Nandi Hills. It can be reached quite easily from the base of the Nandi Hills by driving 6-7 kms through verdant fields and hilly terrains. The drive was short and scenic, but since there were no signboards we had to stop ask around a couple of times to make sure that we were going in the right direction.

 The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are three shrine rooms (garbagriha). The central shrine room is dedicated to Uma-Maheshwara i.e. Parvati-Shiva. The temple was originally constructed in the 9th century by the Nolamba dynasty, and was built upon and enlarged by succeeding dynasties. The environment inside the temple is calm and peaceful, and its a great feeling to be able to walk around undisturbed and appreciate the architecture.
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on August 05, 2019 0

The Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves in Bhubaneshwar were built in the 2nd century BCE by King Kharavela to serve as residential blocks for Jain monks. They are built on two adjacent hills which used to be known as Kumari Parvat, but are now referred to as Udayagiri (meaning "Sunrise Hill"), which has 18 caves, and Khandagiri (meaning "Broken Hill") having 15 caves.

 There is a long history of Jainism in Orissa. The 23rd Tirthankara, Parsvanath, had done considerable preaching in Orissa in the 8th century BC, while the 24th and last Tirthankara Mahavira had visited the ancient Kalinga capital of Toshali. King Kharavela of the Chedi dynasty had patronised Jainism and built these caves. Even after the death of King Kharavela, Jainism continued to hold sway under his successors.

It takes around a couple of hours to visit the caves. Since they are scattered across two hills, one gets a nice view of the surrounding landscape while walking around. Monkeys abound here, but they dont bother the visitors unless they are carrying food items. Aesthetically, the caves do not match up to the Buddhist caves of the same period, but are, nevertheless, priceless ancient treasures.
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on August 05, 2019 3

There are many "sacred groves" in the Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya. The people believe that a forest deity called "Labasa" resides in these sacred groves and protects the village and community, and provides for their well-being. One should not take anything out from the grove - be it a fruit, flower or a twig - or leave anything behind (even spit). Else, the forest deity will get offended and unfortunate things will happen to the person.

We visited the Mawphlang sacred forest in the East Khasi Hills, roughly 25 kms from Shillong. The term Mawphlang means "moss-covered stones" - probably a reference to the large number of moss-covered monoliths in the forest. Our guide was very interactive, and explained to us the medicinal properties of many plants and trees growing in the forest. These sacred groves have rich biodiversity, and a large number of endemic and rare plant species can be found here. 

There are different types of monoliths in the forest. Our guide said that they are "memorial pillars for clan ancestors", without providing additional details. Monolith building is no longer a living tradition amongst the Khasi tribals, since most of them converted to Christianity over the past 100 years or so. The best sources of information about these ancient stones that dot the hillsides and groves of Mehgalaya are the exploratory surveys done in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when monolith building used to be a custom.
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on August 05, 2019 0

The Brahmeswara Temple in Bhubaneshwar was built in 1058 AD, by Kolavati Devi, the mother of the Somavanshi king Udyota Kesari. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Its grand architecture is reminiscent of the Mukteswara Temple, which is believed to be the earliest work of the Somavanshi period. Along with the Mukteswara and the Rajarani temples, the Brahmeswara Temple is very pleasing to the eyes, and has some excellent sculptures and relief carvings.
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on August 05, 2019 0

The Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneshwar was built in the mid 11th century AD. The temple has no images within the sanctum (probably stolen), but it is believed to have been dedicated to Lord Shiva on the basis of the carvings on the exterior. For instance, the dvarapalas (doorkeepers) carved on either side of the entrance - Prachanda and Chanda - are found in Saivite temples, while the lintel of the jagamohana (mandapa) has an image of Lakulisa, the founder of the Pasupatha sect of Saivisim. Some historians believe that the architecture of some temples of Central India, such as the Khajuraho Temples, originated from this temple. 
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on August 05, 2019 2

Nalanda was established as a Mahavihara i.e. a large university-cum-monastic institution, in the 5th century AD by Kumaragupta of the Gupta dynasty, in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern day Bihar). It was the most prosperous and famous university of the ancient world. It was patronized by the Gupta Emperors, and subsequently by King Harsharvadhan of Kannauj in the 7th century, and the Pala Kings of Bengal from the 8th - 12th centuries. The Palas rulers were prolific builders whose rule oversaw the establishment of four other Mahaviharas modeled on Nalanda at Jagaddala, Odantapura, Somapura, and Vikramashila.These five seats of Buddhist learning formed a network, and it was common for great scholars to move easily from position to position among them.
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on August 04, 2019 2

The 108 Shiv Mandir or Nava Kailash in Kalna, West Bengal, was built in 1809 by the Maharaja of Bardhaman, Tej Chandra Bahadur. The complex contains 108 aat–chala (eight sloping roofs) temples arranged in two concentric circles. The outer circle has 74 temples and the inner circle has 34 temples.
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on August 04, 2019 2

Kalna (or Ambika Kalna) is a small town on the bank of the Hooghly River (Ganges) nearly 82 kms from Kolkata. Not many people may be aware of it, but Kalna is a remarkable temple town and contains some of the finest specimens of Bengal terracotta architecture.

 The Maharajas of Bardhaman built a number of temples here in the 18th century, which are adorned with intricate terracotta tiles depicting images from the mythologies and daily life. Most of these temples are arranged in the Rajbari Complex maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

 We spent an hour walking inside the temple complex, appreciating the many architectural styles on display. Worship is still offered to the deities in these temples, but one must reach there before noon, since the deities are taken inside and the shrine rooms are closed for a few hours in the afternoon. Overall, its a great place to visit on a weekend trip from Kolkata.

The Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Kalna Rajbari Temple complex has been nicely maintained by the ASI. There is a central garden around which the various temples are arranged.
The Pratapeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Pratapeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the first temple that you see when you enter the Rajbari Complex. The temple is named after King Pratap Chand. It was built by his widow, in the name of her deceased husband, in the year 1849 AD.
The Pratapeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is built in the Rekha deul style, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The temple is built in the Rekha deul style with a square base and curvilinear shikhara.
The Pratapeshwar Temple has rich terracotta ornamentation, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The temple has rich terracotta ornamentation. Although the temple is small, it has the most intricate and well-preserved reliefs of all the temples in the complex.
The Pratapeshwar Temple has rich terracotta ornamentation, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
Scenes from daily life, as well as deities and tales from mythologies.
Krishna flanked by his principal wives - Rukmini and Satyabhama. Pratapeshwar Temple, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
Krishna flanked by his principal wives - Rukmini and Satyabhama. The mermaid in the image is intriguing. It has been depicted in the European style holding a horn. Could this be a colonial influence, since the temple was built after the arrival of the Europeans?
Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
There is an octagonal Ras-mancha next to the Pratapeshwar temple
The Ras-mancha is an octagonal, roofless, brick-built structure. Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Ras-mancha is an octagonal, roofless, brick-built structure with 24 arches. The autumnal ras-lila of Lord Krishna used to be staged here.
The Lalaji Temple dedicated to Radha-Krishna, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Lalaji Temple dedicated to Radha-Krishna. It is a three-storeyed, brick-built, Pancha-vimshati ratna (25 ratnas or pinnacles) temple, erected in 1739 by Braja Kishori Devi, the wife of Maharaja Jagat Ram. It is the oldest temple in the Rajbari Complex.
The char-chala Nat-mandapa of the Lalaji Temple, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The char-chala (four sloping roofs) Nat-mandapa (dancing hall) in front of the temple.
Garuda on a pillar inside the Lalaji Temple, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
Garuda on a pillar. The symbolism of a bird deity perched on top of a pillar can be found in cultures around the world.
The idol of Krishna inside the Lalaji Temple, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The idol of Krishna (about to be taken inside since the darshan hours are over). The idol of Radha has already been taken inside. Notice the rich terracotta ornamentation on the arches.
Lalaji Temple terracotta ornamentation, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The facades of the temple are decorated with terracotta ornamentation.
A row of five brick-built at-chala temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
A row of five brick-built at-chala (eight sloping roofs) temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, built in the 19th century.
The Krishna Chandraji Temple dedicated to Krishna and Radha, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The towering Krishna Chandraji Temple in the distance.
 
The Krishna Chandraji Temple dedicated to Krishna and Radha, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Krishna Chandraji Temple, dedicated to Krishna and Radha, is another magnificent brick-built Pancha-vimsati ratna (25 pinnacles) temple built by Raja Trilokchand in 1751-55.

It has an elongated ek-chala (single sloping roof) mandapa or jagamohana in front with three arched entrances. It is interesting that triple entrances are a common element of temple architecture found in cultures across the world.
The Krishna Chandraji Temple dedicated to Krishna and Radha, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The side-view of the Krishna Chandraji Temple. There are only 5 Pancha-vimsati ratna (25 pinnacles) temples in West Bengal and 3 of them are located in Ambika Kalna, of which 2 are in the Rajbari Complex.
Terracotta ornamentation on the Krishna Chandraji Temple dedicated to Krishna and Radha, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
Terracotta ornamentation on the facade.
The Vijay Vaidyanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The Vijay Vaidyanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, was built by King Trilokchand. It is an at-chala (eight sloping roofs) temple with triple arched entrances. According to local lore, King Trilokchand’s mother had prayed to Lord Shiva for a son. When her wish was fulfilled, she instructed Trilokchand to build a Shiva temple after he became the king.
The Vijay Vaidyanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kalna Rajbari Temple complex, West Bengal
The front view of the Vijay Vaidyanath Temple, with its triple arched entrance adorned with terracotta tiles.

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