Bylakuppe - A glimpse into the Tibetan way of life!

It wasn’t dawn yet as we got off the bus. The bus station seemed quite desolate in the wee small hours of morning. Though mid-March, early morning temperatures were still on the lower side. And unfortunately for us, the bus had been early, contrary to the norm. Hanging around didn’t seem a good idea. A short walk across the road took us to a modest looking hotel and we decided to get some shut-eye.

Couple hours later, when Pattu woke me up, it took me a few minutes to realise we were already in Kushalnagar. The trip had been impetuous. It was Pattu’s idea and here we were on Saturday morning. Refreshed, we checked out of the hotel and grabbed a quick breakfast. The morning was cool and foggy. Our destination Bylakuppe, the relatively unknown Tibetan township in South India, is less than 6 Kms from Kushalnagar but seems a world apart. The gradual change in scenery, long rows of multicolored prayer flags fluttering in the wind and the feeling of being transported to another world added to the mystique and charm.

Bylakuppe, a township in Karnataka, has the second largest Tibetan settlement in India after Dharmasala in Himachal Pradesh. The land was originally leased by the state government to settle some of the Tibetan exiles who came to India in 1959 when the destruction and violent repression in Tibet by the Chinese Liberation Army forced them away. It has now grown into a full-fledged town and home to more than 70,000 Tibetans.

Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery, the most well-known among the monasteries here, was established by Lama Rinpoche in 1963. It is the largest teaching center of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. The campus contains well manicured gardens and immaculate buildings. It houses the famous Golden Temple, a library and residential quarters to accommodate all the monks and nuns studying here. A stream of visitors can be seen at the gates in the morning as a sea of maroon and yellow, mostly young students, enter the monastery for morning prayers. The temple is an imposing gold-plated structure built in typical Buddhist style.

Stepping inside the temple, one is greeted by the vibrant hues of exotic red and gold frescos intricately decorated with exotic patterns and murals and gives a peep into Tibetan mythology. Three towering gold-plated statues of Buddha, Padmasambhava and Amitayus grace the altar. The altar is very ornate with spiral columns separating the three idols which are decorated with sculptures of dragons and divine figures. The hall is at its dramatic best when prayer is in session and rings out with drums, gongs, trumpets and the drone of holy chanting by rows upon rows of maroon and yellow clad monks and nuns seated on the floor. The walls are covered in bright murals depicting the life of Buddha, other great teachers and disciples, peaceful deities adorned in silk and white ornaments and wrathful ones wearing skins and bone ornaments.

Behind the temple, just beyond a football field, an old woman shuffled slowly on the paved path rotating the silver prayer wheels which fade in the distance. Devotees perform circumambulation turning the wheels clockwise which as per Buddhist belief is equivalent to actually saying the prayer.

The crowd at Sera Mey Mahayana Monastery was actually much lesser compared to what we saw in Namdroling. We arrived while prayer was in progress and had to wait for a few minutes. After conclusion of prayers, one of the monks led us into the hall. It was a vision in red. The decor was completely different from the Namdroling. Long parallel rows of maroon mattresses with yellow stripes for monks to sit on and pray covered the floor while huge dangling tapesteries made of minutely stitched colourful silk overlapped in a cascade of leaf patterns hang in the central part of the hall. The walls are adorned with beautiful Thangka paintings. This monastery is modeled after the original Sera University in Tibet. To this day, the monastery continues to exist in a typical Tibetan Gelugpa monastic tradition.

The other monasteries include Sakya Monastery, Padma Sang-Ngag Choekhorling and Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. A good time to visit is during the Tibetan New Year, Losar, which usually falls in February or March based on the lunar calendar. The celebrations span almost 2 weeks during which the monastery hosts traditional Lama dances, outside prayers and solemn processions throughout the monastery grounds. Visitors come from near and far, some with devout feelings while others drawn in by its mystic charm. One thing is for sure, all of them get a taste of the Tibetan way of life while still stuck in the souther part of India, some 2500 Kms from actual Tibet.

Hogenakkal Falls - The Niagara of India

Early March is normally not considered the best season to visit Hogenakkal Falls, but then for a trip with friends such things often don't matter. Known as the Niagara of India, this popular waterfall is located around 46 Kms from the town of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu and around 160 Kms from Bangalore. Exactly on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it can be approached from both sides. So it was kind of funny when we ended up on the Tamil Nadu side after a good scenic drive form Bangalore. It seems the boatmen here adhere to some dressing norms, the ones on our side were dressed in blue while the ones on the opposite bank were attired in yellow.

The name of the waterfall is derived from two Kannada words, hoge which means smoke and kal meaning rocks thereby translating to Smoking Rocks. The Carbonatite rocks at this site are considered to be the oldest of its kind in South Asia. At Hogenakkal, the river Kaveri drops and creates numerous waterfalls as the water cuts through the rocky terrain. The thunderous sound of water crashing down from over 60 feet is something to experience. After this point the river spreads out over a wide area of sandy beaches. With its fame for medicinal baths and coracle boat rides, it is a great draw for tourists.

Boating is a major attraction here. Coracles, locally known as Parisal, are round boats made of bamboo with the bottoms covered by hide or plastic, with a single paddle for steering. We chose a parisal ride and the boatmen took us on a ride through the gorge right up to the waterfalls. He even got the boat under one of the falls. It was quite exhilarating despite the risk of getting my camera drenched. Sitting in the boat, looking at the water and the sky, the great rocky walls rising up on both sides, the play of light on the water surface, the wind, watching patterns, don't be surprised if the tranquility gets you doing a Rodin's The Thinker. As per the boatmen, the water in this channel can be fairly deep, up to 100 feet in places. It’s not unusual to see shops on water as hawkers move around on parisals selling snacks and soft drinks.

One unpleasant experience of the ride is the strong smell of fish that stays with you for almost the whole trip. Fishing is quite popular here and you can get tasty freshly caught river fish deep fried and smeared in all kinds of aromatic spices at reasonable prices. The river water is also considered medicinal and hence many tourists prefer taking a bath post a rejuvenating oil massage. Special bathing enclosures have been created for safety while bathing in the waterfall. Alternately, one can even head out to the sandy beaches for some fun in the moderate currents. Evening, we found ourselves busy taking pictures of the waterfall as the sun gradually sank below the horizon. Almost, lost one of my lenses to a monkey who seemed quite interested in photography.

Ganesh Chaturthi à la Pottery Town!

I had been meaning to go to Pottery Town for quite sometime now. But something or the other always came up at the last minute. The last attempt, a week back, had to be cancelled as rain played spoilsport. So this Sunday, I was glad to be finally in Pottery Town despite a not-so-good weather forecast. Pottery Town is a street full of pottery vendors in East Bangalore behind Frazer Town, quite close to the Cantonment Railway Station. It was formed years back when the Government decided to give a piece of land on lease to a group of 60 potter families. The profession has been carried on for more than three generations with currently more than 20 families still in business.

The place provides a great opportunity to see the world of potters and their workmanship. The entire life cycle of pottery can be experienced, right from wheels making pottery to drying them in symmetric way and finally burning them in kilns to make the final product. The pots are then painted using spray paints and kept in shops for sale. Mahendra and I reached the place early, around eight in the morning, hoping to get some pictures of potters turning their wheels and moulding clay into beautiful pots. But we were in for a pleasant surprise.

The whole place was transformed in anticipation of Ganesh Chaturthi which was the next day. Beautiful idols of Lord Ganesha in myriad shapes, sizes and colors, each depicting the Lord in different poses adorned the streets. Several makeshift tents had scores of completed and work in progress statues with artisans putting finishing touches.

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi or simply Ganeshotsav, is one of the most joyous of Indian festivals. The day marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the benign elephant-headed god, considered the destroyer of all evils and harbinger of good luck. Lord Ganesha is the lord of all the good qualities in us. He is also the lord of knowledge and wisdom. It is believed that when we worship Lord Ganesha, all good qualities will blossom in us.

People across the country, and even abroad, celebrate Ganeshotsav with great zeal and passion. But the celebrations are opulent, colourful and elaborate in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and the entire coastal belt of Konkan where thousands of small villages annually come alive with the music and lights of Ganeshotsav. In this region, the festivities were started by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement, cocking a snook at the then British government. During the British Rule of India, common public was prohibited from gathering in large numbers. Lokmanya Tilak founded the publicly celebrated Ganeshotsav Festival as a means of promoting the dream of Indian Independence, uniting people from diverse groups, and enhancing their sense of social belonging.

Wishing everyone a happy Ganesh Chaturthi! Ganapati Bappa Morya! Mangal Murti Morya!

Eid-ul-Fitr - Celebrations in Bangalore!

I was up today at the crack of dawn, which is rather unusual for me. One of my shutterbug buddies woke me up to join him in capturing the festivities of Eid-ul-Fitr. Yesterday the moon had been sighted. My friend proposed going to Fraser Town where a good gathering was expected. So there I was was sitting huddled in the backseat of his Scooty Pep, quietly chiding myself for forgetting my jacket, as we travelled from BTM to Fraser Town.

In Bangalore, Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated with great fervour and gaiety. This festival marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan (also known as Ramdan). Eid-ul-Fitr literally means the festival of breaking the fast. During Ramzan, Muslims fast from dawn till sunset with no food or water. The idea behind the fasting is that by experience hunger, they will develop compassion for the less fortunate.

Thousands of Muslims clad in traditional attire trooped to the nearest Idgahs and mosques to offer the special Eid namaaz. Mass prayers were held at mosques. The namaaz was followed by warm exchange of greetings and embrace spreading the message of love and unity.

My friend and I were well in time for the Eid namaaz and got some good pictures. In fact, we had a gala time. An early wake-up meant a rather long day but it has been good fun. Eid Mubarak!

A Mother's Mantle - St. Mary's Basilica

Last Sunday while roaming the crowded streets around Commercial Street in Bangalore, we chanced upon the St. Mary's Basilica. Amidst the chaos of Shivajinagar and the bustling Russel Market, the church appears like an oasis: a beautiful immaculate structure, the embodiment of peace and harmony. At twilight, the dipping sun created a nice golden glow in the sky as a backdrop to the church.

Built in Gothic style with stained glass windows, arches and ornamental motifs, the oldest church in the city, it was elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 1973. At present, it's the only basilica in the state of Karnataka and only the sixth in the country.

The church was built from 1856 to 1882 and consecrated in September 1882. Dedicated to Mother Mary, it is famous for St. Mary's feast held every year in the month of September. The festivities, attended by thousands from in and around Bangalore across religions, goes on for 10 days culminating in a grand chariot procession on the last day. Looking forward to attending this festival this year.

The Beauty of Street Photography!

Street photography is an art almost as old as photography itself. With the advent of portable cameras, photographers began exploring and documenting the world around them, capturing unstaged moments, interpreting life and challenging the perceptions. But I find myself very timid when walking down a street taking pictures of absolute strangers. I start off hesitant clicking a picture here, another there. And soon you will find me clicking away to my heart's content, approaching and talking to strangers, the original misgivings forgotten. I still prefer being invisible; it gets amazing candid shots!

Busy public places are fantastic for street photography as its easier to be invisible in a crowd. In the words of Joel Meyerowitz, "There is something exciting about being in a crowd, in all that chance and change - it's tough out there - but if you can keep paying attention, something will reveal itself - just a split second - and then there's a crazy cockeyed picture."

Madivala market, just a stone's throw from my place, is an ideal location for street photography. Having someone like Pattu along definitely helps soothe the nerves. While shooting on the streets, I find him quietly confident, observing the scene with an open mind ready to capture whatever appears in the viewfinder. He can easily strike a conversation with absolute strangers, complimenting them and requesting permission to take their portrait.

Street photography is all about gestures and expression. Subjects and settings can vary greatly and spontaneity helps. The goal is to tell a story in a single frame, communicate an emotion. Henri Cartier-Bresson, considered the father of modern photojournalism, has opined "Photography is not like painting. There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oops! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever." He termed this the decisive moment. Street photographers strive to capture the life and culture of city streets, searching for the decisive moment.

I normally prefer black and white for this genre as it helps remove any distractions of colour from the frame, allowing the viewer to be more drawn to the subject. The best thing about street photography is that it is possible for the final viewer to see more than the original photographer. There are lots of stories out there waiting to be told. And I am ready with my camera to have some fun!

The Nano Story

It was winter in Bangalore, the IT Capital of India. Winter drawing to a close, admittedly, seeing that it was almost the mid of January, but the air was still cool and venturing out hadn't started to feel quite like a chore yet. Karnataka boasts of a rich cultural heritage, and I had always wanted to visit the likes of Hampi. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for a weekend getaway. I breached the subject to Ela and, as expected, he was equally enthusiastic. He suggested taking his beloved car for the trip.

Ela had become the proud owner of a Tata Nano recently, and though we never ceased teasing him, he had travelled more than 10,000 kilometers in less than two months. Most of them during weekends on national highways, commuting from Bangalore to his hometown. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning, wondering if the Nano was capable of a trip covering almost 600 kilometers. However, he managed to convince me saying the Nano will only add to the thrill of the expedition.

Our itinerary included driving over to Shravanabelgola, night stop at Hassan and then next day to Halebidu and Belur before starting on our way back to Bangalore. We hadn't put much thought into the planning for the trip. The most we had done was arrange for printouts of the entire route traced on Google Maps.

Me being my usual lazy self, we started from Bangalore post a good lunch on Saturday. We hit a snag when we got caught in traffic on Bannerghatta Road. With a little bit of planning we could have avoided this stretch, but then that's being wise after the event. Once we hit the national highways, we made good progress.

The drive was a treat to the senses. The route passed through lush green forests, rural villages, lakes and paddy fields. Our chatter would have sounded like retro-holiday drivel. We were completely drowned in nature's beauty. John Schindler has said, "How easy and simple it is to live enjoyably when the simple, interminable blue of the sky, with its long wisps of white clouds, become a pleasant thing to behold, a thing of beauty that thrills you every time you care to look skyward."

Making short stops for coffee, coconut water and clicking pictures, we reached our first destination, Shravanabelagola, around four in the evening. It has two adjacent hills - Vindhyagiri and Chadragiri. The statue of Lord Gommateswara Bahubali is on Vindyagiri. At 57 feet, it is the world's largest monolithic statue. To aid climbers, steps are cut directly into the stone face of the hill. Still, it's quite a steep climb. We were completely out of breath by the time we reached the summit and had to stop and take rest for a few mins. The view from the top was breathtaking. It reminded me of a few lines by the reclusive American mystic, Emily Dickinson.

Who has not found the heaven below
Will fail of it above.
God's residence is next to mine
His furniture is love.

We took scores of pictures of the Jain basadi as the sun gradually disappeared behind the horizon. By the time we reached the statue of Lord Bahubali, the gates were being closed for the night. Fortunately for us, the priest was a kindly soul. He allowed us inside and provided a quick guided tour of the place. He even let us take a few shots before escorting us out as the doors were padlocked. We spent some more time on the hillock taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful view as dusk gave in to the darkening sky.

We had food at a roadside dhaba before checking into a hotel in Hassan. By morning nine, we were refreshed and ready to start on the onward journey. Driving through beautiful farmlands, suddenly a streak of purple caught our eyes. To our amazement, we saw some purple coloured flowers being cultivated in a big field. Having come upon an idyllic place, we found ourselves with a yearning to linger. Time stood still as beauty overwhelmed us. Another passing car stopped by, we exchanged greetings and then spent some silent moments clicking away trying to capture the moment.

We reached Halebidu around ten in the morning. The temple here has two adjoining shrines adjacent to each other - Hoyasaleswara and Shantaleswara, both dedicated to Lord Shiva. These temples date back to the 11th century and have never been completed. The city was repeatedly attacked and ransacked by the muslim invader Malik Kafur, leaving it in ruins. Halebid means "City in ruins".

This little town still attracts tourists in droves, and the fact that almost everything is in ruins doesn't seem to matter at all; it only adds to the charisma. This magnificent temple, built of soapstone, is one of the finest example of Hoyasala architecture. Ornate pillars, detailed miniature towers and intricate arrays of stone sculptures which includes elephants, lions, horses and episodes from the Indian mythological epics, Halebidu has everything. Perhaps no other Hoyasala temple is as sculpturally articulate as this is and these sculptures are second to none in all of India. The temple of Halebidu, has been described as an outstanding example of Hindu architecture and as the supreme climax of Indian architecture.

It was two in the afternoon before hunger pangs made us realize the time. We decided to have food in Belur and made the 16 kilometers drive in quick time. After a quick lunch in the Karnataka state run restaurant, we made our way to the Chennakesava temple in Belur. The beautiful Gopuram was the first to meet our sight. The temple in Belur is almost similar to the temple in Halebidu, even belonging to the same period. However, unlike Halebidu, here the shrine is dedicated to Lord Vishu. The architecture is equally impressive with beautiful stone sculptures all around the structure. There are 42 status of sensuous dancing maidens sculpted all around the temple. Walking through the ancient temples will send you through a time warp. Strewn across this land are civilization stunners, not just to be seen as postcards, but to be looked at as inheritances of the future generations given to us for safe keeping.

After taking some sunset shots, we started on the journey back to Bangalore. But our adventure was not over yet. Passing through the dark forest, we suddenly caught sight of a bright glow. Slowing for a closer look, we were astounded to see fire engulfing the surrounding trees in the forest. We soon realized it was not a wild fire running havoc through the forest, but rather one that will burn itself out in sometime. But, this being our first forest fire, we were quite excited and couldn't help stopping to take a few shots. The sight was mesmerizing, watching the yellow red flames quickly lick through the dry underbrush.

It was an incredible experience, travelling to such historic sites in a Nano. Many of my friends are still amazed how our little vehicle could make it through without breaking down. It was only possible due to our determination, carefree and sometimes reckless attitude, a strong zeal for adventure and quiet self-belief. The car lived up to more than our expectations and now I am a happy convert. The most important thing I realized from this trip is if you have a will, there is always a way!!

Cricket

India is a huge country with over a billion people. A country of rich cultural heritage, it is also a land of diversity. As one travels from North to South, or moves from East to West, the languages spoken differ, festivals differ, customs differ, rituals differ. Even the food and dressing styles differ. Many religions are practiced in the country. Then there are various castes and sub-castes. However, there is one thing that unites this vast nation unlike anything else — Cricket!!

Hindu or Muslim, North or South Indian, young or old, you can always play cricket together. It is a common sight in India to find children playing cricket almost anywhere be it on streets (gully cricket), along railway tracks, open grounds, in affluent communities or dreary slums. I was in Gokarna beach with friends when I saw this group of kids enjoying a game of cricket on the beach, next to the shoreline. Certainly brought back some fun memories of childhood days.

People say, if cricket is religion, Sachin Tendulkar is God!! There cannot be talk of cricket in India without the name Sachin Tendulkar popping up. The great batting maestro hit his 100th international century today against Bangladesh in Sher-e-Bangla stadium, Mirpur. He became the first batsman to have reached this milestone.

In a career spanning over 22 years, he has played 188 test matches and 462 ODIs, amassing more than 33000 runs. Being part of countless successful endeavors including the recently concluded Cricket World Cup Championship, it will certainly be a disappointment for the great man that his achievement came in a match which India had to forfeit to Bangladesh, an opponent known to be the minnows of world cricket. Hundred international tons is an incredible feat. The whole nation is proud of this historic achievement. Heartiest Congratulation to the Master Blaster!! As Amitabh Bachchan aptly said, "Never done before, perhaps never after!!"