Brihadeeshwara Temple: An age old story in stone

Brihadeeshwara temple is a 11th century AD architectural wonder built by Raja Raja Cholan. It is located in the town of Thanjavur in south India. It stands as a testament in stone to the glory and devotion to Shiva of the Chola dynasty. Of the many Shaivite temples conceived and built in the Chola dynasty, the Brihadeeshwara temple is considered as the most magnificent and well known to tourists.

The temple contains many intricate details which contributes to its architectural magnificence. The attention to detail provides an insight into the extent of planning, executional difficulty and commitment of the rulers. I would like to highlight some of these details in this post.

The temple entrance consists of a gopuram (tower). The entrance does not provide a hint as to what one would expect inside. As I passed through the entrance and entered the temple I was struck at the spaciousness and vastness of the courtyard.  I could imagine the king holding important functions in a grand manner in the temple courtyard thronged by crowds of people in the kingdom. The courtyard is enclosed by a stone wall, the top of which is adorned by small sculptures of the nandi (bull). It is a small detail, however considering the size of the courtyard carving many such small nandis and hoisting it to the top of the wall would not been an easy feat for the sculptors. The courtyard contains a few more smaller shrines including the consort of Shiva. At the center of the courtyard stands the main shrine on a raised platform. A huge nandi ( I have never seen a nandi so big in many of the temples I have visited so far) sits facing the main temple on a pedestal.

The main shrine houses Lord Shiva who is also known as "Brihadeeshwarar" (and hence the name of the temple). The outer walls of the main shrine are filled with sculptures. The middle level contains more life size statues. Of them all the pyramidal gopuram (tower) of the main shrine commands special attention. It is a tall gopuram carved completely till the very top. At the very top is a semi spherical dome which is made from a single stone. In the days of the Chola empire there were no mechanical equipments. To fix such a heavy stone at the very top of the tower is a monumental feat calling for hard labour. I heard that they used inclined planks which extended many kilometers away from the temple and used elephants to carry the stone to the top. The entire gopuram is carved beautifully, the carved pattern reflecting a profound symmetry in design. The figure of the deity surrounded by an arch is the basic motif. This motif is repeated on all sides of the gopuram and with its size reducing as the gopuram tapers towards the top.

The inside of the temple is as awesome as the outside. Lord Shiva is expressed in the form of a Lingam. The Lingam is gigantic and fills the view one gets on entering the temple. The view immediately evokes awe and the divinity within. An interesting aspect is that the third eye of the Lord Shiva, adorned by vibhuthi met with the eye of the nandi located outside in the temple courtyard. One can observe this while standing on the pedestal on which the Nandi is seated.

The walls of the temple courtyard contained some interesting features. There is a lot of ancient Tamil literature engraved on the courtyard walls as well as on the base of the temple. The walls also contain a number of deities painted using herbs. Some of the paintings show signs of age and gives one an idea of how long the temple has stood for. Restoration efforts have restored some of those paintings so that future generations would still be able to witness it. An interesting feature is the presence of a rounded beading in rock running along the outer walls of main shrine. Shaping a rock to create a smooth semi circular beading looks simple and easy but entails a lot of work from the artisans. Just above the rounded beadings are small figures. Each figure depicts an action and no two figures are performing the same action. The beading and the unique figures are once again an evidence to the attention paid to the minute design details in the temple.

The Subramanya shrines in the courtyard stands out from the main shrine. It contained carvings which were more intricate and finer than that on the main temple. A few of them are shown below.

The Brihadeeshwara temple has withstood the harsh heat of South India and lived to tell an age old story in stone. It is the story of architectural passion and a "Sangamam" (fusion). It unites the expressions of Tamil literature and art as paintings and sculptures to sing aloud the praise of the Lord Brihadeeshwara within. The temple is in the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list and is definitely worth a visit.

Another creative inspiration from Big Sur

I was walking down the path in one of the woods in Big Sur when I saw a maple leaf covered with sand. I could not help but came up with this poem.

Musings of an Autumn Leaf

With the last autumn breeze

I came down from the trees

Looking all yellow

Old and mellow

I lay facing the sky

And the hikers passing by

Some stop, look and let me be

Others dont see and trample me

Over time I will be pushed hither

And I will continue to wither

Becoming one with the sand

In this beautiful forest land

Biosphere 2 : A laudable experimental facility

Biosphere 2 is an experimental facility located in Tucson, Arizona. The heart of the facility is the glass dome housing 3.14 acres of land. Within the dome there are five major regions, each region attempting to model a major biome on the earth. The aim of the facility is to study the climatic changes going on in the earth and their effects on the various biomes. Although a profit organization, it has been leased to the University of Arizona for conducting their research experiments for an astonishing $100 a year.

The major biomes modeled in Biosphere 2 are the ocean with coral reef, tropical rain forests, savannah, desert and orchards. The climate within each biome needs to be akin to the climate of the biome on planet Earth. Hence the climate within the dome needs to be maintained carefully and meticulously, with temperature and air quality (humidity, dust particles etc) being two important variables to control. To maintain the needed climate the Biosphere 2 houses an impressive and wide array of instruments.

Modeling the various regions of the earth is no small feat. The Biosphere 2 has done a remarkable job in identifying the key biomes and their characteristics and recreating them in a limited space. The technical aspects and instruments involved in controlling the climate inside the dome is immensely complex and it’s amazing to see the lengths they have gone in doing so. Two of the biomes that struck me were the tropical rain forest and the orchards. As I entered the tropical rainforest the air was a few degrees cooler and humid. The air was filled with the scent of plants that it was so refreshing. The orchard contained a number of fruit trees and it was a wonderful sight seeing the fruits hanging at various stages of ripening. The fruits looked so fresh and colourful.

A visit to the Biosphere 2 got me thinking about the vastness and diversity of the earth. The various natural phenomena on earth over centuries have sustained mankind. Its time to be gracious and grateful and reflect upon the damages caused by man on our environment. Its time for us to act, and to do our bit in reciprocation. On the whole the Biosphere 2 is a commendable experimental facility and a refreshing sight amidst the Arizona desert land.

Big Sur: Where Mountain and Sea meet

The California coastline between San Simeon and Montreal is popularly known as Big Sur. The remarkable aspect of this coastline is the meeting of the mighty Santa Lucia mountains with the vast Pacific Ocean. The result - stunning views that treat the mortal eye! The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) winds along the coastline making it accessible to the thousands of eager visitors. One can glimpse the mountain and the ocean on either side as one zooms along the highway.

At Big Sur one gets to see various facets of Nature and also appreciate it in the solitary setting. One can see the seals sleeping peacefully on the shore as well as a flock of white birds taking off over the ocean. One can hear the sounds of nature very distinctly: the silent whispers of the wind, the ebbing of the ocean and the waves crashing on the rocks. The mountain and the waters are lit up differently by the sun's rays at different times of the day. So every vista point and turnout offers different yet distinct views. It’s amazing to note how the same mountains and waters can look so different.

Apart from all the views, visitors can also visit the state parks along the PCH. I visited Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park among others. The parks offer some interesting hikes. Along the paths one sees streams bordered by trees and dense foliage offering no clue to what will meet the eye at the end of the trail. The trails finally culminate with a view of the calm ocean.

Big Sur offers the perfect ingredients for relaxation and what better way to enjoy it than a walk on the beach and a cup of hot steaming cocoa. And when one is very relaxed, who knows it could arouse the artistic side of you - the poet, artist or the photographer in you. Well it did mine!

Big Sur: A Bird's eye View

I swooped down
From the mountains crown
Mottled patches of green and brown
Into a sea of blue did drown

The vast and calm sea
Met the rocky might with glee
The waves gently caressing the rocks
And swirling around with a foamy frock

I caught the gentle breeze that blew
I did a little roll and then flew
Over the waters so blue
Soaking in the throbbing sound
And the calmness worth many a pound
Where was I bound?

I soared once more
Away from the shore
I glimpsed again the high and the low
And all the varied hues in the sunset glow
Stretched two great mights
Each unique in their own right
And yet incomplete without the other in sight

The beautiful scene filled my soul with ease
A deep and lasting peace
I circled in the air
Without any further care

SOLVANG: The Danish countryside experience

A trip to Solvang provides a unique and relaxing Danish countryside experience.

Solvang is a small village 35 miles north of Santa Barbara in California. It is situated admist the rolling Santa Ynez hills providing a scenic backdrop to the small colourful village. The road to Solvang is lined on either side with green trees. Admist the trees as one passes through are several horse stables and ostrich/emu farms, a rare sight in the cities. Travelling a little further one enters Solvang. The windmill greets visitors and has become the landmark of Solvang on magazines and postcards. Small one storeyed buildings, decorated with bells and flower pots hanging from the windows mark the village giving it the Danish look. The village is really small, as big as 4 streets by 4 streets. Little flower clusters add more colour and beauty at every street junction.

There are only a few things one can do at Solvang and so helps to cut back the pace of life. One of the temptations in Solvang are the pastry shops. The pastries fill the air with a sweet buttery aroma that leaves you with no choice but to indulge in them. One can go wine tasting and wine yard visiting around the village as well. If you are with a family you can rent one of the pedal vehicles (called surrey) and go around the place together. Its a lot of fun and also helps to cover the small village with a bit of excercise.There are a number of trails around Solvang (near the mountains) to go hiking and biking.

A trip to Solvang is a visit off the beaten track. One can enjoy nature, animals and the idyllic life which we tend to miss while living in the city. The serene atmosphere helps us to reflect and rejoice at the simple things in life.