Rimpa Shiva on tabla...................shared by K J S Chatrath

 

                                                      The highly talented Rimpa Shiva

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzAK3dDr7Pk

Some photos taken at the State Museum Bhopal'.............by K.J.S. Chatrath

 

 

'Chanakeshava Temple, Belur, India'.......by K J S Chatrath

 

'Hoyaleswara Temple, 12th AD, Karnataka, India' ....by K.J.S.Chatrath

Hoysaleswara temple, or the Halebidu temple, is a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva is located in Halebidu, a town in the state of Karnataka, India and the former capital of the Hoysala Empire. The temple was built on the banks of a large man-made lake, and sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala Empire.

 

Kedareshwar Temple, 11thAD, Karnataka, India - by K J S Chatrath

 

I visited Kedareshwara Temple near Halebidu in Karnataka India a few days back. Kedareshwara Temple is a Hoysala era construction in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It is located a short distance away from the famous Hoysaleswara Temple. The temple was constructed by Hoysala King Veera Ballala II (1173–1220 CE) and his Queen Ketaladevi around 1219 AD.  The main deity is Ishwara (another name for the Hindu god Shiva). The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.

 

'History of Indian Art and Culture & Mr. Adil Hussain' - by K J S Chatrath

 A few weeks back I attended a two day Course/programme on "History of Indian Art & Culture" organised by Mr. Benoy Behl at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi. I had attended the same course/programme a couple of years back and wanted to refresh and improve my understanding.

Frankly I was disappointed at the end of the course. Mr. Behl seemed to be having health problems. But what surprised me was the lopsided selection of topics and periods. He spoke mainly about Hinduism & Budhism and their impressive influence in Japan. 

 

When we were nearing the end I politely asked him that one hoped that he would also enlighten us about Mughal/Muslim art in India. He gave a vague inaudible reply. But he never mentioned a word about art and culture during Mughal times in India. I think this was not doing justice to the tittle of the Course. 

Let me narrate an interesting anecdote about the course.

 

On first day, I looked around at the other participants to see if any known person was there. There was none. However there was one tall handsome gentleman who was taking notes and asking very pertinent and intelligent questions. At the end of the first session I sheepishly told him that he looked extremely familiar but I was unable to place him. He smiled good-natured way and told me that he was from the film industry. Sorry Sir, I persisted awkwardly,  I am unable to remember your name, and added, because of my old age. He smiled again and said softly 'Adil Hussain'. And then the penny dropped. 

 

I requested him for a selfie and here we are:

 

P.S. I recently saw the film "Ulajh"in which Mr. Adil Hussain gives an impressive performance as a distinguished officer and father of the lady Foreign Service Officer.

 

Visit to Belur & Halebedu in Karnataka- A Curtain Raiser........by KJS Chatrath

 

I am just back from a one week trip to Karnataka where I visited various old temples in and around Belur and Halebedu.

I have taken over 2,000 photos of the wonderful temples dating to around 13th century. Out of these 2000 photos half are of poor or average quality, another 25% are good/very good and I would rate the remaining 25% photos as excellent. May be I am being over exuberant and over optimistic.

I am thinking of how best to give a wider coverage to these photos, but in the meantime I would share some of those on my FB wall and my blogs 

Dadi-Pota Makbara, New Delhi, India - by K J S Chatrath

 

Some photos of artifacts from Vidisha District Museum, India..shared by K J S Chatrath

 I visited Vidisha museum some time back.

Vidisha district museum was built in year 1964 and is located in almost at the central of the city and managed by Archeological department of Madhya Pradesh. Vidisha is a historical township with many monuments and buildings of Mauryan ruling period thus from archeological point of view, it is very rich city. Due to high rich in archeological sculptures, ancient coins, on feeling the need to conserve its historical statues, emblems, monuments, authorities felt the need to have a proper museum place where they can preserve the remains and making is accessible to normal public.
 

This museum site is well connected by road. Majority of tourists, visiting Sanchi - Udaigiri monments, often extend there visit and covers the ancient sites of Vidisha city and in this trip they visits district museum.  District museum of Vidisha have collection of many ancient coins, terracottas, sculpture art showpieces etc. Here scientists have found the ancient inscriptions which indicates towards the fact that old name of this city was Bedasa or Bedis Vesnagar or Bhellaswamipur.

Best time to visit this district museum is from October to March. This best time is approved as per tourism.

 

All photos shared here were taken by me.  

 

 

'The Second Coming: 8th-10th century temples of Bateshwar, India' - by K J S Chatrath

 

 Cover of the book

 

 Back cover of the book.

 

I am happy to present my 42nd book to all my friends

I visited the Bateswar Group of over 200 temples in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, India in 2022. These belong to the 8th - 10th century AD. These were lying in broken and dilapidated condition till a few years back. Then the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) took upon itself to re-organise and put them back in shape under an initiative led by the ASI Bhopal region's Superintending Archaeologist Mr. K. K.  Muhammed.  As of now about 60 odd temples have been given a new life. 

These photographs show how the place was littered with broken stones and how some of the renovated temples look today.

My cofee table book explains the background and is richly illustrated with photos clicked by me. 

Kudos to the ASI and to Mr. Muhammed and his team. 🙏

'Cunningham & 9 feet long lead coffers".....says a puzzled KJS Chatrath

 I have been trying to get rid of my old papers collected since my last 81 years on planet earth. Before tearing off  any paper, I read it. While going through this exercise today, I found the following info noted by me in one of my diaries: 

"Page 82. Cunningham Varanasi. ...north of the Ganges he visited Hodgsons three Ashoka pillars and besides one of them he found burial mounds in which were huge lead coffers, nine feet long, containing unusually long human skeletons, dated to about 1000 B.C...these were the oldest finds ye made on Indian soil"

I do not remember in what context, and from which book I had taken these notes. Would any learned historian friend throw light on this.

'Arthuna temple, 11th-12th century AD, Rajasthan, India' - by K J S Chatrath

Do notice the small figure at the bottom of the photo. The person so depicted has an unusual hairstyle, is sporting a beard, and seems to be carrying something like a 'gadda' (as of Lord Bhima?) in his hand. It may also be noted that both a Buddhist and a Hindu figure are seen side by side in the same temple. 

Any comments please?

'Impressive Morena Museum, Madhya Prdesh, India' - by K J S Chatrath

I spent a feww days in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh in December 2023. I visited some lesser known gems of Indian archeology at Kakanmath, Padavali, Bateswar, Nareshwar and some other places.

I spent the last day in Morena visiting the  "Amar Saheed Ram Prasad Bismil Sangrahalaya".It is located Near Ramjanki temple Jiwaji Ganj or Near Police Station/ City Kotwali in Morena City. I was pleasantly surprised to see a good number of old statues, some were ofcourse  in fairly broken  condition but nonetheless being cared for.

Take a look at some of the artifacts on display- inside the impressive building as well as in its lovely green lawn.

 

 

 

                      #Sadhu (An Indian Holyman), #Morena, #India #Indianheritage #kjschatrath

'Bateswar Group of over 200 temples in Morena -A lesser known gem of India' - by K J S Chatrath

Late last year, I visited the Bateswar Group of over 200 temples in Morena district in Madhya Pradesh, India. These belong to the 8th - 10th century AD. These were lying in broken and delapidated condition till a few years back. Then the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) took upon itself to reorganise and put them back in shape under an initiative led by the ASI Bhopal region's Superintending Archaeologist Mr. K. K.  Muhammed.  As of now about 60 odd temples have been given a new life. 

These photographs show how the place was littered with broken stones and how some of the renovated temples look today.

Kudos to ASI.