दो - घुमक्कड़

"Empowerment of women is essential as their value systems lead to the development of a good family, good society and ultimately good nation"

Same way many Durga is fighting with different demons of unorganized sectors from centuries, for the liberation and affection of their loved ones, with keeping her face calm and serene.

The female participation in unorganised sector is more than male. A large number of women from rural areas migrate to cities and town all over India. Most of these women and girls are working in unorganized sector for low wages due to low level of skill, lack of education, ignorance and thus they face high level of exploitation, wage discrimination and lot of physical problems. They work in inhuman condition in cities as their per day income is very low. Their condition is highly unpredictable and have constraints related to their work such as insecurity, irregular wages payment, absence of medical and accidental care etc.

India is best known in the world for the exquisite cave architecture. The centuries old inscriptions inscribed on the walls of caves telling that king Ashoka  gifted and dedicated some cave chambers to Ajivika followers & hence these two Barabar & Nagarjuni caves, located in the Makhdumpur block of Jehanabad district of Bihar, represents the beginnings of the tradition of rock-cut architecture in India.

About 16 miles to the north of Gaya, Bihar, one can witness the earliest rock-cut architecture of India - Barabar & Nagarjuni Caves. These caves are considered to be the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India dating back from the Mauryan Empire (322-185 BCE), during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. 

Named and mentioned as "Satgharwa" means "Seven houses" or "Seven caves of this area"- four in Barabar and three in Nagarjuni Hills. These caves are hewn out in the very hard granitic monolithic stone with high degree of symmetry and having highly polished inner surfaces (famous "Mauryan polish"), which reflects the unique and marvellous craftmanship of Indian artisans, even approx 2200 years ago.  

Northern side of the hill contains cave named Karna Chaupar (also Karan Chaupar) with floor area 10 x 4.2 m. At the western end of the room there is platform – the only unpolished detail. To the right from the entrance, one can see the traces of inscription from 245 BC (cave here is named Supiya and hill - Khalatika) "The King's Grace, when he had been consecrated nineteen years, granted the Supiya Cave in the Khalatika Hill for as long as sun and moon endure." Later it has been named also Bodhimula (The root of intelligence), Daridra Kandara (the cave of the poor).

Further to the west in unknown times there are hewn two human figures and lingam in the smooth surface of stone. 

Lomas Rishi is one of the oldest rock-cut chambers in India. It consists of rectangular, partly polished mandapa - with unfinished barrel vault, through the doorway connected to a circular, domed, unpolished chamber. Cave has interesting, arch-shaped entrance portal, imitating a wooden structure of time. Doorway is adorned with a procession of elephants going upwards to the stupa symbol adorning the keystone of arch and crocodile, which refers the shape of cave. Cave contains inscription from later times – the 7th or 8th century AD referring to kings Sarddula Varman and his son Ananta Varman of Maukhari dynasty. Inscription mentions, that Ananta Varman placed an image of Lord Krishna in the cave. Above this cave in 1914 there was discovered an inscription which names the hill – Gorathagiri – name mentioned in Mahabharatha.

Unfortunately lately cracks have developed in the cave and water during the rain seeped in.

Sudama (Sumdava, Saad Dharma, Nigoha-Kubha) – another oldest cave in complex, located opposite the Karan Chaupar and close to Lomas Rishi. Entrance of this cave is simple, functional. Consists of two rooms. The first – mandapa – is 10x6 m large, barrel vault up to 3,5 m high. Through a doorway it is connected to a circular, domed chamber with diameter of 6 m. At the eastern end of mandapa there is shallow, roughly shaped recess, most likely unfinished extension. According to inscription in ancient Brahmi writing, the cave is dedicated by Ashoka in the 12th year of his reign (261 BC), cave is named "Nigoha-Kubha" – "banyan tree cave". Inscription reads: "This Banyan-tree cave was granted to Ajivikas by the King's Grace when he had been consecrated twelve years."

This cave has the most amazing polishment, and it feels as if the cave has been layered with a sheet of glass.

Fourth cave – Visva Zopri (Vishajhopri, Visvajhopri) – can be reached by simple steps cut in stone - "Ashoka Steps" 500 – 1000 metres north-west from the other three caves in south-facing cliff face. Entrance in the cave is simple, square cut. Walls of cave are not polished. This cave also has two chambers – both have approximately cubical form and are connected through a doorway. Both cubes have approximately 2 m long sides. Cave contains several lines of Brahmi inscription: "This cave in Khalatika Hill was granted to the Ajivikas by the King's Grace, when he had been consecrated twelve years."

Gopi (Gopi-ka-Kubha, milkmaid) is a cave available by stepping up a flight of megalithic steps. It has got the largest chamber in group. Cave contains several important inscriptions, some of these testify that son of Ashoka – Dasaratha (reigned in 232 - 224 BC) – has devoted these caves to Ajivika – thus these structures might be some 50 years younger than caves at Barabar. It is possible that the cave was used also in the middle of the 19th century by some Islamic eremites. Also this cave has polished walls and floor.

North from Nagarjuna Cave there is the second cave – Vapuiyaka Kubha (Vapya-ka-Kubha) – cave of the well. Nearby there are remnants of several buildings, possibly viharas. Cave contains inscription: "The Vapiyaka Cave was assigned by Dasaratha, His Sacred Majesty, immediately after his consecration, to the venerable Ajivikas, for as long as sun and moon endure."  Other caves have similar inscriptions, just the name of cave is different.

Through an enormous crevice one can reach the third cave – Vedathika Kubha (Vadithi ka Kubha, Vadathi ka Kubha). This caves have similar inscriptions as Vapuiyaka Kubha, just the name of cave is different.

The both the hills have always remained mysterious and convey spritual reverberation. Although caves might have been created for Ajivika by Ashoka, but were occupied during following centuries bydifferent groups of sages and mendicants. 

The present condition of all the caves are not very good and need immediate attention for their preservation and at the same time promotion, so that travellers can witness this giant oldest surviving caves of India.

Happy Travelling !!

Among the many monuments of Barsur,  Battisha Temple, Twin Ganesha Idol. Chandraditya Temple & Mama-Bhanja Temple are worth visiting.

Battisha Temple

Huge courtyard with 32 pillars constructed by Nagavanshi ruler, reflects the architectural grandeur of that kingdom. Without Shikhara, raised on huge square platform, this temple has two sanctum of lord Shiva, which is very interesting and rare. 

Legends says that King Someshwar Dev, who constructed this temple, had two wives, hence he instructed for the embodiment of two sanctum of Lord Shiva, so that both of his wife can worship at the same time.

Outside the sanctum the well decorated Nandi made of black sand stone looks so beautiful and inviting everyone to come and take blessings and Inside the sanctum, the platform on which Shiv-Lingam is situated is perfect example of an engineering marvel. One can rotate the platform of Shiv-Lingam in 360 degrees, keeping the Lingam constant.

Twin Ganesha idol, dating back 11th or 12th century is one the magnificent architecture of Bastar. It is said that King Banasur, a great devotee of lord Shiva constructed these two huge idols for her daughter Usha and her friend Chitralekha, as they both were devotee of Ganesha.

These two huge monolithic sculptures reflecting totally different state/mudra from another one, reflects the capability of artisans of that era.

Constructed in 11th century, this temple is the contemporary of Khajuraho temple, associating many legends. Some says, that this temple was built by Bhanja, who killed his Mama and hung his head to the shikhara. Some says that on the order of king, Mama & Bhanja constructed this beautiful temple in one day. 

Whatever be the real stories, the carvings on the temple showcases its beauty and glorifies the heroism of Mama -Bhanja.

Chandraditya Temple

Located 80 Km North-west of Udaipur in the wilderness, Kumbhalgarh Fort is the second largest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh fort. 

Cradled in the Aravalli range, Kumbhalgarh Fort, seperating Mewar from Marwar, is encircled by thirteen other elevated Aravalli peaks, from where the Kumbhalgarh Fort offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surroundings along with the sand dunes of Thar Desert.

Kumbhalgarh Fort the birth place of Maharana Pratap, is also remembered for a notable instance of Prince Udai, the infant king of Mewar who was smuggled here in 1535, when Chittor was under siege. 

The fort remained impregnable to direct assault, and fell only once, due to a shortage of drinking water, to the combined forces of Mughal Akbar, Raja Man Singh of Amber, Raja Udai Singh of Marwar, and the Mirzas in Gujarat.

Built on a hilltop on the Aravalli range, the fort of Kumbhalgarh has perimeter walls that extend 36 km  making it one of the longest walls in the world. The frontal walls are fifteen feet thick.  Kumbhalgarh Fort is designed with seven massive gates one within the other. Gates are reinforced by curved bastions and gigantic watch towers. The main buildings inside this magnificent citadel are Badal Mahal, Vedi Temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and Mammadev Temple. Kumbhalgarh fort complex has around 360 temples out of which 300 are Jain temples, and rest are Hindu.

According to legend, the Maharana of Kumbhalgarh, Rana Kumbha, was initially repeatedly unsuccessful in attempts to build the fort wall. A spiritual preceptor was consulted about the construction problems and advised the ruler that a voluntary human sacrifice would solve whatever was causing the impediment. The spiritual advisor advised building a temple where the head should fall and building the wall and the fort where the rest of his body lay. As can be expected, for some time no one volunteered, but one day, a pilgrim (some versions suggest a soldier, and some, that the spiritual preceptor and the pilgrim were one and the same) volunteered and was ritually decapitated. Today the main gate of the fortress, Hanuman Pol, contains a shrine and a temple to commemorate the great sacrifice.

The beautilful intricate carvings on the wall of temples, massive architecture , panoramic landscapes from the top of the fort and walking on the Great wall of India, will surely spellbound every traveller.