MUNSIYARI-TALE OF THE THE OLD SALT ROUTE

MUNSIYARI – THE LEGACY OF SHAUKAS SALT ROUTE As per the Puranic descriptions the hilly part of the Utter Pradesh is known as Kedar Khand and Manas Khand. The present Garhwal division is Kedar Khand and Kumaun division is Manas Khand, both now are in the newly created state of Uttaranchal. Munsiyari is a quaint place. It is a Tehsil of Pithoragarh district of Uttaranchal State. With a population of 15000 it can be said to be a fairly large Himalayan township. Along with Dharchula the northern most Tehsil of Pithoragarh Munsiyari is situated in the foothills of Himalayan peaks and in the valley of Gorignga and Kali rivers. Before Pithoragarh was made a district the area under Munsiyari Tehsil was known as Johar Pargana and people living in this area were known as Shaukas of Johar. Shaukas are popularly known as Bhotias and prior to 1962 their main occupation was the salt trade from Tibet. Munsiyari is surrounded from three sides by the Himalayan peaks as Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti , Trishuli, Nanda Kot, Hardeval, Rajrambha and Panchchuli. After getting loaded with this information and fascinated by the prospects of having a view of these beautiful Himalayan peaks along with the hope of seeing and meeting the people who were on the old salt trade route it was almost impossible for a mountain addict like myself to resist visiting Munsiyasri for long. So after packing my cameras, lots of film, necessary clothing and my trekking gear I was off to Munsiyari. From Jaipur the journey is along one about 915 Km. So after leaving Jaipur in the after noon and having a nighthault at Delhi, I instructed my driver to wake me up at four Am so we could start early in the morning. The route is straightforward although it is advisable to equip oneself with a good road map. It is always good to carry a lot of drinking water. Once in the hills, those prone to motion sickness should take an anti vomiting tablet although I found the roads to be very good and the curves gentle, unlike the acute stomach-churning turns in the other parts of Himalayan areas. But as the journey is long it is always good to be a bit more care full. Another important thing is to keep track of refueling points; one must be very particular to keep the petrol tank full at every opportunity. If possible it is advisable to keep a 20-litter jerrycan of petrol in the car. On the way from Kathgodam the pine forests welcome you, the profuse greenery and the colourful flowering shrubs soothe the eyes. From Almora onwards the play of clouds and Himalayan peaks start, throughout the way upto Chokory where I had my next nighthault the sight of the most beautiful view of trishul, Nandadevi and Nandaghunti and Nandakot rewarded me. At Chokory all these peaks were spread before my eyes bathed in the evening light and turning into gold, to see these Himalayan beauties turning golden is an experience which can only be described as sublime, but let me save the story of Chokory for some time other occasion. After having a sumptuous breakfast at Chokory I headed for Munsiyari. This final lap of 70 Km proved very interesting and enchanting, on the way there are a number of hill streams falling from hundreds of feet above. The journey was interrupted at several places, sometimes by minor landslides and sometimes by the sheep-herds crossing the road accompanied by giggling children waving happily. As I turned the bend round Kalamuni, the highest point en route, a stunning view of Punchchuli peaks held me in trance for a while. There is a temple here. After this it was a steady descent into Munsiyari. Every bend presenting a fresh view, often better than the last one. It is really a wonder that how the slightest change in elevation changes the perspective entirely. A little enquiry at the bus stop and I was directed to the Wayfarer Resorts where I had a booking for my stay at Munsiyari. It is a nice place to stay, set in the elevated fields it is a resort which houses it’s guests in Swiss-cottage tents well equipped with bathroom and toilet facilities attached. After unpacking I came out with my cameras. The majestic Punchchuli range was spread before my eyes flanked by Rajrambha, Hansling and chhipalkot glistening in the after noon sun. Before the clouds hide this view, which is very common in the Himalayas, I decided to capture this beauty on the film, by the time I was through a dozen shots it happened. The peaks suddenly banished behind a thick curtain of clouds; the whole scenario changed in a minut and it started drizzling. Over a cup of tea I inquired from Vivek Pandey, the resort manager a charming young man with a keen interest in trekking and a good local knowledge. While we were talking about the salt trade and Shaukas of Johar he suggested meeting Dr. Sher Singh the next morning. So after having a short walk round the local market I decided to call it a day and after dinner enjoyed a much-required good sleep till next morning. Dr Sher Singh proved to be a veritable dictionary of the area, he had a vast knowledge about the place, its people. A retired teacher he is known as Masterji by every one in town. He has written a book on the history of Shaukas of Johar for which he was awarded a Ph.D. Munsiyari has a very interesting history. The area is generally known as Johar valley. The Shauka people from time immemorial inhabited it. They led semi nomadic lives actively engaged in trade with Tibet across the difficult Himalayan passes. These sturdy and courageous people used to go to Tibet and it took them nearly a month to come back loaded mainly with salt from Tibet. Almost the entire supply of the salt for this region came from Tibet, as the Sambhar salt was not available with regularity and also was considered inferior to the Tibetan salt. Though the Sambhar salt was cheaper it was not preferred however in the latter years when the cost difference increased some of the poorer people started consuming the Sambhar salt also. Masterji recalling his childhood days told me “I still remember when I was in school, the month of July brought our Tibet returned friends with their flock of sheep laden with salt, they hummed music while measuring salt and grain with local measuring pot, Nali, which used to be a bamboo cylinder. The rate of barter of different commodities for a Nali of salt was decided from time to time as per the prevailing demand. Almost every villager beating drums and blowing trumpets used to accompany the out bound group to Tibet till the very edge of the village to bid the group goodbye, for children this used to be quite an occasion.” Masterji told me that in those days every able-bodied man in the village braved the treacherous passes to cross over to Tibet as a trader, petty businessman, helper or as a muleteer, as it made him some thing different from others and bestowed him with an importance. They traveled in convoys carrying cloth, utensils and other provisions on the backs of sheep and mountain goats, each animal carrying about 30 to 40 Kg of weight. In the exchange against their goods they brought back from Tibet mainly salt, the soft Pusham wool, and gold. The British’s called them “Bhutias” but they are not to be confused to be Buddhists because of this as they are devout Hindus, who are ardent worshippers of Nandadevi and of other gods of the Hindu pantheon. I had an opportunity to witness a Ramlila in a near by village the very same night as those were the days nearing Dusshera festival. It was a treat to watch the village kids and youngsters to perform on the stage the episode of Sita-Swayamber with the local touch of humor. But all this glory of and fascination of the salt trade came to an end in 1962 when Chinese border was closed after the indo-China war. The locals suddenly found themselves without a viable means of livelihood as the trade with Tibet stopped completely. Agriculture has never been a viable alternative here, because of the unfavorable climate. Therefore most of them had to migrate to the bigger towns of the area or to the planes in search of livelihood. Most of the villages to the east of Munsiysri like Milam; Burfoo and many others are almost deserted now. The youth here is also quite frustrated because of the lack of employment and business. Some are engaged in tourism now a days as this area has started to attract tourists, others prefer to venture out in search of greener pastures. After this interesting encounter with Masterji and having a much-required lunch I with Vivek visited the nearby village Darkot. A walk through the village gave a fair idea about the life here. The houses were simple and were made of the locally available material having the typical hilly elements incorporated. Some the houses had intricately carved wooden doors and windows. Most of the houses in this village were equipped with looms on, which were working the house lady weaving intricately patterned Shawls and blankets from the coarse goat wool. This handicraft as I came to know is quite old to these villages, earlier it was practiced for self use but now a days it provides some employment as these things are fancied by the tourists coming here. From Darkot I headed to have look at Goriganga, the river. Ten kilometers by car and a one and half kilometer of walk and I found myself at the Goriganga. Flowing majestically through this area the river divides the area into tow. There are villages on both the sides of the Goriganga. It originates at the Milam glacier. This 18-Km long glacier is situated 5 Km west of Milam village at a height of 3852m. Gori after meandering through the valley flows into Nepal to the west of Kumaun, and joins the Kali river of Nepal. Munsiyari is also a very good starting point for the high altitude trekking to Milam glacier and Nandadevi base camp. In fact, Vivek told me that the Wayfarer itself regularly takes groups for ten to fifteen days for these treks. They organize all the paraphernalia like camping gear, porters and the inner line permits when required. As I was not having that much time at my disposal so I decided to take a two day trek to Khalia top, 13km from Munsiyari and at an altitude 12000feet, in the hope that if clouds remain kind to me I will be able to photograph the Himalayan peaks from a vantage point. So next morning after break fast I was off to Khalia top accompanied by Vivek, my driver Ramprasad, Chander the cook and a porter who carried the paraphernalia to the top on his zippo the hill ox. We followed the narrow tracks passed through Walnut, Juniper and Birch forest. There were good patches where the hillside was a wash with some late blooming variety of rhododendrons. In the way up longhaired mountain goats and sheep tinkled their bells as they gamboled up and down, chameleons darted across the hill track. The sky was clear so after climbing some nine kilometers I decided to make use of the clear azure blue sky, from a vantage point there was a breathtaking panoramic view of the whole range. I started photographing the peaks,Hardeval, Rajrambha, chhipalkot and the beauty that is Punchchuli. All the five peaks of Punchchuli range were there under blue sky standing witness to the time since eternity. These peaks are called Punchchuli as the legend is that Pandavs of the epic Mahabharata while finally going to heavens cooked their last meal on these five chulis (cooking hearths) hence the name Punchchuli. In the late afternoon when we reached the Bugyal (green meadow) on Khalia top, it was the same old story, thick clouds and every thing which was before our eyes a little while ago was hidden behind the curtain of clouds. So after enjoying the dinner cooked on the firewood gathered by Chander and Ramprasad as the kerosene stove refused to obey I decided to retire in my tiny Alpine tent. As it was too early to sleep so I put my booklight on and delved into Munsiyari’s past. I came across this very interesting account of Pundit explorers who hailed from this Johar valley. Pundit Nain Singh was born in Milam village in the year of 1830. His land mark journey of 1200 miles from Kathmandu to Lhasa and then to the Mansarovar lake and back to India which he carried out in 1865-66 won him praise of the geographers all over the world. The royal geographical society acknowledged his contribution in drawing up a map of Tibet, Mangolia and central Asia. He was awarded a gold watch for his success. Prior to this, these upper parts of the Himalayas and beyond were shrouded in mystery and maps of these areas either did not exist or they were very vague and inaccurate. It is really interesting to know how Britishers set systematically to cartograph this area. A section of the survey of India known as the great Trigonometrical survey was assigned the task of fixing the co-ordinates of points on earth and their elevation. In 1863 colonel Walker and captain Montgomery started training Indian explorers to calculate latitude by sextant, directions by compass, to calculate heights, to count paces and keep accurate notes. All this had to be done without attracting attention. The explorers had to pose as simple travelers. The Indian travelers had a definitive advantage of going unnoticed in the Indo-Tibetan areas. They most often disguised themselves as Buddhist monks. Like all good Tibetans they carried a rosary in one hand and a prayer wheel in the other. But instead of 108 beads, their rosaries had exactly 100 beads and after every tenth a big one. A bead was counted after every 100 paces, the larger one reading 1000. The prayer wheel was fitted on the in side with stripes of paper on which they took down their notes. Very few strangers would venture to speak to a lama twirling the prayer wheel and chanting the manta Om Mani Padme Hum and looking suitably inscrutable. They could carry their work uninterrupted. What a fascinating way to conduct a survey! Had it not been for such people bitten by the wanderlust bug we could very well have been completely oblivious of these enchanting places like Munsiyari and many others. There was still a lot to venture around this fantastic place called Munsiyari but as all good things are destined to end it was time for me to be back in the same old concrete jungle with memories of the enchanting Himalayas and a wish to return. Arun Mudgal 8/100 Vidyadhar Nagar, Jaipur Phone-339835

Jodhpur: The Jewel of Marwar

JODHPUR AND AROUND The moment one thinks of Jodhpur the images of rajput courage, valour and dignity come to mind. Such was the level of pride dignity that it is said that when Jasvant singh the then Maharaja in 1685 after getting defeated in the battle ground by Moughal princes Aurangzeb and Murad fled the battle field his proud wife refused to accept this sully to Rajput honour, slammed the door of the fort in his face and send him back to redeem the good name of the Jodhpur house. A legend perhaps but she was right in her action as even the coat-of-arms of Jodhpur depicts the sacred kite of goddess Durga and the rather clan’s battle cry,”Ran banka Rathor”, which means “Rathor, invincible in battle”. What are interesting are the grains of millet depicted on the shield. They represent the words of Sher Shah, sultan of delhi, who having very narrowly defeated the Jodhpur armies, ruefully commented, “for just a hand full of millet, I nearly lost all of Hindustan.” History of Jodhpur is resplendent with examples of persons of great dignity, valour, magnanimity, chivalry and vision. Two such persons who stand out are Durga Das and Sir Pratap Singh. Durga Das, the great hero and warrior of Jodhpur, celebrated by poets and bards is perhaps the best example of Rathor magnanimity and valour. It was he who saved the Jodhpur when after Jasvant Singh’s death in 1678, the orthodox Muslim Aurangxeb wreaked his reveng.Aurangzeb sacked Jodhpur, plundered the large towns of marwar, destroyed temples, demanded conversion to Islam and implemented the jizya tax on non Muslims that Akabar had abolished back in 1564.It was at this critical time that Durga Das smuggled Jasvant Singh’s posthumously-born son, Ajit out of delhi. After 30 years of guerilla war fair, hardship and wandering, Durg Das bravely re-took Jodhpur and Ajit Singh took up his rightful throne. Sir Pratap Singh who came to the fore in Jodhpur in 1870’s was a remarkable man. A son of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, he himself ruled a small neighboring kingdom called Idar, but abdicated to become Regent of Jodhpur, which he ruled, in effect, for nearly fifty years. Sir Pratap Singh was a great warrior and the epitome of Rajput chivalry. As Maud Diver wrote about Sir Pratap, “he has been aptly named ‘ the first gentleman of the British Empire’, using the word in its higher meaning. A Rajput of bluest blood, he reckoned himself beyond all rules and cods except those dictated by his own sense of fitness, which was of most exacting; a trait finely shown in the familiar story of an English subaltern who died at Jodhpur and whose coffin could not be moved because one of the officers detailed to carry it was down with fever. No Hindu of cast could touch a coffin without defilement. An out cast scavenger seemed the only alternative; but the officers reckoned without Sir Pratap. The young man had been his friend; and he promptly offered himself as pallbearer with the characteristic remark, ‘A soldier knows no cast with a brother soldier.’ Perhaps only a Hindu could appreciate the spiritual significance of that simple courteous action. Rightly he belonged to the warrior desert tribe of Rajputs, the Rathores, ‘famous in battle.’he became an intimate friend of three British sovereigns. At Queen Victoria’s darbar he is said to have presented her not with mere jewels, like everyone else, but with his own sword, his most valuable possession as a Rajput warrior. Sir Pratap Singh laid the foundation a modern state in Jodhpur, which Maharaja Umaid Singh [1918-47] built upon. Sir Pratap Singh is also known as inventor of “jodhpurs”, or riding breeches as we know them today. Since he virtually lived on horseback, he gradually evolved this item of clothing with the help of his tailor to meet his own riding needs. It all began apparently, when he got tired of the way his traditional Rajput riding pyjamas would get frayed on the in side of the knee, as he rode. He latter went on to invent ankle length jodhpur-boots and the close collared jodhpuri coat-which came to be adopted as the semi-formal dress of the Jodhpur court. Todays Jodhpur is one of the largest cities of Rajasthan, with its soft spoken and good tempered residents,with its rich heritage of arts crafts the charm of Jodhpur takes you over at the first site. It is a major military base and an important centre of research in arid zone agriculture and in other desert related problems. Yet in many ways it still preserves the old flavour and charm of a medieval town that was built centuries ago under the protective cover of one of the most extra ordinary forts of its time. The old quarter of Jodhpur is still a fascinating place with its narrow lanes, its havelis and its fine medieval water tanks. One comes across the locality where every house is painted, both from out side and in side in a stunning pale indigo shade. Jodhpur can easily be called the blue city because of these homes. Originally, the color signified the home of a Jodhpuri Brahmin. The story goes that centuries ago the Brahmins of the town painted their homes thus, because they had discovered that the color wards off the mosquitoes. Take a walk through the lanes and the streets of Jodhpur to get caught by the charm of this city. Start from the old Fateh-Pol, get at the Jetha Bera tank, through the lane of Jaisalmerion ki Gali,past the Talati ka Mahal,a palace which now houses a hospital,and ending finally, at the old gain market. It is a real fun to roam through the crowed little market shops near the clock tower built in 1912. Here you find the well known lacquer bangles in vivid colors one may also see, an artisan using his fingers and feet skillfully to turn a wooden box before coloring it green, red and yellow with lacquer. The shops are full with the beautifully decorated ornamental swords, rugged leather mojri slippers and tie-and-dye printed fabrics in vivid colors. There are various different prints of tie-and-dye depending upon the type of knot that is tied in the fabric. These different prints have different names as well as cowrie shell, Mothara and even Laddoo-Jalebi, named after a popular candy. In the market some craftsmen make felt goods and leather water-bottles while some emboss silver, or make painted horses. Then there are famous puppet-makers of Jodhpur. The best puppeteers of Rajasthan are the Barlai Bhatts, originally from Jodhpur area. A favorite theme of their puppet show is the bravery of Rathor prince, Amar Singh, who was killed after he slayed five Moughal noblemen single handedly. Another popular theme is the comic drama of the washerman and his wife in their ongoing battle. Puppeteering is an ancient form of entertainment, which according to some is the origin of the Indian stage drama. The puppeteer makes his own two stringed, three foot high marionettes, giving them carved wooden heads and fancy costumes, he speaks through bamboo or leather to give voice to the different puppets while his wife or an assistant plays the drum and elaborates the story. When after many years of performances and use by many generations the puppet gets worn out, it, in, a special ceremony is floated down a holly river, accompanied by prayers. The longer it floats, the higher the gods are judging its life. While roaming the market one can also have a taste of the famous sweets of Jodhpur the most liked and popular is the Mava-Kachori, a rich, crumbly pastry and it can be supplemented, if like with thick, creamy Makhania-Lassi, a rich and sweet concoction of extra buttery-butter milk. There is also the famous Pyaz-Kachori and Mirchi Bada, if one has got guts to digest and like these excessively spiced snacks.Bishnoi villages: --Well known for their love and dedication to conserve the wild life, for folk architecture of houses and for the rustic way of life these picturesque Bishnoi villages are there all around Jodhpur. The houses in these villages arethe best examples of functionality combined with esthetics. The walls of the houses are decorated with, ‘mandanas’ and paintings around doorways. Mandanas or wall paintings are usually executed with a small piece of cloth wrapped around the finger. The designs can be symbolic, floral or geometrical. Before each festival, walls are painted with a mixture of cow dung and mud, and then around with designs. This way of house decoration is a centuries old tradition all over Rajasthan. The intricacy and beauty of decorative detail denotes the wealth and status of the owner. A decorated house is considered auspicious, whereas absence of decoration indicates misfortune. Houses are not painted for a year when a death occurs. All the animals live near their villages, as Bishonois are fervent lovers of animal and plant life, which has played a great role in conservation of ecology in these areas. The Bishonois follow the 21 tenets laid down by the 15th century Guru Jambeshwar. When a Bishonoi dies, he some times is buried in a sitting position and often placed at the threshold of the house or adjoining cattleshed. As a Bishonoi believes that he will latter be reincarnated as a deer—hence the herds are seen near their villages and Bishnois are evevn ready to lay their lives to protect these animals. Bishnoi villages are kept very neat and clean by daily scrubbing by brightly clad women who bear jewelry in abundance and white ivory bangles right up the length of their arms but their men dress entirely in white, their large turbans loosely tied.

THE ULTIMATE FORT

KUMBHALGARH: THE ULTIMATE FORT

The walls of Kumbhalgarh are `more the work of giants than of men`, comparable in their grandeur to the Great Wall of China. Deep with in the ranges of Aravallis, the fort commands the pass between the kingdoms of Mewar to the east and Marwar to the west. For 1400 years the Mewars ruled here, fiercest and proudest of the fighting Rajput clans, the longest uninterrupted dynasty in the world claiming their origin from the sun and lord Rama. Tradition indicates a 2nd-century Jain origin to the Kumbhalgarh but its history begins in the mid-16th century with Rana Kumbha, winning the fort from its Mer ruler who offered himself as a sacrifice to strengthen the foundation. Kumbha was a great builder-he built 32 out of 84 forts that encircle the Sissodia Mewar.

Kumbhalgarh is a spectacular Rajput hill-fort situated at a height of about 4000ft above the sea level and 700ft above the pass, which it commands. The fort lies near the village Kailwara, on the site of a more ancient fortress, possibly built by Sumprit, a jain prince of the Gupta dynasty in 2nd century. After, Chittorgarh, it was the most important fort of Mewar. It lies on the top most ridge of the mountain, surrounded by thirteen other peaks. It still remains one of the best and finest examples of the combination of hill and forest fort described in the ancient scriptures about the types of forts. Lying 80 km to the north of the city of lakes, Udaipur, it makes for a perfect trip for a day or two. A two hour drive takes you there, through country side that changes its color and form every few kilometers, from the green of fields to the rust and brown gray of rock and sand, to the light green scrub of the rugged hills. On the road one may come across the caravan of sheep and camels, bejweled women working in the fields or carrying water over their heads. There is plenty of wild life if one is interested in.

Apart from the historical accounts there a lot of legends are associated with the fort. In the 15th century, when Maharana Kumbha started to build this fort, inexplicably, whatever his masons would build in the day, would crumble at night. One day, the Maharana met a holy man from the mer cast, who told him that the site chosen to build the fort was wrong and inauspicious, and that he would take him to the right spot. This could, however, only be done on the condition that, when he showed him the spot, the king would chop off his head. The spot where the head would fall, should be the location for the main gate, and where the body fell should be the rest of the fort. The king agreed, and the holy man took him to a nearby hill where he asked him to chop off his head. When the king copped off the holy man’s head, legend says the headless body climbed to the summit of the hill and collapsed, and Kumbha built the fort on the site. Mandan, the chief architect and great scholar in the court of Kumbha supervised the construction of this great fort.

The fort remained a strong hold of a succession of kings from the Mewar dynasty. Surrounded by an impregnable 40km long crenellated wall, the second longest in the world after the great wall of China, wide enough for four to six horses to ride abreast, it rises 4000ft high into the clouds. After seeing its height Abul Fazal said the cap falls from the head when one raises his head to see the top of this giant fort. Inextricably linked with Kumbhalgarh is the legend of Panna Dai, nurse to Udai Singh, infant son of Rana Sanga of Chittor. Panna learned of a plot to kill the child by Banveer, and to save her royal charge substituted her own son in place of the sleeping Udai Singh. The intruders demanded of her the whereabouts of the prince. Unflinchingly she pointed to her sleeping son, and saw him done to death. Panna smuggled Udai Singh to Kumbhalgarh, where he was brought up as a nephew of the governor. Thirteen years later in the Badal Mahal, amid joyous celebration, took place the Tikka ceremony, the anointing of the prince Udai Singh as the ruler of the Mewar.

The approach to the fort is very impressive, across deep ravines and through thick jungle. Seven massive gates guard the approaches, while seven ramparts one within the other, reinforced by rounded bastions and huge watchtowers, render the position impregnable.

The first gate is Arait Pol, from which mirror signals could be flashed to the fort in times of emergency. Hulla Pol, the gate of disturbance, is next, named after the point reached by invading Mughal armies in 1567 led by Akaber, where the marks of the cannon shots can still be seen on the walls. The third gate, Hanuman Pol, contains a shrine and temple; Kumbha brought the idol of lord Hanuman placed here from Nagaur after capturing that fort. The Bhairava Pol has a tablet ordering the exile of a treacherous Prime Minister in the 19th century. The fifth gate, the Stirrup or Paghra Pol, where the cavalry gathered prior to battle. The Star watchtower nearby is an early structure with walls 8-m wide. The cannon gate or Top Khana Pol is reputed to have an underground passage leading to a secret escape tunnel. The last gate is Nimbu-Pol or the gate of lemon trees, near which is the temple of Chamundi, one of 365 temples with in the fort, before which stands a shrine of the founding Mer ruler. The infant Udai Singh, the future founder of Udaipur, was saved from murder at his uncle’s hands after being hidden in the chambers close to the Nimbu-Pol by the great Panna Dai.

The outer walls embrace an area of several squire kilometers the tiers of inner ramparts rise to the summit, which is crowned by the Badal Mahal or cloud palace of the Rana Kumbha. To this palace Kumbha brought the lovely princess of Jhalawar, abducted from the castle at Mundore of her betrothed, a Rathor Prince of Marwar. Colonel James Tod, in his Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan has given a very interesting account of this romantic fling of Rana Kumbha. Col. Tod writes “ Koombho {Kumbha } mixed gallentry with his war like pursuits. He carried off the daughter of the chief of Jhalawar, who had been betrothed to the prince of Mundore; this renewed the old feud, and the Rathore made many attempts to redeem his affianced bride. His humiliation was insupportable, when through the purified atmosphere of the periodical rains the towers of Khoombhomer{Kumbhalgarh} became visible from the castle of Mundore, and the light radiated from the chamber of the fair through the gloom of a night in Bhadoon to the hall where he brooded over his sorrows. It was surmised that this night lamp was an understood signal of Jhalani, who pined at the decree which ambition had dictated to her father, in consigning her to the more powerful rival of her affianced lord. The Ratore exhausted every resource to gain access to the fair, and had once nearly succeeded in a surprise by escalade, having cut his way in the night through the forest in the western and least guarded acclivity; but, as the bard equivocally remarks, “though he cut his way through the Jhal{brushwood}, he could not reach the Jhalani.”

Rana Kumbha’s palace commands the citadel but nearby, rising even higher and perfectly preserved, with friezes of painted elephants, the courts and pavilions of a much later yellow ochre palace draw the gaze. Kumbha encouraged all the fine arts and was himself a poet. Sitting on the balcony of his Badal Mahal, mansoon clouds swirling through the open pavilions, he wrote verses of love and praise to the lord Krishna, and composed the music for them. Unfortunately it was here that his own son murdered him.

Badal Mahal is divided into two sections, the Mardana Mahal and the Zenana Mahal; its walls are coated with a mix of eggshells and milk, and are decorated with delicate inlay work. As one opens one of the shuttered windows, one can look over the slops to the plains of Marwar. One can also see the winding Pugdandi that goes upto the Jain temples of Ranakpur, 17km away. There are the bathing quarters of the princesses, where maids used to pour water from the balconies.

The views from the cloud palace across the deserts of Marwar are matchless. Long sinuous lines of walls with loopholed, crenellated parapets stretch as far as the eye can see along the crown of the hill

Down the hill, there is an erstwhile hunting lodge, now the hotel Aodhi can be used as a base to go on a jeep or horse safari in the Kumbhalgarh sanctuary where one can see panther, wild boar, antelope, sloth bear and a lot of birds.


While walking on the ramparts of this great fort I was suddenly transported into the olden times when this citadel of Rajput valor was full of activity. I felt proud by the fact that I was walking on the same ground where once the greatest of the Rajput heroes, Maharana Pratap walked. He was born and brought up in Kumbhalgarh, one of the finest examples of defensive fortifications in Rajasthan.

ARUN MUDGAL
8/100 V D NAGAR
JAIPUR
PHONE: 339835

"KULDHRA" A TRAVEL IN TIME

KULDHRA: - THE VICTIM OF TYRANY
OR
THE NIGHT OF FORCED DESERTION

Seventeen kilometers from Jaisalmer, off the Sum road, was once a flourishing town on the shores of river kak. Than some thing strange happened one night some two hundred years back that the entire village was deserted en-mass, but the town, its ambience and its legend still exist. That fateful night as many as 700 households of Kuldhra village vacated their homes en-mass, along with the residents of 84 other villages, to go to another faraway land and to create a New World. Their 700 houses though in ruined condition still stand till today as testimony to their forced desertion.
But it wasn’t like this always. A few hundred years back Kuldhra was a living town full of activity and business. Its streets bustling with life, children playing in the courtyards, well dressed women performing the daily household activities and men conducting business.

Kuldhra and its adjoining 84 villages were resided by the community of Palliwals. According to epigraphic sources the names of some of these villages are Badiyada, Kotada, Gunga, Jasera, Nagdara, Mandai, Khodal Sadhu, Kediyasar, Bijorai, Dangari, Kotara, Sitodai, Jasuwa, Unda, Devikot, Bando Rodi, Modha, Niwan, Pithodai, dhanawa, Pipalda, Basanpir, Bhujkantha, khaba, Kuldra, Ridhu, Nimiya, Dholay, manakya, Khinwalsar, Bisal and many others
These residents were Brahmins and were denominated as Palliwal from having been temporal proprietors of Palli, and all its lands, long before the Rathores colonized Marwar. Tradition is silent as to the manner in which they became possessed of this domain, but it is connected with the history of Palli, or pastoral tribes, who from the town of Pali to palithana, in saurashtra, have left traces of their existence.

These brahmins, the Palliwals, as appears by the annals of Marwar, held the domain of Palli but were frequently looted by the mair and meena looters and Muslim invaders. According to the historical records of Marwar, they engaged Rao Siha, the progenitor of Rathore families of Marwar, Bikaner and Kishangarh to protect their properties. But Rao Siha at the end of 12th century, by an act of treachery established his own power. Because of the taxes imposed by Rao Siha on the Palliwals and due to extortion and atrocities Palliwals migrated from Palli. The greater part took refuge in Jaisalmer, though many settled in Bikaner, Dhat, and the valley of Sinde. In jaisalmer Palliwals settled in Kuldhra and 84 other villages in the early 13th century approximately.

As the Palliwals were wealthy and mercantile in nature and agriculturists of very high order in Jaisalmer also they soon captured the main business of finance and trade. At one time their number in Jaisalmer was calculated to equal that of the Rajpoots. Almost all the internal trade of the country passed through their hands, and it was chiefly with their capital that its merchants traded in foreign parts. They were the Sahookars of the desert, advancing money to the cultivators, taking the security of the crop; and they used to buy all the wool and ghee (clarified butter), which they transported to Sinde, Afganistan, Baloochistan and other foreign parts. They also reared and kept cattle flocks.

Apart from doing so well in business and enjoying great wealth Palliwals also developed well planned towns and villages. That they had fine taste and very good knowledge of town planning is evident from the remains of Kuldra, which was a developed town and business center of that time. According to TAVAREEKH-JAISALMER written by Mohata Nathmal there were 20 thousand houses of Palliwals in the 84 villages and approximately a hundred thousand Palliwal families used to live in these villages. The architecture of their houses is a very fine example of Vaidic and ancient roman style. The houses are in straight lines and every house has a courtyard and kitchen. There are big chhatters and “chabootras” for people to meet. All houses are equipped with easy approach to the roof to enjoy the evening breeze. There is provision of space for cattle and also a place for the bullock cart. In some houses there is space to keep horses.

But all this glory beauty and wealth are the things of past. Kulhdra and all other Palliwal villages are deserted now. The remains of Kulhdra stand a silent witness to that night of 1817ad approximately when such a flourishing village was deserted. Though no certain cause for the desertion is known, there is a legend which is still survives.
According to legend the Deewan of Jaisalmer state Mohata Salam Singh, who was a tyrant had a roving eye. Enchanted by the beauty of a Kuldra belle, he wanted to claim her. The Palliwals took it as a great insult to their clan opposed it and stood in revolt. It was a tussle for power as well as question of saving the self-respect for the Palliwals. They tried to approach the king but could not succeed. Salam Singh was so powerful that he virtually ruled the state by himself. The king was a mere puppet in his hands.Salam Singh left Palliwals with no option. He issued an ultimatum. “hand over the girl or I’ll come and claim her tomarrow” the farman read. So the entire village decided to teach the greedy tyrant a lesson.
They evacuated Kuldra and 84 adjoining villages that very same night, taking away the girl Salam Singh was lusting for. It is said that Salam Singh died soon and so did his lineage with no descendent to carry his name.
These villagers migrated and settled down in different parts of north Rajasthan and became pioneers of business and industry. What happened to the girl was never known.
However historians of the time do not agree with this theory of desertion. According to them there is another reason, which explain the en-mass evacuation. It states that Salam Singh had imposed forced levy and extra taxes on the Palliwals as they were very prosperous and were doing roaring business. Angry at being exploited and left with no choices they deserted. Also they were frequently looted and humiliated by robbers and outlaws from the Bhati Rajpoots of Maldots and Tejmalots and no protection was given by the state so they shifted hearth one dark night. Salam Singh was left with bare walls; gapping streets and a haunting silence.
This is how Kuldra is today. A deserted and ruined village of about 700 houses. Broken walls, holes where doors and windows would have once stood, wild shrubs growing in the nooks and corners and hot desert winds blowing through the empty streets.
The streets are there, rows and rows of ruins lined up on either side. But these empty streets and ruins speak. They tell you about the inhabitants, about the villager’s life style, about the art and architecture of that era and the mode of communications used by the villagers.
There are streets crossing at right angles with corners gently bending for easy transportation. The houses made of bricks and stone are solid and sturdy. The roof comprises of woodlogs to insulate the houses from the heat of the desert. The roof of each house is approached through stairs—slabs of stone put in an ascending manner, to enjoy the cool desert evenings. The houses had courtyard. They did not need to visit their neighbors to talk. Opening into the courtyard was a window from the adjacent house facilitating communication. Probably that’s how they passed on the message that fateful night.
Predominantly a Hindu community, Kuldhra still has a huge temple in the middle of the village. Made of red sandstone, it has the delicate Jharokhas cut into the stone. Though the main idol of Krishna is missing, one can see small carvings of Vishnu and Surya in the temple. The roof of the temple is carved out of stone in Jain architectural style. Kuldra also had a chhatter where the villagers gathered together to talk and discuss the events of the day.
Palliwals also were good at water management. They by turning the course of the river water used to create water bodies in the village. On the out skirts of Kuldhra lie four wells, approximately 300 feet deep, covered with stone slabs, to prevent the dirt from seeping into the water.
They even had an alternative when the well dried up. A stepwell of 14th century has been excavated from the sand in Kuldhra known as Pug Baoli 400 steps deep.
Recently the village has been taken up by Jaisalmer development Trust. The village is now a heritage site. The Trust has redone one house, the temple and the chhatter where the villagers of Kuldhra set in the evenings and had their meetings.
Now a days the village in ruins provide a perfect backdrop for film shootings. In the Amir Khan starer Sarfarosh these ruins were made good use.
But standing on the empty streets of Kuldhra, you can still feel the same good old pulsating town with frenetic activity of that night 200 years ago. Some times, a night is all that it takes to change the fate and history of a community for all times to come.

TRAVELOGUE

Kiradu: Another Khajuraho

In the ancient times as the legend has it that when King Daksha decided to conduct the great Brihaspati yagna{sacrifice}, he excluded Shiva and Sati, his son in law and daughter respectively, from the ceremony, as Daksha hated Shiva. But his daughter,Sati, who loved him dearly, could not stay away and journeyed to his father’s place, thinking, “ my father will not be able to turn me away when he sees me.” Poor Sati did not comprehend the extent of hardhearted Dakshs’s anger. When the king saw his child, he spat out a stream of abuses about Shiva. The devoted wife, Sati was unable to tolerate the insult to her husband. An obedient daughter, she was equally unable to cross her own father. So, overpowered by grief, she immolated herself in the yagna fire itself before her father and other gods. Shiva, in his abode on mount Kailash, heard the sad tidings and flew into a mighty rage, swearing to take revenge upon an unrepentant Daksha for his injustice. Coming down to the earth,

shiva and his army of spirits marched to the site of the king’s yagna and decimated Dakshs’s army. Shiva beheaded the monarch and threw his head into the sacrificial fire. Then sorrowfully he picked up Sati’s body and wandered with it across the land for many years, aimless and disconsolate. Lord Vishnu finally took pity on this mighty god and decided to end his mourning. Using his powerful weapon, the Sudarshanchakra{discus}, he cut the corpse into many pieces. As the 51 parts of Sati’s body fell on the ground they turned into stone and sanctified the soil upon which they landed, creating 51 holy and potent Pitha-s or places across India. And thus it came to be, the ancient Vedic texts tell us, that Bharatvarsh{the Indian sub-continent} became a “ sacred land” with the holy mountain in the north and the Nav-kanyakas{nine maidens} or holy rivers like Ganga and Yamuna flowing through it. A land of seven Kshetra-s or regions of active power, the Saptpuri or seven ancient cities of Ayodhya, Mathura, maya(Hardwar), Kashi(Benaras) Knchi, avantika, and Dvaravati(Dwarka), where Moksha(salvation) can be attained. A country which, according to the epic, the Mahabharta, has thousands of tirtha-s (places of pilgrimage) where devotees can ford the river of life and reach the sublime shore beyond.

From its northernmost regions to the tip of its southern peninsula in Indian Ocean, India is filled with places of worship. It would be impossible to walk a mile here without coming upon a shrine, a temple of some sort or the other, be it a historic monument or simply a piece of stone symbolizing a village deity. Each is significant in its own way, commemorating the occasion of a god’s visit or deed of valor in the area or explaining its existence due to divine creation or patronage. Everyone wanted to be near god.

In the southwest of Rajasthan 220 km from Jodhpur and at about 35 km from Barmer lies one such place Kiradu, a not very much known destination. Kiradu, now a desolate and deserted place was once a prosperous temple township of Chalukya and Parmar dynasties in 10th to 13th centuries Ad. Here are five of the finest temples of that era. Parmar rulers as a representative of the Chalukyas ruled Kiradu, which was earlier known as Kiratkoop. Three stone edicts of that period, which are intact at the temple of Someshwar, tell us about these rulers. These contain details of the Parmar kings from Sindhuraj to Someshwar. It seems that Kiradu temples were built over a long period when these Parmar rulers ruled this place. In the Jain scriptures, Sakal Teerrth Srot and Nabhinandan Jinoddhar kiradu is also referred as a Jain center of religious importance. From available sources of history and scriptures it appears that Kiradu was a place where along with Shaiv, vaishnav the Jain religion also co-existed.

Though at present there are only five temples, it is said that at the beginning of this century there were about two dozen Hindu and Jain temples. This seems plausible from the ruins of other structures and a lot of raised sand Teelas with the structure of the base of the other temples.

The five dilapidated Hindu temples at Kiradu are representative of the western Indian style during the late Pratihara period. This style loosely termed as Nagara or metropolitan style refers to a large wide range of temples built over a large expanse of time and space across the trunk of the Indian sub-continent. In the history of northern Hindu architecture, the regions that stand out as excellent examples of Nagara style, are Rajasthan-Gujrat, Orissa and central India. The typical Kiradu temple has a squire sanctuary adjoining a small porch or columned mandapa, also known as “rang mandap” as it was used for religious and dance performances. The sanctuary walls raised high on a moulded basement are covered with niches for sculpture. Above rise the clustered elements of the curved tower or the Shikhara of the temple, which are covered with arch like motifs. Doorways and columns are generally richly carved; ceilings are fashioned as corbelled domes. Many of these features anticipate the Solanki style, which became prevalent in the region by the 12th century; some of the temples even belong to this later phase.

The best-preserved temple of the cluster is the Someshwar temple. The basement reliefs of the sanctuary are of interest, especially the elephants, horses, courtly episodes and epic scenes; most of the wall panels are intact. Above rises a cluster of turrets that once formed the base of the central tower, now fallen. The mandap is an impressive structure with an octagonal arrangement of the central columns; only the beams and lowest courses of the corbelled dome are intact. The elaborately decorated columns, covered with miniature figures and ornamental motifs, resemble those of the better-preserved monuments of this style at Modhera and Khjuraho. The epic motifs carved on the walls are from Ramayana and Mahabharata. Also carved are the episodes of the life of the lord Krishna as Pootnabudh, Gberndhan Dharan etc. on a panel there is Punch Ganesh, five Ganeshas playing different musical instruments, also carved on a panel is the episode of Samudramanthan, the figures and bodyline of the characters are a fine example of the accuracy of humanform. The upper niches of the temple contain some of the finest female figures carved in various poses.

The four other temples of the Kiradu complex are of smaller size. These temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahmma are also decorated with carvings but the carvings are not as fine as the Someshwar temple.

The site definitely is in the need of conservation. The vagaries of weather and local neglect are fast taking over the health of this matchless heritage. Though the site is a protected monument yet a lot more is needed to be done.

Arun Mudgal
8/100 V D NAGAR
Jaipur-302012
Tele:01412339835