Hidden Gems - Kapoor Baoli, Ramtek, Nagpur.

Nestled in a dip in the hills near Ramtek Temple, Nagpur, is the cool waterbody of Kapoor Baoli.

 A baoli, by definition, is a step-well found mostly in the arid regions of western India. These are ponds or wells where the water level is reached by climbing down steps. They served not only as water sources but must have been a cool sanctuary in the middle of a long, hot journey. 
(Also called bawdi, vaav, bawadi, baudi, barav, around India.) 
This one, Kapoor Baoli, is small but nestled in the shade it must have provided cool relief in the scorching summer heat since centuries.
It makes so much sense to have these water bodies away from the direct heat of the sun.

 The temple attached to it......

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 Harvesting water chestnuts in another pond nearby.

 Enjoy!!!!!

Tsunami Train .... A Grim reminder, Sri Lanka

As you drive from Colombo to Galle, about 100 kms out of Colombo, you come across this grim reminder at Hikkaduwa - a reminder of the tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka.

On that fateful day the train, going from Colombo to Galle, stopped at Hikkaduwa as the driver saw vehicles strewn on the tracks. That's when the first wave had hit. People climbed on to the train thinking it would be safe but the second bigger wave proved to be fatal resulting in huge casualties.

The battered train stands as a grim memorial to the lives lost in this tragedy. 

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Chariots Of The Gods - Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram - Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Chariots of the Gods

Wonders in Stone - the stone temples of Mahabalipuram...
Mahabalipuram is a port city  50-60 km south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India while travelling along the East Coast Road....and the home of these monolithic temples.
They are also called the 'rathas' or chariots as they resemble wooden chariots of that time.
Built during the Pallava dynasty, these temples, along with the Shore Temple close by, have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

But be warned the weather will be hot and humid - any time of the year. It does let up a little in December but just a little.
And what you see in the first picture is all you get. The entire collection of the five rathas is all there in that picture.
You do have the Shore Temple and the Lighthouse close by.
Another bonus is the Crocodile Bank (I'll write a post about that soon) that lies on the Chennai- Mahabalipuram route....this one's a must-see if you have children along.

The five monolithic chariot-temples were cut from one huge sloping rock. The rock was cut into different forms of temples with a few animals thrown around.
There a few unfinished structures too where few of the pillars were left without finishing the carvings.

A few more structures....

another view...

There's the famous shore temple overlooking the Bay of Bengal....
...when we visited it was under renovation hence the scaffolds.....
While the chariot temples were carved out of granite, this temple used dressed stone. This monument is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here are some pictures of the Shore Temple....

 ...you can see an old lighthouse nearby too....been trying to upload the picture but keep getting an error....will put them up ASAP.
Enjoy!!

Sikandra - Akbar's Mousoleum

Akbar's tomb at Sikandra - a suburb of Agra, UP, on Mathura Road NH2 - is an architectural masterpiece worth visiting if you are in Agra to see the Taj - (read about my road trip to Taj here) ....

Commissioned by Akbar himself, it was to be a perfect blend of Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist and Jain designs and motifs, bespeaking of his religious tolerance and secular views.

Read more about Sikandra in detail here......

The visit here is hassle-free as compared to one at Taj which is the more popular destination for tourists. Lesser crowds, easy to buy tickets and more time to look around - the bonus is you can buy your tickets for the Taj here at Sikandra (but this is possible only if you are driving into Agra from New Delhi/ Mathura). This saves you standing in long queues at the ticket counters at the Taj.

A must-see before you go on ahead to view the Taj Mahal (read about how to get there and details of our trip here).....

On the inside......

The cenotaph......as per tradition the true tomb is in the basement.

This monument also houses the tombs of Shakrul Nisha Begum and Aram Bano, the daughters of Akbar.

Have a great trip!!!

Go visit the Taj (and Sikandra) once in your lifetime....it is worth it!!!!

...Ciao!!