Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Revelation I

Having fun when u are with ur best pals and good friends and likable acquaintance is a no brainer…but reaching into urself as well as the place you are in, so much that you are almost physically drained when its over is something atleast I have never experienced until now. Until this trip happened.

The factory visits happened. Informative they were. Insightful.

But the sights, the smell, the taste (distaste rather) of the place, the people, the things is what made a profound impact. Places that were created from rocks, mountains, homage paid to the queen, the fort…awe inspiring.

Revelation

Reaching Ellora Caves, we were given an hour to go round the place and be back. We thought of hiring a guide to show us the caves, the history, the myths and the stories.

But I am glad we didn’t. We decided to go see the niches and the temple by ourselves. It was O-V-E-R-Whelming. A mind blowing experience. The carvings, the sculpture. The sheer beauty of the huge figures, the splendor of the hands and the imagination. The craftsmanship which died centuries ago, the touch, the feel, the sense of the rocks, the stones. The mythology, Nataraja, Kali…the caves!!

It was like being in a time wrap. It was being there yet detached with the noise and the excitement. There was serenity, purity. An almost holistic sense. It WAS awesome. Running fingertips over the statues gave flashes. Overworking imagination. Ours. But for sometime im soo sure I felt how it must have been done. When there was no sense o architecture, im guessing, no floor plans either. Creating a space from one huge boulder, a rock. And then with such perfection.

The beliefs, the hopes, the devotion all culminating into something which transcends people, eras, time. Maybe the sculptors, the craftsmen, the architects have died and born again. Revisited what they created eons ago. Had a sense of déjà vu. Instinctively known and seen the chisels, the torches, the bruises on the hands, the occasional death of a mate. Spanning 5 centuries, says the board outside the entrance. Building the structure and yet not complete. Almost in ruins. But the ruins is what makes it romantic. Broad shouldered men, tiny waisted women, cherubic looking children, Vishnu’s avatar as Padhmanabha, Shiva’s cosmic dance. Youth, desire, fatherhood, sculptures, eras, stones.

Yes it was beautiful.

Psst: thr’s more but I am tired to put it up now. Maybe there will be revelation II or maybe thr wont.

11 comments:

  1. I just guess that you don´t need to be far away and see it all (the "source"). Yes, it is beautiful and magical, but everything around us is the same way. Wherever you are, you just have to look beyond. :)

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  2. And I am not christian, dammit.

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  3. I cant think of one smart-ass comment to write about the post, so I'll shut up.

    @Anonymous:
    What? You're not a Christian?!?!! Damn, I could have sworn you were.

    -Priyananda, the guy who has many aunts and sisters.

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  4. ellora to factories... we call it development, hmmm

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  5. Ellora is lovely, no wonder they're world heritage site.
    You visited the factories in Aurangabad or ranjangaon.. I think they're allot of breweries in Aurangabad.
    I liked the fort better than the caves on hindsight.

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  6. tyler: true maybe. but then sometimes it takes things outside our daily routine to make us realise the beauty

    n u not being christian,alrite, ur not. dont u have ur blog or url or sumthing??

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  7. if this is what u felt abt ellora wonder what u felt abt being on Daulatabad's highest point ;)
    m waiting for ur post on the fort...m sure its gona b al the more euphoric!

    cheers to Aurangabad!
    y did it hav to be our last IV :((

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  8. "the occassional death of a mate"???!!! hehehehehehhahahaha.

    PS: yes, i get what u mean by deja vu in such circumstances. But somehow, they never involve my mates! lol.

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  9. Priy(anan)d: hehe that will b a first alrite!!
    umm tyler, this was da anon i thought u were. a mighty pain-priyanand

    Manu: hmm yeah, caves to industries

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  10. Akshay: yeah da fort is da bestest.

    Purv: hmm yeah. it will b, but im bored to put that down. mayb i will 2day or so

    Rahul:lol somehow i too dont think ur deja vus involve ur mates :P

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  11. Yes... they are beautifull.. I remember seeing them as a kid... years ago... I don';t remember the images.. Just the sense of awe... and history..

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