Bhimbedka , Udaygiri , Sanchi and Khajuraho

Bhimbedka

The express way work currently underway between Bhopal and Hoshangabad was the main impediment as one has to take resort to the side roads which are humpy bumpy and what was in abundance was dust and smoke.

The Uber and other operators shy away once the destination is given.

The 40 odd kms took about two hours but once in Bhimbedka everything else was trivia.

'The Seat of Bhima' is one of the definitions but what one could make out is that the place was a shelter not just for one Bhima' but plenty of brave souls some millennia back who were good at art.

The ASI (Archeological Survey of India) people did a commendable job and are still at it and a big hug to them for show casing the whole place for public view.

The "auditorium cave" stands apart.

One has to walk 2 kms to the entrance from the main road and then again another 2 kms to the cave entrance.

The whole area is part of a reserve forest but except for some birds and squirrels , nothing comes to view probably they keep distance from the intruders.

There are trees and shadows everywhere and one does not feel the heat.

May be situation might be different in the summer months.

Whatever , the caves have got different silhouettes .. some resembling a boar , some a tortoise etc and one wonders whether Nature was at work for the appearance or some artists !

The two hours spent at Bhimbedka was worth.

Sanchi

Someone during the journey said that Sanchi Stupa was a copy of the famous Warangal Gate but one finds the opposite is true.

Whatever , the main Stupa is stupendous !

A solid rock .. nay a whole hillock shaped into a dome of perfect proportion.

Of course there are masonry work in between at places where the original rock might have had some gaps .. but on the whole it's a visual treat and when one walks through the sidewalk created with stone barricades ..

 strong enough to even keep away elephants !

A close look at the perfect positioning and inter connection made between adjacent pillars and the cross connection using heavy blocks of rocks finely carved out , one could not help wondering the artistry and craftsmanship of the masonry work.

Hats off !

The ruins at Sanchi is but a heartbreaking sight with valuable artwork shrewn all about and among them the  Ashoka Pillar in pieces.

The sheen of the outer surface of the pillar body is indicative enough of the craftsmanship and so were the smooth surface of the paved area where thousands might have walked for centuries with a mind full of bliss !

Well behaved staff , ready to clear the doubts and for directions is a boon.

The ASI Museum at the basement of the hillock on which the Stupas and the temples stand , has enough exhibits to quench the thirst of the needy.

One would wish , if the legacy of Buddhism thrived in India all thro  what would our country might have become .. The Leading Light of the World .. perhaps.

Eradication or perhaps erosion of the principles first and then the disappearance of the faith is perhaps the heaviest loss the sub continent

Udaygiri Caves

Its some 10 kms from Sanchi and the best way to reach is by hiring an auto taxi which would keep waiting for the passenger till he/ she finishes the caves.

One small rocky hill with very old temples which are mainly in a worn out stage ostensibly due to natural wear and tear and not any human outrage on account of faith of a different kind which was the case in Sanchi.

The to and fro journey is a pleasurable experience with green paddy fields to as far as one could see bordered by hills at a distance.

The ongoing work of an over bridge once completed would take away the pain of waiting at the railway gate at Sanchi.

Tribal Museum Bhopal

A thrilling experience full of wonder and awe at the art and craft legacy of the different tribal groups in India with special emphasis on M P , Maharashtra and Orissa.

With a natural history museum nearby , was in two minds at first , but once inside fell into a trance.

The way in which things are arranged and the colour combinations and architecture is to be seen to be believed.

Quite a few thinking minds with aesthetic sense galore might have been behind such a wonderful museum and to this writer's opinion , this one is perhaps the best in the country.

Khajuraho

Much has been heard and written about the temples and what this visitor tried to focus was the myriad patterns on rocks attempted by various artists of yore , which are popular everywhere .. be it on textiles , structures , graphics or jewellery.