TOURISM: August 2011

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Bodhgaya, India

Chinese Temple

Inside the premises of Bodhi temple is the Chinese Temple, built by Chinese Buddhist monks and renovated in 1997. The temple was designed and decorated using Chinese architecture. There are three marvelous golden Buddha statues besides the nearly 200 year old Buddha statue of Chinese origins, installed in the shrine. The detailed and vibrant writings of the travels of many Chinese scholars who visited India for knowledge and spirituality can be seen

Cankamana

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By the Lord's presence, the surroundings of Bodhi Temple were purified. Among the pathways used by Buddha during his third week of meditation; is a pathway named Cankamana lying to the north of temple. The calm and serene path is sacred and worshipped along with Buddha. The places blessed with Buddha's feet have been sculpted into lotuses made of black stone. The continuous chanting of the monks and Bhikkus recharges the atmosphere and soothes the mind and the soul.

Burmese Vihara

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The Burmese Vihara (Burmese Monastery) located on Gaya road is the well known destination for many students and scholars as it offers various study courses and the guidance to acquire skills. It has a beautiful garden and a library having English books also. It is open to all visitors and has no admission fee. The only thing required is to maintain a dignified behavior.

Bodhi Tree

Bodhi Tree
Bodhgaya, India

This tree is worshipped as holy, divine and as a giver of enlightenment and wisdom. It is under this banyan tree (a pipal tree) that Lord Buddha meditated after renouncing all worldly pleasures and attained wisdom and divine enlightenment.

The present Bodhi Tree is probably the fifth succession of the original tree under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment. Vajrasana (the posture in which he meditated), the seat of stability, is a stone platform on which the Buddha is supposed to have sat in meditation gazing east, under the Bodhi tree.

Archeological Society of India Museum

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The Archaeological Society of India Museum has many excavated articles and artifacts which indicates the modern and extraordinary lifestyles of the inhabitants of these now buried civilizations. They restored and put on display the several valuable and ancient scriptures and educational materials which are utilized by the universities with students belonging to distant places like Mongolia and China.

Ajapala Nigrodha tree

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In front of Mahabodhi Temple is the Ajapala Nigrodha tree, where Gautam Buddha spent his fifth week of meditation. This tree was planted by a shepherd boy to shield the Lord. Under this tree, Buddha answered the various questions raised by learned old Brahmins regarding general conduct and religion. The Buddhists followers and tourists visit this place.

Vamanamoorthy temple

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Another holy shrine that deserves to be seen is the Vamanamoorthy temple also referred to as the Thrikkakara Temple as it is located in the village of Thrikkakara, close to Kochi. This temple holds importance as the lithe records are of major historical significance. On Onam, the temple holds a huge feast and the festivals are celebrated with great pomp and show.

Shiva Temple

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In front of the Shiva temple in Ernakulam lies the backwaters of Cochin. The deity faces westwards and enjoys the view of the sea. At the time of constructing this temple, the main language that was in use was Tamil; therefore the people addressed the deity as Erayanar which also means Lord Shiva.

There are two legendary stories connected to this temple. The first is thus: A sage was observing strict penance on the Himalayas. He had a disciple called Devalan. Because of his bad behaviour, he was cursed to become a serpent. To be freed from the curse, he had to fetch a Shiva Linga kept by another serpent in the Behula forest. He drew up a plan and got the Linga. When he was returning from there, he stopped on the way to have a bath. After bath and offering prayers, he couldn t remove the Shiva Linga, it was firmly fixed to the ground. The Shiva temple which is there now is believed to have cropped up at that time. The place was called Hrishingakulam (Hrishinga was the changed name of Devalan). It has now been shortened to Ernakulam.

The second is: Arjuna was performing penance to impress Shiva. To test him, Shiva disguised himself as a Kiratha a demon and just before Shiva appeared before Arjuna, he saw a boar running towards him. Arjuna, an ace hunter shot the boar. A dispute arose between Kiratha and Arjuna as to who shot the boar. After a long battle Kiratha emerged as the winner and then Arjuna realised that it is actually Shiva in disguise. Shiva and Parvathy together appeared and gifted Arjuna the Pashupathastram. The idol of Shiva is said to have emerged on its own.

The Shiva temple celebrates Mahashivarathri with great pomp and show. Remember that while entering the temple, men are supposed to take off their shirts.

Santhanagopala- Krishnaswamy Templ

Santhanagopala- Krishnaswamy Temple.

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One of the most famous temples is Kochi is the Santhanagopala - Krishnaswamy Temple. The temple has been dated to 947 AD according to the inscriptions found on the site. With well detailed carvings and sculptures adorn the walls of this age old temple. The chance to be in the same temple as bygone royalty has a charm of its own. Thousands of tourists visit this ancient and historic temple every year.

Parishath Thampuran Museum

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Once the Durbar Hall for the Rajas of Cochin, today it is the building for the Parishath Thampuran Museum. Constructed in the typical Kerala style of architecture the whole building is adorned with exquisite sculptures. This museum is famed for housing rare 19th century oil paintings, old coins, and exhibits of the royalty, sculptures and ancient Mughal paintings. The old world charm lingers for long after your visit to the museum.

Museum of Kerala History

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Another unique place to see is the Museum of Kerala History, on the Alwaye route. There is a very interesting light and sound show of one hour on the makers of Kerala history and the life size statues and sculptures in concrete. It showcases enchanting background music with a running commentary on the development of Kerala history till date. There is nominal entry fee but worth a visit.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Kashi Art Caf

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An art gallery and a cafe, this place is one of a kind - wherein you can admire art and also have a bite to eat. They serve excellent chocolate cakes, breakfast and lunch, coupled with nice music and a soothing ambience.

The cafe was started in 1997 in Fort Kochi by two art lovers Anoop Skaria and Dorrie Younger. In 2003, they expanded and got another space with the same objective in Mattancherry. The idea behind this is sure to touch the souls of all artists and art lovers. Kashi Art cafe provides a platform for all talented artists who have no support structure to bring their talent out in the spotlight. Established artists also display their work here. The profits from the cafe totally support art and cultural activities. This gallery has today become a milestone in the contemporary art scene in India.

Kaladi

The birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya, the town of Kaladi is close to Kochi. He is known to have lived during the 8th century AD and preached his theory of Advaita or monotheism. The most popular places to visit here are the Adi Sankara temple on the banks of the river Periyar and the 8 stories Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambam. The Samadhi of his mother is also enclosed within the precincts of the shrine. The stories of Adi Sankara’s life have been foretold in classical paintings that adorn the inner walls at Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambam.

Paradesi Synagogue

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This is known as the Jewish synagogue which is an important landmark in Cochin. It is one of the seven synagogues still in use in that particular area. It was built in the year 1568 and is preserved till today. It is the oldest synagogue. Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages to refer to foreigners. Historically, the synagogue was built by White Jews, a mixture of Jews, Cranganore, the Middle East and European exiles. Therefore, the name Paradesi Synagogue.

There are also some interesting things on display like several gold crowns received as gifts, many Belgian chandeliers and a brass-railed pulpit. It houses the copper plates of privileges written in Tamil, given by the ruler of the Malabar Coast to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese, 18th century, hand-painted porcelain tiles, all of which are unique. There is also an oriental rug a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian Emperor. The most visible part of the synagogue is the 18th century clock tower, which, along with other parts of the complex, underwent repair work between 1998 and 1999.

A tablet from the earlier synagogue in Kochangadi in Kochi (built in 1344) is placed on the outer wall of the Paradesi synagogue.

St Francis Church

St Francis Xavier's Church at Fort Kochi was built in the year 1503, by the Portuguese traders. They came here with Admiral Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, via the same route taken by the legendary Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who landed at Calicut in 1498. The Church is actually a quite modest, unpretentious structure. Architecturally, this church is not very jazzy, but it stands as a landmark of history and church architecture of India. Later, many churches were built in India keeping the Saint Francis Xavier Church of Cochin in mind.

Initially, the church was a simple wooden structure, dedicated to St Bartholomew. In 1506, the Raja of Cochin permitted the Portuguese Viceroy, Dom Francisco Almedia, to reconstruct the structure in stone. The new church was completed in 1516 and was dedicated to St Antony. The ownership of the Church of St Francis Xavier then passed into the hands of the protestant Dutch, who captured Kochi in 1663. They converted it into their government church and it remained in the possession of the Dutch until 1795.

Thereafter, its ownership passed to the British, when they captured Kochi from the Dutch. The church became a protected monument in 1923, under the Protected Monuments Act of 1904. In 1947, the congregation joined the Protestant Church of South India (CSI). St Francis Xavier's Church is also famous because Vasco-da-Gama, the first European to discover a route to India, died here in 1524 on his third visit and was buried in this church. Though his remains were shipped to Lisbon after 14 years, the gravestone is still seen here.

Santa Cruz Cathedral

The Santa Cruz Cathedral not only happens to be one of the oldest churches in Cochin, but also in the whole of India. Counted as one of the heritage edifices of Kerala, this church is visited by tourists the whole year round. It was built by the first Portuguese viceroy, Francesco de Almeida, when he arrived in Kochi way back in 1505. On 3 May that year, during the feast of the "Invention of the Holy Cross", the foundation stone of this church was laid and upon completion, it was christened as Santa Cruz Cathedral.

Later, when the Dutch conquered Cochin in 1663, they ruined all Catholic establishments except this particular cathedral and the famous church of St. Francis. In those days, the Santa Cruz Cathedral was used as an armoury. It was, however, later shattered in 1795, after the British took over the city. An elaborate granite pillar of this monumental cathedral was what remained after the destruction of the Santa Cruz Cathedral. The pillar is still kept on the south-eastern corner of the present Basilica.

At present, Santa Cruz Cathedral is one of the eight Basilicas in India. Recently in 2004, this cathedral completed its five centuries of existence. The architecture of the basilica is a blend of the Indo-European and the gothic style. The making of the pulpit and the wooden panelling of this cathedral is very impressive. Moreover, the Italian paintings dating from the time of the original foundation of the church adorning the interiors of the Santa Cruz Basilica give it a completely magnificent look.

The Church is known for its architecture and is any photographer’s delight, be it day or at night

Jew Town

It has been known that Jewish settled in Kochi as early as 700 BC for trade and commerce. The population rose and the reigning Hindu king gave them a whole area for their own town. Today Jew Town is a unique feature of Kochi. Even though a multitude of Jews immigrated to Israel or converted, the region is still a Jewish township and you can see the traditions, customs and the old world charm here. The Jewish Synagogue is a must see.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)

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Mattancherry Palace also known as Dutch Palace is located at a distance of 10km from Ernakulam city. The Palace is known for its medieval charm. It was built by the Portuguese and presented to Raja of Kochi, Veera Kerala Verma. It was called the Dutch Palace after the Dutch made some renovations and extensions on it. The Palace is also known for the Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, other paintings and exhibits of the kings.

The entrance to the Mattancherry Palace compound is through two arches which are typically Portuguese in character and a flight of steps through a portico on the south, gives access to a suite of public rooms on the upper level of the palace. The palace with two floors built around a central courtyard follows the traditional Kerala style of architecture known as 'nalukettus'. From the outside, the palace looks European in character with scraped masonry walls and round-headed windows and doors but its sloping tiled roof and wooden balconies are indigenous features. Ornately carved wooden ceilings are a constant feature here.

The palace is tastefully done up with paintings depicting different mythological scenes and also scenes from great Sanskrit works like Kalidasa s Kumarasambhavam

Kochi Beach

Kochi is known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. Spending time on the beach gives you a feel of the scenic beauty as well as the Chinese fishing nets. Take a walk along the beach and observe fishermen making a catch. In fact there are many restaurants out there who will serve you some good sea food.

The sea breeze will caress your cheeks, while the waves will eagerly wash off your footprints on the sand. And of course, you can bring out the child in you and indulge in building sand castles.

Every year a feast is organised in the month of December. This feast will leave you enchanted and you will surely carry back some fond memories. Tourists can also indulge in a lot of adventure sports like canoeing, catamaran sailing, kayaking, parasailing, scuba diving, snorkelling and wind surfing. The beach is at a distance of 12kms from Ernakulam city.

Cherai beach

The panoramic Cherai beach is at the end of Vypeen Island, one of the many tiny islands off the shoreline. This panoramic island can be easily reached by boat and land. This isolated yet enchanting beach is far away from commercial activities, cocooned by palm and coconut trees, azure waters and golden sand. There are a variety of water sports and beach activities to enjoy.

Wellingdon Island

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A visit to the man made, Willingdon Island is a must. Created in 1933 the island was constructed from dredged sand which came up while construction of Cochin Port was in progress. Named after Lord Willingdon, a former British envoy, today the island is the headquarters of Southern Naval Command while numerous luxury hotels offer a luxurious stay for tourists with the view of the backwaters

Bolghatty Palace

One of the oldest existing Palace built by the Dutch in India, Bolghatty Palace is located in the scenic island popularly known as Bolgatty island in Kochi, Kerala. In 1744 AD, Dutch traders built this villa and it was later extended, with lush green gardens landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor's palace for the Dutch and later in 1909, was leased to the British. It served as the home of the British Governors, the seat of the British Resident of Cochin during the British regime. In 1947, when India got her independence, the palace became the property of the state and was later converted into a heritage hotel resort and is now run by the KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation).

Set amidst lush, tropical greenery, this prestigious heritage hotel with spectacular scenery of the back waters all around is a place of quiet, laidback enchantment. The palace is a two-storied building with, well-decorated bedchambers and a huge lounge wherein historical portraits are displayed. The resort offers palace and executive suites, deluxe rooms, and honey moon and lake front cottages along the edge of the backwaters for stay. The guests can enjoy a beautiful calm and quiet environment with facilitates like a mini golf course, swimming pool, Ayurvedic center and daily Kathakali performances.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Sunday, August 28, 2011

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