Friday, May 8, 2009

Vidyaranya Temple Building at Sringeri




“My soul lies with the Gods here, only my physical being is in my hamlet. My Gods, Lord Basaveshvara and Shilanthavva, will uplift us all. They are great levellers,” says Thyagamani of S Doddapura, a small hamlet adjacent to Mallinathapura village of Malavalli taluk in Mandya district.


Thyagamani’s piety is understandable as she is speaking just after the end of Mallinathapura’ s Thatte Habba, the village festival, celebrated once in two years to worship Lord Basaveshvara and Shilanthavva. Ten families of S Doddapura, including that of Thyagamani’s, are vokkalus (devotees) of Mallinathapura’ s Basaveshvara and Shilanthavva.


What sets apart Thatte Habba, also known as Dodda Habba, from the region’s scores of other festivals is the swing, its greatest attraction.


Thattes are actually nearly 50-feet high arecanut palms erected at the four corners of a square-like space at the village entrance. A rope made of buffalo skin, known as mili, is suspended in the middle of the enclosure and to this is notched up a wooden plank seven feet above the ground.


In order to swing, one has to first squat on the wooden plank and then somebody has to give the plank a shove. The individual on the plank stands up as the swing reaches one end of the space, then squats as it reaches the centre, only to rise again as it reaches the other end, lending momentum. A truly exhilarating experience!


The four thattes are more than mere totems of the kinship binding Mallinathapura’ s three major castes: the Urs community, Kurubas and Dalits. The first two are provided by Dodattis and Chikkattis, the Urs sub-groups, the third by Kurubas and the fourth by Dalits.


Kenchegowda, a Kuruba, explained that like every year, this year too all the Kurubas had pooled in their resources to get the arecanut palm. Though residents of neighbouring Kanikalli hamlet, the deities of the Kurubas — Kalyana Basaveshvara, Shilanthavva and Mugamashnamma — are in Mallinathapura.


Thatte Habba’s division of labour is emphatic. As Kenchegowda said, his people play the thamate and dance to its rhythm. “Our job cannot be done by them and we can’t perform their roles,” he observed. Even if one community refuses to participate, the habba won’t take off, he added.


For Mahadevaiah, a Dalit, the festival is an occasion to commune with his kith and kin and offer his prayers to gramadevathe for a bountiful harvest.


There were signs of trouble at this year’s festival. For the first time ever, police were present to ward off any untoward incident.


The new development could either be for good or worse. But it was an indication that the festival is no more the same, Puttaraje Urs, a resident of the village, said.

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Saturday, May 2, 2009

Hotel Shiv Niwas Palace




Hotel Shiv Niwas Palace is located inside original Palace Compound. Located on the edge of Lake Pichola,the view is simply impressive and magnificent. Today the palace is categorised as Grand Heritage (equivalent to 5 Star Deluxe) Hotel. Having won 3 times the Best Hotel Award in its category,it boast of providing an exclusive feel of regality and one of the most memorable stay.
Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel Udaipur's suites are decorated with antique fixtures and furnishings from the Royal collection of the house of Mewar. The HOtel offers luxurious 31 Rooms including 14 Deluxe Rooms,8 Terrace Suites,4 Historic Suites,3 Royal Suites and 2 Imperial Suites. The Suites at Shiv Niwas are furnished with Chandeliers,Vintage Paintings and Murals.
With all the comforts,peace and calm,guests at the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel Udaipur are just a short stroll away from the City Palace,one of the largest in the country and now converted into a fascinating museum.


Location :
Nearest Airport : 26 kms. from airport
Nearest Railway Station : 4 kms. from railway station By Road : 1 km from down town area

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Umaid Bhawan Palace




Umaid Bhawan Palace is popularly called Chittar Palace by the local public. The foundation of this grand piece of architecture was laid on 18th November 1929 by Maharaja Umed Singh. The Palace hotel subtly blends Rajput and Victorian architecture. Lush lawns and countryards,picturesque ceilings,marble corridors,treasure troves,hunting trophies of yesteryears along with regal pictures.
The palace was built on the Chittar Hills in South Eastern direction of the City and it took about 16 years and one crore twenty one lac rupees for completion. Today it has been into 3 functional parts,one having a five-star hotel,one is the residence of the royal family and the rest of the part has been made a museum.
At the Marwar Hall,a wide choice of Indian,Continental and Rajasthani specialties can be enjoyed. The swimming pool,dancing hall and grand lawns,the clock museum,theatre,underground hospital and the central hall reflect their own timeless beauty. The palace covers over 26 acres,out of which constructed area is 3.5 acres and 15 acres have been devoted to lawns.

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Narayan Niwas Palace


Built more than a century ago,to facilitate trade with Afghanistan and Persia,the Narayan Niwas Palace is a gargantuan sandstone structure in the middle of the endless Thar Desert. Today a hotel,Narayan Niwas Palace is a testimony of a bygone royal era and today represents a hallmark hospitality.
Narayan Niwas Palace stands majestically in the rugged terrain of Jaisalmer,overlooking the town having a magnificent view of the Jaisalmer Fort. Exquisite carvings of Narayan Niwas Palace on yellow sandstone,of which the buildings are constructed blends in the perfect harmony with the Golden City of Jaisalmer.
The hotel has 43 Air-conditioned rooms with all the modern facilities including a multicuisine restaurant serving Indian,Chinese,Continental,and authentic Rajasthani dishes. Bar of hotel Narayan Niwas Palace is ideal to enjoy your high spirits the say the people do in the Desert,where evenings call for celebrations and merriment. Jeep and camel safari are available for the willing tourists.

Location :
5 km from Airport,Jaisalmer.
3 km from Railway Station,Jaisalmer.
500m from Bus Stand,Jaisalmer.

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Khimsar Fort




Khimsar Fort was constructed by Rao Karamsiji in 1523 A.D. and is currently being occupied by his 20th direct descendant. Perched on the edge on the great Thar Desert,it stands majestically amidst the acres of lawns. The battlescarred walls and turrets remind one of its Glorious past. Today the khimsar fort ranks high amongest the premier classified heritage hotels of india.
The royal retreat offers you 50 luxurious rooms for the memorable stay at this Heritage Hotel. Each of the rooms is air-conditioned with both hot and cold water equipped with the basic facilities like the refrigerators and telephone lines and 24-hour room service. Other facilities include locker and bank facility,international phones and fax. All the major credit cards are accepted here.

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Bidar Fort


In the medieval times Bidar belonged to the Chalukyan branch who established their capital in 977 A.D. at Kalyani, 57 kms away. Falling to the Yadavas of Devagiri (Daulatabad) and to the Kakatiyas of Warangal in 1322 A.D., Bidar fully rose to prominence under the sultanate regime.
The imposing fort of Bidar is a magnificent fort, the main gateway of which was originally built by Bahamani Sultan Ahmad Shah Wali in 1429 AD. Further improvements to the citadel were carried out by the Barid Shahi Sultans. Ahmad Shah Wali (1422 - 35) the ninth Bahamani Sultan decided to shift his capital from Gulbarga to Bidar for reasons of health.
Palaces, pavilions and seraglios; lush gardens, decorated fountains and perfumed baths have all the trappings of an Arabian Nights fantasy when Bidar was ruled by the Bahamanis and the Barid Shahi Sultans of the Deccan. Sprawled on a plateau 2, 200 feet above sea level and overlooking the Manjira River Valley, cool and exhilarating Bidar was most certainly a part of ancient Vidharba mentioned in the Mahabharata. The fort is surrounded by three miles of walls with 37 bastions, most of them surmounted with cannons. This fort was a source of irritation to the Mughal rulers of Delhi, and was finally conquered by Aurangazeb. The fort now lies in ruins.

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Havelis of Jaisalmer


Jaisalmer town in India was founded by Prince Jaisal Bhatti. It is located deep in the heart of the Thar desert. Centuries ago Jaisalmer's strategic position on the camel train routes brought it's townspeople enormous wealth that they spent on building intricately carved palaces and temples in golden-yellow sandstone.
These fortresses of Jaisalmer called as "Havelis of Jaisalmer" are like a mirage from the barren Thar Desert. It feels as if you had travelled back in time - straight into the fairy tale of 1001 nights.
On either side of the narrow lanes are the sandstone havelis, with stone carvings, screen windows, delicate pavilions & balconies. These beautiful Havelis ( mansions ) were built by Jaisalmer's wealthy merchants.
Some of them to count are 'Patwon ki Haveli', the most elaborate and magnificent of all the Jaisalmer havelis and 'Salim Singh ki Haveli' that is about 300 years old and is still partially lived in.

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