Saturday, February 25, 2012

Visit to Aurangabad: Daulatabad, Ajanta-Ellora & Shri Ghrishneshwar Jotirling

During the span of 761 years from 1187, Aurangabad saw the rise and fall of 8 kingdoms: Yadav, Khilji, Tughlaq, Bahamani, Nizam Shahi, Mughal, Asafjahi & Marathas. In 1724, it came under the Nizam of Hyderabad, who laid the foundation of Asafjahi dynasty. Aurangabad remained with Nizam till 16 September 1948 excepting for 2 years from 1760 to 1762, when it was captured by Sadashivrao Bhau Peshwa after defeating Nizam in the battle at Udgir. On 17th September 1948 Hyderabad state (including Aurangabad) became the part of Independent India.


17th Feb.
Arrived Aurangabad at 4.45 pm by Air India flight No.442 along with Venita. Accommodated in the Police mess. It is a well equipped mess. The name of our room was 'Mahur'. I had nostalgic memories of the place known as Mahur in NC hills,a district of Assam, where I was posted at the forward post of Baladhan, a hilly trek of over 10 Kms from Mahur. As the climb to Baladhan was steep I had to stay for the night in a post on way to it for the night and proceeded to Baladhan next day. I was the Wing Commander of Baladhan group of posts on Assam (NC hills), Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura border. My task was to track down the Nagas, hostile to the Indian State in the area. I used to stay in the bamboo and straw made 10x12 feet house with improvised and attached toilet. I took food from the mess of the post and paid for it on a monthly basis. I had come to Baladhan on posting as Assistant Commandant of the 4th Assam police battalion. I had come there after 15 days of my arranged marriage leaving my wife at Fatehpur/Allahabad. I had been given 15 days casual leave by the the then IGP Assam on request of my would- be- father-in-law to get married with his daughter. I had to come back to Assam at the end of the leave. We could hardly know each other before we were separated. She was not even 19 and I was about 26. My father-in-law was much worried about the posting as the area was infested with hostile elements.He had earlier commanded a PAC battalion in the area. I used to patrol the difficult terrain along with the 4th Assam Police battalion officers and men. However I did not have any encounter with the hostile elements during my stay of about three months in the area. In the Baladhan post my companion was a pharmacist doctor with whom I used to play cards. The other occupation was to receive and read very long letters of Venita. These were first read by SIB officers at Mahur and thereafter by me. The same was the fate of my long letters, sometime running into 15-20 pages. These were also read by the intelligence officers before being posted back to her. We wrote about moon, moonlit nights, clouds, green forests,  flora, fauna and the people of Baladhan village. I  wrote about a Naga woman who was known as Baladhan queen. She had been physically abused by my predecessor, perhaps under promise of marriage , but he never married her. During a patrol,I saw her one day carrying a load of twigs on her back in advanced stage. She looked into my eyes. I did not understand what she was communicating. Perhaps she wanted to see the new Area Commander,successor to her beau. It was mentioned that she was carrying the child of my predecessor. But I did not see any remorse in her face. According to a custom in the Naga village, the boys and girls select their own partners after a live-in relationship. They do not marry unless there is physical and mental compatibility. I thought the villagers were far more advanced. She came along with the villagers on the date of my farewell and danced. She danced in her advanced stage of pregnancy. I felt quite bad. My predecessor should not have left her behind.He was a Muslim. She could be taken as a second wife legally. I wrote in great details about her, the Naga village and their customs to Venita. She wrote me back that we were backward as we still went with the system of arranged marriage. 
During my stay at Baladhan I planted a tree and gave it the name of my wife. I am told it had grown big in last over 45 years and still called Venita. She is happy to know it. 
That was just by the way. The name 'Mahur', brought in above memories. Although I do not have the letters written by us, but have vivid memories of their contents and can write pages after pages on them. Jaymith tells me to write memoirs. Let me see if I can do it. 
Shanno rang up and informed that her cataract operation had been done. The main object of visit to Aurangabad was to worship Ghrishneshwar Jotirling on the Maha Shivratri day, the Monday, the 20th Feb.2012. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, where lord Shiva appeared on the prayers of devotees to take care of  them. Only one Jyotirling remains to be seen by Venita. I have also seen and worshiped quite a few along with her. Retired to sleep at 10pm. 


18th Feb.
Visited Ajanta, about 120 Kms. from Aurangabad. It took over 3 hours to see the important caves. In cave no.1, the painting of Bodhisatva Padampani is the most famous fresco. It is 3 dimensional. Adjacent to it is Bodhisatva Bajrapani. They were the disciples of Buddha. In the middle of the two is a big statue of Buddha carved in the stone. In cave no.26 is the image of 7 meter long reclining Buddha. The image of Apsara decorating herself with a mirror is unique. Her necklace is reflected in the light of the mirror in cave no.1. All the fresco were done from 2nd century BC to 7th Century AD. 
The story of Ajanta sculpture/paintings begins with the patronage of the Buddha and his teachings by the then kings of 2nd century BC and ends with the loss of it in 6th/7th century AD,when the Shavism and Vaishnvism rose in ancient India. The caves were deserted after the Muslim rulers came in the picture and lost in thick growth of jungles over/around them. It is in the 19th century that an English man, Smith, on hunt in the area noticed them and thereafter they were resurrected.
Visited Biwi ka Makbara, said to be the Taj Mahal of the South. I would say that it is not even an apology for the Taj Mahal of Agra. Panchakki is unique. Retired to sleep at 11pm.


19th Feb.
Visited Karna/Tulja Devi/Jagrat Hanuman temples at karnapura. The Karna/Tulja devi temple was setup repotedly by the Rajput chieftains who came along with Mughal emporer Auranjzeb to Aurangabad, formerly known as Devgiri. After the temples, visited Daulatabad fort and Durga devi temple inside it. The fort speaks about the 8 dynasties which came and went, ruling the area from time to time. The fortification is perfect. Even then it was broken by the invading armies. Visited Taleswar Shiv temple. Venita bought bedshits/shawls from a silk mill outlet. After lunch visited Nipat Maharaj mandir. When you look at the statue of Nipath maharaj, you feel as if he is going to talk to you. It is so real and unique. Noticed some gates of Aurangabad. We were told that there were as many as 52 gates. it appears the whole of Aurangabad was surrounded by a big fort like wall where the entry and exit were regulated through its gates. 382nd birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj was celebrated with an official function as well as separately by Shiv Sena in Aurangabad today. Venita watched Filmfare awards on TV. Retired to sleep at 11.15pm.


20th Feb.
Visited Ghrishneshwar Jotirling and did Puja. As it was a Shivratri day we did it with a crowd inside the temple pushing us here and there. It was unlike a Puja we did at other Jyotirling temples. I informed about it to the Commissioner of police who was not happy with the officers and men who were present at the time of our Puja. I told him that they were not at fault. It was due to crowding of the temple on the occasion of Shivratri day. After the Puja we went to Bhadra Maruti temple. Here you will see Hanuman in sleeping posture. You find him in such a posture in another place at Sangam in Allahabad. 
Thereafter we went to Ellora caves where we saw 3 groups of caves : Buddhist, Hindu & Jain. In the Hindu group you find depiction of stories of Ramayan & Mahabharat. Besides you also see stories from the life of Lord Shiva. Buddhist & Jain caves repeat Jataka stories which you see in Ajanta Caves also.
Our guides in Ajanta & Ellora were from the Archaeology department and charged us a sum of Rs.300/- for each. The private guides charged Rs.800/- for one hour but were not as thorough as the Archaeological Survey of India attendants. Retired to sleep at 11pm.






21st Feb.
Called on the Commissioner of Police. Earlier he was curt about our calling on him. But when he came to know that his Director General of police had worked with me for over 3 years as SP in CBI, he spread out a sumptuous breakfast which I did not touch and had just a cup of coffee. I had already taken  breakfast. Venita could not accompany as her stomach was upset. She went to Nashik to put up with her brother till 25th. I flew back to Delhi by Air India 442 at 5pm. Unpacked at home and retired to sleep at 11pm.

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