Friday
I get ready early and after
breakfast, say good bye to this wonderful camp in a desert in a far
corner of India, where I have enjoyed superb hospitality and comfort
for last 3 days. I am simply amazed at the efficiency and planning of
the camp organizers, who have made this camp a grand success. Our Bus
leaves for Bhuj and has a mandatory stop at Bhirandiyara again. This
time, I get down and buy some 'Mawa', a tasty treat made from milk. I
reach Bhuj around 11 AM and check in the hotel. I decide to spend the
day seeing sights from this ancient city, which derives its name from
Bhujiyo Dungar, (Serpant Hill) a 160 Meter high hill that overlooks
the city, and is said to be the residence of the Great Serpent
Bhujang, to whom a temple stands at the top of the hill.
From the 8th to 16th centuries,
Kutch was ruled by the Samma Rajputs from Sindh, during what is
considered to be Sindh's Golden Age. As the power center in Sindh
declined, there were a series of complicated successions and
intro-familial murders and intrigues, eventually leading to
ascension of Lakho Jadeja, descended from the Samma Rajputs, to the
throne as kings. From then on, the monarchy was known as the Jadeja
Rajputs, who ruled directly from Kutch, not from Sindh. In 1549
Khengarji I moved the capital from Anjar to Bhuj, given its strategic
location in the center of Kutch and Bhuj came into being.
During Mughal dominance followed by
British Raj, Jadeja kings of Bhuj always managed to retain there
independence to certain extent and this reflects into the
individuality of this city. From the times of Lakhpatiji in
eighteenth century, successive rulers of Bhuj, added many palaces in
the city and did much for the beautification of the city. However a
series of earth quakes happening on regular basis had been the
biggest detriment for everything that has been built in Bhuj and
palaces were no exceptions. The most disastrous Earthquake of them
all happened on 16 June 1819, followed by other ones in 1844-45 and
1864. Next big one struck in 2001. These earthquakes have flattened
or extensively damaged most of the old buildings in Kutch.
Aina Mahal
For a tourist, Bhuj is an an ideal
place, because most of the places worth seeing are located all around
a central lake called Hamisar lake. Only last year, this lake had
overflown and I was expecting it to hold reasonable amount of water.
So, after having for my lunch of so called “Kutchi Pao-Bhaji,” I
decide to start my Bhuj sight seeing, with a visit to Aina Mahal
(hall of Mirors) located on one of the banks of the lake. I hire a 3
wheeler, an extremely noisy and uncomfortable type of transport and
reach the Aina mahal. It is well described in most travel guides and
I quote:
“Aina
Mahal Palace was built by Rao Lakhpatji in 1750 AD. Aina Mahal is a
part of a large palace complex. It is a two storey building with
Darbar Hall, hall of mirrors, and suites for royal family. In the
18th century, the Rao Lakhpatji sent a local craftsman Ramsingh Malam
to Europe to perfect his skills in glassmaking, enamelling, tile
making and iron founding. After he returned back, he constructed the
Aina Mahal with the hall of mirrors of Venetian glass. The Hall of
mirror has white marble walls which are covered with mirrors and
gilded ornaments and the floor is lined with tiles. The design and
decoration of the Aina Mahal was due to the efficiency of Ramsingh
Malam. The platform above the floor is surrounded by a series of
fountains operated by an elaborated system of pumps below a Venetian
chandelier. Aina Mahal is a unique example of an Indian palace built
in the mid-eighteenth century with European influence.”
Bass relief carvings on the exterior walls of Aina mahal
Unfortunately, great disappointment
awaits me. Being a Government holiday on account of Eid, the palace
is closed for visitors. I have to remain satisfied with few
photographs of the exterior, which is not very inspiring.
Pragji Mahal
The
palace next door is known as Prag
Mahal. It was constructed by Rao Pragmalji II (1838-76 AD) and was
designed by a famous British architect, Colonel Henry Saint Wilkins,
who also had designed many buildings from my home town Pune, like
Deccan College, Sasoon Hospital, Ohel David Synagogue. It seems that
Prag Mahal took about 10 years to get built at the cost of 20 lakh
Rupees. May be, because of my familiarity with similar buildings in
Pune, and in particular to the Main building of University of Mumbai
with its clock tower, I am not much impressed with this building.
Even the cornices or ledges on top of pillars look similar.
Fortunately for me, the palace is open for visitors. I buy an entry
ticket and move in.
It is a
typical palace museum for a small time ruler of a princely state.
Usual things like carpets, period furniture, darbar (court) hall,
paintings, utensils, hunting trophies, guns, toys for the young once
and so on. In one corner I found a series of reprints of paitings
done by one of the great Indian painter of that period, Raja
Ravivarma. Someone had added semiprecious jewels on the reprints
making them unique and worth while to see. From the terrace of the
palace I can view the Hamisar lake. Unfortunately, there is almost no
water in the lake because of the scanty rainfall this year. A major
water tank near the palace known as 'Ramkund' also is dry and empty.
A solitary, wheeled gun is seen next to the front porch of this
palace, perhaps the only mute witness to all the damge done by the
earthquakes.
Ramkunda
Opposite Prag
Mahal, there is another but much dilapidated palace known as 'Rani
Mahal' (Queens palace). Series of earth quakes have taken their toll
on this palace and today it is not safe even for entry. It has some
nice architectural features such as windows with beautiful lattice
workmanship, balconies and door frames. I spend few minutes admiring
the Rani Mahal. My next stop is 'Kutch Museum,' which is supposed to
have been founded by Maharao Khengarji III in 1877 AD. The museum
has a large collection of Kshatrapa inscriptions, various
archaeological objects, arms and specimens of various crafts of the
Kutch region. Bad luck keeps following me, as I find the doors closed
because of the holidays.
Rani Mahal
Since I have
time on hand, I visit Swaminarayan temple, a huge glitzy kind of set
up, constructed fully with white marble and hundreds of full relief
sculptures on pillars and walls. The sculptures look like printed
pictures with the lips of figures painted red and with a mandatory
vermillion coloured dot on the foreheads. The temple has a huge
following of disciples, and there is a great crowd of devotees. I
move on next to 'Chhatardi,' which is supposed to be a memorial for
past kings of Kutch. These memorials have been so much destroyed by
the earth quakes, that they have built a stone wall around them. I
can only have a look from a distance and manage to take some
photographs.
Chhatardi
Before
returning to my hotel, I loiter around the main market and indulge in
little bit of shopping. Later, after having a sumptuous dinner, I go
to sleep early as I have to leave tomorrow morning for a destination,
250 Km away from Bhuj. The place, I am planning to visit, was a
thriving and prosperous metropolis of 20,000 people, about 5000 years
ago.
(To be
concluded)
7th
February 2013
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