And a Designer ... too - Sabyasachi

Keya Dutt

(This is an article printed in the city magazine, Kolkata, many years back.)

Sabyasachi Mukherjee or Sabya, is a now a world renowned fashion designer who regularly shows in India, UK, USA and have buyers from the West, Japan and of course India. This talented multi faceted man, a fashion designer par excellence, is now increasingly involved in designing the clothes and the sets of huge Bollywood films. Now that his brand is well established, he is opening fashion stores all over India.

80/2 Topsia South is Sabyasachi’s address for the new fashion store for bridal wear. The heavy door at the address was artfully dilapidated and swung back smoothly and I was struck by the oasis of silence as I entered the cool, high ceiling store. Sabyasachi welcomed me and to my comment on the noisy traffic outside, said, “I want people to come in from the jams, horns and bad roads outside, to this.”

The first thing one sees on entering the store is a huge antique mirror with baroque carved wooden frame on one entire wall opposite the front door. A long corridor with an antique wooden garden seat leads to the store proper. Walls of charcoal grey as he later said, “This is the perfection in imperfection, the grey is asymmetrically applied.” A collection of rare black and white framed photographs of tragedy kings and queens of the silver screen of yester years are artistically arranged in clusters on the wall with an antique porcelain wall plate or two. Later Sabyasachi said he had personally collected the photographs from Chor Bazar in Bombay and had been gifted a few from friends as well, “All of them are original. I hunted and hunted for them.” The corridor opens to a dark stone floored, large room with a sunken fountain in the centre. Low hung ceiling lights, on long wires gathered over the left end raised tiers where he intends to have mannequins stand in his creations. The interior of Sabyasachi’s new bridal store with its unparalleled beauty is certainly worth a visit just to feast one’s eyes on the interior designing.

Sabyasachi was as unassuming and cordial as his reputation had him. Before we sat down for the interview proper that he had an indefatigable eye for detail was evident in the directions he gave to his staff, later he said, “My body cannot keep up with my thoughts and ideas”.

That he is creative, is of course taken for granted, that he had a good sense of humor is discernible in his creations and certainly that he has a sound business sense is obvious. But his sense of almost spiritual detachment came as a surprise as did his sensitivity and his clear sense of being a man of destiny.

Sabyasachi has not only created a sensation in the world of fashion, but also in the world of films and surprisingly, in the publishing world. He has designed a book and that in itself is a rarity among fashion designers.

One of the reasons I looked forward to meeting you was the wonderful book design for the English translation of Moner Moto Maye for Random House that is already considered a collector’s item in its stunning use of fabric on cover, the size and shape of the book, its layout and its designing value. How did you go about it?

When they told me they were going to do this book, I had a really simple idea. I love train travel by night and I like to give a certain flavor in whatever I do. I imagined a Communist, a poet, sitting and reading a love story in a midnight train and leaving behind the book. Some random stranger picks it up and starts reading it … So the book should look age stained, it should have an old fashioned cover like a dowdy grandfather’s book that has seen age.

You are a fashion designer, a book designer and now an interior designer too … the sensational design of the store we are in!

That is the beauty of designing.

Where else are you opening?

We are opening a series of fashion stores all over India. Before Diwali we open at Ogan on Lake View Road in South Calcutta. In October sometime I open at Carma in the heritage Qutub area of Delhi. We will use the lawn there at all times and for the opening have a Quawali on the roof. The entire collection will be on display in the fashion store at Kala Ghoda in Bombay opening around November. With a lot of Khadi, so I can change the taste of my general clientele and to make a progressive fashion statement. I am aiming to revive Khadi.

Where do you source your material from?

I am sourcing from all over India. The beauty of designing is its sourcing, the more different places you go to, the better you source. So I am sourcing things from everywhere, from the Punjab Pakistan border, Kerala, the villages of Madhya Pradesh, from Koraput which is in the Orissa-MP Border area. In fact I have done a film with Mani Ratnam using tribal textile from all over India. I am going through this big Khadi revival thing.

Can we go back to your beginning? I read that you are from St. Xavier’s Calcutta?

If you trace back the beginning, I am actually from Chandanagore. I studied in a little school there called Sri Aurobindo Vidyamandir and came to St. Xavier’s in Calcutta. Essentially I am not a Calcutta boy although people like to believe so.

Which class were you in when you came here?

Class XI to study Economics, I dropped two, three years at the time. The dichotomy is that I was a brilliant student but I was just not interested in studies and. I should say that I was not interested in that sort of education, because I believe that the globe is your classroom and I am still learning everyday.

But as a Bengali how difficult it is to be anything but a Lawyer, Engineer, Economist and Doctor…

And you know why it was even more difficult? I come from a family of educationists, with my father’s elder brother and his wife as Professors of Bengali and everyone in my mother’s family being doctors. I was literally the black sheep of the family. My grandmother, who is very conservative, was the only one who supported me as a child (in trying to live my dreams). My parents used to stay in Kakinada then and I would come to stay with my grandmother in Calcutta. We shared a great bond. She was the first person I told that I want to be a designer - I would tell her that all I want to do is dress up women and she would say, ‘always do what you like.’ Of course she would also say, ‘when there is so much else to do, why do you want to be a Darzi?’ I guess what is to be will be.

Even if you were called (searching for a word)?

(Laughs)Sissy is the word.

To go back to your designs using big Communist symbols on your trademark subtle line presented at New York, were these in any way reflective of your political views?

I am not a Communist. The New York show was basically a satire on the entire elitism of fashion. Using Communist symbols in an elitist fashion show was almost a paradox. I was just having fun. I had just finished reading The Kite Runner and was very inspired by Afghanistan, how its people live and I was then very bored with fashion. It was a direct conflict between the cerebral me which is constantly trying to do better things and the commercial part of me that is trapped in fashion. So you can say the New York show was a kind of outburst for me.

I also read that you have been influenced by Paresh Maity the painter, about your girl nerd concept?

The girl nerd is something I have been doing forever. More than Paresh it has to do with my favorite character from a film and a book. If you have read Erich Segal’s Love Story, the heroine wears glasses … I love the book and –

(Interrupting) You are a Romantic then?

I’m a romantic and if I am not a romantic then I could not have designed anything … not the book cover that the Communist poet leaves behind … Of course in this case, I am the one who finds the book left behind (symbolically). I found the (girl) look from the Love Story. The (nerd) girl with glasses, I find spectacles unapologetic and sexy.

It is amazing to see how wide your interest is. I wonder if all fashion designers have the same sensibilities as you, or is it that your difference has made you go so far ahead?

You know, as I go on I realize how relevant is Tagore. There is a poem by him which tells of the poet traveling the whole wide world looking for beauty, but only when he returns home does he find beauty in the dew drop on the leaf just outside his door. So it is that in their quest for beauty, people create such ornamental extravaganza that they forget to celebrate the mundane. That’s why what I do has become a rarity and that’s all I do. I try to find humor in what I do, I tell you something, in Ray’s film even an insect crawling on a leaf becomes a character. I think that is why I have gone ahead; the power of individual observation in finding beauty. I haven’t forgotten the mundane. For me it is not a rarity. I have done nothing spectacular I am only connecting people with what they have forgotten about. Sometimes after a show, my clients cry, not in sadness but in catharsis. I realize that sometimes fashion can become the cloak for your insecurities; when one is lonely, or not in a relationship. And you know for everyone there has to be something or someone special. When I am at a wedding I am constantly searching for that one special girl with oil in her hair, in cotton Khadi sari. She really doesn’t care about what others are wearing. For me that woman is an aspiration. When I make my fashion presentation I make a personal connect between that woman and my customers and that’s why I have loyalists who come back to me time and again, which is a very reassuring factor, I am not just the flavor of the month.

Why are you opening so many fashion stores all across the country and all at once?

That is my recession strategy. Over the last few years I have been quietly and strongly building up my brand and today I have a lot to say about clothing. Recession is a time of opportunity, this is the time that big empires fall and the small ones come up. I am a good businessman and a fantastic strategist … business is like flying a kite, sometimes you have to hold tight and rein in and sometimes you have to let go of the string to fly high. As it says in a song by Kenny Rogers ‘every hand is a winner and every hand a loser.’

As I said earlier, I never knew there could be fashion designers with your sensitivity.

I come from a very middle class background … this evolution is because my feet are pinned and nailed to the ground, thanks to my no nonsense family. Very early in life I have seen absolutely no money and then I have seen more money than I can ever imagine. I have very few friends, most of them are from the days before I became Sabyasachi, like he. (Indicating a quiet man who had been watching the interview) I realize success is very transient, after you have seen the rock bottom, sense prevails. I have been yanked up and made to grow up very early in life, and my family has helped to keep me rooted.

How did your family take to the designer Sabyasachi?

My mother is one of those impoverished artists from the Government Art College and she has never commercialized her passion. She wasn’t keen on me becoming a designer because she thought I will waste (my talents) as she did. My father is a chemical engineer, a stickler for academic excellence, if I got less than 95% in math I would be punished; yet he has always supported me. It just goes to show the dichotomy of life.

It is strange and rare, especially as you come from a family of educationists.

You know what; few people know that I went through chronic depression for about 3 years, in trying to find myself, Self expression is such an antidote for depression and if you don’t know what you are, what you want, you feel stifled, trapped. My father understood that. Contrary to his profession, my father would make me bunk school and take me to see Disney films at the Tiger cinema hall. He always knew I was different, not someone who could be tied down to Rs.25000 desk job. So when I sat down and explained to him post my depression …

(Interrupting) When did the depression come?

It came right after school at Xavier’s, 3 years in a row and every year I would drop out and my father would beg the school to take me back. I think my parents sensed that there was a conflict which they were not being able to understand. My parents are very simple people without much exposure but their awareness transcends all barriers of class, creed and education. For a middle class father to know that his son was feeling trapped and how to let the son pursue his dreams is very commendable. When I started there was no established fashion business, there was no success story of a middle class boy coming out of nowhere and becoming a star. Like golf, fashion was considered a rich man’s domain. I had a huge conviction in myself that I had a calling. I made a little pact with my father that if in two years I cannot achieve what I set out to do, I will return and do whatever he wanted me to do. And I did it in one year, 8 months actually. Today I think my calling is probably not only in fashion, but in something more profound, I like teaching, you never know, I might just start teaching.

Designing film sets, designing books, and of course fashion, so what do you consider your asset?

You know today a Chennai journalist was asking me to comment on whether I think India is fashion backward. I thought it is bliss that we are backward. If being fashion forward means we end up being clones. But no, we still have our independent identities. In today’s context that is an asset.

It’s a silly question …

Nothing is silly, tell me, tell me.

You are a person who seems remarkably sensitive to your society, your country, what do you consider to be your role?

Many a night I awake with some problem and I ask myself do I really have to go through with all this … to be cash rich and profitable I don’t have to go through the endless headaches. But I know I have a destiny. Today my brand is the most copied. I am the most copied designer in the country, every single sari shop in the country which stores non-Bengali saris have copies of my clothes. But I feel good that directly or indirectly I am responsible for so many livelihoods. Also we are now working with Khadi, working with textile conservation (in association) with a lot of government departments. I also realize that in India nothing sells better than Bollywood. In all the 3 films I am doing, be it set designs or clothes, whether it is with Mani Ratnam, or with Sanjay Leela Bhansali; I am using woven Khadi, and Mani Ratnam’s film is totally in tribal textiles. I know that after the films are out there will be a huge demand for tribal textile and that is what I am consciously doing to help the poverty stricken tribal people of India.

As I leave I wonder how is it that such a creative man; head bristling with ideas; sensitivity, humility and consciousness about the far reaching effect of what he does - how can such a man be merely called a fashion designer? He is truly a Renaissance man, a man with a destiny and a well read man with a good sense of humor with whom it was a pleasure to spend time, in conversation.

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Yellow rice

Ketaki DuttPaul

This is a simple recipe from my grandmother’s great aunt Binapani Mitra.

Ingredients:

1 cup leftover cooked Rice

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic (optional)

1 tsp Rye & Jeera mixed

½ tsp Red Chilies

½ tsp Haldi powder

½ tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

Lemon juice as required (optional)

1 tbsp Oil

Method:

In pan heat oil, add rye and jeera. Let it splutter.

Add chopped onions, garlic and cook for about 1-2 mins till pink.

Next add all dry masalas, salt, Rice and chopped coriander.

Sprinkle lemon juice and mix well.

Serve hot with papad and raita or eat it the traditional Sindhi way (by it self).

Keep it simple, keep it Sindhi.

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Gun Island

A review by Ketaki Dutt-Paul

The expectations from a Jnanpeeth award winner will always be high. The expectation from Amitav Ghosh who is the award winner will always be that much higher. Gun Island is the latest from him and yet …he fails to past muster.

I feel guilty in saying that because in my opinion if there is any who can claim the position of the best contemporary story teller in the world, it is he. The author’s literary prowess, his brilliant lyrical linguist’s skill, his visionary imagery painted with words is what went towards the Jnanpeeth award. He has brought visions of Bengal to the fore and he has brought the battle of the discovery of the medicines to kill mosquitoes to our minds, the walk on the wild side of Myanmar or the dancing in Cambodia to those of us who barely awakened to the world that exists in the East; is undeniably Amitav Ghosh’s. And he has brought us the pain of the immigrant in land fringed by the blue seas and the bluest of blue skies of Mauritius.

It is Amitav Ghosh who brought us the Sunderbans in The Hungry Tide this is the world which not many were aware of before he wrote about it. He reintroduces some of the characters who appear in Gun Island, for instance, Piya who is as close to being a narrator/protagonist as the author permits any of his carefully painted characters to occupy in the plethora of characters that peopled his books. Crowded as the Sunderbans are the characters who pepper the books, competing with the Gangetic river dolphins, the author delineates as marvelously as he always does.

Gun Island is like the ‘Satyanarayan Katha’ that many of the readers from Bengal are familiar with in the simple moralistic legends of the Puja recited by a priest at home. It is the story of the ship wrecked captain, the riches to rags tale of the cursed one, the immigrant’s tale of the modern refugee whose destinies are daily reminders of Lennon’s of the impossibility of ‘Imagine’. The world of symbolism, socio anthropology is vividly captured by the author through the mystical eye of the snake who arches overhead of the local myth of the one eyed Manasa, the goddess of snakes. The vengeful goddess who can kill at will or revive at grudging pace that those who live in the Sunderbans are familiar with and is breathed into life, by the author.

The Gun Island is like an epic poem with many separate tales from Sunderbans, Kolkata, USA, and Italy. Relying on magic realism the author uses symbols and raw images to pull the widely divergent threads into the weft and the warp of one ropey strand. It is very contemporary, yet it is the antiquated world of the folk tale. It is about the Gangetic dolphins in a climate changed world. It is about the devastating fires and floods that pursue the protagonist like howling muses. And it is about the raw lives of the refugees.

And there lies the problem. Amitav Ghosh weaves magic, when he does not have an agenda. In this book too, the magic is so evident till approximately half of the story. The life threatening cyclones of the Sunderbans, the crazed and crazy paths of the climatically threatened Gangetic dolphins is what is faced by Deen, the antique book dealer from Brooklyn who is precariously perched by the author in the choppy seas of Sunderbans and the wild vegetation of the Sunderbans leading to the shrine to the goddess Manasa and her pet cobra. Enter the indomitably angst filled refugee son of the boatman who had lost his life in saving Piya in the Hungry Tide – Tipu who is the angst filled confused teenager who is tied to his native land like the very drops of the poison that the cobra which haunts his living hours and nightmare nights; coursing through his veins. And it is Deen too who inherits this tie to the soil, like the kindred soul Tipu.

This journey in the Sunderbans is as delirious as the discovery of Ma Manasa’s tale known to few and on the way to be forgotten. The author revives the tale not as a tale of the Unknown and Magnificently Awesome magic realism but as the story that can be lived. Only if you dare to sneak a peek through the half shuttered windows to a forgotten world. Of course it is Deen who sells old books or tomes of the long forgotten who should get sucked into the Sunderbans and its magic reality, its old tales of gods and goddesses and snakes and dolphins.

This is when the author seems to have lost his way. There is far too much information and the author loses his way with Chand Saudagar’s devastation at sea, the snake bite from Ma Manasa’s pet snake, although the Behula-Lakhinder legend falls by the wayside. He is obsessed by the snake, somewhere at the back of his mind there seems to be the Biblical evil snake that pervades his every waking moment or even when Deen loses his consciousness watching the snake of death fall on his plane. But by this time the unfamiliar madness had overtaken Ghosh’s oeuvre and mythical tales, symbols, etymology and really confusing tales that begin and never end had entered the book in baffling sequence. By the time the apocalyptic climatic condition of the world had swept from the red skied fires of California, USA to floods in Venice however adoring a reader you may be of Amitav Ghosh, he fails you here.

So tragic a tale though this may be, it is no small tragedy that Amitav Ghosh fails you, his adoring fan, with Gun Island.

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AUTUMN IN THE CANYONLANDS

Shona Adhikari

(This is a much admired travel writer who’s articles have been published in our magazine since inception. In this article Sona Adhikari travels to the USA. Enjoy.)

The best way to experience the full glory of the incredible Canyonlands of USA, is by road. I was fortunate to be part of a coach tour at the end of October, some years ago. It was my first opportunity of experiencing ‘Fall’ and the Halloween mood had began to set in.

The air was crisply cold as we drove out from Phoenix, Arizona, and the distinctive 'Saguaro Cactus' associated with the Arizona Desert, began to give way to 'Maple Trees'. Yellow, amber, russet and brown, these were the shades that greeted us along the way, with the branches of the trees, just beginning to don their autumn foliage.

As the road sloped up gradually it was time for the famous 'Ponderosa Pine' to make its appearance, leading us up to the ‘South Rim’ of what we had all come to see - the 'Grand Canyon'. One of the most incredible natural wonders of the world!

Nothing had prepared me for the splendour of these amazing rock formations, and the sheer size and sweep of the Grand Canyon….it had me totally mesmerized. In the setting sun, the rocks were bathed in the russet glow of autumn. Far below, the mighty Colorado River looked like a narrow stream. The next morning found me and others in the group, up early and hoping to capture the sunrise on film.

Our next stop was Lake Powell - an artificial lake created by the Glen Canyon Dam, on the Colorado River. Here the rocks carried streaks of grey, due to their high manganese content, but nothing could diminish their magnificence, as they rose in majestic formations from the water.

A short trip by air, took us to the Navajo settlement at Monument Valley. Here, the flat desert landscape had those familiar rock formations that I had seen in Westerns and advertisements - Marlboro cigarettes immediately came to mind, for this was the real Marlboro country!

The next point of call was, Bryce National Park located 9,000 ft. above sea level. Here the rocks of the Canyon, had taken on totally different shapes and colours. Seen through the evergreens of the Ponderosa Pine, the colours of the rocks seemed to take on a pink hue - a shade I was told that was due to the high limestone content. The rocks also take on strange shapes, rather like knobby arthritic fingers reaching skywards. These strange formations are known as 'Hoodoos'- meaning 'to cast a spell'. They certainly managed to bewitch me and others in the group as well – one member almost decided to stay on - delaying the coach at least by half an hour.

The drive to Zion National Park, where we were to stay the night, is a gradual descent, and this is where I experienced the full burst of autumn foliage. Zion is 3,500 ft. above sea level and the rocks here have sheer surfaces reaching straight up to heights of 2,000 feet from the ground. It appears to be a rock climber's dream and many can be seen working their way through (to my eyes) their perilous ascent to the top.

Zion, meaning 'sanctuary', was named by' the Mormons, and lives up to its name as a sanctuary for wildlife - many species of deer, squirrels, birds of all varieties, including eagles and owls, make their home here. On the higher reaches, we were told, there were still some mountain lions.

Next morning I was up early to savour the beauty of nature's fall colours. A deer could be seen from the window, not at all scared and wandering around peacefully. I decided that the presence of lions must be a myth! For anyone who chooses to visit the Canyonlands, late October is the best time to make a trip to what is undoubtedly, one of the most scenically beautiful places of the world.

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A Chinese Connection in Udhagamandalam

Shona Adhikari

Udhagamandalam better known as Ooty, is one of India’s most popular hill stations, perched on the Nilgiri range and better known as Ooty.

During a visit to the hill station, my husband and I had been invited to lunch by friends from Bangalore. As we drove up to ‘Shinkows’, we heard the history of the restaurant owned by the Liao Chinese family. Despite being told that it would be a bad idea to take a Chinese restaurant up the Nilgiri hills, Liao was determined to make a success of this rather daring venture. And thus was born the first Chinese restaurant in Ooty as far back as 1956.

At the time we visited Shinkows it had already been in existence for almost five decades. So much so that the roundabout next to the restaurant is known as Shinkow’s Circle! To start with, the restaurant was small with only 50 covers. As its popularity grew, they realized that they needed more room. Liao decided to shut his shoe shop next door and added a separate and more exclusive section with a bar and 150 covers, named The Zodiac Room. As expected the decor of the new space was covered with signs from the Zodiac.

We introduced ourselves to Pao Chun, whose father had opened the restaurant, at a time when no other good restaurants existed in Ooty.

Pao Chun and his wife Linda worked very hard indeed, to run the restaurant and serve the most authentic Chinese food. Linda an expert in Hakka and Szchewan cuisine was mainly responsible for the kitchen and ensured that guests were able to taste the freshest vegetables and herbs, from their own kitchen garden. Since there was no frozen food available at that time, Linda’s repertoire was somewhat restricted without sea food. All their special ingredients were homemade – noodles, chilli-sauce, tomato sauce and soya sauce. A comparatively new entry in Chinese cuisine in India and now a perennial Chinese favourite is Beancurd , which has to brought all the way from Bangalore. The Liao couple’s efforts were to create cuisine that uses as much of the fresh produce available in Ooty. However, weekly visits to Coimbatore or Bangalore by road were a must.

I also recollect the couple mentioning they had family in Canada and had sent their eldest son and were also planning to send their other two sons as well, for further studies – at the time I wondered if they would return and take on the mantle of responsibility of this unique heritage restaurant.

We were offered a splendid lunch of old and popular recipes. We began with ‘Vegetable Spring Rolls’ and ‘Chicken Wing’ as starters followed the delicious ‘Asparagas Soup’ – a soup that we had never had in a Chinese restaurant before, made with the asparagus from Liao’s kitchen garden. Next came two veg dishes, ‘Mixed Vegetables with Almonds’ and ‘Vegetable Manchurian’ and two non-veg items, ‘Chilli Chicken and ‘Shredded Lamb with Hot Garlic Sauce’. Finally there was a rather grand looking ‘Peking Fish’ splendidly arranged on a platter. All these dishes were teamed with ‘Mixed Chow Mein’ and ‘Prawn Fried Rice.’ Needless to say we were all totally stuffed, but by popular vote, we decided to go in for everyone’s favourite dessert - ‘Lychee s and Ice Cream’!

Shinkows may be considered a ‘real’ Chinese restaurant as the kitchen continues to be supervised by its present owners. The cuisine also has the popular old dishes that people are familiar with – recipes before the Schezwan cuisine with its red hot chillies and Thai recipes with its lemon grass, appeared on the scene!

As you can imagine, it was quite a meal in a highly unlikely location. Just imagine a delicious ‘Chinese Feast’ up in the Nilgiris! It has remained among one of my most memorable meals and its memory remains as fresh as if it was yesterday.

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BHOPAL – THE STATE WHERE BEGUMS RULED

Shona Adhikari

The history of Bhopal is unique among states in India, and probably in the world.

It is the only state that was ruled by a succession of female monarchs, who despite being in purdah, were able to bring prosperity to their state. At their time, modern developments were initiated in the city, an efficient postal system was introduced, railways and modern waterworks were set up and being pragmatic rulers, the Begums negotiated and maintained good relations with the British who in turn treated them with respect. Bhopal had in fact remained for many years, a calm and peaceful place, till it hit world headlines after the unfortunate gas tragedy in the 20th Century.

Some years ago I decided to visit Bhopal and found that I had chosen the perfect place to stay in, the Noor-us-Subah Palace, built on a hillock by the lake. While having a cup of tea at dusk on the terrace I watched the glorious sight of the sun setting over the lake. As the sky turned orange, the reflections in the waters of the lake took on the same hue ... fading into an orangey-grey, and then into darkness.

Sultan Shah Jahan Begum

The Noor-us–Sabah or the 'light of dawn', is a palace earlier owned by the ruling family of the State of Bhopal, and a portrait of the Begum, who was on the throne at the time, can be seen as one enters the foyer through the Palace doors. Also to be seen here is her royal palanquin and the state's royal standards, which preceded the royal palanquin at important functions.

The Begum was the maternal grandmother of Nawab 'Tiger' Pataudi and a descendent of the Afghan Chief, Dost Mohammed Khan. During Emperor Aurangzeb's reign, Khan was in charge of Bhopal and after the Mughal monarch's death in 1707, he took over the state. The old city was built by him and ruled thereafter by his descendents, till India's independence in 1947.

Dost Mohammad Khan

Bhopal can be considered a city where old and new seem to co-exist in perfect harmony. However, it is also apparent that the upkeep of old monuments and buildings is not high on the list of priorities as some really beautiful structures are crumbling. But on the other hand, Bhopal spread over seven hills with two lovely lakes has a splendid beach road, circling the lakes - a major attraction of this lovely city.

Raja Bhoj

The beginnings of Bhopal date back to many, many years. It is said to have been founded in the 11th century by Raja Bhoja, who is also credited with building the lakes that add to the beauty of the city.

Like most cities in those early years, Bhopal was devastated by succeeding invaders and finally rebuilt in the 18th century by Dost Muhammad Khan. The city was earlier known as Bhojpur, after its founder Raja Bhoja, whose legacy the huge Bhojeshwar Temple, located some distance from the city, appears to have been left incomplete.

The Taj-ul-Masjid, one of Bhopal's more recent structures was begun under Shah Jahan Begum, who ruled from 1868 to 1901, but was completed only by her successor in the 1970s. It is the largest Mosque in India and is also said to be the largest in Asia.

The Taj-ul-Masjid exterior

Other important mosques include the Jama Masjid built in 1837 and the Moti Masjid in 1860. The chowk area of the old city is still full of gracious old homes with their distinctive architecture, havelis in narrow lanes, large mosques and shops stocked with the crafts of the region - beadwork, embroidered and sequined handbags and silver jewellery.

Bhopal’s Taj Mahal

Not usually included in a tourist's itinerary is Bhopal's Taj Mahal, a splendid complex of palaces with a garden courtyard and covered walkways, built as a residence for the Begum at a cost of Rs.3,000,000 between 1871 to 1884. It was said to be one of the largest palaces in the world at that time. Now in a rather ruined state, it still has the potential of becoming a major tourist attraction. Earlier known as the Raj Mahal, it was renamed 'Taj Mahal', prior to the visit of the Prince of Wales. The new name was suggested by the Viceroy of India, to the ruling monarch of that time, Sultan Shah Jahan Begum.

A unique art centre is the Bharat Bhawan, designed by eminent Indian architect, Charles Correa. Within these sprawling premises, art activities of all varieties get a focus, with artists and theatre people constantly visiting the venue. It has a fine collection of contemporary Indian art, where major works by most of India's leading artists find representation. There is also a museum full of the rich folk art traditions of Madhya Pradesh. The Gond tribal art in particular, has found considerable appreciation over the last decade. Theatre lovers should also remember to take in a play by the Repertory Theatre Group at the Bhopal Art Centre.

Bhopal is the best base for many interesting excursions. Dost Muhammad Khan’s palace at Islamnagar, is just 11 km away and well worth a visit for its inspired combination of Islamic and Hindu architectural features.

Bhimbetka, located 45 km south of Bhopal, has approximately 500 caves where some amazing rock paintings dating as far back as 12,000 years may be seen. A short diversion also takes you to Bhojpur, to see the Bhojeshwar Temple, designed in massive proportions with steep stairs. The temple which is said to have never been completed, still manages to attract a large number of pilgrims, who come to pray at the Shivalingam installed within.

Forty-six km northeast of Bhopal lies Sanchi, one of India's most important Buddhist sites. Trains from Delhi, stop at the Sanchi station before going on to Bhopal. But that is another story...

One of the jetties on the lake

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The Spectacular Golkonda Fort

Shona Adhikari

(When I was a child I too had visited the Golconda fort and I still remember my brother being sent up to the top of the fort and I made to stand below at the gate and clap. My brother later said the clap sounded as if I was standing beside him and clapping close to his ears. The fort had many such features including the ‘air-conditioned room’ at the top where windows are placed in such a manner that winds blew in from all the windows and through some mechanism involving water dynamics, the hot Hyderabadi airs transformed into cool and perfumed breeze. - Editor)

My childhood memories of giant rocks towering around me were rekindled when I returned to Hyderabad many moons later. As I reached and looked at the splendid Golkonda Fort, I realised that it was a visit to this historic place that was so vividly stamped in my mind.

Having checked the Fort’s timings as 9am to 5pm, I managed to arrive by 10.30, driven in a Dzire private taxi by a rather large and jolly driver who responded to the name of Rijoo. He looked as though he would also be a good person to consult on finding the best Biryani! By the time I reached the Fort he had given me enough information to fill a small notebook. In fact it was more than enough history (some of it no doubt garbled) to make me refuse the help of a guide.

Like so many other Forts in India, the Golconda Fort was also originally a mud fort, created by the Yadavas and Kakatiyas who ruled the area around the 12th century. Between 1518 and 1580, it was rebuilt by the Qutb Shahi rulers and became the splendid fortified city of grand palaces, mosques and gardens. The ruins of the Fort that we see today cover an area of 40 sq km.

The Fort has eight gates and visitors enter by Fateh Darwaza (the victory gate), which stands 25 ft high and is considered the most important point of entry, having been built after Emperor Aurangzeb’s victory. The heavy wooden doors have iron spikes to protect the gate from elephants. From the Fateh Darwaza, the road goes past the old Treasury, now an Archaeological Museum, leading to the bazaar, which was once a famous centre for cutting and polishing diamonds. We must remember that Golconda is famous for its great hoard of diamonds, mined nearby, which includes the celebrated Kohinoor diamond which is now part of the British crown jewels. There was also a diamond vault located in the fort which had once held the Koh-i-noor and Hope diamonds.

Like so many forts, the Golkonda Fort also has three lines of defence. The first is a wall made of huge blocks of granite that form a circle of 10 km. It has cannons located at 87 bastions and four draw - bridges at its eight gateways. The middle wall surrounds the base of the hill, while the third one reaches the highest ridge. Some of the guns dating back to the Qutb Shahi era, can still be seen here at various levels. Beyond the bazaar are the two massive arches of the Habshi Kaman Gate, which leads to the middle fortification wall. There are rooms on top of these, which had housed the drummers and the sultans’ Abyssinian guards.

Beyond is the ceremonial arch the Bala Hisar Darwaza, leading to the inner citadel known as the Bala Hisar Complex, full of palaces, assembly halls, workshops and the armoury. Just as mentioned by the driver Rijoo, the gate has Hindu motifs such as ‘yalis’ (strange lion-like beasts). The area above the door has peacocks with ornate tails flanking an arched niche. The design of peacocks and lions is considered a blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. In the northern side of the Fort is the domed Jami Masjid, built in 1518 by the founder of the dynasty, Sultan Quli Qutb Shah who was murdered here while at prayer by his son Jamshed in 1543.

Survival within the fort was also made possible and attributed to water and sound. The fort had an ingenious system of laminated clay pipes and huge Persian wheels to carry water to cool the palace chambers up to the height of 61 m where there were hanging gardens. Concealed glazed earthen pipes thus ensured a reliable water supply. It has also been said that ‘a large-domed portico behind the Bala Hisar Gate created a superb acoustic system that enabled a drum beat, bugle call or even a clap under the canopy of this gate to be heard by someone at the very top of the palace’. This unique security system is tested almost every day by visitors!

Beyond the gate on the right lies the Mortuary Bath. Built in the style of Persian and Turkish baths, this structure was used for the ceremonial bathing of the bodies of the royal family. With separate cisterns for hot and cold water, this is a unique engineering feat ensuring regular water supply, with water flowing through concealed terracotta conduits. The Nagina Bagh, located inside the gate is a beautiful sight and designed after the typical Charbagh pattern adopted in Mughal Gardens.

The steps lead us to the graceful Ibrahim Mosque built by the 3rd ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Qutb Shah, beside which, stands an ancient Hindu Mahakali Temple, located within a cave. The Mosque is a good example of Qutb Shahi architecture and has three arches with the central being larger than the smaller ones on either side. The external stucco decorations represent the typical Qutb Shahi style of decoration.

At the summit of the hill is the three-storied Durbar Hall, with a rooftop pavilion. The lower two stories are the Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am - the private and public audience halls. From here there are splendid views of the entire fort and its surroundings, which include two structures on hillocks. These are Taramati’s Baradari and Premamati’s Mosque - named after two dancers who were royal favourites and said to be so light-footed that they could dance all the way from the pavilion to the Bala Hisar on a tightrope.

A circular route takes us down back to the main gate, through the harem and the ruins of the Qutb Shahi palaces with its royal baths. The most impressive of these palaces is the Rani Mahal built on a raised terrace. Its vaulted hall, lavishly decorated with floral designs now full of hollows – a clear indication that these were once inlaid with Golconda’s famous diamonds and other precious stones.

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Mehrangarh Fort - now acclaimed museum

Shona Adhikari

It was the month of July but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky when I reached Jodhpur. As I drove through the streets, my eyes were automatically drawn to the spectacular sight of Rao Jodha's Mehrangarh Fort, rising high and menacing against the clear blue sky. Poised on a hill beyond the blue and white-washed city of Jodhpur, it fills the entire surface of the steep rock on which it stands. In earlier times, it must have struck an ominous note, in the hearts of those contemplating an attack on the martial Rathores. Mehrangarh is now considered one of India best-kept Museums and has a steady stream of visitors. And though the climb up to the Fort is extremely steep, many prefer to walk up rather than drive up, as vehicles are allowed only as far as the first gate.

It is said that it was on the advice of a sadhu the young Rao Jodha shifted his stronghold from 'Mandore' to the steep rockface on which the Fort stands in 1459 AD. The near-impregnable height of this rock - traditionally the lair of eagles - must have been one of Rao Jodha's primary considerations, in building his new Fort. Standing high above the plains on this isolated rock, the Fort covers an area 460 mts in length and 230 mts in width, with walls that vary in height from 6 to 36 mts.

Known as 'Chintamani' during its earliest stages, it was renamed ‘Mehrangarh’, possibly during the reign of Maharaja Ajit Singh, when he recaptured the Fort from the Mughals in 1707. There are two main entrance gates to the Fort. 'Fateh Pol' was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh in1707, and 'Jai Pol' in 1808 by Maharaja Man Singh – the latter being the entrance more commonly used today. However in the style of all major forts, to make entry as difficult as possible for intruders, there are five other subsidiary gates or barriers. These were always heavily guarded, to protect the Rathore bastion against their foes from Jaipur and Delhi. Among the more notable gates is the massive 'Loha Pol' or "Iron Gate', which is said to date back to the 15th Century. On the walls on either side of this entrance, are the symbolically carved hand prints of the 'Royal Ladies' who committed 'sati' on the funeral pyres of their husbands.

As one enters the Fort, a plaque marks the spot where the original and first entrance was built by Rao Jodha in 1459. A short climb to the 'Suraj Pol' or 'Sun Gate', leads to the courtyard where the white marble 'Coronation Seat' of the rulers of Marwar stands in solitary splendour. It is said that all rulers starting with Rao Jodha, have been crowned here, including the present leader of the Rathore Clan, HH Maharaja Gaj Singh, who was crowned at the age of four years. From the courtyard, we enter the 'Moti Mahal’ or Pearl Palace, with its white colonnaded interiors, gilded mirror-work ceilings, and the colouful glass panes famous in the region. It is a delight to see the sunlight filtering in through these panes, throwing rainbow colours on the pristine white walls of the 'Diwan-i-Aam', or Hall of Public Audience. A Mughal style throne is usually displayed here, dating back to the time of Emperor Shah Jehan and is said to have been presented to the young Maharaja Ajit Singh, by Emperor Aurangzeb. The Moti Mahal is also occasionally used for formal ceremonial occasions.

The inner courtyard is part of the' Zenana' or ladies wing and is said to have been built by Raja Sur Singh between 1595 and 1611. Here exquisite red sandstone filligree screens, rise on either side covering balconies and windows - ensuring that despite being in strict 'purdah', the royal ladies could observe all court activities without being seen by prying eyes.

The collection of colourfully painted 'Royal Palanquins' and silver 'Howdahs' which come next, always draw a great deal of attention from visitors. Many of these unique pieces have travelled abroad to the Festivals of India held in USA, UK, and Europe. On the next level, we come across another courtyard, leading to the ornate sleeping chambers of the rulers. Known as the 'Khwabga Mahal' or Palace of Dreams, the ruling monarch's bedchamber has a sandalwood ceiling, and ornately painted walls. The ingenious 'Cowrie Plastering' of the region, created by laboriously rubbing lime plastered walls with seashells, gives the walls a unique sheen. On this level we also find a long gallery, part of 'Zenana' section where royal cradles are displayed – the most recent one having been used by Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Most of these cradles are colourfully painted in the best local traditions, with one dating back to 1948, being motor-powered, to rock the future monarch of Jodhpur.

The Sardar Vilas displays carved, inlaid and painted doors and windows from various parts of the fort. The Umaid Vilas, houses an excellent collection of Jodhpur miniatures, including some rare paintings of former rulers, in which the colours and gold embellishment are still as fresh as on the day they were painted.

The 'Shish Mahal' or Hall of Mirrors, an indispensable part of all palaces and forts of Rajasthan, makes its appearance here as well. The walls of this splendid room, in addition to the thousands of concave mirrors imbedded all over, also has some beautifully rendered paintings of the Gods of the Hindu Pantheon. Here Durga, Shiva, Krishna, Brahma, Ganesha, all make their appearance painted in traditional style, along the walls.

Ajit Vilas is a museum of ancient costumes. It includes some fine 'Chogas' in Benares silk and others with Kashmiri weaves and gold embroidery. A distinct departure from the elaborate style of earlier times is the stylish brocade' Achkan' or ceremonial robe of Maharaja Sumer Singh, who was known for his sartorial elegance.

Descending the stairs from the far end, we come to 'Phul Mahal' built by Maharaja Abhai Singh around 1730. Departing from the styles of his ancestors, it sports a gilded ceiling in a somewhat European style. A splendid painted frieze borders the ceiling depicting 37 'Raags and Raaginis' – a visual interpretations of Indian musical moods. The walls of this 'Diwan-i-Khas’ (Hall of Private Audience), were further embellished by Maharaja Jaswant Singh, and royal geneology finds a place here, through painted murals.

At the 'Daulat Khana', an enormous red and gold silk brocade Mughal tent covers the entire ceiling. It is said to have belonged to Emperor Shah Jahan, and captured from his son Emperor Aurangzeb, by Maharaja Jaswant Singh I. Below this silken canopy, are displayed many fascinating decorative and fancy items of every day usage at the royal palaces - silver hookas, beetle nut boxes, coin boxes, silver-framed mirrors, carpet weights and ornate wine bottles, may all be seen here.

The magnificent armoury that one enters next, displays weapons of historical significance. These include a large number of menacing swords, daggers and guns with intricate gold inlay work, jewelled hilts and jade handles, used by the rulers of Marwar. Lending credence to the legends of the martial traits displayed by the rulers of Marwar, is Rao Jodha's sword weighing over three and a half kilograms ! The oldest sword on display however, is said to have belonged to Tamerlane, ancestor of the Mughals. Another sword of magnificent proportions, is known to have been specially made for Mughal Emperor Akbar, and captured by Maharaja Jaswant Singh I, with many other objects.

There are many other areas at Mehrangarh Fort that deserve mention. For instance there are the ramparts of the Fort, on which are displayed a row of cannons, an area that can be viewed but entry is restricted. There are also innumerable other terraces and royal pavilions where one can easily imagine the reigning monarch relaxing to the plaintive strains of one of the many string instruments, of the region. It is from here that one may get the most magnificent view of the city of Jodhpur while across the city poised on Chittar Hill lies Umaid Bhavan Palace - not unlike a palace from a book of fairy tales.

Whatever the occasion, life for the rulers of 'Marusthal' or the 'land of death' must have been full of excitement. Known for their indomitable courage and valour, the legends of their exploits and daring lifestyle, come alive at the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort.

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