Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Hall of Deities, Government Museum & a Temple in Mandore


I once traveled with a Berlin gentleman who bewailed Asians' penchant for colors. "Asians love to color their world with such vivid colors, they are sometimes tacky," he observed. True enough, Thais loved their yellow Mondays; Filipinos love their nationalistic yellows as well. Who can deny the interplay of reds, oranges and golds in Chinese Temples? I don't see anything wrong with that. I don't think India has a unified color scheme. The world would be a dour place without a multi chromatic hue. "Berliners prefer blacks, grays and blues and anything in between," he added. So does most of Europe. I am aware.

The Hall of Deity or Hall of Demi Gods is a bigger hallway next to the Hall of Heroes. In this "room", decked with white pillars, stone carvings (from a single huge stone) of 33 crore Gods adorn the place in lurid colors! It's more of a "shrine" which holds "allegedly" 300 million Hindu Gods. Some quarters call it 300 million Devis and Devtas. I could swear there are just a few dozens.















Nearby the Hall of Heroes is a simple Hindu Temple with few local visitors. Also nearby is a Mandore Government Museum. You have to walk through a gate (shown below, the one with a green gate) and turn right. The museum contains relics from the nearby rock terrace temples. There's nothing much to see inside, to be honest. Free entrance but photography is not allowed. When I forgot this rule, I was reprimanded. I didn't think it mattered because I was snapping "outside" the museum hall - you will see this particular photo (2nd to the last) below. It's just a secluded place outside the museum building so I don't understand the restrictions.

I love the entrance gates though, very princely. It would cap my visit in the ancient royal capital of Mandore - a kingdom that flourished for 700 years before the rise of the Rajput maharajas.

This is the Eye in the Sky!


Buddhist temple


Walking towards the entrance to the Mandore Government Museum.


Gate through the Mandore Government Museum


Photography of this place is prohibited. Oooppps!






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6 comments:

  1. OlaNovember 8, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    I agree with the observation of your friend-I have never been there personally but your pictures are always so full of colors, that is unusual!

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  2. eye in the skyNovember 9, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Asia is truly an admixture of colors. I think it's what sets this continent apart from the others. :-)

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  3. Siddhartha JoshiNovember 10, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    Loved the pictures man! And I didn't even know about the place...I really need to see it :)

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  4. eye in the skyNovember 10, 2011 at 5:25 PM

    Thanks, Sidd. :-)

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  5. RamakrishnanNovember 10, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Nice pics & great narration. I think I know more about Mandore now than I could possibly ever have gathered even if had visited in person :)
    Pl see my latest post - A Kerala Village.

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  6. eye in the skyNovember 10, 2011 at 11:19 PM

    Thanks, R. I think tourists should visit Mandore because it's worth the detour from Jodhpur. :-)

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