Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar

The sun now getting heavy, we arrived at our second-to-last destination – the Lingaraj Temple. It is one of more than 400 temples remaining in Bhubaneswar, part of the 7,000 that once stood here. Like the temple in Puri, non-Hindus were not allowed entrance. This magnificent 11^th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva represents the pinnacle of the Orissan style. Towering high above the surrounding wall is the 55m high deul (spire), its surface textured with vertical ribs and a few bulbous creatures. According to our guide, it is the tallest temple structure in the world. Other details described in the guidebook must have lay further down; female figures, animals, and friezes of ceremonial processions. The pyramidal rooftops of a few of the 100 shrines could be seen. In structures closer to the wall, I could see one of its common themes – a lion pouncing on a cowering elephant, believed by some to be a royal emblem.

Nearby was the large Bindusagar temple tank that is believed to have water from every sacred river in India. It is here where the main deity of the Lingaraj temple is brought for an annual ritual bath. The sun was now very low, silhouetting some structures and casting a warm glow onto others. Outside the walls of the complex women sold baskets of marigolds. Garlands of orange and yellow marigolds were strung in garlands, also to be used for performing religious ceremonies. Beggars parked themselves on blankets made from rice sacks, their aluminum bowls extended for donations. A thin-limbed sadhu with its dreadlocks appeared lost in meditation, perched cross-legged on a wall. A shawled older woman placed before a young cow a bowl of food, folding her hands together as she paid respect to the animal. Alas, the hour had quickly gone by. We had to move on.

See more photos of Lingaraj and other temples of Bhubaneswar on my Flickr page

Orissa State Museum and Nandan Kanan Zoo

One of the negative parts about going on an organized tour is going to places you would have otherwise skipped. One such spot for me was the zoo.  Perhaps it’s because of prior experiences in foreign zoos where the animals are kept in tiny fenced in areas, emaciated and pacing back and forth. Or, worse yet, the pens were empty, the captive animal dead. This zoo was surrounded by a thick forest, with many of the animals in a rather natural surrounding. Most of the animals were those found in India, including some rare species. Unfortunately, many of the white tigers and other famous animals were taking their mid-day snooze. Others were pacing back and forth at the far end of the pen, making it difficult to photograph. Our guide took us through a bushy path and pointed out a large spider web, identifying its creator as a Black Widow spider. I found the Indian Gharial Crocodiles rather curious, with their narrow snouts ending in a bulbous protrusion by the nostrils.

We also stopped at the Orissa State Museum. Unfortunately, much of the museum was closed for renovations, including the Buddhist and Jain sculpture rooms. We did see some beautiful palm leaf manuscripts, coins, musical instruments, and collection of rocks & minerals.

Dhauli, Battle Site and Peace Pagoda

Located amidst lush paddy fields just a short 8 km from Bhubaneswar is Dhauli, the site of a bloody battle in 260 BC. The emperor Ashoka won the war, but his remorse over the injury and death around him caused the emperor to give up military conquest and embrace Buddhism. One of his rock edicts promoting non-violence, justice, and compassion is at the base of Dhauli Hill. At the top of the hill is the stark white Shanti Stupa “Peace Pagoda,” built in the early 1970’s by Japanese Buddhists. From here, one had a great view of the surrounding rural landscape and the banks of the Daya River where the bloody battle occurred.

National Toilet Day

You may be wondering why I have a picture of a beach to illustrate the reason for this post.  For fishermen and fishing villages along the shores of India, this is their toilet. Every morning, the men squat in a horizontal row parallel to the shoreline, carefully spaced apart as they do their "daily functions." Obviously with the strong waves, it doesn't take much for the solid waste to enter the ocean, polluting both it and the shoreline. Away from the beach, men take a leak anywhere they feel like it. Women have it harder, as it is culturally not acceptable for them to be seen doing their functions. The privacy of darkness is often used, with the women sometimes having to hold it throughout the day. Urinary tract infections are a common result.

Why are they doing this, you may ask? For more than 50% of India's homes, there are no toilets. In the overcrowded slum areas, there may be few or none. Worldwide, nearly 40% lack access to this basic right. Even some schools here lack toilets; others are so gross and unsanitary that children refuse to use them. Students in our elementary school's "Roots & Shoots" program created posters highlighting the problem and placed them on the doors of our many bathrooms at the school. Today at lunch, I walked past one and saw a worker reading it. "Does she have a toilet in her house?" I wondered. Then I thought about my apartment - 3 toilets, only one of which is used on any regular basis. And I felt a bit ashamed.

Udaigiri and Khandagiri Caves

On my day tour of Bhubaneswar, our first destination was the Udaigiri and Khandagiri caves. These twin hills located just 6 km NW of Bhubaneswar were naturally honeycombed, providing great places to create retreats for Jain monks already in the 1^st century BC. Although there are a series of caves on both sides of the road, the most impressive one is the Rani Gumpa or “Queen’s Cave.” The top corridor was particularly beautiful, with relief carvings of figures and animals adorning the upper portion of the walls and around the arched doors. Whereas carvings in some places looked rather static and figures separate, the frieze here was highly animated and fluid, with the interactive figures nearly melding into each other; musicians, dancers, royalty, elephants, monkeys, and more. Nearby is the Chhota Hathi Gumpha “Small Elephant Cave” with its six sculpted elephants guarding the front of the cave. Perhaps the most creative cave is the Bagh Gumpha, shaped like a tiger’s head, its mouth wide open and beckoning (or daring) those to enter.

Saliasahi Tribal Village

Before finishing our journey, the taxi driver took me to a nearby tribal village. Just driving up the tiny dirt road to the village, I could tell it was going to be a poor village. Homes were small and simple, many made from mud brick and thatched roofs. Many of the villagers were not quite sure what to make of me; I suspect that many (particularly the kids) had not had much if any contact with white people. I didn’t feel comfortable in taking photos of the village itself and I could tell many of the villagers weren’t the type who would want their photos taken either. A few were willing though. I wished that they would have looked more “tribal,” but I couldn’t ask them to dress into something that wasn’t part of who they were. Alas, I wouldn’t see the colorful tribal people so famous in other parts of Orissa. As I walked past a rather high wall, one woman poked her head out and gestured for me to take her photo. A rather wild-looking woman who appeared to have cataracts joined her, both eager to see their photos. I did get some smiles and giggles, some curious onlookers, and those who excitedly showed off their photos to others. That in itself is worth it.

Ratnagiri, Udaigiri, Lalitgiri- Buddhist Sites

For a state now at around 97% Hindu, there is little in present-day Orissa that remains from its Buddhist past. The triplet Buddhist sites of Ratnagiri, Udaigiri, and Lalitgiri are some exceptions. Located about 100 km from Bhubaneswar, the drive to these sites is a pleasant day trip. The drive to the Jajpur district of Orissa was both pleasant and beautiful. Encircled by lush paddy fields and rivers, this agricultural region was both peaceful and bustling at the same time. Women were carrying large bundles of grass or firewood on their heads, men were ploughing in the small fields with oxen. Along the sides of the narrow road, cut grass was being dried; a nearly impossible obstacle for vehicles. Cow dung cakes were also being dried right on the roads. Cows, water buffalo, goats, and sheep also competed for road space, sometimes accompanied by herders.

My first destination was Ratnagiri, was a major Buddhist monastery and university dating back to 5^th century AD. It is located on a small hill overlooking vast plains and distant green hills. Excavations, first done between 1957 and 1960 reveal two large monasteries, one of which holds beautiful doorways, a cella sanctum, large stupa, Buddhist shrines, sculptures, and a massive Buddha. Rather plain-looking from the outside, the interior walls of the monastery revealed some beautiful carved statues. Some were carved into niches. Others were on large slabs, propped up against a wall in the central courtyard. Tiny monk’s cells also contained decorations. My favorite part was the superbly carved entrance doorway. Like the Surya Sun Gods at Konark, the doorway was of a contrasting stone – perhaps the same greenish chlorite stone was used. Decorations were organic and fluid, interspersed with some figures. While many of the small rooms were empty, one revealed a treat – a 4m high image of the seated Buddha, accompanied by other Buddhist divinities.   Walking on the grass around the many stupas, one could see pieces of carved rock everywhere. Peaking through the ground was the curled hair of a Buddha head. How much more must be below the surface!

The taxi then took me to Udaigiri “Sunrise Hill,” 6 km south of Ratnagiri. It still is being excavated, currently containing a rather large brick stupa with a rather intact form, two monasteries, and a number of carved sculptures. The carvings date back from between the 2^nd century BC to the 10^th century AD. The brick buildings were likely built around the 7^th century AD. The layout of the monastery was very similar to that in Ratnagiri. Once again, my favorite was the carvings around a doorway. While peeking into one of the roofless rooms to make sure no sculptures were to be seen, I was surprised by the presence of a yellow snake.

Our last destination was Lalitgiri “Hill of Grace,” about 10 km south of Udaigiri. It is believed to be the oldest Buddhist complex in Orissa, dating back to the 1^st century AD. Here, one can find a huge brick monastery, remains of a Shaitya hall, and quite a few stupas. The walk up to the main site was quite pleasant, the dirt road shaded by trees on both sides. Overall, less remained here of the walls, in some places only the foundations remained. A few slab sculptures and one seated Buddha sculpture was left amongst the ruins, while the majority of excavated items were housed in an on-site museum. Also on the property was a large stupa with a series of steps leading up to the top. From here, one had a great view of the green, countryside. As we left the site, we passed by some stone carvers, keeping alive the great tradition.

See more photos of the three Buddhist sites on my Flickr page

Puri and the White Pagoda

After a brief visit to the beach at Puri, we entered the pilgrimage town, located about 60 km from Bhubaneswar. Puri is one of India’s most important pilgrimage centers and is vibrant throughout the year. Like all four-wheeled vehicles, our bus had to park a distance away from the Jagannath Temple- the main attraction of the city. Auto and bicycle rickshaw drivers enjoyed the extra business of transporting visitors right up to the temple entrance. Of course, cows lazily meandered the street, seemingly not bothered by the huge crowds. On the main street known as Bada Danda, stalls were set up selling scores of items catering to pilgrims; cotton wicks for lamps, puja items, flowers, framed images of Hindu gods, snacks, jewelry, and much more.

This 12^th century temple, nicknamed the “White Pagoda” by sailors to distinguish it from the Sun Temple, was also an important landmark. Its main spire rises 65 m high, dominating the skyline. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside, so I had to be content with any views I could capture by walking around its 6m high wall. As the rest of the tour members walked through the main gate guarded by a pair of colorful stone lions, I began my circumnavigation around the outer walls of the massive complex. At certain points I was able to get a better view of the main spire and three smaller shrines with pyramidal roofs. I passed by three other entrances to the temple, each with a different type of sculpted animal guarding them.

From the rooftop of a nearby business, I had a view of the Bada Danda and part of the temple complex. The temple kitchen area was pointed out to me, the largest kitchen in India. I imagined what the scene must look like during the annual Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival), in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated chariots. The normally busy streets become densely packed with people, with excitement reaching a fervor pitch. Just imagine if chaos erupts during this time!

See more photos of Puri on my Flickr page