Cellular Jail’s Dark Past – The Forgotten Heroes

By Meera

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Amidst the cool breeze wafting from the Andaman Sea, we entered the historic site of the Cellular Jail – once derogatorily known as Kalapani (black waters). And, as we traversed cell after cell, it was impossible to not feel its dark past – The walls of this structure still seemed to hold the shrieks and moans of freedom fighters who were tortured and condemned to death inside this historic monument.

We quietly walked the dark cells & corridors from one end to the other. The silent, dark walls spoke of unspeakable horrors committed by the colonial British on freedom fighters with the start of India's War of Independence in 1857. It was nothing short of barbaric and the stories are so heart wrenching that it is difficult to be unaffected after a visit here. 

Presently, refurbished with detailed info, the cellular jail's painful history (built in different stages and levels) has been chronicled in a museum, very extensively with models, pictures, documents & of course, the light & sound show in the evening that attracts a lot of visitors. 

The model of the cellular jail is displayed in one corner which shows how it was the most protected site and escape route for the freedom fighters was impossible as it is bounded by the Andaman Sea on all sides.

The cellular jail took form in 1896 and was completed in 1906. Since the Colonial British were not satisfied with the Penal Colony islands here, they came out with this kind of penal settlement that was inhumane in every way. 

To make the Cellular Jail more severe and harsher, solitary cells were added it therefore has 698 solitary cells. So, one can only imagine the plight of 1000s of prisoners who were secluded without a hearing or any justice for decades. 

The well-maintained brick colored Cellular Jail has three floors with seven wings. In fact, each wing radiates in a different direction from the central tower. Dark & eerie, it still seems to hold the heavy negative energy from the countless tortured souls. It is such a difficult feeling to shake off, that I can still feel it as I am writing about it in this moment. 

Honaji was one of the five known soldiers of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi who were all brought to the Andaman Penal Settlement as convicts in 1858. He was sentenced for transportation for life imprisonment in Andamans. The other four soldiers were Itu Patel, Lalai, Sadashiv Narayan Parulkar and Devi Prasad. 

In the Andaman Islands, these freedom fighters were forced to work in inhuman works such as swamp filling, forest clearing, earth cutting and other miscellaneous tasks to eventually get a Free Ticket. However, few could survive the hunger, disease, torture and the gallows.

One can still see and feel how freedom fighters were treated inhumanely by the colonial British. This is especially evident in the the oil grinding sites where prisoners were chained, forced to grind oilseeds. If they were unable to finish their quota of work, they were beaten & tortured till they were total wrecks. The oil mill site is a stark reminder of an imperialist force.

Scanty food, polluted water, sea water for bathing and always being chained resulted in unbearable pain & deaths of the prison inmates. Freedom fighters were also executed almost daily and hence cremation was very common.

In addition to this, many a freedom fighter & other prisoners also committed suicide as they were unable to bear the torture and unlivable conditions.


More in part II.

Mud Volcanos at Andaman Islands

By Meera

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Brahma Jinalaya - A compilation

By Tharangini

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Let me take you on  quick tour of one of the most fascinating structures in Lakkhundi in Karnataka.

The Brahma Jinalaya. This early 11th century temple was one of the many fine structures that were built by Attimabbe, a devout noble woman. 

Amrutheswara Temple - Annegiri

By Meera

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Twin Rocks of Morrice Dera Beach, Rangat, Middle Andaman islands

By Meera

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Limestone Caves of Baratang, Andaman islands - Nature's Hidden Wonders

By Meera

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Andaman Islands - Nature At Its Best

By Meera

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As our flight gracefully circled the Andaman Islands for approximately 15 minutes, the breathtaking sight of the lush, azure landmass invoked a sense of tranquility and serenity within me. Isolated patches of vibrant green islands stood silent, as if harboring untold stories.

Nestled in the cerulean waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman archipelago attracts a multitude of visitors from the Indian mainland between November and April each year. Following a 2 1/2-hour journey from Bengaluru, the undulating capital city of Port Blair (located in the southern Andaman Islands) serves as the embarkation point for any planned exploration.

Port Blair

In Port Blair, the offerings for exploration are relatively limited. Spending two days here allows for a somber visit to the Cellular Jail, where the dark tales of our freedom fighters unfold. Subsequently, a ferry ride from the capital grants access to Ross Island, which served as a Prisoner of War site for the Japanese during World War II.

View of Andaman sea from the cruise steamer

Annigere – The Marvel of Western Chalukyan Carvings

By Meera

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A visit to the charming town of Annigeri in Karnataka's Dharwad district is nothing short of essential. Here, one can behold temples that effortlessly blend the intricate styles of both northern and southern temple architecture.

Annigeri – A Unique Gem of Western Chalukyan Heritage

By Meera

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View of Amriteshwara temple

While Tharangini and I were exploring the rich heritage of Lakkundi, our guide recommended a visit to Annigeri, which lies approximately 25 kilometers from Gadag city. Annigeri holds a special place in history as the final capital of the formidable Western Chalukyas, also known as the Kalyani Chalukyas. Their relocation to Annigeri came about due to their displacement from their former capital, Kalyani (now known as Basavakalyan in the Bidar district), following a conflict with the Kalachuris under King Bijalla-II.

The Narasimha Cult: The Rannebennur Naiks

By Meera

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A view of the temple on Oakli day

Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, has been worshipped in various forms for centuries now. Some families in Karnataka, Telangana, Tami Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have retained the Narasimha cult even today. 

The Narasimha Cult: Oakali Festival

By Meera

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View of temple

In a unique cult-festival celebrated across India, Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Vishnu, is worshipped in quaint forms and ways. The Oakali tradition (sprinkling of holy waters on devotees) is a part of Narasimha Jayanti. It falls in the month of May and is celebrated in many places of the south.

Udayagiri Caves – The Prakrit Inscriptions

By Meera

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A side view of the Udayagiri Caves

There is more to Udayagiri Caves at Bhubaneshwar in Odisha as in the last 2200 years, many auxiliary structures have been added. A few caves show these additions (albeit highly damaged) from century to century.

As we climbed the hill that is strewn with rock-cut caves from one end to the other, our guide elaborated on the significance of some caves like the Hathi Gumpha with its famous inscriptions.

Udayagiri Caves - The Rani Gumpha Heritage

By Meera

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Long shot of pilasters and friezes in Rani Gumpha 

In the first part – I just touched upon a few details about the ancient rock-cut caves of Udayagiri in Odisha. Unlike Ellora, Ajanta, Karla caves in Maharashtra or Badami caves in Karnataka, the Udayagiri caves are unique as the art of carvings started some 2200 years ago and has stood the test of time amidst a vast spread of dense jungle.

Udayagiri Caves – Odisha’s Hidden Past

By Meera

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This is in continuation of my visit to Odisha, the erstwhile Kalinga kingdom with its varied past and wonderful natural and historical heritage. No visit to Odisha is complete without a visit to the Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves.

Brahma Jinalaya - The Sanctum And The Outer Area

By Tharangini

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Hope you enjoyed the tour of the inner mantapa. Thank you for joining me here.

The inner mantapa has the 22nd Tirthankara as the main deity. He is flanked on either side by attendants fanning him with a chowrie (a traditional fan made of animal hair attached to a handle). According to our guide the entire backdrop of the chowrie holding attendants was carved out of a single stone. 

Brahma Jinalaya - The Inner Closed Mantapa

By Tharangini

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Hope you enjoyed the tour of the outer mantapa. Thank you for joining me here.

So why dedicate an entire section to just the inner closed mantapa?  Though the only two prime figurines in the inner closed mantapa are of Padmavati and Chaturmukha Brahma, there are so many smaller aspects hidden everywhere, that it is impossible to ignore.

To talk about this mantapa in brief, it is ventilated by a single small window. Padmavati is on the right while Chaturmukha Brahma is on the left. The lathe turned pillars in the center of this mantapa still manage to glisten in the light. If  they look so good now, then it is impossible to even imagine how amazing they would have been a 1000 years ago. 

Standing the test of  time, the base of these pillars are adorned with various 'sundaris' or beautiful women. But rather than talk about it, I'll allow these images to speak for themselves. 

A view of the deity from the Inner Mantapa

The five framed doorway to the inner sanctum from the mantapa.
Notice the animals and the dancers in the frames.

A figurine of a Thirthankara above the lintel indicating it is a jain temple.
The topmost layer has elephants while just below that is a row of what
looks like a dodo bird.

The Chatumukha Brahma stands tall

The south side face is of a  young boy

The front/east side face is of a young man

The north side face is of a middle aged man.

The west side face was one from the older years. That face had a full beard and a mustache and looked more rugged. But it was too close to the wall for us to get a decent image.

Padmavati, the epitome of beauty smiles demurely.

The perfectly proportioned face also has nose ring holes

The base of all the columns had 'sundaris' or beautiful women engraved in them. While we were visiting another temple and were kneeling and crouching to try and get the best angles for these intriguing beauties, an elderly gentleman who was walking out of the temple kindly informed us that people used to hold babies with breathing problems against these figurines with the babies' back towards the figurines.

The various groves and ridges of the carvings acted as acupressure massaging points, opening up the pathways for breathing better.

I wondered if the same was applicable for adults too, if they sat on the floor with their back resting on these carvings.

Darpana Sundari or a beautiful woman with mirror

Woman playing a sting instrument in one of the panels

All the women were however similarly framed

With kirthimukhas and Yalis on two columns on either side

There was a kirthimukha on top of the pillar as well 
framing a man playing a drum

Visit the inner sanctum and let's take a walk around the temple in the next section.

Location map:

Brahma Jinalaya - The Outer Mantapa

By Tharangini

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In our efforts to bring more stories to spottedowlets, Meera and I decided to visit Gadag, with the intention of exploring both nature and the extravaganza of ancient architecture in and around that place.

We will be attempting to bring in as much information as possible from all the temples we visited, hoping to do at least some justice to magnificent structures we visited. 

Meera has already given a brief history of Lakkundi, so let’s dive in. Starting the journey from the Jain temple or ‘Brahma Jinalaya’ at Lakkundi,  we visited this fascinating structure at midday during midweek. Needless to say, we had exclusive time there. 

A view of the temple

Lakkundi – A Medieval Wonder

By Meera

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Lakkundi, the village and streets

There are still some hidden, ancient heritage spots in Karnataka that do not see much interest or tourist footfall, and reasons are many for that. Lakkundi is one such place in Gadag district which is neither part of the Hampi tourism circuit nor part of any other circuit. Just about 11 kilometers from the town of Gadag, Lakkundi, once a powerful Kingdom is today a veritable treasure trove of temples and stepwells.

Chitrakarini Temple: Creative Heights

By Meera

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Thank you for joining me from part I

Have you ever heard of a temple that is dedicated to a woman painter? Well, Chitrakarini temple must be the only temple in the world acknowledging the skills and creative expressions of an artist.
 

Chitrakarini Temple

Chitrakarini Temple - The Paintress

By Meera

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If you are visiting Bhubaneswar on a leisurely holiday, try to explore temples that do not see crowds nor much interest. Apart from Lingaraj, Rajarani, Ananta Vasudeva and other such famous temples in this city, there are other architectural monuments that are ancient and highly impressive for their carvings.

 

View of main temple. The four outer towers are not seen here.