Yesterday was World Monuments and Sites Day. The theme was 'enhancing and experiencing the variety'. In a country like ours spread from the Himalayas up to the Indian Ocean, such a theme is its very identity, right?
India is indeed a treasure trove of superb monuments and sites, our heavenly heritage. The temples in the South with their great gopurams would be the obvious example. How about our very own Ajanta and Ellora caves? How about the Amritsar Golden Temple?
It is an absolutely gorgeous sight in the evening when its literally rich reflection, brilliantly lit up with all sorts of palkhi's for the evening 'seva', gently undulates in the surrounding Amrit Sarovar, where golden fish scintillate with the bright moonlight of the 'purab'.
In fact, in my opinion, there are so very many monuments and sites in India that a lifetime would not be enough to see them all. Why, every day could be the WMSD hereabouts! You doubt me? Well, just remember Pandharpur. No, I am not advocating it just because it is my birthplace.
The way the Vitthal idol looks each day is indeed a sight. The Dasara-Diwali-Padwa kind of look of the Lord is simply divine. Why, the very banks of Bheema adorn a unique look each Ekadashi, while to experience the very feel of Padharpur on the Ashadhi Ekadashi Day is as good as attaining Nirvana! And, oh, yes, near the main 'darshan ghat' is a Namdeo temple whose every pillar resonates with the 'veena' feel. Touch it gently, and you can hear some 'zankar'!
Indeed my submission is that every nook and corner of India is bursting with world class monuments and sites. Indeed Indian Archaeology Department would never be bereft of 're-search' work!
You do not believe me, do you? Okay. Look at our very own Pune. The Pataleshwar Temple, the not much known Trishund Ganapati temple are absolute wonders, right? And, yes, I AM Pune Proud, and despite the flattening of the seven hills which once surrounded the city and despite the thinning of the green canopy, I do feel that Pune is a site worthy sight, or the vice versa, the dilapidated 'wada's' included!
Well, I would like to insist that every village, nay, each hamlet in Maharashtra itself has unique 'hemadpanthi' temples with simply superb 'deepmal', both of which are sheer poetry carved in stone. Unfortunately, in the silly chase of modernity, most of these get painted in horribly garish golden garnish! I am indeed hence happy that they are restoring the original look of the Pandharpur temple, peeling away the deco's!
The Surya Tilak of the Ram Lalla idol was a wonder. The science behind it is modernity itself. Imagine the ancient monumental (literally!) wonder of the Kolhapur Ambabai Kirnotsav. Centuries old is this monumental sight/site!
May be, to make such wonders world famous, there is a need for sustained efforts. See how the Sankranti Kite festival is celebrated! Why, now every city has its own version of it.
In an India rich with sites like the Hampi Temple or full of local flavour like the Ravan Dahan, every day should be the world monuments and sites day. Such is our heritage that it needs a constant re-vision, right?
Pratima@ Remember Shelley's "Ozymandias"? Writes Shelley, "Round the decay/Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare/The lone and level sands stretch far away.” My submission is that in India, each unknown monument, however withered, tells to the air the story of eternity. Hence the need to care of that glory!
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