Shanivar Wada in Pune

Thursday, April 12, 2012

After exploring Aga Khan Palace we decided to explore Shanivar Wada, the second place on our itinerary.

We consulted some local people and, taking their advice, hailed a rickshaw to Shaniwar Wada. It took us around 30 minutes to reach Shaniwar Wada and cost us Rs 80.

Shanivar Wada

There was a huge crowd outside the fort. We wondered if they were all there to see the fort. It turned out that they were all college students out there to celebrate Tie Day and Saree Day.

I was amazed at the sight of the fortification. The huge door with spears at the entrance made the door even more amazing. Within the main door, there was a smaller door to let people in.

Having bought ourselves an entry ticket of Rs 5 to view to fort, we saw a cannon up ahead. It was still intact. We immediately ran over to get a picture.

Cannon inside the premises

There is a huge garden and some broken down structures in the premises. There were a few cannons mounted on rocks on the inside of the fort.

There is a one floor structure above the main entrance. It has two bastions next to it. We climbed up the staircase and onto the first floor. This was like a French window but with no glasses mounted on it. It has been beautifully carved out of wood and polished but has not been touched over the years. The roof was made of wood. 

View from the Bastion



The bastions had small holes in them, through which guns could be mounted for the purpose of shooting at the enemy. They also had small windows cut out in the rocks, which I guess is for the people to see where the enemy was coming from.

From here on the outside we could see the city in front of us and on the inside we could see the garden, the broken down structures and the fortification of the entire place.

There were many such bastions across the fort, and many other doors, like the Narayan Gate, Mastani Gate and Khidki Darwaja, which are currently closed to the public. The doors or Darwajas, as they are called, have the old locking systems installed on them. Even the locking systems were huge as the door was huge. These locking systems on the doors used to protect Shaniwar Wada from outside invasion.

Garden inside the premises

The entire fort is square-shaped and is placed right in the centre of the city with the walls in good condition and a road running around it.

We then started to survey the walls of the fort. The stone walls were so broad that four people could have easily walked hand in hand on it without falling down on the inside.

There are many staircases, narrow and steep, which bring us up to these walls all across the inside of the fort. The walls were used to protect the fort. Secondly, there were rooms built within the walls of the fort. These rooms have now been closed and are guarded by locked iron gates.

Walls of the Fort

I saw a lot of couples hanging around in Shaniwar Wada. Maybe all these are locked to protect the Wada from insiders, caught in the act.

There were two huge circular pillars which were built on two of the bastions. They seemed to have been added recently. As there was no guide at hand to talk about their history, I could only make speculations.

After walking and exploring the fort via the walls, we then came to the ground to explore the garden and the broken down structures around it.

Hithakshi and Me

I don’t know what this was used for, whether it was used to tie the horses or used as a stand for the fire torch, but these were placed all over the fort.

At the entrance of the garden there was a board put up giving information about the famous events that had taken place within the fort. There is one plaque which provides information about the family tree of the Peshwas who had built this fort.

Broken down stuctures in the premises

A special show in the evening showcases a musical garden to spectators. I haven’t seen it but I guess it is similar to the one I saw in Brindavan Gardens in Mysore. Much smaller though.

We then checked the structures all around it. There was an empty water tank which was meant to provide water to a thousand people staying here.

Beautifully crafted Balcony above the main entrance of Shanivar Wada

That took us back in history. What this place might have looked at that time. When one stands on the walls, one can see grounds all across the fort and houses away in the distance and now houses, shops have cropped up all around the fort. A tiny road separates the fort from civilization.

Just imagine what would have happened if the government had taken an early step in restoring these structures before they collapsed. Then we might have got a glimpse of some of that ancient glory. Hopefully, the belated attention will safeguard whatever remains from collapse and destruction.

Wall

It took us around 1½ hours to view this fort in its entirety. Outside the fort there was a huge statue of Shivaji Maharaj put up on a podium. I guess reality shows are held here with the Shaniwar Wada in the backdrop as the stage was being removed and so were the chairs put around it.

On this trip, both food and water were not an issue as they were easily available. There was no need to carry packed water and food. This was an urban trek and not a rural far away from civilization trek, like the ones I usually do.

Narayan Gate

Shaniwar Wada is listed among the names of the most haunted places in Maharashtra. I had read on the internet that the Peshwas had ruled the province; Narayan, the head of the state, had been assassinated under the order of Madhavrao’s wife. The assassins chased Narayan across the fort. It is said that while running he yelled, “Uncle, save me.” It is said that even today locals hear his voice on a full moon day.

As we had come in broad daylight, we were not likely to hear his voice crying for help.

Khidki Darwaza and shelter near the walls

Family tree of Peshwas

I had told Hithakshi about this and she was against visiting this place. I somehow convinced her to accompany me on this trip stating that it is totally safe during the day.  It has to be. After all, the place is packed with people.

The Main Door

We then headed off to board a city bus to take us to Pune City. It cost us Rs 14. This trip had been a good one. Both places had been good sights. We had a few snacks and then headed off to catch a bus that would take us home. I will plan to do the other attractions in Pune, in the coming weekends. So stay tuned to my blog for those too.

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Aga Khan Palace in Pune

Monday, April 9, 2012

Aga Khan Palace and Shaniwar Wada are two of the prime attractions in Pune city. Both attract a very large number of visitors. Besides these two attractions, Pune is also home to Sarasbaug, Raja Kelkar Museum, Paravati Hill and Temple, Vishrambaug Wada, Osho International Meditation Centre, Mahatma Phule Wada, Katraj Snake Park, Konark Park, Pateshwar Caves and Lal Mahal. Pune is located at a distance of around 180 km from Mumbai and can be accessed by road, rail and air. 

Aga Khan Palace

As Hithakshi and I had suddenly decided on visiting Pune, we zeroed in on visiting the Aga Khan Palace and Shaniwar Wada in Pune.

Both of us were new to Pune. I had been to Pune earlier to visit Shivneri Fort and Sinhagad Fort, both on the outskirts of the city. But this was my first trip to view the attractions inside the city.

As we had made a last-minute decision to visit Pune, we couldn’t book tickets in advance. So we boarded the Intercity Express at 6:56 am from Dadar station on the Central line. The train, followed by a road trip, is the fastest means of transport, second only to an air flight.

Aga Khan Palace

On my previous trip to Shivneri Fort, I had boarded the Indrayani Express at 5:53 am at Dadar. I had been lucky to find a coach that was empty then, but that was not the case this time.

It was January 2012 and quite cold in Mumbai, and we were comfortably wrapped up in layers of warm clothing. I had worn my favourite camera vest which I wore on my first trip. We were hoping that the weather in Pune would be equally pleasant or else the warm clothes would turn out to be a real torture for us in Pune.

Group Picture, Hithakshi and Me

There were only two compartments reserved for people with unreserved tickets. We boarded one of them. The train was packed with people. Luckily we got a place to stand. That was it. No other movement was possible. Finally after three hours of grueling punishment (a standout journey indeed), we reached Pune at 10:00 am, just 10 minutes late.

The weather in Pune was quite pleasant. Chilly winds blew, justifying our warm clothing and making us really grateful for them. Our stomachs were growling as we had not had our breakfast. So our first priority was food.

The moment we alighted from the station we were greeted by taximen and travel agents who kept enquiring whether we wanted to go to Mumbai.

Artifacts kept on display

After having our breakfast (puri bhaji, masala dosa and Nescafe), we headed off to find the best possible means to go to Aga Khan Palace and Shaniwar Wada. I was so hungry that I didn’t waste time taking any pictures of the food. Instead I competed with myself, hoping to beat my own record in gulping food down. Hehe.

We had two main vehicles to choose from: the city bus and the rickshaw. The city bus stand and rickshaw stand are located outside the station. 

Photo of Aga Khan

After inquiring with a few locals, we decided to hire a rickshaw instead of boarding the bus. The rickshaw would take us to the place directly, which was an advantage. Since we were new to Pune, we were quite unfamiliar with the names of the places and the destination of the buses.

It took us around 25 minutes to reach Aga Khan Palace. Aga Khan Palace is situated at a distance of 7 km from the heart of Pune city. It cost us Rs 60 to get to Aga Khan Palace, according to the rickshaw meter.

The palace has two entry doors, but only one of them is open to visitors. The entry fee is Rs 5 for Indians and Rs 100 for foreign nationals. The Palace is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. The lunch break is from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.

Art work on display

At the entrance there is a parking lot for visitors who had bought their vehicles and a huge garden neatly trimmed with rock cut chairs for people to sit in. The garden was neatly maintained. There were a number of flowers growing there. The presence of a number of shady trees added to the beauty of the garden.

The Palace is an Archaeological Site and is very well maintained. Outside the Palace is a tombstone which gives us information on the Palace.

The Palace was built in 1892 by Sultan Mohammad Aga Khan III. The Palace was built by the Sultan to offer help to the people there who were hit by famine. The locals were employed to cater to the needs of the beneficiaries. Apparently, they were paid hefty wages.

Garments worn on display

As we walked on the ground floor amid the beautifully decorated arches, we started off by visiting the rooms that were allocated to the freedom fighters. The doors were beautifully carved and the wooden ceiling in each of the rooms presented an amazing sight.

History buffs will be interested to know that Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba and secretary Mahadeo Bhai Desai were imprisoned here during the Independence movement.

These rooms have now been converted into mini museums and feature paintings, rare photos and articles used by Mahatma Gandhi, his wife Kasturba and secretary. After viewing the five rooms kept for display, we headed off to the samadhis.

Samadhi's of Kasturbai and Mahadeo Bhai Desai

A point to note here is that only the five rooms of the Palace are open for public viewing and not the entire Palace.

This time I had bought my mini tripod along, as on most of the trips I am not able to take group photos. Nor am I able to get a picture of myself. The tripod served me very well on this trip and I was able to make good use of it.

Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi

We later visited the Samadhis of Mahatma Gandhi, Kasturbai and Mahadeo Bhai Desai. Kasturbai and Mahadeo Bhai Desai died in captivity at the Palace. Gandhiji’s ashes were later brought and preserved at the same samadhi.                         

Having finished the photo session and having strolled through the garden, we decided to head to Shaniwar Wada, the second place on our itinerary.

Map



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Erangal Jatra

Friday, March 9, 2012

Ever since Shawn and Flature had told me about this Fair which takes place at Erangal Village at St Bonaventure Church, I had made up my mind that I would go see this Fair. I go to the Bandra Fair every year. But this fair was new to me.

 The Erangal Fair is held every year on the second Sunday in January. To read about the Erangal Church and Village   http://merwynsrucksack.blogspot.in/2011/12/madh-fort-erangal-village-and.html

St. Bonaventure Church

I had gone to visit Matheran with Shawn, Perpetua, Savio and Flature on Saturday. To view my writeup on Matheran, click on this link, http://merwynsrucksack.blogspot.in/2012/03/matheran-four-points-and-lake.html

The relentless walking that we had done in Matheran had caused blisters on my leg but I didn’t want to miss the Erangal Fair. So despite my foot injury I decided to go to the fair.

 I asked Hithakshi to accompany me to the fair. We decided to meet at Malad Railway Station at 2 pm. As it was a Sunday, the frequency of the train services had been affected on account of maintenance work. We were able to reach Malad station only at 2:30 pm.

THe Erangal Jatra on the Beach

Bus no. 271 plies to Madh. Since Erangal Village is on the way to Madh, we boarded this bus. On this day BEST runs special buses to take devotees to the Church. Each bus carries a banner, reading Erangal Jatra - Reserved especially for the Fair (Jatra). The bus ride lasted for 35 minutes and cost us Rs 12 per head.

 At the bus stop, there was a big traffic jam, with police bandobast (police for patrolling the fair) and devotees in large numbers.

Giant Wheel

We added our numbers to the crowd. Both sides of the road were crowded with vendors selling sweets, toys, curtains, religious articles and foodstuffs. It took us around 20 minutes to reach the Church.


The church, built in the 15th century, was whitewashed and beautifully decorated both from the inside and outside with lighting and other décor.

Statue of St. Bonaventure in the Church

Statues of St Bonaventure were kept for people to pay their respects. People came in huge numbers to pay their respects here. We too joined them in the queue.


The Church is near the shore and as it was a time of low tide, the waterline was far away. It was the perfect opportunity for vendors to set up their stalls.

The Well of Death

Flature had left a comment on my earlier post on Madh Fort, Erangal Church and Mandapeshwar Caves that the fair was usually meant for East Indian communities who used to cook, play music and eat in the shacks they used to build on the sea shore. But that was the past.

To view my post on Madh Fort, Erangal Church and Mandapeshwar Caves, click on this link http://merwynsrucksack.blogspot.in/2011/12/madh-fort-erangal-village-and.html

As I entered the Fair (jatra) I was reminded of the depiction of fairs in old Hindi B&W movies that I used to see as a child. This fair was exactly like those shown in those old films.

Local Tattoo Artist

The tall giant wheel ride, the merry-go-rounds, and small car rides for the children, the Well of Death where daredevils drove their cars and bikes, the ice cream and cold drink stalls on the beach, the toys prepared by the local artisans, the tattoo artists with their tattoo machines and designs, the clothes kept for sale on the beach, the sweet marts, toy shops, the balloon shooting galleries – all these things took me back in time.

There were horse carts too on the beach, where people were enjoying joyrides for a price.

The Erangal Jatra

As we walked through the fair, we saw a number of people sitting about in small shacks and listening to songs played on their car stereos while eating food cooked on a slow fire. These family get-togethers were a nice sight to see.

Later we headed off to the rocks to enjoy the cool breeze. We sat there and enjoyed the quiet sea and the huge crowd in a distance at the fair and later decided to head back as that was the only way in and out of Erangal Village. 

Families enjoying on the Beach

The bus stops were extremely crowded so we decided to walk for a while. Before long, we noticed that other people were also doing the same. We walked for a long time, without sighting an empty bus or rickshaw. Finally having walked for two hours we reached the junction from where one road goes to Manori and the other to Madh.

 At this point my legs began to protest against the strain they were being subjected to, but I could not indulge their need for rest. I still had to walk to get to some mode of transport. We decided to go to Manori and catch a bus there. Apparently the other people who were walking also had the same idea, because they all landed up at Manori.   

BEST Bus to Erangal Jatra

Now it was around 8 pm. We sat on the banks of the Manori Creek enjoying the view of the Pagoda in the distance. It was truly amazing. There was darkness all around with just the Pagoda shining as if it was made of gold.

 We had no luck with buses and rickshaws even at Manori. So we decided to walk to Malad station. It was a 1½-hour journey on two feet. To add fuel to the fire there was a traffic jam along the road, which made the movement of vehicles and humans difficult. As motorists started clambering on the footpaths, we humans found it increasingly difficult to walk.

 At last after walking for about 45 minutes, the traffic jam showed signs of moving so we immediately hopped on to a bus and reached the station in 30 minutes.

 I was extremely tired with all the walking and the blisters on my leg didn’t make matters any easier for me. Finally we boarded a train and headed home.

 In spite of the pain, I still enjoyed the jatra a lot. It brought back old memories.

 Thanks, Hithakshi, for accompanying me on this trip.

Map to St. Bonaventure Church from Malad Station



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Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is dedicated to Ganesh and is located at Prabhadevi in Mumbai. Can be accessed by road.

It was built in 1801 by Mr. Laxman Vithu and Mrs. Deubai Patil.

Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir

The temple has images of Ashtavinayak (the eight manifestations of Ganesh in Maharashtra) carved in it. It has a gold plated roof, which is visible from the inside, not outside, and has a statue of Ganesh in it.

People come here from all corners of Mumbai. People come walking barefoot for the early morning aarti just to show their belief in Ganesh.

The temple is visited by people day in and day out. It is the richest temple in Mumbai. 

Map to Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir

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Girgaun Chowpatty

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Girgaun Chowpatty, known as Chowpatty, is a famous public beach on the coast of Mumbai.

Girgaun Chowpatty with the skyscrapers in the background

It is famous for Ganesh visarjans (immersions) when people come in large numbers to immerse an idol of Ganesh in the sea. There are halogen lights put up on the beach during such times.

View of the beach

There are many fast food joints on the beach selling bhelpuri, ragda patties and pav bhaji. People come here in large numbers to enjoy the sunset and then feast on the fast food.

Another view of the beach, with litter on the shore

The water here is not clean but some people do prefer to have a nice bath in the water. The beach is nicely kept. No littering is allowed on the beach, which is patrolled by lifeguards.

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Madh Fort, Erangal Village and Mandapeshwar Caves

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

I had set my alarm clock to wake me up at 5.45 am. I wanted to start the day early. 

However, I woke up even before the alarm clock went off by the sound of a BEST bus screeching to a halt on the main road. I woke up with a start, thinking I had overslept. But a glance at the clock revealed that it was just 5.40 am. 

I freshened up, filled my rucksack with a water bottle and left. I was to connect with Dominic, my colleague who had accompanied me to Unconquered Mahuli, and Shawn, an old college friend.

Madh Fort from the Air Force Station Madh barricade

Dominic and I had planned to see Madh Fort and Mandapeshwar Caves on Sunday. I met Shawn online on Saturday on FB, and he readily agreed to join us even though he had been on the night shift the previous night. He told me that he would meet me at 7 am at Malad railway station on the western side. 

Accordingly, Sean and I showed up at the agreed time of 7 am. At that hour, the trains were empty. Dominic arrived after 20 minutes.

We went to MM Mithaiwala, opposite the railway station, for our breakfast. We had Vada Pav and bhajiya pav. Vada is a spicy potato patty, dipped in a gram flour batter and deep fried in oil; a pav is a loaf of bread. The vada is sandwiched inside the bread and served with a sweet-spicy chutney. Bhajiya Pav is a variation on the vada pav theme. Here the potato is sliced, coated with the batter and deep fried, then served in a loaf of bread with the sweet-spicy chutney.

A Big Fat Pig

After having our breakfast, we bought some snacks for our trip, had some tea and started off.

We boarded the 271 no bus from Malad station on the western side. The bus was crowded. By the time we were able to get a seat, the bus was just a minute away from the last stop, Madh Jetty. 

As we alighted, we saw a few fishing boats in the sea. The very air smelled of fish here.

Fishermen cleaning their nets

We then headed to the jetty to board a ferry to Madh Island. The cost of the ferry is Rs 6 for a return journey. 

Our ferry, packed with people and bikes, floated through the sewage and the polluted waters. This ferry was similar to the one I had boarded at Manori; only the water was much cleaner there. :) But this journey lasted about a minute. Soon we were on the other side. There is no proper jetty here so the people have to alight via the planks which act as the connectors between the land and the ferry.

There is one tendency that I have observed among people travelling by buses, trains and ferries in Mumbai. People jump off before the vehicle comes to a standstill. It sometimes makes me wonder, "Why are people always in a hurry?" "What will happen if they are a minute late?" These questions always stand unanswered. But that is the way life moves on in Mumbai or maybe all over the world. Sometimes I wonder what these people are going to do with all the time they save.

Over Crowded Ferry

The island was rather congested. I saw a couple of fisherman cleaning their nets. Some others were offloading their catch into containers. 

We walked on the island only to find that the roads were very narrow and the houses were built very close to each other. So close that, I am sure, the neighbours could hear your conversations without straining too hard. So if you have a secret to tell someone, maybe about a treasure you found, you need to find a different way of communicating the same. Otherwise the entire island will come to know about it.

 We boarded a ferry again to land on the mainland. The locals directed us to Madh Fort. We had to walk for 30 minutes to reach the Madh Mandir bus stop from where the road to the fort starts.

From Right - Dom, Sean and Me

Madh Fort, also known as Versova Fort, was built by the Portuguese. This fort offers a strategic view of the sea. Maybe it was used as a watchtower then. The walls of the fort looked quite good. This fort is under the control of the Indian Air Force. Now Sean and I were aware of this as we had read about it on the Internet. 

This led me to wonder whether it was better to read up on a place beforehand or figure things out for ourselves when we actually go to the place. Personally, I prefer to lose myself rather than know everything beforehand. I feel that this is the right way of getting to know a place. What do you think? Drop me a line in the comments section and let me know.

Madh is a fishing village, so all around you will see blue fishing nets, even on the roads. Unlike in Manori where most of the residents were Christians, here there are people of all faiths. 

Stock on the boat

The guards at the entrance to the fort told us that we would need to get permission from their HQ if we wanted to see the fort. It is a matter of National Security, said one of the guards. 

Have you ever noticed how restrictions in the name of national security apply only to us citizens? Terrorists roam about freely, doing all the damage they want to. But we did not argue with the guards. They were only doing their job. 

We then moved on to see the Killeshwar Temple behind the fort. From here one can get a panoramic view of Mumbai city. Killeshwar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Methinks that it got the name simply because it was near the fort.

The Killeshwar temple at the base of the Fort

Near the temple premises there is an open ground where fish is hung out to dry on thin bamboo sticks. It made a lovely picture.

We saw a small sea snake here. Shawn was the first to spot it. He initially thought the snake was dead, lying there in shallow water. After spending a few minutes observing the snake, we noticed that it was moving a bit. When Shawn asked the locals about it, we were told that the snake had been caught in the net along with the fishes on the previous day. How stupid of the fishermen to take the fishes out and leave the snake to die on the shore. We then moved the snake near the water. Immediately it disappeared in the water. Thank God, we were able to save a life today! 

We then decided to explore the fort from the other side after having been denied permission on the front side. We climbed the rocks near the fort. There were some nice formations to be seen there, as a result of the tidal activity on the rocks. Sean found a couple of crabs which led to a photo session. He later found crabs that live in conical shells. 

Dried Fish on Hangers

We then started climbing up and reached the wall of the fort. This was not the main wall but another small wall next to the main wall. From there we saw a few locals who were fishing in the distance. We thought of walking there but then changed our minds as this area is under the governance of the Indian Air Force. 

We could have easily entered this fort from the back entrance. But we chose to be responsible and not trespass in an area that was out of bounds for us.

The watch guards had made a big show about national security. But if this was the level of security offered by the guards, imagine how easy it would be for terrorists to enter. The guards man only the main entrance of the fort, leaving the walls open for intrusion. This is the security we boast of.

Bastion

We later headed back to Madh Mandir bus stop, where we had a few refreshments. Later we headed to Erangal, about 15 minutes away from the Madh Fort. We had not planned to go to this place, but Shawn suggested that we go there and we agreed as it was on our way. 

Along the way we saw a church, Our Lady of the Sea (Daria Mata Church in Hindi). This was an old structure with a painting of Mother Mary at the sea positioned at the entrance of the church.

After alighting at Erangal, we headed off to see Erangal Church, also known as St Bonaventure Church. This is another old structure built in the 15th century. The walls of this church are made of mud. Sean informed us that even the floor was caked with mud and that people used to sit on the floor for prayers. Apparently he had come here for a picnic during his schooldays, around 10 years ago. Now there are benches put in the church; the walls have been tiled on the inside while the roof has been fit with asbestos sheets. Inside the church, one can read the history of the church in English and Marathi on marble tablets on the walls on marble tabs on the walls. 

St.Bonaventure Church

The church faces the sea. I don’t know why this is so. Maybe St Bonaventure arrived from the sea. There is no beach in front of the church — just rocks which are submerged during high tides. 

To read about the Erangal Jatra held outside St. Bonaventure Church  http://merwynsrucksack.blogspot.in/2012/03/erangal-jatra.html

We sat in the church for some time. We felt very calm and relaxed. Life in this village is rather laidback. The shops are closed in the afternoon since that is the time when people sleep. It reminded me of life in Goa, where I hail from. Sitting in a shack at the beach, on a hot afternoon, enjoying a pint of ice-cold beer, what could be better?

There was a group of bikers there who had also come to see the church. They were wearing similar black T-shirts and driving around on Enfield motorbikes. Our very own biker gang, like the Harley Davidson biker gangs in the US.

Mandapeshwar Caves

We had the snacks which we had picked up in the morning and later headed off to see the last place on our itinerary, Mandapeshwar Caves. We went to Malad station, the starting point of our journey. From here we were supposed to go to Mandapeshwar Caves.

We managed to doze off for a while in the bus. At Malad, we boarded a rickshaw to Mandapeshwar Caves.

Shawn who had been here before told me that the caves were below the graveyard of Immaculate Conception Church. Within 15 minutes, we were at the caves. These caves were the smallest I have ever seen. There is a ground in front where children play. 

Caves

These caves were built around 1500 to 1600 years ago. There are sculptures of Buddha carved on most of the pillars and one of the walls of the main cave. There is a Shiva temple here. There were two caves here side-by-side. What caught my eye was that a Cross had been carved there. I could not understand how a Cross had come to be carved in Buddhist caves. I had never seen anything like this before.

Online research revealed that the Portuguese had converted these caves into a monastery and established the Immaculate Conception Church above these caves. That solved the mystery of the Cross in the caves. The graveyard of the church rests above the Caves.

The caves are guarded by policemen 24*7. I wondered why as none of the other caves are manned by the police, I decided to ask them why. They first told me not to take any snaps of the premises as the property was under dispute. 

Cross engraved on the cave walls

They realised that I was taking pictures only after I switched on the flash in my camera. The pictures I had taken before that had gone unnoticed.

We then headed out and inquired with the children playing cricket about the walls atop the caves and if there was anything interesting to see there. One of them replied, "Yes, a graveyard." Huh? A graveyard? When did that become a place worth visiting?

 We then moved out and entered the Church premises and then onto the graveyard. We rested in the church compound for some time and then headed home.

Sculptured Pillars

In today’s outing, I travelled by train, bus, ferry, rickshaw and my feet. In all, I used five different modes of transport to get around.

Although it was tiring to travel in the hot sun, the journey was interesting. The air force guards with their stupid concepts of national security and the policemen in the caves with their talks on photography provided some amusing moments. 

I had an amazing time checking out our city with Dom and Sean. Until next time, readers, take care, and remember — The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.