Category: India

Jantar Mantar, Delhi

Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural 13 architectural astronomy instruments. The site is one of five built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, from 1724 onwards, as he was given by Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah the task of revising the calendar and astronomical tables.

Of the thirteen instruments, three are quite large and remarkable:

  • Samrat Yantra, or Supreme Instrument, is an equal hour sundial in the form of a giant triangle. On either side of the sundaol is a quadrant with graduations indicating hours, minutes, and seconds.
  • The Jayaprakash are hollowed out hemispheres with markings on their concave surfaces. Wires were stretched between points on their rim so an observer could align the position of a star with various markings from below.
  • The Misra Yantra is a tool to determine the shortest and longest days of the year, including  indicating the exact moment of noon in various cities and locations regardless of their distance from Delhi.

The Jantar Mantar is centrally located and is easy to visit on any excursion to Lutyens’ Delhi.

 

Charminar

CharminarThe Charminar – or literally Four Towers – is a monument and mosque located in the center of Hyderabad. There are many theories about why the Charminar was built. The Archaeological Survey of India states, “It is widely accepted that Charminar was built at the center of the city, to commemorate the eradication of plague” as Qutb Shah (of the Qutb Shahi Tombs fame) had prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city.

The Charminar is a square structure with each side 20 meters (approximately 66 feet) long, with four grand arches each facing a fundamental point that open into four streets. At each corner stands an exquisitely shaped minaret, 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) high with a double balcony.

You can climb to the top, but expect a long line – and know that the Charminar is still a functioning Mosque and Madraasa. The neighborhood is quite crowded with many tiny shops: this being a major marketplace in Hyderabad. During Golden Hour at sunset the Charminar is a sight to see, with the bright Andhra sun shining on the limestone and granite of the minarets.

Pair a trip to the Charminar with a visit to the calmer Chowmahalla Palace nearby.

  • Hours: variable, closed on Friday
  • Address: Khilwat, Charminar, Hyderabad, AP 500082
  • Directions: Go to the center city – ask anyone for Charminar. They will guide you. I would suggest a taxi or hired car.
  • Charminar on Wikipedia
  • Charminar on Andhra Pradesh tourism site

 

Chowmahalla Palace

Chowmahalla Palace

Home to the Nizams – the absolute monarch of Hyderabad State before Partition – and  the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The Chowmahalla Palace was completed between 1857 and 1869 – over 100 years since building commenced. Composed of multiple smaller buildings oriented around two courtyards, the palace is an interesting mix of mughal architecture and neoclassical motifs, fitting as the palace was built over the course of many years. The palace and grounds were restored to fairly good condition in 2005 by the current Nizam (Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, Pretender) and his family.

Qutb Shahi TombsThe Chowmahalla Palace is a nice and quiet refuge from the crowded streets around the Charminar. Expect to spend a few hours walking around the interior of the different palace buildings, be sure to check out the Nizams’ classic car collection, and relaxing in the courtyards around the fountains. The best time to visit is in the evening around Golden Hour, where the clear Hyderabad sun hits the pale yellow buildings and starlings circle above you. Pairing a visit with the Charminar is also a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

  • Hours: Regular Palace Timings for viewing: 10am -5pm (Closed on Fridays and National Holidays)
  • Address: Khilwat, 20-4-236,  Motigalli Hyderabad – 500 002
  • Directions: Go to the Charminar, head toward the Makkah Masjid – ask anyone how to get to the Chowmahalla Palace
  • Chowmahalla Palace on Wikipedia

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Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi

This complex on the edge of Lutyens Delhi is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun, built in 1570. This was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, and inspired many subsequent tombs including the Taj Mahal. The Persian gardens and Mughal architecture is serene and calming stop which is an immense contrast from the hustle of the Delhi neighborhood surrounding it.

Humayun's Tomb

The tomb itself is in the center the four-folded gardens – in the charbaah style – complete with channels linking large pools, which depending what time of year you visit might be full. The mausoleum is composed of a series of red sandstone and marble octagons. In fact, much of the tomb and gardens are divisible by four or eight, an auspicious set of numbers.

Humayun’s Tomb and gardens are the beginning of a long series of dynastic tombs, introducing the monument in a garden motif to the subcontinent. Having travelled widely throughout the Islamic world during his reign, Humayun brought back ideas which were applied by the tomb’s architect under direct direction of  Humayun’s widow, Biga Begum (Hajji Begum).

Humayun's Tomb

If you are in Delhi, this monument is better preserved then the Red Fort and is less crowded – especially if you come in the morning before the heat of the day. You can stroll the gardens and not see anyone, which is a rarity anywhere, but especially in India.

Power Outages Hit 600 Million in India

Power Outages Hit 600 Million in India - NYTimes.com

“We seem to have plunged into another power failure, and the reasons why are not at all clear,” said Gopal K. Saxena, the chief executive of BSES, an electric company that services South Delhi, in a telephone interview. It may take a long time to restore power to north India, he said, because the eastern grid has also failed, and alternate power sources in Bhutan and the Indian state of Sikkim flow into the east first.

Power Outages Hit 600 Million in India.

Funny thing about the photo in this article: this could be any day, regardless of the power cut. We have power in Mumbai, but who knows if we will keep it on or if the Indian grid will cascade.

Flyover Farm by Fresh & Local

Flyover Farm Sketch

Via Mumbai Boss, comes the story of Flyover Farm by Fresh & Local which is aiming to add farms on top of existing Mumbai buildings, and they have a Kickstarter:

Fresh & Local is a movement to facilitate urban farming in Mumbai. We started in the spring of 2010, in reaction to the lack of fresh and organic produce, and the lack of resources and support for urban farming in the city. We research and develop best practices, design gardens and garden products, host gardening workshops and work in partnership with NGOs and individuals to set up kitchen gardens across the city.

Fresh and Local’s Flyover Farm project is a natural progression and culmination of the work currently being carried out.

Flyover Farm Existing

This is all really interesting, but seeing the existing building stock which is generally of poor construction and knowing how much soil is required to grow fruit and vegetable plants, I fear that not many building can support the weight of these roof farms. I applaud the project, since we have lots of roof space in Mumbai, and the quality of vegetables will undoubtably be better than the ones grown on the sides of the suburban railways.

Back to India

India Visa, Check...

In a little over a month I will be moving back to India for quite some time.

Protesting in India

I have been in India for the last 3 months, and during that time Occupy Wall Street was occupying everything and in India a series of protests have made the news. Except these protests, how to say it nicely, are really insane:

And these were just the protests reported in the popular press. There are undoubtably many more protests which happen across the subcontinent which aren’t reported in the daily papers.

I challenge you to imagine the situation of a disgruntled man in the West, upset at some injustice, brings a bag of live cobras to the government building and unleash them on hapless bureaucrats.

This why India is amazing – as long as you aren’t in the office when the bag of snakes is unleashed.