Mangoes are more than a fruit to some

After almost a decade this year we had a fabulous mango season. Villages of Mithila in northern Bihar had a very special mango season this year. From the bloom to harvest of mangoes, the villagers kept fairly busy for about four months. Temporary huts found their ways back to the mango orchards after a long break. These huts became most happening spots in the villages.

Good harvest of mangoes kept people of Mithila busy discussing specialties of various species of this fruit, thus having very little time for politics and attention to other problems of life. From orchards to offices and from homes to temples…life moved surrounding mangoes only.

Villagers of Mithila give you an account how Lord Buddha used to take detour to mango orchards in this region and how Emperor Akbar was fascinated with mangoes of Mithila and got thousands of mango saplings planted called ‘Lakhi Bag’ in Darbhanga.

Mithila produces thousands of varieties of mangoes. Branded mangoes like Langda or Maldah, Chausa and other such varieties are not favorites for locals. People prefer other lesser-known varieties, which is juicy and has got different flavors. Kerwa, Panma, Ujra, Sinuriya, Karpuriya, Chiniya, Mirchaiya…there are innumerous varieties of mangoes in the orchards and there are legends associated with all these varieties. Invariably, there is a variety called Usragga in every orchard in Mithila, fruits of which are not for the consumption of the owners and the wood is also used for cremation purpose only.

Marriages solemnized more than usual this season, because mangoes saved lot of money on feasting guests which costs majority of marriage expenses in this region. It was an ideal season for other ceremonies as well, where feasting was associated with them. Nothing could be dearer than mangoes to the sweet teeth of Maithils.

Families witnessed long awaited reunion of heir family members, since mangoes attracted them from all over. All of them had one story or other of their childhood to share thread around mangoes.

Barter of eatables and consumables with mangoes also revived, since nothing was more liquid and solid than mangoes this season. Laborers also preferred mangoes in lieu of cash or any other kind for the services rendered.

This bumper mango harvest has healed many wounds of flood and drought that took turns on Mithila for almost a decade. Contented people of Mithila think that bad phase of this region is over and mangoes have brought all the luck for them.

Dhak has more than the leaves...

There is an old proverb in Hindi- Dhak ke teen paat… it is mostly used for efforts leading to no results.
Here paat is leaves and Dhak is a kind of tree. So, possibly this proverb is used all because of little worth of the Dhak tree...it grows up slowly and fetches not enough wood for fire. Leaves of these trees are still used to serve street food in many ‘backward’ areas, where plastic bags are not supplied in abundance or where people cannot afford the additional cost of plate with cost of food...but perhaps people expected more from the Dhak..not just paat.

the magic of spring..all flowers..no leaves..

To cut this long story short..it has been real injustice to this variety of tree. It grows even on dead mountains, it braves all attacks and intrusions of humans and stray animals..the drought and the erosions..
And when the spring swings the mood of nature…places like Aravali and other such terrains go crazy with the bloom that paints the entire dead valleys and dusty driveways into valley of flowers and pleasure driveways.

a temple in Aravali Valley surrounded by Dhak trees

One can easily find these lovely trees with their wealth for about two weeks in March-April in Faridabad and surrounding areas. The valley of Aravali turns into saffron field and fauna of the terrain have real time of feast during the bloom of Dhak.

the valley of dead rocks turned into valley of flowers

I really wonder why people have not given the due credit and affection to these Dhak trees. Haryana may proudly declare it state flower, which adds colour and grace to the land of Hari or Lord Krishna.

Lets do it....For the Children..

Children are the real faces of our society....

some are priveleged, some are not...

Some are pampered, some are not...

Some wishes are fulfilled, some are not..

Some are happy, some are not...

Some dance in joy, some dance in pain..

Some study to hold the empire, some to have mid day meal

Some are closed to the God, but some are not...

Some are safe, some are not..

Some do believe in God, Some do not...

But all are innocent...

Every child has a big heart in tiny body....

Every child wait for the happiness to sprinkle....

Every child wait for the food to sizzle...

Lets do something every day to bring some smile on some faces...

Smile is most relished and cherished gift....

Lets do it..

Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne...Angkor Wat

In this picture there is face of Apsara appearing from a hole of a jungle tree.. This is from the Temple Ta Prom...the temple of Brahma. This site is being restored by Government of India.. Actually this is the fate of Angkor Wat group of temples in Cambodia. Due to neglect..the mighty temples of Angkor were overpowered by giant trees of the region....

This picture is a perfect symbol of getting back to the dominance... Nature takes it turn to grab its teritories...This is also from the site Ta Prom...The temple of Brahma...

The temples of Angkor region are full of these Apsaras....their hair style are very unique..I think due to this very reason Conservation Authority in Angkor is named Apsara authority...

This is the bold and mighty stroke of the great painter nature....This is also from ta Prom..It is in the fourth enclosure....Ta Prom temple has maximum number of enclosures in Angkor group of temples....Main Angkor Wat temple has also only four...

This wall carving is from main Angkor Wat temple...On the Mahabharta panel one can see the SharShaiyya of Bhishma....

Great Engineers of ASI...they are leading the team from India which is doing restoration work at Ta Prom

This is the west entrance gate of Ta Prom temple....Bacuase of this face perhaps people started calling this site Ta Prom....

Here the jungle has regained its area.... Ta Prom Site

We thought it was the idea of Ramanand Sagar..but you can see here ....in the Angkorwat panel this man is having many Shar at one go...may be Ramanand Sagar visited this site for research

This is the conversion of Buddhsit image inti Hindu image..communalism prevailed even 1000 years back and in its cruel form....

The Apsaras are telling me to write much more about this site....so please wait for some more posts here....

A small relic at Angkor Wat temple....

A view of main Angkor Wat temple from the entance.....

And here I come..to keep you posted on Angkor Wat group of temples.....

Mahishasurmardini in the British Museum

The collection of Indian antiquities in British Museum has been a main attraction of visitors from all over the world. Now Indian collection of this museum is the part of the Joseph E. Hotung Gallery of Oriental Antiquities which was opened to public in 1992.

Apart from rich Buddhist collection in this section of the museum, there is also a very good collection 'Hindu' images from all regions of India and countries of Indian sub-continent and countries from South East Asian countries with the past of Indian influence.

On the eve of Saptami of Shardiya Navratra, it was nice to explore images of Devi in many forms in the British Museum- Chamunda, Mahishasurmardini, Vaishnavi, Manasa etc. In all form of Devi, the form of Mahishasurmardini has been more attractive to all the artists all through the ages and British Museum posseses many such statues of Mahishasurmardini. An attempt to create a catalogue of statues of Devi Durga in various museums in the world should be attempted, as it has religiously been done for of Buddhist images all over the world.

Apart from variousstatues of Devi, one small statue of Ravana is also of major attraction in the Indian collection...in very graceful form...for a change...