Day 37, 38 – June 15, 16 : Aurangabad and surroundings : A very interesting, very informative and very thought provoking two days spent in Aurangabad. And a great combination of relaxation, catching up and family time it turned out to be. Even the learnings were spread across multiple facets – history, geography, religion, strategy......Truly – if the mind is open, there is something to be learned, imbibed, experienced, virtually every moment... Day 37 - June 15 : Ajanta Caves, Jay Rao and family. At Ajanta Caves, our first item on the agenda for the day, we explored these magnificent caves, carved out, by hand, using just hammer and chisel, from the hillside, all of 2200 years ago. There was precise geometry, civil work and architecture to be seen - in the intricate shapes, the symmetry, the sheer size, the overall planning and the coordination amongst the 30 odd caves to form almost an integral whole and a continuum along the entire face of the mountain. There were these marvelous paintings – one of the highlights and the unique features of the caves – artistic renderings, stories, folk tales from so many years ago – many of them withstanding so well, the tests of the times...The palettes for mixing of colors cut into the rock, the vibrancy and the variety of the colors themselves, the immense artistic talent on display. Each set of paintings, each cave having its own story to tell....one after the other – fascinating indeed. There were the beautiful sculptures, each so painfully, yet so realistically carved, the serene Buddha statues, the intricate figurines on the pillars, the stupas, the decorative carvings on the roofs and the walls,....the list could go on, and on.... And then of course, there were also the unfortunate but inevitable signs of neglect, of a priceless legacy not preserved well enough, the water seeping through with not enough being done to protect it.....Points to ponder, to reflect, to act upon....Lessons for the future, perhaps?? All said and done, it was a great day spent at the caves, walking around, understanding, learning, discussing, and enjoying ourselves. Rohan got some wonderful pictures as well – this boy comes out with his camera very sparingly, but inevitably comes up with some great, interesting stuff... In the evening, it was back to the hotel, and off to meet up with an Engineering College friend and batch mate – for the first time since passing out in 1983 – courtesy Facebook. We spent some very enjoyable time with Jay Rao and his wife Maneesha (also from Engg. College though a couple of years later – was great to catch up with her as well). Finally, Jay’s Dad Prof. H M Ganesh Rao was our College Principal for a couple of years, and it was wonderful to meet him in a different capacity this time, exchange notes, bring him upto date on developments at our end, and have Rohan interact with him and receive his blessings. A short but sweet meeting - renewing contacts, promising to stay in touch, meet more regularly in future. Thanks to Facebook, which made this possible. And thanks to Arun’s buddy Jay, for reaching out with the warmth and the caring which made sure that we did actually catch up! Cheers to that! Back to the hotel, some enjoyable moments watching India beat Pakistan at cricket, and off to sleep...another day, more experiences await.......
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:00:19 +0000
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