Agarsen ki Baoli

Agrasen ki Baoli (also known as Sehingga Sain ki Baoli or Ugrasen ki Baoli), specific a secured monument by the Historical Study of Indian (ASI) under the Historical Ancient monuments and Historical Websites and Continues to be Act of 1958, is a 60-meter lengthy and 15-meter extensive traditional phase well on Hailey Street near Connaught Position, a brief stroll from Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Indian. Although there are no known traditional information to confirm who designed Agrasen ki Baoli, it is considered that it was initially designed by the popular master Agrasen during the Mahabharat impressive era and renewed in the Fourteenth millennium by the Agrawal group which information its source to Maharaja Agrasen.
Baoli or bawdi, also termed as baori or bauri, is a Hindi term. In Rajasthan and Gujarat the terms for phase well consist of baoli, bavadi, vav, vavdi and vavadi. Water wats or wats and forehead phase water wells were designed in ancient Indian and the first types of phase well and tank was also designed in Indian in locations like Dholavira as far back as the Indus Area Society.

Architecture

It is among a few of its type in Delhi. Some areas of the well, with 103 actions, are completely engrossed in water. The noticeable areas of this traditional phase well involve three stages. Each stage is covered with curved marketers on both factors. From an structural viewpoint this phase well was probably renewed during the Tughlaq interval. However, the first current Baoli in Delhi, the Anangtal Baoli situated in Mehrauli which was also known as Yoginipura, was designed in the Tenth millennium by the Rajput King Anang Pal II of Tomar Empire. Anang Tal basically indicates tank offered by Anang Pal of the Home of Tomar.

Regarding the name Agrasen Ki Baoli it should be mentioned that in 1132 AD an Agrawal poet known as Vibudh Shridhar refers to, in his perform Pasanahacariu, a rich and significant Agrawal vendor of Dhilli known as Nattal Sahu who was also a reverend in the judge of King Anang Pal III. Restoring the old Baoli would have been within the indicates of a rich Agrawal group.

Iskcon Temple Delhi

Delhi Iskcon Temple is a magnificent shrine, one amongst the 40 temples made by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in India. Located at Sant Nagar in East of Kailash, Iskcon Temple dominates the skyline of the southern part of Delhi. 

Initiated by Acharya Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISCKON is a society that belongs to Hare Rama Hare Krishna cult. The original name of this temple is Sri Radha-Parthasarthy Temple. Being made by the ISCKON, the temple is popular by the name of Isckon Temple. Built in 1998, 

Iskcon Temple can be easily reached by taking local buses, auto-rickshaws or by hiring taxis from the city. The huge temple looks majestic with its outer appearance, while it appears celestial from inside. The colossal temple complex spreads in a vast area of Hare Krishna Hill. The three tall spires (shikhars) look awesome when they are brightly lit in the night. In order to reach the main shrine, one has to take a flight of steps. 

This flight of steps has various halts that lead to other destinations of the temple complex. On the way, there are shops on one side and on the other side, fountains add to the mysticism of this shrine. The main shrine is a huge hall where three shrines are located under the three spires. These three shrines are dedicated to Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram and Guara-Nitai respectively. 

At once, the glimpse of these idols makes one to ponder over the celestial world. The idols are worth-seeing and admiring their sculpted beauty. Festooned with rich clothes and jewelry, the idols are adorned with great delicacy and care. In this hall, one can always hear the divine tune of Hare Rama Hare Krishna. 

Many lectures, kirtans and discourses are arranged for the benefit and spiritual upliftment of devotees. Behind these shrines, there is a 'parikrama' or compound, where pictures of Iskcon temples across the world are displayed. 

Apart from these pictures, paintings made by Russian painters, are also displayed depicting frolic scenes from the life-history of Radha-Krishna. Outside the shrine, there is an image of 'Garuda' facing the shrine of Radha-Krishna. Here, many people can be seen chanting the 'Mahamantra' of Hare Krishna society. Isckon Temple has one of the largest temple complexes in India. 

It comprises numerous rooms for the priest and service renders of this temple. It has many halls that are used for its administration purposes.Inside the complex, there is a beautiful museum that attracts the people towards its remarkable paintings and outstanding objects. The museum presents the Indian history in easy and interactive manner. The great Indian epics like 'Mahabharata' and 'Ramayana' are explained in a simple style. 

A Robot show is worth-watching as the electronic power is merged perfectly with the religious thoughts and pictures. Here, the power of meditation is proved with the facts of science. For children, the light and sound effects are truly fascinating. The tickets for this show are available at the counter that is located near the entrance of the temple. 

Down stairs, there are gift shops that offer many religious articles and objects to serve as a souvenir of this trip. In the food-shop, many eatables of vegetarian nature are available. Besides this food shop, a full-fledged vegetarian restaurant by the name of 'Govinda' also makes the part of this temple. 

During the whole month of 'Sawan' (July-Aug) and 'Kartik' (Oct-Nov), the shrine is decked wonderfully with flowers. Spiritual discourses and chants enhance the divine atmosphere of the temple. Janmashtami, being the birthday of Lord Krishna, is the major festival observed by the temple. At this time, the temple witnesses huge celebration involving many religious activities. 

The temple decorated from the top to bottom with lights and flowers. Adequate arrangements are made to hold thousands of devotees, who come to visit the holy shrine. People, standing in long queues, to have a glimpse of the Lord, add a holy tint to the exhilarating atmosphere of the temple.

Location:	Sant Nagar, East of Kailash, In South Delhi, Near Lotus Temple
Built in:	1998
Dedicated to:	Radha-Krishna
Attraction:	Robot Show
Also known as:	Sri Radha Parthasarthy Temple
How to reach:	One can easily reach Iskcon Temple by taking local Buses, Auto-rickshaws or by hiring taxis from Delhi

lodhi garden

The Lodhi Garden in central Delhi is famous for its flowers, trees, birds and sloping lawns but before the garden there were the tombs.
Built by the Sayyids (1414-1451) and Lodhis (1451-1526), who once ruled the Delhi sultanate, the tombs, now ruined, make dramatic centerpieces in this garden, which was created around them in 1936 on the site of a village called Khairpur. The park was originally named Lady Hardinge, the then British viceroy’s wife.
Visible from Lodhi Road, the mausoleum of Muhammad Shah Sayyid, said to have been a lazy and inefficient ruler, stands on a mound. One of Delhi’s earliest octagonal tombs, it is surrounded by royal palms and has a verandah running around it with three arched openings on each of the eight sides. Strangely, it is Delhi’s only octagonal tomb with no walled compound. Perhaps the money ran out or the walls collapsed.
The second octagonal tomb in Lodhi Garden is built over the grave of Sikandar Lodhi. This 16th century ruler of the Afghan Lodi dynasty was handsome and brave, but also ruthless and bigoted. That personality is reflected in the tomb. While blue tiles deck the chhatris and battlements, its outer wall spreads out into the grassy expanse in fort-like ramparts. Commissioned by Sikandar’s son Ibrahim, it is India’s earliest surviving enclosed garden tomb (1517).
In the centre of the garden are two unknown tombs around which the life of the garden orbits. Built entirely of dressed stone, Bara Gumbad is a group of three buildings. The central structure with its red sandstone ornamentation, arched recess and decorative battlements is shaped like a tomb though there is no grave. The information on the Archaeological Survey of India slab is classic: “The name of the personage who was buried in the Bara Gumbad, but whose grave no longer exists, is not known, but he must have occupied an important position during Sikandar Lodi’s reign.”
The interior of the adjacent mosque is rich in arabesque stucco décor, Quranic inscriptions and geometric designs are almost baroque in their extravagance. The plasterwork on the walls is exquisite. There are remnants of finely-painted work on the ceiling. In contrast, the facing pavilion called Mehman Khana (guest house), presumably for the mosque’s pilgrims, is bare. No dome, no ornamentation there. Very monastic. The Gumbad’s courtyard is often stirred into animation by the shadows of the flying pigeons moving on the stone surface. In the centre was a tank that was later filled in to make a tomb. Today tourists relax there with their guidebooks.
Directly opposite the Bara Gumbad lies the sunnier Sheesh Gumbad. More beautiful and cheery, its dome was originally embellished with blue enameled tiles; hence its name meaning “glazed dome”. Most tiles are missing. May be it looks better with fewer tiles? The inside chamber is gloomy and houses several unknown graves. Lovers’ scrawls overwrite the floral patterns on the walls.

 

The Athpula bridge, close to the garden’s chief entrance, is one of few surviving works built in Delhi during Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign (when Agra, not Delhi, was the capital). It spanned a tributary of the Yamuna. Today its seven arches overlook a huge fountain.

Where Near Khan Market Time 6 am to 8 pm Nearest Metro stops Jorbagh and Khan Market

Raj Ghat: Gandhi's Memorial

Raj Ghat: Gandhi's Memorial in Delhi.
On January 30, 1948, on his way to a prayer meeting, Gandhi was shot dead in Birla House, New Delhi, by Nathuram Godse. Godse was a Hindu radical with links to the extremist Hindu Mahasabha, who held Gandhi responsible for weakening India by insisting upon a payment to Pakistan. Godse and his co-conspirator Narayan Apte The Raj Ghat is the last resting place of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.  The place is not far away from the banks of River Yamuna. Mahatma Gandhi was cremated here on 31st January 1950 following his assassination on 30th January 1950 by Nathu Ram Godse. the memorial stone is a simple square platform made of black stone. The last words uttered by Mahatma "Hey Ram" are inscribed near the black platform. An eternal flame keeps burning in a copper urn in the Raj Ghat.
In keeping with the austere simplicity in life of Mahatma Gandhi, an unostentatious memorial marks the spot. No building covers the samadhi except a low wall, which forms a compound around it.
A commemorative ceremony takes place every Friday. Prayers are held in remembrance of Mahatma on the Birth (2nd October) and Death (30th January) Anniversaries. 30th January is remembered as Martyr's Day.
Apart from ordinary people and tourists, it has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries to pay their homage to the Father of the Nation. Thus the first item on the agenda of a foreign dignitary on a state visit to India is to visit Raj Ghat. They the memorial is set in a garden with fountains and a variety of exotic trees.
Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby. The Gandhi Memorial Museum is just across the road. It houses many belongings of Gandhi and photographs from his life. Gandhi Smriti Museum is housed in the Birla House at Tees January Marg, where Mahatma spent his last days and was shot down by Godse. The beautiful Zinat-ul Masjid or the Most Beautiful of Mosques towers over Raj Ghat. It is rarely visited by the tourists. Jawahar Lal Nehru addressed the nation through radio:
"Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not for me only, but for millions and millions in this country."

HISTORY OF CHANDNI CHOW

The favourite daughter of Shahjahan, Jahanara laid the foundation of today Chandni Chowk which is the largest trading centre of North India. Also known as the moonlit square, it is located in the main street of Old Delhi. Situated opposite the Red Fort, the bazaar has several galis (lanes). Each of these galis represent a specialty of this market, for example the parathawali gali famous for it's parathas. Similarly there is the jewellery lane, textile lane and so on. The market place has historical land marks like- The Sunheri Masjid which stands next to the Kotwali (old police station). The Fatehpur Mosque, is located at the west end of Chandni Chowk and the famous Jumma Masjid is also situated nearby.

Chandni Chowk ( Moonlight Square) is a market that hubs with activity all through the year. The water in a pool reflected the moonlight and then flowed into a channel that flowed through the avenue. It is a crowded place and normally there is a maze of traffic that one has to negotiate almost every second. North of the avenue were vast gardens and one of them surrounded the glittering Jahanara sarai, which has a plinth as spacious as that of Jama Masjid. There was the palace of the Begum which today houses the biggest electrical market of north India, Bhagirath Palace. At the western end is the Fathepuri Masjid which was built by one of Shahjahan's wives and was the venue of public debates between Muslim theologians and Christian missionaries in the 19th century. It has a large number of galis(lanes) and a famous poet wrote about the lanes saying that " who would like to leave them". Each gali has some thing special about it for instance there is the paranthawali gali, where people could feed on the choicest paranthas. There are galis which house the wholesale textiles market and there is also a gali where jewellers have their shops.

The Beginning: How Chandni Chowk got it's name

When the famous Mughal Emperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi and established the city of Shahjahanabad, he had the majestic Red Fort or Lal Qila, on the banks of River Yamuna. Chandni Chowk was built in 1650 AD as an accompaniment to the fort. It was designed by Jahanara, the Emperor's favorite daughter. A large chowk ("square") with a central pool was built at some distance from the fort.
The story goes that on a moonlit night, the new complex and the pool lay shimmering; as a result, it acquired the name of Chandni Chowk- "the moonlit square".
Another legend says that the Chowk was named after it's silversmiths and there is a confusion of the word 'chandi' (silver) with 'chandni' (moonlit).

Iron Pillar

The Iron Pillar of Delhi is a nearly 24-ft. iron pillar that is located in the Quwwat-ul Mosque. It weighs more than 6 tons and is made of 98% wrought iron. It is thought that the Iron Pillar of Delhi was crafted using forge welding. The pillar is ornate, but hardly awe-inspiring, unless one knows just how long and mysterious the history of it is.
The Quwwat-ul Mosque dates back to 1192. It stands around the Iron Pillar in ruins, giving away its great age. The mosque is a relic of an Islamic India, long-standing, but not long past. The Iron Pillar dates back even further than the ruined Islamic building, which surrounds it, but the iron pillar gives away nothing of its age on first glance. It was forged 1,600 years ago (sometime in the 300s) and moved to Delhi roughly 1,000 years ago, before the mosque was built. An iron pillar that old should have fallen to dust and blown away with the breeze long before now. Nonetheless, the Hindu-made pillar stands strong above the Islamic ruins that seem as though they will fall to dust long before it does.
According to a popular translation of the Brahmi script upon the Iron Pillar of Delhi, the pillar was made for a king (presumably of the Gupta period, given the era of its creation). It was also made to honor one of the most important Hindu gods – Vishnu. Which Gupta king the Iron Pillar was made for is not made clear by the inscription. However, it is widely believed that the king to which the inscription refers is Chandragupta Vikramaditya.
The purpose of the Iron Pillar of Delhi is one of its many mysteries. Some say it was a flagstaff made for the king mentioned in the inscription. Others say it was a sundial at its original home in Madhya Pradesh. Why it is no longer in Madhya Pradesh is yet another mystery. There is no evidence of who moved the pillar 1,000 years ago, how it was moved or even why it was moved.  All we can say for certain about this aspect of the history of the pillar is that the mysterious Iron Pillar has been part of the Delhi landscape for a very long time.
The biggest and most talked about mystery regarding the Iron Pillar of Delhi is how it has gone seemingly untarnished for this long. There is much said about the amazing pillar that does not rust. This is not entirely accurate. It is certainly in unbelievable condition for its age. However, it is not without rust. There is a small amount of rust beginning to appear on the pillar. This does not make the pillar’s condition any less mysterious. As mentioned above, it should not even exist anymore. So, how does it withstand the years? Answering that question is not easy.
One of the main catalysts for rust is humidity and Delhi is not very humid. This could be one of the factors in the natural preservation of the Iron Pillar of Delhi. Other possibilities include the skill of the men who made the pillar, the quality of the materials used (unlikely) and fortuitous conditions that caused a protective layer to appear on the pillar. Many sources cite a protective layer of something called “misawite” as the reason for the Iron Pillar’s condition. However, the term misawite seems to appear only in conversation about the Iron Pillar, so it is hard to test the veracity of those claims.
Like so many other mysterious objects, the Iron Pillar is not giving up its secrets easily and some, sadly, may be lost to time forever. Someone may have erased the answers to the Iron Pillar’s mysteries from the pages of history hundreds of years ago, never knowing that people would eventually forget. War or a natural disaster could have claimed the pages of history necessary to explain this strange artifact or the pages simply never existed. Alternatively, the information is still out there waiting to be discovered, through analysis of the pillar itself or rummaging through India’s rich history.

History of Yamuna

Do you know that Yamuna is another name for Yami, the sister of Yama, the god of death? Yami and Yama were born twins.

 Yama and Yami were Surya’s children. Although I have not come across any person called Yama, or Narada for that matter, we often remember these two characters in our day to day life! If anyone thwarts a serious activity of yours, you will complain to another: “That fellow turned up like a Yama..” And if someone creates a misunderstanding between you and a friend, you will refer to him as a “Naradar” (with ‘ar’, denoting due respect!).

 If you know what is behind the names in India, you then know India! Our names, of men or women or places or rivers, are part of Indian mythology and lore.

 I intend to take up at least three rivers, say Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, and trace out their origins and evolution in the course of a few blogs. Here, I am starting the series with Yamuna.

 India is a vast country blessed with perennial rivers and seasonal rivers. I just shudder to think of the geography of a country like the Philippines which consists simply of islands, more than one thousand of them! Our perennial rivers like Ganga and Yamuna have a lofty birth, in the great heights of the Himalayas, thanks mainly to melting snows. I should expect that if the snowfall precipitation is poor in a year – like our monsoon rainfall precipitation could turn out to be very poor in a year leading to a drought situation – then Ganga and Yamuna should run very scanty, but that never seems to happen! Can someone explain to me if snowfalls upon the Himalayas every year happen to be nearly constant?

River Yamuna finds mention even in Rig Veda, our earliest literature. The immensity of Rig Veda, in verse form, can be gauged from the fact that its translation for the first time into English by Max Muller and his companions and assistants, consumed 51 volumes! The Vedic Aryans occupied the areas from Eastern U.P. to Afghanistan. Thirty one river names are mentioned in Rig Veda out of which 16 rivers are those which flow in present Afghanistan! Sure enough, apart from Yamuna’s name, many other rivers are also mentioned therein, such as Ganga, Saraswati, Sindhu (Indus) and the five rivers of the Punjab.

in the Rigveda, Ganga is also alternatively referred to as Jahnavi. Similarly Yamuna is alternatively referred to as Amsumati in the Rigveda. Amsumati also means “sunlight”. Interestingly, Gomati and Sarayu are shown in the Afghan area. It is inferred that the rivers Gomati and Saryu in the U.P. must have been post-Rigvedic nomenclatures. There is a theory that the Vedic Aryans migrated eastwards from their central location in Saptasindhu (the Punjab). Several lifetimes are required to study the available literature on Aryans!

Yamuna flows over 1370 kilometres (nearly 850 miles), coursing through H.P., Delhi, Haryana and the U.P. Its origin is at Yamunotri glacier in Uttarkashi District in the Uttarakhand State, at a height of nearly 6300 metres. Cities like Delhi, Mathura and Agra lie on its course. It joins Ganga at the Triveni Sangam at Allahabad. (Hardwar and Rishikesh are on the Ganges, not to be confused with Yamuna.) Thus, Yamuna is Ganga’s biggest tributary. Yamuna has also several tributaries such as the rivers Chambal, Tons and Betwa.

RiverYamuni is sacred as it is identified with Yami who is sometimes regarded as goddess of death. A dip in Yamuna is supposed to eradicate any fears of death. And some people regard Yamuna as even more sacred than Ganges as the feet of baby Krishna were washed in it as he was being carried by Vasudeva across the river from the Mathura side to the Gokul side. Besides,the river was witness to Krishna's games and amorous pranks with gopis, and the growing Lord liberally indulged in swimming in it.

Now, let us go back to the Surya (sun god) story. Surya had three wives, sometimes referred to in politer language as consorts or queens. They were named Saranya (or Sanjna), Ragyi and Prabha. The twins Yama and Yami were born to Surya (also called Vivasvat) and Saranya. Saranya was also mother to Ashwins, twin sons, the divine horsemen cum physicians to the Devas. When Saranya could not bear the intensity of Surya’s rays, her shadow named Chayya gave birth to children including the planet Saturn (Shani) and the river goddess Tapti.

Surya is a Vedic God, and in Rigveda  he is one among the seven solar deities or the seven Adityas (Surya, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Daksha, Ansha). He was the chief solar deity. He was golden coloured and he rode a chariot with a single wheel drawn by seven horses. Surya’s father was rishi Kasyapa, father of the Nagas and the humankind.

The twins Yama and Yami (Yamuna) are regarded in the Vedas as the first man and woman (mortals) on earth. Yama becomes a promotee to a higher rank on his demise and is given the charge of supervising the deeds of humankind and punishing or rewarding them when their time is ripe. Thus, he is Dharmarajan, or rather god of justice. Yama’s vahan is a buffalo whereas Yami’s vahan is a tortoise. Yama, it is said, as per Rigveda, was also a great seer, teacher and philosopher.

It is said that while on a sea voyage, Yami expressed a wish to have sex with her brother Yama. Yama rejected the idea saying that it was not in consonance with the tradition of the ancestors “Apsu Gandharva”, “Apya Gandharvi”.( It seems that “Apsu Gandharva” must have been another name for Puru. And “Apya Gandharvi” must be referring to Saranya, as per Sayana and Muir.) He explained to her that sisters never had sex with brothers in their society. As per Atharvaveda, Yama was the first mortal to die. It is noted in the veda that music played in the residence of Yama all the 24-hours! It reminds me a bit of my Worldspace radio!

In Tibetan beliefs, Yami is the goddess of death and rules the female spirits in the underworld (Naraka). She is also the consort of Yama, lord of the underworld. There are perhaps some Indian stories that Yama and Yami parented the human beings but I could not read about it. In the Old Testament, we are presented initially with only Adam, Eve, and their sons Cain and Abel. So, how others evolve is a parallel mystery.

rashtrapati bhavan

The Mughal dynasty practically came to an end when in 1803, the native rulers defeated by General Lake of East India Company near Patparganj. The East India appointed first resident of Delhi as the 'Protector' of battered Mughal crown. In the early years the British and their troops settled within the walled city around the Red Fort and Kashmere Gate. The city underwent drastic transformations after the war of 1857. One third of the city was razed to rubble in 1858 and the East India Company transferred the rule to the British Crown.

On 12^th December, 1911, at the historic Delhi Durbar, the George V, the Emperor of the British Empire proclaimed the shifting of the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. After announcement of Delhi as the Capital of India, the preparation for the building a new city started with majesty, pomp and show. Thus came up a vary special city, New Delhi, the dream of Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, city planners and architects. Built on the area in and around Raisina Hills, the new city housed among the landmarks, the Rastrapathi Bhawan, (Viceroy's House), the North and South Blocks of the Secretariat, and a Council Chamber which now houses India's Parliament, the 42 meters high memorial arch India Gate, Cannought Place and numerous roads, parks and other structures.

On the site where Delhi stands today, several cities have risen and decayed in the past. Their relics illustrate important phases in the architectural history of the country and are visible symbols of Delhi's glorious past. New Delhi, the capital of India's British rulers, was the eight in the series of city built one after another by successive lines of rulers. The national government, which took over on the attainment of independence in August, 1947, has not built another city. New Delhi, has, however, expanded manifold and is rapidly undergoing transformation.  It is from New Delhi that most visitors form their first impression of the city.  Much of the New Delhi was built between 1920-1930.

After independence, Delhi became the capital of new nation. With the advent of independence, its importance has increased manifold and Delhi has now became the political, economic and culture capital of country. The built - up heritage of Delhi are to be found in groups in the successive cities. Those which should not be missed by a visitors are the Qutub Minar and its adjuncts; Tughlagabad, Humayun's Tomb and shrine of Nizam-ud-Din; Sher Shah's fortS (Purna Qila), Red Fort and the Jama Masjid. To these might be added Kotla Feroz Shah, Safdarjung Tomb, Hauz-Khas, and the Lodi Tombs.

Indeed, millennium come and go, Delhi goes on forever. As Pt. Jawharlal Nehru said, "Even the stones of Delhi whisper in our ears of the ages of long ago and the air breathe is full of the dust and fragrance of the past, as also of the fresh and piercing winds of the present.. The traditions of millennia of our history surrounds us at every step and the procession of innumerable generations passed before our eyes."