Another city, Another museum-2

The CSMVS - previously called the Prince of Wales museum, was impressive looking and was absolutely looking forward to visiting it. However, I reached it a little earlier than planned and it was not even open. So waited alongside a few others at the gate till the official opening time arrived.
CSMVS
Reading in the web, I was looking forward to seeing the artifacts from Harappa and the rest of the Indus valley civilization. There were a couple of other surprises made the day very fulfilling.

On entering, the first thing I noticed is this grandfather clock with Tamil numerals. I mean, it was a pleasant surprise. However, other than the fact that it was from the Tata collection, there is nothing on who owned it and how it happened to have Tamil numerals.

The entire sculpture gallery in the ground floor was interesting to go through and while the usual Chola bronzes (replicas) and the architecture of South India was there, I was fascinated by the Gandhara-style heads - most of them the Buddhist site of Mirpur Khas (currently in Pakistan). These heads have a sense of modernity to it - very much influenced by the Greek culture of that area and very difficult to get rid of the face once you've seen it.
Walking through the usual periods of Indian sculptures, the surprise was finding an Asokan edict in display. This is first Asokan edict I've seen (though I've seen the Iron pillar, I never looked for the edict at that time!) - so it was great fun to read Asoka commanding as 'Devanampiyadasi' and comparing the letters of the Asokan brahmi to locate the same. That alone was worth the entire visit.

After going through a somewhat strange exhibit on the wall sculptures from Assyria, it was a little disappointing to see the displays on Harappan civilization. Most of the ones are replicas and I was so looking forward to seeing some of those incredible seals and all I could see were replicas. That was disappointing.

The first floor exhibits were more sculptures, arms and armaments, textiles and a special exhibition on the peoples of India in 19th century - which were alright. However there were two sculptures which basically were lovely and difficult to take the eyes off.
The first one is this Ivory carving from the 'Krishna' exhibits. This is Krishna taking a thorn from Radha's feet. This is a more recent one but was exquisite and Krishna was looking full of love and sincerity while Radha seems a little embarrassed.
This one is in porcelain and I've never seen a sculpture or in any other form a  representation of Ram and Sita like this. Sita is all at ease and is casually looking at Ram - who looks a little bewildered at this show of playfulness and love from Sita. Such a beautiful piece of work - more surprised that this was made in Germany.
The highlight of the museum was the second floor collections of art from Sir Ratan Tata and Sir Dorab Tata - both these galleries were absolutely fabulous to spend time on.
It was a little surprising to see the Lincoln there - but was intrigued and fascinated by the family portraits of the Tatas. The ladies are stylish and captivating.

And why is she looking sad?
That ended the visit and the walk back to the station was equally rewarding re-looking at the buildings and deciding to come back again to see all that I've missed.

Another city, Another Museum - 1

Though I've been to Mumbai many a times, most of the visits are like Monday morning flights and Friday evening returns. So never had a chance to properly visit the city.

So when I got a Sunday in between during this visit, decided to go out to the one place I visit everywhere - the signature museum of the city - CSMVS - previously the Prince of Wales museum of Western India.

So took the train to CSMT and as the museum was only 2 kilometers from there - decided to walk. That was probably the best decision today.

The Dadabhai Naoroji Road which connects the CSMT with the CSMVS, is like the heritage district of Mumbai. The road itself is a landmark and is filled with heritage structures from the Company period all along.

However the road is blocked in many places due to the ongoing Metro line work to Colaba and so was forced to take many a by-lanes and alleys around it. And found a few gems in those little alleys.
Found a little Parsi Fire temple in one such alley. It was looking very enticing, however the board outside warned that 'Non-Parsis are not allowed' and that was a disappointment. I would've loved to get in to explore.

A little far from there, is one of the oldest churches in India - The St. Thomas's Cathedral. Built as an Anglican church, now it serves as a protestant church. Although I went inside, I didnt take any pictures as the mass was happening being a Sunday.
What I was looking for as the first stopover was the Flora Fountain. Named after the Roman goddess Flora, the fountain was built at a junction of roads and is considered the heart of Mumbai or the Piccadilly circus of Mumbai. Today, it lies in an island of building construction materials and I have to do some acrobatics to get a decent picture.
 

Next to the Flora Fountain, is a memorial to the martyrs of the Maharashtra agitation - which I've not heard of - called the Hutatma chowk memorial.
The entire area from CSMT till the Wellington fountain is called the Kala Ghoda art district - so, the next assignment was to find this Kala Ghoda (Black Horse). Named for a black horse of a Prince of Wales statue which used to stand in this road and disappeared for some reason - I could not understand whether it disappeared mysteriously or removed. So instead of that, now stands a Kala Ghoda around the same place without the rider calling itself the 'Spirit of Kala Ghoda' .
Across the 'Spirit of Kala Ghoda' is the famous David Sasoon Library flanked by the Elphistone college. I've heard of the David Sasoon library and its collections but have to postpone the visit to some unknown day in the future as it was not in the plan for the day.
One of the joys of walking in this road is the beautiful heritage buildings all around, in Gothic and Colonial style and it is difficult also to miss the beautiful Parsi touches in almost all the buildings - a testament to the contribution of the Pharisee community in the growth of the city.

Crossing the David Sasoon library, comes the Jehangir art gallery - another place I have to postpone for another day - and next to that lies the CSMVS.

அருகர்களின் பாதை

அருகர்களின் பாதைஅருகர்களின் பாதை

ஜெயமோகன் புத்தகங்களுக்கு விமர்சனம் எழுதுவது மாதிரியான சிக்கல் வேறில்லை.

'அருகர்களின் பாதை' இந்திய சமண வழித்தடங்களை தேடிய பயணம். பயணக்கட்டுரை ஆயிற்றே என்று வாங்கினேன். ஒன்று இரண்டு கட்டுரைகள் அவை எழுதப்படும் போது வாசித்திருந்தாலும் ஒரு புத்தகமாய் வாசிப்பது என்பது அலாதியானதுதான்.

ஆனால் ஜெயமோகன் வெறும் பயண கட்டுரை மட்டும் எழுதுவதில்லை - அதனுடன் அவரது பார்வையிலான வரலாற்றையும் எழுதி செல்கிறார். அதில் எதுவும் தரவு சரி பார்க்க பட்டதா இல்லை அவற்றின் ஆதார நூல்கள் எவை போன்ற எந்த வித தகவலும் கிடையாது. இணையத்தில் கட்டுரையாக வரும்போது இது சரியானதாக இருக்கலாம் - புத்தகமாக வரும் போது - தான் பேசும் வரலாற்றுக்கு - குறிப்பாக இந்திய 'இடது சாரி' வரலாற்று ஆய்வாளர்களை போகிற போக்கில் தவறு என்று சொல்லும் இடங்களில் மட்டுமாவது எங்கிருந்து இந்த வரலாற்று தகவல்களை அவர் பெறுகிறார் என்பதை தெரிவித்து இருக்கலாம்.

அத்தகைய தரவுகள் இல்லாமையால் அவரது எந்த வரலாற்று தகவல்களையும் ஒரு பிடி உப்புடன் எடுத்து கொள்வது நல்லது. எல்லா சமண மத கோயில்களின் இடிபாடுகளுக்கும் அலாவுதீன் கில்ஜியின் படையெடுப்பு காரணியாக இருக்கிறது. சமண கோயிலாக இருந்து இந்து கோயிலாக மாறியிருக்கும் இடங்களிலும் இதே விவரணை. இரு மதங்களுக்கும் இடையே இருந்த உறவின் அகல நீட்சிகளை நோக்காமல் ஒற்றை படையாய் இரண்டும் கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரே மதங்கள் போன்ற சிந்தனைகள் கொஞ்சம் அலுப்பூட்டுகின்றன. தத்துவங்களில் தமிழின் ஒரு முன்னோடி என்றிருக்கும் போது இந்த மேம்போக்கான போக்கு கொஞ்சம் வியப்படைய வைக்கிறது.

ஒரு பயண கட்டுரையாக இந்த பயணம் வியக்க வைக்கிறது. கிட்டத்தட்ட கர்நாடகாவில் இருந்து ராஜஸ்தான் வரையிலான முக்கியமான சமண கோயில்கள் எல்லாமும் இடம் பெற்றுள்ளது. இந்த பயணம் காரிலும் , சமண தர்மசாலைகளை நம்பியும் மட்டுமே என்பது இன்னுமொரு சிறப்பு. தினமும் கிட்டத்தட்ட 200-300 கிலோமீட்டர்கள் என கிட்டத்தட்ட 8000 கிலோமீட்டர்களுக்கும் மேலான பயணம். அவற்றின் அனுபவங்களே சில புத்தகங்கள் எழுத எதுவாக இருக்கும்.

இவற்றை விரித்து எழுதி இருந்தால் தமிழுக்கு ஒரு அருமையான பயண நூல் மட்டும் இன்றி இந்த கால நாட்களின் இந்த கோயில்களின் நிலை பற்றிய ஒரு அருமையான ஆவணமாக இருந்திருக்கும்.

இணையத்தில் படிக்க, இந்த மொத்த பயண கட்டுரைகளும் இங்கே தொகுக்க பட்டுள்ளன.

கீழடி அருங்காட்சியகம்.

உலகம் முழுவதும் இருக்கும் பல அருங்காட்சியகங்களுக்கு சென்றிருக்கிறேன். நியூ யார்க், கத்தார், துபாய், வாஷிங்டன், லாஸ் ஏஞ்சல்ஸ் போன்ற நகரங்களின...