KP On The Go!

Introduction 7 am on a cool October morning; inside a bus heading from Khandwa to Indore, I was sitting next to the driver, eyes on the road, with a ticket up to Omkareshwar Road Station. Also, I was shivering. not so much from the cool air, but more from weakness and an imminent fever. The toll of a heavy work week was already showing on my body and mind and all I wanted to do at that moment was to curl up and sleep; if only the driver would stop honking. The Omkareshwar Temple and the Narmada Omkareshwar - the abode of divinity on the banks of the Narmada - one of the twelve Jyotirlingas - was where I was headed. This was my first foray in to the state of Madhya Pradesh; and as far as beginnings go, mine had not been a good one. -x-x-x- A Little About Omkareshwar The temple town of Omkareshwar is largely split into two sections: the town proper on the southern bank of the Narmada and the river-island of Mandhata which houses the main Omkareshwar Temple. The other imp

Introduction Anyone who has any sort of interest in ancient and medieval temple architecture in India should definitely visit Aihole. The small village by the banks of the Malprabha contains, to my present knowledge, the most profuse distribution of ancient temples and shrines. The monuments - as with the famous ones in Badami and Pattadakal - are all attributed to the Chalukya dynasty. These monuments have a lesser artistic value compared to Badami and Pattadakal, however, the importance is undiminished since this is the place where the Chalukyan architects started, experimented, practiced and mastered their art. Aihole proudly bears the title of the 'Cradle Of Chalukyan Architecture' The beautiful Durga Basadi (Temple) of Aihole The monuments of Aihole are segregated as complexes based on geographic clusters. We start with the main complex that houses the Durga Temple and the Ladkhan Temple -x-x-x- The Durga Temple This temple, located in the main complex, is