Rock that became a temple
Today, the Dambulla Cave Temple—also called the Golden Temple of Dambulla—is not just the largest and best-preserved cave complex in Sri Lanka, it is a place where 2,000-year-old walls bear mural-painted Buddhas; more than 150 statues of the Enlightened One sit, stand, lie, meditate, gaze down at you with half-closed eyes. You climb slowly—360 steps if you're counting—past monkeys and neem trees and clouds that drift below your feet. Take the King's Way to pass resting ledges where pilgrims pause and gaze out across the dry plains of central Sri Lanka, until finally the mouth of the cave opens before you like a secret revealed.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Mahabodhi temple preservation gets Unesco backing
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Mint
20 hours ago
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From Ajanta and Ellora to luxury farmstays: Embracing slow travel in Maharashtra's Aurangabad
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Each set of caves were 30km apart, about the distance a human can traverse in a day. To stand in front of the Bodhisattva Padmapani, whose downcast eyes and elegant posture adorns the covers of most books and posters depicting these caves, is to experience grace. In contrast, the later period Ellora caves holds riotous stone-carvings of Hindu gods doing battle. Even though the 100 Ellora caves include Buddhist and Jain ones, the Hindu caves have the most carvings. Giant sculptures depict tales of Shiva, Parvathi, Vishnu, Ganga, Rama and other gods. The most famous structure in Ellora is the Kailasa temple, the largest monolithic structure in the world. Go with a guide who can explain the process of how the artists used simple hammers and chisels to remove 400,000 tons of basaltic rock and create the structure. Stone sculpture, unlike most other visual arts, allows for no mistakes. Intricate depictions of the Ramayan and Mahabharat fill two rock panels. 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The pleasure is in the creature comforts, but also the ability to glimpse a way of life that is impossible in a city. Every morning, I sat outside my cottage with a cup of coffee, listening to birdsong, and watched butterflies, and langurs clambering up trees. I read, napped and ate in between visiting heritage sites. Best of all, I touched animals—horses and desi cows with their silken skins, cats and dogs with their limpid eyes, each of whom helped me connect with the earth. Shoba Narayan is an author, an independent journalist and a long-time Mint columnist based in Bengaluru.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
UP tourism pavilion shines at Busan Int'l Buddhism Expo
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