Mehtab Bagh, Agra, Uttar Pradesh

“Herding in India is one of the laziest things in the world. The cattle move and crunch, and lie down, and move on again, and they do not even low. They only grunt, and the buffaloes very seldom say anything, but get down into the muddy pools one after another, and work their way into the mud till only their noses and staring china-blue eyes show above the surface, and then they lie like logs. The sun makes the rocks dance in the heat, and the herd children hear one kite (never any more) whistling almost out of sight overhead, and they know that if they died, or a cow died, that kite would sweep down, and the next kite miles away would see him drop and follow, and the next, and the next, and almost before they were dead there would be a score of hungry kites come out of nowhere. Then they sleep and wake and sleep again, and weave little baskets of dried grass and put grasshoppers in them; or catch two praying mantises and make them fight; or string a necklace of red and black jungle nuts; or watch a lizard basking on a rock, or a snake hunting a frog near the wallows. Then they sing long, long songs with odd native quavers at the end of them, and the day seems longer than most people’s whole lives, and perhaps they make a mud castle with mud figures of men and horses and buffaloes, and put reeds into the men’s hands, and pretend they are kings and the figures are their armies, or that they are gods to be worshiped. Then the evening comes and the children call, and the buffaloes lumber up out of the sticky mud with noises like gunshots going off one after the other, and they all string across the gray plain back to the twinkling village lights.”

– Rudyard Kipling, “The Jungle Book” (1894)

Spot the cattle! - Mehtab Bagh perspectives

Although no longer the glittering capital of the vast subcontinent, Agra, quintessentially languid and laidback, has eminently served over the centuries as the magnificent epicenter of several empires, its most remarkable transformation manifesting itself during the glorious reign of Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (ruled AD 1556-1605).

On a sweltering bright afternoon not many days past, contemplating the enchanting bluish-white outline emanating opposite as if straight from a fascinating fairy tale, I wordlessly stood on the very perceptible edge of the painstakingly manicured “Mehtab Bagh” (“Moonlit garden”) only a few short steps away from the lethargically slithering narrow stream of Yamuna, the meandering “black river” of mythology, while the great ball of fire in the sky ruthlessly scorched the majestic expanse of passionately constructed sepulchers, imaginatively ornamented fortress-palaces, and thoughtfully designed pleasure garden complexes, each relentlessly seething with its own enormous share of historically diverse folklore, amidst an unbearably parched landscape composed almost entirely of vividly blazing red sandstone.

Impressively conceived by the exalted Emperor Shihabuddin Muhammad Shahjahan (reign AD 1627-57) and deliberately sited in close geographical and contextual relationship with the otherworldly breathtaking Taj, his unparalleled magnum, the immaculately landscaped garden complex, with its colossal octagonal fountain and riverside pavilions, is the conspicuous source of seductive legends conjuring the tyrannical Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir (reign AD 1657-1707) contemptuously scuttling his formidable father’s extravagant idea of commissioning a flawless “Black Taj” at that very site wherein would've been interred his mortal remains.

Sculptural orgasm!

“That it was Shah Jahan’s intention to duplicate the entire scheme of the Taj, by the erection of another mausoleum in black marble to enshrine his own remains, on the opposite bank of the Jumnan and to connect the two by a bridge, seems fairly well established. Tavernier, the French traveller and trader, who visited the Mughul court during the regimes of both Shah Jahan and Aurangzebe stated that the former emperor “began to build his own tomb on the other side of the river, but the war which he had with his son interrupted his plan, and Aurangzebe, who reigns at present, is not disposed to complete it.”… Whether this monarch even with all his vast resources could have carried out such an extravagant and spectacular project will never be known, but that he had the vision to contemplate it is an indication of the unlimited extent of his architectural ambitions.”

– Percy Brown, British art critic-scholar-historian-archaeologist,

“Indian Architecture, Volume II: Islamic Period”

Owing to the blistering heat, an unending, irregular column of cattle-herds, their directionless drifting animals appearing unbelievably minuscule vis-à-vis the gargantuan shimmering mausoleum opposite, defined the sole human presence except for the company of two mirage-like CISF guards diligently and discernibly doing the rounds. The unexciting atmosphere seemed to be monotonously alive with all the intermittent noises that, taken together, make one big uneventful silence – the drowsy drone of uninterrupted afternoon wind and the consequential soundless whispers carried amidst flailing fronds of dry grasses brushing against each other, the rustle of something alive in the undergrowth, and the occasional shrieks and chirrups of birds diving and swooping acrobatically and singing paeans of inextinguishable love to each other.

Is it a cliche to say “Waah Taj”?

The symmetrically designed garden was probably existential, by another name, as a tiny constituent of the gargantuan “Hasht-Bihisht Bagh” (“Eight Paradises' garden”) laid by Emperor Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur (reign AD 1526-30), Emperor Shahjahan’s great-great-grandfather. Afterwards, it passed into the compensatory “jagir” (land grant in lieu of military service) of Raja Man Singh Kacchwaha of Amber (Jaipur) who bequeathed it to his grandson Mirza Raja Jai Singh from whom it was regally purchased eventually for horticultural development as visualized by Emperor Shahjahan.

The tenderly-maintained immensity was severely submerged by the torrentially brimming river in AD 1652 and, owing to continuous flooding, was afterwards grievously abandoned, incomprehensibly forgotten and contemptuously relegated to being existential as a mere pitiable sand-submerged, weed-shrouded mound interspersed with ruinously devastated corner-towers. Nonetheless, its erstwhile prestige miraculously survived for centuries in local mythology and eventually metamorphosed into its being the fabled, albeit historically unacknowledged, site of the mythical “Black Taj”.

It was excavated by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1993-94 and thereafter subjected to meticulous architectural and horticultural restoration. The archaeological remains, although minuscule, are interesting – expansively hemmed in by soaring corner octagonal towers (of which only the south-eastern one survives) and enveloped by presently near-indiscernible pleasure pavilions and exquisitely planned lower pools, there existed near the riverfront a gigantic octagonal pool with twenty-four fountains embedded within it. Through the center of the sprawling garden ran a large ornamental water channel surrounded by fragrant flower beds and thick carpets of vibrant green grass. Near the extremities have been discovered ruinous remains of extensive waterworks and storage tanks.

Sigh! No moonlit views now!

The mesmerizing view experienced on full moon nights would have been unrivaled – creating beautiful illusions of shimmering waterfalls, water would have perennially cascaded into stepped lower pools whose sides are perforated with small arched niches in which, it's said, were placed slender white candles picturesquely appearing like twinkling stars in obdurately dark nights. The soothing gurgle of gently falling water and the enthralling fragrance and subdued blue-white iridescence of night-blooming jasmine flowers would have completed the fascinatingly dreamy scene.

Incomprehensibly, despite its sterling reputation, the beautiful garden is very nominally advertised by the ASI and UP tourism, and it remains, for reasons only explicable to the authorities, one of Agra's little known secrets, a virginal patch nearly untouched by tourists and locals alike, when it should have been among the magnificent city's crowning glories. And I was there, endeavoring to imagine what the matchless emperor witnessed.

A solitary visitor

Location: The garden is situated on Yamuna riverbank immediately across from Taj Mahal. Road distance between the two is 7.5 kilometers.

How to reach: Although the road network is very well-connected to the garden and surrounding urban villages, public transport facilities are near negligible, especially for the return trip, since only the rare tourist heads this way. One can avail a shared auto-rickshaw from Agra Cantt. Railway station or Agra Fort for Bijli-ghar crossing (Rs 15/person either way) and from there avail a shared auto-rickshaw, again for Rs 15/person, for Yamuna ghat (or simply “Ghat”) on the other side of the river. From here, auto-rickshaws charge Rs 50 till Mehtab Bagh, however the price quoted would generally be several times this figure and one is compelled to bargain. It is advisable to book the auto-rickshaw for a round trip which will cost Rs 150, inclusive of the waiting time.

Open: All days, sunrise to sunset (ticket window closes 30 minutes before the sunset)
Entrance fees: Indians and SAARC country nationals: Rs 5; Others: Rs 100. Free entry for children up to 15 years of age.
Agra Development Authority (ADA) toll-tax (applicable on all days except Fridays): Indians and SAARC country nationals: Rs 10; Others: Rs 500 (remains valid (only for foreigners) for an entire day and can be presented at other major monument complexes too).
Photography/Video charges: Nil/Rs 25 respectively
Time required for sightseeing: 45 min
Relevant Links -
Another monument located on this side of the river - Pixelated Memories - Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb

Suggested reading -

1. Indiatoday.intoday.in - Article "Mehtab Bagh to be developed as an alternative to Taj Mahal" (dated April 09, 2015) by Siraj Qureshi
2. Indiatoday.intoday.in - Article "Nursery of History" (dated Aug 07, 2000) by Anshul Avijit
3. Mytravelnama.com - Quest for the Black Taj at the mysterious Mehtab Bagh, Agra

Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore

"It is after all so easy to shatter a story. To break a chain of thought. To ruin a fragment of a dream being carried around carefully like a piece of porcelain.
To let it be, to travel with it, is much the harder thing to do."

– Arundhati Roy, "The God of Small Things"

I had been attempting to write about Lal Bagh ("Red Garden") Botanical Gardens for quite a while now, but in deed somehow the thread of imagination continued to be disrupted. Of course, this particular tale too, identical to the stories of most of the monuments and heritage spaces of Bangalore, begins with the legendary Hiriya Kempe Gowda I (ruled AD 1513-69) who established the medieval city that presently is known as Bangalore/Bengaluru (the city's history though extends several centuries prior to that in the form of small villages delineated from each other by dense forests) and involves in its flow Hyder Ali (reign AD 1761-82) who had, as the Chief Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Wadiyar King Krishnaraja Wadiyar II (reign AD 1735-66), appropriated for himself the territorial and militarily resources of the state of Mysore/Karnataka and his son and successor Badshah Fath Ali Khan Tipu Sultan (reign AD 1782-99).

A lazy afternoon in Lal Bagh

Regarded as one of the most densely forested cosmopolitan cities of India, Bangalore, "The Garden City of India", once possessed unimaginably expansive forest lands filled with a wide range of flora and fauna, large plains shrouded with layers of vibrant green grass and vast landscaped gardens. In recent years, however, in its unconcealed attempts to establish itself as an ultramodern, highly advanced IT hub with an assortment of massive IT industrial zones, uberexpensive restaurants, glitzy pubs and gigantic malls and skyscrapers that often project as disgusting eyesores against the skyline, the city has sacrificed its numerous public and heritage gardens and green spaces at the altars of burgeoning urbanization and greed-fuelled commercialization. Something similar plagued Lal Bagh and reduced it from an enormous heritage garden complex situated in the heart of the city to a moderately large tourist spot frequented predominantly by tourists and the IT professionals who, lured by the city's financial prospects and employment opportunities, have come to it from different parts of the country. Unarguably of course, most of them do not understand what the garden complex had originally meant to the city's historical timeline, nor what the city has irrevocably lost to become what it is today. The celebrated gardens, boasting of over 1,800 floral species, were declared a Governmental Botanical Garden in 1856 and have since been come to be regarded as a renowned center for horticulture research, conservation and botanical artwork. It is currently under the aegis of the Govt. of Karnataka's Directorate of Horticulture. Marshal Josip Tito, the President of Yugoslavia from 1953-80, had, in 1955, famously declared –

“If India is a garden, Lalbagh is the heart of it!”

Ancient! - The Gneiss rock surmounted by Kempe Gowda's watchtower

In a corner of the immense gardens, protruding steeply into the skyline and overlooking the vast limits of the city, rests an ancient rock face christened as Peninsular Gneiss and dated to be anywhere between 2,500-3,400 million years old (that's 2,500,000,000 years! Incredible, right?!). Indisputably regarded as the oldest landmass in the Indian subcontinent, the patterned rock face is surmounted on one of its peripheries by a small, four-pillared watchtower whose simplistic pyramidal, multi-tiered spire is reminiscent of Dravidian (south Indian) temple architecture – this was one of the four watchtowers that Kempegowda commissioned in the four cardinal directions delineating the extreme limits of his dominion. The four faces of the spire each depict, surrounded by statues of seated cows, a rather effortlessly carved simplistic sculpture of a Hindu deity - Shiva (the primordial Lord of death and destruction), Krishna (a flamboyant cowherd-king-statesman-warrior-philosopher who supposedly lived over 5,000 years ago and is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the God of life and nourishment), Ganesha (the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness and knowledge and the younger son of Lord Shiva) and Kartikeya (the fierce, fearless young commander of the divine armies and the elder son of Lord Shiva). Presently, the tower is closely fenced in with iron grilles and a small carved stone plaque, miserably drenched with betel stains and spit, informs visitors of the tower's antiquity. Formed at high temperature-pressure conditions and composed of a complex mixture of granite rocks whose light and dark mineral constituents appear stratified into visible bands, the huge fragment of Gneiss rock projecting in the garden has been declared a National Geological Monument by the Geological Survey of India, though smaller deposits are found extensively all over southern India.

Unbelievably simplistic, given south Indian sculptural standards

Over two centuries later, after the rich territories had passed into the hands of the renowned administrator Hyder Ali, he commissioned Lal Bagh to be built as a massive private pleasure garden complex based on the Mughal "Charbagh" garden design that encompassed huge tracts of square/rectangular plots, subdivided by walkways and water channels, to be developed as verdant gardens enshrouded by lush grass and lined with rows upon rows of huge flowering, fruit-bearing and shade-imparting trees. Following Hyder's demise, Tipu Sultan carried the legacy forward and ensured that the aesthetically-designed gardens blossomed and were developed according to the original plans envisaged by Hyder. Given Hyder and Tipu's infinite interest in horticulture and natural landscaping. towering trees and flowering shrubbery was imported from different corners of the country to carpet the huge garden's numerous lawns. Presently though, the centerpiece is the majestic cross-shaped glass house that was commissioned in 1898, almost a century after Tipu Sultan's death in the Battle of Seringapatnam (1799) at the hands of wrathful British armies whom he had harassed numerous times in the past, and was built by John Cameron, the then Superintendent of Lal Bagh. Modelled after London's Crystal Palace, it is, for the past over 100 years, the site for mesmerizingly unrivaled bi-annual flower show held on Republic Day (January 26) and Independence Day (August 15) when the entire garden complex comes alive with the chatter and laughter of hundreds of thousands of visitors and the colors and texture of several hundred kinds of brilliantly multi-hued flowers dexterously arranged at the extravagant cost of several lakh rupees into the resemblance of a national monument or epic scene (more on that later).

Ornate fountains and a majestic glass house

There are two huge lakes too within the complex, one slightly but perceptibly smaller than the other, separated from each other by a narrow walkway. The wide walkways are intermittently punctuated by medieval circular towers, ornate fountains, English band stands and unusually interesting garden furniture such as petrified fossils of coniferous tree trunks over 20 million years old. While the immaculate walkways are lined with makeshift shops peddling roast corn, diced pineapples and watermelons, icecreams and cold drinks, Indian street-side snacks and colorful sweet candy, the gardens are ocassionally interspersed with large ancient looking circular edifices that might have once served as offices for the British Superintendents and gardeners who made several noteworthy contributions to the gardens' existence, beautification and horticultural collection. Another corner is dominated by a huge pedestal surmounted by an exquisite bronze sculpture of H.H. Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar X (reign AD 1868-94) who was a generous patron of horticulture, music and arts and under whose reign the 240-acre large gardens developed into the gigantic complex that they are today. Of course, this irregularly-shaped complex is exceedingly different from the original garden envisaged by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan which survives only as a small corner of the present complex with the rest largely been lost due to the careless interventions of the British horticulturists and agriculturists who overtook political and territorial control of the area after Tipu's death. Nearby is an enticing electric lawn-clock managed by HMT Watches where an upraised grassy circle embedded with floral divisions and surrounded by jovial statues of dwarves, deer and rabbits functions in the capacity of an interesting clock. Apart from these landmarks, its fascinating history and a charming green corner shaded from the brilliant blue sky by the foliage of majestic trees to relax at, the fine gardens have only a few cordoned-off aquariums, glass houses and rare plant collections to offer. Not a lot I admit, especially if one is not interested in the same, but an ideal spot to spend a lazy evening with friends or a loved one or kids. For me, the ancient rock face and Kempegowda's inimitable tower held the attraction.

Dominating - H.H. Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X

January 26, 2015: We revisited the gardens for the Republic Day floral show where the highlight was a large flower-encased replica of Red Fort, Delhi (refer Pixelated Memories - Red Fort, Delhi). Not unbelievably, the crowds were indescribably massive and there were scores of police men and women attempting to ensure order and coordination. Parts of the garden were cordoned off or converted into one-way walkways in order to control the crowds and direct them to and away from the Glass Palace where the spellbinding "Red Fort" had been constructed. Pathways within the Glass Palace were flanked with gleaming multi-colored flowers and foliage and interrupting the overall monotony of this kaleidoscopic colorful composition were smaller, glimmering white plasterwork statues conceived as replicas of the Statue of Liberty in United States and the blindfolded Lady with the scales representing justice. Not sure what these tried to portray, but also in attendance was a small, thin enough to be rendered nearly two-dimensional, flower-composed depiction of India Gate, Delhi (refer Pixelated Memories - India Gate, Delhi). To the chagrin of the its architect were he alive and the principles of scale and historic veracity notwithstanding, the war memorial appeared like a minor doorway leading to the Red Fort! The unbearable crowds, the continuous pushing and shoving while in slithering serpentine queues for over an hour and the overall lack of any other point of interest apart from the scene within the Glass House forced us to leave quickly afterwards. I had actually hoped for more displays, especially of potted plants and floral specimens, like we have back in Delhi, sprinkled throughout the garden complex, but alas, there were none. As far as the eye could see, there were just hundreds of people. Thankfully, at least the Red Fort was spectacularly memorable.

Flowers and a monument

Open: All days, 6 am – 7 pm.
How to reach: Lal Bagh is connected to different parts of the city via an efficient bus network. One can also avail autos and taxis.
Entrance fees: Adults: Rs 10. Free entry from 6 – 9 am and 6 – 7 pm. Free entry for school children and differently-able throughout the day.
Entrance fees for flower shows (Jan 26 and Aug 15): Adults: Rs 40 on weekdays and Rs 50 on weekends and public holidays; Children below the age of 12 years: Rs 10
Photography/Video charges: Rs 50
Time required for sightseeing: 2 hours
Other places of interest in Bangalore - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort 
2. Pixelated Memories -  Bangalore Palace
3. Pixelated Memories - Nandi Hills & Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple
4. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan's Palace and Kote Venkataramana Temple

Suggested reading - 

1. Deccanherald.com - Article "A jewel in Lalbagh's crown" (dated May 21, 2015) by Meera Iyer 
2. Deccanherald.com - Article "How flowers at Lalbagh exhibition retain bloom" (dated May 21, 2015) by Tenzin Phakdon and Channu Patagundi 
3. Karnatakahistory.blogspot.in - Lalbagh during Historical Times 

 

Secretariat Blocks, New Delhi

Often considered to be the Indian version of Mordor (“Lord of the Rings” fans would know what I am talking about), the stretch of land housing the Secretariat Blocks, the Parliament House & the Presidential Estate in New Delhi remains out-of-bounds for most visitors at all times of the year. Although people are allowed to visit the place in order to witness the grandeur & pomp with which the Indian democracy is conducted, yet most tourists – foreigners & Indians alike seldom visit the area, except for long drives across the wide & traffic-free roads. The Secretariat consists of the unimaginatively named North & South Block buildings standing facing each other on either side of the Raj Path (“Royal Way”), the former housing the ministries of Finance & Home, while the latter houses the ministries of Defence, External Affairs & the Prime Minister’s office. The mighty India Gate (refer Pixelated Memories - India Gate) & the President’s House are visible on either side of the Secretariat Blocks. The high profile of these ministries & the visitors that grace the premises can be gauged from the presence of army & police personnel, as well as personnel carriers & armoured cars at all times of the day. The structures were designed by Herbert Baker, who in association with Edwin Lutyens designed the British capital of new Delhi – in fact, it was during the construction of the Secretariat Blocks that Herbert & Lutyens, good friends once, fell out with each other.

The North Block

Standing on the traffic post in the centre of the road that leads to the Secretariat Blocks (this spot is called “Vijay Chowk” or “Victory Square”), one can see the Presidential House in the background (refer Pixelated Memories - President's House). One also notices the sharp incline of the road, cutting through the walls of the structures, since both these buildings stand atop a small hill called Raisina. As I mentioned in the Presidential House post, this construction atop the hill was what led to the dispute between Baker & Lutyens – Lutyens wanted to have his masterpiece, the President’s House (or palace, as many prefer to call it), atop the hill so that it might be visible from quite a distance, but was forced to shift it back to accommodate the Blocks since Baker wanted them to be at the same level with the President’s House. As a result, only the dome of the Presidential House was visible from the mentioned traffic square. Realizing his folly at a later stage, Lutyens ran from pillar to post to get the blocks either scrapped or shifted elsewhere, but to no avail, leading to festering grudges between the two. Lutyens even went as far as considering this a war & called it his defeat at “Bakerloo” in his private correspondence.

Later the Parliament House was also constructed nearby. It was also designed by Baker, but because of the time lapse between the building of the Parliament & the structures atop the Raisina Hill, it does not share a common axis with the rest of the structures. Do read the post Pixelated Memories -Parliament House for more details about the Parliament House Complex & its construction.

Secretariat Blocks - View from Vijay Chowk (visible in the center  background is the dome of the President's House)

Completed in 1929, the buildings show an amalgam of the Victorian & Indian styles of architecture – the most prominent features (& the most visible too) being the pillars, Mughal-style perforated stone fretwork ("jalis"), imposing domes, small chattris (circular umbrella-like structures surmounted on thin pillars) & the eaves (locally called “Chajjas”, to protect the residents of a building from harsh sunlight & slanting rain). Together the buildings boast of a thousand rooms spread over four floors, long corridors, courtyards, decorative stone elephants & fountain pavilions. Modelled on the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, which were also designed & constructed by Baker, the Blocks & surrounding decorative structures are built largely of red & cream sandstone sourced from Dholpur. The four 41-feet tall columns, each surmounted by a ship sailing towards east, two in front of each Block, are called “Dominion Columns” & represent the then British dominions of Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The large gateways of either block are decorated with red sandstone medallions, while the gateway of the North Block is inscribed with the words "Liberty will not descend to a people: a people must raise themselves to liberty. It is a blessing which must be earned before it can be enjoyed". In both the buildings, one can see tablets affixed in wall niches built close to the base of the hill, inscribed with the names of the engineers & artists who helped construct these magnificent buildings. Also located within the Blocks are identical chambers called Yaadgar (“Memorable”) Chambers that store the foundation stones that were used when the capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911 (Reference - Times of India article "City's foundation stones forgotten, lie in locked halls" dated Dec 27, 2011).

I got rather close to one of the buildings, prompting the police guards to chase me!!

Such is the aura & grandeur of these Blocks that even those officials & ministries that have been allotted office spaces elsewhere prefer to have their bosses sitting here. The officials of the Army & Defence Ministry & External Affairs Ministry prefer to have their offices in the Secretariat rather than the nearby located “Sena Bhavan” (Army Complex) & “Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhavan” (External Affairs Ministry complex, named after the former Prime Minister, J.L. Nehru).

The symbols of Indian bureaucracy - One of the Blocks & Cars (Ambassador!!) with the Tricolor on the hood 

One should especially visit the Secretariat Blocks on the national days – Republic Day & Independence Day – when the structures are beautifully lit with lamps & bulbs. The “Beating the Retreat” ceremony also takes place at the Vijay Chowk square on January 29th every year, & witnesses the presence of dressed army soldiers, guards, camels & horses, & army band platoons in full regalia. A must visit spot in order to witness the Indian democracy & its nuances in its various colors & (often not so) charming people & guards. & if not for anything else, the place is full of photography options with its mix of old, regal buildings & modern complications.

Sparkles - The view on national days (Photo courtesy - jpaudit/flickr)

Fun fact - While the North Block has a small red board with "North Block" written on it, the South Block has a red letter box outside it. This can be used to distinguish photos of the two blocks.

Nearest Metro Station : Central Secretariat
How to reach : One can simply walk from the metro station. Taxis can be availed from different parts of the city. Public transport doesn't ply here & it is better to take a tour on a private car. Also stopping for more than two minutes at a single place is prohibited. Forget parking.
Entrance Fee : Nil. But entry is through prior permission only
Photography charges : Nil. But try not to head too close to the Blocks as the policemen here can get a bit stingy.
Video Charges : Prohibited
Time required for sightseeing : 30 minutes
Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - India Gate
2. Pixelated Memories - Parliament House
3. Pixelated Memories - Presidential House

ISKCON Temple, New Delhi

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare”

– Invocation to the beautiful and pleasurable lord by members of ISKCON society

Unlike my usual visits to monuments/heritage structures that are generally pre-planned and well-laid out, the visit to ISKCON temple was as spontaneous as it was unplanned – I was supposed to meet some college mates at Nehru Place market (a large locality composed of big corporate offices housed in large glass buildings and small electronics and hardware shops housed in small, congested shops), but they called at the last hour to inform that they would be late by an hour at least (what? not again!). I had already reached the metro station and was left with nothing to do to kill my time except fiddle with my mobile phone and gaze out of the large glass panes. Looking out of the windows at the tall towers of ISKCON temple and the complex architectural layout of Lotus Temple and wondering why do I always have to be on time even when my friends always arrive late, I impulsively decided to visit the former – now that I reflect on it, I guess it must have been the aforementioned lofty towers of the temple that attracted me in the first place, though to be sure, the temple doesn’t look very eye-catching nor does it boast of an architecturally/artistically ingenious construction, it is just another temple except that it is spread over a much vast area. The other reason that guided me to the temple complex is the fact that I had already been to Lotus Temple several times in the past, and no matter how mesmerizing it appears, there are only as many times that you can visit it (refer Pixelated Memories - Lotus Temple). I must have passed ISKCON numerous times too, and were it not for the long queues of foreigners snaking their way in and out of the temple complex, I wouldn't perhaps have even wanted to visit the place so eagerly. The temple is extremely popular amongst tourists, as is apparent from the number of visitors – Indian and foreigners alike – that it commands. Besides an enviable fan-following including the uber-rich and powerful, the temple also has its own website and facebook page.

The ISKCON temple - One of the largest and most popular temple complexes in the city

The temple was built on a rocky natural outcrop in 1998 by the "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna" cult, otherwise known as the "International Society for Krishna Consciousness” (ISKCON), which originates from Krishna worship prevalent for over five hundred years in the Gaur region of Bengal. The cult has commissioned atleast two score other ISKCON temples all over the world (mostly in India) and has the primary mission of disseminating and propagating the philosophy of Krishna and the way of life as dictated by Bhagvad Gita, the sacred book of Hindus. According to Hindu religious texts, Krishna, a warrior king and master statesman, was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the God of life and nourishment – besides being an exceptional flute-player, he was also a cow herder and romantic lover in his younger days, maturing into a pragmatic, worldly-wise philosopher and an extremely powerful and cunning territorial overlord in his later days. One has to make corrections for poetic license while listening to legends associated with him – he was a demon-slayer, could lift elephants and mountains, was a pied-piper who could control all mankind and beasts through his ethereal flute music, fought massive, underwater seven-hooded serpents and could even make time and universe stop, besides the usual romantic escapades and defeating evil, megalomaniac emperors. One account even talks of him as having over sixteen thousand wives, the chief of whom was Queen Rukmini, who too is believed to be a deity and an incarnation of Lakshmi, the boon-bestowing Goddess of riches and prosperity. Yet he is almost always depicted in paintings and temple shrines as being accompanied by his childhood beloved Radha (why not Rukmini? Radha never even married him). Krishna was also the best friend and spiritual guide of the archer-warrior prince Arjuna, glorified for his archery skill and battle might in the epic Mahabharata, who, along with his four brothers and several relatives, supposedly reigned over the Gangetic plains some 5000 years back from their massive citadel at Indraprastha – the site of Delhi's Old Fort (refer Pixelated Memories - Old Fort). In my opinion, Krishna wasn't really a God – it could have been that there were at the same time or at different times but in close continuation different individuals each christened Krishna – the romantic cow-herder, the mighty weightlifter, the skilled warrior and the cunning statesman – over time, the many stories got jumbled up and morphed to create a superhero incarnation of God himself. Plus, it is assumed to be given that the lore merged with the legends and has been highly-embellished and exaggerated by successive poets and writers.

All that glitters might actually be gold! - The idols of the presiding deities encased within gold canopies

I quickly crisscrossed my way through the surrounding gardens, asking my way to the temple complex’s entrance. Externally, the temple, designed by the renowned architect A.P. Khanvinde and funded through voluntary subscriptions (a major portion of which was donated by the Hinduja business conglomerate), is very similar to most North Indian temples, the only exception being that its towers extend so high that I was having difficulty clicking them properly – referred to as ”Shikharas”, they are each over 90 feet high and from certain angles, especially when looking up at the portion flanking the large circular cavities, appear to be skillfully crafted so as to depict the graceful peacock feather that Krishna was believed to ornament his headgear with – the extensive use of red sandstone in contrast with the otherwise white structures throughout the complex is endearing too. Spread over a majestic three acres of landscaped area, the temple complex is formally known as “Glory of India – Cultural Center”, but is referred to popularly as ISKCON. The security guards informed me that I can photograph the entire temple complex, except the shrine – thankfully, the guards posted within the shrine too let me click when I informed them that I need to write an article about the temple – I was till now cursing my friends for never being on time and leaving me stranded in such scorching heat – things got better when I realized that since it’s so hot, there would be fewer people around and thus relatively less-cluttered photographs (though of course there were several devotees in the central prayer hall since it is fully air conditioned).The temple, by the simple act of allowing photography inside its well-maintained and aesthetically-pleasing premises, won my heart and scores over several other more famous temple complexes throughout the city.

A huge sculpture of Lord Vishnu reclining on the primordial serpent Sheshnaga (considered independently to be an incarnation, a brother and a devotee of the former by several legends) and being served by a consort

I dashed to the central prayer chamber which is essentially a huge, incredibly beautiful, marble-lined room with the roof marked by triangular panels alternately demarcated by blemish-free white paint and splendid paintwork depicting the life and adventures of Krishna; from the center hangs a massive glass chandelier that must definitely light up the paintings at night and endue them with a pristine glow. Convergent with the ISKCON society’s commitment to congregational prayers in devoted religious spaces, visitors can almost always be found at all times, sitting cross-legged in the prayer chamber, chanting prayers and invocations, and often clapping their hands with the beat. Simultaneous chants of “Hare Krishna, Hare Rama” erupt from the devotees gathered at near-constant intervals – they can be rhythmic music to some, and crass jarring to others, but the words and their flow continue to ring in the ear for a long time after exiting the temple complex.

Adorned - The central prayer hall

The sanctums are three in number, each a cavernous niche in which are set large gold canopies. The presiding deity of the temple is Krishna and hence the temple’s formal nomenclature after the set of idols set in the central sanctum – Sri Sri Radha Parthasarthi Temple – Radha being Krishna's beloved and Partha Arjuna's alias. “Sarthi” literally translates to charioteer – "Parthasarthi" thus is "Arjuna's charioteer" following the rules of word conjugation – which brings us to another dilemma regarding accepting all the fables about Krishna’s existence – if he was indeed a great warlord and a much esteemed governor–ruler, why did he decide to charioteer Arjuna's horses in the great war depicted in the Mahabharata? In fact, according to scriptures, it was as Arjuna's charioteer that Krishna narrated Bhagvad Gita, after bringing the universe and time itself to a halt, in the middle of the battle field with the two sides raring for bloodshed – Bhagvad Gita, a collection of rules related to the way of life and the story of genesis as believed by the Hindus, has since become one of the most acclaimed and highly venerated religious text. 

The idols are covered in expensive, glittering clothes and jewelry and the entire scene – the small idols, housed in their pretty gold canopies – presents a picture of unabated affluence and a colorful, sparkling existence. The sparkle of gold certainly awes all visitors, many would have actually wanted to bite it to test its purity – but a barricade separates the deep niches from the visitors while a large retinue of security men and women ensure that visitors do not venture too close to the idols or reel on the barricades. Opposite the sanctums and near the entrance sits a life-like sculpture of Swami Srila Prabhupada, the convener of ISKCON group, a much revered saint and philosopher-author and the (posthumous) commissioner of this magnificent temple complex. The statue looks incredibly realistic and at first glance it struck me as an actual person and I felt I was blocking the field of view of the priest by standing in front of him. It was only after a few seconds that it registered that it was just an idol! All idols in the temple have been sculpted by Russian sculptors and one has to concede that they have performed an unsurpassable job in creating such wonderful and exquisite pieces of art.

The statue of Srila Prabhupada - It doesn't look as realistic in photos as it actually is.

Like other Hindu temples, a passageway is provided here too around the idols of the deities for the purpose of “parikrama” (circumambulation) – the entire passageway has been lined with paintings depicting scenes from Krishna’s life and the recital of Bhagvad Gita by him in the battlefield; besides, marble has been skillfully carved to depict the different incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the one I liked the most was an engraving of four-armed Vishnu dressed in his entire divine regalia and resting inclined while holding his weapons in two hands, a lotus in third and granting blessings with the fourth. The temple is flamboyantly modern in decor and can definitely be regarded as a marvelous beauty in itself made further appealing by means of striking idols and intricate artwork. The central hall is said to be capable of housing 1,500 people at one go, however it did not look that large to me.

The temple also hosts special animatronics show titled “Gita Saar” with the use of three specially design robots, built to imitate Krishna, Arjuna & Swami Prabhupada, which deliver the message of Bhagvad Gita and other Hindu scriptures by playing the roles and discussing upon the philosophies inherent in the text. I found the sermonizing boring and especially sleep-inducing given that photography is not allowed within the darkened chambers where the entire play is carried out – the attendants even asked people to switch off mobile phones on the pretext that the magnetic waves emitted within the chamber will interfere and damage the phones, however, as is evident from the photo I clicked (albeit a poor quality one since it had to be clicked in dark with the mobile phone when the attendant was away), nobody turned off their phones.

Robots enacting the roles of Krishna and his disciple Arjuna in the animatronics show

After the dark chamber, it is exciting to get out into the open – the beautiful surrounding lawns and manicured landscaped areas with fountains, waterfalls and well-laid terrains are praiseworthy – one prefers to roam around in the complex or near the rugged hill face than be in the prayer hall. One of the major attractions is a striking sculpture of Krishna dancing upon the heads of the seven-hooded mythical serpent Kalia Naag situated at the bottom of a large, deep fountain. Like most parks in the country that are christened as memorials to historical/religious figures, this entire area too is known as “Krishna Jayanti Park” – the fountains and greenery ensure a cool, airy environment despite the scorching summer heat. The multiple-layered complex also boasts of a vegetarian restaurant and a publications and souvenir outlet located immediately next to the media hall. Besides these, there also exists a museum dedicated to spiritual and philosophical knowledge that was a hallmark of ancient Indian civilization, especially the Vedic ages when most of the Hindu holy scriptures came into existence or were penned down; I couldn’t visit the museum due to paucity of time since my friends had arrived by then and were continuously calling me. Given its numerous features and especially mesmerizing idols and stone artwork, the temple is at least a one-time attraction. Though I would still venture to claim that it isn’t much different from ordinary Indian temples despite all the claims and protestations of its priests and managing committee, yet the extraordinarily enchanting surroundings and the graceful sanctum make a visit worthwhile – the best view is of course from the Nehru Place metro station which directly overlooks the dizzying towers and the huge complex and then one begins to appreciate the massiveness and the innovative architecture of the entire scheme.

Flamboyantly colorful - Krishna and the serpent Kalia

Special prayers and spiritual discourses are preached in the central hall every Sunday. The temple is especially ornamented with incandescent bulbs and flowers on the auspicious occasion of Janamashtami – Krishna’s birthday – prayers are organized from early morning (4:30 am) and continue well after midnight, the entire complex wears a festive look and thousands of devotees thong to adore the decorated temple complex and the idols of Krishna and other deities. As before, the most spectacular view can be had from Nehru Place metro station, but one should head to Kailash Colony metro station if the purpose is to click both the temple and the nearby Lotus temple in a single frame.

Janamashtami glitter

Location: East of Kailash
Timings: Open on all days from 4:30 am – 1 pm and 4 pm – 9 pm
Prayer timings: 4:30 am, 7:15 am, 12:30 pm, 4:15 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm.
Nearest Metro Station: Nehru Place
Nearest Bus stop: Nehru Place
How to reach: Walk from the metro station/bus stop.
Time required for sightseeing: 1.5 hrs (including the 30 min animatronics show)
Entrance fees: Nil (Rs 50 for the show)
Photography Charges: Nil (Video recording is not allowed)
Relevant Links –

1. Pixelated Memories - Lotus Temple
2. Pixelated Memories - Old Fort

Links to ISKCON organization – 

1. Iskcon.org - Official website of "The Hare Krishna Movement"
2. Iskcondelhi.com - Official website of ISKCON Temple, Delhi
3. Iskconnews.org - Article "ISKCON Delhi to open eighth and ninth temples" (dated July 19, 2013) by Madhava Smullen
4. Facebook.com/iskcondelhi - Official facebook page of ISKCON Temple, Delhi