Day 11
A day of temples
Sunday we had a break from the various Bala Vikasa programs due to the Hindu festival Sankranti. Sankranti is a celebration of the harvest and colour. We took the Bala Vikasa bus to the first temple which was located in Warangal. It was built in the twelfth century by the kakatiyas (King) of Chalukya dynasty. It is called the Thousand Pillars Temple and is made primarily of black marble. Here we got to take part in a Hindu ceremony which was very special seeing as this temple is usually only a tourist destination, however because of the festival there were special ceremonies taking place. After that we traveled approximately an hour to another temple built by the same kakatiyas. It was truly fascinating to see the ancient craftsmanship and the intricate carving in the temple walls. After this we had a curry lunch picnic and took a relaxing boat ride around a large man made lake built by ancient kings for crop irrigation. Bala Vikasa is currently working to restore these lakes found throughout the state by removing the silt that has built up over time and is reducing the effectiveness of the lake. The silt is then used for crop fertilizer, thus positively benefiting people's health, the environment and economics.
All in all it was a very interesting day spent learning about various historical aspects of the area.
Adios,
Miranda, Natalya, Phoebe
A day of temples
Sunday we had a break from the various Bala Vikasa programs due to the Hindu festival Sankranti. Sankranti is a celebration of the harvest and colour. We took the Bala Vikasa bus to the first temple which was located in Warangal. It was built in the twelfth century by the kakatiyas (King) of Chalukya dynasty. It is called the Thousand Pillars Temple and is made primarily of black marble. Here we got to take part in a Hindu ceremony which was very special seeing as this temple is usually only a tourist destination, however because of the festival there were special ceremonies taking place. After that we traveled approximately an hour to another temple built by the same kakatiyas. It was truly fascinating to see the ancient craftsmanship and the intricate carving in the temple walls. After this we had a curry lunch picnic and took a relaxing boat ride around a large man made lake built by ancient kings for crop irrigation. Bala Vikasa is currently working to restore these lakes found throughout the state by removing the silt that has built up over time and is reducing the effectiveness of the lake. The silt is then used for crop fertilizer, thus positively benefiting people's health, the environment and economics.
All in all it was a very interesting day spent learning about various historical aspects of the area.
Adios,
Miranda, Natalya, Phoebe
Hello Blazers!!
ReplyDeleteWow!! Your trip has sounded amazing so far - you really are getting the experience of a lifetime seeing so many different elements and aspects India!! I am just fascinated by the arcitecture and history of the places you have seen - such a rich cultural experience! It also makes me happy to have read about the visits to the communities and schools that you (and the Bayridge community) personally supported through various fundraising and initiatives. Way to make us all proud! I hope you enjoy soaking up these last few days of your wonderful adventure!
All the best, Mrs. Ord-Donald