Contrasting Cliffs at Ajantha

If one wants to see a contrast between two cliffs, one 'intervened' by men and the other as shaped by nature, Ajantha is the place to see them.

Some 200 to 300 years BC, Buddhist monks required secluded places for them to pray and meditate, and they chose a cliff in a horseshoe shape at Ajantha.  Between the 3 BC and 8 AD, 26 caves were carved inside a cliff, one next to the other.

I have heard of these caves when I was a teenager, but did not have a mental picture of what they could look like.  In one of the Tamil movies I watched as a teenager, the hero was 'caved' when he was kid, and when he grew up, he had a bent back and could not stand straight (It was in Adimaipenn, and the actor was MGR).  

My first exposure to caves in natural state was at Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico in 1980. Since then I have been to a cave at Nepal-China border, where Vyasar dictated Bharatham to Lord Ganesha, and another in Oman, where a large pristine lake exist inside.  But for a man-made cave, Ajantha was my first.

Each of the 26 caves had a large rectangular verandah with an entrance to a rectangular hall about 35 m by 27 m.  The roof must be at least 5 m from the floor.  So, no need to bend.  At the far-end of the hall is a sanctum-sanctorum, where a large Buddha statue is placed.  His fingers touch each other in different forms in different caves, indicating different lessons.  Walls of the hall had sculptures or paintings.  Paintings were not made with paints, instead different color stones/gems were ground into powder, and pasted.

The total length of caves is about 3 km, and to reach them require a small climb.  I found it a bit difficult at the start - steps were too steep, then was able to climb and walk all the way.  The weather was kind.  For those who could not cover the site on foot, there are human-lifts (we called it Pallaku in Tamil) available.

As I walked through, I could not help wonder how it was possible, and what happened to all these skills that were available almost 2500 years ago.  I had been to Varanasi, Moenjadaro and Harappa, where civilization existed some 5000 years ago, but, it was an urban context.  There were houses, roads and even drains.  Ajantha caves are completely remote from any traces of human settlement.  People, the Buddhists, must have just come here to be away from everything else.  I keep wondering why 26 caves.  They could easily accommodate several thousands of worshipers.  Were they in that many numbers?  If so what happened to all of them (the Buddhists)?  Did Hinduism absorb them back into their fold, I wonder.  Is that why Buddhism has survived in many countries - China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and of course Sri Lanka, but not in India?

I could not resist the thought of stone throwing, war mongering, power seeking monks in Sri Lanka, as I admired the monks who made Ajantha caves.  May be these violent monks should be sent Ajantha to learn what their religion has offered to world.  Just a thought.

I must also mention my visit to Ellora temples.  These are about 100 km from Ajantha, belong to 7 to 9 AD.  Again, a total of 36 temples along the foot-hills of a huge mountain.  They are Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples, all next to each other.  Instead of being carved inside, these temples are chiseled inside and outside.  We are all familiar with rock sculptures, but a whole temple is something to see to believe.  The temples had towers too.  Again along the walls, many mythical storys of Hinduism.  One was about Ravana, and how Lord Ganesha tricked him to establish the Shiva Lingam at Koneswaram (Trincomalee).  Here again, why 36 temples, how many people were coming to worship, what happened to the technology?  Lots of questions in mind.

I have always admired the forts the Mughals built in India, that was about 400 to 500 years ago.  Fortunately, most of them are well cared for in India and Pakistan.  Its a pity Ajantha and Ellora were neglected at some stage, but thanks to a British hunter, now they are a treat to thousands of tourists every day.  Having known about them for many years, I can now say, been there and seen them!  

Life's good.

Rivalry across Indo-Pak border

I am probably one of the very few who had the privilege to live in Independent Pakistan and India, and I like them both.  I first went to Pakistan in 1996 as a consultant for a month.  Since then I lived there for four years, visited at least 8 times, and have traveled all over Pakistan.  My first travel to India was in 1984, and after another ten years I went there again.  Since then I had been to different parts of India every two years, and then lived in Delhi for a two year period.  Both are BEAUTIFUL countries, with warm and hospitable people.  Among the few countries I have had the opportunity to work; I think both have the best soils, water, and sunshine. They can produce any crop. 

I also think that the Indians have the ability to appreciate anything and everything that's GOOD!  For example, Patna and Hyderabad are predominantly Hindu and Muslim cities respectively, but HUGE Buddha statues are the centre of attraction, welcoming people from all walks of life.  I am sure that there are many more of Buddha statues in India, but what makes the ones in Patna and Hyderabad great is that neither city has any Buddhists!  One can appreciate the 'appreciation' of Indians, only when you compare this to other countries.  Remember what happened to Bamian Buddha statues?  An hour of driving around New Delhi will show the recognition Indians have given to World Leaders.  The streets are named after Indians, Westerners, Turks, and South Africans.  I think Indians at large, appreciate anything that's GOOD.

There’s an underlying thread of HATE that prevails across Pakistan.  I think it started the day when Pakistan was created on the basis of hate.  Hindus hated Muslims and Muslims hated Hindus, so, they divided British India to create Pakistan.  What made it a bad idea was that, since partition, Pakistan was ruled by non-Pakistanis for long, first by a Kashmiri (Jinnah), then by a Bihari (Liaqat Ali Khan) and so on.  These rulers did not care for Pakistan; they just wanted to harass India.  Anytime they could not 'rule' native Pakistanis, they sought military's help.  Later, Military started helping themselves.  Big mistakes.  Now it is entrenched in almost every Pakistanis mind that they have to hate someone else.  Kashmir and India are bigger problems to them than their levels of literacy, child mortality, and poverty.  They produce controversies and regularly kill themselves. Shite Vs Sunni, PML Vs PPP and the list will go on.  I wish that they get on with their lives!

Often I reflected on the rivalry between India and Pakistan.  Is the rivalry real?  My experiences are not supportive of this perception.

During late 1990s, I was staying at a guesthouse in a Pakistani village near Indian border.  Late in the evening I wanted to have drink, and I asked the caretaker if I could get some whiskey.  He said, oh yes, for sure.  He told me what it would cost, I gave him the money, and in about an hour I had a bottle of whiskey, and the bottle was embossed to state that the whiskey for specially made for Indian Army.  The Indian Army was happily selling whiskey to Pakistanis, where alcohol is forbidden.  Indians and Pakistanis were in it together, both made money, taking advantage of the official prohibition in Pakistan.

Another time, I was a guest of the Commanding Officer on Pakistani side at flag-down at Wagha border.  This is a daily event, soldiers from both side march towards the gate between the two countries, shout at each other on their ways, bring respective flags down, then slam the gates and shut it.  Later, both commanders take a back road to meet, hug, express pleasantries, exchange pouches, and return.  I wondered what goodies were in the pouches exchanged.

While living in Delhi, I spent a week in Pakistan (Lahore and Islamabad).  Both are very nice cities.  Both are cleaner than Delhi, and both have better roads than those in Delhi.  Despite the on-going war, shopping centers were bustling, hardly any police on the streets, Army posted only at key points of entry.  It’s hard to imagine there are terrorists around.  But I am sure they are there.  Delhi on the other hand is always under tight security.  One may reason that Pakistani terrorists have left for India, so, less security in Lahore.  Pardon my weird sense of humor.

I think People are the same in both countries.  I think educated Pakistanis are a bit more sophisticated than the educated Indians.  In Pakistan the educated come from rich-feudal background, and in India, more likely they come up due to hard-work and sacrifices.  Once at the top, they assume that they have earned the right to be arrogant. 

I just love Pakistani colors and music.  Although India too is very colorful, its colors fade in its colorless background.  Both have very similar socio-economic constraints to overcome.  I feel India is lurching forward, while bulk of Pakistan is slipping backwards.  Pakistan has become hostages to the sins of their own past, I think.  Although, there are some signs that things may be changing.  The last time I was in Islamabad, I was very impressed with the professionalism of many, and their commitment to improve equity.

Nowadays, I like going to both countries, but, can't imagine living in either one of them.  India in particular is excellent for tourists but daily life - especially in big cities - is a struggle.