Bijapur is a name that most travel enthusiast is aware of. For those who do not know, a little background - Dusty Bijapur tells a glorious tale dating back some 600 years. Blessed with a heap of mosques, mausoleums, palaces and fortifications, it was the capital of the Adil Shahi kings from 1489 to 1686, and one of the five splinter states formed after the Islamic Bahmani kingdom broke up in 1482. Despite its strong Islamic character, Bijapur is also the centre for the Lingayat brand of Shaivism, which emphasizes a single personalized god. The Lingayat Siddeshwara Festival runs for eight days in January/February
When GHAC (my favourite travel group) came up with a day tour of Bijapur, I jumped at the opportunity to visit. On Mar 16, along with my fellow travellers (Organizer - Rajani, Sonali, Ankit, Sarvanan and Rajesh) we boarded a bus from the MGBS Bus Stand to start our journey to this historical place. The journey was uneventful - the only thing worth mentioning is the delicious dinner that we had a roadside dhaba with phulka, paneer and chicken curry along with the other fellow passengers.
Our bus reached Bijapur city around 7 am. When we entered the city it made me feel as if we have gone in to some few centuries back. We got down at the main bus stand and checked into a nearby hotel to freshen up. Though none of us really slept well that night, the excitement of seeing all the historical places kept us bursting with energy. So, after a nice hot breakfast and a shower, we started on our tour. Our first destination was the Gol Gumbaz which is the most beautiful specimen of architecture of this dynasty. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah. It is the largest dome ever built, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome.
The moment we reached the gate and saw this marvelous structure, we had no doubt in our mind about it. However, the view is deceiving as the dome that you see in the picture above is the dome of the Gol Gumbaz and the structure in front is a separate building which houses the Museum. We realized that only when we crossed the museum. This reminded me of the Taj Mahal which you really can't view till you reach the arch. The magic of this always makes me spellbound. The finishing of the monument is a classic example of skill and art that Indian rulers had in the past
We were given a guided tour of the monument by a Government Guard who explained to us the history and geometry of this architectural marvel. The perfect circular dome constructed without the help of any engineering equipment is amazing. We then climbed the steep narrow stairs (the guide told us that the stairs were built according to the height of Adil Shah who was almost 7 feet tall) to reach the central chamber where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction is the Whispering Gallery, where even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 meters away. The guide gave us a demonstration of all this by whispering from the other side of the dome, clapping, or singing a song which could be heard distinctly from our side. When you go up to have an birds view, surely it relives all tensions and gives such a wonderful feeling that I felt like staying over there.
After spending some good time soaking the history and the engineer of this massive monument, we headed to our next destination after quenching our thirst with tender coconut water. It was a really hot day and we really had to struggle to keep our energy to enjoy the trip.
The next place we visited was Basanta Vana which houses the 85-foot (26 m) tall statue of Lord Shiva. The 1,500 tonnes statue is considered as the second-biggest statue of Lord Shiva in the country and was prepared by sculptors from Shimoga for more than 13 months. You have to take your shoes off to pass through the tree arch and enter the garden area. It was painful to walk as the pavement was really hot and I kept jumping like a kangaroo.
Next we went to the Bara Kaman - the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Roza built in 1672. Ali Roza wanted to build a structure greater than the Gol Gumbaz. The plan was to construct twelve arches which will be placed horizontally and vertically (hence the name), however, the work was not completed. It has now seven arches and the tomb containing the graves of Ali, his queens and eleven other ladies. The unfinished structure left me wondering how it would have really looked if the structure was complete. The group had good fun running from pillar to pillar posing for photograph - the mystery is who will click as everyone wanted to be in front of the camera. It was a race for the camera and the tortoise in the game always ending up clicking :)
Next we went to the Malik-E-Maidan which has the largest medieval cannon in the world. Being 4 m long, 1,5 m in diameter and weighing 55 tons, this gun was brought back from Ahmadnagar in the 17th century as a trophy of war by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and tens of men. It was placed on the Sherza Burj (Lion Gate) on a platform especially built for it. The cannon's nozzle is fashioned into the shape of a lion's head with open jaws & between the carved fangs is depicted an elephant being crushed to death. It is said that after igniting the cannon, the gunner would remain underwater in a tank of water on the platform to avoid the deafening explosion. We took a walk around the cannon trying to imagine its impact during its glory days.
The hot day was really sapping away all our energy. Tired, we decided to see the Jod Gumbaz from outside before heading back to our hotel for some rest and lunch. These are twin domes built in the memory of Khan Mohammad and Abdul Razzaq Quadri. There is a beautiful garden around it which is a popular picnit spot.
On reaching the hotel, we had lunch and took a shower again to cool ourselves. After resting for a while, we headed to Ibrahim Rouza situated on the western outskirts of the city. It is the 2nd most beautiful monument in Bijapur. Ibrahim Rauza comprises two buildings, a magnificent tomb and a remarkable mosque enveloped by a garden. Facing each other, these twin buildings have a fountain in between them. These buildings stand on a raised terrace supported by arches in a large rectangular enclosure with a high entrance tower in the centre of the north side, adorned with four graceful minarets. Both the buildings have square plans with four minarets at the corners and a bulbous dome at the centre, which emerges from lotus petals.
We hired a guide who not only took us around the monument but also the dark labyrinth around the catacomb where the actual graves are located. The entire structure is profusely ornamented, especially the outer wall of which every part is covered with ornamental carving. The beautiful carvings left all of us spell bound and we enjoyed every moment basking in the beauty of this magnificent monument.
We wanted to sit in the Mausoleum garden for a while before we continued. But our organizer Rajani had to remind everyone constantly that all the historic monuments in Bijapur closed at 6:00 PM and we had to visit the Alamatti Dam which is at least 1 hour drive from here. Reluctantly, we left this beautiful place and started for our next destination.
The Almatti Damis a dam project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka, India which was completed in July 2005. Though we were not allowed to go close to the dam, we saw the water in the dam and two excellent gardens moghul and rock garden.
Seven terrace gardens have been developed as a picnic spot in the dam area. Boating, musical fountains, and stagnant fountains have been set up in the area. We took a walk through a garden named "Rock hill" which has an artificial forest with ceramic wild animals and birds and many idols representing village life in India.
There is light and musical fountain show in the evening which we could not see due to lack of time. This area is a very good place to spend one evening. We left soon after sunset. After we reached our hotel, we quickly changed, had dinner before heading to the bus stand to catch the bus back home with cherished memories of this old city that will remain with me forever.
Most people say that your journey is as good as your companions are. Bijapur trip proved the point. It was a small but friendly group and though it was a hot sunny day, the trip became enjoyable only because of my companions. I am grateful to Rajani and GHAC for ensuring these trips are memorable by their superb skills and friendly demeanor.
For all of you who would like to travel to Bijapur, I suggest that you spend at least 2 days there as there are numerous monuments to visit and we could not cover all due to lack of time. Also, do not forget to take the famous "tanga" ride - I heard that is another experience that is unforgettable.
For more details: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/karnataka/bijapur
Last but not the least, I would like to appeal to the Archaeological Survey of India, to continue to maintain the structures as they are doing right now. It is painful to see people scribbling wall with their names irrespective of so many awareness campaigns. Bijapur is a part of our history and would continue to remain so.
Dear fellow travelers, welcome to Wanderlust, I am excited to have you here, please add icing on the cake by leaving your comments and I will be very happy to reply thanks. Happy travels!!
See more at: http://wanderlust2506.blogspot.in/
Our bus reached Bijapur city around 7 am. When we entered the city it made me feel as if we have gone in to some few centuries back. We got down at the main bus stand and checked into a nearby hotel to freshen up. Though none of us really slept well that night, the excitement of seeing all the historical places kept us bursting with energy. So, after a nice hot breakfast and a shower, we started on our tour. Our first destination was the Gol Gumbaz which is the most beautiful specimen of architecture of this dynasty. It is the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah. It is the largest dome ever built, next in size only to St Peter's Basilica in Rome.
 |
| View from the Main Gate |
We were given a guided tour of the monument by a Government Guard who explained to us the history and geometry of this architectural marvel. The perfect circular dome constructed without the help of any engineering equipment is amazing. We then climbed the steep narrow stairs (the guide told us that the stairs were built according to the height of Adil Shah who was almost 7 feet tall) to reach the central chamber where every sound is echoed seven times. Another attraction is the Whispering Gallery, where even minute sounds can be heard clearly 37 meters away. The guide gave us a demonstration of all this by whispering from the other side of the dome, clapping, or singing a song which could be heard distinctly from our side. When you go up to have an birds view, surely it relives all tensions and gives such a wonderful feeling that I felt like staying over there.
 |
| The Central Chamber that also houses the Whispering Gallery |
After spending some good time soaking the history and the engineer of this massive monument, we headed to our next destination after quenching our thirst with tender coconut water. It was a really hot day and we really had to struggle to keep our energy to enjoy the trip.
The next place we visited was Basanta Vana which houses the 85-foot (26 m) tall statue of Lord Shiva. The 1,500 tonnes statue is considered as the second-biggest statue of Lord Shiva in the country and was prepared by sculptors from Shimoga for more than 13 months. You have to take your shoes off to pass through the tree arch and enter the garden area. It was painful to walk as the pavement was really hot and I kept jumping like a kangaroo.
Next we went to the Bara Kaman - the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Roza built in 1672. Ali Roza wanted to build a structure greater than the Gol Gumbaz. The plan was to construct twelve arches which will be placed horizontally and vertically (hence the name), however, the work was not completed. It has now seven arches and the tomb containing the graves of Ali, his queens and eleven other ladies. The unfinished structure left me wondering how it would have really looked if the structure was complete. The group had good fun running from pillar to pillar posing for photograph - the mystery is who will click as everyone wanted to be in front of the camera. It was a race for the camera and the tortoise in the game always ending up clicking :)
 |
| Enjoying cool pineapples in the hot sun |
The hot day was really sapping away all our energy. Tired, we decided to see the Jod Gumbaz from outside before heading back to our hotel for some rest and lunch. These are twin domes built in the memory of Khan Mohammad and Abdul Razzaq Quadri. There is a beautiful garden around it which is a popular picnit spot.
On reaching the hotel, we had lunch and took a shower again to cool ourselves. After resting for a while, we headed to Ibrahim Rouza situated on the western outskirts of the city. It is the 2nd most beautiful monument in Bijapur. Ibrahim Rauza comprises two buildings, a magnificent tomb and a remarkable mosque enveloped by a garden. Facing each other, these twin buildings have a fountain in between them. These buildings stand on a raised terrace supported by arches in a large rectangular enclosure with a high entrance tower in the centre of the north side, adorned with four graceful minarets. Both the buildings have square plans with four minarets at the corners and a bulbous dome at the centre, which emerges from lotus petals.
 |
| Team GHAC in front of Ibrahim Rouza |
We hired a guide who not only took us around the monument but also the dark labyrinth around the catacomb where the actual graves are located. The entire structure is profusely ornamented, especially the outer wall of which every part is covered with ornamental carving. The beautiful carvings left all of us spell bound and we enjoyed every moment basking in the beauty of this magnificent monument.
We wanted to sit in the Mausoleum garden for a while before we continued. But our organizer Rajani had to remind everyone constantly that all the historic monuments in Bijapur closed at 6:00 PM and we had to visit the Alamatti Dam which is at least 1 hour drive from here. Reluctantly, we left this beautiful place and started for our next destination.
The Almatti Damis a dam project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka, India which was completed in July 2005. Though we were not allowed to go close to the dam, we saw the water in the dam and two excellent gardens moghul and rock garden.
 |
| Alamatti Dam and the garden surrounding it |
 |
| Entrance Gate of the Rock Hill Garden |
Most people say that your journey is as good as your companions are. Bijapur trip proved the point. It was a small but friendly group and though it was a hot sunny day, the trip became enjoyable only because of my companions. I am grateful to Rajani and GHAC for ensuring these trips are memorable by their superb skills and friendly demeanor.
For all of you who would like to travel to Bijapur, I suggest that you spend at least 2 days there as there are numerous monuments to visit and we could not cover all due to lack of time. Also, do not forget to take the famous "tanga" ride - I heard that is another experience that is unforgettable.
For more details: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/karnataka/bijapur
Last but not the least, I would like to appeal to the Archaeological Survey of India, to continue to maintain the structures as they are doing right now. It is painful to see people scribbling wall with their names irrespective of so many awareness campaigns. Bijapur is a part of our history and would continue to remain so.
Dear fellow travelers, welcome to Wanderlust, I am excited to have you here, please add icing on the cake by leaving your comments and I will be very happy to reply thanks. Happy travels!!
See more at: http://wanderlust2506.blogspot.in/
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