The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
After a troubled and tension-packed week , Saturday came along at just the right time to brighten things up. Technically, the day began on a cloudy note.. with the rain gods deciding to bring in the monsoon on just the day I had decided to bring out one of my sarees hidden away in the corner of my cupboard! So, in went the saree again and out came the well used Jeans, kurti and shoes.... the best attire for hunting down an auto amidst the downpour. And, will you believe it? The moment I caught an auto driver ready to take me to my destination, the rain stopped!! Well, it was too late to do anything about it then, and off we headed to our lunch date. Yes, "we" - Samhith and me, were off to the Trident at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to join my Lavasa friends for a book reading followed by lunch at the Italian restaurant, Botticino, at the Trident. Samhith wasn't really invited, but I couldn't leave him behind, and so I took him along, wondering how he would ...