Author: srishti saha

A university town located within the temple city of Udupi, Manipal has a vivacious history attached to it. Once, just a barren land with deserted roads, this town now boasts of a university campus spread across 600 acres and an astir crowd from all possible corners of the country and the world alike. The town derives its name for ‘Mannu palla’ which means Mud Lake, in Kannada and Tulu (the native languages) that is located in the centre of this town. Manipal is now a melting pot of cultures, languages and religions and if nothing else it boasts of an overlapping mosaic of cultures and provides the perfect atmosphere for the holistic development of an individual. With majority of the population being academia viz. students, professors and researchers, this town is not only a knowledge power house but also a house to various national achievements in fields of engineering, medicine, architectures, arts like culinary skills, jewelry designing and various other sciences. Manipal, as what we know it to be today is the brain child of the visionary, Dr. T.M.A. Pai who first established the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Campus in 1953 and then the Manipal Institute of Technology 5 years later.

As a member of the student fraternity here in Manipal, I feel extremely nostalgic just at the mere mention of its name. Manipal has something about it that eddies around you forever and gets stuck in your mind like the breeze that blows amok.

This place is not just a town with architectural marvels in the form of its beautiful campus buildings, but it showcases the perfectly congruous existence of nature with man-made elements. Where on one side it brags about state-of-the art libraries, innovation centres, academic buildings, museums and planetariums, it also houses a plethora of picturesque destinations to visit. Manipal is currently twinned with Loma Linda, California as its sister city.

They say, “No trip to Manipal is complete without watching the sunrise or the sunset from the gorgeous cliff overlooking the Swarna river, called the End point.” They even say that this is where it all began. Stand at the edge of the cliff, and you can see the Arabian Sea in the western horizon and the Western Ghats in the eastern horizon. A paradise for trekkers, joggers, environmentalists and photographers, this place is a total respite from the rigorous student lives of the Manipal University students. Once a barren land, this place has now received a facelift with a beautiful garden and umbrella sheds lining the lush green route.

Located in the heart of the town is the Manipal Lake, that was formed as a result of continued extraction of clay and mud from the same spot for manufacturing tiles. The pit that would collect rain water and look like a pond during the monsoons, soon was developed into a gorgeous lake.

The Railway Bridge is my favourite get away spot. Away from the hustle and bustle of the busy town life, this place offers a serene atmosphere for relaxing, busting the stress and maybe introspecting too! You may have your momentary adrenaline rush when a train or two pass through shaking the entire bridgre and blowing wind at a tremendous speed. Remember to hold on to the railings when you see a train approaching!

Manipal also has its own mini water falls at Dashrath Nagar. Also known as the Arbi Falls, these are tiny streams of forceful flowing water over moss-covered rocks. They do not possess height but one can find a multitude of flora and fauna in the forest surrounding these crystal clear waters. Many other tourist spots around Manipal make this place a treat to the travelers’ heart.

1.)    Udupi– Derived from the Tulu name, Odipu, this city is famous as the Temple City. It is famous for the Krishna Mutt (temple of Lord Krishna) that attracts scores of tourists and locals on a daily basis. Udupi seems to be synonymous with delicious vegetarian food all over the world. It is a must visit for a divine experience.

2.)    Kudremukh– It is a mountain range and name of a peak located in Chikkamagaluru district, located 88 kms away from Manipal. Kudremukh literally means horse-face in Kannada, in context to the beautiful view of a side of the mountain that resembles a horse’s face. It offers about 13 trekking routes ranging from tough to easy, so do carry your trekking gear along!

3.)    Gokarna– Gokarna meaning Cow’s Ear has a legend that says Lord Shiva had emerged from the ear of a cow (Prithvi, the Mother Earth) here. Also, its location at the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini, lends it, its name. Gokarna attracts people of all tastes because of its clean sands, blue sea, multitude of flora and of course, its’ temples.

4.)    Murudeshwara– Murudeshwara is another name for Hindu God, Shiva. The towering statue of Lord Shiva is the second highest statue of the deity after the one in Nepal. The Murudeshwara temple and the Raja Gopura are a must visit too.

 

5.)    Beaches– A stay at Manipal and you do not visit the beaches? Well, not happening!

a.)    Malpe: An important natural port and a fishing harbor, Malpe is located at the mouth of the Udyavara. It is a beach town that pleases the eyes and the photographers’ lens alike. St. Marys’ Island, also known as Coconut Island and Thonsepar, are a set of four small islands in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Malpe. Studies reveal that the basalt formation of these islands is a result of sub-aerial volcanic activities, for back then Madagascar was attached to India. According to a legend, Vasco Da Gama first landed on these islands on his voyage from Portulag and named one of these islands as O Padrão de Santa Maria, as a dedication to Mother Mary.

b.) Kaup (Kapu): Kaup, pronounced as Kapu beach is a famous beach in south Karnataka that is known for its’ lighthouse, crashing Arabian Sea waves and a strong breeze.

6.)    Coorg– Located around 120 kms away from Manipal it takes around two hours to get here. Also known as Kodagu, it is home to the native speakers of Kodava Language, although it is again a potpourri of religions and cultures thus offering you various linguistic options for communicating, from Tulu and Kannada to Konkani to Urdu, and of course English and Hindi too. Coorg is famous in the world for its coffee plantations and brave warriors. Make sure you include the following spots in your itinerary when you visit this agricultural district:

a.)    Talakaveri: Here is where the River Kaveri originates. The temple on the riverbanks here is dedicated to Lord Brahma, and is one of only two temples dedicated to Brahma in India and Southeast Asia.

b.)    Bhagamandala: Situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Kaveri and the Kanika and supposedly a third river, the Sujyothi, that is said to join from underground, makes this a must visit.

c.)     Nagarahole: A national park and wildlife resort; it is a treat to the eyes.

d.)    Iruppu Falls: A sacred spot in south Kodagu in the Brahmagiri hill range.

e.)    Abbey Falls: a picturesque waterfall 5 kms away from Madikeri. Also there are various temples to visit. With their marvelous architecture and glorious historic stories, these are more than mere spots of pilgrimage.

7.)    Agumbe– 49 kilometres or near about 1.5 hours of travelling away from Manipal, this small village is sometimes known as the ‘’Cherrapunji of the South.” Wikipedia states that “Agumbe is associated with rainforest conservation efforts, documentation of medicinal plants, tourism (trekking and photography), power generation through hydro electrics and promotion of cottage industry.” Besides this, Agumbe is home to various scenic waterfalls like the Jogigundi falls, Onake Abbi falls and Barkana Falls. The famous Sunset Point rests on one of the highest peaks of the Western Ghats on the Udupi-Agumbe Road, where on a fine evening, one can view the mesmerizing sunset over the Arabian Sea.

So, take a week off, pack your bags, take umbrellas, trekking shoes, camera and loads of comfortable clothes and fly to Mangalore, which is 63 kms away from Manipal. You can then take a bus to Manipal; Won’t cost you more than 90 rupees! Happy touring!

Talk of India to an American and the first few things that cross his mind will be great food, beautiful handicrafts and marvelous cultural heritage. India is known for its gorgeous art and craft forms, be it the woolen carpets of Kashmir, or the metal artifacts of ……, these form the pride of a curators’ collection.

What makes them worth the value they have is the years of experience and skill that goes into mastering the art. Indian cottage industries have not just kept these arts alive but have also helped them reach out to a wider spectrum of audience.  They play the role of a window to the age-old cultural heritage of Indian civilization for the outer world.

Right from the time of Indus valley civilization dotting the face of India, clay and mud pots portray a magical coalescence of design and purpose. The excavation of ancient cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro have revealed some of the finest forms of this age-old art. Indian villages have carried the patrimony of the art and have amalgamated immense thought and concept with picturesque aesthetics that appeal to the audience. Indian pottery produces two types of products viz. glazed and unglazed pottery.  Depending on the origin, the artists and the type of clay found in a particular region, every state has a unique sense of this art. While the villages of Alwar and Kutch are known for very fine paper-thin pottery with incised designs, the villages of Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh are famous for black pottery with silver intricacies worked in it, thus striking a resemblance with the Bidar work of Andhra Pradesh. Some villages of Delhi, Jaipur, Amritsar and Tamil Nadu are known to produce gorgeous pieces of glazed pottery with white background and blue and green designs on them. The utility factor of this art is not just limited to pots or vessels; it offers a plethora of decorative items made like paper weights, flower vases, tea sets, ashtrays, pen stands etc. to choose from. These are examples of Karigari pottery which is famous in many Indian villages.

Terracotta is another art villages of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Bihar are famous for. While women in Bihar, Gujarat and Bengal prepare clay figures using this art to propitiate their deities, Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh has villages where clay figurines of animals are made.

Wood, cane and bamboo crafts also feature among the multitude of art-inspired cottage industries. Bamboo carving was first  introduced in the Sattras of Brahmaputra Civilization in Assam wherein the disciples would carve miniatures of gods, goddesses and their incarnations. The intricately and exquisitely carved figurines can still be seen in Majuli where the Sattras are housed. In the modern days, Indian artisans produce stunningly beautiful utility articles out of bamboo. Objects like baskets for storing clothes, vessels for carrying water, bamboo fans and furniture are some of those. Toys made by carving bamboo stems are also a symbol of excellent craftsmanship.

Wood-carving like bamboo-art was also started with an impulse to decorate places of worship. The availability and easy accessibility to timber made it an excellent medium for artisans to portray their skill. Wooden idols of Hanuman, Garuda and other Indian deities are seen in various temples of Assam. Besides these, decorative and utility items like lamp stands, storage boxes and even wooden ornaments are a rage among art curators. Wood is also used to make the much famous and vibrant hued puppets of Rajasthan; and who doesn’t spend a buck or two to spectate a nice puppet act?

Cane culture of Arunachal Pradesh is another vibrant craft tradition. Dyed cane strips are used to make parts of attires and other articles like baskets, bags etc. For instance, the Wanchos, a local tribe of the north-east, use dyed cane strips to make head gears, waist bands, armlets or even dancers’ baskets. The most common colours used for dyeing are red, yellow and black though the Monpas paint their strips in a variety of colours like red, pink , brown yellow, green and blue.

Carpet weaving is an ancient craft that originated in Persia which was introduced by Emperor Akbar in India. Years later, it has now flourished as a significant cottage industry in remote tribal and rural areas. Carpets, durries and rugs produced in villages of Kashmir, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Haryana cater to the international and indigenous markets alike. Be it the hand knotted silk carpets of Amritsar or the warm woolen carpets of Kashmir, place one of these in your drawing room and lighten the entire ambience up with the exquisite piece of art!

Handloom industry is one cottage industry we are proud of. We boast about it as an ancient craft form that flourished as an industry between 5000 and 3000 BC. There are vivid accounts about this art form in our fables and epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharat. The cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro have had evidences of the use of woolen and decorative embroidery in handloom. Hand-spinning, hand printing and hand typing are the skills required to master the art. Besides providing employment to scores to people in the country, the industry also transcends linguistic and communal barriers. With Mahatma Gandhi preaching the concept of ‘Swadesi’ in his freedom-movement, khadi gained popularity as an indigenous fabric. Today we see Indians and foreigners of all classes sporting attires made of this handloom fabric with great pride.

Ayurveda (Sanskrit for ‘life-knowledge’) or the Hindu tradition of medicine is another indigenous tradition that is native to the Indian subcontinent. Using natural plant products and elements of nature to cure or improve mental, physical and emotional health of a person is what it is known for. People practicing Ayurveda or under its’ influence seem to be content with it.

Among other main cottage industries of India are metal-molding to produce beautiful artifacts like idols, coir industry etc.

These industries not only reflect the richness of Indian culture but also provide a means of livelihood to a large chunk of the Indian population. Appreciation and promotion of such arts will help them grow and flourish, and that is precisely what we need to do.