She charged me 12 rupees for each. I gave her the money. But ever eager to practice my kannada and engage in conversation, I asked here only jokingly why it was 12 rupees here, while it was only 10 rupees in the city. She must have been surprised by my heavily accented and rudimentary kannada, and realizing I was joking, she started giggling. She was completely at a loss of words. I just could not keep a straight face and started to laugh too.

I made small talk, asked her name and generally how many drinks she sold in a day. Her name was Uma and said she sold about a crate (of 12) each day. I estimated she made 4 rupees profit on each bottle, netting her about 50 rupees a day (slightly more than a dollar)! And for that she had to stand in this heat all day! And some one had to drop her here and pick her up in the evening. And she has not yet eaten! Life is tough! But she had a certain calm about her and I think this pic radiates her inner peace. And her confidence!

As I prepared to leave, I asked her again why it was 12 rupees for each drink: yaakae hutnerdu rupaiya?
Now she really burst out laughing, and I laughed with her. After a few moments she composed herself, then lifted the lid of the cooler, pointed inside and with a twinkle in her eyes mouthed a single word: Ice!

For that thirst quenching ice cool drink I would gladly have paid twice as much!

I was gifted this small, yet well done bronze of Uma by my cousin brother Ramnath. He has a good eye for art work.

This is Uma (Parvati) as Shivakami – the beloved of Shiva, in a classic tribhanga pose. This is purported to be a late 18th century reproduction of the 11th century piece from the Kulottunga I era. I have had this for several years and I never tire of admiring it. It is small and fits nicely in the palm of my hand. I am drawn to her graceful pose. I am drawn to her exceptional beauty. I am drawn to the inner calm she radiates! And I am drawn to the confidence she exudes!

The craftsmanship is exquisite for so tiny a piece and we have no idea where this statuette resided for the last several centuries. The sharp features suggest she was not used for any puja. Prolly stayed in a noble household.

It is said that the easiest way to reach Shiva is to appease Parvati (or Uma) and have her champion you to Shiva! Perhaps it is that restlessnes in my heart that draws me to her. I certainly thirst for her grace! And every time my eyes fall on Uma, I know my thirst will soon be quenched.

Cave Four is dedicated to Mahavir and the 24 Tirthankaras.

As you step on the front porch, the pride of place on the immediate left is taken by an imposing sculpture of Mahavir.

The craftsmanship of his facial features is exquisite and so elegantly portrays the experience of bliss. Gaze at this crop!

Inside, the pillars were covered with finely carved images of meditating figures. Note how the natural striations in the rock add to the beauty of the artistry.

Another sculpture of Mahavir inside the cave. Here, the striation on the walls covered with meditating figures draws our eyes to the Tirthankara protected in his alcove.

A group of women and girls taking a break from climbing the hill to enjoy all the caves!

NB:I have denoted the two larger images as Mahavira; I am not certain if they represent any of the other Tirthankaras. If you have any good evidence to indicate otherwise, please bring it to my attention.

Cave Three is also dedicated to Vishnu and his avataars, and holds some of the most impressive works of art.

As we approach the caves, they appear as narrow slots in the sandstone mountain side. it is only as you walk up the plain steps and onto the verandah that the true mastery of the beauty of the sculptures is evident. As you enjoy the artwork, note that these caves are ‘open’ and have no doors or other forms of protection from the weather. Yet their grandeur has survived nearly 1,500 years.

As you walk up the stairs, you step in between a row of beautifully carved pillars and on the right is the larger than life-size carving of Vishnu, in the form of his avataar Narasimha (man-lion). And what a majestic Narasimha it is. On the lower left is Prahalad, whose entreaties caused Vishnu to take this form to alleviate suffering of his devotee; and on the right is the cruel king Hiranyakashipu, who Narasimha disembowels on the threshold.

Turn around from admiring Narasimha and you are faced with the most stunning image of Vishnu, perfectly bracketed by the pillars in perspective.

And like if in the grip of a giant magnetic I was drawn towards this figure; agape and too stunned to form coherent words. The image of Vishnu in a meditative pose atop the coiled Adisesha!

Indeed, Vishnu’s eyes are closed here. Vishnu is depicted in yoga nidra – deep in cosmic meditative slumber. It was only many centuries later (12th century, I was told) that Vishnu was depicted with eyes open in artwork.

But as Swami Chidbavananda said: This too shall pass!

So here I am reaching into my archives. A few pics from our trip to Badami a couple of years ago. The Cave Temples in Northern Karnataka are part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. They are well maintained, and the sculptures are exquisite. Highly recommended.

This is an image of Shiva as Nataraja, Lord of the Dance. Apparently, his 9 arms on each side create the 81 combinations of Bharatnatyam poses.


This is Shiva as ArdhanariNareshwar – half man and half woman, symbolizing that God combines aspects of male and female. Note the left side is more shapely, sports a breast, the left hand carries a lotus bud, and accompanied by a female attendant.

This is the cave temple itself. Note the beautifully carved pillars. What an amazing feat to turn an ordinary red stone mountain to a work of art. The entire place is carved ‘in’ the mountain!
[click image for larger version]