Category Archives: Areas of interest in India

Description de la catégorie : Areas of interest in india

The temple of Chidambaram

Chidambaram is known all over India for its famous temple devoted to Siva (Shiva) represented in Naṭarāja form, Naṭarāja or the “cosmic dancer”, dances the creation (Ananda Tandava). Dating back to the end of the Chola Empire during the XIIth century AD, the temple built on grounds covering 22 hectares, holds four large gopurams directed towards the four cardinal points. Depictions of Hindu myths are finely sculpted within the gopurams.

 

There are many symbols represented through “Shiva Naṭarāja”, the King of Dance :

 

  • Shiva holds himself in a “circle of fire” known as thiruvāsi, which symbolizes the vibrant, rhythmic and cyclical nature of Life.
  • Shiva presses down with its right foot on the demon Mulayaga in this way signifying the defeat of the evil that arises from ignorance, avidya.
  • His left leg is held up in the air and symbolizes the path to salvation/righteousness.
  • The palm of his first right hand is held forward, a gesture referred to as patāka, which denotes protection and the distancing from fear.
  • In his second right hand, Shiva holds a tambourine (the ḍamaru) in a gesture called ḍamaru-hasta, which represents creation through the rhythm of Life, the passing of time.
  • His first left arm is extended in front of his body; his hand pointing towards the foot, taking the mudra of kari-hasta position, that means, “Here I am”. It is in this way that Shiva focuses upon himself all that is, demonstrating the elevation and the liberation/emancipation through the jungle of ignorance.
  • In his second left hand, Shiva holds the fire of transformation. That is to say the vital force, which is a symbol of the vital energy (Prāṇa).
  • One can see on the left side of his face the crescent moon (Chandra), which symbolizes the highest degree of knowledge. This includes intellectual, sensorial and emotional knowledge.
  • On the right side of his face the Ganges, in its fish form (Matsya) can be found. The Ganges is a symbol of water giving Life.
  • On the left side of his body, the belt floating in the wind represents the withdrawal, the disappearance of illusion (Māyā).
  • One can see a “Royal Cobra” coiled around Shiva’s waist, on his right side. This is an ancient symbol of fertility. In fact, it represents – through the remains of past universes – the seed of all future creations as well as immortality.
  • A stoical face represents a brave attitude through adversity. Thus the neutrality of the expression implies balance.

 

Within the sanctuary of Naṭarāja, there is a temple devoted to Pārvatī known as Shivakami, the consort of Shiva. It is, in this space, that are represented the different dance figures in the style of Bharata natyam

Location :

The temple of Chidambaram is located 60 km South of Pondicherry (1h30 by car from Pondy and 3h30 from Mahābalipuram).

The temple is closed from 12:00 to 16:00.

Kollywood, the major movie studios to visit in Chennai

The major film studios are nicknamed Kollywood. They compete with those of Bombay …(Bollywood). There are the AVM studios and the Prasad studios. Unlike the Bombay studios, they are generally open to visitors.

You must have the luck to pass by on a day where there is a shooting.

I attended a filming in the Prasad studios, and found it very amusing, especially because of the contrast between some very basic logistics and some hyper sophisticated equipment. The cardboard decorations with the colour remaining stuck on my fingers were not bad either !

 

India remains the largest producer of films in the world.
The film industry in India is the largest in the world, 4 times that of Hollywood

These films have a huge success in India, but also in Indonesia, Iraq, Africa: Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria etc..

Why do we know almost nothing of this cinema, here?

It has the reputation of being superficial, kitsch, without artistic creativity. Always the same stories with variations on the theme of love or the struggle of good against evil, and the actors play very stereotypical roles. The characteristics of these movies are: they last over 3 hours; the scenarios are always interspersed with songs (5-6 songs), music and sumptuous choreographies, a finely tuned mixture as the spices in a curry

Movies, songs

Very commercial, this cinema meets the public expectations who require several dances, a love story, comedy, melodrama, all according to a carefully balanced mixture like the spices in a “masala” or a “curry”.
Unlike Hollywood where music is a genre in itself, in Indian cinema, songs and dances are an integral part of the unfolding of the story and screenplay.
It is a cinema, standardized to the extreme and famous for it’s kitsch. In fact, it is simply a different cinematic language to ours. As explained by Anne-Gaëlle Doshi, consultant in the seventh art of the subcontinent :
“Indian cinema has very strict and very Indian codes traveling poorly in the West, which is what causes the reluctance, but once these codes are acquired and have been accepted, it can be lots of fun.”

 

The year 2013 saw the centenary of the Indian film industry: “100 Years Of Indian Cinema industry.”

 

Photos :

Videos :

South India and music :

A glimpse on Madras – Chennai :

For Tamil movies :

And also the site :

Visit of the temple of Kapaleeswarar in Chennai.

The temple of Kapaleeswarar in Mylapore, from the Pallava era (8th century), was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara kings. The tower at the entrance of the temple or “Gopura” was erected in accordance with the architectural features of the Dravidian style: a pyramidal portico decorated with polychrome statues drawn from the Hindu mythology.

It refers to the story when Shiva got angry because of the disrespectful behaviour of Brahma towards his daughter Sarasvati, and cut off one of his five heads (cf. Matsyara-Purâna III, 32 and Bhâvagata-Purâna III).

Among the magnificent bronze sculptures are the 63 shivaist Saints, named Nayanmars.

It is worth noting under an old tree, Punnai, the sanctuary devoted to the goddess Parvathi in the form of a peacock, venerating Shiva. The name of Mylapore originated from this legend. “Mayil” which in Tamil means peacock and “ore” town.

Next to the temple, offerings (garlands of flowers, coconuts, incense and perfumes are on sale.

The religious festival of Arubathumoovar takes place every year in March-April at Mylapore. It lasts several days. There is a procession of a statue of Shiva around a sacred pool, mounted on a huge char (12 meters high), called Ratha, drawn by about a hundred Indian pilgrims in ecstasy.

Opening hours Phone
5 am to 11 am
4 pm to 21.30 pm		 24 94 16 70

 

The National Art Gallery in Chennai is a “must”.

The Government Museum, the National Art Gallery and the Connemara Library :

If there is one place to visit in Chennai, it is the National Art Gallery. It is a treat for amateurs of art, paintings and sculpture.

To day, the same site accommodates the Government Museum, the National Art Gallery and the Connemara Public Library.

The Government Museum was built in 1851. It houses an exceptional collection of bronzes from South India, ancient and modern, among them the superb statues of Shiva Nataraja, Parvathi, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.

 

There are also sections dedicated to geology and anthropology, not very interesting

In the Amravati gallery, several rare marble sculptures dating back to the second century (CE) are exhibited. They show important events of Gautama Buddha’s his life. The sculptures were discovered during excavations on the site of Buddhist ruins in Amravati. Bronzes from the 10th to the 13th centuries and popular crafts from the 11th and 12th centuries are also to be found there.

In the National Art Gallery some magnificent paintings dating back to the 16th and 17th century from Rajasthan during the Mogul period are exhibited, along with Deccan art of the 18th century.

Entrance fees Opening time Closed on Telephone
Adult 15,00 INR 9h30 till 17h30 Friday 28193238
Child 10,00 INR

 

 

Visiting the manufacturing company of the famous Royal Enfield motorbikes.

In a time of mass production, a ROYAL ENFIELD is a rare product. It is an old-style motorbike, manually assembled with love, developed and conceived with mastery in such a away that each item is a unique design. Originally fabricated in the UK, it is now made in South India.

Its timeless line and its splendid mechanics are elements that have made it prosper in the suburbs of Chennai. The film, “Handcrafted In Chennai” is a tribute to the people who manifacture the beloved Enfield…

 

SITUATION : The manufacturing company is located in Thiruvottiyur, north Chennai.

WHEN : Only the second and the fourth Saturday of each month.

SCHEDULE : The factory tour starts at 9:15 am, followed by a « briefing » at 9: 30. The tour of the factory starts at 10: 15 am.

PRICE : Actually, 600 INR / pers. Please give a tip to your « guide ».

SUBSCRIPTION : there are many visitors so subscription is required in advance.

Video :

Website :

By car, two hours and a half away from Mahābalipuram

We recommend that you visit Chennai, a big sprawling town, near Mahābalipuram.

Chennai,

Like many other large towns in India, Madras which has been renamed “Chennai” in 1996 (7 millions inhabitants), may seem at first disconcerting and hostile for the traveller who has just arrived.

Road traffic as in any other Indian town is dense, noisy and colourful. Notwithstanding the town has some charm. The cultural life is vibrant and the beaches are beautiful.

The gateway to South India

In fact to appreciate Chennai one has to accept to spend some time, enough to discover the wealth of its cultural heritage. Though the absence of major monuments means few tourists visit the capital of Dravidian art.

Some of the great and exciting things to do and see in Chennai:

  • Going for a stroll on the immense Marina Beach on a Friday or Saturday after sunset. It attracts a huge crowd of Indians in festive mood. On offer are: shooting, riding horse, foodstalls, drinks (sugar cane juice), merry-go-round for children and adults, shops with flashy and twinkling gadgets. One can also have his or her photograph taken with a cardboard cut effigy of a Bollywood star. Expect a long queue, etc…
  • The Governement Art Gallery, a must see
  • The temple of Kapaleeswarar
  • the Theosophical Society, south of Chennai
  • the Kollywood Studios which compete with Bollywood in Mombai. The first silent film in Tamil was shot in 1916. The AVM and Prasad Studios are opened to the public.
  • The factory of the legendray Royal Enfield motorbikes
  • San Thome Cathedral (St. Thomas), Mount St. Thomas (for its view of the city of Chennai and Little Mount.


Little Mount.