The tomb of Dadi-Poti and other lesser known monuments at Green Park (N.Delhi)

The tomb of Dadi-Poti

As one takes the road towards Hauz Khas village from its junction at Delhi-Mehrauli road (adjacent to Aurobindo Place Market), on the right hand side, there are two tombs on the elevated ground, one larger than the other.  According to the notice board, put up by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), these are the tombs of Dadi and Poti.  These structures, built of rubble and plastered, follow the square pattern, typical of Lodi period (1451-1526 A.D), with openings on the east north and south.

Barah Khambha

It is not known who lies buried inside these graves; however the chances are that they might be the members of royal family as during that period, graves built on higher platforms were of people belonging to the nobility. The larger one is considered to be the tomb of Biwi (mistress) or Dadi (grand-mother), and the smaller one belonging to the Bandi (maid-servant) or Poti (grand –daughter).     

Barah Khambha

There is no account of how Dadi and Poti died at the same time. Though there are few stories which try to find the lost link. There is a possibility that the grand-mother and the grand-daughter might be travelling to a religious or social gathering when the highway robbers have attacked them and ladies died protecting each other. However if one considers these graves belonging to those of mistress and maid, then the story could have been a different one. 

Diagonally across the road (from the Dadi-Poti’s tomb), there is another structure known as Barah-Khambha (Twelve Pillars), again belonging to the Lodhi period. It is a square tomb with each side measuring 10.50 meters.  Standing inside one can clearly see that there are 12 pillars of varying width that support the roof. At one time there were several cenotaphs inside this building and there are a number of other graves outside it. There are other interesting constructions around this building—a well, a bastion like structure and a square block like structure with a place to hold a lamp.    

Sakri Gumti

There are several other smaller monuments of varying sizes located within the Green Park and its neighbourhood, with names like- Biran-ka-Gumbad (brother’s dome), Chhoti Gumti (small dome), Sakri Gumti (narrow dome) etc. Centuries have passed and even today the facts behind these monuments are not known to us. They stand there, looking directly into our eyes and teasing and challenging us to solve the riddle and find the truth behind them. 

Few more photographs of these monuments can be seen at the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/invertedimages/sets/72157631953980501/

    

Jantar Mantar: New Delhi

Between 1724 and 1727, Jai Singh II, a regional king under the Mogul empire, constructed five astronomical observatories in his native territory of west central India. Passionately interested in mathematics and astronomy, Jai Singh adapted and added to the designs of earlier sight-based observatories to create an architecture for astronomical measurement that is unsurpassed. Jai Singh was influenced primarily by the Islamic school of astronomy, and had studied the work of the great astronomers of this tradition. Early Greek and Persian observatories contained elements that Jai Singh incorporated into his designs, but the instruments of the Jantar Mantar, as Jai Singh’s observatories have come to be known, are more complex, or at a much greater scale than any that had come before, and in certain instances, are completely unique in design and function. Of the observatories originally built at Delhi, Jaipur, Mathura, Ujjain, and Varanasi, all but the Mathura observatory still exist. The condition of the instruments varies, due to the ravages of weather and lack of maintenance over time, but the observatories at Jaipur and Ujjain have have had considerable restoration, and repairs have been made from time to time at each of the sites. 
Few more photographs of Jantar-Mantar can be seen at the following link: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/invertedimages/sets/72157631654300996/ 

Bharatanatyam: Choreographed by Saroja Vaidyanathan

Originating in Tamil Nadu, Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest and most popular dance forms of India. Originating in Tamil Nadu and obtained from the earlier Dasiattam – the dance of the devadasi – it was nurtured in the temples and courts of southern India. Subsequently, four brothers known as the Tanjore Quartet codified it as a performing art in the 19th century. Their musical compositions form the bulk of Bharatanatyam repertoire even today. The devadasis and nattuvanars, the male gurus, were the sole repository of Bharatanatyam until the early 20th century. During the British rule the dance fell into disrepute and was banned in the temples. The revival of the dance during the 1930s by pioneers, such as E. Krishna Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale, set the tone for Bharatanatyam as we know it today.One of India's prominent Bharatanatyam exponents, Saroja Vaidyanathan is acknowledged as an adept dancer, guru and choreographer and author. She started learning at age seven from the accomplished Guru Lalitha of Saraswati Gana Nilayam, Chennai. She is the third- generation disciple of the famous Guru Kattumannar Tanjavur Muthukumaran Pillai. She has received worldwide acclaim for her dance recitals and repertoire and been teaching Bharatanatyam for the past four decades in the ancient Guru-Shishya tradition. Her innovative choreography has not only yielded several enthralling ballets based on mythology and social themes, it has also attracted a lot of young talent to the dance form. Her institute, Ganesa Natyalaya, in New Delhi, boasts of students from both India and abroad. More photoraphs from the event may be viewed by clicking at the link provided below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/invertedimages/sets/72157631734642951/