A few weeks ago I posted about the concept of what constitutes a sacred sthala/temple, and the astronomical connections and related meaning. In a reaction Saurabh Saxena formulated several relevant questions which deserve a detailed answer. Thank you Saurabh for … Continued
Jacob Haafner’s deep interest and love for the Indian civilisation is expressed through his travelogues. Especially by his description of the ruins of Mahabalipuram, or Mavelievarom, as he called it in his day. Here he muses about the fate of … Continued
Jacob Haafner was deeply fascinated by the ancient ruins of Mahabalipuram. He visited often, he tells his readers, while living in Sadras. Here he speculates about it having been the great city of Yudhisthira, the hero of the Mahabharata. Even … Continued
Now Mahabalipuram is a famous Unesco Heritage site and tourist destination. The first traveller to write about is extensively was Jacob Haafner, a scribe with the VOC living at Sadras. Herein this blog his description is translated into English for … Continued
Notes and thoughts on the sculptural program of the gopuram of the Shri Kailashanatha temple of Ellora. Now our attentions turns to the inner face of the gopuram of the Kailashanatha. One of the things that is noticeable is … Continued