One Canoe

 

A poem about my canoeing experience in Denwa Backwaters of the main river Tawa which came into existence after Tawa Dam’s construction. Denwa is surrounded by The Satpura range loosely translated as seven hills.


One Canoe

Paddling the canoe into the wild 

Oh, Denwa!
The stillness of your backwaters
stays in my mind.

Oh, Satpura!
The silhouette of your hills
is an artist’s drawing.

Tawa Dam gave you birth
You are a mother 
to the flora and fauna 
of various kinds.

Fifty or hundred feet
Even just a few inches deep
You are home to many resident and migratory birds

Mesmerising Sambhar
or captivating ghost trees
River lapping or Kingfishers bathing
Eagles or monkeys perched high on boughs

Just one canoe at 10 am
sails smoothly until a croc is found
The wintry chill gets into our bones
He is sunbathing on highlands
thirty feet from us
Away
we intend to go

Our eyes meet and he camouflages
Into the marshy backwaters where he belongs

Oh, Denwa! The sky gazes
at its beauty into the blue mirror
Wildernesses and jungle sounds
are the only sounds one hears

12.12.2018

Bundi, Rajasthan

Garh Palace, Bundi, Rajasthan

Bundi is a little town near Kota, Rajasthan famous for its embellished architecture and structure.

History enthusiasts, travellers and artists have been taking inspiration from Bundi for a very long time.

It is popularly believed that Rudyard Kipling penned part of his famous novel ‘Kim’ in Bundi. In fact, so impressed was he by the place that he wrote,

“the Palace of Bundi, even in broad daylight, is such a palace as men build for themselves in uneasy dreams – the work of goblins rather than of men.”

Garh Palace was constructed during the reign of Rao Raja Ratan Singh (1607–31) and added to by his successors. It is a delightful sandstone structure speaking volumes about the grandeur of the kingdom and architecture.

                                                                                                           

Chitrashala, Garh Palace, Bundi

Chitrashala, Picture Gallery, Garh Palace
Mesmerising, bright and dreamy are the words I would like to use to describe the artistic ‘Chitrashala’ meaning picture gallery also known as Ummed Mahal taken care by Archaeological Survey of India.

Chitrashala, the picture gallery was built by Rao Ummed Singh (AD 1749 - 1773) located in Garh Palace which has its access through the Hathi Pol or Elephant Gate, Taragarh Fort.

The walls of Chitrashala are illuminated with historical paintings depicting the love stories, musical melodies, princesses’ hunting scenes with elephants and tigers, court processions.

Female dresses, pigeons as messengers are a few figures in my mind. Also, the most important frescoes are lifting of the mount Govardhan, Cheer- Harana, Rama’s marriage procession.

Hathi Pol, Bundi, Rajasthan

Hathi Pol, Garh Palace Entrance, Bundi
The Hathi Pol is a magnificent, magnanimous gate serving an entrance to the Garh Palace. 

The steep cobbled path ends at Hathi Pol and an instant glint in the eyes and a sweet smile would definitely brighten your face at the sight of the tall gate embellished with huge elephants on either side blowing bugles.