Cornucopia of memories-The Dry Bridge Flea Market,Tbilisi

February 7, 2016 / sidran / 3 Comments

Tbilisi has its own share of shopping malls and bohemian art galleries.I was not keen on visiting any .I had heard about the Dry Bridge flea market and our host Teolina took us there.It felt like we were in another era.This open air market has something for everyone.Antique jewellery,furniture,porcelain,silverware,vintage cameras,coins,sepia tinted family pictures,relics from the soviet era like medals,flags, military uniforms,portraits of Stalin ,Lenin and bric- a- brac are displayed on the ground or wooden stands.Some have kept their wares on car boots. Most of the sellers were middle aged.This place attracts a lot of tourists and even if you are not buying anything it is interesting to take a walk through the past.

THE DRY BRIDGE

BRAND NEW SCISSORS !

LORD HANUMAN AMONG THE RELICS-I AM SURE HE DID NOT COME FROM THE SOVIET UNION

There is a park near by where nonprofessional as well as well known artists display and sell their paintings.

I AM HERE

We bought a pair of traditional drinking horns known as Kantsi.I would have liked to spend more time out there .Kitsch,vintage or antique there is something about this place that attracts people.

I still wonder whose precious companion this baby doll was.

STREET FASHION

January 23, 2016 / sidran / 4 Comments

Shrines of Tbilisi

January 16, 2016January 20, 2016 / sidran / 4 Comments

I do not know the total number of churches in Tbilisi but I saw quite a few.Apart from the popular ones there are some charming old churches near the old part of the city . I used to get up early and take different routes invariably ending up in a church .It was surprising that not many people attend the daily service .I was hoping to see a church wedding but no luck there.Maybe this is not the wedding season !

CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM

St.VIRGIN MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH

SIONI CHURCH

Though they may look similar in structure each one gives different vibes.

Tales from Georgia-Heritage Trails-Holy Trinity Cathedral

January 9, 2016January 11, 2016 / sidran / Leave a comment

In Tbilisi many monuments and churches are lit up at night and this offers a glorious sight.From the window I could spot this mammoth structure bathed in golden light and it can be seen from most parts of Tbilisi.This is the Tsminda Sameba Cathedral-main cathedral of the Georgian Church and third tallest orthodox church in the world (first two are in Russia) measuring 98 metres.Also the most recent addition to this land of churches .It was consecrated in 2004.

ENTRANCE

There are nine chapels within the cathedral.I felt like a lilliput seeing the towering structure.Once inside it was again calming and serene.I get this feeling whenever I am in a church .Quite a contrast from the noisy temples especially the popular ones.I would rather go to a small temple than spend hours among millions jostling to get inside and get pushed out in no time.

CHURCH BELL TOWER

There is a nice garden around the cathedral.

That night I was again at the window taking in the golden glow.It looked as if the dome was on fire.

This is one place I want to come back .

Tales from Georgia-Heritage Trails

January 3, 2016January 3, 2016 / sidran / 5 Comments

From the 6th century Jvari monastery we made our way to the 11th century Svetitiskhoveli Cathedral-very difficult to pronounce and meaning Life giving pillar.Our airbnb host Teolina and her friends George and Irakli accompanied us.This is the second largest church in Georgia and is a symbolic copy of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem .This is also supposed to be the place where Christ’s mantle is kept .My knowledge of christanity is very limited and I wish I had done some research.

There is a narrow street leading to the site dotted with souvenir shops,fancy restaurants, vegetable vendors and pretty houses.

There is a fort surrounding the church.

Though it was a sunday the church was not crowded.It has impressive frescoes,tombs and icons.The cathedral was the site of coronation of the Georgian kings and also was their burial site.Only three tombs have been found so far.I could see a few ladies praying in front of the altar .I did not see pews in any of the churches in Georgia.The serene and silent atmosphere was overpowering.

Teolina took me aside saying that she has something interesting to show and she asked me to look up at the external wall.After much squinting I could see a hand with a chisel and that is supposed to symbolise the unfortunate architect Arsukidze .The story goes like this-a priest who was the teacher and patron of the architect was so jealous of his success that he influnced the King to have his right arm chopped off.

Yet another folklore like Taj Mahal architects?

Tales from Georgia-Heritage Trails

December 22, 2015December 26, 2015 / sidran / 6 Comments

There are four UNESCO heritage sites in Georgia and we had the chance to visit the Holy Cross Monastery of Jvari and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral included in the hisorical monuments of Mtskheta.Mtskheta was the old capital of Georgia and it was from this place that Christanity was adopted as the state religion of Georgia.

Jvari Monastery was the first stop.It is about 20 km from Tbilisi and is on top of Mount Armazi.

According to legend Saint Nino who brought christanity to Georgia erected a wooden cross at this site and a church was built over the remnants in c .545.The entrance to the monastery

From the top we can see the confluence of Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers.

I had a feeling of deja vu.This is the confluence of indus and zanskar rivers at Nimmu in Leh I had seen two years back.

It was a cold windy day and we could not stay long outside.Inside the church there were few worshippers..We also lit candles and stood in reverence .

Though the church looks well preserved it is facing damage from the rains and strong winds and is on the 100 Most Endangered Sites List of the World Monument Fund.

This monastery does not have impressive frescoes or statues like most of the churches we saw in Tbilisi but it has its own simple charm.

Soon it was time to leave St.Nino and go to the first orthodox church in Georgia.

Tales from Georgia-walk through old Tbilisi

December 14, 2015December 17, 2015 / sidran / 3 Comments

I was very happy with the location of our apartment in the old part of the city.This area has an interesting mix of crumbling old buildings with high doors,open balconies,courtyards,cobblestone streets ,bakeries and churches. There are churches at almost every corner .One can see smartly dressed people setting out for their daily chores and school children waiting for their school bus.You may get lost in the labyrinthine alleyways but I was not a bit concerned .Mother of Georgia could be seen from everywhere and she guided me .

This balcony reminded me of the famous balcony scene in Romeo and

Juliet.

Tales from Georgia

December 12, 2015December 12, 2015 / sidran / Leave a comment

Tbilisi sounds musical and I knew almost nothing about this place other than it being the capital of Georgia. Digging into the history I found that Tbilisi is derived from the old Georgian word Tipli meaning warm.The story goes like this-King of Georgia Vakhtang I Gorgasali went hunting with his falcon and the falcon caught a pheasant.When he went to see the catch he found both the falcon and the pheasant in a hot spring .Impressed with this discovery he decided to build a city in that location and Tbilisi was born.

We booked an apartment through airbnb and reached there at 3 am.Our host and her two friends had come to receive us and soon we were in her 19 century apartment in the old part of the city.

In the courtyard are the ruins of an old church and on top of the Sololaki hill is this magnificient lady Kartvlis Deda or Mother of Georgia holding a bowl of wine to welcome the guests and a sword to ward off enemies.This 20 metre tall statue was made in 1958 and she symbolises the georgian spirit.

She stands tall and proud overlooking the city.I kept looking up at her in awe and tried to capture her from various angles.

The apartment was warm and cosy. It has a fireplace which I found charming.

This was the view from the window.I did not waste any time and set out to explore the city.

Hampi-The Royal Enclosure

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 / sidran / 2 Comments

What greeted us at the entrance to the royal quarters was this massive stone doors.

The guide informed us that elephants were used to open the doors .I could not help thinking how the marauding troops managed to bring it down.What I saw inside was even more distressing.A vast expanse of ruins but whatelse can you expect from the areas ravaged most.

There are still some impressive structures .Mahanavami dibba stands tall and imposing.This is a central platform from where the kings used to watch festivities,royal processions and military parades.

This is part of the 600 year old aqueducts and in 1985 the Archeological survey of India excavated a stepped tank.Impressive finding and remarkably well preserved.

Further ahead is the Queen’s bath.Looking rather drab it has a sunken bath with arched corridors and windows.

QUEEN’S BATH

Royal enclosure may have lost its grandeur but these are places where time stands still.

Hampi-a lost kingdom

November 4, 2015November 9, 2015 / sidran / 3 Comments

Hampi is a UNESCO heritage site of hundreds of monuments,temples and pavilions situated 353 km from Bangalore.This was the capital of Vijayanagar empire that ruled most of South India between the 14th and 16th centuries.King Krishnadevaraya was the most popular ruler and he brought about a lot of reforms and was a patron of arts and literature.In 1565,it was invaded and looted by the Deccan Muslim Confederacy and what we see now are only the ruins of this great kingdom.

Our first stop was the Zanana enclosure.This was reserved for the royal ladies and has three huge watch towers.A characteristic feature of the structures is the distinct Indo Islamic style of architecture.

WATCH TOWER

This is the Lotus Mahal.Note the arches and the domes.We could only admire it from outside as entry is prohibited inside.Wonder how long it took to make such exquisite carvings.

Located near the Zanana enclosure is another impressive structure.This is the royal elephant stable.This is remarkably well preserved and has 11 domed chambers.Each one can accommodate two elephants and these are interconnected.

ELEPHANT STABLE

Guards Quarters is next to the elephant stable.This is another fine example of indo islamic architecture.Inside the archeology department has displayed the statues and artifacts recovered from the ruins.