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Showing posts from November 17, 2024

Belagola beyond Bahubali

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  There are things in life which seem part of  humdrum growing up years , but someday , suddenly, you come to realise what a wonder that thing is . And then , you  want to go grab it once again .   Its about Bahubali , the  colossal Gommateshwara of Sravanabelagola . Yes, been there , seen him. But in such a distant past that there is no sharp memory of anything , no recollection of the impressions he made on the mind . No photos . I cannot claim that my familiarity with this Icon comes from having met  and admired him in person , it is most certainly due to seeing pictures of him intermittently down the years  : in books , brochures, newspaper reports and later, on TV and The Net .  The personal connect , sorely missing .   One-day-excursions they were , in early 1960s . The excitement of seeing  the giant's torso bobbing into view even  from a good 7 kilometers away.....  the climb up the warm , shallow steps cut into the rocky hill , barefooted.... Standing right by the giant