Indian Columbus

India Gate has long stood as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers during the First World War. For decades, a nearby sandstone canopy remained empty—once the site of the statue of King George V, removed after India gained independence. That empty space found its rightful occupant in 2022, when a magnificent statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was installed, symbolizing a bold reclaiming of India's national identity. In this article, let us explore the story behind this new landmark in Delhi. Statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose near India Gate in Delhi A Historical Location Reimagined The canopy near India Gate , constructed in 1936 during the British Raj, remained vacant for nearly 55 years after the colonial statue was removed in 1968. This prominent location, directly on the Kartavya Path (formerly known as Rajpath), is surrounded by symbols of India's national pride: India Gate, the National War Memorial, and views extending towards Rashtrapati ...

In the previous episodes of this series, I explored the extraordinary life-size sculptures housed within two mandapas of the Krishnapuram Venkatachalapati Temple , each pillar telling stories in stone with a finesse unique to the Nayaka period. In the previous article, I also traced the historical roots and inscriptions that reveal the temple's founding and sustenance. With this final episode, I now shift focus to the presiding deity , subsidiary shrines , and the architectural spaces that complete this magnificent temple. Krishnapuram Temple 🛕 The Temple Layout and Entrance The east-facing temple welcomes visitors with a gigantic five-tiered rajagopuram , a towering gateway that announces the grandeur within. Leading to this tower is a long covered pillared mandapa , where stone and light interact with quiet majesty. The base of the rajagopuram is richly detailed: Miniature shrines , vimanas , and kumbha panjarams Horse-shoe-shaped elements and small relief figur...

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the temple town of Krishnapuram , home to the architecturally resplendent Venkatachalapati Temple . While the temple is celebrated for its masterfully carved Nayaka-period sculptures, it also holds immense value as a historical and epigraphical site . A closer look at the stone inscription and five copper plates preserved within the temple reveals fascinating details about its origin, administration, and endowments. In this 12th episode , we set aside the sculptural exploration and turn to the historical narrative —as told through inscriptions dated to the 16th century CE , supported by copper plate grants and early literary references. Krishnapuram Temple 🗿 Stone and Copper Plate Inscriptions The temple has: Two Tamil stone inscriptions engraved on the wall of the central shrine . Five copper plate grants , primarily in Sanskrit and Nandināgari script , offering rich details about land grants, religious activities, and political p...

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the historically resonant village of  Krishnapuram , home to the awe-inspiring  Venkatachalapati Temple . For those unable to journey to Tirupati, this 16th-century shrine offers a sacred alternative. But beyond spiritual fulfilment, Krishnapuram offers a breathtaking artistic experience—a sculptural gallery carved in stone, unmatched in narrative and finesse. Unlike typical temple narratives that begin with the presiding deity or architectural layout, Krishnapuram demands a different approach. Here, it is the sculptural brilliance of the  Nayaka period  that commands attention. With photography strictly prohibited inside, every visit becomes a fresh discovery. This is the  11th article  in my series. The first six episodes detailed the remarkable pillars of the  Veerappa Nayakka Mandapa , while the seventh through ninth episodes explored the  north-facing row of the Mukha Mandapa . In the previous episode...

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the historically resonant village of Krishnapuram , home to the awe-inspiring Venkatachalapati Temple . For those unable to journey to Tirupati, this 16th-century shrine offers a sacred alternative. But beyond spiritual fulfilment, Krishnapuram offers a breathtaking artistic experience—a sculptural gallery carved in stone, unmatched in narrative and finesse. Unlike typical temple narratives that begin with the presiding deity or architectural layout, Krishnapuram demands a different approach. Here, it is the sculptural brilliance of the Nayaka period that commands attention. With photography strictly prohibited inside, every visit becomes a fresh discovery. This is the tenth article in my series. The first six episodes detailed the remarkable pillars of the Veerappa Nayakka Mandapa , while the seventh through ninth episodes explored the north-facing row of the Mukha Mandapa . In this episode, we turn to the opposite row of pillars that face...

About 13 kilometers from Tirunelveli lies the historically resonant village of Krishnapuram , home to the awe-inspiring Venkatachalapati Temple . For those unable to journey to Tirupati, this 16th-century shrine offers a sacred alternative. But beyond spiritual fulfilment, Krishnapuram offers a breathtaking artistic experience—a sculptural gallery carved in stone, unmatched in narrative and finesse. Unlike typical temple narratives that begin with the presiding deity or architectural layout, Krishnapuram demands a different approach. Here, it is the sculptural brilliance of the Nayaka period that commands attention. With photography strictly prohibited inside, every visit becomes a fresh discovery. This is the ninth article in my series. In the first six, I covered the sculpted pillars of the Veerappa Nayakka Mandapa . The seventh and eighth episodes focused on the easternmost pillars of the Mukha Mandapa , facing north. In this episode, we explore the fifth, sixth, and seventh pil...