Concealed Underground library - Largest in Asia

Villages after villages blur past as we make way to the temple of the Kuldevi of the Bhati Rajputs - Shri Bhadariya Rai Mata Ji. The temple sees thousands of visitors each day, all the year-round. Newly wedded couples who come to seek blessings from the Goddess for a blissful matrimonial life can be seen in large numbers. In the middle of the Thar, this temple and its surroundings are truly an Oasis of relief, respite, faith, love and knowledge.

A newly wedded couple seeking the blessings of Shri Bhadariya Rai Mata ji

Knowledge- We are talking about a library that houses more than 900,000 books, and is sixteen feet under the ground, and is the largest library in Asia! Owing to its design and construction, with no air-conditioning inside, the library remains significantly cooler than the environs outside. The holding capacity of the library is an astounding 5000 people at the same time!

Brief History

Sant Shri Harivansh Singh Nirmal, fondly known as Nirmal Baba or Bhadariya Maharaj, came to this small village in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan some seven-eight decades ago. Little is known about him and his life prior to his coming to Bhadariya Ji. He was an avid reader and was fond of collecting books. He believed that the greatest God / Goddess of all is “Knowledge” and with that thought in mind, he envisioned a library that would house every printed book on every research-worthy subject. And thus was born the idea of creating this library. 

Another notable contribution of Nirmal Baba is the Gaushala (cowshed) at Bhadariya Ji. Babaji, a believer of Gau-seva would leave no stone unturned to save the indigenous Indian Cow from the abattoirs and butcheries across the then porous international border. He even bought these cows from the tribals who felt they could make more money by selling the cows to those who found a dead cow more useful than a living one. Thus came the gaushala into existence. From those few cows now the Gaushala is spread over 1 lakh bighas (1 bigha in Rajasthan equals 27,225 sq ft) of land. Run on the donations received from devotees, the Gaushala tends to more than 45,000 bovines. And yes, this is one of the largest Gaushalas in the country.

The library

Spread over acres and acres of land, oops(!) correction, spread under acres and acres of land, the access to the library is through a humble but wide stairway. Once inside, you are greeted by rows and rows of neatly arranged books in glass-covered cabinets, 562 to be precise. The shelves reach up to the ceiling, with the top ones still empty and awaiting the arrival of more books. Maharaj ji’s ambition was to have a copy of every printed book on every subject here in this library. The library is a treasure trove for book lovers, bibliophiles and research scholars. Rare manuscripts and scrolls are also painstakingly preserved and given a place of their own. The treasure here holds books on varied subjects including literature in many languages, science, history, politics, world religions (literature and religious books of 7 out of a total of 11 major religions of the world), geography, philosophy and even dictionaries and atlases. One can even find the original unedited copies of the holy books here. The ones we buy from the market are usually translations and concise copies. 

There is a restoration room as well, where the book-doctors mend and tape the tatters and tears if any and re-write where an ageing book requires a little assistance with the blurred words. They come in old and worn-out and leave fresh, crisp and securely bound :)

Comfortable and easy to navigate and explore, the library as I mentioned earlier, remains cool all through the year. Long corridors have huge mirror walls at the ends, giving an illusion of them being infinitely never-ending.

How to reach

By road, it takes barely an hour and a half to reach Bhadariya from Jaisalmer (79 km). Jodhpur too isn’t very far, at just around 220 km (close to 3 hours). And both these cities are well connected by air, rail and roads.

Once here

We began with Bhadariya Rai Mata Ji’s Darshan. Next, we visited the temple dedicated to Nirmal Baba and the museum that gives a glimpse into his personal life through carefully preserved articles and belongings of Maharaj Ji. Besides his personal articles of daily use, the museum also has his collection of currency (coins and currency notes) and stamps. 

Done with the temples and the museum, we returned to the office of the trust near the main entrance. A lassi Prasad at the office is a must-have. Keep the appetite for a tall glass! Having given permission by the office, we were escorted by one of the attendants into the library. We spent a leisurely time there scanning through shelves upon shelves of the invaluable treasure of knowledge. Our guide shared anecdotes and further information about Maharaj Ji with us while patiently taking us around the library.

When planning a visit

The library is yet to be formally inaugurated and is also awaiting the addition of very many books hence visiting without prior permission might turn out to be a futile effort. It is suggested that you reach out to the temple trust under whose management the library falls, and seek an appointment before taking that journey through the picturesque golden landscapes of rural Rajasthan.  You may either drop an email to them or seek an appointment telephonically. The library sees an average of 60,000 scholars from around the globe each year.

A bibliophile’s paradise, a book lover’s utopia, and to all the others a wonder to be visited. Include a quick trip to Bhadariya Ji during your next quest of Rajasthan, and be mesmerised by another “Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye” wonder!

Vadodara In A Day

The city that is believed to have been named after The Banyan Tree holds rich Art, Architecture, History and Culture in its cupped and caring hands. Vat-Vriksha, the Banyan Tree gave the name to the city and it came to be known as Baroda or Vadodara. The third-largest city in the state of Gujarat, perched on the banks of River Vishwamitri, is a very important economic hub with many large-scale industries having sprouted and flourished here. 

I take you on a “just-a-day” tour of this magnificent city. Though Vadodara can not be capsuled in just one day, I club the highlights together for those who are short on time. 

First, the architecture, history and art because all of this comes together in Vadodara as an all-in-one package! 

The Mesmerising Laxmi Vilas Palace

Start your day with a hearty breakfast and head straight to the Laxmi Vilas Palace. Rows of flowers- lilac-pink-orange, greens of the golf course and splendour of the Majestic Palace welcome the wide-eyed curious traveller in you. A short driveway later, the ticket counter would fall to your left. The ticket fee includes an audio guide service and you may choose the language that you are most comfortable in. The audio guide is thorough and detailed and easy to comprehend and goes at a slow pace allowing you ample time to savour the sights that delight your visual senses. 

The tour begins at the rear garden of the Palace, the vast expanses and the life-size statues that adorn this beautifully manicured Italian garden with its pretty water fountains are sure to hold your gaze for long. But just as you turn around to have a look at the palace, your jaw would drop with a gasp! The Palace is a magnificent Indo-Saracenic wonder which is the largest private home to be built in those times, an astounding four times the size of the Buckingham Palace. The fine architecture against the azure skies is a picture postcard that you would soon walk into. 

I am not giving details of the artefacts on display because 1. There are way too many for anyone to remember and 2. It kills the anticipation of visiting a museum. Click away to your heart’s content and just follow the location numbers that your audio guide takes you through. Once inside, you would be taken through chambers upon chambers filled with artefacts, weapons, paintings and portraits from the private collection of the erstwhile Maratha rulers of Vadodara, who still reside in a section of the Palace. There are paintings galore, weaponry section stashed with the finest of the swords and shields of the time, statues so lifelike that they might just wink at you and make you turn around for a second look and chandeliers so exquisite that you might get dizzy looking up marvelling at them! While the insides of the museum give you a glimpse of the opulence, eminence and glory of the Gaekwads of Baroda, the outdoors would keep you enthralled with piece after piece de resistance! The statues of beasts and wildlife placed all over the gardens and the Golf Course make for a very interesting around-the-palace tour. 

This is where the King’s throne was, this is where the Royalty assembled, here the musicians enthralled their audience and that’s where the dancers pirouetted, portraits of the British teachers who taught the young princes and princesses also adorn the walls of this hall that has seen many distinguished gatherings, we are inside the magnificent Durbar Hall. Adorned with Belgian stained glass windows that depict beautiful paintings, with a large Royal Regalia on the tiled floor, and busts of the various Maharajas who ruled over Vadodara displayed along the walls, this hall has witnessed many events and cultural shows where eminent musicians and artists performed.

As I said, the Palace is sure to hold you in awe. The audio guide tour will now guide you toward to facade again and this is where a masterpiece awaits your attention. This is a Venetian Ceramic Mosaic that is said to depict the joyous embrace of Lord Ram and Devi Sita after she emerged from the Agnipariksha. This work of art took 18 months to be meticulously and painstakingly put together. 

The tour of the Laxmi Vilas Palace ends here and one must return the audio guide back to the office where it was received from.

Rendezvous with Raja Ravi Varma at Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum

After having an all-engaging and fascinating tour of The Laxmi Niwas Palace museum, I was sure nothing else can now hold me in awe anymore; might hold my attention for a while, yes, but not leave me bewitched for sure. But oh, I was wrong, so wrong; for The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum can keep an art aficionado for hours in there with so many chambers filled with so many originals, be it the sculptures or the paintings. I feel this museum requires repeat visits to properly soak in all the treasure that it showcases.

This is where my eyes met an original Raja Ravi Varma for the first time. And painting after painting I kept stepping back to the times when these paintings were commissioned at the behest of Maharaja Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Vadodara. There are the originals from Indian Mythology for which Raja Ravi Varma was known and then there are so many portraits of members of the Royal Family. The intricacy and detail in each painting is beyond anything that you might have seen elsewhere. 

Nal-Damyanti by Raja Ravi Varma, image sourced from Internet

This building was constructed as a school for the Maharaja’s children and had a tiny toy train too, which in its time ran on its specially fixed rails all across the vast compound that surrounds the museum building. The World’s smallest locomotive engine of this train can be seen just near the main entrance of the museum, carefully parked in a glass enclosure.

The Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum. Image source: Incredible India

This museum is a paradise for art connoisseurs. There are more than 30 original works of Raja Ravi Verma, besides other breathtaking paintings by other renowned artists. A treasure trove of marble and bronze statues, busts and exquisite vases grace the two floors here. Another artist whose remarkable work is displayed in abundance is the Italian artist Fellicci, who too was commissioned by the Maharaja for creating various art pieces that can now be seen in this museum. An Oriental gallery showcases ornate vases, exclusive toys and other artefacts from China and Japan. Photography is prohibited inside the museum complex.

All this intense museum hopping is sure to make one hungry, and a Gujarati thali would just be the saviour. 

Coming together of Art and Architecture in a garden - The Sayaji Bagh

A one day trip to Baroda has to be centred around the art and architecture of this beautiful city. Post lunch, I recommend you visit The Vadodara Museum and Picture Gallery which is located within the 100 acres of the largest garden of western India - Sayaji Bagh! This architectural marvel is designed on the lines of London’s Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Reflection of Maharaja’s penchant for all things art can be seen here as well with artefacts related to Geology, Archaeology and Natural History displayed in the various halls, besides many other pieces of art from the personal collection of the Maharaja himself.

The evening can then be spent in the magnificent garden which houses more than 98 species of trees and also has a majestic floral clock.

The Floral Clock at Sayaji Bagh. Image source: VMC

A day well spent and leaving you longing for more - that’s an ideal day in Vadodara. Do not forget to pick up some lip-smacking farsaans and Gujarati snacks from here for munching on later and reminiscing your Baroda trip. I would ideally love to end a day like that with some Sev Usal and loads of Aamras!

The Marvel revisited - Statue of Unity after three years

The last article was written when this marvel of a tourist-destination-dream had just seen its fruition and opened its gates to one and all. I revisited the Statue of Unity now after three long, with one non-year in between due to the tiny havoc-wreaking being called Covid-19, years. The attraction, the magnetism, the charm has all grown multifold since I last visited The Statue of Unity. Now the Statue is not “just a statue” anymore but a full-fledged tourist destination with as many as 36 state-of-the-art attractions / activities in place. Everything is though nature and local centric and promotes nature in all its beautiful forms - be it the Wildlife Safari Park or Jungle Safari, Petting Zone, Cactus Garden, Valley of Flowers, Butterfly Park or just a serene cruise over the waters of Sardar Sarovar Dam. The local tribals have been employed and trained to run this ecosystem called Kevadia with unmatched efficiency.

What’s New

Let me take you through my experience of re-visiting SoU after three years.

Started as a day excursion option, but now Statue of Unity is easily a two-day if not three-day destination. An attraction suited to all age groups, young and old alike. Facilities and attractions are planned keeping every age group in mind. With wheel-chairs being available to travellators to take you to the Statue, details have been thought through to keep seniors also equally engaged and interested. The stay options have mushroomed in and around Kevadia, accommodation to suit all pocket sizes is available. An ultra luxurious tent city, a hotel of class, a budget tent city, even a few lodges and tribal-homestays, there is something for everyone to choose from. 

Bookings are available online, reducing your dependency on the “ask-around" option. Go online and in three easy steps book your tickets. Make bookings for your stay at one of the many options that suit you and you are ready to live a grandeur of an experience!

A quick re-cap of the must-knows

Dedicated to The Iron Man of India, The Architect of the Unified India and The Farmers’ Leader, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Statue of Unity stands 182 meters tall, approx. 600 feet. This is the tallest statue in the world. As a true symbol of national unity, about 5000 tonnes of iron from farming implements and soil from villages across the country was collected and utilised in the construction of the project. Completed in record time, the Statue stands as a tribute to the visionary Sardar Patel and is a paragon of artistic expression and engineering excellence.

The Statue is a three-level engaging wonder, with a museum and theatre at the base, an open deck at the mezzanine and an observation deck inside the statue at an astounding height of 500 feet. The tickets are available with two options - one that allows you to visit the base and the mezzanine and the second one that allows you a trip up the elevators to the observation deck as well, where you can get a panoramic view of the valley from and witness the Sardar Sarovar Dam and Narmada in all its glory. The tickets have time slots mentioned and one must stick to the allotted time in order to have a smooth and glitch-free “statue-darshan”!

The Base

The museum at the base is now more vibrant and has a few newer additions, one being an “I-pledge” console. The digital console allows you to fill a brief form with your name and place of residence and a section where you write a pledge that you wish to take when you visit the memorial dedicated to the Iron Man of India, the one who united us all- Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The pledges are displayed on a screen above the console. Next to this console is a beautiful collage of all the rulers of various princely states of India who joined hands under the able guidance of Sardar Patel to make one big united nation that India today is. Imagine the mammoth task of bringing the recalcitrant princely states together to become one to form a Unified India!

Besides these there is a wall mural of Sardar Patel’s silhouette that is made up of a collection of various farm equipments. And indeed the prototype of the head of the statue too. Queue up for your elevator ride, and be ready for that view from up above.

The Observation Deck

There hasn’t been any change here in the last three years. The deck is as clean as it was then. If you are punctual as per your ticket time-slot, you can get ample time to walk around and have a good view of the river flowing below and the Steadfast Dam standing afar. Do not hesitate to use that camera!

The Mezzanine

The elevators bring you to the open deck at the mezzanine floor, which is the pedestal of the statue. Yes, you are now where the feet of the grand statue are. You get a good panoramic view of the valley from here too. The location has been chosen keeping the climate in mind and the temperature here remains moderate all the year round. Spend some leisurely moments marvelling at the grandiosity of the vision that now stands towering over you, riveting the gaze of one and all who come here to Sadhu-Bet to visit the memorial to India’s Iron Man.

Food Court

Once out, the food court will signal a “come-hither” and no force of any resolution can then stop you as the wafting aroma from deep-fried goodies will guide your path to a table inside this coming together of flavours. Savour the local dishes or just grab a cuppa to recharge yourself for the trip ahead, you have options galore. When I last visited this food court, there were only three outlets with one being solely for bottled water. Now you have many options here with some International brands also making their presence felt.

So much to See, so little time

I must mention that a few attractions charge a nominal entrance fee while others are free of charge.Tickets can be bought at the entrance gates of these attractions.

Hop on to the next available bus (there are 17 bus stops in all, along the circular sightseeing path) and embark upon a journey through the valley of Kevadia. There are bicycles available for renting if the cyclist in you wants to get adventurous. Next big attraction definitely is the Jungle Safari. At the jungle safari, a ticket is required to be bought. Queue up to take your ride in an electric cart and go meet the various carnivores, herbivores, reptiles and avian fellows that live here. The Safari Park is a unique zoological park and is home to many indigenous and exotic animals and birds. You can walk through the huge dome of the aviary and can see the many rare and exotic birds up close. The deer park too has many species in their respective enclosures. Animals from far and wide have been brought here, one can see a Rhinoceros, a White Tiger, Emus, Wildebeest and even a Giraffe! Children are sure to have a fun filled experience at this attraction at the Statue of Unity. The domestic animals are kept separately in a Petting Zone, where one can feed, touch and play with these animals. Close to the Jungle Safari is the Dino Trail, very much worth taking.

The Cactus Garden, the Valley of Flowers, the Butterfly Garden, are all huge crowd pullers. Exotic species of flora and fauna add their uniqueness to this tourist hub. 

Indulge in some boating over the Panchmuli Lake in Kevadia, or take a cruise over the Sardar Sarovar Dam and get a closer look at the Statue from your boat as you sail past Sadhu-Bet. Adventure seekers, there are water sport activities too, the details of which can be sought once you plan your trip.

The highlight : Light and Sound Show

As the day progresses with one activity after another, a sumptuous lunch later one can either take a short break and rest in their room / tent or can further carry on exploring the other remaining activities, while reserving energy for the light and sound show, because that is one attraction that should not be missed. Gather at the Statue at the theatre that has been specially created for the show, and sit back while the 20 minute show takes you through the life and times of Sardar Patel. A slice of history that will fill you up with tank-full of inspiration!

Post the show, take a bus ride to the Dam promenade for another light and sound show, of a different kind. This one is a stage performance by some very talented artists, the artists being colourful laser beams dancing across the horizon to the tunes of very popular peppy songs. DO NOT MISS THIS SPECTACLE! 

Talking about all things light, there is a Glow Garden too that should not be missed. Though, I being very tired wanted to skip this one but the thought of “when will I visit again”, dragged me inside the gates of the Glow Garden. A beautifully lit garden spread over 3.61 acres of land where light and colours play together to create a visual-sensory delight. Walk along to marvel at illuminated installations, figures and optical illusions. A dance floor where one can hop and dance and try catching the glowing tiles by jumping onto them, as I said earlier, there is something for every one here. Old and young, each member of your family will return delighted and pleased from this vacation with a difference.

Statue of Unity, has established itself as a very popular tourist destination already. Now, with huge banquet spaces coming up all around, vast expanses of open spaces for hosting events and large inventory of rooms to accommodate many guests, the destination is also emerging as a wedding and events venue. Corporates are considering hosting their off-sites and incentives at Kevadia, Destination weddings are being planned around it and other meets and conventions are already being hosted here. The plus plus is the fantastic connectivity, with trains connecting Kevadia to Surat, Vadodara and Mumbai, Seaplane connectivity from Ahmedabad and of course the good expressways from Vadodara and Ahmedabad, bringing your troupe over to Kevadia is not a difficult task anymore.

If you already have visited the Statue of Unity, go visit again and experience the newer attractions, if you haven’t yet, hey what have you been waiting for?

Mademoiselle Demoiselle

 I lived in Jodhpur for beautiful six years of my life. I glowed and thrived in the Sun of the Suncity, immersed myself in the history and romance of the Royal sagas, shimmered in the cultural hues, danced to the Langas’ and Manganiyaars’ rhythms and yet missed out on hopping next door to meet these dainty yet brawny visitors from Siberia. Yes, I did not get a chance to go birding to Khichan. Now after thirteen years of migrating to another state, I travelled back to Marwar to meet these migratory birds - I guess because now we both fall in the same category!!

Kurjan or Koonj is as much a part of Rajasthan as is the peafowl. Songs are written and sagas are sung around these beautiful birds whose calls, they say evoke a sense of longing; longing for the union with the beloved who has travelled far in search of a livelihood, longing for a visit home, longing for meeting a long lost friend. 

About Demoiselle Cranes

Kurjan or the Demoiselle Cranes (Grus virgo) are a species of cranes from Siberia, who every year travel some 4-5 thousand kilometres to come to Khichan near Phalodi in Marwar region of Rajasthan, to spend the winters in a more favourable weather than the harsh one back home; though now their average length of stay is around eight months, starting from August to the March of next year. Smallest of the cranes, they measure some 33-40 inches in height with a wing span of 61-71 inches. A slender white neck has a dark plumage in the front that runs down to the chest of the bird, thus giving it a maiden like appearance. No wonder then that Queen Marie Antoinette christened them “The Demoiselle Cranes”! Delicate and lady-like in appearance, Kurjan (with a nasal sound in the pronunciation) have pretty powerful wing muscles that help them fly over 4000-5000 kilometres or even more, from Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, China to Rajasthan, Gujarat and some other places in India as well as a few locations in Pakistan.

About Khichan

A quaint little village, just 3.5 km from the nearest town of Phalodi and a mere 139 km from the nearest airport- Jodhpur, Khichan is a village of Jain settlement. Jainism preaches an inclusive way of non-violent living. Jains, like most other communities as well, feed animals and birds around their homes. You would notice a lot of bird-feeding towers in Jain villages.

One can take a train also to reach Khichan via Phalodi. Other option is to fly to Jodhpur or Udaipur and drive down to Khichan. There are some decent places to stay in Phalodi in case you wish to stay the night and revisit the birds the next morning. Mostly, a day excursion from Jodhpur is preferred.

Atithi Devo Bhava in the true sense of the word

In the 1970s, Ratanlal Maloo who was working in Odisha but returned to Khichan after losing his job there, was assigned the task of feeding the pigeons every day in the village. Ratanlal and his wife diligently spread the bird-feed twice every day, at a designated spot. Many birds would come there to feed including pigeons of course, sparrows, parrots, peacocks, some squirrels etc. One fine morning, in a year not identified but sometime in the 70s, Ratanlal noticed a few new visitors who definitely looked like “foreigners”. As is the culture in India, guests are always welcome and so Ratanlal started feeding these visitors too. With around a dozen birds the first time, the number of the migrating visitors grew to over 30,000 during the last year! Noticing the birds being attacked by village dogs, Ratanlal requested for allotment of a separate land, on the outskirts of the village to be fenced and demarcated as a separate “Chugga-ghar” or bird-feeding house. And thus came by the world famous Demoiselle Crane inhabitation into existence. Initially it was the villagers’ efforts and resources, including monetary assistance to keep the bird feeding pond and ground well, but now a few NGOs and other organisations have joined hands too in raising the funds for the upkeep and bird-feed.

Distinct characteristics

Demoiselle Cranes are family oriented birds and usually fly in rectangular formations with the mother leading the flight, followed closely by her young ones with the father trailing behind as a guard. Large groups fly together while migrating or even while shifting their resting spots.

The birds are fed twice a day and after feeding, the birds move to water-bodies, ponds and dunes nearby, only returning to the feeding spot for a drink of water later in the afternoon.

A hop and skip dance can be seen as an expression of affection among couples. The cranes go to nearby farmlands for roosting and return to the feeding spot the next morning.

Their migratory formations have been imitated by the infantry in various battles. There is a mention of the “Koonj formation” being adopted by both the warring sides in the Mahabharata, on the second day of the Kurukshetra war.

The throaty trumpet-like call of the Koonj has inspired many songs and references in the daily lives of people around Khichan.

Why visit Khichan?

Number one reason, of course is a date with these dainty mademoiselles and another important reason is to see how a small village and its people fiercely protect this endangered species of cranes. Little children in the age range of 5-13 years old will surprise you with their knowledge about the cranes. Do take a little help from these little guides and let them earn a deserved pocket money :)

Happy birding!