First Quote Added
April 10, 2026
Latest Quote Added
"In one case, that of the early thirteenth-century Cauras (or Causat) Kambha Masjid at Kaman, Rajasthan, one of the earliest Indian monuments of the Ghurids, dating from before the establishment of the Slave Kingdom by Aybak in 1206, we find elements in use which were taken not from recent Hindu structures, but rather from monuments which were built four or five centuries earlier. This appears to have been done with calculated consistency; and, possibly, the practice may have been much more widespread. Building materials for the Kaman mosque were removed from pavilions (mandapzkas) and monasteries (mathas) and a variety of other structures, including temples, which were built during the rule of the Shurasena dynasty in the seventh and eighth centuries and the Pratiharas in the ninth century. The resulting mosque still substantially expresses a Hindu sensibility, and, built by Hindu craftsmen (at least in part) under Muslim patronage, integrates Hindu architectural design with Islamic ornament and use."
"The Causat Kambh or Cauri Kambh mosque at Kaman, near Bharatpur, Rajasthan, is among the earliest of the Islamic monuments built in India under Ghurid occupation... The Caur Kambh mosque at Kaman, in fact, comes closest of all the surviving Islamic monuments that precede the establishment of ... Aibakâs dynasty in India preserving what R. Nath has called âthe humble mosque which Aibak could have hastily assembled. [...]â It does not, however, represent simple plunder, nor have its Hindu elements been thoughtlessly reassembled. It preserves for us a clear model of the elements thought essential for a mosque at the opening edge of Islamic occupation in India and gives some suggestion of the aesthetic judgement exercised by the artisans and engineers then employed... My own interest in Kaman stemmed from the extensive Hindu materials from which this mosque has been constructed.16 Building materials for the mosque were removed from a variety of structuresâ pavilions and monasteries (ma...has) in addition to templesâbuilt during the rule of the early rasena dynasty. The Caur Kambhâs foundation inscription in 1204 AD as well as a later inscription of 1271 AD, in fact, repeat a claim begun in earlier Hindu inscriptions to have made or further renovated a well at Kaman. In contrast to most other early Islamic monuments in India from regions where plunder could serve both as a convenient source for building materials and as a political act, those who assembled this mosque seized elements, not from recently built Hindu structures, but ratherâwith what would seem to have been calculated consistencyâfrom monuments built four or five centuries earlier. While this act may merely have represented the antiquity and sanctity of Kamanâs resources, the results produced had explicit, exploitable, aesthetic consequences... Constructed early in the thirteenth century by Hindu craftsmen under Muslim patronage, the Kaman mosque shows a coherent integration of Hindu craftsmanship and ordering with an imported Islamic modality for use. Few other monuments in this early period show so successful an adaptation of Hindu elements as at Kaman... Though the mihrÂĄb made for the ShahÂĽ Jamiâ mosque at Bari Khatu (Khatu Kalan) in Nagaur District, Rajasthan, for exampleâa mosque also of the early thirteenth century and made largely from plundered Hindu materialâshares decorative patterns with that at Kaman, that monument, as a whole, lacks much of Kamanâs architectural and decorative integrity. Actual adaptation of an existing structure at Sari Khatu, much more so than at Kaman, seems to have been a political act, plunder becoming a means to demonstrate Islamic control... At Kaman or Ajmer, architects combined old pieces with a sense of their aesthetic coherence; by integrating them to fit a new programme, they have been able to create a new unified statement for Islam in India."
"âHe started for the conquest of ManDalgaDh on 26 Muharram, AH 861 (AD 24 December, 1456) after making full preparation⌠Reaching there the SultĂŁn issued orders that âtrees should be uprooted, houses demolished and no trace should be left of human habitationâ⌠A great victory was achieved on 1 ZilhijjĂŁ, AH 861 (AD 20 October, 1457). SultĂŁn MahmĂťd offered thanks to AllĂŁh in all humility. Next day, he entered the fort. He got the temples demolished and their materials used in the construction of a JĂŁmiâ Masjid. He appointed there a qĂŁzi, a muftĂŽ, a muhtasib, a khatĂŽb and a muâzzin and established order in that placeâŚâ"
"âOn the 26th of Mohurrum, in the year AH 861 (AD Dec. 23, 1465), the King again proceeded to Mundulgur; and after a vigorous siege occupied the lower fort, wherein many Rajpoots were put to the sword, but the hill-fort still held out; to reduce which might have been a work of time but the reservoirs of water failing in consequence of the firing of the cannon, the garrison was obliged to capitulate, and Rana Koombho stipulated to pay ten lacks of tunkas. This event happened on the 20th of Zeehuj of the same year AH 861 (AD Nov. 8, 1457), exactly eleven months after the Kingâs leaving Mando. On the following day the King caused all the temples to be destroyed, and musjids to be erected in their stead, appointing the necessary officers of religion to perform daily worshipâŚâ"
"Sikundur Lody, having returned to Dholpoor, reinstated the Raja Vinaik Dew, and then marching to Agra, he resolved to make that city his capital. He stayed in Agra during the rains, but in the year AH 910 (AD 1504), marched towards Mundril. Having taken that place, he destroyed the Hindoo temples, and caused mosques to be built in their stead."
"In that year the Sultan sent Khawas Khan to take possession of the fort of Dhulpur [Dholpur]. The Raja of that place advanced to give battle, and daily fighting took place. The instant His Majesty heard of the firm countenance shown by the rai of Dhulpur in opposing the royal army, he went there in person; but on his arrival near Dhulpur, the rai made up his mind to fly without fighting' He (Sikandar) offered up suitable thanksgivings for his success, and the royal troops spoiled and plundered in all directions, rooting up all the trees of the gardens which shaded Dhulpur to the distance of seven kos. Sultan Sikandar stayed there during one month, erected a mosque on the site of an idol-temple, and then set off towards agra'...'Sultan Sikandar passed the rainy season of that year at agra. After the rising of the star Canopus, he assembled an army, and set forth to take possession of Gwalior and territories belonging to it. In a short space of time he took most of the Gwalior district, and after building mosques in the places of idol-temples returned towards Agra'...'Sultan Sikandar, after the lapse of two years, in AH 913 (AD 1507) wrote a farman to Jalal Khan, the governor of Kalpi, directing him to take possession of the fort of Narwar' Jalal Khan Lodi, by the Sultan's command, besieged Narwar, where Sultan Sikandar also joined him with great expedition. The siege of the fort was protracted for one year' Men were slain on both sides. After the time above mentioned, the defenders of the place were compelled, by the want of water and scarcity of grain, to ask for mercy, and they were allowed to go forth with their property; but the Sultan destroyed their idol-temples, and erected mosques on their sites. He then appointed stipends and pensions for the learned and the pious who dwelt at Narwar, and gave them dwellings there. He remained six months encamped below the fort."
"At the time of his return he restored the fort of Dholpur also to Binayik Deo, and having spent the rainy season in agra after the rising of the Canopus in the year AH 910 (AD 1504), marched to reduce the fortress of Mandrayal, which lie took without fighting from the Rajah of Mandrayal, who sued for peace; he also destroyed all the idol-temples and churches of the place'...'And in the year AH 912 (AD 1506), after the rising of the Canopus, he marched against the fortress of untgaRh and laid siege to it, and many of his men joyfully embraced martyrdom, after that he took the fort and gave the infidels as food to the sword' He then cast down the idol-temples, and built there lofty mosques."
"âIn the year AH 689 (AD 1290), the Sultan led an army to Rantambhor⌠He took⌠Jhain, destroyed the idol temples, and broke and burned the idolsâŚâ"
"âOn Tuesday, the 3rd of Ziqad in AH 700 (10 July, 1301), the strong fort [of Ranthambhor] was conquered. Jhain which was the abode of the infidels, became a new city for Musalmans. The temple of Bahirdev was the first to be destroyed. Subsequently, all other abodes of idolatry were destroyed. Many strong temples which would have remained unshaken even by the trumpet blown on the Day of Judgment, were levelled with the ground when swept by the wind of Islam.â"
"âThree days after this, the king entered Jhain at midday and occupied the private apartment of the rai⌠He then visited the temples, which were ornamented with elaborate work in gold and silver. Next day he went again to the temples, and ordered their destruction, as well as of the fort, and set fire to the palace, and âthus made hell of paradiseâ⌠While the soldiers sought every opportunity of plundering, the Shah was engaged in burning the temples, and destroying the idols. There were two bronze idols of Brahma each of which weighed more than a thousand mans. These were broken into pieces and the fragments distributed amongst the officers, with orders to throw them down at the gates of the Masjid on their return.â65"
"Although Jalaluddin Khalji was an old and vacillating king, even he did not just remain content with expressing rage at the fact of not being able to deal with the Hindus according to the law. During six years of his reign (June 1290 -July 1296), he mounted expeditions and captured prisoners. While suppressing the revolt of Malik Chhajju, a scion of the dynasty he had ousted, he marched towards Bhojpur in Farrukhabad district and ruthlessly attacked Hindus in the region of Katehar (later Rohilkhand). During his campaign in Ranthambhor he broke temples, sacked the neighbouring Jhain and took booty and captives, making âa hell of paradiseâ. Later on Malwa was attacked and large quantity of loot, naturally including slaves, was brought to Delhi.31 His last expedition was directed against Gwalior."
"1. Jhain: âNext morning he (Jalalud-Din) went again to the temples and ordered their destruction⌠While the soldiers sought every opportunity of plundering, the Shah was engaged in burning the temples and destroying the idols. There were two bronze idols of Brahma, each of which weighed more than a thousand mans. These were broken into pieces and the fragments were distributed among the officers, with orders to throw them down at the gates of the Masjid on their return (to Delhi)â (Miftah-ul-Futuh).... 5. Ranthambhor: âThis strong fort was taken by the slaughter of the stinking Rai. Jhain was also captured, an iron fort, an ancient abode of idolatry, and a new city of the people of the faith arose. The temple of Bahir (Bhairava) Deo and temples of other gods, were all razed to the groundâ (Ibid.)."
"Jalaluddin Khalji led an expedition to Ranthambhor in 1291 AD. On the way he destroyed Hindu temples at Jhain. The broken idols were sent to Delhi to be spread before the gates of the Jama Masjid. His nephew Alauddin led an expedition to Vidisha in 1292 AD. According to Badauni, Alauddin âbrought much booty to the Sultan and the idol which was the object of worship of the Hindus, he caused to be cast in front of the Badaun gate to be trampled upon by the people. The services of Alauddin were highly appreciated, the jagir of Oudh also was added to his other estates.â"
"âThe Sultan reached Jhain in the afternoon of the third day and stayed in the palace of the Raya⌠He greatly enjoyed his stay for some time. Coming out, he took a round of the gardens and temples. The idols he saw amazed him⌠Next day he got those idols of gold smashed with stones. The pillars of wood were burnt down by his order⌠A cry rose from the temples as if a second Mahmud had taken birth. Two idols were made of brass, one of which weighed nearly a thousand mans. He got both of them broken, and the pieces were distributed among his people so that they may throw them at the door of the Masjid on their return [to Delhi]âŚâ"
"After the rainy season was over, he marched in Ramzan AH 910 (AD February-March, 1505) for the conquest of the fort of MunDrail. He stayed for a month near Dholpur and sent out armies with orders that they should lay waste the environs of Gwalior and MunDrail. Thereafter he himself laid siege to the fort of MunDrail. Those inside the fort surrendered the fort to him after signing a treaty. The Sultan got the temples demolished and mosques erected in their stead'...'"
"Sikandar himself marched on Friday, the 6th Ramzan AH 906 (AD March, 1501), upon Dhulpur (Dholpur); but Raja Manikdeo, placing a garrison in the fort, retreated to Gwalior. This detachment however, being unable to defend it, and abandoning the fort by night, it fell into the hands of the Muhammadan army. Sikandar on entering the fort, fell down on his knees, and returned thanks to God, and celebrated his victory. The whole army was employed in plundering and the groves which spread shade for seven kos around Bayana were tom up from the roots'.....'In Ramzan of the year 910 (AD 1504), after the rising of Canopus, he raised the standard of war for the reduction of the fort of Mandrail; but the garrison capitulating, and delivering up the citadel, the Sultan ordered the temples and idols to be demolished, and mosques to be constructed. After leaving Mian Makan and Mujahid Khan to protect the fort, he himself moved out on a plundering expedition into the surrounding country, where he butchered many people, took many prisoners, and devoted to utter destruction all the groves and habitations; and after gratifying and honouring himself by this exhibition of holy zeal he returned to his capital Bayana.'...'"
"25 May 1679: âKhan-i-Jahan Bahadur returned from Jodhpur after demolishing its temples, and bringing with himself several cart-loads of idols. The Emperor ordered that the idols, which were mostly of gold, silver, brass, copper or stone and adorned with jewels, should be cast in the quadrangle of the Court and under the steps of the Jama Mosque for being trodden upon.â"
"âOnce upon a time a temple had been constructed in Jodhpur. The SultĂŁn sent the QĂŁzĂŽ of MandĂť with orders that he should get the temple demolished. He had said to him, âIf they do not demolish the temple on instructions from you, you stay there and let me know.â When the QĂŁzĂŽ arrived there, the infidels refused to obey the order of the SultĂŁn and said, âHas GhiyĂŁsuâd-DĂŽn freed himself from lechery so that he has turned his attention to this side?â The QĂŁzĂŽ informed the king accordingly. He climbed on his mount in MandĂť and reached Jodhpur in a single night. He punished the infidels and laid waste the templeâŚâ"
"Ajit Singh⌠sent a message humbly asking that Khan Zaman and the KaziuâI-Kuzat might come into Jodhpur, to rebuild the mosques, destroy idol-temples, enforce the provisions of the law about the summons to prayer and the killing of cows, to appoint magistrates and to commission officers to collect the jizya. His submission was graciously accepted, and his requests grantedâŚ"
"Standing on the ramparts of the Jodhpur fort â on a level with the highest wheelings of the vultures, whose nests are on the ledges of the precipices beneath the walls â one looks down on to the roofs of the city, hundreds of feet below. And every noise from the streets and houses comes floating up, diminished but incredibly definite and clear, a multitudinous chorus, in which, however, one can distinguish all the separate component sounds â crying and laughter, articulate speech, brayings and bellowings and bleatings, the creak and rumble of wheels, the hoarse hooting of a conch, the pulsing of drums. I have stood on high places above many cities, but never on one from which the separate sounds making up the great counterpoint of a city's roaring could be so clearly heard, so precisely sifted by the listening ear. From the bastions of Jodhpur Fort one hears as the gods must hear from their Olympus â the gods to whom each separate word uttered in the innumerably peopled world below comes up distinct and individual to be recorded in the books of omniscience."
"On the 7th azar I went to see and shoot on the tank of Pushkar, which is one of the established praying-places of the Hindus, with regard to the perfection of which they give (excellent) accounts that are incredible to any intelligence, and which is situated at a distance of three kos from Ajmir. For two or three days I shot waterfowl on that tank, and returned to Ajmir. Old and new temples which, in the language of the infidels, they call Deohara are to be seen around this tank. Among them Rana Shankar, who is the uncle of the rebel Amar, and in my kingdom is among the high nobles, had built a Deohara of great magnificence, on which 100,000 rupees had been spent. I went to see that temple. I found a form cut out of black stone, which from the neck above was in the shape of a pig's head, and the rest of the body was like that of a man. The worthless religion of the Hindus is this, that once on a time for some particular object the Supreme Ruler thought it necessary to show himself in this shape; on this account they hold it dear and worship it. I ordered them to break that hideous form and throw it into the tank. After looking at this building there appeared a white dome on the top of a hill, to which men were coming from all quarters. When I asked about this they said that a Jogi lived there, and when the simpletons come to see him he places in their hands a handful of flour, which they put into their mouths and imitate the cry of an animal which these fools have at some time injured, in order that by this act their sins may be blotted out. I ordered them to break down that place and turn the Jogi out of it, as well as to destroy the form of an idol there was in the dome"
"On the 1st instant we went to Pokur, or, as it is more classically called, Pooshkur; a place as highly venerated by the Hindoos as Ajmeer is by the MoosulmansâŚThe town, which is not large, is situated on the shore of a most romantic Pokur, or lake, from which it takes its name. Its sanctity is derived from a Jug, or sacred entertainment which Brimha there made, in the Sut-joog (or golden age), for all the Deotas. His wife Savitree, instigated by Narud, one of the sons of Brimha, refused to assist at this Jug, and retired to the top of a high hill, about a mile from the lake, where she has now a temple, which is visited by all the pilgrims who have strength and perseverance enough to climb so high, a labour which, from the description made of it to me, is fully equivalent to the reward of bowing at the shrine of the goddess. It is at Pokur alone that an image of Brimha, at least one of any celebrity, is to be seen: his temple is close to the margin of the lake, small, plain, and evidently very ancient. The image, which is about the size of a man, has four faces, and is in a sitting posture, cross-legged, but neither it not the apartment in which it is placed is distinguished by any kind of ornament. The largest temple at Pokur is one dedicated to Barajee, the third Uotar, or incarnation of Vishnoo. The building, as it now stands, presents only the small remains of the ancient temple, which was overthrown by the bigoted zeal of the Emperor Aurungzeb, and is said to have been one hundred and fifty feet in height and covered with the finest specimens of Hindoo sculpture. The old walls, to the heights of about twenty feet, were left entire, and have been covered in, to form the present temple, by Raja Jue Singh, Siwue of Jypoor."
"The next, in point of sanctity and consequence, to this temple is one sacred to Vishnoo, under the name of Budrinath, but in which there is nothing remarkable to be seen. These four temples are of very ancient structure, and are held in particular veneration; but besides them, there are innumerable others, of more modern date, erected to every god of the Hindoo calendar. Among these is one dedicated to Muhadeo, which is by far the most remarkable, both for the size and elegance of its structure, and the nature of its ornaments, of all the temples that Pooshkur boasts of. It was built by Anajee Seendhiya, the grandfather of the present Muha Raj. The image, and the altar on which it is placed, are of fine white marble, highly polished, and executed in a style superior to anything of the kind I have seen in India. The idol is Punj-mookhee, or five faced, each face crowned with the Jutta, or matted hair of the Uteets, and exhibiting that harsh and obscene expression which is the characteristic of the Indian, as well as the Roman, Priapus. The image in question together with its Urg,ha or altar, is precisely what one would expect to see in a temple of ancient Rome dedicated to that deity. A large building erected by Madoojee Seendhiya next attracted our notice. It contains images of Bawanee, Muha Deo, and some others of the Hindoo deities, all of white marble, but executed in a manner very inferior to the one I have just described. The interior apartment is surrounded by a range of piazzas, also of marble, designed for the accommodation of the numerous Bueragees, or mendicants, who make pilgrimages to Pooshkur; and for whose support the revenues of ten small villages in the district were allotted by the illustrious founder. Into all these temples we were freely admitted, except that of Barajee, where the Purohit, or priest, who attended us intimated it would be proper to go barefooted: as we were in boots we contended ourselves with observing everything from the door-way⌠Purohits are Brahmuns who attend at all celebrated Teeruts, or places of religious resort, to point out the most sacred spots, and to read the necessary prayers, &c. to the pilgrims, whose names, families and places of abode they enter carefully into a register, and receive some trifle as a compensation for their trouble. The pilgrims besides offer money, according to their means, at each of the temples they visit, and the Ghats where they bathe. With those who can afford such an expense, it is common to make the Purohit a present of a cow, with her horns tipped with silver, her hoofs plated with the same metal, and covered by a silken J,hool, or coverletâŚ"
"Pushkar is a place highly venerated by the Hindus, as Ajmer is by the Mussalmans. The town is situated on the shores of a romantic Pohkar or lake, from which it takes its name. It is at Pushkar alone that the image of Brahma, at least of any celebrity, is to be seen; his temple is close to the margin of the lake â small, plain and evidently very ancient. The image which is about the size of a man, has four faces and is in a sitting posture, cross-legged. The temple of Varahji, as it now stands, presents only the small remains of the ancient temple which was overthrown by the bigoted zeal of Aurangzeb, and is said to have been 150 feet in height and covered with the finest specimens ot Hindu sculpture. The old walls to the height of about 20 feet were left entire, and have been covered in, to form the present temple, by Raja Jai Singh, Sawai of Jaipur."
"Of the modern temples the one dedicated to Mahadeva is by far the most remarkable, both for the size and elegance of its structure and nature of its ornaments, of all the temples, that Pushkar boasts of. It was built by Anaji Sindhia, the grand- father of the present Maharaja (Daulat Rao). The image and the altar, on which it is placed, are of fine white marble highly polished, and executed in a style superior to anything of the kind I have seen in India..."
"They need only to go to the shores of the lake thrice blessed, named Pushkara, where every pilgrim who bathes during the full moon time of the month of Krhktika (October-November) attains to the highest sanctity, without other effort. There the sceptics would see with their own eyes the site where was built the pyre of Rohita, and also the waters visited by Lakshmi in days of yore. They might even have seen the blue lotuses, if most of these had not since been changed, thanks to a new transformation decreed by the Gods, into sacred crocodiles which no one has the right to disturb. It is this transformation which gives to nine out of every ten pilgrims who plunge into the waters of the lake, the opportunity of entering into Nirvana almost immediately, and also causes the holy crocodiles to be the most bulky of their kind."
"Visnu - my dwelling place Puskara has been overcome with terror of the matangas [Turks]. The place where I myself performed the final ablutions after the great sacrifice of world creation, the mleccha army now uses to refresh themselves after their violent destruction of temples and brahman settlements."
"The name âJaipurâ literally means âCity (Pur) of Victory (Jai)â. This is in relation to Jai Singhâs (1699-1744) victory over Aurangzebâs planned attack against Vrindavana to destroy temples and deities. Jai Singh had heard of the planned attack and quickly went to Vrindavana to warn the people and save as many temples as possible. Many of the Vrindavana deities were brought to the area of Jaipur. When Aurangzeb arrived in Vrindavana, he found that numerous people had vacated the town and many temples were without deities. He was furious and tore down the upper storeys of the Govindaji temple until there was a loud and frightening noise that shook the ground and made Aurangzeb stop his attack and retreat. Meanwhile, Jai Singh had already taken the deities of Radha-Govindaji to Jaipur and was worshiping them in a place near Amber, called the âPalace of Cloudsâ. Later, as the threat of Mughal attacks decreased, Jai Singh brought the deities down into Jaipur. After this the city was further developed. Presently, Jaipur has 106 main temples and numerous other minor ones."
"His royal highness, the Prince of Wales, laid the foundation stone of Albert Hall in Jaipur (6 February, 1876)⌠a modern palace was built outside the city, amidst extensive grounds and shady trees, and named Rambagh Palace, as an improved residence for Royalty."
"Jai Singh is claimed to have devised the Samrat Yantra, the Jaiprakash, and the Ram Yantra. These three instruments are indeed peculiar to his Observatorries, and must be to some extent attributed to his personal ingenuity."
"Jaisingh collected and studied all the available astronomical works...Several European works were translated into Sanskrit under his orders, particularly Euclidâs elements, with a treatise on plane and spherical trigonometry; and on the construction and use of logarithms...and also a treatise on conical sections...maps and globes of the Ferenghis were obtained from Surat."
"The most noticeable of the buildings here are the Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Aam, the Astronomical Observatory and the temples of Brajanandji and Anand Krishnaji."
"...a vision of daring and dainty loveliness, of story of rosy masonry and delicate overhanging balconies and latticed windows, soaring with tier after tier of fanciful architecture in a pyramidal form, a very mountain of airy and audacious beauty, through the thousdnad pierced screens and gilded arches of which the Indian air blows cool over the flt roofs of the very highest house. Alladinâs magician could have called into existence no more marvelous abode."
"The ordinary houses have been built with the stone of the hillocks around. The houses of a higher rank, built of the same materials, are plastered with a lime cement of brilliant whiteness. The cement is sometime polished like stuccoâŚMost of the temples and palaces have facings of white marble. There is no hut, no ruined building, no rubbish heap. The city has the look of what it really is, n entirely new town, which has not been subjected to the horrors of the war. In general, the architecture of Jaipur is of a very elegant style."
"The main streets are the principal bazars; on each side, under the arcades of the palaces, temples, and houses, are the shops of the artisans, who are seen working almost in the open air at their trades, the tailors, shoemakers, goldsmiths, armourers, pastry-cooks, confectioners, copper-smiths, etc. The grain merchants occupy very spacious huts of thatch, constructed in as sort of coarse lattice workâŚt in the midst of the main streets. The stalls are removed whenever, the Rajah issued from his palace. Delhi has only one similar road, namely the Chandni Chowk: but at Jaipur all the roads s resemble it and bear that name."
"The fortifications of the city ...are so like those of the Kremlin that I could almost have fancied myself at Moscow."
"I am disposed to think that, in point of neatness and beauty, the Grand Chawk could scarcely be surpassed by more than half a dozen streets in England ...the most beautiful city in India"
"The view of Jaipur city from the hill behind it is ravishing...The city, while it is new, is assuredly the most beautiful among the ancient cities of India, because in the latter everything is old, the streets are unequal and narrow. Thus, on the contrary, has the splendor of the modern with equal wide and long streets. The principal road, which begins at the Sanganagar Gate, and goes on to the south gate, is so broad that six or seven carriages can drive abreast without difficulty and without having to touch each other or turn aside...There are many temples of idols in the city, of which one is dedicated to Na-Kalank or Vishnu, who took the form of a man without sin at the end of the world."
"The Chandra Mahal or principal palace is a massive building from which a magnificent view is obtained of the surrounding hills, fort and extensive gardens. The ground and other floors of the palace comprise apartments richly decorated with floral designs, embellished with quaint and beautiful buildings, adorned with mirrors, and sumptuously furnished and fitted in the most elegant style. P.210"
"The nucleus of Jaipur was the palace and garden of Jai Niwas, the foundations for which were laid in 1725. The building of the city and its surrounding walls and gates was started with due propitiatory rites (sankalpa) on 18 November 1727"
"Abu Turab, who had been sent to demolish the temples of Amber, returned to Court on Tuesday, the 10th August [1680]/24th Rajab, and reported that he had pulled down sixty-six temples."
"Doused in an appeasing pink, Jaipur has, over the years, come to don the title of Indiaâs âPink City.â Rich in its historical heritage, every corner of Jaipur holds an interesting antidote and touch of old-world charm. The color of the city, too, has interesting stories & theories behind it."
"Resplendent in the hues of its noble and magnificent past, the historic city of Jaipur stands out as one of the most spectacular and culturally vibrant destinations in the world."
Young though he was, his radiant energy produced such an impression of absolute reliability that Hedgewar made him the first sarkaryavah, or general secretary, of the RSS.
- Gopal Mukund Huddar
Largely because of the influence of communists in London, Huddar's conversion into an enthusiastic supporter of the fight against fascism was quick and smooth. The ease with which he crossed from one worldview to another betrays the fact that he had not properly understood the world he had grown in.
Huddar would have been 101 now had he been alive. But then centenaries are not celebrated only to register how old so and so would have been and when. They are usually celebrated to explore how much poorer our lives are without them. Maharashtrian public life is poorer without him. It is poorer for not having made the effort to recall an extraordinary life.
I regret I was not there to listen to Balaji Huddar's speech [...] No matter how many times you listen to him, his speeches are so delightful that you feel like listening to them again and again.
By the time he came out of Franco's prison, Huddar had relinquished many of his old ideas. He displayed a worldview completely different from that of the RSS, even though he continued to remain deferential to Hedgewar and maintained a personal relationship with him.