NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL : A RECOLLECTION

It is unfortunate that the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris stands ravaged by a massive fire. It is not only a place of worship especially for the Catholics but also a major historic site. It is, of course, a great tourist attraction.  I feel nostalgic, as I have been there twice.  I have also devoted one chapter in my book "Marvels Very Majestic" to the cathedral.  Here I present a few of its rare features.

WHERE RELIGION AND HISTORY MEET

(By Subbaram Danda)

The cathedral two decades ago

Notre Dame means “Our Lady” in French.  It is an “active Catholic church” dedicated to Virgin Mary containing the “Cathedra,” the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris. It is located on a small island in the river Seine at the centre of Paris. Besides attracting a large number of tourists every year, it finds a prominent place in several movies. 

Strangely, as if jinxed, the Notre Dame cathedral has gone through periods of destruction and renovation in its centuries of history.  During the French Revolution it was plundered and misused as a warehouse.  Many statues were decapitated or mutilated.  For years it remained neglected. Celebrated French Writer Victor Hugo, through his famous novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” whipped up the sentiments of Parisians and made them see the need for its restoration.  The consequent major renovation brought the cathedral back to its old form. During both the world wars it was subjected to shelling, but it survived. 

The cathedral's architecture is marked by ribbed vaults, pointed arches and towering columns. It is specially known for its stained glass windows and admirable sculptures. 

A stained glass window  (Photo courtesy: WhatsApp)

Even the cathedral’s beginnings were chequered. The cathedral was constructed on the spot, where the Romans had earlier built a temple for Jupiter centuries ago.  This was followed by a basilica and then by another church. The foundation for the present shrine was laid in 1163 AD but its progress was intermittent.  It was not completed until 1345 – a delay of about 180 years.  A succession of architects and changing plans made this edifice an amalgam of styles.

The cathedral was the venue of several public events.  It was here that Napoleon Bonaparte demonstrated that the state enjoyed supremacy over the church and crowned himself the emperor.  In dramatic sequences, he took the coronation oath, collected from the alter the crown already blessed by the Pope and personally placed it on his head.  He them laid the diadem on the head of his wife Josephine.  Subsequently, official heralds proclaimed Napoleon the Emperor of the French.

On another occasion, when Paris was liberated during the World War II General de Gaulle rushed to the cathedral to offer his thanksgiving prayers.  His state funeral was also conducted there.

The devastating fire engulfing the cathedral
(Photo courtesy: WhatsApp)

There is another feature of the cathedral that is very fascinating.  In front of its main entrance at a distance of about 100 feet there is a small octagonal brass plate set in the ground.  Engraved on a surrounding circular granite slab is a legend "Point Zero -- Des Routes de France."  It marks the starting point for measuring all distances in Paris.  

Over the years, this "Point Zero" has acquired a mystic aura and become a "good luck" charm. People place their palms on the plate or spin with one foot on it making a wish.  Some couples even stand together on it and kiss seeking eternal bliss.  

April 17, 2019

JABALPUR : THE MAJESTIC NARMADA

An evening boat-ride on the Narmada river was the highlight of our visit to Jabalpur in the last lap of our Madhya Pradesh tour.  It was altogether a different experience.  The boat sailed past tall marble hills on both sides of the river.  It was a pleasure watching the mountain cliffs change their shape and colour, as the sun-rays played hide and seek with them.  Another attraction nearby was the waterfalls, where the Narmada cascades amidst a canopy of mist.

The Narmada flows flanked by marble hills

THE RIVER AND THE ROCKS

(By Subbaram Danda)

It was a long drive from Khajuraho to Jabalpur and then to Bhedaghat, a village, where the boarding point for the boat-ride was located.  From the road we had to walk down a long-winding flight of broad concrete steps.  On both sides, shops sold a wide variety of marble artefacts. At the ghat, boats had lined up one jostling against another.  They were all of rowing type.  Motor boats were not allowed to operate from there for ecological concerns. We engaged an entire boat for our group.  It was sturdy and fairly comfortable.

Sailing on the Narmada

Two men rowed the boat, one of them singing Hindi songs and poems full of alliterations.   It served to explain the features of the mountains and the river as the boat sailed along.   His knowledge looked impeccable. He would break out of the song to point to interesting formations among the boulders.  There were rocks resembling an elephant foot, a deer and the horns of a cow.  He would gesture at marble layers of light pink here and mild green there.

In the boat with group members

We kept clicking selfies and photos of rare-looking rocks.  “Let not the still waters of the river fool you.  The river is 600 feet deep here,” the oarsman drew our attention.   Suddenly he asked us in a high pitched tone to take a look at a boy perched on top of a high hill.  The urchin was ready to dive into the river, if we could pay him.  We were not for it, as we were not sure whether it would be a safe feat. Such daredevilry was a regular occurrence all along the route, he said with a mischievous smile on his face.

A boy perched on a hill ready to dive into the river

As the boat moved forward, at a particular spot he put out his left hand pointing to a boulder and said that marble slabs made out of it were better than Italian ones. In fact, any kind of marble available anywhere else in the world could be found there, he added with a touch of self-importance. The quality and variety of the marbles were top-class.  

Appreciating the narrative of the oarsman

The oarsman took pride in telling us that the Narmada and the marble rocks provided an excellent backdrop for shooting scenes for a few Bollywood films.  The hit song “Raat Ka Nasha” was picturised here for the Kareena Kapoor starrer Asoka.  An outdoor fighting sequence for the flick Mohenjo Daro was also canned at Bhedaghat.

A dance sequence for the movie Asoka was shot at Bhedaghat

Soon we arrived at a point where the mountain ranges on both sides of the river appeared to come closer.  It was named Bandar Kodini, meaning a spot for monkeys to jump from the cliffs of one side to the opposite ones.  As the sun cast long shadows, we turned back heading towards the boarding point.  We could see the rock formations in different diffused colours. The entire boat-ride clocked one hour.

It was an hour-long boat journey 

On the way to the road, we spent a few minutes closely watching the marble articles sold in the shops.  What astounded us was display of huge marble Shiva lingas as tall as four feet.  Small ones were also there.  Other artefacts on show included ornamental idols of deities, jars, lamps and name signs. At a stall we could see an artisan turn a rough marble block into a decorative elephant. His casual style of working was amazing.  

Shops selling marble articles

Our drive from Bhedaghat to the falls area was short. Called the Dhuandhar Falls, it is where the Narmada plunges to a depth of about 95 feet in a horse-shoe format.   A cable car from the parking lot took us over rocky terrain through which the river flows till the point of the falls.  It could also be reached overland.  Men, women and children in large numbers were there enjoying the roar of the falls.

The Narmada plunging to form Dhuandhar Falls

In monsoon times, the horse-shoe-shaped cascade would look gorgeous like the Niagara in its miniature form, we were told.  But when we were there, the water in the river was not much and so there were breaks in the cascade.  Still it was beautiful, if not spectacular.  We spent quite some time appreciating the falls and the scenery around.

At the Dhuandhar Falls 

The Bhedaghat boat-ride on the Narmada and the Dhuandhar waterfalls will remain green in our minds for long.

(The series has concluded)

April 03, 2019