“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
Little did I know of the treasure trove that lies at the heart of Rajahmahendravaram aka Rajamundry until Indigo Airlines decided to send me there on my first 6E Explorer trip. Though I wasn’t particularly excited about the prospect of delving deeper into the cultural fabric of Andhra Pradesh, a feeble inner voice wheedled me into it and I’m only glad I listened!
Labelled as the Cultural Capital of Andhra Pradesh, Rajahmundry resonates the true identity of the state on many different levels – history, arts, tradition, religion and economy. Named after the erstwhile king Raja Raja Narendra and home to the first Telugu poet Nannayya, Rajamahendravaram is considered to be the birthplace of the Telugu language. Cradling in the arms of the Godavari, the city is characterized by intricately carved and brightly painted temples spiralling to the merciful skies. With the aftertaste of the mini tiffin and filter coffee from Udupi Akshaya still lingering on my taste-buds, I walked down to Pushkar Ghat to find devotees ardently washing away their sins in the holy waters of the river and temple priests orchestrating various rituals alongside. I was told that in every twelve years, the city hosts Pushkaram when millions of devotees come there to partake in the celebrations.
My attention was diverted to the bridges stretching into the infinite reaches of the horizon. Easily one of the most sublime feats of human intelligence, the Godavari Barrage is the third longest rail-cum-road bridge in Asia. The city is forever indebted to Sir Arthur Cotton, the British General credited with revolutionizing the irrigation channels across the country, for harnessing the powers of Godavari. Adjacent to the barrage in Dowleswaram, lies a museum dedicated to Cotton with more than a hundred exhibits narrating the inspirational story of his life.
A few blocks down the street embellished with colourful artwork, stands the Rallabandi Subbarao Government Museum housing archaeological gems ranging from terracotta figurines and stone sculptures revealing the influence of Jainism to palm-leaf manuscripts, ancient coins and pottery. From there, I headed to Damerla Rama Rao Art Gallery which displays some of the original masterpieces produced by the artist in his pitiably short life span of 28 years. One of the most renowned and revolutionary artists of his time, D. Rama Rao’s century-old works depict nudes and grandiose scenes from mythology.
By the end of the day, I was just beginning to fathom the depth and intensity of Rajahmundry’s cultural heritage. I was starting to see the city in a new light. As I stared longer at the changing hues of sundown mirroring in the tranquil waters under the Godavari barrage, I knew why fate had brought me here.
No comments:
Post a Comment