Day 18 March SOLSC! #SOL23
10-01-2023
On 10th January we had booked the whole day city trip with Kolkata City tours. While making the booking I had written that we wanted to go on this tour on the 9th. Mr. Karmakar kindly told us that many of the sightseeing places were closed on Mondays. So, we went on the walking tour instead.
After seeing the Howrah Bridge, we proceeded to the Jain Temple. The moment we entered the gates it felt like we were in different and beautiful world. I remembered the Jain temples in Ranakpur and Mt Abu in Rajasthan. They too were divinely beautiful. It makes us wonder if human hands can create something so ethereal.
We kept our footwear outside in an allotted place and walked in. Photography was not allowed inside. The whole place is opulent with wealth. Belgian glass was used to decorate pillars and walls and there was a massive chandelier. I think there were precious stones and gold too. The priest was conducting prayers and some devotes were standing near him. We too prayed silently and then walked around the sanctum which is common to various religions in India.
One of the persons inside showed us a lamp in a glass case. The flame in that lamp has been burning continuously for more than 150 years. It is fascinating to think that someone through the ages came inside and filled the lamp with ghee to keep it alight. Such a lamp is called nandaadeepa (in Kannada it means a lamp which never goes out) Such lamps are present in different temples in our country. They must be giving a sense continuity to the people of that place. Over the last two hundred years many drastic changes have taken place all over the world.
There are many statues, and we were surprised to see one of a European lady near the temple pond. She seemed strangely out of place. An umbrella covered her head. Maybe it was kept to stop birds from sitting on her head. There was a small shop selling handicraft items as souvenirs. Aravind bought some.
We next proceeded to Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the birthplace and home of Rabindranath Tagore.
Architects of Nineteenth-Century Calcutta: An Introduction to the Johari Sath Community | Sahapedia
Mukhamani 
Looks like a lovely way to spend some time!
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With reference to the lamp, supposedly in the Middle Ages, there were four monasteries in England where the monks had sung a sacred song for more that two hundred years, with different individuals joining and then leaving the choir. Not too sure I believe it!
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The singing could happen. As it is said truth is stranger than fiction 😊. We saw a lamp which is burning for nearly 200 years in a small place about 6 hours from our place.
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A beautiful temple indeed.
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It is amazing what man can create. To imagine a flame burning for so long gives one pause. Sounds like a spiritually uplifting experience.
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Looks like a beautiful place!
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Thank You so much for taking readers with you on this journey. Will wait to read and visit again.
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It is a breathtakingly beautiful place. That burning lamp especially captivates me.
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The European lady definitely seems out of place in such a beautiful ancient setting. The intricate architecture is amazing!
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The architecture is stunning. What a lovely tour!
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Loved to see Beautiful Jain temple architecture!!
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Stunning beauty!
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