Tiger Claws
“It is almost like entering a fort, Tanaji thinks.
Against his bare feet, the bricks of the walk feel smooth and cool. The edges of the walk have been decorated with tangled designs drawn in lines of rice flour and kumkum—triangles, mangoes, swastikas, all melded together with vines traced in elaborate profusion and brilliant colors.
On a raised platform at the end of the walk stands a tall lampstand of sculpted brass: from its branches hang a dozen or more butter lamps with flames burning steadily in the still morning air. A brazier of frankincense and sandalwood fills the courtyard with a heady tang. A mandala fashioned of fresh flower petals covers much of platform.
Beyond, Tanaji sees several temples, constructed of the dark volcanic stone common to this part of the county. The temples share a common layout: four colonnaded wings, and above each, a dome, the shape of an elongated beehive, meant to resemble Vishnu’s celestial home, Mount Mehru. Most are small. The larger temples hav...e been decorated with free-standing sculptures and with bas-reliefs: gods, animals, devas, asuras, heroes, villains, chakras, chariots—each temple a sculpted library of stories.MoreLess
Against his bare feet, the bricks of the walk feel smooth and cool. The edges of the walk have been decorated with tangled designs drawn in lines of rice flour and kumkum—triangles, mangoes, swastikas, all melded together with vines traced in elaborate profusion and brilliant colors.
On a raised platform at the end of the walk stands a tall lampstand of sculpted brass: from its branches hang a dozen or more butter lamps with flames burning steadily in the still morning air. A brazier of frankincense and sandalwood fills the courtyard with a heady tang. A mandala fashioned of fresh flower petals covers much of platform.
Beyond, Tanaji sees several temples, constructed of the dark volcanic stone common to this part of the county. The temples share a common layout: four colonnaded wings, and above each, a dome, the shape of an elongated beehive, meant to resemble Vishnu’s celestial home, Mount Mehru. Most are small. The larger temples hav...e been decorated with free-standing sculptures and with bas-reliefs: gods, animals, devas, asuras, heroes, villains, chakras, chariots—each temple a sculpted library of stories.MoreLess
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