Pura Dalem Ubud: The Temple of Death

Looking for things to do in Ubud? Wander among the demons — and attend a kecak dance — at Desa Pakraman Ubud.

The Pura Dalem lies on the outskirts of Ubud

NSFW: The temple is covered with depictions of bare-breasted demonic women

As we drove out of town our last evening on Bali, I glimpsed a temple atop a hill on the outskirts of Ubud. There was something that called to me, and I made a note to investigate it the next morning. So after we had packed up our bags and our driver Made (pronounced Mah-day) picked us up, I directed him to the temple.

Duke and I were delighted to discover that it was a pura dalem, or temple of death. These temples always have the craziest statues and carvings depicting Balinese demons out front, menacing visitors with bulging bug eyes, fangs, long tongues and breasts that sag down to their stomachs.

These dramatically sliced gates are common at Balinese temples

Motorbikes are ubiquitious on Bali

Many Hindu temples have balustrades that run the length of staircases in the shape of snakelike naga

“Snarling lions and hosts of demons line the entrance stairs. Duke and I couldn’t help smiling.

This is our Disneyland.”

Pura dalems are dedicated to Rangda, the Demon Queen. She is the personification of evil, often depicted with pendulous breastes, fangs and unkempt hair. We passed a statue of her holding a baby in her arms — her favorite snack.

Rangda, the Demon Queen, loves to snack on innocent babes

Many creatures in Balinese mythology — good and evil — have bulging bug eyes

Balinese temples are composed of numerous open-air shrines

This was pretty much the only statue at the Pura Dalem Ubud that wasn’t monstrous

Monkeys, skulls and babies, oh my!

The entrance to the pura dalem has creepy creatures everywhere you look

I’ve read that pura dalems are usually built at the lowest part of a village, as demons are associated with bhur, the underworld (some elements are consistent across religions). But this temple rises on a hill above Ubud. Maybe the Great Temple of Death in the Monkey Forest is the one situated at the lowest point.

Snarling lions and hosts of demons line the entrance stairs. Duke and I couldn't help smiling. This is our Disneyland.

Parts of the façade were being renovated when we visited

Pura dalems are associated with bhur, the underworld, where demons reside

It shouldn’t be surprising to learn that this is a temple of death

Ferocious beasts populate the entrance to the temple

Wally loves himself a lion

Downward-facing demon: a new yoga pose?

Sneaking Into the Temple of Death

We wandered around the temple complex, and I was surprised to see a large courtyard off to the left, for dancing. I wondered what kind of performances would take place at a temple of death.

After a bit of research, I learned that this temple hosts the Kecak Fire and Trance Dance, which sounds like an intense experience I’m bummed we didn’t see. I’d like to imagine the environment becomes charged with a mystical energy as the flames dance to  the dissonance of the native music. Perhaps the statues themselves come to life to join the dance.

The music pavilion near the dance performance space

Balinese musical ensembles are called gamelans

Wood and bronze xylophone-like instruments are common on Bali

The instruments are intricately carved with creatures from Balinese mythology

At the back of the dance area is a pavilion filled with row after row of the bronze instruments, many resembling xylophones, that comprise a gamelan ensemble.

Which is Garuda and which is Duke?

Mischievous Wally likes sneaking into temples

The interior of the temple was gated off, but Duke and I skirted around it until we found a gate we could stick our hand through and unlock from the other side. We opened it as quietly as possible, trying not to capture the attention of the construction workers nearby. The gate let out painfully loud squeal, and Duke and I slipped in quickly.

Lichen covers Balinese temples, lending an ancient air to even the newer ones

Maybe this is where you sacrifice your babies to Rangda

The interior courtyard of the pura dalem was locked — but that didn’t stop us from finding a way in

Shrine towers in the most sacred space of the temple

These woven baskets contain offerings to the gods

Various shrines rise jaggedly skyward in the interior courtyard, bright orange brick and pale stone carved into monstrous creatures. The ground, like many temples on the island, is striped, alternating bands of stone and grass, a dichotomy I imagine symbolizes the balance of good and evil so prevalent in the Balinese religion.

Like many temples in Bali, the interior courtyard features rows of grass and stone

Could the alternating stripes on the temple floor symbolize good vs. evil?

A holy banyan tree grows off to one side, its roots dangling in clumps like Rangda’s matted dreadlocks.

Banyan trees, with their roots that grow from above, are amazing works of nature

Many offering tables are covered with black and white checkered cloths

The gnarled roots of banyans pair nicely with demonic depictions

When someone dies on Bali, they’re temporarily buried, and their spirit resides in the pura dalem, according to Murni’s in Bali. It’s not until a cremation ceremony has taken place that the person is free to be reincarnated.

Despite the demonic depictions scattered throughout the pura dalem, I wondered if death isn’t something to be afraid of, amongst a people who believe in reincarnation. –Wally

Many temple statues get adorned in sarongs

A bit of heavenly light shines upon one of the demons of death

Pura Dalem Ubud

Jalan Raya Ubud, No.23
Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar
Bali 80571, Indonesia

Batu Caves: A Hindu Pilgrimage Site Infested With Monkeys

Brave the steps, stench and wild macaques at one of the most interesting Kuala Lumpur attractions.

The Batu Caves is a major pilgrimage site just to the north of Kuala Lumpur

The first thing you notice when you visit the Batu Caves — aside from the giant gold statue and all the monkeys — is the smell. It’s a pungent mixture of body odor, guano and garbage, all stewing in the oppressive Malaysian heat.

Hindu shrines are built into the limestone cliffs

What are the Batu Caves?

This site, nine and a half miles north of Kuala Lumpur (often shortened to KL), has been a place of worship for Hindus for over a century. The limestone hills are 400 million or so years old and were once shelters for the indigenous Temuan people.

The Batu Caves are described as the most holy Hindu temple outside of India.

“During the Thaipusam Festival, hooks and skewers pierce the skin, cheeks and tongues of penitents. Eww.”

A depiction of Kamadhenu, the Mother of All Cows

Hindu statues tend to be awash in bright colors

The iconography around the site can be a bit of a shock — especially if you've never visited a Hindu shrine before. Churches tend to be less flamboyant, even those awash in a gilded glory. And mosques are often understated, austere, devoid of excess ornamentation, in part because of the absence of statues — Muslims believe it’s sacrilege to portray their holy personages.

Not so Hindus. In fact, you'll find numerous statues of their deities and the animals associated with them throughout the Batu Caves. They're painted in bright rainbow colors. This was the first time I had seen this style of Hindu statuary. It surprised me how cartoonish the bizarre figures were. It struck me as more of something to decorate a theme park than a temple.

At the base of the stairs, vendors sells floral offerings to the gods

Food and flower vendors peddle their wares at the base of a dauntingly long set of stairs.

To reach the main cave, you have to climb a lot of steps — 272, to be exact

Duke and Fatima found that going down was a lot easier than going up

Maybe the smell got to be too much for Vanessa, though our hostess Angie, who lived in KL, seems used to it

How many steps are there?

272. In fact, they’re numbered for your convenience, though I’m not sure that’s a good thing.

Everything in the caves is cast in an eerie yellow glow

What’s inside the caves?

The reward at the top of the stairs is Cathedral Cave, the main cavern. You’ll find various shrines to Hindu deities scattered throughout the interior. There’s nothing impressive about the shrines; they’re quite small and, if I’m being honest, sad-looking.

In one nook of Cathedral Cave, a man wore a snake

A lizard lounging in the caves

Small groups of worshippers sit in rows in front of the shrines, and when we visited, there was a man with a snake around his neck and a large lizard perched on a stick.

The artificial lighting casts an eerie, jaundiced glow to everything.

We only explored the main cavern, though there are other caves at the foot of Batu Hill: Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, which feature Hindu statues and paintings. The Ramayana Cave is a newer addition and is said to have psychedelic paintings and a 50-foot statue of the monkey god Hanuman (appropriate for a site teeming with his brethren).

The Batu Caves are popular with Hindu worshippers, especially during the Thaipusam Festival, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descend upon the temple

Who visits the Batu Caves?

The caves are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Kuala Lumpur area. It’s also a major pilgrimage site for Hindus during the festival of Thaipusam. The number of devotees who descend upon the Batu Caves is said to reach 1 million. I can’t even imagine how crowded and claustrophobic that would be — not to mention the gag-worthy stench.

Cows are revered in Hinduism

What’s the Thaipusam Festival?

It’s held at the end of January or beginning of February, with a procession that starts in the evening at the Sri Mariamman Temple in KL. Worshippers arrive at the Batu Caves in the wee hours of the morning.

It’s not unusual for Hindu deities to have multiple faces and arms

To make the festival even more intense, the devotees carry large wood or steel frames called kavadis (literally, “burdens”) on their shoulders. They’re brightly colored, decorated with flowers and feathers and can weigh over 200 pounds. The kavadis carry offerings of containers of milk to Lord Muruga. Hooks and skewers attached to the kavadis pierce the skin, cheeks and tongues of those carrying them. Eww.

The gold statue of Lord Murugan rises 140 feet into the air

Who’s the huge statue of?

That’s Lord Murugan, the milk-loving young god of war in Hinduism. He’s the son of Shiva and Parvati, who meditated until a giant fireball formed that eventually became a baby with six faces. Primarily worshipped in Southern India, Murugan led an army of devas, or divine beings, in a successful battle against demons.

The statue stands 140 feet tall, its framework of steel bars and concrete covered by 300 liters of gold paint from Thailand that can be blinding in the sunlight.

Wild macaque monkeys roam the grounds of the Batu Caves

What about those monkeys?

There are long-tailed macaques everywhere at the Batu Caves. They’re mangy-looking and can be quite aggressive in their scrounging for food. I don’t recommend getting too close to them — which is why I was somewhat horrified that Duke decided this was when he’d get over his fear of monkeys.

The monkeys at the caves rummage for food — be careful!

The macaques clamber about the stair railings and pick through the garbage that’s scattered throughout the complex.

Standing at the top of the steps on a hazy day, looking toward KL

How can I get there?

The KTM Komuter Train from KL Sentral downtown will take you right to the Batu Caves. –Wally

Batu Caves
Gombak
68100 Batu Caves
Selangor, Malaysia

The Craziest, Coolest Northern Thailand Temple Most People Have Never Heard Of

At Wat Sang Kaew in Chiang Rai, you’ll feel like Alice in Wonderland. Add this to a day trip that includes the White Temple, Blue Temple and Black Museum.

The storybook viharn at Wat Sang Kaew in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Our driver, Tommy, knew us so well. After a colorful succession of touring through the White Temple, the Blue Temple and the Black House Museum, we had some extra time on our day trip to Chiang Rai, and he suggested we make one more stop: Wat Sang Kaew.

“We felt like Alice tumbling down the proverbial rabbit hole, encountering unexpected marvel after marvel the farther in we explored.  ”

It had recently rained when we visited, providing a misty yet vibrant feel to the temple complex

The name translates to Glass Light, Tommy told us — though a local tour company insists it means “A lotus that has sprouted and emerged from the water and emits light like a sparkling gem with brilliant light.” That’s a lot to pack into a couple of words.

The front area of Wat Sang Kaew is gorgeously landscaped

It should actually be called Wonderland, cuz we felt like Alice tumbling down the proverbial rabbit hole, encountering unexpected marvel after marvel the farther in we explored.  

Who’s going to love a visit to Wat Sang Kaew? You are!

This wat, or temple, complex is about 30 miles south of Chiang Rai city — and we both think it should be included on any itinerary to this neck of the mountains. It’s a relatively new complex; construction began in 2010, and parts of it were still being built when we visited in the spring of 2017.

All the single ladies line the side of the viharn

The entire complex is bat shit crazy, giving you existential sensory overload — but in the best way possible. Your first clue are the giant statues that line the parking lot, including Upakut, the son of Buddha and a mermaid,  and one of Pra Maha Kajjana, who according to legend was a handsome monk who transformed himself to a homely, obese man so that others would stop focusing on his physical appearance.  

Pra Maha Kajjana (on the right) was so tired of people fawning over his hotness that he turned himself into a fatty

As you walk up the stairs, you’ll pass through a super-sized white and gold arch, or, as we liked to imagine it, the metaphorical lookingglass.

Inside the viharn is a cool metallic mural that depicts the Buddhist version of Purgatory (which sure looks a lot like our Hell)

Deep red and gold buildings stand amongst a who’s who of deities whose hands are clasped in the wai, a gesture demonstrating respect and reverence.

We loved the temple’s appropriation of contemporary culture, including two asuras, or demons, bearing a litter holding a large bronze bell with shackles around their feet. One is sporting a pair of Converse high-top sneakers, the other a pair of flip flops with a smartphone tucked into the back of his sarong. The dais they stand upon is surrounded by 20 brass bells. The aesthetics of the temple have been shaped by its primary benefactor, Kruba Ariyachat, who Tommy told us is only in his 30s.

The good guys on the left; bad guys on the right. We loved the modern touches like the red Converses, hand gesture and cell phone in the back pocket

We figured this would be all there is to see. But really we had just begun our adventure in Wonderland.

The beautiful interior of the viharn, or worship hall

We continued upward, beyond the front complex, surprised that there was more — and it’s bonkers. An open-air sala pavilion contains an assortment of shrines, Buddhas of various sizes and a creature known as See Hoo Ha Dtaa, who consumes red hot coals and defecates gold. (He’d make a great pet!)

This strange creature eats coals — and, as you can see here, poops out gold!

We passed giant deities and mythical creatures from Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

And then! Just when we thought things couldn’t get any more bizarre, we emerged onto a turquoise blue piazza and entered what Duke and I referred to as the Hindu theme park. Towering brightly colored statues of our favorite gods loomed over us. There’s Duke’s guy, good old Ganesh, with his elephant head and fan base of rats. On the other side is my dude, four-faced Brahma, astride a green goose. In the center, a fountain is ringed by animal-headed men representing the signs of the Chinese-influenced zodiac. Piped-in music further adds to the surreal ambiance.

Ganesh and other giant Hindu deities can be found out back, in a sort of theme park

We wandered around barefoot, and as it had recently rained, I only slipped and almost cracked my head open once.

At the very tippy top, there’s a pot of gold, so to speak, at the end of the rainbow. You’ll find three gold statues of famous monks. The ginormous one in the center is the popular Engineer Monk, Kruba Srivichai, who lived from 1878 to 1938. He’s responsible for many local construction projects, perhaps most notably the road that leads from Chiang Mai up to Wat Doi Suthep.

Three large golden monks sit atop the back of the complex. The guy in the middle is the Engineer Monk, who’s famous around these parts

At the base of the golden monks, you can survey the entirety of the wat grounds — but most striking is the skyline. Bright green vegetation gives way to mountains that are an ombré of blues. It’s breathtaking.

A pale blue and white Buddha in the open-aired sala

The more I think about it, and the more I look at the gorgeous (and goofy) photos, the more I realize that this was probably my favorite wat of the entire trip.

To book Tommy as a driver (which we highly recommend), email him at t.tommy2556@gmail.com. –Wally

Monkeys line the sala roof

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Wat Sang Kaew Bodhiyan Chiangrai
Mae Suai
Chiang Rai, Thailand

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Wat Buppharam, the Donald Duck Temple

One of our favorite Chiang Mai temples, this complex feels a bit like a Disney theme park.

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The gorgeous Dhamma Hall exterior is a highlight of Wat Bupphram in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Can you spot Donald Duck eating a bowl of noodles out front?

Chances are that wherever you happen to be in Chiang Mai, you’ll find a temple nearby. It’s like Chicago and bars. The city is a melding of cultures, where the architectural influences of Thailand’s neighbors can be seen in its many religious buildings.

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Dharma wheels decorate the exterior wall of the temple complex

An example of this integration can be seen in the Buddhist temple of Wat Buppharam, situated a short distance from the Old City. Once you cross the Narawat Bridge, there’s a quick succession of temples, and if you were to simply cast a fleeting glance at this simple whitewashed outer wall topped with dharmachakra wheels that face the busy street, you'd be missing out on a very special place. You’d also be missing out on a depiction of a Disney character wearing a familiar sailor shirt, cap, and a bowtie.

“The temple has appropriated the Disney cartoon character Donald Duck, standing and eating a bowl of noodles in the garden.”

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Duke and Wally on the steps of the Dhamma Hall at Wat Bupphrama, resplendent in deep red with elaborate gold details

An Earth-Shaking History

Once you enter through the gate on southern side of Tha Phae Road, you’ll soon discover a temple that has developed a character all its own. A reminder of King Muangkaeo’s legacy, Wat Buppharam was constructed shortly after his ordination in 1495 on the site formerly occupied by the palace of his great grandfather King Tilokarat. Royal courts sponsored artists and erected temples as an act of religious merit making (a way to gain points toward enlightenment).

High Relief. An intricately carved, gilded and bejeweled depiction of Rama wearing a tall pointed crown and poised like a dancer adorns one of the viharn window shutter panels of Wat Buppharam. #watbuppharam #chiangmai #amazingthailand #thailand #thaiwoodcarving #woodcarving #rtw #travelblogger #exploremore #wanderlust #traveltheworld #savoteur

A post shared by Wally & Duke (@notsoinnocents) on Jun 21, 2017 at 5:18pm PDT

In 1497, Muangkaeo dedicated the monastery to the Lord Buddha, and according to historic documents, an intense earthquake occurred at the time of donation, but the temple withstood, undamaged. Seeing this as an auspicious sign — according to legend, an earthquake occurred prior to the Buddha’s death — the king had a silver Buddha image cast and placed within the temple chapel.

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Duke says this Buddha is telling you, “Talk to the hand”

Talk to the Hand

The first building you’ll likely encounter is the large two-story Ho Phra Monthiantham, or Dhamma Hall, a communal center for Buddhist teaching and meditation. In front of the hall is a Buddha statue standing beneath a golden parasol with his right hand, palm out, raised to shoulder height. My first thought was of the dismissive ’90s phrase “talk to the hand,” which isn't completely off the mark. The posture is known as the pang ham yati, or pacifying the relatives position.

More surprising however is the appropriation of the Disney cartoon character Donald Duck, standing and eating a bowl full of noodles in the library hall garden. Like Ta Phrom in Angkor, Cambodia taking on the moniker of the Tomb Raider Temple after the Lara Croft film shot there, Wat Buppharam is referred to by some locals as the Donald Duck Temple. Wally and I found that many of the temple grounds in Chiang Mai have an element of whimsy to them, most notably in the form of statuary.

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These sluglike creatures are called moms. You know how moms are: They’re never satisfied

Viharn 1

We decided to visit the small viharn, or prayer hall, located to the east of the Ho Monthiantham, first. It’s an elaborate affair of dark teak wood, stucco and ornate inlaid glass tiles with a low-slung, double-tiered roof. At its entrance you are welcomed by the curious mythological creatures hilariously called moms, one in silver and one in gold. A message beneath the gold one reads, “Please take off your shoes.” These aquatic creatures are from the Himavanta, a legendary forest that surrounds the base of Mount Meru, the home of the gods in Hindu mythology. Looking like a blunt-faced, late-stage-development tadpole-ferret hybrid, they serve as a reminder against clinging to impermanence and materiality. Moms are unable to satisfy their cravings — they endlessly gorge themselves, and because of this, they lack the necessary self-awareness to achieve enlightenment. 

The viharn was originally erected in 1819 by Prince Thamalangka, who restored and renovated many of Chiang Mai’s temples after the Burmese had abandoned the city during the long skirmish between the two kingdoms.  

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Duke in the archway that leads to the chedi courtyard

The principal Buddha image was cast around 500 years ago and is seated in the Bhumisparsha mudra, or earth witness position, a gesture that represents the moment of enlightenment. Just before the Buddha reached nirvana, the demon king Mara tried to frighten him with armies of demons and monsters, including his daughters who tried to tempt Buddha to get out of meditation beneath the bodhi tree. When the Buddha’s hand touched the earth, it bellowed, “I bear you witness!” which in turn caused Mara and his minions to disappear.

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Cats aren’t that common in Chiang Mai, but we found one resting in the second viharn, or prayer hall

Viharn 2

This prayer hall, found behind the other, has a large triangular pediment featuring a detailed carved wooden relief with a floral motif. The sacred structure is believed to be over 200 years old and contains a brass Buddha image cast around 500 years ago. It contains murals depicting scenes from one of the Jataka tales about the previous lives of the Buddha. This story, called the Vessantara Jataka tells of Prince Vessantara, who gives away everything he owns, demonstrating charity, one of the virtues of a bodhisattva.

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A detail from the elaborately carved viharn doors

The richly carved front door panels of the Himavanta forest were replaced in 1983. We didn’t spot any moms, but a pair of hamsas, Buddhist geese, a symbol of purity and enlightenment, can be seen in the ornamental gable niche above the entrance.

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A half-lion, half-dragon creature from Burmese mythology known as a chinthe helps protect the pagoda

Chedi

As Wally and I exited the second viharn and made our way to the chedi behind it, we passed a sign calling out a makeshift museum. Below the sign, a family of chickens happily strutted around, occasionally pecking at the dirt beneath.  

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This Buddha in a red niche is one of four at the base of the tower that is said to hold a sacred relic

The original chedi, or reliquary tower, was believed to have contained a sacred remnant of the Buddha. Its present form is a bulbous Burmese bell shape decorated with a combination of gold leaf and glass mosaic. The chedi was restored in 1958 and has a tiered square base supporting three rings of diminishing volume. Each side features a bright red alcove containing a golden Buddha, while the spire at the top is crowned by a hti, a finial ornament symbolic of a sacred umbrella.  

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A hen sits on her eggs in a pot by the chedi

We sat on a bench in the shade of one of the temple trees for a moment to take in the monument and while doing so, we heard a rustling in a nearby potted plant. Looking over, we saw a speckled black hen sitting atop the eggs she had laid in there.

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Wally has a special affinity for these snakelike creatures called nagas

Dhamma Hall

Wally and I then proceeded to the largest and most recent structure within the complex. The two-story Ho Phra Monthiantham was erected by Abbot Phra Udom Kitti Mongkun and replaced the original wooden building that occupied the site in time for the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s reign. Its entrance is guarded and flanked by makaras, creatures from Hindu mythology that possess the body of a dolphin combined with a crocodile.

The mondop style structure was influenced by the mandapa temples of Northern India and is characterized by a cruciform-shaped building, multi-tiered roof with upturned flame-like naga finials and a wraparound porch on the upper floor, topped with a spire.  

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Buddhist temples are filled with various statues in all sorts of mismatched styles

We took the staircase to the second floor, which contains the largest solid teak Buddha image in Chiang Mai. Painted in white and pale yellow, it was carved after a vision by King Sanphet II in the late 16th century, when he defeated the Burmese forces near Ban Muang Ngai, Thailand. This vision is depicted in the carved wood panels on the east wall. It’s believed to be 400 years old, and like the small viharn Buddha, is seated in the Bhumisparsha mudra, with additional smaller cast metal Buddha images in this position as well.

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This playful mural by the artist Pornchai Jaima shows people worshipping a sacred tree

Expressive contemporary hand-painted murals by Thai artist Pornchai Jaima cover the walls of the lower level and possess a vivid, dreamlike depiction of traditional village life rendered in richly saturated hues.

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Wally at Wat Bupphram, one of his favorite temples in Chiang Mai

Wat Buppharam features a combination of traditional elements and a dash of humor, which ended up making it onto Wally’s shortlist of favorites. Part of that had to do with Donald Duck I’m sure.

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Wat Buppharam
Tha Phae Road
Tambon Chang Moi
Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai
Chang Wat
Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand

The Monsters of “Supernatural,” Season 2, Episodes 1-3

In which we’re visited by the Grim Reaper, the original vampire baddie Vlad the Impaler and the Hindu shapeshifter rakshasa. Plus, we play with a Ouija board and learn how to make Abramelin Oil.

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What’s a Halloween party without a Ouija board? It’s the best time to talk with the dead

We had a phase in college when we’d whip out the Ouija board and try to talk to the spirits we were sure roamed our dorm. A group of my friends was sitting around the board when I walked in one night. Nothing was happening.

I took a seat — and suddenly the planchette started darting around, spelling out a story of a young girl who had drowned.

“Vlad is said to have invited a large group to dinner, had them stabbed and then impaled their still-twitching bodies.”

Of course everyone thought I was nudging it along, so they had me sit the next round out. The planchette didn’t budge.

“See?” one of them said. “He was totally pushing it.”

“I’ll tell you what,” I replied. “I’ll go back in, but I won’t touch it.” And I left my fingers hovering an inch or so above the planchette. It started darting around again. Everyone freaked out — and my connection to the spiritual realm was undisputed.
 

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A reaper reveals itself

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S2E1: “In My Time of Dying”

Monster: Reaper

Where it’s from: All over the world

Description: The reapers of Supernatural can alter perceptions. So this one appears to Dean as a pretty girl since he didn’t like her natural (spectral, freakyass) form.
Typically, the Grim Reaper is depicted as a skeleton wearing a black hooded robe, often carrying a scythe.

We covered reapers in a previous Supernatural roundup.

The ep also mentions fetches. These creatures from English and Irish folklore look just like you, but the time you see them makes all the difference. If you see your double in the morning, good news! You’re going to have a nice long life. See a fetch at night, and you’re soon to be a goner.

Queen Elizabeth I of England was shocked to find a corpse lying on her bed. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the body was identical to her own. She died shortly thereafter.

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Queen Elizabeth saw a fetch lying on her bed — and she died not long after

What it does: What do you think the personification of death does? It kills you, duh.

If you’d like to communicate with someone who’s died, do like Sam and break out the Ouija board (oh, I’m sorry, I mean the Mystical Talking Board).

Norman Rockwell painted a scene of a couple using a Ouija board for a cover of The Saturday Evening Post

The Ouija board debuted in 1891, and for $1.50 you could have the opportunity to answer questions “about the past, present and future with marvelous accuracy,” according to an ad at the time.

Victorians were obsessed with spiritualism and occultism.

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Victorians were kind of obsessed with spiritualism and trying to speak with the dead

“Communicating with the dead was common — it wasn’t seen as bizarre or weird,” explains Robert Murch, who has researched the history of Ouija boards.

How to defeat it: You can’t kill death, silly.

The fellas mention a couple of items they learn are used to summon a demon. Oil of Abramelin is on the list. It’s a hoodoo formula named for its inclusion in a medieval grimoire called The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, written by a man with the unfortunate appellation Abraham of Worms. He was a 15th century Jewish Kabbalist who adapted from the Jewish Holy Oil of the Tanakh. Moses whipped up a batch in the Bible’s Book of Exodus.

Abramelin the Mage. I’m sure he’s slathered in his namesake oil

Old Wormy said that the oil is a part of rituals that involve “the gifts of flight, treasure-finding and invisibility, as well as the power to cast effective love spells.”

The sex-crazed ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley believed Abramelin Oil “consecrates everything that is touched with it.”

There’s a lot of talk about variations on the recipe, some of which resulted from a French dude’s mistranslation. Here’s one that seems legit (and not overly archaic).

Abramelin Oil

• 4 parts cinnamon bark quills, reduced to powder

• 2 parts myrrh resin, finely ground

• 1 part calamus chopped root, reduced to powder

• half of the foregoing total weight olive oil

The mixture is macerated for one month, then decanted and bottled for use, producing a fragrant oil suitable for anointing the body. It may be applied liberally, after the manner of traditional Jewish holy oils, such as the one that was poured on Aaron’s head until it ran down his beard. 

Daddy Winchester also wanted acacia. And though he had lied about the reason he wanted those ingredients, acacia is more likely to be used for protection than for summoning a demon. The bush has become a symbol of renewal, strength and purity, as well as immortality due to its evergreen nature, according to Building Beautiful Souls. It was common in Hebrew tradition to plant an acacia at the head of a person’s grave. The instructions for Noah’s Ark were written on acacia wood. And in Tibet, acacia incense wards off evil spirits.

The only way you could really beat death is to make a swap — a life for a life. John sacrifices himself to get the reaper off Dean’s back.

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The Hindu demon rakshasha is known for tearing people apart

S2E2: “Everybody Loves a Clown”

Monster: Rakshasa, a Hindu monster

Where it’s from: India

Description: These demons can shapeshift into any animal or monster they wish. Sculptors were told to carve them with a “terrifying appearance, complete with fearful side tusks, ugly eyes, curling awkward brows, and carrying a variety of horrible weapons.”

In the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, Hanuman, the monkey god, enters a town full of rakshasas:

“Some of them disgusted the eye, while some were beautiful to look upon. Some had long arms and frightful shapes; some were very fat and some were very lean; some were mere dwarfs and some were prodigiously tall. Some had only one eye and others only one ear. Some had monstrous bellies, hanging breasts, long projecting teeth and crooked thighs; whilst others were exceedingly beautiful to behold and clothed in great splendour. Some had two legs, some three legs, and some four legs. Some had the heads of serpents, some the heads of donkeys, some the heads of horses and some the heads of elephants.”

What it does: Well, they devour people. And sleep on beds full of insects.

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Ravana, the 10-headed King of Rakshasas kidnapped the lovely Sita in the Hindu epic the Ramayana

Rakshasas are ruled by their 10-headed king, Ravana, arguably the main villain in the Ramayana. “He was possibly a wonderful leader,” writes Vampires.com. “He was also a murdering rapist who ate people.”

Ravana makes an appearance shaking a mountain on a carving in a temple in the Angkor complex in Cambodia.

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We probably don’t even want to know what this rakshasa is up to

“Rakshasas are notorious for disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human beings and so on,” according to the New World Encyclopedia.

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Rakshasas can shapeshift, enjoy devouring people and always fade away at the start of a new day

How to defeat it: A rakshasa’s power grows in the evening, and they’re at their strongest during the dark of a new moon. But they disappear with the rising of the sun.

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The rakshasa page from the AD&D Monster Manual

On the show, they must be invited in, like some vampire legends.

The Brothers Winchester kill the rakshasa with a dagger made of pure brass.

If you play D&D, here are the stats for a rakshasa. Not only can you fight them, you play a rakshasa character!

They don’t give out medals for dungeon masters extraordinaire…but if they did, my friend Mike would receive one. I asked him what he thought about rakshasas in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.

“Rakshasas are one of my fave monsters!” he said. “They focus on stealth and deception, they possess both powerful magical abilities and immunities, and they can more than hold their own in physical combat. If you’re looking for a big bad for a story arc, rakshasas are the perfect masterminds.”

Wally has always secretly wanted to be a vampire

S2E3: “Bloodlust”

Monster: Vampire

Description: You all know what vampires look like. For more background, we first covered vampires on Supernatural in this post.

What it does: Here’s where we get into moral ambiguity: What exactly makes something a monster? Are vampires inherently evil? What about the ones in this brood who don’t hurt humans but instead drink cow blood? (Does it matter that they do so mostly so there aren’t missing people that will lead hunters to them?) Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Vlad Tepes, a Romanian prince from the 1400s, became the infamous Dracula

As for our modern vampire folklore, many trace it back to the man who became Dracula: Vlad III, known as Dracul (Drăculea in old Romanian). He also earned the name Vlad Tepes (which translates to “the Impaler”). That gives you an idea of his favorite hobby.

Born in 1431, Vlad was the prince of Wallachia in what is now Romania. He might not have been the monster we’ve all been taught to believe.

“His preferred method of execution, impalement, wasn’t just a sadistic way to get rid of his opponents; it was also a good way to scare them away,” Florin Curta, a professor of medieval history at the University of Florida, told Live Science.

Vlad the Impaler is said to have enjoyed dining amidst his eccentric décor (bodies impaled upon stakes)

His habit of impaling Ottoman invaders was a form of psychological warfare used to level the playing field with an army much larger than his own. It doesn’t quite explain why he used that horrific means of death on Saxon merchants and local nobles he feared would question his authority. (He’s said to have invited a large group to dinner, had them stabbed and then impaled their still-twitching bodies.)

Some say his cruelty went even further. “He would impale women for nothing, his reason being they weren’t working hard enough. Some say he took sexual pleasure from this. He even impaled the children and the elderly because to him, they were useless,” according to The Good, the Bad and the Monstrous.

Apparently, it wasn’t the only way Dracula punished his enemies, according to the website Vlad the Impaler. He also was fond of “cutting of limbs, blinding, strangulation, burning, cutting off noses and ears, mutilation of sexual organs, scalping, skinning, exposure to the elements or to wild animals and boiling alive.”

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Are vampires inherently evil? Would you slay one if it only dined on animal blood?

There’s evidence that Vlad would insert the spike through his victims’ rectums and angle it to avoid hitting the vital organs so the person would live as long as possible.

One of the myths surrounding Dracula is that he drank the blood of his enemies. Turns out the original source, a German poem, actually says he really just liked to wash his hands in the blood of his enemies before he ate dinner. Bon appétit!

How to defeat it: If you’re in danger, cut its friggin’ head off. –Wally

“He was possibly a wonderful leader.
He was also a murdering rapist who ate people.”

The Indian Caste System Explained

Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, untouchable: How did the caste system get started, what is the difference between castes — and how does this shameful practice persist to this day?

Quite a few Asian cultures I’ve experienced think of the head as the holiest of body parts and the feet as the filthiest. Sure, that can be taken literally — but it applies on the spiritual level as well.

In India, they’ve taken this concept to the next level, connecting body parts with actual societal classes. They’ve used that belief to help justify a horrific system of oppression.

“The “untouchables” are forced to perform the worst jobs, including cleaning public toilets, raising so-called unclean animals like pigs, curing hides and sweeping streets.”

What is the caste system?

Think of it as the opposite of the American Dream. In the caste system, people are born into their situation in life, including the occupations open to them. And because they can only marry people within their caste, it’s a vicious cycle that never ends.

“Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue” as well as the social interactions he or she is allowed, according to Dummies, the company that brings us those …for Dummies books.

“The most obvious problem with this system was that under its rigidity, the lower castes were prevented from aspiring to climb higher, and, therefore, economic progress was restricted,” the site reports.

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Each caste is said to have come from a different part of the body of Brahma, the Hindu creator god

What exactly are the main castes — and how do they relate to the body?

Each caste is affiliated with a part of the body of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.

Brahmins: These are the top dogs. They’re mostly priests, teachers and scholars who supposedly came from Brahma’s heads, or mouths (he had four).

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Brahmins are the highest caste in India, composed of priests and those lucky enough to be well educated

Kshatriyas: These are the warriors and rulers, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they originated from Brahma’s arms. Nowadays, they tend to be bureaucrats working in public administration, maintenance of law and order, and defense.

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The highest secular class, Kshatriyas include the subcaste Rajputs. Traditionally, they were warriors

Vaishyas: This caste consists of the merchants and traders (e.g., businessmen) as well as farmers, cattle herders and artisans. Hindu myth states that they were created from Brahma’s thighs.

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The Vaishya caste includes farmers and those involved in business

Shudras: Also called Sudras, this low caste is comprised of menial laborers and service providers. They derive from Brahma’s feet.

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A still from the 2012 Hindi movie Shudra: The Rising?, about the poor treatment of this low caste (I’m pretty sure most of them aren’t this hot)

Avarnas/Dalits: The “untouchables” are forced to perform the worst jobs, including cleaning public toilets, raising so-called unclean animals like pigs, curing hides and sweeping streets. Dalit is the more modern term for this class and translates to “oppressed.”

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So low on the totem pole, they’re technically outside of the caste system, Dalits, or untouchables, are relegated to jobs deemed too unclean for the rest of society

These castes get broken down into subsets as well by region.

How did the caste system get started?

It was written in the book — the Manusmriti, that is. This tome, dating back to 1000 BCE or more, is widely regarded to be the most important and authoritative book on Hindu law, the BBC reports. It “acknowledges and justifies the caste system as the basis of order and regularity of society.”

This social stratification might go back even further than that, according to The Logical Indian: The site states that the first mention was called “the Varna system” and was in the Rig Veda, an ancient Indian hymnal believed to have been written between 1500 and 800 BCE.

How does the caste system work?

“The upper and lower castes almost always lived in segregated colonies, the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and one could marry only within one’s caste,” according to the BBC.

If it sounds awful, it was: The caste system trapped people into a social stratification they couldn’t escape from.

The ancient texts helped perpetuate stereotypes about each caste, the Logical Indian reports. “Brahmins were considered to be pure, wise and gentle; Kshatriyas were linked with anger, pleasure and boldness; Vaishyas were deemed to be hard-working people living off the plough; and Shudras were associated with violence and impurity, worthy of contempt.”

Isn’t the caste system supposed to have been abolished?

It was, in 1950. Legally, at least. The constitution banned discrimination on the basis of caste, and, in an attempt to correct historical injustices and provide a level playing field to the traditionally disadvantaged, the authorities announced quotas in government jobs and educational institutions for the lowest castes.

By 1990, the quota rose to just under 50%, applying to groups the government classified by such charming names as “Other Backward Classes,” “Scheduled Castes” and “Scheduled Tribes.”

Mahatma Gandhi fought for the rights of the Dalits, calling them Harijans, or the Children of God.

What about the deadly protests against the caste system?

“Outbreaks of violent protests have raked into an ugly spotlight the views of those people who are dissatisfied with affirmative action,” CNN writes.

In February 2016, the Jats, a well-off group of farmers and traders from Northern India, protested. By the end, 30 people had been killed while clashing with the police, buildings were burned, and canals damaged.

Have there been any success stories for those from lower castes?

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K.R. Narayanan, the first Dalit president in India — and hopefully not the last

There have been some strides towards equality thanks to the quota system, including the election of a Dalit president, K.R. Narayanan, in 1997.

Despite this, only one Harijan in 3,000 can read (compared with India’s average of one in six) and Harijans make up 33% of India’s landless, The Guardian writes.

Some of the lower castes have sought refuge in Buddhism, while others have found urban centers to be an easier place to mix with other castes.

Discrimination and prejudice continue to this day, our friend Prakash told us when we visited Vadodara, India. He’s a Dalit, whose parents are both school janitors. He explained that many Indians today judge people by their skin color. The lower castes tend to have darker skin, which is seen as less desirable by many.

“If it sounds awful, it was: The caste system trapped people into a social stratification they couldn’t escape from.”

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These images come from the manuscript Seventy-two Specimens of Castes in India. They were all hand-painted portraits of people living in Madura, India. The album dates back to 1837 and was compiled by the Indian writing master at an American missionary school and was given to a Reverend William Twining. –Wally

Angkor Wat, a Little Bit of Heaven in Siem Reap

Discover why this is our favorite ancient Hindu and Buddhist temple complex and a must-experience part of Cambodia tourism.

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The legendary Angkor Wat

I was well into adulthood before taking my first international trip abroad. When I was growing up, I often daydreamed about exotic destinations, visiting the library and collecting travel brochures from AM&A’s, one of the local department stores that had an in-store travel agency. I even remember draping wild grapevines from the rafters of our family’s basement and pretending I was somewhere in the Italian countryside.

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Buddhist monks in saffron robes cross the bridge that leads to the giant temple

I’m not the most spiritual individual — I tried to smuggle a communion wafer out of church when I was growing up; I wanted to see what the body of Christ looked like, after all. But when the ancient and magnificent temple of Angkor Wat lay before us, I was awestruck by its jaw-dropping scale and grandeur. It’s believed to be the largest religious structure in the world. It’s no wonder UNESCO named Angkor Wat a World Heritage Site in 1992.

“Some believe that Angkor Wat appeared overnight, constructed by divine forces.”

Translated from Khmer, the name Angkor Wat literally means “City Temple.” Built by King Suryavarman II, it was the former capital of the Khmer empire and has remained in continuous use since its completion in the early 12th century. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu but eventually shifted to Theravada Buddhism in the 14th century.

The complex is oriented to the west, which has led several historians to believe that Suryavarman intended it to be his tomb. Symbolically, west is the direction of the setting sun and death, but is also associated with Vishnu, who the temple was originally dedicated to. Suryavarman’s devotion is also shown in the posthumous name he was given, Paramavishnuloka, which means “He Who Is in the Supreme Abode of Vishnu.” Whether this anecdote is true or not, it does makes for an interesting theory.

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Our group poses in front of Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world. Take that, Saint Peter’s!

Wat an Adventure!

Angkor Wat is composed of a series of elevated towers, covered galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards on different levels linked by stairways. The most famous and best preserved of the temples located within the Angkor Archeological Park, it has been featured on Cambodia’s national flag since 1863.

Four of the five towers represent the peaks surrounding Mount Meru, the home of Hindu gods, with the larger central shrine tower acting as the mythic mount itself. According to local lore, the temple was ordered by the deity Indra, the King of the Gods, to act as an earthly palace for his son Precha Kat Mealea. Some even believe that it appeared overnight, constructed by divine forces.

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Originally a Hindu temple, you now find shrines to the Buddha tucked into various nooks throughout Angkor Wat

The concentric galleries represent the outer lands, with the inner courtyard containing the central tower. This was the most sacred part of the complex and most likely held a statue of Vishnu.

The moat surrounding Angkor Wat, fed by a canal from the Siem Reap River,  simulates the ocean encircling Mount Meru. It provided water to the city’s inhabitants and was an integral part of their agrarian culture — it served to irrigate rice fields, and the crops were used as a form of currency.

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Many of the bas-relief carvings at Angkor Wat depict warfare

The stone causeway leading to the temple is flanked by a naga balustrade whose ends culminate with its seven raised snake heads.

The outer gallery of Angkor Wat contains intricate bas-relief carvings depicting historical events and stories from Hindu mythology. It has more than 3,000 representations of heavenly nymphs known as apsaras carved into its walls. Each apsara is unique, from its elaborate headdress to its plaited hair and jewelry.

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Three of the 3,000 depictions of buxom celestial spirits known as apsaras

A sandstone structure located within the heart of the temple complex is believed to have served as one of the libraries at Angkor Wat. The symmetrical cruciform structure would have held sacred manuscripts. Some of the columns have been replaced with cement copies for structural support.

An eight-armed statue of Vishnu stands to the south of the central tower, which may originally have been enshrined within. The statue is known as Ta Reach, and it is worshipped by Hindu visitors and Buddhist locals as well, as its head was replaced by that of a Buddha.

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Sugiva, the Monkey King, and his army of warriors

The centuries-old Angkor Wat temple is an integral part of the Khmer legacy and worthy of spending several hours wandering through. Be sure to head there early to avoid the crowds. –Duke

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Take a virtual tour of Angkor Wat!

Courtesy of www.AirPano.com

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Ellora Caves: A Guide to the Amazing Rock-Cut Temples

Two women sit on the steps of the massive Hindu temple at Ellora Caves in India

Stunning examples of Indian architecture, Ellora features Buddhist, Hindu and Jain sanctuaries carved out of the side of the hills.

There must be something super-sacred about this spot. Practitioners of three different religions built halls of worship in the Ellora Caves: Jains, Hindus and Buddhists.

Something I found remarkable about Ellora is that the varying structures operating side-by-side illustrated the tolerance of religious belief.

“It’s one of the coolest ancient temples we’ve ever been in. This extraordinary multi-storied temple was carved out of a single rock from the top down. ”

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 34 sanctuaries were constructed from 600 to 1000 CE. It’s likely that the Buddhist caves were the earliest, consisting mostly of viharas or monasteries, including living quarters — though there’s some debate as to whether the Hindu complex preceded this.

The Ellora Caves are located much closer to Aurangabad and less remote than Ajanta. As we neared the entrance to the complex, we were excited to catch a glimpse of langur monkeys, traditionally identified with the Hindu god Hanuman.

RELATED: What to Know Before You Go

A testament to the engineering and skill of ancient India, these extraordinary caves are a combination of temples and monasteries hewn from the basalt cliffs. It's mind-boggling that such works of exquisite beauty were built with nothing more than rudimentary tools such as hammers and mason’s chisels.

The Jain Complex

A Buddhist monk in front of the entrance to a shrine at Cave 32

We began at the Jain caves, which drew their inspiration from the older caves and were the last of the temples to be built. While smaller in scale to the ones we were to encounter after, they were still intricately carved and impressive. The Indra Sabha, or Cave 32, features two stories of elaborately carved sculptures and a gorgeous balcony.

The figure in the central shrine is a jina, the Jain equivalent of an enlightened being. This one features Mahavir, the last of the Jain saviors.

Cave 32, the most spectacular of the Jain complex at Ellora

This statue in Cave 32 depicts either Ambika, the Jain mother goddess, or Siddhayika, a yakshini, or fairy-like creature. She's seated upon a lion beneath a tree heavy with fruit

Thai monks were gathered around a man wearing a white kurta with henna-colored hair — which signifies that he has undergone the hajj, having made the required pilgrimage to Mecca.

A jina, or enlightened being, at the back of Cave 32 at Ellora

Duke on the what's called the verandah, on the upper story of Cave 32 at Ellora

Monks in bright saffron robes can be seen throughout the Ellora complex, including the stunning second story of Cave 32

Outside Cave 32, we heard a shrill, high-pitched sound and scanned the escarpment for the source. I mistook it for a bird and was surprised to discover that the sound was coming from a chipmunk several feet above us.

Nearby Cave 31 contains representations of jains or tirthankaras, liberated souls who have succeeded in ending the cycle of rebirth and teach others the path to enlightenment.

An Amazing Hindu Temple

Kailasa, the large Hindu temple in the Ellora Caves complex

The second groups of caves are Hindu. The largest, Cave 16, is known as Kailasa or Kailashnath (Silver Mountain). Designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, it’s one of the coolest ancient temples we’ve ever been in. This extraordinary multi-storied temple was carved out of a single rock from the top down.

It originally had a thick coat of white plaster to make it appear like a snow-covered (silver) mountain. 

The construction of this temple entailed the removal of an estimated 250,000 tons of rock over the course of a century. The complex covers an area twice the size of the Parthenon in Athens.

The main hall on the first floor has well-decorated balconies. A central door leads to the shrine at the back containing the great lingam. The small chamber was quite crowded with worshippers pressed around the phallic symbol, touching it reverently and leaving offerings of flowers and money.

Inside the Hindu temple, visitors bustled around, but it was almost eerily quiet

A carving of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, killing his demon son Andhaka for trying to abduct Parvati, the goddess of love and fertility, in the Kailasa temple at Ellora

We were there on a Saturday, which is a school day for Indian children. Because the cave complex is a popular field trip, it was abuzz with uniformed girls and boys. The girls were quieter and more composed, as opposed to the boys who howled and tore through the complex.

Everywhere we went, Indians wanted to take pictures of or with us. Eventually, Wally started giving them our camera so we could capture the moment as well

We were stopped by schoolboys who asked where we were from and if they could take a picture with us. They would thank us, giggling and running away after.

The Brahmanical Group

In the center of this carving in Cave 14, Varaha, the boar-headed avatar of Vishnu, rescues the Earth goddess by holding back the engulfing ocean

Cave 21, part of the Hindu temples at Ellora in India

Cave 21 has an attractive façade featuring figures of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. Close by is Cave 22, in front of which is Nandi, the bull that Shiva rode around on, perched atop its usual raised platform.

The two river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna are highlights of Cave 21 at Ellora

Cave 22: Duke was kind of obsessed with the Nandi bull, the mount of the god Shiva

This lion guards Cave 29 — though Wally thinks it looks more like a walrus

Cave 29, known as the Dhumar Lena, contains a hall supported by 26 massive pillars in the form of a cross. Two large lions with small elephants under their paws guard the steps that lead to the hall from three sides. 

The verandah near the entrance is dominated by a huge Shiva with eight arms. It is a powerful depiction of the god in his terrible form. Another colossal Shiva in the portico dances in destructive fury. A beautiful Yamuna river goddess waits outside.

We really enjoyed exploring Cave 29 — it was quite large, dark and moody. Temple guards known as dwarpalas lined the walls. At the back, a flame flickered, illuminating floral offerings, while off to the side, the temple opened up to daylight, and Wally and I played along the narrow side of the structure.

The Buddhist Caves

We had climbed a set of stairs and exited onto the upper story of Cave 9 when Wally noticed a group of Thai monks feeding a group of langur monkeys. They were surprisingly docile, long-tailed and black-faced (the monkeys, not the monks). I quickly swapped lenses and took some zoomed-in photographs of them. While I'm kind of obsessed with monkeys, they’re just so unpredictable and wild, I know to cautiously keep my distance. 

The most famous of the Buddhist sanctuaries is Cave 10, known at the Vishwakarma, named after the presiding deity of craftsmen and architects. This horseshoe-shaped prayer hall features a soaring vaulted ceiling of rock-cut ribs created to imitate the roof structure of wooden temples. The central stupa has a Buddha figure emerging from it.

Cave 10, one of the Buddhist caves, is known for its rib-like roof

A worshipper lies prostrate in front of the carving of the Buddha in Cave 10

We were fortunate enough to experience a monk chanting in Cave 10. The acoustics of the stone structure amplified the ritual chant until it filled the interior.

Take a virtual tour of Ellora: This site features hundreds of photos from every cave in the complex.

All in all, we spent a very enjoyable day exploring this diverse complex: the Jain temples, with their elaborate flourishes, the serene and simple Buddhist caves, and the popular, impressive Hindu sanctuaries filled with carvings of strange deities. Because of its diversity, we recommend Ellora over Ajanta if you only have one day in the area. –Duke

Holy Cow! Sacred Cow!

Cows like these have free rein in India, where they are revered by Hindus.

Why are cows in India revered as holy? A look at Hindu history reveals why bovines are so blessed there.

Let’s face it. Cows aren’t the most noble of beasts.

If you were to tell me that the world’s 900 million Hindus revered horses above all other creatures, I’d get it. They’re fast, graceful, gorgeous and more than a teensy bit intimidating.

“As cows amble along those dirty, dusty streets, you see them chomping away at the ever-present piles of garbage.

It’s enough to make you think that Indians have a funny way of showing their devotion.”

But their gangly, cud-chewing brethren? I really don’t get it.

Don’t Have a Cow, Man

Historian Mukul Kesavan helps reveal the Indian mindset: “For Hindus, the desi cow is a beautiful thing,” he writes. “Its large eyes, its calm, its matte skin tinted in a muted palette that runs from off-white to grey through beige and brown, its painterly silhouette with its signature hump, make it the most evolved of animals.”

Seeing cows in action in India made me think otherwise. Sure, they have the ultimate right of way on the chaotic, congested roads, causing many a traffic jam. But as they amble along those dirty, dusty streets, you see them chomping away at the ever-present piles of garbage. 

It’s enough to make you think that Indians have a funny way of showing their devotion.

Despite this, though, Hindus do take their beliefs seriously. In September 2015, a 50-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh was lynched by a mob. His crime? There were rumors that his family had been storing and eating beef.

Where’s the Beef?

I decided to investigate the root of this bovine reverence.

Turns out Hindus don’t worship cows so much as forbid worshippers from killing them, according to ReligionFacts. 

Some of the Rigveda, ancient Sanskrit hymns, refer to the cow as the goddess Devi as well as Aditi, the mother of the gods herself. Cows were also a favorite of Lord Krishna.

“He is said to have appeared 5,000 years ago as a cowherd and is often described as bala-gopala, ‘the child who protects the cows,’” PBS reports. “Another of Krishna’s holy names, Govinda, means ‘one who brings satisfaction to the cows.’ Other scriptures identify the cow as the ‘mother’ of all civilization, its milk nurturing the population.”

Thousands of years ago, Hindus stopped eating beef.

“This was most likely for practical reasons as well as spiritual,” ReligionFacts says. “It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, browned butter for lamps and fuel from dried dung.”

Panchagavya — a fermented concoction using cow’s milk, curds, ghee butter, urine and dung — is consumed by Hindu worshippers (shudder). 

“Most Indians do not share the Western revulsion at cow excrement,” according to ReligionFacts, “but instead consider it an earthy and useful natural product.”

By the early centuries CE, a cow became the appropriate gift to present to a brahman, one of Indian society’s high-caste priests. So revered were cows that killing one was seen as being equal to murdering a brahman. 

Gandhi went so far as to say, “If someone were to ask me what the most important outward manifestation of Hinduism was, I would suggest that it was the idea of cow protection.”

Keep It Moo-ving

Not all Indians view the cow so favorably, though.

“What is the greatest traffic hazard in Delhi today? Cows,” writes Bibek Debroy, a columnist for India’s Financial Express, according to PBS. “As our national animal, the tiger may be close to extinction. But the cow is very much around and may soon become our new national animal.”

How to deal with these menaces to society? Debroy offers a tongue-in-cheek solution, PBS continues. “Let them have reflectors and, if not license plates, at least identity cards. Only genuine Delhi cows should be eligible for social security and other benefits.” –Wally

Places to Visit in Vadodara: Ganesha Temple and Sayaji Baug

Visitors leave their shoes outside the Dhundiraj Ganpati Mandir temple in Baroda, India

The zoo is a popular attraction, while the Dhundiraj Ganpati Mandir Temple could be Baroda’s best-kept secret.

At the edge of Sursagar Lake, we asked an auto rickshaw driver if he could take us to the Dhundiraj Ganpati Temple, which is located deep within the city’s old quarter.

He responded with, “OK, OK,” which George warned us is what Indians say no matter what you ask. In this case, I’d like to point out that “OK’’ didn’t mean that the driver knew exactly where the temple was. We quickly realized this, as he proceeded to get lost and stopped frequently, asking for directions, bumming a cigarette off a couple of nonplussed college students.

“Patrons looked upon the mouse deity with reverence, genuflecting and kissing its feet.”

As we made our way into the winding streets of the old quarter, we passed innumerable buildings, some crumbling, while others have collapsed into rubble.

George commented, “They don't even know how to get around their own city — but how could they?" And he’s right. Baroda’s labyrinthine lanes are as if a child imagined it, with every usable square foot of space occupied.

When we finally arrived, it turned out the Mandir was closed. Our driver got out and knocked on a doorway not far from the temple entrance to ask what time it opens. That’s not something that would have occurred to us Westerners. We would have just looked for a sign, and not finding one, would have left disappointed.

Check out the snouts on these gharial crocodiles at the zoo in Baroda

Zootopia

We had hours to kill before the temple opened, so we headed off to the zoo.

En route, we passed the Baroda Museum and Gallery. The structure was designed to resemble the Victoria & Albert Museum of London. Built in 1894, it contains a collection of art, sculpture, ethnography and ethnology.

The zoo is part of a large park called Sayaji Baug. We strolled past a small mound with a sun motif that turned out to be a clock made of flowers.

We also crossed over train tracks. The train was a gift to the children of Baroda from the Gaekwad dynasty and has since been replaced with a larger version that also accommodates adults.

Our favorite part of the zoo was the gharial crocodiles. The name originates from the Hindu word ghara, which is a clay pot with a long neck, much like their narrow snout shape. The male crocodile has a bulbous growth at the end of its snout.

Time for a Temple Run

Later that day, we returned to Dundiraj Ganpati Mandir, which was built 169 years ago. One of the city’s oldest, most cherished temples dedicated to the elephant-headed god Ganesha, it’s the only one made completely out of wood.

An intricately carved and painted door at the wooden Dhundiraj Ganpati Mandir Temple in Vadodara, India

The temple exterior is a pale green and quite dilapidated. But as you pass through the entrance doors and into a small courtyard, the temple itself appears in a lovely shade of blue.

Worshippers kiss the feet of Kroncha, a mouse deity, at a temple in Vadodara, India

The first thing we saw was Kroncha, the mouse. Instead of being in his usual spot at the feet of Ganesha, he was located atop a pedestal. Patrons looked upon the deity with reverence, genuflecting and kissing its feet. Perhaps one of the reasons he's a popular Hindu deity is that he is known as the destroyer of all obstacles. And here we thought elephants were scared of mice.

Worshippers inside a temple to Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity

The marble idol of Lord Ganesha is placed with idols of his wives Riddhi and Siddhi within the inner temple.

The Buddha's footprints at the Dhundiraj Ganpati Mandir Temple in Baroda, India

Off to the side of the temple, in a courtyard in the back, don’t miss the Buddha’s stone footprints, which were covered with scattered petals or puja, a ritual offering of flowers as a symbol of love and devotion.

The temple's not easy to get to — but it's worth the effort. –Duke