Asia travel - Robert Scheer's Blog

Ancient Stone Sculptures in Mamallapuram, India

The stone seemed alive with elephants, snakes, gods, goddesses, cats, mice and hundreds more fascinating creatures from Hindu folklore. They were inside the world’s largest bas relief sculpture, more than 88 feet wide and 30 feet high. What made the enormous stone carving even more amazing was the fact it was 1400 years old.

The sculpture, known as Arjuna’s Penance, illustrates an ancient Indian flood myth. Similar to Noah, its central character is Arjuna, who did penance to the Lord Shiva and thereby prevented the world from being inundated when the river Ganges descended from Heaven. Looking at this stone carving was like playing a three-dimensional “Where’s Waldo” game, but I finally identified Arjuna, standing on one foot with his arms outstretched above his head.

I was in the seaside village of Mamallapuram (also called Mahabalipuram) on the Bay of Bengal, about 60 kilometers south of Chennai (formerly Madras) in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. My guide, knowing I wanted to take pictures of the famous stone carving, took me straight to Arjuna’s Penance before we stopped for lunch. A few hours later, the details would have been obscured by afternoon shadows.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mamallapuram boasts at least 30 monumental stone works of art. More than thirteen centuries ago, during the reign of King Narasimha Varman I, (630 – 668 A.D.) outcroppings of stone dotting the landscape were painstakingly shaped into temples, caves and other fantastic structures.

About four kilometers north of town is a sculpture called the Tiger Cave, although it’s not really a cave, and it has nothing to do with tigers.

It’s actually an amphitheater fashioned from a single giant boulder. Surrounding the hollowed-out stage are nine carvings of mythological animals known as yalis.

In the 19th century, when India was being colonized, British explorers incorrectly identified the yalis as tigers, and the name has remained. I was there on a hot, sunny day when the area was filled with families enjoying a day at the beach.

Four schoolgirls, neatly dressed in blue and white uniforms, waited politely while I took pictures. When I finished, they ran, giggling, into the cool shade of the cave.

Although there is no admission fee for Arjuna’s Penance and the Tiger Cave, a 250 rupee ticket (about $7.00 Canadian) is required to visit the two most important stone carving sites, the Five Rathas and the Shore Temple.

Ratha means “chariot,” but the Five Rathas reminded me of a gigantic sandcastle display, except that the fairytale structures were intricately hand-carved from solid rock, some of them soaring several stories tall. It was a national holiday, Gandhi’s birthday, and busloads of children, swarmed around the sculptures.

The air was cooler at the Shore Temple, where a light breeze was blowing off the Bay of Bengal. Once ocean waves had lapped directly against the temple, and some of the intricate detail work became eroded, so a stone jetty was built, re-locating the shoreline several meters farther east, and protecting the ancient carvings from further damage.

If you’re up on your Hindu symbolism, you’ll know that the row of stone bulls outside the temple identify the shrine as devoted to Lord Shiva.

As I walked through the town, I realized that rock carvings are just one aspect of Mamallapuram’s many charms.

A woman offered to read my palm. A trio of goats browsed among the shrubbery. A small green parrot assisted a fortune-teller by picking cards out of a deck. Little girls splashed under a lawn sprinkler. A group of teenage boys asked me to pose in a picture with them.

Everywhere vendors were selling stone carvings. There is a Government School of Sculpture in town, and — especially if you’re a tall white guy with a camera around your neck — it’s hard to avoid hawkers offering you locally made miniature stone dancing Shivas or elephant-headed Ganesh statues.

There was a tree-lined path leading from my hotel, the Sea Breeze, to a long, sandy beach and the Bay of Bengal. As I walked, the silhouette of the Shore Temple appeared a few hundred meters to the right.

Nearing the water, I noticed that the beach was lined with what looked like driftwood logs. Strangely, the logs were roped together in pairs, and they had metal plates were bolted onto them.

Finally it dawned on me that these “logs” were actually boats. At the shoreline four men were balancing on one of the motorized log rafts as it headed into the surf. I later learned they are called kattumarans, the word from which catamaran is derived.

In the Tamil language, kattu-maran means bound logs. They may be the most primitive and dangerous-looking craft imaginable, but obviously they are effective. There was an abundance of seafood — grilled, fried, curried and tandoori — on the menus of Mamallapuram’s many restaurants.

Several months after my visit, Mamallapuram was struck by one of the worst natural disasters in recent history. On December 26, 2004, a 9.15 magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean created a tsunami that killed more than 283,000 people in 15 countries, and it washed right over the beach where I had stood.

In the spring of 2005, I managed to contact an India Tourism official who reassured me that Mamallapuram “returned to normalcy soon after the tsunami disaster,” and that the Hotel Sea Breeze was again functioning normally.

Moreover, there was actually a positive result caused by the tsunami. The tidal wave scoured away enough sand from the beach at Mamallapuram to reveal another ancient stone temple that had been buried for hundreds of years.

As of this writing, a team of archaeologists is in the process of investigating this “new” Shore Temple.

Private Cultural Tour: Day Trip to Mahabalipuram and Dakshinachitra from Chennai – $73.75
from: Viator

Photos © Robert Scheer:

Figures from Hindu mythology are carved into Arjuna’s Penance, the world’s largest bas relief sculpture
Mamallapuram “Tiger Cave”
A family from Chennai (formerly Madras) poses in front of one of the Five Rathas
A small green parrot assists a fortune teller by picking cards out of a deck
Kattumaran boats on the shore

Spirits Of Slain Enemies Protect Borneo Headhunter Village

KOTA KINABALU, MALAYSIA – Nine generations after a Kadazan warrior named Monsopiad became a headhunter, the spirits of his decapitated enemies still protect the village of Kuai, a picturesque cluster of bamboo buildings on the Penampang River, on the island of Borneo.

In 1790, Kuai and the surrounding villages were plagued by pirates and other attackers who broke in and stole their precious rice and other supplies. Monsopiad, the grandson of the village headman, decided something must be done to stop these disastrous and shameful raids. He organized the village youths into powerful warriors, and Monsopiad earned a fearsome reputation as the best and bravest warrior of all. Ultimately, his grisly trophy collection numbered 42 human skulls.

Today, visitors to the Monsopiad Heritage Cultural Village can view those 42 skulls hanging from the roofbeam of a reconstructed traditional longhouse, 30-minutes northwest of Kota Kinabalu, in Malaysia’s Sabah state. Bundles of curled palm leaves woven around the skulls give them a surprisingly festive appearance. The hisad leaves were carefully prepared by village priestesses. Known as Bobohizans, these highly respected women are mediums, believed to be in communication with the spirits. “One of the current high priestess is my great grandmother,” said Nicholas Dunngo, the 24-year-old guide who leads tour groups through the village. “They get the spirits to protect our rice fields and generally look after the place.”

One of the most important tasks of the Bobohizans is to perform a Feeding Ceremony, when, every three years, sacrifices are held at a stone monolith in the center of the village. Seven priestesses sacrifice seven animals over the course of the seven-day ceremony. Ideally, water buffaloes or pigs are sacrificed, but during difficult times seven chickens may be offered. At one time humans were sacrificed at the stone. They were young men from the tribe, warriors, who willingly gave their lives for the good of their community.

The monolith is a four meter tall, wedge-shaped granite stone weighing at least two tons. In honor of Monsopiad, the monolith was quarried on an island 16 km. offshore and transported, between two huge rafts, through the sea and up the river to where it has been standing for more than 200 years. It is encircled by seven tall bamboo poles called bangkaha. The tops of these poles have been split and spread open to form baskets. They are where the trophy heads of Monsopiad’s enemies were dried.

“The monolith stone is the witness,” Dunngo said. “Its name is Gintutun do Mohoing. Gintutun means spirit who lives inside and mohoing means ancestor.” He explained that the ground surrounding the monolith is the village graveyard. The bones of their ancestors lie buried below, and whenever sacrifices are made at the monolith, blood flows down to the ancestors. This is why the rite is called the Feeding Ceremony.

Under the thatched roof of the visitor center, Dunngo demonstrated how to shoot hunting darts with a long blowpipe. Later, he poured sweet rice wine into bamboo cups and offered a toast that sounded like “Ee-New-My.” He said it means “Drink for health, not drink for drink.” The wine is homemade, and Dunngo explained that there are many pantangs — taboos — associated with making it. For example, during the month the wine is fermenting the winemaker may not attend any funerals, because it is believed the spirit of the dead person could get into the wine.

The Kadazan people celebrate an annual harvest festival at the end of May, thanking God for sacrificing his only daughter so that his people will have food to eat. Visitors who arrive at the Monsopiad Heritage Cultural Village during any traditional celebrations are welcome to join in and receive a blessing from the high priestesses, as long as local customs are respected. Shoes must be removed before entering any buildings, and it is forbidden to touch, or make disrespectful remarks or gestures to the Skulls, the Bobohizans’ regalia or the ceremonial sword carried by the Keeper of the Skulls.

As with many native tribes, the Kadazan culture and spiritual beliefs are in danger of being forgotten. Fifty years ago there were 40 high priestesses. Today, only seven Bobohizans carry on their traditions for the 500 remaining Kadazan people. Dunngo says his history must survive, and he is eager for more guests to come to his 1.2 hectare heritage village. He wants potential visitors to understand that his people stopped being headhunters long ago, “Although I can think of a few people whose heads I’d like to cut off,” he joked.

In addition to guided tours, visitors may enjoy lunch, dinner, high tea, or ethnic dancing (guests are asked to participate in the dances.) Traditional Kadazan food includes hinava — very fresh raw fish marinated in lime juice and manuk om lihing — chicken cooked in native rice wine.

In January and February, visitors are welcome to help with the rice harvest using a traditional sickle. In late April, guests can take part in Magavau, a thanksgiving celebration in the House of Skulls, expressing gratitude to the spirit of the padi for a good rice crop. In July, visitors may participate in the annual planting.

Budget-priced accommodation for backpackers is also available.

Tours from Canada to Borneo are offered by Winnipeg-based Canada One Travel. For information call 1-800-668-6889. Tourism Malaysia’s Canadian office is in Vancouver (604) 689-8899. More details about Monsopiad Heritage Cultural Village are available from Borneo Legends Myths & Tours, P.O. Box 218, 89507 Penampang, Sabah, Malaysia. Tel: 6088-761336.

Photos by Robert Scheer

This was originally published in October, 2000

I visited the Monsopiad village in the summer of 2000 on a press trip organized by Malaysia Tourism. We also explored Pulau Tiga island, where the first episode of the reality TV series Survivor was staged.

On the same tour I learned about Durian fruit.

Durian: the World’s Most Repulsive Fruit Moves Upscale

KUALA LUMPUR – “No Durians Allowed” has long been the rule in hotels, taxis, tour buses and airplanes throughout Southeast Asia, due to the fruit’s powerful, foul smell. But now the durian is sharing retail space with such designer labels as Tiffany, Hermés, Gucci, Faberge and Cartier. In July, 2000 the Durian Shoppe opened in the swanky Suria KLCC shopping center, at the base of the world’s tallest building, the Petronas Towers, in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Calling itself “Malaysia’s first one stop durian haven,” the Durian Shoppe sells pancakes, crepes and cream puffs stuffed with pure durian meat, in addition to more unusual Malaysian delicacies. Apom berkuah is described on the menu as “sweet creamy durian sauce on top of a Peranakan pastry … which was brought back from near extinction.” An even more cryptic offering is durian pengat, explained as “durian meat cooked the traditional way in a variety of different ingredients and made into a creamy dessert.”

“Ninety-nine percent of people who try durian for the first time like it,” said Mr. Ishak Hassan, Durian Shoppe’s public relations manager, “but twenty percent don’t like the smell.” Mr. Hassan may have understated the aroma issue. Less charitable observers – or inhalers – have compared the act of eating a durian to bobbing for custard apples in a septic tank, or eating blancmange in an outhouse. One travel writer quipped that, when he visited a village in Thailand where the durians were ripe, he thought all their sewers had backed up.

The description of durians most frequently heard in Malaysia is that they “taste like heaven and smell like hell.” The Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was more poetic. “To eat durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience,” he said, describing the taste as “a rich butter-like custard highly flavored with almonds …but intermingled with it comes wafts of flavor that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry and other incongruities.”

A sign on the Durian Shoppe wall informs customers that durians, in some communities, are believed to be an aphrodisiac. “When the durian season is in, the sarong is up!” the poster proclaims. Another commonly held belief is that durian heats the body and increases blood pressure or heartbeat. Drinking alcohol while eating durian is thought to be dangerous, or even fatal, a myth that motivated mystery writer Stuart Cloete to concoct a plot in which a Malaysian resident murders a visitor by feeding him large quantities of durian and whiskey. Mr. Hassan suggested that mango pudding, which the Durian Shoppe also sells, has a cooling effect that will neutralize the heat generated by durian. “Drinking water out of an empty durian shell will also cool you off,” he said.

Many Malaysians boast that their durians are better than those from neighboring Asian nations. “Durians from Thailand smell rotten,” a tour guide from Sarawak told this reporter, “and Chinese durians don’t smell at all.” Her favorite is the hybrid variety known as D24, and Mr. Hassan confirmed that D24 is what the Durian Shoppe prefers.

Durians look like a cross between a football and a hedgehog. They’re oval, greenish-brown, spiky, and weigh between one and four kilograms. although some have been known to reach 14 kg. There are two durian seasons in Malaysia, with harvests in spring and fall, and they were difficult to find in mid September, although I was able to track down one fruit stand in Melaka selling D24s for 12 Ringgit, CDN$4.75, per kilogram.. That works out to about ten dollars per durian, not including your ticket on Malaysia Airlines.

Despite the durian’s incompatibility with public transportation, the “King of Fruits” can sometimes be found in North America, particularly in west coast cities with large Asian communities. In San Francisco and Vancouver there are even specialty shops that make durian ice cream. And if the Durian Shoppe has its way, their durian pancakes and apom berkuah will eventually be available across Europe and North America. The company plans to open a location in Brunei next January, and negotiations are now in progress for franchises in Taiwan and Japan. Mr. Hassan says that if any international entrepreneurs want to open a Durian Shoppe in their country, his directors are willing to talk. Interested parties may telephone 03-5162-1255 in Kuala Lumpur.

This article was originally published in 2000.

I visited Malaysia in the summer of 2000 as a guest of Malaysia Tourism with a group of travel writers who were the first journalists to visit the location where the first season of “Survivor” was staged, Pulau Tiga Island on Borneo.