The unfinished temple of Raja Bhoja

Almost half an hour's drive from Bhopal, lies the small village of Bhojpur. The chief attraction of this village is an 11th century Shiva temple, which is believed to have been built by the legendary Raja Bhoja. However, this temple was never completed. Why it was left unfinished is one among a series of mysteries that continue to baffle archaeologists, who are now putting finishing touches to the temple. In fact, there are many other things which are unique about this temple. For instance, the Shiva linga here faces west, instead of facing east, as prescribed by vastu. The linga itself is a massive one, rising to a height of 22 ft, making it the tallest Shiva linga in the country. Also, detailed line drawings of the temple have been found etched on the rocks here, which have never been found elsewhere.

Click here to read about the many mysteries of the Shiva temple of Bhojpur.

How Agra got the Taj

Emperor Shah Jahan wanted to have the Taj Mahal built at Burhanpur, where his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal died. However, Burhanpur was not destined to have the Taj for a number of reasons, as I found out, when I visited this small town in Southern Madhya Pradesh. Although not many would have heard of Burhanpur today, but during Mughal times, it occupied a prominent place in the empire, since it was a strategic point from which to control the Deccan. Even today, Burhanpur is literally, bursting with Mughal era monuments. It is quite fascinating to know that one of these could have been the Taj....

Click here to know how Burhanpur lost out on having the Taj.

Click here to read about Burhanpur's many attractions.

The lost world of Indian comics

Many of us grew up reading comics, especially indigenous ones like Amar Chitra Katha, Madhu Muskan, Diamond Comics and Indrajal, some of which incidentally, stopped publishing a few decades ago. However, the lure of these comics hasn't stopped. As I discovered, when I spoke to a cross-section of comic lovers, for many of whom, dipping into their favourite comic still remains a favourite pastime. As one of them remarked, "You can never stop reading these comics. It's like a part of you that doesn't grow up." I agree. Which is why, through this piece, here's a nostalgic look and a tribute to these old comics..

Click here to read about the lost world of Indian comics.