A Short Visit to Versailles Gardens (Part--I)

Versailles Palace

Hall of Mirrors

Royal Chambers

Grand Canal

 It was quite sunny and the weather quite pleasant as we entered the royal Versailles Gardens. As the time given for us was just two hours, we could not see the entire garden complex spreading over a vast area of 1976 acres, an impossible task indeed. Besides this garden is an artistic fusion of marble sculptures, fountains, grottoes, lawns, canals and French horticulture. The garden was developed in graceful patterns, curves and concentric circles. To the the onlooker  the whole gardens seem like chiseled architecture spread on the ground enriched with colors and embossed with marble statues and fountains. Every vase and pedestal is a piece of art and no object appears plain and simple. So it is a paradise of epic description which my prosaic pen may not express in a vivid manner. Hence I shall try to give a partial and  brief description of some parts of the gardens I have seen.

 We just passed by the palace as the royal gardens are located to the west of the palace. Previously at this palace Louis XIII had built a hunting lodge in 1631. The whole area was a dense jungle with a hamlet far away from the city. Louis XIV during his long rule developed this p As soon as we entered the garden we saw Versailles Palace, a splendid and spacious mansion sprawled over a vast area, glittering in white with gilded windows. The palace, the royal residence of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI has 350 rooms and Louis XIV used to hold meetings and parties here attended by 3000 guests. Louis XIV metaphorically  viewed himself as the Sun, symbol of power, light and lordship. So he tried to re-create  the dazzling world of Apollo, the Greek Sun God, in the palace as well as in the surrounding gardens to show off his opulence, grandeur and immense power. After the Revolution Napoleon did not prefer to stay in this palace. In later times Charles De Gaulle converted the northern wing of the  palace into an official Presidential residence. The Treaty of Versailles ending the World War I was signed  here  in the Grand Gallerie (Hall of Mirrors) in June 1919. Some portions of this magnificent palace were converted into a museum depicting the History of France.

   We just passed by the palace as the royal gardens are located to the west of the palace. Previously at this place Louis XIII had built a hunting lodge in 1631. The whole area was a dense jungle with a small hamlet located far away  from the city. Louis XIV during his long rule developed this place by building this palace and laying out this spacious garden on a grand scale. It took almost 40 years to set up this idyllic paradise with the help of the architect, Louis Le Vau, the painter, Charles Le Brun and the landscape artist, Andre Le Notre. The king expanded and beautified the palace between 1661 and 1668.Jean Baptist Colbert, superintendent of the king's buildings looked after this project from 1664 to 1683. In this garden an astounding variety of trees like elms,lindens,chestnut trees, beech trees, and acacia along with flower plants like lillies, roses, jonquils and tulips are seen. Many trees and plants were imported from Turkey, Netherlands and other countries. The orangery was set up by Jules Hardouin Mansart between 1684 and 1686 replacing the smaller one built by Le Vau in 1663. This orangery is spread over three hectares having more than one thousand plants of various types like palm trees, oleanders, orange trees and pomegranate trees.

Orangery at Versailles

Apollo Fountain

Latona Fountain

Dragon Fountain

  Louis XIV shifted his court to this palace in 1682. To project his stature of

sovereignty he set up water fountains embellished with sculptures of Greek mythology and legends, mainly connected with Apollo.There are nearly fifty fountains in this garden. A grand canal was dug between 1668 and 1671 to supply water. The water from the fountains was  re-cycled by pumping the water into the reservoir again after purification. This canal measuring about 1500 meters in length and 62 meters in width is the venue for boating parties.

 We saw the Apollo Fountain (Bassin D'Apollon) which was constructed between 1668 and 1671. Apollo, the Sun God, seated in his chariot driven by seven horses rises from the water to make the world bright with his golden rays. He is attended by Tritons. The leaping horses and the manly figure of Apollo with well-built body evoke the dynamic and powerful image of the Sun God who indirectly represents the sovereignty of Louis XIV.

 The Latona Fountain designed by Andre Le Notre between 1668 and 1670 represents an episode from Ovid's Metamorphosis in which the Goddess Latona with her children , Apollo and Diana were prevented  from drinking water from a pond by the Lycian peasants who went on throwing mud and stones at them. Then Zeus transformed the revolting peasants into frogs. This fountain allegorically refers to an incident about some people revolting against Louis XIV.

 The Neptune Pool was designed by Andre Notre between 1738 and 1741. In 1740 during Louis XV's time, some modifications were made to this pool by inclusion of statues like Proteus, Neptune, Amphitrite which were designed by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne.

 Another worth seeing fountain is the Dragon Fountain. The mighty python snake is killed by an arrow shot by Apollo. The statue of the dragon is surrounded by statues of dolphins and cupids armed with bows and arrows and riding on dolphins and fish.

Neptune Pool

Flora Fountain (Spring)

Ceres Fountain (Summer)

Bacchus Fountain (Autumn)

                   

Saturn Fountain (Winter)

  The Pyramid Fountain designed by Francois Giradon captures our attention with four superimposed bowls supported by tritons, dolphins and fish. There are many other fountains dealing with the themes of seasons and other Greek Gods like the Flora Fountain (representing Spring season), the Ceres Fountain (represents summer), the Bacchus Fountain (represents autumn),  the Saturn Fountain (represents winter) etc which we could not see due to our limited time schedule.

      Note:
                  1) Apollo -- Greek Sun God, God of light and knowledge
                     
                  2)   Diana ---  Greek Moon Goddess -- Goddess of Chastity

                  3)   Latona ---Daughter of Coeus and Phoebe and mistress of Zeus, Lord of all gods.                                                                                                                  Mother of Apollo and Diana.
                  4)    Lycia --a region in Anatolia, southern part of Turkey

                  5)     Bachus -- Roman God of Agriculture and wine.

                  6)    Flora  -- Goddess of Spring and Flowers.

                  7)    Ceres -- Goddess of Agriculture, crops and fertility

                  8)    Saturn -- God who represents Time, Wealth, plenty and liberation. Father of                                                                                                                                                    Zeus.

                  9)    Cupid -- God of Love

                 10)    Tritons -- Sons of Sea-God holding conch shells in their hands.

                 11)    Neptune -- Roman God of Fresh water and sea, also called Poseidon in Greek                                                                                                                                                 mythology.
                 12)    Amphitrite -- Consort of sea-God, Poseidon
       
                 13)     Proteus -- Shepherd of sea-creatures like seals

                                                     ========================

   20th April, 2016                                                          Somaseshu Gutala

Two Historic Monuments In Paris

Arc de Triomph

Names of the war heroes on the walls

Names on the sides of  walls inside

Arc de Triomph inside view

carved sculptures on pillars

sculptures

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

 As we travelled on the main road, we saw a large circular square called Place de Gaulle. In the center there is a big arch called "Arc de Triomphe", an  imposing historic monument commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemmorate the heroic achievements of the French Revoultion and the Napoleonic Wars. In 1810 a wooden model was set up when Napoleon entered France after his victory in Austrian war. During his life he could not complete this project. During Bourbon Revolution this work came to a halt. During the reign of Louis-Phillippe this triumphal arch was built by the architects, Goust and Huyot between 1833 and 1836. The design for this arch was done by Jean Chalgrin based on the Roman arch of Titus. The massive stone-built arch is 164 feet in height and 148 feet width. The names of war heroes and military generals (nearly 660 in number) were inscribed on the inside surface of the walls. The names of the French victories in Napoleonic wars were inscribed on the sides of the supporting columns. The pictures depicting the events of French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars were seen   on the attic and on the facades inside the arches of the monument. Beneath the arc is seen the tomb of the unknown soldier to commemorate the war heroes of the World Wars I. The remains of the unknown soldier were buried under the vault on 10th November, 1920. This is one of the most magnificent triumphal arches with a glorious tribute to military heroes. It remained as the tallest triumphal arch in the world till the Monumento a la Revolution was built in Mexico in 1938.

 It was late in the evening. We passed through busy thoroughfares of Paris viewing huge mansions, shops and monuments. We got down at Novotel Massy Palaiseau, a hotel not far away from the city, where we stayed for two days during our sightseeing in Paris.

Les Invalides (Front View)

Les Invalides Armours Museum

Les Invalides Inside View

 On the second day of our stay in Paris we had a very busy schedule of visiting so many places that sometimes we may have a confusing and hazy picture of what we have seen. Trying to see Paris within such a short span of time is like viewing a huge mountain in a small mirror. But limits defined, we can't but oblige and try  to get the best out of the available time. As usual after having our complimentary breakfast we set out early in the morning on the main road. Our tour manager made a brief halt and showed us a semi-circular building complex with a magnificent dome with a church seen just behind. He said that it was the hospital and shelter for the old and disabled war veterans. Within its premises there is a building complex with later extensions to house many museums. This building complex is called "Les Invalides" commissioned by the French king Louis XIV on 24th November, 1670 with the intention of providing medical help and shelter to four thousand war veterans.The famous architect Liberal Bruant undertook this work and completed it in 1676. To meet the religious and spiritual needs of these people, as ordered by the king, Jules Hardouin Mansart, with the help of Liberal Bruant, constructed St.Louis Chapel (also called Soldiers' Church) in  1679. For his own private purpose Louis XIV commissioned J.H.Mansart to construct a private royal chapel in 1679. This chapel is called "Eglise du Dome" constructed in ornate French Baroque style, taking inspiration from St.Peter's Basilica in Rome.This royal chapel constructed in 1708 attracts our attention by its ribbed and hemi-spherical 351 feet-high dome. This church is called "Dome Church".

Soldiers' ChurchInside View 

Soldier's Church

Dome Church

Inside View

Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte

Tomb of French Marshal General Turenne

Tomb of French Marshal Ferdinand Foch

 In this vast building complex there are nearly 15 courtyards spreading over a vast area. In 1872 an artillery museum was set up with a rare collection of various weapons and military uniforms. In 1896 a historical museum of army forces was founded. In 1905 both these museums were merged together and called as Museum of Arms or Musee de L'armee. In this museum one can see various kinds of weapons, uniforms,maps and banners of various countries right from early Middle Ages to World War II. The Musee des Plans Reliefs (briefly called Relief Maps Museum) displays detailed models of French fortresses and fortified cities dating back to seventeenth century. The Musee de L'Ordre de la Liberation depicts the liberation of France in the second World War under the able leadership of General Charles de Gaulle.

  This hospital meant for aged and crippled soldiers inspired William III, King of England, to set up a military hospital in Greenwich in 1694. The Dome Church has also become a consecrated place by the fact that due honor was given to the great French military leaders like Sebastian Vaubhan (Marshal of King Louis XIV's army),  Ferdinand Foch (Commander of the Allied Forces during World War I) and Turenne (Marshal General of French army). Napoleon's mortal remains were brought from St.Helena in 1840 to this place and later entombed in the crypt in 1861. The graves of his brothers (Joseph and Jerome) and his son (Napoleon II) are also seen in this royal chapel.

Tomb of Napoleon  II

Tomb of Sebastian Vauban

 Thus Les de Invalides epitomizes the military achievements and the historic glory of French war heroes and military leaders. Napoleon during his regime tried to pay due tribute and homage to war veterans by constructing a memorial to Vaubhan in 1808 and by setting up a bronze tomb for Ferdinand Foch and a decent monument for  Turenne in 1800. But we were not able to see in detail due to our rigid time schedule. We have to content ourselves just by having a fleeting glance at these noble monuments.

  7th April, 2016                                                                            Somaseshu Gutala

A Bird's Eyeview of Paris

Place de la Concorde with obelisk seen in  the front

La Madeiline Church

Hotel de Crillon

 We had a casual bird's eyeview of Paris from our bus as our tour manager mentioned the names of important monuments and buildings we were passing by. We had a brief halt at Place de La Concorde, the largest plaza square (86,400 square meters in area) in Paris where during french revolution King Louis VI, Queen Marie Antoinette and other leading royal figures were beheaded by guilottine. Originally this octagonal spacious place was named after the French king Louis as Place Louis XV in 1772. It was built as a compliment to the equestrian statue of Lois XV which was set up in 1763 to celebrate his recovery from ill-health. Around this square many historic buildings and monuments are seen. Champs de Elysees is seen on the west and Tuilleries garden on the eastern side. To the north of this square two big mansions are seen; the french naval ministry is housed in one mansion and the other one is Hotel de Crillon, once the home of Louis Marie Augustin, the famous patron of French arts. In 1788 the Count of de Crillon acquired this building for his home. During French Revolution this building was confiscated by the Government. But after the execution of Louis XVI in 1793 the building was given back to descendants of  Crillon who stayed there nearly for more than one century.In 1907 Society du Louvre acquired this building and transformed it into a hotel. Between these two buildings lies the famous Rue Royal , a street connecting Place de la Concorde and Place de la Madeleine.

statue of Strausbourg

Rue Royal

  At each of the eight angles of this octagonal palace. a statue representing an important French city was installed : Bordeux, Brest,Lyon,Lille,Nantes,Roven, Marseille,and Strausbourg. During  French Revoultion the statue of Louis XV was removed and a guillotine was erected and the place was re-named as Place de la Revolution. After French Revolution the name was modified as Place de la Concorde to represent reconciliation between revolutionaries and royalists. After the Bourbon Revolution in 1814 the name was changed back as Louis XV Square. In 1826 it was renamed as Louis XVI square. After July revolution the place was again renamed as place de la Concorde. Though Shakespeare philosophized "What is in a name?", in this mundane world, names are multi-dimensional codes carrying so many historical, political and status-linked connotations. A seventy-five foot monumental pillar of yellow granite was erected in the center of this square in 1836. This 23-meter high Egyptian obelisk made of red granite was one of the twin pillars at the entrance to the temple of Luxor. A tribute to the Pharaoh Ramses II was engraved on this 3300-old monolith weighing about 230 tons. This obelisk  often nicknamed as "Cleopatra's Needle" was gifted to the French king Charles X by the Viceroy of Egypt in 1833.  This pillar has replaced the statue of Louis XV in the square and it represents peace and harmony. A gold-leafed pyramid cup was added to the top of this pillar in 1998.

Fontaine des Mers (South Fountain)

Ocean God Flanked by Astronomy and Navigation

             

River Goddesses of North Fountain

Nereides at the base of the fountain

Just beside this obelisk we saw two ornamental fountains with carved figures of angels, Nereides,and mermaids. These fountains were built during the time of Louis Phillipe between 1836 and 1840.  They were designed by Jacques Ignace Hitroff in the architectural style of the Roman fountains, Piaza Navona and Piaza San Pietro. Hitroff's two fountains dealt with the theme of rivers and seas. Both fountains have the same design with a stone pedestal and two tiers of vasques (bowls in the fountains which receive flowing water) crowned with a mushroom-shaped top or apex. The northern fountain is devoted to the theme of rivers like the Rhone and the Rhine along with representative figures of navigation, agriculture and crops of France like wheat, grapes, flowers and fruits.

The southern fountain represents the seas, maritime industry and commerce.  The semi-nude figures supporting the vasque are the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean. other figures beneath the vasque are coral, fish, shells and pearls,representing the maritime enterprise. These figures are seated on the prow ( front part of a ship)  (symbol of Paris) surrounded by dolphins spraying water. Above the vasque supporting the mushroom-shaped cap are figures representing the spirits of maritime navigation, Astronomy and Commerce. Next to them are swans spouting water into the basins below. In the basin Tritons (sea-gods holding a twisted conchs in hand) and Nereids (sea-nymphs) hold fish which spout water towards the rim of the vasque. In both these fountains six seated allegorical figures with their feet on the prows of the ships are seen supporting the pedestal of the circular base.

  Paris may be called the city of artistically molded water fountains which emphasize the importance of water as the source of life and which satisfied the  needs of the city people. Besides these structures symbolically represent and glorify the dominant and vital role played by rivers and seas and also the main professions of the people. The large figures of the fountains were made of cast iron and painted in dark green with golden borders.The small figures of Tritons and Nereids were made of bronze and painted with a bronze shade. These fountains in the city square add more charm and enhance the splendor of this historic city.

                         *********************************************

 2nd April, 2016                                                          Somaseshu Gutala

  

OUR COUNTRY ON WHEELS

        1)          We pushed one another in usual strain
               Our simple way to get into the train
               A loud cluttering of steps with confounded noise
               Someone yelled farewell at the top of his voice
               Some people ran after the leaving train
               Shouting instructions with stress and strain.
               Some latecomers hurried and stepped in haste
               Some missed their train and cursed their fate.
                 
   2)         As people settled down in their crowded cells
               Two beggars came singing and ringing their bells
               Meanwhile a vendor showed his sundry ware
               Promising benefits beyond compare
               Young boys wielding a bunch of brushes and shoeshine
               Came in to polish people's shoes in the train.
               A woman with a child entered and began to plead
               To help her starving family to feed.




      





















   3)         Displaying a row of glittering things
               Neatly arranged in trays, a hawker brings
               New brand watches, bangles and rings
               Hair pins and cosmetics-- all foreign things;
               He sells them cheaply at a throw-away price
               No loss, no gain-- his pleasure lies in people's service.
               A loud commotion with competitive bargain
               To grab more things with maximum gain. 

 4)          A country doctor came flourishing his store
              Of herbs to cure all complaints up to the core
              Lecturing on his search for rarest things
              On distant hills as if he went for nectar to bring
              He showed his photos with all leaders of the state
              With proofs which praised him as the doctor great
              The young and old fell to his mesmerizing talk
              Within no time he sold away his herbal stock. 

5)          Amidst this multifarious enterprise,
             As people bargained with shrewd words wise
             A few plain-looking crooks procured their gain
             By picking purses without any strain
             While vendors shouted with loud ringing voice
             While children whined to get things of their choice.

6)          A blind beggar sang an old filmy song  
             Led by an orphan to help him along
             Rubbing the floor, a boy with a dirty rag
             Asked some coins for his self-employed service
             For making floor more dirty with his dirty piece.
             Denizens of poverty with dry brown hair
             Struggling for bread with bodies bare.

       










7)         Some talked about rackets and scams of the state
            About fake promises of the leaders great
            About soaring prices and corruption vile
            While ladies talked about their fashions and style;
            Some viewed videos, some chatted on their mobiles
            While kids played games on their lap-tops with smiles
            Others dwelt on their shares and careers' rise
            A jovial discussion held by college guys.

8)         Some snored, some laughed while children shouted with glee
            Some played loud music, unconcerned and free;
            Some littered floor with bits of paper and food
            Smoking and spitting some near the corridor stood
            Some left the  doors of closet open with leaking taps
            Some slept on the bare floor, poor begging chaps;
            Some sneaked into the cells with aggressive stride
            And ran away robbing the people inside.

9)         A rich medley of people here one finds
            From places and regions of various kinds
            A huge collage of human feelings do We see
            A rich diversity with kindred legacy
            Our nation here in true dimension seen
            Yet seem not so concerned, caring and clean
            Let our journey be comfortable and serene
            Let our surroundings be neat, pure and green.

                  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++


   13th March, 2016                                 Somaseshu Gutala

    strain = manner (predisposition or tendency) , neat= clean pure= pollution-free, green= Eco-friendly, medley= varied mixture, collage= combination

   Note : The Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks in the world. Started as an intercity service between Mumbai and Thane on April 16th 1853; it has developed by leaps and bounds into a gigantic organization having more than 1,15,000 kms of track covering a distance of nearly 65,800 kms. It carries more than 23 million passengers every day. More than 1.4 million people work in this prestigious organization. Both spatially and technologically many changes have occurred in the field of transport. Information technology and electronic equipment have changed the style of functioning and improved the means of speedy and effective communication and provided better service facilities and amenities to passengers. Yet there is a long way to go to see that the fruits of this development reach common man who travels in the general compartment. Prompt action, good maintenance, cleanliness and comfortable surroundings should be the  prime objectives to make this department more people-friendly and corruption-free. The passengers should also have concern for other fellow-travelers and should be accommodative in their attitude. They should not cause loud disturbance and throw things all over or damage railway property.

            
            
        

TOWARDS PARIS

A view of the tunnel

The Highway from Geneva towards Paris

      
  So far we have completed our Swiss tour in addition to viewing a few places in Germany which are on our travel route. The last place  of visit in tour is Paris, the place famous for three "Fs"-- Food, Fashion and Fragrance. Latest trends in fashion and modelling emerge from this cosmopolitan city which is the prime center for many cosmetic industries and boutiques such as Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Jean Paul Gaultier, LouisVuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Loreal, Avon, Oriflame, Saint Laurent etc., which are located in shopping areas like Avenue Montaigne near Champs Elysees or Rue de la Paix. Classic branded jewellery and items of international standard like Cartier, Chanel,Dior, Fred etc., along with superb handbags from eminent brands like Louis Vuitton, Vanessa Bruno, Champ and Darel are available in these shops. During our college days our English Lecturer used to say that most of the names of the food items and delicacies in English are derived from French language such as pork,omelette, beef, venison, toast, salad, pastry etc., In France you can relish a variety of French dishes like crepes (a kind of pan cake), baguettes, truffles, French fries, Croissants, French toast, Fromage(cheese), pain au chocolat, tarte aux fruits, confits and drink Cafe au Lait (espresso with steamed milk).

View of Bellegarde

Fort at Bellegarde

   

• 
  

 We started from Geneva quite early as we had to travel nearly six hours to cover a distance of 540 kms with occasional halts in between to refresh ourselves and to avail the toilet facility gratis. on the way we passed by many villages and smaller towns, pubs and lakes. As we approached Bellegarde, a small town, our tour manager showed the dilapidated walls of a ruined structure and said that the Roman king, Nero, had visited that sport and stayed there for some time. But his statement may not be trusted as when I searched for information I came to know that the existing fort at Bellagarde had been built in 17th century by the French and that it was occupied by the Spanish army in 1674 , but later recovered by the French Duke of Schomberg in 1675. On the way our vehicle had to travel through many long tunnels as long as three to six kilometers with many lanes and bright illumination. They do not seem like dungeons as we find elsewhere. Due credit is to be given to these master architects of these fabulous highways.

                               +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


6th March, 2016                                              Somaseshu Gutala