sonagiri

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the spires of the jain temples on the barren hill of sonagiri formed a spectacular skyline in the dusk. after you take your shoes off at the main entrance the climb to the top is on cold marble and the temples rise endlessly alongside you as you climb. the buildings strangely inspired by islamic, colonial and rajput architecture – a catalogue of forms, circular, square, pyramidical. 

datia

the palace is a diagram of pleasure in perfection- squares within squares cascading upwards through a series of galleries, terraces and courtyards, symmetrical on all sides (almost). the building stands monumental over the city below. in the city life goes on, markets overwhelm the older buildings and temples, the old fort is empty except for some abandoned buildings and the enormous house of the king of datia- underutilized and crumbling. from the gallery of the ramshackle museum at the other end of the town you can see the city laid out at the feet of the palace that was never inhabited