T For Travel

Raja Ravi Varma was born in 1848 in Kerala, India. His father was a respected scholar and his mother was a well-known poet and writer. Varma demonstrated his talent early in life and at a young age he received the patronage of a relative, which allowed him to begin his formal training. He would go on to be recognized internationally and play an integral part in the progress of Indian art. His work in miniatures is included as part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery of Modern Art. He is one of the most prominent artists to emerge from Kerala, and his work can sometimes be found at the best hotels Kerala.

Varma’s work is considered to be among some of the best examples of European academic theory fused with traditional Indian traditions. He achieved great recognition for his interpretations of scenes from the epics, such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana. His primary medium was painting and he had an extremely successful career. He is well known for his portrayal of women wearing saris. He presents them beautifully in graceful and shapely forms. He traveled throughout India to find subjects for his paintings and often modeled them after Hindu Goddesses. He gained world recognition in 1873 when he won an award for an exhibition he had in Vienna.

He had an interesting personal life that included marrying Rani Bhageerathi Bayi of the Mavelikara Royal Family and together they had three sons and two daughters. Tragedy struck the home in 1912 when their oldest soon disappeared and was never found. This had a permanent effect on Varma’s outlook. Their second son, Prince Rama Varma, followed in is father’s footsteps and became an artist. He studied at the JJ School of Arts. Their oldest daughter, Princess Mahaprabha, is preserved through history through her appearance in two of Varma’s most prominent paintings.

Just north of the Ibiza town of San Miguel, there are tapas restaurants that sit just atop a hill, and just at the entrance of one of the islands most popular tourist attractions, the Caves Can Marca.  One of the aspects of this island that draws people staying in the best hotels, Ibiza views…and the site of the caves has one of the most spectacular views of the island and of the bay of San Miguel.  There are many different species living on the hill and along the path leading to the entrance, one of the most unique being the Muradensis Lizard.

These caves were formed over 100,000 years ago and have since weathered the hot, tropical environment of Ibiza.  Once inside the caves, one will notice that most of the internal walls have become fossilized, with the deepest of the galleries filled with stalactites that are still in the process of forming, similar to the deeper caves in the United States Yellow Stone National Park.  This site was first discovered by and used by smugglers.  They would lift their goods from the sea, and store them in the caves.  Many of the markings left by the smugglers are still found on the walls today.  Most of them are markings on the walls with the directions of the exits, should an emergency occur, or should they be found out.

This has been a site rich in archaeological artifacts, fauna and fossils of animals.  Researchers have reconstructed some of the water ways, water falls, and the pools that were responsible for the formation of the caves.  The incredible formations of the rocks and the amazing geological structure has now become a bit commercialized.  While some are historically illustrated, others are lit with colored lights and have sound effects as part of the tour.  This is one of the most interesting sites on the island, and a perfect day trip to take to get out of the city and enjoy a bit of the incredible landscapes of Ibiza.