title: Gardens of Versailles

text: With the construction of the "Aile des Nobles" (1685–1686), the "Parterre du Nord" was remodeled to respond to the new architecture of this part of the château. To compensate for the loss of the reservoir on top of the "Grotte de Thétys" and to meet the increased demand for water, Jules Hardouin-Mansart designed new and larger reservoirs situated due north of the "Aile des Nobles" (Thompson 2006). Construction for the ruinously expensive Canal de l'Eure was inaugurated in 1685; designed by Vauban it was intended to bring waters of the Eure over 80 kilometres, including aqueducts of heroic scale, but the works were abandoned in 1690: see "The problem of water" below.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Between 1686 and 1687, the Bassin de Latone, under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, was rebuilt. It is this final version of the fountain that one sees today at Versailles. (Hedin 1992; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: During this phase of construction, three of the garden's major bosquets were modified or created. Beginning with the "Galerie des Antiques", this bosquet was constructed in 1680 on the site of the earlier and short-lived "Galerie d'Eau" (1678). This bosquet was conceived as an open-air gallery in which antique statues and copies acquired by the "Académie de France" in Rome were displayed. The following year, construction began on the "Salle de Bal". Located in a secluded section of the garden west of the "Orangerie", this bosquet was designed as an amphitheater that featured a cascade – the only one surviving in the gardens of Versailles. The "Salle de Bal" was inaugurated in 1685 with a ball hosted by the Grand Dauphin. Between 1684 and 1685, Jules Hardouin-Mansart built the "Colonnade". Located on the site of Le Nôtre's "Bosquet des Sources", this bosquet featured a circular peristyle formed from thirty-two arches with twenty-eight fountains and was Hardouin-Mansart's most architectural of the bosquets built in the gardens of Versailles (Marie 1972, 1976; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Due to financial constraints arising from the War of the League of Augsburg and the War of the Spanish Succession, no significant work on the gardens was undertaken until 1704. Between 1704 and 1709, bosquets were modified, some quite radically, with new names suggesting the new austerity that characterized the latter years of Louis XIV's reign. (Marie 1976; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: With the departure of the king and court from Versailles in 1715 following the death of Louis XIV, the palace and gardens entered an era of uncertainty. In 1722, Louis XV and the court returned to Versailles. Seeming to heed his great-grandfather's admonition not to engage in costly building campaigns, Louis XV did not undertake the costly building campaigns at Versailles that Louis XIV had. During the reign of Louis XV, the only significant addition to the gardens was the completion of the "Bassin de Neptune" (1738–1741). (Marie 1984; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Rather than expend resources on modifying the gardens at Versailles, Louis XV – an avid botanist – directed his efforts at Trianon. In the area now occupied by the "Hameau de la Reine", Louis XV constructed and maintained "les jardins botaniques" – the botanical gardens. In 1750, the year in which "les jardins botaniques" were constructed, the "Jardinier-Fleuriste", Claude Richard (1705–1784), assumed administration of the botanical gardens. In 1761, Louis XV commissioned Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build the Petit Trianon as a residence that would allow him to spend more time near the "jardins botaniques". It was at the Petit Trianon that Louis XV fell fatally ill with smallpox; on 10 May 1774, the king died at Versailles. (Marie, 1984; Thompson, 2006)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Upon Louis XVI's ascension to the throne, the gardens of Versailles underwent a transformation that recalled the fourth building campaign of Louis XIV. Engendered by a change in outlook as advocated by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Philosophes, the winter of 1774–1775 witnessed a complete replanting of the gardens. Trees and shrubbery dating from the reign of Louis XIV were felled or uprooted with the intent of transforming the French formal garden of Le Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart into a version of an English landscape garden.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The attempt to convert Le Nôtre's masterpiece into an English-style garden failed to achieve its desired goal. Owing largely to the topology of the land, the English esthetic was abandoned and the gardens replanted in the French style. However, with an eye on economy, Louis XVI ordered the "palissades" – the labour-intensive clipped hedging that formed walls in the bosquets – to be replaced with rows of lime trees or chestnut trees. Additionally, a number of the bosquets dating from the time of the Sun King were extensively modified or destroyed. The most significant contribution to the gardens during the reign of Louis XVI was the "Grotte des Bains d'Apollon". The rockwork grotto set in an English style bosquet was the masterpiece of Hubert Robert in which the statues from the "Grotte de Thétys" were placed. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: In 1792, under order from the National Convention, some of the trees in gardens were felled, while parts of the "Grand Parc" were parceled and dispersed. Sensing the potential threat to Versailles, Louis Claude Marie Richard (1754–1821) – director of the "jardins botaniques" and grandson of Claude Richard – lobbied the government to save Versailles. He succeeded in preventing further dispersing of the "Grand Parc" and threats to destroy the "Petit Parc" were abolished by suggesting that the "parterres" could be used to plant vegetable gardens and that orchards could occupy the open areas of the garden. These plans were never put into action; however, the gardens were opened to the public – it was not uncommon to see people washing their laundry in the fountains and spreading it on the shrubbery to dry. (Thompson 2006)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The Napoleonic era largely ignored Versailles. In the château, a suite of rooms was arranged for the use of the empress Marie-Louise, but the gardens were left unchanged, save for the disastrous felling trees in the "Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe" and the "Bosquet des Trois Fontaines". Massive soil erosion necessitated planting of new trees. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: With the restoration of the Bourbons in 1814, the gardens of Versailles witnessed the first modifications since the Revolution. In 1817, Louis XVIII ordered the conversion of the "Île du Roi" and the "Miroir d'Eau" into an English-style garden – the "Jardin du Roi". (Thompson 2006)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: While much of the château's interior was irreparably altered to accommodate the dedicated to "all the glories of France" (inaugurated by Louis-Philippe on 10 June 1837), the gardens, by contrast, remained untouched. With the exception of the state visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1855, at which time the gardens were a setting for a gala fête that recalled the "fêtes" of Louis XIV, Napoléon III ignored the château, preferring instead the château of Compiègne (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: With the arrival of Pierre de Nolhac as director of the museum in 1892, a new era of historical research began at Versailles. Nolhac, an ardent archivist and scholar, began to piece together the history of Versailles, and subsequently established the criteria for restoration of the château and preservation of the gardens, which are ongoing to this day. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Owing to the many modifications made to the gardens between the 17th and the 19th centuries, many of the bosquets have undergone multiple modifications, which were often accompanied by name changes.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: These two bosquets were first laid out in 1663. Located north and south of the east–west axis, these two bosquets were arranged as a series of paths around four "salles de verdure" and which converged on a central "room" that contained a fountain. In 1682, the southern bosquet was remodeled as the "Bosquet de la Girondole", thus named due to spoke-like arrangement of the central fountain. The northern bosquet was rebuilt in 1696 as the "Bosquet du Dauphin" with a fountain that featured a dolphin. During the replantation of 1774–1775, both the bosquets were destroyed. The areas were replanted with lime trees and were rechristened the "Quinconce du Nord" and the "Quinconce du Midi" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: In 1665, André Le Nôtre planned a hedge maze of unadorned paths in an area south of the Latona Fountain near the "Orangerie". (Loach, 1985) In 1669, Charles Perrault – author of the "Mother Goose Tales" – advised Louis XIV to remodel the "Labyrinthe" in such a way as to serve the Dauphin's education (Perrault, 1669). Between 1672 and 1677, Le Nôtre redesigned the "Labyrinthe" to feature thirty-nine fountains that depicted stories from Aesop's Fables. The sculptors Jean-Baptiste Tuby, Étienne Le Hongre, Pierre Le Gros, and the brothers Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy worked on these thirty-nine fountains each of which was accompanied by a plaque on which the fable was printed, with verse written by Isaac de Benserade; from these plaques, Louis XIV's son learned to read. Once completed in 1677, the "Labyrinthe" contained thirty-nine fountains with 333 painted metal animal sculptures. The water for the elaborate waterworks was conveyed from the Seine by the Machine de Marly. The "Labyrinthe" contained fourteen water-wheels driving 253 pumps, some of which worked at a distance of three-quarters of a mile. Citing repair and maintenance costs, Louis XVI ordered the "Labyrinthe" demolished in 1778. In its place, an arboretum of exotic trees was planted as an English-styled garden. Rechristened "Bosquet de la Reine", it would be in this part of the garden that an episode of the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, which compromised Marie-Antoinette, transpired in 1785 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Perrault 1669; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Originally designed by André Le Nôtre in 1661 as a "salle de verdure", this bosquet contained a path encircling a central pentagonal area. In 1671, the bosquet was enlarged with a more elaborate system of paths that served to enhance the new central water feature, a fountain that resembled a mountain, hence the bosquets new name: "Bosquet de la Montagne d'Eau". The bosquet was completely remodeled in 1704 at which time it was rechristened "Bosquet de l'Étoile" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Created in 1670, this bosquet originally contained a central rectangular pool surrounded by a turf border. Edging the pool were metal reeds that concealed numerous jets for water; a swan that had water jetting from its beak occupied each corner. The center of the pool featured an iron tree with painted tin leaves that sprouted water from its branches. Because of this tree, the bosquet was also known as the "Bosquet du Chêne Vert". In 1705, this bosquet was destroyed in order to allow for the creation of the "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon", which was created to house the statues had once stood in the "Grotte de Thétys". During the reign of Louis XVI, Hubert Robert remodeled the bosquet, creating a cave-like setting for the Marsy statues. The bosquet was renamed the "Grotte des Bains d'Apollon" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Originally designed in 1671 as two separate water features, the larger – "Île du Roi" – contained an island that formed the focal point of a system of elaborate fountains. The "Île du Roi" was separated from the "Miroir d'Eau" by a causeway that featured twenty-four water jets. In 1684, the island was removed and the total number of water jets in the bosquet was significantly reduced. The year 1704 witnessed a major renovation of the bosquet at which time the causeway was remodelled and most of the water jets were removed. A century later, in 1817, Louis XVIII ordered the "Île du Roi" and the "Miroir d'Eau" to be completely remodeled as an English-style garden. At this time, the bosquet was rechristened "Jardin du Roi" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: In 1671, André Le Nôtre conceived a bosquet – originally christened "Salle des Festins" and later called "Salle du Conseil" – that featured a quatrefoil island surrounded by a channel that contained fifty water jets. Each lobe of the island contained simple fountain; access to the island was obtained by two swing bridges. Beyond the channel and placed at the cardinal points within the bosquet were four additional fountains. Under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the bosquet was completely remodeled in 1706. The central island was replaced by a large basin raised on five steps, which was surrounded by a canal. The central fountain contained 230 jets that, when in play, formed an obelisk – hence the new name "Bosquet de l'Obélisque" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The central feature of this bosquet, which was designed by Le Nôtre between 1671 and 1674, was an auditorium/theater sided by three tiers of turf seating that faced a stage decorated with four fountains alternating with three radiating cascades. Between 1680 and Louis XIV's death in 1715, there was near-constant rearranging of the statues that decorated the bosquet. In 1709, the bosquet was rearranged with the addition of the "Fontaine de l'Île aux Enfants". As part of the replantation of the gardens ordered by Louis XVI during the winter of 1774–1775, the "Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau" was destroyed and replaced with the unadorned "Bosquet du Rond-Vert" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). "Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau" is being recreated in 2014, with South Korean businessman and photographer Yoo Byung-eun being the sole patron, donating million (~ million) to the project.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Situated to the west of the "Allée des Marmousets" and replacing the short-lived "Berceau d'Eau" (a long and narrow bosquet created in 1671 that featured a water bower made by numerous jets of water), the enlarged bosquet was transformed by Le Nôtre in 1677 into a series of three linked rooms. Each room contained a number of fountains that played with special effects. The fountains survived the modifications that Louis XIV ordered for other fountains in the gardens in the early 18th century and were subsequently spared during the 1774–1775 replantation of the gardens. In 1830, the bosquet was replanted at which time the fountains were suppressed. Due to storm damage in the park in 1990 and then again in 1999, the "Bosquet des Trois Fontaines" was restored and reinaugurated on 12 June 2004 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Originally, this bosquet was planned in 1672 as a simple "pavillon d'eau" – a round open expanse with a square fountain in the center. In 1676, this bosquet, located to the east of the "Allée des Marmousets" and forming the pendant to the "Bosquet des Trois Fontaines", was enlarged and redecorated along political lines that alluded to French military victories over Spain and Austria, at which time the triumphal arch was added – hence the name. As with the "Bosquet des Trois Fontaines", this bosquet survived the modifications of the 18th century, but was replanted in 1830 at which time the fountains were removed. As of 2008, this bosquet is in the process of being restored (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Built in 1675, the "Bosquet de la Renommée" featured a fountain statue of Fame – hence the name of the bosquet. With the relocation of the statues from the "Grotte de Thétys" in 1684, the bosquet was remodeled to accommodate the statues and the Fame fountain was removed. At this time the bosquet was rechristened "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon". As part of the reorganization of the garden that was ordered by Louis XIV in the early part of the 18th century, the Apollo grouping was moved once again to the site of the "Bosquet du Marais" – located near the Latona Fountain – which was destroyed and was replaced by the new "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon". The statues were installed on marble plinths from which water issued; and each statue grouping was protected by an intricately carved and gilded baldachin. The old "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon" was renamed "Bosquet des Dômes" due to two domed pavilions built in the bosquet (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Created in 1675 at the same time as the "Bosquet de la Renommée", the fountain of this bosquet depicts "Enceladus", a fallen Giant who was condemned to live below Mt. Etna, being consumed by volcanic lava. From its conception, this fountain was conceived as an allegory of Louis XIV's victory over the "Fronde". In 1678, an octagonal ring of turf and eight "rocaille" fountains surrounding the central fountain were added. These additions were removed in 1708. When in play, this fountain has the tallest jet of all the fountains in the gardens of Versailles – 25 metres (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Designed as a simple unadorned "salle de verdure" by Le Nôtre in 1678, the landscape architect enhanced and incorporated an existing stream to create a bosquet that featured rivulets that twisted among nine islets. In 1684, Jules Hardouin-Mansart completely redesigned the bosquet by constructing a circular arched double peristyle. The "Colonnade", as it was renamed, originally featured thirty-two arches and thirty-one fountains – a single jet of water splashed into a basin center under the arch. In 1704, three additional entrances to the "Colonnade" were added, which reduced the number of fountains from thirty-one to twenty-eight. The statue that currently occupies the center of the Colonnade – the Abduction of Persephone – (from the "Grande Commande" of 1664) was set in place in 1696 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Occupying the site of the "Galerie d'Eau" (1678), the "Galerie des Antiques" was designed in 1680 to house the collection of antique statues and copies of antique statues acquired by the "Académie de France" in Rome. Surrounding a central area paved with colored stone, a channel was decorated with twenty statues on plinths each separated by three jets of water. The galerie was completely remodeled in 1704 when the statues were transferred to Marly and the bosquet was replanted with horse chestnut trees ("Aesculus hippocastanum") – hence the current name "Salle des Marronniers" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Located west of the "Parterre du Midi" and south of the Latona Fountain, this bosquet, which was designed by Le Nôtre and built between 1681 and 1683, features a semi-circular cascade that forms the backdrop for this "salle de verdure". Interspersed with gilt lead "torchères", which supported candelabra for illumination, the "Salle de Bal" was inaugurated in 1683 by Louis XIV's son, the Grand Dauphin, with a dance party. The "Salle de Bal" was remodeled in 1707 when the central island was removed and an additional entrance was added (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Common to any long-lived garden is replantation, and Versailles is no exception. In their history, the gardens of Versailles have undergone no less than five major replantations, which have been executed for practical and aesthetic reasons.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: During the winter of 1774–1775, Louis XVI ordered the replanting of the gardens on the grounds that many of the trees were diseased or overgrown and needed to be replaced. Also, as the formality of the 17th-century garden had fallen out of fashion, this replantation sought to establish a new informality in the gardens – that would also be less expensive to maintain – of Versailles. This, however, was not achieved as the topology of the gardens favored the "jardin à la française" over an English-style garden. Then, in 1860, much of the old growth from Louis XVI's replanting was removed and replaced. In 1870, a violent storm struck the area damaging and uprooting scores of trees, which necessitated a massive replantation program. However, owing to the Franco-Prussian War, which toppled Napoléon III, and the "Commune de Paris", replantation of the garden did not get underway until 1883 (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The most recent replantations of the gardens were precipitated by two storms that battered Versailles in 1990 and then again in 1999. The storm damage at Versailles and Trianon amounted to the loss of thousands of trees – the worst such damage in the history of Versailles. The replantations have allowed museum and governmental authorities to restore and rebuild some of the bosquets abandoned during the reign of Louis XVI, such as the "Bosquet des Trois Fontaines", which was restored in 2004. (Thompson, 2006)


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Catherine Pégard, the head of the public establishment which administers Versailles, has stated that the intention is to return the gardens to their appearance under Louis XIV, specifically as he described them in his 1704 description, "Manière de Montrer les Jardins de Versailles". This involves restoring some of the parterres like the "Parterre du Midi" to their original formal layout, as they appeared under Le Nôtre. This was achieved in the "Parterre de Latone" in 2013, when the 19th century lawns and flower beds were torn up and replaced with boxwood-enclosed turf and gravel paths to create a formal arabesque design. Pruning is also done to keep trees at between 17 and 23 metres (56 to 75 feet), so as not to spoil the carefully calibrated perspectives of the gardens.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Owing to the natural cycle of replantations that has occurred at Versailles, it is safe to state that no trees dating from the time of Louis XIV are to be found in the gardens.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The marvel of the gardens of Versailles – then as now – is the fountains. Yet, the very element that animates the gardens, water, has proven to be the affliction of the gardens since the time of Louis XIV.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The gardens of Louis XIII required water and local ponds provided an adequate supply. However, once Louis XIV began expanding the gardens with more and more fountains, supplying the gardens with water became a critical challenge.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: To meet the needs of the early expansions of the gardens under Louis XIV, water was pumped to gardens from ponds near the château, with the Clagny pond serving as the principal source. Water from the pond was pumped to the reservoir on top of the "Grotte de Thétys", which fed the fountains in the garden by means of gravitational hydraulics. Other sources included a series of reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau south of the château (Verlet, 1985).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: By 1664, increased demand for water necessitated additional sources. In that year, Louis Le Vau designed the "Pompe", a water tower built north of the château. The "Pompe" drew water from the Clagny pond using a system of windmills and horsepower to a cistern housed in the "Pompe"'s building. The capacity of the "Pompe" – 600 m of water per day – alleviated some of the water shortages in the garden (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: With the completion of the "Grand Canal" in 1671, which served as drainage for the fountains of the garden, water, via a system of windmills, was pumped back to the reservoir on top of the "Grotte de Thétys". While this system solved some of the water supply problems, there was never enough water to keep all of the fountains running in the garden in full-play all of the time (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: While it was possible to keep the fountains in view from the château running, those concealed in the bosquets and in the farther reaches of the garden were run on an as-needed basis. In 1672, Jean-Baptiste Colbert devised a system by which the fountaineers in the garden would signal each other with whistles upon the approach of the king indicating that their fountain needed to be turned on. Once the king passed a fountain in play, it would be turned off and the fountaineer would signal that the next fountain could be turned on (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: In 1674, the "Pompe" was enlarged – hence referred to as the "Grande Pompe". Pumping capacity was increased via increased power and the number of pistons used for lifting the water. These improvements increased the water capacity to nearly 3,000 m of water per day; however, the increased capacity of the "Grande Pompe" often left the Clagny pond dry (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The increasing demand for water and the stress placed on existing systems of water supply necessitated newer measures to increase the water supplied to Versailles. Between 1668 and 1674, a project was undertaken to divert the water of the Bièvre river to Versailles. By damming the river and with a pumping system of five windmills, water was brought to the reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau. This system brought an additional 72,000 m of water to the gardens (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Despite the augmentation of water from the Bièvre, the gardens needed still more water, which necessitated more projects. In 1681, one of the most ambitious water projects conceived during the reign of Louis XIV was undertaken. Owing to the proximity of the Seine to Versailles, a project was proposed to raise the water from the river to be delivered to Versailles. Seizing upon the success of a system devised in 1680 that raised water from the Seine to the gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, construction of the "Machine de Marly" began the following year.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The "Machine de Marly" was designed to lift water from the Seine in three stages to the aqueduc de Louveciennes some 100 metres above the level of the river. A series of huge waterwheels was constructed in the river, which raised the water via a system of 64 pumps to a reservoir 48 metres above the river. From this first reservoir, water was raised an additional 56 metres to a second reservoir by a system of 79 pumps. Finally, 78 additional pumps raised the water to the aqueduct, which carried the water to Versailles and Marly.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: In 1685, the "Machine de Marly" came into full operation. However, owing to leakage in the conduits and breakdowns of the mechanism, the machine was only able to deliver 3,200 m of water per day – approximately one-half the expected output. The machine was a must-see for visitors to France. Despite the fact that the gardens consumed more water per day than the entire city of Paris, the "Machine de Marly" remained in operation until 1817 (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: During Louis XIV's reign, water supply systems represented one-third of the building costs of Versailles. Even with the additional output from the "Machine de Marly", fountains in the garden could only be run "à l'ordinaire" – which is to say at half-pressure. With this measure of economy, fountains still consumed 12,800 m of water per day, far above the capacity of the existing supplies. In the case of the "Grandes Eaux" – when all the fountains played to their maximum – more than 10,000 m of water was needed for one afternoon's display. Accordingly, the "Grandes Eaux" were reserved for special occasions such as the Siamese Embassy of 1685–1686 (Hedin, 1992; "Mercure Galant", 1685).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: One final attempt to solve water shortage problems was undertaken in 1685. In this year it was proposed to divert the water of the Eure river, located 160 km. south of Versailles and at a level 26 m above the garden reservoirs. The project called not only for digging a canal and for the construction of an aqueduct, it also necessitated the construction of shipping channels and locks to supply the workers on the main canal. Between 9,000–10,000 troops were pressed in service in 1685; the next year, more than 20,000 soldiers were engaged in construction. Between 1686 and 1689, when the Nine Years' War began, one-tenth of France's military was at work on the Canal de l'Eure project. With the outbreak of the war, the project was abandoned, never to be completed. Had the aqueduct been completed, some 50,000 m of water would have been sent to Versailles – more than enough to solve the water problem of the gardens (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: Today, the museum of Versailles is still faced with water problems. During the "Grandes Eaux", water is circulated by means of modern pumps from the "Grand Canal" to the reservoirs. Replenishment of the water lost due to evaporation comes from rainwater, which is collected in cisterns that are located throughout the gardens and diverted to the reservoirs and the "Grand Canal". Assiduous husbanding of this resource by museum officials prevents tapping into the supply of potable water of the city of Versailles (Thompson, 2006).


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The creation of the gardens of Versailles is the context for the film "A Little Chaos", directed by Alan Rickman and released in 2015, in which Kate Winslet plays a fictional landscape gardener and Rickman plays King Louis XIV.


title: Gardens of Versailles

text: The following are sources that have contributed to the above article. It is not an exhaustive list, yet it represents the most readily available imprints:


title: Coconut sugar

text: Coconut sugar (also known as coco sugar, coconut palm sugar, coco sap sugar or coconut blossom sugar) is a palm sugar produced from the sap of the flower bud stem of the coconut palm.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Other types of palm sugar are made from the Kithul palm (Caryota urens), Palmyra palm, the date palm, the sugar date palm, the sago palm or the sugar palm.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Used as a sweetener in many countries, coconut sugar has no significant nutritional or health benefits over other sweeteners.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Producing coconut sugar is a two-step process. It starts with harvesting or "tapping" the flower bud stem of a coconut tree. Farmers make a cut on the spadix and the sap starts to flow from the cut into bamboo containers. The sap collected is then transferred into large woks and placed over moderate heat to evaporate the moisture content of the sap. The sap is translucent and is about 80% water. At this point it is known as coconut neera or nira (Indonesia), and as coconut toddy (Sri Lanka), namwan maphrao (Thailand), or lagbi (North Africa). As the water evaporates, it starts to transform into a thick sap syrup. From this form, it may or may not be further reduced to crystal, block or soft paste form.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Coconut sugar is widely used in Sri Lanka as an unrefined syrup or as jaggery, referred to as "pol hakuru"(පොල් හකුරු), though the jaggery made from the Kithul palm is preferred.


title: Coconut sugar

text: In Indonesian cuisine coconut sugar is called "gula jawa" (Javanese sugar) or "gula merah" (red sugar), while "gula aren" refers to palm sugar specifically made from aren palm. Some Indonesian foodstuffs are made with coconut sugar, including kecap manis (a sweet soya sauce) and dendeng (a meat preparation).


title: Coconut sugar

text: Gula melaka is a Southeast Asian name for palm sugar or "malacca sugar", probably named for its origin in the state of Malacca, Malaysia. It is usually derived from coconut palms, but sometimes from other palms. It is used in savory dishes, but mainly in local desserts and cakes of the Southeast Asian region.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Coconut sugar is subtly sweet almost like brown sugar but with a slight hint of caramel. The flavor and sweetness is usually similar to table sugar or brown sugar. However, since coconut sugar is not highly processed, the color, sweetness and flavor can vary depending on the coconut species used, season when it was harvested, where it was harvested and/or the way the "sap" or "toddy" was reduced.


title: Coconut sugar

text: Although its use as a sweetener has become more common in developed countries, there is no scientific evidence that coconut sugar is more nutritious or healthier than any other sweetener. The nutritive value is similar to the empty calories found in table sugar or brown sugar. The principal carbohydrates of coconut sugar are sucrose (70–79%), glucose, and fructose (3–9% each). Coconut sugar also contains mannose, inositol and amino acids. Presumably due to the heat during cooking, it further contains pyroglutamate in comparatively high concentrations.


title: Coconut sugar

text: The glycemic index (GI) of coconut sugar was reported by the Philippine Coconut Authority to be 35 and by that measure is classified as a low glycemic index food. However, the University of Sydney (Australia) Glycemic Index Research Service measured the GI of coconut sugar to be 54, and considers any GI over 55 to be high.


title: Christian Clavier

text: Christian Jean-Marie Clavier (; born 6 May 1952) is a French actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. He became widely popular after starring in two hit comedy series: Patrice Leconte's "Les Bronzés" and "Les Visiteurs" directed by Jean-Marie Poiré. He furthered his popularity by taking a role of Asterix in the screen adaptations of the comic books by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny.


title: Christian Clavier

text: After his high class studies at the Neuilly Lycée Pasteur—though asserted here and there, he never studied at "Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po") —he started his actor career with the comedic theater "troupe" Splendid, which had hits with films like "Les Bronzés font du ski" and "Le Père Noël est une ordure".


title: Christian Clavier

text: His most notable success without the Splendid group, and by far his biggest hit to date, was in the 1993 film "les Visiteurs", where he played a character known as Jacquouille la Fripouille; the character's cry of "Okkkayyy!!" became a popular exclamation after the movie's success.


title: Christian Clavier

text: After "les Visiteurs" he was a star, participating in big-budget films like "Astérix et Obélix contre César", "", and the sequel and remake of "Visiteurs". He also played several dramatic roles on television, including M. Thénardier in "Les Misérables" (2000 television version) and Napoléon in a biographical television film. In 2018, he returned to the character of Asterix, this time by providing the character's voice in the animated film "". Succeeding the character's original voice actor, Roger Carel, it was his first role in an animated movie.


title: Christian Clavier

text: He was made "Chevalier" (Knight) of the Ordre national du Mérite on 13 June 1998, and promoted "Officier" (Officer) in 2005. He was made "Chevalier" (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 2008.


title: Christian Clavier

text: He is a friend of former French président Nicolas Sarkozy, and in 2012 emigrated to The United Kingdom. He denies this was as a result of Francois Hollande's punitive tax policy.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an Israeli-American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In high school, he was named the "Los Angeles Times" High School Player of the Year in 2003–04. Playing college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, he was the "Rivals.com" National Freshman of the Year in 2004–05. Farmar was selected 26th overall in the first round of the 2006 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. With the Lakers, he won two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar was born in Los Angeles. His mother is named Melinda, known as "Mindy", and his father is Damon Farmar, a former minor league baseball outfielder who was a second round pick in both the 1981 January draft and the 1982 June draft secondary phase. His father is African-American. His maternal grandfather, Dr. Howard Baker, attended UCLA and worked at the UCLA Medical Center as a neurologist. Farmar has a half-sister, Shoshana Kolani.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar's parents divorced when he was two years old, and he went to live with his mother. She soon met and married her current husband (Farmar's stepfather), Israeli Yehuda Kolani from Tel Aviv.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar is Jewish, as are his mother and stepfather. He attended Hebrew school and had his bar mitzvah at Temple Judea in Tarzana, California.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar started playing basketball at age 4. He credits his stepfather Yehuda Kolani with instilling discipline, mental strength, persistence, and a sense of obligation. Farmar inherited his competitive drive from his father and mentor, Damon Farmar, who played football and baseball at University High and baseball in the minor leagues. The younger Farmar spent hours in his father's clubhouses, with his father's teammates, and watching his father play. Farmar's godfather is former major league baseball player Eric Davis.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar attended Portola Middle School and Temple Judea in Tarzana and Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, before transferring his second year to Taft High School in Woodland Hills, a suburban community of the San Fernando Valley within Los Angeles.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: At Taft High School, Farmar scored a record 54 points in a single game. As a junior, he averaged 28.5 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 steals. As a senior, he averaged 27.5 points and 6.5 assists, and led Taft to the school's first Los Angeles City title. He had over 2,000 points in two seasons at Taft. Farmar was named the "Los Angeles Times" Player of the Year, LA City Co-Player of the Year, and California Interscholastic Federation Los Angeles City Section High School Player of the Year. He earned "USA Today" Super 25 selection, second-team "Parade" All-American, "Slam Magazine" Honorable Mention All-American, CalHi Sports All-State honors, and the Southern California Jewish Athlete of the Year. He was a teammate with former New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith. Additionally, he was selected to play in the McDonald's High School All American game, where he scored 6 points and had 3 assists and 7 steals in 19 minutes of playing time.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Considered one of the elite point guards in the nation at UCLA, Farmar was named to the All-Pac-10 First Team and the all Pac-10 Tournament team. As a freshman in 2004–05, Farmar was the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Year, and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He led the team in assists (5.28 average) and free throw percentage (.801), and was # 2 in minutes (34.3) and points (13.2 points; # 1 among freshman guards), while topping all Pac-10 freshmen in scoring, assists, free throw percentage, and minutes played, as he was second in steals.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: He was named All-Pac-10 First Team the next season. In the 2006 NCAA Tournament, Farmar led the UCLA Bruins to the National Championship game against the Florida Gators, which they lost by a score of 73–57. Farmar led all scorers with 18 points, and finished with 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Farmar made a notable steal and assist at the end of UCLA's Sweet Sixteen matchup with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, giving his team the lead for good after an impressive comeback effort. On April 20, 2006, he declared for the NBA Draft.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar impressed NBA scouts at the pre-draft combine with a vertical leap, the highest of any player there. Later, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 26th pick in the NBA draft, which was acquired along with Brian Grant, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom in a trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat. On July 8, 2006, he made his debut at the Summer Pro League, which was held at the Walter Pyramid. His final game totals were 17 points and 3 assists in 31 minutes of play.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: For most of the 2006–07 NBA season, Farmar played backup to Smush Parker. On March 31, 2007, Farmar was assigned to the Lakers' D-League team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders. On April 1, Farmar scored 18 points in a 109–101 home loss against the Anaheim Arsenal. Later on that afternoon, he was re-called by the Lakers to play against the visiting Sacramento Kings. Farmar added 4 points and 4 rebounds in 7:38 minutes playing time, helping the Lakers take a home victory, thereby making history by becoming the first player ever to participate in both a D-League and an NBA game on the same day. On April 15, against the Seattle SuperSonics, Farmar got his first professional career start, replacing Smush Parker in the starting lineup. Along with two starts in the regular season, Farmar started all five playoff games at point guard. In those games against first round opponent the Phoenix Suns, he averaged 6.4 ppg and 1.2 spg against Steve Nash.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: With the departure of Smush Parker, Aaron McKie, and Shammond Williams, the Lakers lacked a point guard. Therefore, with the 19th selection in the 2007 NBA draft the Los Angeles Lakers selected point guard Javaris Crittenton, who was later traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. As a result, during the summer and fall of 2007 Farmar became a denizen of the team training facility, working on his shot from June through September. He knew his job was in jeopardy with a new point guard in town, and knew he had to work to keep his position within the organization. His hard work paid off, and he averaged 9.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, in 20.6 minutes per game, as the backup to veteran point guard Derek Fisher, who made his return to the Lakers. He played in all 82 games in the 2007–08 season, and shot 46.1% from the field, 3.9% up from the prior season, as well as 37.1% from three-point range, 4.3% up from the prior season. "I'm just trying to shorten [my shot], square my shoulders up and just knock it down", Farmar said. "It's all hand–eye coordination, and I believe in my ability." He had a career high of 24 points in a game against the Miami Heat.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On December 24, 2008, Farmar underwent surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee after suffering an injury in a game against the Miami Heat. He was expected to miss 8 weeks. Farmar was averaging 7.9 points and 2.4 assists before his injury. On January 25, 2009, Farmar returned to action nearly a month earlier than expected, recording 14 points and 2 assists against San Antonio.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: After winning two championship rings with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers, Farmar agreed to a three-year, $12 million contract with the New Jersey Nets on July 14, 2010. A large factor in his decision was his feeling stifled playing behind the established Fisher with the Lakers. In 2010–11, he averaged 9.6 points per game on .467 field goal percentage.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On August 3, 2011, Farmar signed a one-year contract with the Israeli Basketball Super League champion Maccabi Tel Aviv, in the wake of the 2011 NBA lockout. Farmar was very excited to go to Tel Aviv, because his step-father is from the city, and he spent time there as a child.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Because Farmar is Jewish, he is eligible to apply for Israeli citizenship, and he has expressed an interest in doing so. That way he would be considered an Israeli player, and thereby avoid being counted against the Israeli league's limit of four non-Israeli players per team. He would also be eligible to play for the Israel national basketball team in the Olympics and other international competitions.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar began playing for the team when its season began on October 1, 2011. His teammates included former All-American Duke guard Jon Scheyer, who joined the team in June. In the first week of November 2011, he won EuroLeague Player of the Week honors after a 27-point game against Real Madrid. His final game with the team was a 74–71 loss to Partizan Belgrade. He averaged 14.1 points in seven EuroLeague games.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On March 7, 2012, Farmar hit an open game-winning 3-point shot against the Los Angeles Clippers, leaving the clock with 0.2 seconds left. The final score was 101–100. In 2011–12, he averaged 10.4 points per game and 5.0 assists per game, as he played 24.6 minutes per game.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On July 11, 2012, Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson, and a 2013 first round draft pick were traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Joe Johnson. Five days later, he was waived by the Hawks.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On July 12, 2012, Farmar signed a three-year $15 million contract, with opt-outs after each season, with the Turkish League team Anadolu Efes. He averaged 13.8 points in 29 EuroLeague games.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On July 17, 2013, Farmar returned to the Lakers, signing for the 2013–14 season. On December 1, Farmar tore his left hamstring and was expected to miss a month of action. He only played 56 seconds before leaving the game. On February 28, 2014, he scored a career-high 30 points in a 126–122 win over Sacramento. He was a career-high 8-for-10 on 3-pointers in the game, and the Lakers set a franchise record for most threes made in a regulation game, shooting 19-for-27. In 2013–14, he averaged 10.1 points per game, 4.9 assists per game, and 2.5 rebounds per game.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On July 9, 2014, Farmar signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The team signed him to replace former UCLA teammate Darren Collison, who left the Clippers as a free agent. Farmar never quite fit in with the team, and was waived on January 16, 2015, after agreeing to a buyout. He had complained of an inconsistent role and playing time on the team, while coaches were unhappy with his performance. In 36 games, he averaged 4.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.2 rebounds.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On February 7, 2015, Farmar signed with Darüşşafaka of Turkey for the rest of the 2014–15 Turkish Basketball League season. He averaged 14.9 points in 14 Turkish national league games.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On July 6, 2015, he returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv, signing a contract for the 2015–16 season. On January 10, 2016, he parted ways with Maccabi. He averaged 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in eight EuroLeague games.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On March 21, 2016, Farmar signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. That night, he made his debut for the Grizzlies in a 103–97 win over the Phoenix Suns, recording 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 23 minutes. On March 31, he signed with the Grizzlies for the rest of the season. Then, on the same day, Farmar scored a season-high 14 points and dished out 5 assists in a losing effort against the Denver Nuggets. On April 5, Farmar, scored a new season-high with 15 points in a 108–92 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls. He also grabbed 2 rebounds and dished out 4 assists.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: On September 14, 2016, Farmar signed with the Sacramento Kings. He was waived by the Kings on October 24, and later re-signed on November 2. On November 7, he was waived by the Kings after appearing in two games.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: Farmar has a tattoo on his left arm of him with his arm around his little half-sister, while the words "just the two of us" surround them. He also has a tattoo across his back that reads "Farmar." He is a Barack Obama supporter, and attended a fundraiser for Obama in Orange County, California.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: In one week in August 2008, he led a basketball camp for Israeli and Palestinian children, having them play together on the same team. He also started Hoop Farm, a children's basketball camp at UCLA which he leads that promotes eco-friendly behavior.


title: Jordan Farmar

text: He joined the Chabad Telethon in September 2008, shooting free-throws in order to raise funds. Rabbi Chaim Cunin, executive producer of the telethon and CEO of Chabad of California, said: "Jordan is a real mensch. He raised $66,600 in 90 seconds. He made 37 free throws in 90 seconds."


title: Jordan Farmar

text: In 2009, during the summer he was the host of the first annual Jordan Farmar Celebrity Golf Classic, which was held at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. The money that was raised was contributed to the Jordan Farmar Foundation, which his mother runs and which is focused on assisting at-risk youths and children who are taking cancer treatment at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: John Henry is a 2020 American thriller drama film starring Terry Crews and Ludacris, and directed by Will Forbes. Inspired by the folk lore of John Henry, the plot follows an ex-gang member from Los Angeles who must help two immigrant children who are on the run from his former crime boss. The film had a limited release on January 24, 2020, and received negative reviews from critics.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: Berta, a Honduran refugee, is about to be raped by the Los Angeles street gang that kidnapped her. Her brother Oscar and half-brother Emilio assault the house where she is being kept and free her, but Oscar is shot before they can escape. Emilio, who believes Oscar to be dead, forces Berta to leave with him, then delays the police as she flees. She hides under the front porch of a nearby house owned by John Henry, a large, quiet man. John takes her in over the objections of his father, BJ, who reluctantly helps translate her story. Although BJ mocks his sentimentality, John offers to help her.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: Eventually, Emilio arrives at John's house, looking for Berta. Emilio, an American, explains that he was on the way to drop off his half-siblings at a shelter when Berta was kidnapped. Disgusted that Emilio was planning to ditch his family, BJ becomes closer to Berta. Berta insists that they return to the gangsters' house to look for Oscar, but Emilio insists that Oscar is dead. After Emilio describes a tattoo, John realizes that the gangsters are part of a crew run by his cousin Hell. Back in the 1990s, John quit the gang after realizing Hell's ambition would never allow the cycle of violence to end. John contacts Hell, who gives Emilio and Berta 24 hours to leave the city.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: Hell betrays them and sends assassins to kill everyone in the house, though they are instructed to leave John alive long enough that he can watch Hell execute Berta. BJ and Emilio both die protecting Berta, but ride-or-die chick Savage botches Hell's plan when she shoots John to stop him from assaulting Hell. Enraged, Hell leaves John for dead and orders Savage to be killed. John reasons that Hell, who never leaves anyone alive at the scene of a crime, wants him to suffer further. John accidentally shot and maimed Hell when they were teenagers, and John now refuses to use pistols.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: After recovering, John grabs a sledgehammer and leaves to rescue Berta, whom he believes Hell still plans to kill in front of him. John's grandmother initially refuses to give him Hell's address but finally acknowledges that Hell is beyond redemption. John kills several gangsters with his sledgehammer, interrupting Savage's execution and leaving Hell short on muscle. Hell grants Savage a reprieve and orders her to kill John. Although conflicted, she confronts John, who cripples her but leaves her alive.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: The final confrontation between John and Hell draws a crowd. Taking advantage of this, Hell brings out Berta and Oscar, whose public executions he believes will demonstrate his dominance. Although the rest of the neighborhood is scared, a boy named Deydey defies Hell and assists John. Before Hell can order the boy killed, Savage kills Hell's remaining bodyguard. John kills Hell, then collapses, as Berta thanks him for rescuing her and Oscar.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: Terry Crews and Ludacris signed on as lead characters in May 2018, alongside Jamila Velazquez, Ken Foree, Tyler Alvarez and Joseph Julian Soria.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: The film is produced by Eric B. Fleischman's Defiant Studios, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones' Automatik and Maurice Fadida's Kodiak Pictures.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: On May 21, 2018, principal photography for the film began in Los Angeles, California. Fadida described it as a "micro-budget movie".


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: The film was released in limited theaters on January 24, 2020, in the United States, and then on DVD and video on demand on March 10, 2020. It began to stream on Netflix on May 11, 2020, at one point reaching the number-two most-popular title on the service.


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rare approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 27 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: Michael Rechtshaffen of the "Los Angeles Times" wrote: "Not that there was any expectation of cinematic gold being spun here, but director and co-writer Will Forbes never achieves any satisfying sense of momentum, interrupting the occasional burst of cartoonish violence with ponderous stretches of banter straining at QT irreverence." Writing for "The Hollywood Reporter", John DeFore said: "Clearly qualified in the physique department, Crews is an actor with enough charisma and range to carry either gritty genre adventures or more cartoony showdowns; but Forbes' tonal uncertainty and a stiff script leave him stranded here, in a world that lacks the gravity to put his conscience-driven reticence in context." Jeannette Catsoulis of the "New York Times" called the film "a big slice of ham" and said: "The occasional witty line must fight to the death with a soundtrack that flips from flamenco guitars to hustling rap, depending on which ethnicity is onscreen, and ends with a spaghetti-western flourish."


title: John Henry (2020 film)

text: After the film's initial success on Netflix, Fadida and Fleischman both expressed their interest in a second film.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: Chinedu Okoli (born 23 November 1983), better known by his stage name Flavour N'abania or simply Flavour, is a Nigerian singer. He began his musical career as a drummer for a local church. Flavour is popularly known across Africa and the world for his hit song "Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)". He is currently signed to 2nite Entertainment.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: In 2005, he released his self-titled debut album "N'abania". In 2010, Flavour released his second studio album, "Uplifted". It was supported by the singles "Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)", "Adamma", and "Oyi Remix". The album's success made Flavour one of Africa's most sought out artists. He was booked to perform at numerous concerts and social events following "Uplifted"s release.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: Flavour, who is well known for his ability to sing fluently in the Igbo language, was born in Enugu State, Nigeria. His family is originally from Umunze in Orumba South LGA, Anambra State, Nigeria. Flavour began his music career at the age of 13 when he started playing the drums for his church choir in Enugu. The resident pastor at his church introduced him to a friend, Chris I. Ordor, the CEO of SoundCity Communications.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: After three years of playing the drums, Flavour started playing the drums professionally. In 1999, he moved on from playing the drums and started playing the keyboard. He also used to provide back-up vocals for other musicians at SoundCity.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: At age 19, Flavour emerged into Nigeria's musical scene as a drummer and pianist for a local band in Enugu. After learning to play drums professionally, Flavour received an offer to perform at City Centre, Enugu. The massive crowd there inspired him to gain new grounds and reach great heights. Flavour's educational background in music enabled him to learn music production from Dekumzy, Isi Charles and Nnachie.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: In 2005, Flavour released his debut album "N'abania" through Obaino Music. The album's success was relative and limited to Eastern Nigeria, particularly Enugu State. Flavour collaborated with Mr Raw on the album's lead single titled "N'abania". The song was recorded at Kingsley Ogoro's music studio in Lagos, Nigeria.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: Following the relative success of his debut album, Flavour released "Uplifted" in 2010. The album broke national barriers. Lolhiphop Records, an established record label in South Africa, released the album after popular demand. The album's top singles include "Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix)", "Adamma", and Oyi Remix" featuring Tiwa Savage.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: "Blessed" was released on 18 October 2012 through 2nite Entertainment and iROCKING LTD. The album is the successor to "Uplifted". It is arguably Flavour's biggest album to date due to the number of producers who worked on it. It was launched on the same day of Flavour's 2nite Club grand opening.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: In an interview with iROKTV, Flavour said: "I think I'm growing. This is my third album... Now it's time to give them the music, like define myself. I have to be more mature with my music, lyrics and instrumentation wise. I worked with tons of producers and the whole production process made sense."


title: Flavour (musician)

text: "Thankful" was released in December 2014. The album consists of 22 tracks and runs for one hour seventeen minutes. Receiving generally positive reviews from music critics, it sold thousands of copies. The album features hit tracks such as the love ballad "Ololufe" featuring Chidinma and the fast-tempo Afro-pop song "Wake Up" feat. Wande Coal.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: "Ijele – The Traveller" was released in 2017. The album contains 17 tracks, including one featuring Flavour's adopted son Semah G Weifur, a blind Liberian child who was spotted singing alone in a classroom.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: In 2018 Flavour issued two singles, "Crazy love", joining forces with Mama Africa Yemi Alade as Flavour Nabania, and "Yemi Alade".


title: Flavour (musician)

text: Later that year, he released the traditional song "Awele", featuring the Igbo traditional duo Umu Obiligbo.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: On December 4 2020, Flavour released his seventh studio album, titled "Flavour of Africa", which has 16 tracks.


title: Flavour (musician)

text: On 29 August 2012, "Nigerian Entertainment Today" reported that Flavour was involved in a legal battle with Ghanaian duo Wutah, over the alleged theft of "Kwarikwa". According to the article, "Kwarikwa" is an exact replica of "Kotosa", a song made by the aforementioned duo. The singing duo accused Flavour of stealing their song's rhythm, chorus, and tempo.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The Udayagiri Caves are twenty rock-cut caves near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh from the early years of the 5th century CE. They contain some of the oldest surviving Jain temples and iconography in India. They are the only site that can be verifiably associated with a Gupta period monarch from its inscriptions. One of India's most important archaeological sites, the Udayagiri hills and its caves are protected monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Udayagiri caves contain iconography of Jainism . They are notable for the ancient monumental relief sculpture of Parshvanatha in his incarnation. The site has important inscriptions of the Gupta dynasty belonging to the reigns of Chandragupta II (c. 375-415) and Kumaragupta I (c. 415-55). In addition to these, Udayagiri has a series of rock-shelters and petroglyphs, ruined buildings, inscriptions, water systems, fortifications and habitation mounds, all of which remain a subject of continuing archaeological studies. The Udayagiri Caves complex consists of twenty caves, of which one is dedicated to Hinduism and all others to Jainism. The Jain cave is notable for one of the oldest known Jaina inscriptions from 401 CE, while the Hindu caves feature inscriptions from 425 CE.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: There are a number of places in India with the same name, the most notable being the mountain called Udayagiri at Rajgir in Bihar and the Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves in Odisha.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Udayagiri, literally means the 'sunrise mountain'. The region of Udayagiri and Vidisha was a Buddhist and Bhagavata site by the 2nd century BCE as evidenced by the stupas of Sanchi and the Heliodorus pillar. While the Heliodorus pillar has been preserved, others have survived in ruins. Buddhism was prominent in Sanchi, near Udayagiri, in the last centuries of the 1st millennium BCE. According to Dass and Willis, recent archaeological evidence such as the Udayagiri Lion Capital suggests that there was a Sun Temple at Udayagiri. The Surya tradition in Udayagiri dates at least from the 2nd century BCE, and possibly one that predated the arrival of Buddhism. It is this tradition that gives it the 'sunrise mountain' name.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The town is referred to as Udaygiri or Udaigiri in some texts. The site is also referred to as Visnupadagiri, as in inscriptions at the site. The term means the hill at 'the feet of Vishnu'.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Udayagiri Caves are set in two low hills near Betwa River, on the banks of its tributary Bes River. This is an isolated ridge about long, running from southeast to northwest, rising to about height. The hill is rocky and consists of horizontal layers of white sandstone, a material common in the region. They are about west of the town of Vidisha, about northeast of the Buddhist site of Sanchi, and northeast of Bhopal. The site is connected to the capital Bhopal by a highway. Bhopal is the nearest major railway station and airport with regular services.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Udayagiri is slightly north of the current Tropic of Cancer, but over a millennium ago it would have been nearer and directly on it. Udayagiri residents must have seen the sun directly overhead on the Summer solstice day, and this likely played a role in the sacred of this site for the Hindus.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The site at Udayagiri Caves was the patronage of Chandragupta II, who is widely accepted by scholars to have ruled the Gupta Empire in central India between c. 380-414 CE. The Udayagiri Caves were created in final decades of the 4th-century, and consecrated in 401 CE. This is based on three inscriptions:


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: These inscriptions are not isolated. There are a number of additional stone inscriptions elsewhere at the Udayagiri site and nearby which mention court officials and Chandragupta II. Further the site also contains inscriptions from later centuries providing a firm floruit for historical events, religious beliefs and the development of Indian script. For example, a Sanskrit inscription found on the left pillar at the entrance of Cave 19 states a date of Vikrama 1093 (c. 1037 CE), mentions the word "Visnupada", states that this temple that was made by Chandragupta, and its script is Nagari both for alphabet and numerals. Many of the early inscriptions in this region is in Sankha Lipi, yet to be deciphered in a way that a majority of scholars would accept it.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Archaeological excavations of the 20th century on mounds between Vidisha rampart and Udayagiri have yielded evidence that suggests that Udayagiri and Vidisha formed a contiguous human settlement zone in the ancient times. Udayagiri hills would have been the suburb of Vidisha located near the confluence of two rivers The Udayagiri Caves are likely euphemistically mentioned in Kalidasa text "Meghduta" in section 1.25 as the "Silavesma on the Nicaih hill", or the pleasure spot of Vidisha elites on the caves filled hill.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Between the 5th-century and the 12th-century, the Udayagiri site remained important to Hindu pilgrims as sacred geography. This is evidenced by a number of inscriptions in scripts that have been deciphered. Some inscriptions between the 9th and the 12th centuries, for example, mention land grants to the temple, an ancient tradition that provided resources for the maintenance and operation of significant temples. These do not mention famous kings. Some of these inscriptions mention grant from people who may have been regional chiefs, while others read like common people who cannot be traced to any text or other inscriptions in Central India. One Sanskrit inscription, for example, is a pilgrim named Damodara's record from 1179 CE who made a donation to the temple.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Some historians have suggested that the iron pillar in the courtyard of Quwwat-ul-Islam at the Qutb Minar site in Delhi originally stood at Udayagiri. The Delhi pillar is accepted by most scholars as one brought to Delhi from another distant site in India, but scholars do not agree on which site or when this relocation happened. If the Udayagiri source proposal is true, this implies that the site was targeted, artifacts damaged and removed during an invasion of the region by Delhi Sultanate armies in or about the early 13th-century, possibly those of Sultan named Iltutmish. This theory is based on multiple pieces of evidence such as the closeness of its design and style with pillars found in Udayagiri-Vidisha region, the images found on Gupta era coins (numismatics), the lack of evidence for alternate sites so far proposed, the claims in Persian made by Muslim court historians of Delhi Sultanate about the loot brought to Delhi after invasions particularly related to the pillar and Quwwat-ul-Islam, and particularly the Sanskrit inscription in Brahmi script on the Delhi Iron Pillar which mentions a Chandra's (Chandragupta II) devotion to Vishnu, and it being installed in Visnupadagiri. These proposals state that this Visnupadagiri is best interpreted as Udayagiri around 400 CE.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The Udayagiri Caves were first studied in depth and reported by Alexander Cunningham in the 1870s. His site and iconography-related report appeared in Volume 10 of "Tour Reports" published by the Archaeological Survey of India, while the inscriptions and drawings of the Lion Capital at the site appeared in Volume 1 of the "Corpus Inscriptionum Indicum". His comments that Udayagiri is an exclusively Hinduism and Jainism-related site, it being close to the Buddhist site of Sanchi and the Bhagavata-related Heliodorus pillar, and his dating parts of the site to between 2nd century BCE and early 5th century CE brought it to scholarly attention.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The early Udayagiri Caves reports appealed to the prevailing conjecture about the rise and fall of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent, the hypothesis that Buddhist art predated Hindu and Jaina arts, and that Hindus may have built their monuments by reusing Buddhist ones or on top of Buddhist ones. Cunningham presumed that the broken Lion Capital at the Udayagiri Caves may be an evidence for these, and he categorized Udayagiri as originally a Buddhist site converted into a Hindu and Jaina one by "Brahmanical prosecutors". However, nothing in or around the cave looked Buddhist, no Buddhist inscriptions or texts supported this, and it did not explain why these "Brahmanical prosecutors" did not demolish the nearby bigger Sanchi site. The working hypothesis then became that the Lion Capital platform stood on a Buddhist stupa, and that if excavations were done in and around the Udayagiri Caves hills then the evidence will emerge. Such an excavation was completed and reported by archaeologists Lake and Bhandarkar in early 1910s. No evidence was found. Bhandarkar, a strong proponent of the 'Buddhist converted to Hindu' site hypothesis, went further with excavations. He, state Dass and Willis, went so far as "to ransack the platform" at the Udayagiri Caves site, in an effort "to find the stupa he was certain lay below". However, after an exhaustive search, his team failed to find anything underneath the platform or nearby that was even vaguely Buddhist.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The archaeological excavations in the 1910s in the area of the nearby Heliodorus pillar yielded unexpected results, such as the inscription of Heliodorus, which confirmed that Vāsudeva and Bhagavatism (early forms of Vaishnavism) were influential by the 2nd century BCE, and which linked the Udayagiri-Besnagar-Vidisha region politically and religiously to the ancient Indo-Greek capital of Taxila.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: In the 1960s, a team led by archaeologist Khare revisited a broader region, at seven mounds, which included the nearby Besnagar and Vidisha. The excavation data and results were never published, except for summaries in 1964 and 1965. No new evidence was found, but the layers excavated suggested that the site was a significant town already by 6th-century BCE, and likely a major city by the 3rd-century BCE.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Michael Willis – an archaeologist and Curator of early South Asian collections at the British Museum, and other scholars revisited the site in the early 2000s. Once again no Buddhist evidence was found at the Udayagiri Caves, but more artifacts related to Hinduism and Jainism. According to Julia Shaw, the evidence collected so far has led to a "major revision" about presumptions about the Udayagiri Caves archaeological site as well as the wider archaeological landscape of this region. Willis and team have proposed that, perhaps Udayagiri was a Hindu and Jaina site all along, and that the evidence collected so far suggests that the Saura tradition of Hinduism may have preceded the arrival of Buddhism in this region.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The caves were produced on the northeast face of the Udayagiri hills. They generally have a square or near-square plans. Many are small, but according to Cunningham, they were likely more substantial because their front showed evidence that each had a structural mandapa on pillars in their front.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The caves at Udayagiri were numbered in the nineteenth century from south to north by Alexander Cunningham, and he reported only 10 lumping some of the caves together. He called the Jain cave as number 10. Later studies identified the caves separately, and their number swelled to 20. A more detailed system was introduced before mid 20th century by the Department of Archaeology, Gwalior State, with Jain cave being number 20. Due to these changes, the exact numbering sequence in early reports and later publications sometimes varies. The complex has seven caves dedicated to Shaivism related caves, nine to Vaishnavism, and three to Shaktism. However, a few of these caves are quite small. The significant caves include iconography of all three major traditions of Hinduism. Some of the caves have inscriptions. Caves 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 13 have the most number of sculptures. The largest is Cave 19. In addition, there are rock-cut water tanks at various locations, as well as platforms and shrine monuments on the top of the hill related to Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism. There were more of these before the excavations of 1910s, but these were destroyed in the attempt to find evidence of Buddhist monuments underneath.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 1 is the southernmost cave and a false one because one of the side and its front is not of the original rock but added in. Its roof is integrated from the natural ledge of the rock. It moulding style is similar to those found in Tigawa Hindu temple. The mandapa inside the temple is a square with side, while the sanctum is 7 feet by 6 feet. Outside, Cunningham reported four square pillars. The back wall of the cave has a deity carved into the rock wall, but this was damaged by chiseling later at some point. The iconographic markers are gone and the deity is unknown.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 2 is to the north of Cave 1, but still on the southern foothill isolated from the main cluster of caves. Its front wall was damaged at some point, and the interior has been eroded by weather. It is about in area and the only traces of two pilasters are visible, along with evidence underneath its roof of a structural mandapa. The doorjamb has some reliefs, but these are only partially visible.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 3 is the first of the central group or cluster of shrines and reliefs. It has a plain entrance and a sanctum. Traces of two pilasters are seen on both sides of the entrance and there is a deep horizontal cutting above which shows that there was some sort of portico (mandapa) in front of the shrine. Inside there is a rock-cut image of Skanda, the war god, on a monolithic plinth. The mouldings and spout of the plinth are now damaged. The Skanda sculpture is desecrated, with his staff or club and parts of limbs broken and missing. The surviving remnants show an impressive muscular torso, with Skanda's weight distributed equally on both legs.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 4 was named the Vina cave by Cunningham. It presents both Shaiva and Shakti themes. It is an excavated temple of about 14 feet by 12 feet. The cave has a style that suggests that it was completed with the other caves. The doorway frame is plain but it is surrounded by three bands of rich carvings. In one of these bands, in a circular boss to the left of the door is depicted a man playing the lute, while another boss to the right shows another man playing the guitar. River goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the doorway on two short pilasters with bell capitals.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The temple sanctum is dedicated to Shiva, with the sanctum containing an "ekamukha" linga, or a linga with a face carved on it. Outside its entrance, in what was a mandapa and now is eroded remnants of a courtyard are matrikas (mother goddesses), eroded likely because of weathering. This is one of the three groups of matrikas found at Udayagiri site in different caves. The prominent presence of the matrikas in a cave dedicated to Shiva suggests that the divine mothers had been accepted within the Shaivism tradition by about 401 CE. Some scholars speculate that there may have been Skanda here, but others state the evidence is unclear.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The cave is also notable for depicting a harp player on its lintel, putting a floruit of 401 CE for this musical instrument in India.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 5 is a shallow niche more than a cave and contains the much-celebrated colossal Varaha panel of Udayagiri Caves. It is the narrative of Vishnu in his Varaha or man-boar avatar rescuing goddess earth in crisis. Willis has described the relief as the "iconographic centre-piece of Udayagiri".


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The Hindu legend has roots in the Vedic literature such as "Taittariya Samhita" and "Shatapatha Brahmana", and is found in many post-Vedic texts. The legend depicts goddess earth (Bhudevi, Prithivi) in an existential crisis after she has been attacked and kidnapped by oppressive demon Hiranyaksha, where neither she nor the life she supports can survive. She is drowning and overwhelmed in the cosmic ocean. Vishnu emerges in the form of a man-boar avatar. He, as the hero in the legend, descends into the ocean, finds her, she hangs onto his tusk, he lifts her out to safety. The good wins, the crisis ends, and Vishnu once again fulfills his cosmic duty. The Varaha legend has been one of many historic legends in the Hindu text embedded with right versus wrong, good versus evil symbolism, and of someone willing to go to the depths and do what is necessary to rescue the good, the right, the dharma. The Varaha panel narrates this legend. The goddess earth is personified as the dangling woman, the hero as the colossal giant. His success is cheered by a galaxy of the divine as well as human characters valued and revered in the 4th-century. Their iconography of individual characters is found in Hindu texts.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The characters are dressed in traditional dress. The gods wear "dhoti", while the goddess is in a "sari", in the Varaha panel.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 6 is directly beside Cave 5 and consists of rock-cut sanctum entered through an elaborate T-shaped door.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The sanctum door is flanked by guardians. Beside them, on either side, are figures of Vishnu and of Shiva Gangadhara. The cave also has Durga slaying Mahishasura – the deceptive shape-shifting buffalo demon. This is one of the earliest representations of this Durga legend in a cave temple. Of special note also is the figure of seated Ganesha in this cave, to the left of the entrance, and the rectangular niche with seated goddesses, located to the right. The Ganesha is potbellied, has "modaka" (laddu or rice balls, sweetmeat) in his left hand and his trunk is reaching out to get one. This makes the cave notable as it sets the floruit for the widespread acceptance and significance of Ganesha in the Hindu pantheon to about 401 CE. The presence of all three major traditions within the same temple is also significant and it presages the norm for temple space in subsequent centuries.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: In addition to Durga, Cave 6 depicts the Hindu "matrikas" (mother goddesses from all three traditions). One group of these divine mothers are so "badly destroyed", states Sara L. Schastok, that only limited information can be inferred. The matrikas are prominent because they are placed immediately to the right of Visnu. The outline of the seated matrikas in Cave 6 suggests that they are similar to early Gupta era iconography for matrikas such as those found in Badoh-Pathari and Besnagar archaeological sites.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Outside the cave is a panel with an inscription that mentions Gupta year 82 (401 CE), and that the Gupta king Chandragupta II and his minister Virasena visited this cave. In the ceiling of the cave is an undated pilgrim record of somebody named Śivāditya.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 7 is located a few steps east of Cave 6. It consists of a large niche containing damaged figures of the eight mother goddesses, each with a weapon above their head, carved on the back wall of the cave. The cave is flanked by shallow niches with abraded figures of Kārttikeya and Gaṇeśa, now visible only in outline.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: A passage prior to Cave 8. It consists of a natural cleft or canyon in the rock running approximately east to west. The passage has been subject to modifications, the sets of steps cut into the floor being the most conspicuous feature. The lowest set of steps on the right-hand side are eroded. Sankha Lipi or shell inscriptions – so-called because of their shell-like shape, are found on the upper walls of the passage. These are quite large. Those inscriptions have been cut through to make the caves, which means they existed before the caves were created around 401 CE. The inscriptions had not been deciphered, and proposed interpretations have been controversial. The upper walls of the passage have large notches at several places, indicating that stone beams and slabs were used to roof over parts of the passage, giving it a significantly different appearance from what can be seen today.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 8 was named the "Tawa Cave" by Cunningham, after its crown that looks like the Indian griddle which locals use to bake their daily bread and call the baking plate as "Tawa". The cave is a bit to the right of the passage. It is excavated into a hemispherical dome-shaped rock and has a large nearly flat rock crown. It is about 14 feet long and 12 feet broad. The cave is badly damaged, but contains a historically significant inscription. Outside the cave, the empty hollow remnants provide the evidence that there was a mandapa outside this cave. To the sides of the entrance are eroded dvarapalas (guardian reliefs) with a bushy hairstyle found for dvarapalas in other caves. The cave is notable for its lotus carving on the ceiling.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The famed early 5th-century Sanskrit inscription in this cave is on its back wall. It is five lines long, in a Vedic meter. Some parts of the inscription are damaged or have peeled off. The inscription links the Gupta king Chandra Gupta II and his minister Virasena to this cave. It has been translated as follows:


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The inscription does not give a date, but the inscription in Cave 6 does. The "love to Shambhu (Shiva)" is notable given the Varaha panel and royal sponsors of the Gupta era also revere Vishnu.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The three caves are small excavations to the side of Cave 8. All three are next to each other. Their entrance opens north-northwest, and all have damaged Vishnu carvings. Cave 9 and 10 are rectangular niche like openings, while Cave 11 is a bit bigger and has a square plan. Cave 10, the middle one is a bit higher in its elevation.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 12 is a Vaishnavism-related cave known for its niche containing a standing figure of Narasimha or the man-lion avatar of Vishnu. The Narasimha carving is flanked below by two standing images of Vishnu.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 12 is notable for having the clearest evidence that the cave was excavated into a rock with pre-existing inscriptions. The script is Sankha lipi, probably several versions of it given the different styles, all of which remain undeciphered. It is this which confirms that Udayagiri and Vidisha were inhabited and an active site of literate people before these caves were produced. Further, it also establishes 401 CE as the floruit for the existence and the use of Sankha lipi. The cave also has a flat top with evidence that there was likely a structure above, but this structure has not survived into the modern era.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 13 contains a large Anantasayana panel, which depicts a resting figure of Vishnu as Narayana. Below the leg of Vishnu are two men, one larger kneeling devotee in namaste posture, and another smaller standing figure behind him. The kneeling figure is generally interpreted as Chandragupta II, symbolising his devotion to Vishnu. The other figure is likely his minister Virasena.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 14, the last cave on the left hand side at the top of the passage. It consists of a recessed square chamber of which only two sides are preserved. The outline of the chamber is visible in the floor, with a water channel pierced through the wall on one side as in the other caves at the site. One side of the doorjamb is preserved, showing jambs with receding faces but without any relief carving.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 16 is a Shaivism related cave based on the "pitha" and iconography. The sanctum and the "mukha-mandapa" are both squares.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 17 has a square plan. To the left of its entrance is single dvarapala. Further left is a niche with Ganesha image. On the right of the entrance is a niche with Durga in her Mahishasura-mardini form. The cave has an intricate symmetric lotus set in a geometric pattern on the ceiling.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 18 is notable for including a four armed Ganesha. With him is a devotee who is shown carrying a banana plant.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 19 is also called the "Amrita Cave". It is close the Udayagiri village. It is the largest cave in Udayagiri Caves group, being long by broad. It has four massive square cross-section, high pillars which support the roof. The pillars have intricately decorated capitals with four horned and winged animals standing on their hind legs, and touching their forefeet touch their mouths. The roof of the cave, states Cunningham, is divided "into nine square panels by the architraves crossing over the four pillars". The temple was likely much larger with its mandapa in front, given the structural evidence in the form of ruins.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The doorway of Cave 19 is more extensively ornamented than other caves. The pilasters are of the same pattern as the pillars inside. River goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the doorway. Above is a long deeply carved sculpture representing the "samudra manthan" mythology, depicting Suras and Asuras churning the cosmic ocean. It is this narrative of this Hindu myth that led Cunningham to propose the name of the cave to be "Amrita cave". There is a carving near Cave 19 that shows Parvati's family, that is Shiva, Ganesha and Kartikeya. The cave has two Shiva lingas, of which one is a "mukhalinga" (linga with face). This cave had a Sahastralinga (main linga with many subsidiary lingas), which was moved to the ASI museum in Sanchi.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 19 has a Sanskrit inscription in Nagari script dated 1036 CE by a common pilgrim name Kanha, who donated resources to the temple, and the inscription expresses his devotion to Visnu.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: Cave 20 is the only cave in the Udayagiri Caves complex that is dedicated to Jainism. It is in the northwestern edge of the hills. At the entrance is the image of the Jain tirthankara Parshvanatha sitting under a serpent hood. The cave is divided into five rectangular rooms with stones stacked, the total length of that is about deep. The southern room connects to another excavated section consisting of three rooms. In the northern rooms is an eight-line inscription in Sanskrit. It praises the Gupta kings, for bringing prosperity to all, then notes that a Sangkara has set up a statue of Parshva Jina in this cave after commanding a cavalry, later giving up his passions, withdrawing from the world and becoming a "yati" (monk).


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The cave has other reliefs, such as those of the Jinas. These are significant because they have "chattras" (umbrella-like cover) carved over them, an iconography that is found in Jain caves built centuries later in many parts of India. These are generally not found in Jain statues carved before the 4th-century. The cave also includes a somewhat damaged image of Ganesha on its floor, where is depicted carrying an axe while looking in his left direction.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: According to Willis, Udayagiri's Hindu history long predates the 4th-century. It was a center of astronomy and Hindu calendar-related activity, given its sculptures, sundials, and inscriptions. These made Udayagiri a sacred space and gave it its name that means "sunrise mountain". It was likely first modified by the king Samudragupta in mid 4th-century. His descendant Chandragupta II reworked these caves a few decades later, to revitalize the Hindu king concept to be both the paramount sovereign ("cakravartin") and the supreme devotee of the god Vishnu ("paramabhāgavata"). This evolved the role of Udayagiri from it being the historic center for Hindu astronomy into an "astro-political node". Chandragupta II thereafter came to be titled as Vikramaditya – literally, "he who is the sun of prowess – in Indian texts, states Willis. According to Patrick Olivelle – an Indologist and a professor of Sanskrit, Udayagiri was important to the Gupta Hindu kings who were "polytheistic with remarkable tolerance" in an era where the popular religion was "basically henotheistic".


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: According to Heinrich von Stietencron - an Indologist and professor of Comparative Religion, the Udayagiri Caves narrates Hindu thought and legends with far deeper roots in the Vedic tradition. These roots are found in many forms, of which Vishnu avatars are particularly well formulated. He is the god who descends to bring order and equilibrium when chaos and injustice of one or more forms thrives in the world. Some of his avatars such as Narasimha, Varaha, Vamana/Trivikrama, and Rama are templates for kings. Their respective legends are well structured for a discussion of right and wrong, justice and injustice, rights and duties, of dharma in its various dimensions. The man-boar Varaha avatar found in Udayagiri itself is a story found in various forms, starting with the Vedic text "Taittiriya Samhita" section VII.1, where Prajapati takes the form of boar to rescue earth first before creating gods and lifeforms that earth could support. The story's popularity was well spread, as the symbolic boar saving the earth goddess is also found in the "Shatapatha Brahmana" XVI.1, the "Taittiriya Brahmana", "Taittiriya Aranyaka" and others, all these Vedic era texts are estimated to have been complete by 800 BCE. The Varaha iconography has been historic symbolism of someone willing to go to the depths and do what is necessary to rescue earth and dharma, and this has had an obvious appeal and parallels to the role of king in the Hindu thought. Udayagiri caves narrate this legend, but go one step further. The Varaha relief in Udayagiri does not revitalize Hindu kingship, according to Heinrich von Stietencron, rather it is a tribute to his victories that was likely added to the cave temples complex as a shallow niche between 410 and 412 CE. It signifies his success and with his success, the return of dharma. It may have marked the year when Chandragupta II assumed the title of Vikramaditya.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: The Stietencron proposal does not explain the presence of a bowing figure in front of the Vishnu Varaha. The royally dressed man has been broadly interpreted as king Chandragupta II acknowledging dharma and duty symbolized by Vishnu Varaha as above the king. Stietencron states that it indeed is a norm in the Hindu sculptural art tradition to not represent transitory achievements of mortal kings or any individual, rather they predominantly emphasize spiritual quest and narrate ahistoric, symbolic legends from Hindu texts. The Udayagiri Caves are significant, states Stietencron, because they are likely a political statement.


title: Udayagiri Caves

text: According to Julia Shaw, the Udayagiri sculptures are significant because they suggest that the avatara concept was fully developed by about 400 CE. The full display of iconography across multiple caves for Vishnu, Shiva and Durga suggests that Hinduism was thriving along with Buddhism in post-Mauryan era in ancient India. The Udayagiri temples represent, state Francis Ching and other scholars, the "earliest intact Hindu architecture" and display the "essential attributes of a Hindu temple" in the form of sanctum, mandapa and a basic plan. According to James Harle, the Udayagiri caves are significant for being "a common denominator of the early Gupta style". He states that Udayagiri temples are, along with those as Tigawa and Sanchi, probably the earliest of surviving Hindu temples. The Udayagiri temples are the only that can be confidently linked to the Gupta Empire, states George Michell. While new ancient temples are being identified every year on the Indian subcontinent but their dating remains uncertain. the Udayagiri Caves can be dated and they are earliest accepted examples of surviving rock-based north Indian temple.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Angelo Davis Mathews, (Tamil: அஞ்செலோ மத்தியூஸ்; born 2 June 1987) is a professional Sri Lankan cricketer and a former captain in all formats. Even though he represented Sri Lanka in all three formats, Mathews currently plays Test cricket for Sri Lanka. He was also a key member of the team that won the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and was part of the team that made the finals of 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2009 ICC World Twenty20 and 2012 ICC World Twenty20. An occasional bowler who can deliver swinging match-winning spells, Mathews and Lasith Malinga holds the record for the highest ninth wicket partnership in ODI cricket. In July 2022, Mathews played in his 100th Test match for Sri Lanka.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews was born in Colombo, to Tamil father Tyronne Mathews and Burgher mother Monica Mathews. Mathews is Roman Catholic and was educated at St. Joseph's College, Colombo.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews is married to his longtime partner, Heshanie Silva. The wedding reception was held on 18 July 2013 at Cinnamon Grand Hotel with the presence of former president Mahinda Rajapakse. They have one son and two daughters.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews made his List A debut for Sri Lanka Under-23s against New Zealand A at Police Park Ground, Colombo in September, 2005. He captained the Sri Lankan cricket team in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. He later made his first-class debut for Colombo Cricket Club in November, 2006.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: In the Indian Premier League cricket, he played for Delhi Daredevils in the 2017 Indian Premier League season. He is one of the most sought out players in the Premier League world, having been bought by the Pune Warriors for US$950,000.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: In March 2018, he was named as the captain of Kandy's squad for the 2017–18 Super Four Provincial Tournament. The following month, he was also named as the captain for Kandy's squad for the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: In August 2018, he was named as the captain of Kandy's squad the 2018 SLC T20 League. In October 2020, he was drafted by the Colombo Kings for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League. In July 2022, he was signed by the Colombo Stars for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews began his international career in late 2008 with ambitions of becoming a genuine allrounder, but has since given primacy to his batting (to diminish his workload and avoid injuries), and effectively plays as a specialist batsman in the Test side. However, for the balance of the team, he still plays as a batting allrounder in the limited overs cricket. A more than useful strike rate of 84.06 has made him a damaging prospect in the final overs of the Sri Lankan innings.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: He made his international debut in a One Day International against Zimbabwe in November 2008 and made his Test debut against Pakistan at Galle in July, 2009.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Angelo Mathews made his Test debut in Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka, 2009. The Test also marked the debuts of Abdur Rauf, Mohammad Amir and Saeed Ajmal. He scored his maiden half-century in the third Test of the series, played at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo. His maiden ton came against Australia in September, 2011 in the same venue. Mathews has an average record in Tests in countries such as Australia, South Africa and India, but up to now he has had limited opportunities to improve on it. His brilliant records at home and in countries like England and UAE make up for that. Two of his four centuries came in England – against a high quality pace attack consisting of James Anderson and Stuart Broad – in the famous Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland, 2014. He has also flourished with the added responsibility of captaincy, averaging 86.62 in 13 matches.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: In February 2013, Mathews became Sri Lanka's youngest ever Test captain at 25, after having been groomed for the post for two years. He captained the Lankan team in its monumental Test series win in England (2014). His highest Test score (200 off 428 balls) came in the first match vs Zimbabwe 2020.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: After Kumar Sangakkara stepped down as ODI captain following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Mathews was widely tipped to be Sri Lanka's next limited overs captain. However, short tenures of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene followed. After Sri Lanka's loss in the final of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, the skipper Jayawardene stepped down as captain of the T20I side. Later that month, Mathews was appointed as the T20I captain with Lasith Malinga as his deputy. In February 2013 Mathews was eventually named as ODI and Test captain succeeding Jayawardene.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews became an important member in Sri Lanka One Day team during the Sri Lanka tour of Australia in 2010/11. At the first match, on 3 November 2010, Mathews scored a magnificent match winning 77* runs with a partnership with Lasith Malinga, who also scored his only half-century. Sri Lanka were in trouble when he come into the crease, but finally won the match. In this match, Mathews along with Malinga, recorded the highest ninth wicket partnership in ODI history by scoring 132 runs for the ninth wicket.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: Mathews hit back-to-back centuries against England at Lord's and Headingley to seal Sri Lanka's first-ever Test series win in England. Under him, Sri Lanka also won the ODI series 3 – 2. The England tour was followed by a 2 – 0 win over Pakistan at home, where Mathews and his team ensured a winning send-off for Mahela Jayawardene from Tests.


title: Angelo Mathews

text: On 16 November 2014, Mathews scored his first ODI century against India at Ranchi. He hit four boundaries and ten huge sixes, but finally ended up in the losing side by century made by Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Under the captaincy of Mathews, however, lost all the matches in 5 ODI series against India in 2014. This is the largest loss by Sri Lanka in a bilateral series.