Dobrovits Aladár szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 3-4. (Budapest, 1959)
HOPP FERENC KELETÁZSIAI MŰVÉSZETI MÚZEUM - Ervin Baktay: Report on a vovage of study to India 1956/57
life, very much like it must have been about 800 years ago, when those temples were finished. Returning to Ahmedabad I took the train to Jhansi, where the old fort is reminding the visitor of the heroic queen, Chand Bibi, who so gallantly fought against the British in bygone times. From there I reached Khajuraho, another important spot which is not easily approachable. There is a modern and comfortable State Guesthouse in Khajuraho, but no conveyances are to be had at the place. Thus I had to walk for 5 to 6 hours a day in the heat of the scorching glare, in order to cover the long distances between the various groups of old temples. The splendid sculptures on the Khandariya and other Hindu temples of the Nagara style from the XI th or XII th centuries present an inexhaustible store of artistic achievements (Fig. 10.). In fact, Khajuraho stands forth as one of the most important places of monuments, and it were advisable to make arrangements enabling the visitor to reach it without so much trouble, and putting at least tongas (carts with two wheels, drawn by a horse) at their disposal. I returned to New Delhi in late April. From there I visited Mathura where the Museum offers an invaluable and very rich collection of sculptures. Mathura used to be a centre of sculptural production from the Hid century B. C. on for about eight centuries, the creations of the Kushan period (I st to III d centuries A. D.) standing foremost. I am sorry to say that even this Museum is lacking in sufficient space ; the splendid specimens stand in close rows, and cannot offer a satisfactory view from any side. More rooms should be added to the otherwise well planned building. Yet it is the common shortcoming of the Museums in India, and, to be frank, in many European métropoles too. May was drawing near and the heat settled over New Delhi. We took leave of our friends with whom my wife was staying during my tour, and left for southermost India, because passage could be booked only for an Italian steamer touching India at Cochin. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we were compelled to stay for a whole month at this place, but it was another pleasant experience to look around in Cochin. More than anything else, the XVlIlth century wall paintings in the Mattan Cheri palace were worth seeing ; they represent a southern style of highly developed painting, which seems to have inherited some features of the Ajanta frescoes, being more closely related to them than to the contemporary Rajput School in the North. We sailed from Cochin in June, and the Monsoon made its effects felt during the first days of the passage. Visiting some places of interest on the way, e. g. Djibouti, Massawa, Port Said, with the then recently reopened Suez Canal, Malta, and Naples, with an excursion to Pompei, the end of the voyage by sea was reached in Genova. 1 was given the opportunity to visit India once more, and this second sojourn of nearly seven months added new experiences and impressions to those gained during my previous stay in India in pre-w r ar times. First of all I was impressed by the tremendous work being done in New India which is building up her own independent civilization, preparing for a promising future. I close my sketchy report by expressing my thanks to the Government of India and to all those who had their share in enabling me to revisit India, the country which, after my own native land, stands nearest to my heart. 2 2 The photos, with the exception of N° 1, were taken by the author.
