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Adventures in the Yucatan |
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by Subra Narayan |
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In an attempt to explore the historic lands of the Maya, we landed in Cancun which is probably the quickest and easiest way to get into this part of Mexico. Cancun of course is a party town, crass and commercial, and caters to the needs of the free spirit. We set base in Cancun, which is slowly limping back to life after the wrath of Hurricane Wilma and proceeded to the somewhat laid back town of Playa Del Carmen, a short drive on Hwy 307. A quick trip to the sandy beach followed by a leisurely stroll on Fifth Avenue which is closed to traffic, offered us ample opportunities to take in the sights and sounds of this beautiful town. The multitude of small shops selling trinkets and handicrafts is enough to keep you hopping as you mingle with the locals and practice your limited vocabulary of Espanol, although most of the shopkeepers speak reasonably good English. Around dusk, the place takes on a festive atmosphere with music and lights.
The precision of the architectural grandiose meant that it was used as a marker of time and seasons. During the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun enters the top of the pyramid and slithers down the western steps much like a snake would. The bottom of the pyramid shows the carving of a snake head with its mouth open and this represents Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent. The four sides of the pyramid represent the four directions and contain ninety one steps each. Adding the topmost base to the steps of the four sides gives it a grand total of 365, which is the total number of days in a year. This alone should tell us how advanced the Mayans were! Another significance of the pyramid is that during the summer and winter solstices, the sun falls on top of the pyramid in such a way that it illuminates only two sides, attesting to the advanced architectural, engineering and astronomical knowledge of the Mayans. It was a little disappointing to learn from our guide that going up the steps is no longer allowed, as this has led to erosion and weathering over the years. As we headed to the ballcourt, it was amazing to imagine yourself during a ball game very much like soccer that was played by the Mayans who dressed themselves in full gear and had to hit the ball through a ring on top of the walls. The losing team ended up being decapitated as illustrated by the carvings on the walls. The game was watched by the residents of Chichen including the high priest and other priests from the neighboring cities like Uxmal, Tulum, Coba. One of the mysteries surrounding the Maya is that if they were so advanced and civilized, then how come they also entertained themselves in barbaric rituals. A general theory is that during the later Classic period, with the advent of the Toltecs, the act of violence became commonplace. The Toltec influence can be seen all over Chichen mainly in the form of the feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl and the Chac-Mool, which is depicted as a crouched human figure with a flat belly on which sacrifices were offered.
The following day, we headed south on 261 to Uxmal, another Mayan site that was also built during the heydays. The architecture is in the Puuc style and while there are several sites close by such as Kabah, Sayil and Labna, the grandest of them all is Uxmal. The symmetry and the architecture is breathtaking and is a feast for the eyes. The Pyramid of the Magician stands tall at 100 feet and behind it is the Nunnery Quadrangle which is quite a marvel. Trekking by the ballcourt, similar but smaller than the one at Chichen, we went past the House of Turtles and the Governor's Palace towards the Great Pyramid. Here we were allowed to go up the steps of the Great Pyramid which did not seem like a difficult task. The view from the top was magnificent as you could see the other structures, all in the middle of dense and lush green forests. Now coming down the steps was another story. There were no rails or any ropes to hold on to, the steps were extremely narrow, designed for small Mayan feet and the incline was stupendous, a sure case for vertigo! But it was fun nonetheless. The trip to Uxmal was worth it. Finally we bid adieu to yet another majestic landmark, made timeless by the creative minds of an amazing civilization, and headed back to the hubbub of Cancun. |
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09-Jul-2006 | ||||
More by : Subra Narayan | ||||
Top | Travelogues | ||||
Views: 2595 Comments: 1 | ||||
Comments on this Article
Anil Peethambaran 07/08/2011 07:06 AM |
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