Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, Peru, -The Legendary Lost City

View of Huayna Picchu towering above the ruins of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu (means old peak in the local language) is the most amazing remnants of the Inca Empire and great civilization that engulfed the whole of South America. It is located in the Eastern Slope of the Andes Mountain overlooking the Urubamba River-Valley about 70 kilometer north-west of the Peruvian town Cusco. The site is 7000 feet above sea-level and consists of temples, giant walls, pathways, gardens, ramps and remnants of buildings and halls all built on the terraces made on mountain slopes. It is estimated that its construction took place in 1450 AD by the Inca Emperor Pacha Cuti. The total area of the site is five sq km.

No script; not even wheels; yet!

There are altogether about 140 constructions in this site; all made of shaped and polished stones so tightly packed leaving no gaps between them. All these structures were made by the Incas who did not know about wheels and carts. They did not even have a script hence written statements regarding these works or the technology they adopted is not available. As these works are done on mountain slopes and more than hundred steps to connect them; all cut in stone. Remnants of fountains used to irrigate garden-plants, and vents for the disposal of waste and storm-water; all made of stones!

What purpose?

Machu Picchu Temple of the Sun

Differences of opinion exist among experts regarding the purpose of all these constructions in the slope of a remote mountain; all surrounded by dense tropical forests. There was human inhabitation in this ‘lost city’ from its construction on 1440 till 1532 and about 750 people resided here. One of the opinions is that; it was the hiding place for high-profile leaders in the events of any attack, it also is considered as the capital to manage the economic affairs of Inca regions occupied by the Spanish. A more credible one is this that it was only a retreat for the Royal and influential ones of the society. Whatever be the case this site was never found by the invading Spanish, even the outside world come to know about it only in the 20^th century!

The Inca Empire and its civilization,

The Intihuatana ("sun-tier") is believed to have been designed as an astronomic clock by the Incas

The Inca Empire originated as a small tribal village in 1197 under the tribal chief Manco Capac; with the city of Cuzco (also spelt Cusco) as its base; it later grew to an empire with a unique culture under Pacha Cuti by 1438 to embrace the whole of Latin America. The people followed a Pagan path and the main goddess of Incas was ‘Pacha mama’ along with it the Incas worshiped numerous gods including the Sun God. Their main language was Quechus.

The Incas excelled in architecture -as seen in the Machu Picchu-; they had an advanced treatment methods (conducted surgery using Cocoa leaf as sedative). This noble culture believed in rebirths and its moral standing was based on three fundamental principles, they were ama suwa, ama llulla, ama quella; meaning don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t be lazy. The beginning of the end of a great culture and an empire was with arrival of Francisco Pizzaro the Spanish invader who came in search of gold and got far more than what he had bargained- a whole empire!

Trinity,

The whole ‘city’ of Machu Picchu (also spelt Machu Picchu) consisted of three blocks; one of the three portions was for temple and priests; the main and central portion of it was the ‘Intihuatana’ a shrine for the Sun-God made of shining black granite. It is believed that this temple is constructed in alignment with astronomical positions. The second was for the intellectuals and the influential ones well made with more amenities. The third portion is believed to be for prisoners and remnants equipments to hold them in captivity are visible. As the Mach Picchu site was never discovered by the Spanish and there is no evidence that the Spanish was behind its destruction.

Unsung explorers!

Machu Picchu Seven Wonders of the World

One interesting fact about this site is that the modern world come to know about its existence only very recently when Hiram Bingham a historian and lecturer in the Yale University ‘discovered’ the site in 28^th July 1911.There are many citations regarding numerous people seen this site, but it was Mr. Bingham who actually presented a comprehensive report to the outside world. He has even written a book about this location titled ‘The Legendary Lost City’. It was a pity that he had not mentioned anything about the local persons who led him to the site; just remarked ‘local rumors’ led him.

Yale v/s Peru and some rare things,

Mr. Bingham has done one more thing; he traveled throughout the area and collected whatever artifacts he could collect and deposited at the Yale University Museum; this lead to an Ownership dispute between the government of Peru and the university. As a result University of Yale returned a portion of the artifacts to the Government of Peru and in a final settlement reached in 2007 the rest have been agreed to be returned. At present these rare artifacts are safe in the Museum of Yale. What will happen to them after some years of the handing over remains to be seen, let’s be optimistic!

From Heritage to Endangered!

View of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu

The Machu Picchu site has turned out to be a hot tourist destination and about 400,000 tourists visit the site every year. This heavy influx has created problems with the remnants and its environments. The Peru government in its greed to collect maximum revenue has started giving permission to construct hotels and resorts in such a delicate area! Scientists and naturalists are fighting pitched battles against the short sighted policies of the greedy government. The UNESCO in 1983 declared this site as a World Heritage Site; but things are moving in such a way to devastate the site; and it has been reported that the status of Machu Picchu will soon be downgraded as an endangered site. A fall from World Heritage Site to endangered site; what a pity!

Lake Titicaca

Titicaca

Titicaca lake image courtsey: members.virtualtourist.com/m/54d1b/1860b7

Lake Titicaca, a Lake on the Sky.

Un paralleled altitude.

Remote, mysterious, immense,

Titicaca is an extravaganza by name and by nature.

James Winchester.

World’s highest navigable lake, four kilometers (12497 feet to be precise) above from sea-level, in the laps of the great Andes Mountains, shared by two nations (Peru and Bolivia), Titicaca is a geological wonder, formed sixty million years back; from the water deposited by 25 incoming rivers which carry the water from melted glaciers of the Andes.

The puma and the rabbit.

It is believed that the name derived from a variety of wild cats that live on the rocky islands of the lake and swim to the mainland during nights in search of food (titi = wild cat (a variety of Puma) + karka = rock, there by meaning Rock- Puma). It may be a strange coincidence that the shape of this giant lake (as revealed by the satellite photographs) has resemblance to a Puma chasing a rabbit. Old tribes without any modern gadgets could not have envisaged the shape of this giant lake; it might be just a coincidence that they named it rock-puma.

And thus a lake was formed.

Lake Titicaca image courtsey: everestnews2004.com

This giant lake is formed when terrible earth quakes of the pre-ice age that shook the Andes Mountain ranges changing its land-scape altogether and forming gaping hollow between the mountain ranges which was longitudinally split in to two, this hollow; as per the geologists, eventually got filled by the water from the melting glaciers creating numerous water bodies. With end of the ice-age the melting of the snow was quickened and all these water bodies grew up to form a single giant lake that is Titicaca.

Vanishes in the thin air!

There are altogether twenty five rivers which end up in Titicaca depositing their waters in to this mega lake but only one to drain it out (River Desaguardero which flows south through Bolivia to lake Poopo). The most interesting thing is that the out going quantity of water through this river is just 5% of the incoming to the lake. Then where does the rest of water go? It is in high altitude, freezing temperature and torrential winds and the hot sun all combine to speed up evaporation process taking away the rest of the incoming (95%) to the air thereby keeping the level of the lake constant.

A real thrill !

Not only in breadth in depth also Titicaca is a giant its average depth is 107 Meters, the deepest part is about 281 Meters! No other lake in the world is as deep and intriguing as Titicaca. Its almost unreachable depths are home to several species of animals and explorers seeking real challenges come to Titicaca in search of real thrill. Jacques Cousteau the great French oceanographer was prominent among adventurers who had a tryst with this great lake’s depths.

Jacques Cousteau – the man of the oceans!

Jacques Cousteau image courtsey: wikipedia.org

Diving to 200 plus meters depths in to a lake with chilling water is no mean thing, Mr. Cousteau - the world famous oceanographer - with all his advanced diving gears could do it – in his under water exploration in this lake, which lasted for more than one and a half months – this big exploration brought out great “treasures” for the scientific community. Animal varieties which were found no where else in the world (like a giant toad 60 centimeters long, grey, yellow or brown in color) was revealed to the world in this “mission impossible”. These animals (millions of them) were able to withstand the tremendous pressure and scarcity of oxygen prevailing in 280 meter deep lake-bed.

Take your oxygen cylinder along with!

Lack of oxygen is not just the condition of the lake-bed, on its shore at a height of about 4 kilometers all who live are equipped with natural evolution to tide over scarcity of this life giving air particle. People from plains feel nausea and headache due lack of atmospheric pressure due to high altitude, even engines work on half their prescribed power. Accident due to fire is such a rarity as fire force is not even heard of until recently!

Curious adaptations!

The natives living here are adapted to this condition by acquiring chests to contain over-sized lungs, more blood in the circulatory system, much more ”red blood corpuscles” in their blood (RBC are the agents which carry oxygen from lungs to various parts of the body) etc. The clear unpolluted sky carries the sun’s ray direct to the earth and these people are un-heard of skin cancer even though they work in the sun for all day as nature has gifted them the power to resist such ailments specific to the conditions prevailing in this location.

Some sweetener in the lake!

Amantani island image courtsey: wikipedia.org

It is a legend that sweetens a culture without them any culture seems dull and dreary; people of the Altiplano (the high-land plains surrounding the lake) have their own sweeteners to their credit. As per the legends during 1230 A.D. the Sun God sent his son (Manco Copac) and daughter (Mamo Ocllo) to rule the entire area. Both of them emerged from the depths of the lake and went to the Sun Island (Sun Island is the largest island in the lake), and found the empire. This Inca Empire lasted up to 1533 until the arrival of the Spaniards.

“I” for Inca.

When the Spaniards invaded this area in the early sixteenth century the Inca Empire covered the present Peru, Ecuador, and much of the present Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. The technologies and architecture were highly developed though they were not using writing and wheeled vehicles. Their descendants make about significant population of these South American states. “Inca” was the supreme ruler of this empire. The word Inca in Quechua means lord or a royal person.

Even before Inca!

Even before the establishment of the Inca Empire certain civilizations existed in the area, remains of an ancient city by name Tiahuanaco with a population of 10000 people have been found at the southern end of the lake. Remnants include a stepped pyramid and carved gate-ways and ornate buildings.

Islands in the lake.

Uros island image courtsey: wikipedia.org

There are about 41 islands in this lake some of them are over populated Isla Dol Sol (Sun Island) is the largest among them several Inca ruins are found on this island and it is believed to be the place of origin of the Inca Empire. Islands Uros is a floating groups of artificial islands (about 43 in number) made of reeds these are major tourist attractions. The lake side city Puno arranges excursions for tourists to these islands. No motor cars, no telephones, no restaurants (only few small shops to cater the base requirements exist) one who wants to escape from the modern-day worries can find no place more ideal than these islands.

Sweet naming artists.

Titikaka Map image courtsey: wikipedia.org

The people of these areas speak a language Aymara which got mixed with Spanish (the official language) They might have been masters in naming things and places, Titicaca itself is just one example, please remember the names of the children of the Sun God in the Inca legend “Manco Copac” and “Mama Occlo” are rare sweet. There are tow mountain peeks “Pacha Mama” (meaning Mother Earth) and “Pacha Tata” (Father Earth). “Isla Dol Sol” (Sun Island), “Capacabana”, “Tiahuanaco” (an ancient town) all sounds so sweet as if a drop of honey spilled on the tongue,

Lake placid.

The local people are superstitious and firmly believe that there are monsters in the lake, though rarely most of them have seen them in the shape of gigantic seals creating monstrous waves and producing loud and fearsome cries. When their whole life is centered with the lake let their beliefs also remain as intact as it was years back!