PART TWO OF GREECE- METEORA!

METEORA

Meteora!  The word sounds like Meteor?  Now what is a meteor?  A meteor is a bright trail or streak that appears in the sky when a meteoroid is heated to incandescence by friction with the earth's atmosphere. However in Greek a meteora means,"suspended rocks" or "in the heaven's above" or "suspended in the air". 

Tell me did you read Jack and the Beanstalk? Remember the giant had a house on top of the tree, high up in the heavens? Well, so that is what Meteora looks like when you look at it from Kalambaka,  a little town near the base of these amazing mountains. Only there is no beanstalk, there is this sheer straight mountain, which has no slope, and on top of that there are these lights twinkling at you! A house so far up almost in the sky?One wonders how on earth do people live there. How did they get there and what are they doing there?

A MONASTERY HIGH UP NEAR THE SKY.

As we set out on our exploration, I could not believe my eyes. Those black sheer straight rocks had caves. Right on top of the mountain, I saw a building, on the next mountain, I saw a ruin and yet another building. It was intriguing indeed! 

THE ROAD

I was much relieved to see that there was a road which took us up the mountain. On the way one came across caves and the ruins of older structures and rope ladders to climb the hill. So that was one mystery solved. 

THE ROPE PATH, A CAVE & A MONASTERY

The first people to inhabit Meteora were hermit monks who climbed up the pinnacles of these mountains in the 9th Century. To begin with they  lived in hollows and fissures in the rock towers, some of which reach 1800 ft (550m) above the ground. This great height, combined with the sheerness of the cliff walls, kept away all but the most determined visitors. Initially the hermits led a life of solitude, meeting only on Sundays and special days to worship in a Chapel built at the foot of a rock known as Dhoupiani. 

REMINDS YOU OF AN ELEPHANT?

The Ascetics lived here and practiced their religion undisturbed by the political upheavals of the mainland. Access to the monasteries was  therefore deliberately kept difficult. It  required either long ladders lashed together or large nets were used to haul up both goods and people.  To keep invaders at bay they could draw up the rope ladders when they were threatened.   There were Persian and then Turkish invasions on Greece, which could make it difficult for the people to follow their Religion.Therefore the ascetic monks moved upwards. Around the 14th Century about 20 monasteries were built here. In the beginning both men and women lived in the same monasteries but later they became segregated. Now only 6 monasteries remain, of which 4 are inhabited by monks and 2 by nuns. So now you know that Meteora is an important complex of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, situated high up in the air! 

THE STEPS TO A MONASTERY

The road takes us up to a point beyond which one has to climb up stairs. This climb too is quite steep and therefore the rope basket is still used to haul up the Head Priest when he visits the monastery.

SEA PEBBLES!

After reaching the monastery the rocks become quite clear. They are made up of sea pebbles lodged inside sea silt!

THE NUNNERY GARDEN

The buildings are interesting. There is a courtyard, a Church, a museum and the rooms for the monks/nuns to stay in. They are maintained immaculately. Very neat, clean, fresh, tiny and beautiful. The nunnery, that is the monastery for women are very beautiful. They have gardens with flowers and also vegetables and herbs are grown there. They even sell these herbs in pouches. Shows the determination of the women to level out rocks and surround themselves with things of beauty!

HARD WORK & DEDICATION 

Women visitors have to compulsorily wear skirts or rather a long flowing dress, most probably a saree may be allowed. We women were therefore handed out skirts to wear over our trousers. Once inside the Museum I saw priceless books, and material associated with prayers. There were beautifully embroidered robes, gold painted books, prayer articles, candellebra, and paintings on display. Everything has been maintained nicely and securely. Photography was not allowed

A JAMES BOND MOVIE" For your eyes only"WAS SHOT ON THIS ROPEWAY

The Church was very tiny with about 6 chairs kept close together, with defining partitions. One could sit there and look at the priceless chandeliers and images and statues of Jesus and Maddona, and also the beautiful paintings on the walls. There was a calmness that enters your entire being. It is here that one feels that there is more to life than the everyday strife, race and combat that one faces in the materialistic world that lies at the foot of the mountains!

There is peace, tranquility, happiness and a sense of serenity up in the mountain away from the humdrum, traffic, pollution and what not, where we  people keep running against time!

LOOKING DOWN FROM THE TOP

I wonder if these monks were running away from those everyday problems that one has to face in the real world?

Nevertheless, these sanctuaries were what kept the Greek language alive. During the Persian and Turkish rule Greek was not allowed to be spoken except in the Church, so the people could keep alive their Language here. In fact Greece is dotted with Churches as the people would gather there to speak their language and teach the children their language.

SERENITY,BEAUTY,TRANQUILITY

I found Meteora a unique place. A place which I had never- ever imagined.

In my childhood whenever I thought of Jack and his giant living at the top of the bean stalk, I would end up with a dreadful thought that this was so imaginary, it couldn't be true! Seeing Meteora, I think I am ready for another round of Fairy tales where I will allow my imagination to run riot once again!