Simply Stonehenge

Inder Raj Ahluwalia visits the most outstanding monument in the British Isles

IT loomed up on the horizon, squatting on a gently rolling hill, a sinister looking, hauntingly beautiful relic of the past, belonging as much to folklore as to reality. But it is real. And it has quite a story to tell.

In a way, it turned out to be exactly as advertised. There’s no denying the site’s great historical and heritage value, but I couldn’t help thinking that much of its charm revolves around its complete isolation, so loaded with suggestion. And its strong, indelible historical link with harsh, dark days far gone by, when primitive man strove to sustain himself the best he could.

Talk about setting the mood. We got the perfect backdrop. It was cold, gray, with a fine drizzle and just a hint of sleet. And the wind was the way winds often tend to be. Cruel. The topography and setting could well be the prop for a Shakespearean tragedy. The monument squats a bit awkwardly on the top of a gentle incline, commanding fine views of the valleys and meadows of Wiltshire downland. `A0Making the stones stand out with sharper effect is a green carpet of grass that covers the entire hill.

It just wouldn’t do to hover around South-West England and not visit Stonehenge. Considered the most outstanding monument in the British Isles, this World Heritage Site is the centre of one of the world’s earliest cultures, and a marvel of English heritage.

Records show that once there was activity here. Today, all is still. It stands there all by itself, mysterious and desolate, revealing the remains of a prehistoric monument that was ‘live’ thousands of years ago.

Why? How? Who? There are so many points to ponder. Was this a shrine, or a site for rituals, or for passing judgement? But Stonehenge has several stories to tell, and they’ve been historically recorded for archives. They’ve unravelled part of the mystery, but what exactly went on at this strange site in those early days remains at least partly shrouded in mystery. It is this corridor of uncertainty that tugs at one’s imagination as one gets to relive the experience, greatly enhancing its appeal.

The discovery in the late 60s of several Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) pits at the far end of the car park - now indicated by white discs on the tarmac – shed light on the region’s physical composition. It revealed that some seven to eight thousand years ago the area was mixed hazel woodland and pine before becoming downland, as is shown as one proceeds through the tunnel.

The cold and wind notwithstanding, tourists were faithfully doing the rounds. We joined the stream, walking in tandem, trying to absorb the much- touted, special atmosphere. One walks right through the homes of the ancient people who mapped the course of the sun and the moon to build this unique monument. `A0And some minor detours bring one to the burial grounds where they buried their leaders in those ancient times.

Stonehenge’s construction spanned three main phases. Somewhere around 3050 BC a circular ditch and bank (henge) was built. Then, in 2500 BC circa a wooden structure was constructed at the centre. Somewhere from 2500 – 1500 BC the stone monument itself was constructed, arranged and rearranged over almost a thousand years to finally become what it is till today.

Known as Bluestones, the smaller stones seen in the circle are from the mystical Preseli Mountains in Wales, 385 km away. And the larger stones that are the main feature of the circle are Sarsen stones brought from the Marlborough Downs, 30 km away from the site.

The cold cutting through our inadequate clothing like a sharp scalpel, braving a gale-force wind that could well have swept one away, with the help of an audio tour, we set about understanding the site’s history and surroundings.

There’s plenty of literature around that illustrates and brings alive the site’s history. The guidebook available at the entrance or shop, contains photos, text and illustrations, and there are also maps and pamphlets. A very useful input are the custodian tours lasting about 30 minutes, available in English throughout the day.

You can stop by at the shop located at the entrance to the tunnel through which one passes to emerge onto North Barrow. You then tread a designated path that describes a circle right around the monument, literally within touching distance of the giant stones. The path straddles most of the site’s significant points like The Avenue, Station Stone, South Barrow, and Slaughter Stone.

The monument itself is a close cluster of stones describing a circle, with select points identified as the ‘Circle of Sarsen Stones with Lintels’, the ‘Circle of Bluestones’, and the ‘Horseshoe of Trilithons’.

Maybe it’s the history, or the huge time span since it was built, or the setting and atmosphere, or all these factors combined, but Stonehenge has always aroused strong emotions and flights of fancy. Its always been hard to compartmentalise.

The wind picked up, dispersing the hordes of visitors plodding around the site. It was time to leave. Pure and simple.

Looking back as we drove away, I managed to put things in proper perspective. The giant rocks stood starkly exposed in the fading light. Appearing thinner by the second, they seemed to taper off, finally sticking out needle-like on the patch of green on which they rested.

It was eerie. And it was beautiful. And then abruptly, it was gone from view.

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