The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
The most natural thing to do when it starts raining is to go looking for shelter, especially when it pours cats and dogs....... Most of us prefer watching the rain from the safety and comforts of our homes, and I have seen the same instinct in many birds which huddle among thick leaves, attempting to find some sanctuary.... However, every now and then I come across something which makes me wonder if these creatures actually want to get away from the rain, or if they,unlike us, are equally comfortable even when it pours.... like the kingfisher which patiently awaited its prey even though it was drenched.... . And just a couple of days bac k, I happened to notice this butterfly flitting around a tree (incidentally, a curry leaves tree - does it hold a special fascination for butterflies???), while it poured and poured. At first, we thought it was trying to find a place to settle, but it simply refused to sit in one place, going round and round, from one branch to another, intermittentl...