The Elephanta Caves , located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri, about 11 Km off the coast of the Gateway of India, Mumbai, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit to these caves, excavated probably in the 6 th century CE, is awe-inspiring, and also thought-provoking. Over the years, I have visited the caves a number of times, and also attended a number of talks by experts in the fields of art, history and archaeology on the caves. Together, they help me understand these caves, their art, and the people they were created for, just a little bit better. Every new visit, every new talk, every new article I read about the caves, fleshes out the image of what the island and the caves would have been like, at their peak. I last wrote about the caves on this blog, in 2011, almost exactly 11 years ago. Since then, my understanding of the caves has, I would like to think, marginally improved. Hence this attempt to write a new and updated post, trying to bring to life, the caves of Elephan
Fridays are always auspicious for the Devi, and Fridays during Navaratri are even more special. Normally, when we perform the puja at home, we invite everyone home for Haldi – Kumkum on a Friday, but this year, we were busy visiting others, as we did not have the puja ourselves.
Here is a photograph of the kolu at one of our neighbours’. Samhith went to see it first and told them that they had very few toys, as compared to his grandmother. He also gave them suggestions about what they could do to make it look even better. Of course, his interest in the golu is great, but I don’t know what I am going to do if the chap keeps talking like this!
The decoration in the temple was of CHOTTANIKKARA BHAGAVATHI. The Devi looked beautiful amidst a number of oil lamps, which had been lit to give a wonderful effect.
The Chottanikkara Bhagavathi temple is one of the most important and famous temples of Kerala, and needs no introduction. The Devi here is prayed to as Saraswati in the morning, as Lakshmi at Noon, and as Parvati in the evening. It is believed that goddess Saraswati as Mookambika resides here early in the morning, and hence the first prayer is to Saraswati. Moreover, it is said that the temple to Mookambika at Kollur in Karnataka opens only later in the morning after the prayers here are completed, and she returns to her abode at Kollur.
Well, today, Saturday is going to be a busy day, as I have to visit more people. I hope I shall be able to get more material to write about, especially more photographs…. Until then, Goodbye!!!!
Here is a photograph of the kolu at one of our neighbours’. Samhith went to see it first and told them that they had very few toys, as compared to his grandmother. He also gave them suggestions about what they could do to make it look even better. Of course, his interest in the golu is great, but I don’t know what I am going to do if the chap keeps talking like this!
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| From Miscellaneous |
The decoration in the temple was of CHOTTANIKKARA BHAGAVATHI. The Devi looked beautiful amidst a number of oil lamps, which had been lit to give a wonderful effect.
 |
| From Miscellaneous |
The Chottanikkara Bhagavathi temple is one of the most important and famous temples of Kerala, and needs no introduction. The Devi here is prayed to as Saraswati in the morning, as Lakshmi at Noon, and as Parvati in the evening. It is believed that goddess Saraswati as Mookambika resides here early in the morning, and hence the first prayer is to Saraswati. Moreover, it is said that the temple to Mookambika at Kollur in Karnataka opens only later in the morning after the prayers here are completed, and she returns to her abode at Kollur.
 |
| From Miscellaneous |
Well, today, Saturday is going to be a busy day, as I have to visit more people. I hope I shall be able to get more material to write about, especially more photographs…. Until then, Goodbye!!!!
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