The absence of ancient Hindu structures in Kashi is something I have always lamented about. The shrines are certainly ancient, and that is something that has always attracted me to the city. However, I miss the beauty of the ancient structures that we see at other sites. This feeling is intensified when I see marble and concrete and tiles in temples that once would have been beautifully adorned with evocative sculptures, and worn by the passage of time, touched by the hands of seekers who came before. This time , this desire to see some remnants of an ancient Hindu structure in Kashi came true when I managed to visit the Kardameshwar Temple. The Kardameshwar temple is not one of the main temples in the city. It is part of the temples on the Pancha Kroshi yatra, a pilgrimage which takes one on a circumambulatory tour of the whole city. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, on the western bank of a tank called the Kardama Kund. The Kardameshwar temple is one of the...
Yesterday was Buddha Poornima .. and the full moon looked wonderful! Some welcome clouds kept covering it, and the sight was really beautiful! Unfortunately, as I tried to take some photographs, my batteries gave way - not just one, but every single one..... and I wasn't even able to take one photograph! However, here is another full moon for you . .. this one at Binsar....... it was wonderful night, the stars clearly visible in the complete darkness, and I could just sit there for hours, looking out at the moon shining brightly against the utter blackness of the night.... For more skies around the world, go to Sky Watch Friday .