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The Elephanta Caves

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
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Sky Watch Friday... Sunrise amidst the Mist

'Writer's block' is probably the only excuse I can give for not posting for so long! There is so much I want to write, but somehow, the words elude me... which is why I have decided to begin with posting some pics..... and being Friday, its time for SkyWatch Friday.....

This is how the sun greeted us, on the first day of our vacation. Our train was speeding towards Guntakal Station, and the sun had just risen...... mist and fog were everywhere, and when I opened the window for a better look, I got some strange glances from my fellow passengers, who shook their heads and pulled their blankets tighter around themselves! But even the chill, numbing wind couldn't make me take my eyes off the spectacular sight in front of me... Here are a couple of shots I managed...




I liked the first pic more than the second, but neither really capture the feeling we had, of rushing through the mist, trees appearing and disappearing.... endless fields just a  blur against the horizon! As to the sun itself, here's another pic taken at the same time... Doesn't it look like an eclipse?


So, what do you think? For more skies around the world, go to Sky Watch Friday!



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  1. ArtiJanuary 14, 2011 at 9:56 PM

    So strikingly beautiful both of the pics and the last one.. Yes it does look a bit like an eclipse to me!

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