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Temples of Kashi - The Kardameshwar temple

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...
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Doves

Have you ever wondered about the difference between pigeons and doves? I have, and when I thought of doing a post on the doves I photographed at Mount Abu, this was the first thing that struck me. A quick search revealed that it is simply a matter of nomenclature - the smaller ones are called 'doves' and the bigger ones 'pigeons' (in most cases, that is.. of course, as with every rule, there are exceptions!)

The pigeons which haunt our house, looking for a nook to build their own homes are so common that I never feel the urge to capture them on camera. Doves are quite common too... at least some varieties, and we see them wherever we go. However, they look so graceful that I can't resist photographing every single one I see.... This is meant to be a photoblog of the doves or pigeons I have photographed, so without more ado, here I go....



First, here is the pigeon.....



I photographed this one at Mount Abu after taking so many pics of doves, simply as an afterthought... when I realised that I didnt have a single photo of a pigeon with me!

This one is called the 'Laughing dove' or 'Little Brown Dove'. The second name seems more apt, for this little bird is just, well, small and brown!



And here is the 'Spotted dove', getting its name no doubt from the spotted collar it sports!


Then there is the Eurasian Collared Dove... again named for its 'collar' around the neck!




But here is one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen - the Emerald dove.






























We saw this bird while staying at The Hermitage Guest House, at Belgaum, Karnataka. The photo is unfortunately not as good as I would have wished, but then I just coudnt write a post on doves without mentioning this one!


Recent Bird Posts on my blog...
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Location: Mt Abu, Rajasthan, India

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