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Odisha Part 7: The Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneshwar gets its name from the stone used to build it - the red and yellow sandstone used here is locally called Rajarani. This temple was once known as the Indreshwara temple, which is mentioned in the Ekamra Purana, which tells us about the temples of Bhubaneshwar, which was then known as Ekamra Kshetra. Today, the temple stands in a well-maintained lawn, and is the only ticketed monument within the city. The temple is built in the typical Kalinga style, with the tall curvilinear shikara over the garbagruha , and a jagamohana connected to it. The temple is believed to date back to the 11 th century, and is most well known for its sculptures. The entrance to the temple has two pillars with a Naga couple protecting the sanctum, holding garlands in their hands. The base of the pillar shows 3 lions standing over 3 elephants, a typical motif in temples of this region during this period. On the other side of the pillar is a horse and rider, and the two mo...
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Ducks in the Lake

The Nakki Lake at Mount Abu has a small island at the centre where some ducks have been kept.






They have not been caged, thankfully, and seem free to come and go as they please. It seems quite evident that they do come back, because we saw many on the banks of the lake, as well in the enclosure itself.




They attracted quite a lot of attention from the tourists boating in the lake, but no one threw any food or tried to touch the birds, which was quite heartening to watch!



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Location: Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

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