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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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Hoopoe

The Hoopoe is said to be quite a common bird, usually found in fields. However, to those of us who get to see it rarely, it is as good as any of the exotic birds!! We first saw hoopoes on our trip to Binsar, but this time, at Jaipur, we got to see them in large numbers. I saw plenty of them, but photographing them turned out to be a challenge!! They moved so quickly, that most of my images came out blurred. Here is the one decent image I managed to click.....





And here is one I clicked while visiting a temple near Jaipur. The sun was shining brightly in my eyes, and I wasn't even sure I would get a decent shot, but I clicked anyway, and here is the result...



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  1. AartiMay 25, 2012 at 10:59 AM

    This was the 1st bird i spotted when i began bird watching and then in Hampi i spotted not one, but 5 of them one after the other... joy knew no bounds:))

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMay 25, 2012 at 11:25 AM

      wow!!! we didnt see a single Hoopoe at Hampi! but then we didnt see as many birds as u did there ;( but they looks so beautiful!

      Delete
  2. Santosh BsMay 25, 2012 at 6:08 PM

    good images, for moving birds switch to Tv mode on your camera and increase the shutter speed to say 1/500 or 1/1000 or higher and then you freeze the birds in motion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMay 25, 2012 at 7:18 PM

      Thanks so much, Santosh!!! will write this down and try it out with the birds I see at home...

      Delete
  3. Samaresh BiswalMay 25, 2012 at 10:22 PM

    beautiful pic

    ReplyDelete
  4. HaddockMay 26, 2012 at 5:41 AM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMay 26, 2012 at 10:10 AM

      Hey, Haddock, sorry your comment just disappeared..no idea what went wrong. one moment i was approving it and the next moment it vanished... but i did read it and thanks so much!!!! would love to see the pics u take with the technique santosh mentioned!

      Delete
  5. IndraniMay 26, 2012 at 8:13 AM

    Great captures.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AshJune 1, 2012 at 4:06 PM

    Excellent pics!

    ReplyDelete

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