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Odisha Part 8: The Parasurameshwara Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Parasurameshwara temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneshwar, dating back to the early 8 th century CE. It is also one of the more intriguing temples, with a wide variety of very interesting sculptures. This temple has been attributed to the Shailodbhavas , who were Shaivites. The dynasty is named for their founder, Shailodbhava, who is said to have emerged from a rock, by the grace of Lord Shiva, in response to a prayer by a man from Kalinga, to create a man capable of ruling the earth. That this temple is dedicated to Shiva is clear, not only from the Shaiva dwarapalas who guard the entrance, but also from the numerous sculptures depicting Shiva in his many forms. However, what makes this temple very interesting is the presence of multiple images of the goddesses, especially the Saptamatrikas. The presence of different forms of the goddess, a panel depicting the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, as well as an image of Ardhanareeshwara suggest a strong Shakta influence o...
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Laughing Dove or Little Brown Dove

My in-laws were in Jaipur for a brief period, and that was where we began our summer vacation. While the house was in an area far from any places of interest, we found plenty of things to interest us.... especially birds, which offered lots of scope for trial and error with my brand new camera!! Here are some of my first attempts....

This is quite a common type of dove, known as the Laughing Dove all over the world, but apparently known as the Little Brown Dove in India. (at least according to Wikipedia!!)





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  1. Santosh BsMay 21, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    New camera...congrats on the new toy and wish you memorable moments with it :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. ArtiMay 22, 2012 at 1:27 PM

    WoW!! Such wonderful captures with your new camera! The bird looks so happy to pose for you. :)Did Samhith take these shots or was it you? And which camera have you taken? I am myself thinking to buy one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMay 22, 2012 at 3:52 PM

      Thanks Arti!! I have got myself a Nikon P 510.. huge zoom but not dslr... perfect fit for me since i dont think i can handle a dslr with samhith :D and no, he isnt allowed to handle my new toy yet :D though he cant wait to!!

      Delete
    2. Santosh BsMay 22, 2012 at 4:03 PM

      these super zooms are a blessing in disguise for many who can't fiddle around too much with those lenses and dslr's. I too used one for more than a year before hitching on to a dslr!

      Delete
    3. Anuradha ShankarMay 22, 2012 at 7:42 PM

      Oh yes, Santosh!!! it is certainly easier than lugging around a dslr.. esp with a kid to manage too!!! have been telling samhith that i will give him this one when i buy a dslr, but cant see that happening too soon :D

      Delete
  3. ShivyaMay 22, 2012 at 3:11 PM

    What a lovely shot, Anu! That trip with Club Mahindra to Corbett really transformed me into a bird lover too :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMay 22, 2012 at 3:53 PM

      Thanks a lot, Shivya! that corbett trip with Club Mahindra was an eye opener in so many ways!!! Wish we could all meet again soon!

      Delete
  4. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 6:39 PM

    Lovely post...
    www.deccansojourn.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Roopa pavanMay 22, 2012 at 6:40 PM

    Wonderful....
    http://www.deccansojourn.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 22, 2012 at 7:12 PM

    nice pic

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sankara Subramanian CMay 22, 2012 at 10:54 PM

    Great pictures and congrats on your new camera.

    ReplyDelete

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