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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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Giant Wood Spider

We were at Sringeri, visiting the Kala Bhairava Temple at one end of the village. We finished our prayers and came out, and as usual, I was trying to get a decent shot of the temple, when a movement on a tree nearby caught my eye. At first, it was difficult to see anything but a huge spider web.. But then, with the camera zoom, I managed to spot the creature that had created that web - a Giant Wood Spider..





I first saw these spiders at Corbett, but hadnt managed to get a photo.... We saw many more at Sringeri, but for various reasons, I never got a decent pic. This was the best I managed with my camera, and I was thrilled at having captured it at last!

Apparently, the huge spider is the female of the species, the male being much smaller....To get a better idea of these creatures, click here.

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Comments

  1. AartiNovember 14, 2012 at 8:02 AM

    Have seen these in sringeri but am invariably without a camera or unable to get half a decent shot.. Neat capture..:))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarNovember 16, 2012 at 12:40 PM

      Thanks Aarti!! that has happened to me too :D but this time I was lucky!

      Delete
  2. R Niranjan DasNovember 14, 2012 at 4:38 PM

    Awesome shot. Never seen such a big one.

    www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarNovember 16, 2012 at 12:41 PM

      THanks Niranjan!!! Once you see one, you keep seeing them wherever u go!

      Delete
  3. SudhageeDecember 8, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    Thanks, Anu. I saw one of these at a hotel bathroom in Kovalam Beach at Trivandrum and didn't know what they were called. Now I know :-)

    ReplyDelete

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