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Odisha Part 9 : The Vaital Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Vaital temple is of the many intriguing temples in Bhubaneshwar. To begin with, the structure itself resembles a South-Indian temple more than the typical Kalingan style that we see everywhere else in Odisha. The temple has been dated to the last quarter of the 8 th century CE. Further , unlike most of the temples in Bhubaneshwar, this temple is not dedicated to Lord Shiva. Inside the sanctum is one of the deities who is very rarely seen in a sanctum – Chamunda, along with the Saptamatrikas. This is evidently a Shakta shrine. However, the presence of Lakulisha on the vimana indicates the connection with the Pasupata sect, which is most prevalent in this region during this time period. Further, the name of the temple – ‘Vaital’, comes from the word ‘ vetala’ , referring to spirits, which were invoked by tantrics to attain siddhis. Thus, this temple is an amalgamation of Pasupata and Shakta philosophy, with a strong emphasis on tantric rituals, and this is reflected in the iconogra...
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Memories of 2012 - Mumbai

October and November saw us exploring places in Mumbai we had been planning to visit for a long time..... First on the list was the Bhau Daji Lad Museum...



Our next destination was the newly opened Snow World at Phoenix Market City, Kurla West.



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Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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  1. LaloofahDecember 30, 2012 at 10:05 PM

    Wow, that museum is amazing! Looks a bit like an historic European cathedral.

    Snow World? Seriously? LOL - everyone I know in North America who is getting snow is complaining about it, while in some parts of the world people go to great lengths and expense to try and have it. Just goes to show... we are strange creatures, always wanting what we don't have and not appreciating what we do!

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    1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 2, 2013 at 3:59 PM

      Yes, Laloofah! It does look like a cathedral! and you are so right!!! we always want what we can not have. It is so hot here, and winter just means a slight chill in the air early in the morning, and that too in the outskirts of the city. In the city itself, we never feel a nip in the air, and most of us try to head out to cooler climes whenever we can! no wonder we have such a fascination for snow!! snow worlds have come up in other cities in India too, and are proving to be a big hit with the kids! Its after cheaper than actually going to any place we get snow!

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