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Odisha Part 6: The Yogini Temple of Hirapur

I fell in love with this temple the first time I set eyes on it. Back in 2017 , I had been excited to see yet another Yogini temple, when I visited Puri. The resort I was staying at (and writing for), had arranged for a car and driver to take me around. The driver was happy to take me to most of the places I wanted to go, but when it came to Hirapur, he was appalled. He knew of the temple, but had never been there. It was a tantric temple, one not visited by women, and certainly not women travelling alone. He tried to convince me not to go, but my stubbornness and persistence paid off, and he reluctantly agreed when I told him that if he didn’t take me, I would find another driver who would. All along the way, he kept going on about the sinister things that happened at the temple, the tantric rituals that were performed at night…. An Odisha brahmin who took his religious duties very seriously, to the extent of stopping the car to perform the sandhyavandam when he deemed it time, he...
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Birds from my window - Oriental Magpie Robin

It has been a while since I posted photos of birds, so here is one I see the most these days - the Oriental Magpie Robin.




There are three of these birds in our garden, and I see them frequently flying around, and can hear their distinctive, melodious call even before I see them! Capturing them on camera, however, has been another matter entirely, and I managed these only because the birds were nice enough to sit on the window ledge near my house, and also pose for a while on the tree right opposite my window!



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Comments

  1. Shalu SharmaMarch 6, 2013 at 2:39 PM

    Nice little birds. Nice photos, well taken..

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  2. MridulaMarch 6, 2013 at 2:49 PM

    Such womderful captures, extra special as they are birds and that means a lot of patience :D

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 6, 2013 at 3:46 PM

      Thanks Mridula! for such reasonably big birds, they are hard to capture! am unsuccessfully trying now for the purple sunbird. its flitting around, but cant get an image!

      Delete
  3. Julia DuttaMarch 6, 2013 at 3:01 PM

    My God! I can't believe it! In Mumbai? What lovely luck, Anu :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 6, 2013 at 3:46 PM

      We are lucky to live in an area which is covered with greenery, Julia! tho it comes with its share of problems! and this one is a regular visitor...

      Delete
  4. IndraniMarch 6, 2013 at 7:35 PM

    Lucky you to get visitors like them. :)

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 7, 2013 at 8:31 AM

      Yes, Indrani! we are indeed lucky to see such beauties!

      Delete
  5. MadhukarMarch 6, 2013 at 11:16 PM

    Beautiful bird.. I think ot is cached in Dandeli Jungle.
    Thank you for sharing with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 7, 2013 at 8:32 AM

      Thank you, Madhukar... this is quite a common bird, seen everywhere in India.

      Delete
  6. NeerajMarch 9, 2013 at 6:56 AM

    Nice... I miss the sounds of birds chirping (even crow)! You must be hearing that all the time, no?

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 9, 2013 at 9:19 AM

      oh yes, Neeraj! birds chirp here all the time , as for crows, they are here all day long!

      Delete
  7. D.NambiarMarch 16, 2013 at 6:35 AM

    So pretty!!

    ReplyDelete

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