Skip to main content

Featured Post

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...
Post a Comment

Skywatch Friday - Reflections in Wayanad

Reflections on the Kabini River in Wayanad......






Be it the hard rock or the ephemeral cloud, both looked just as beautiful as reflections in the water. The stillness of the water accentuated their presence...just as each one of us has our place in this world.. a presence just as special, just as unique.... which is what makes life so interesting... even on the days when 
nothing seems to be happening!

The last week or so I haven't been able to write a word on the blog. Lots of things have been happening. Some good, some not so good. Today, sitting at my computer after a long time, thinking about what to write, to break the silence, these were the photos which captured my attention. Which is why, for Skywatch Friday today, you find me in a reflective mood! 

Labels:
Location: Kuruva, Kerala

Comments

  1. MridulaJune 28, 2013 at 4:12 PM

    Take care Anu and do keep writing. Life is I guess about good and not so good. I hope your good always remains more than not so good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 'TsukiJune 28, 2013 at 5:30 PM

    Phenomenal view !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bindhu UnnyJune 28, 2013 at 5:38 PM

    Nice! In the first photo, the water looks polluted. Is it so?

    Hope you come back to the writing mood soon. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJune 29, 2013 at 4:57 PM

      Thanks Bindhu! there was a bit of pollution in the water, but not too much.

      Delete
  4. TravelNinaJune 29, 2013 at 12:24 PM

    Hi

    Amazing photograph!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ArtiJune 29, 2013 at 1:32 PM

    Love the reflections, Anu both in the water and in your mind. May the best of good always be with you, come back in full force soon :)

    I have been following all your wayanad posts and all of them have been truly enchanting, many thanks for sharing all the beauty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJuly 1, 2013 at 7:31 PM

      Thanks so much, Arti! I have missed a lot of your kerala posts. have loads to catch up.. but looking forward to it.

      Delete
  6. R Niranjan DasJune 29, 2013 at 2:10 PM

    Nice shots!

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.com/2013/06/elephanta-island-cave.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Travel Lover AnuJuly 1, 2013 at 1:51 AM

    Hello Anuradha,
    Magnificent shot!!! I love this cloud combination with reflection in water. Its so nice. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Veneer Pressing MachineJuly 17, 2013 at 10:58 AM

    Nice captures.....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw...
10 comments
Read more

Newasa - Encountering an unique form of Vishnu, and Sant Jnaneshwar

The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
9 comments
Read more

Rama Temple, Gokarna

To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.
7 comments
Read more