Lamayuru is one of the most ancient monasteries in Ladakh, the oldest surviving structure dating to the 11 th century CE. What makes this monastery particularly fascinating, is its location, amidst what is today called the “moonscape”, for the spectacular natural rock formations, which truly are “out of the world”! As per legend , there once existed a huge lake in this area, populated only by the Nagas (serpents). It was prophesized that there would be a great monastery built here. This prophecy came true when the great acharya Naropa (756-1041 CE) arrived. He emptied the lake, meditated for many years inside a cave, and built the first monastery here. The present structure is a new one, built around the cave where Acharya Naropa is said to have meditated. This legend seems to fit well with the geological formations seen in the area, which suggest this was a paleo-lake, which disappeared around 1000 years ago. Lamayuru is about 130 km from Leh , and the Indus River flows along th
It was at Tirunelli Temple in Wayanad that we saw the White Browed Wagtail, strutting about on the temple roof. Waiting for the temple to open, I had plenty of time to click photos....
And then, on my recent visit to Jog Falls, we saw the bird again, this time, a pair....
I wondered if the brown one was the female..
but a bit of reading tells me that its a juvenile.
The bird is quite a common one, and is frequently seen near water bodies, and is known to nest on roof tops. Interestingly, the scientific name of the bird is 'Motacilla Maderaspatensis', derived from the city of Madras, now called Chennai!
And then, on my recent visit to Jog Falls, we saw the bird again, this time, a pair....
I wondered if the brown one was the female..
but a bit of reading tells me that its a juvenile.
The bird is quite a common one, and is frequently seen near water bodies, and is known to nest on roof tops. Interestingly, the scientific name of the bird is 'Motacilla Maderaspatensis', derived from the city of Madras, now called Chennai!
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