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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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Indian Bullfrog

Frogs blend in so beautifully with their environment, that we would have completely missed seeing this one if I hadn't been trying to get photographs of a bunch of weeds this one was hiding in. 


Trying to identify this one, I realized that what we studied in school about them was just the tip of the iceberg. I had no idea that there were so many different species in India alone. A quick course in frog species being out of the question, the closest I could come to an identification, based on size and photos on the net, was that this was an Indian Bull frog - apparently quite a common species - the one we hear with the arrival of the rains. But apparently, even these plentiful amphibians are under threat, because they are poached for their legs!! What a sad state of affairs! The most interesting article I came across while researching for this post is this one. Do read it, and post your comments on what you think. 

And, if you happen to be a frog expert, and know the actual name of this one, please do add your comment, and enlighten us too! 
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  1. Edgebanding MachineNovember 11, 2013 at 6:47 PM

    Agreed There Is 100 Of Species Of Frog In India.Even Some Day Before i came Across a White Frog Which Was Completely Sticking My Room Walls & jumped When I pushed Him.He Was Jumping Like Flying In Air he Jumped More Then 12ft.

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