Skip to main content

Featured Post

The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
3 comments

Starfish in Goa

Partly buried in the sand, it wouldn't have attracted attention, but for the fact, that we were searching for shells. 




Ardent shell collectors that we are, we were looking for something different, and a sudden movement caught our eye. We first thought it was a crab... and there was one nearby, one that Samhith saw, but one sight of this starfish, and shells were all forgotten! 



We first thought this was the only one around, but we soon saw many others. It appeared that they had been washed ashore, and we soon realized that there were plenty of them scattered around, and we were able to take a closer look. 


I had only seen dead starfish in all these years, so seeing a live one for the very first time is a sight I can not forget. The quivering 'feet' if I can them that, and the ease with which they buried themselves into the sand fascinated us for quite a while, and we stood there for a while, simply watching more of them appear and disappear. 



It was only later, walking around the beach, that the realization dawned, that many of these were destined to go the same way as the shells we were collecting. Washed too far ashore to be able to get back to the safety of the sea, or even to burrow under the wet sand, there were so many left behind by the ebbing tide. 


It was a sad sight to see all those dead starfish, but we also realized that this was almost the same as all the shells scattered on the beach. That is how they came to be here too. However, try as we might, we weren't able to pick it up to bring it along with us. After all, we had seen them as they are meant to be seen - alive! 

P.S. If any of you are wondering, we saw these starfish at Varca Beach in Goa. 
Labels:
Location: Varca, Goa, India

Comments

  1. Anu @ CountryHoppingCoupleNovember 28, 2013 at 5:58 AM

    Interesting Anu! I haven't seen a starfish at all be it dead or alive. Lovely pictures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarNovember 28, 2013 at 8:17 AM

      Thanks, Anu. This was our first too, so keep your eyes open! you never know what you might spot!

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJuly 29, 2014 at 2:27 PM

      Hi Anu, Great pics... was just wandering out in the net for surviving Goa in the monsoons as me and my wife are going there on Aug 13th (midst of monsoon I guess)! So was skeptical. However, your blogs gave a new angle to the monsoon... am more inquisitive now.. thanks...

      Delete
    3. Anuradha ShankarJuly 29, 2014 at 2:57 PM

      Glad to have encouraged you!!! Have a great time in Goa!!!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousDecember 20, 2013 at 5:04 PM

    Wow nice picture Anuradha. I am from Goa but i have never seen a star fish in my life. I have seen a little octopus once but not star fish.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SudheeshOctober 27, 2016 at 5:56 PM

    Hi Anuradha ,

    We visited goa last week ... Gone to Varca beach also ... Righly said there are lots of small starfish in and around .. Luckily i got 4 starfishes alive !!! I put it in a small plastic container with sea water and bring them home at Kerala ( It was a road trip ) .. I am so happy to say that they are alive still and i am looking for a good aquarium habitat for them .. :-)

    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
8 comments
Read more

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis
9 comments
Read more

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.
4 comments
Read more