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Odisha Part 8: The Parasurameshwara Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Parasurameshwara temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneshwar, dating back to the early 8 th century CE. It is also one of the more intriguing temples, with a wide variety of very interesting sculptures. This temple has been attributed to the Shailodbhavas , who were Shaivites. The dynasty is named for their founder, Shailodbhava, who is said to have emerged from a rock, by the grace of Lord Shiva, in response to a prayer by a man from Kalinga, to create a man capable of ruling the earth. That this temple is dedicated to Shiva is clear, not only from the Shaiva dwarapalas who guard the entrance, but also from the numerous sculptures depicting Shiva in his many forms. However, what makes this temple very interesting is the presence of multiple images of the goddesses, especially the Saptamatrikas. The presence of different forms of the goddess, a panel depicting the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, as well as an image of Ardhanareeshwara suggest a strong Shakta influence o...
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Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Wayanad

Our trip to Wayanad was probably the 'Trip of the year'! To begin with, it was partly sponsored by Thomas Cook, and it was a new experience for me, to have someone plan my trip! Second, and more importantly, this was the very first time Samhith and I went on a vacation alone! And finally, Wayanad itself was so unexpected, it was truly a journey of discovery! From the Indian Rock Python we saw in the wild...





to the ancient, crumbling temple that turned out to be so interesting...



From trying to decipher the prehistoric cave paintings of Edakkal...



to sailing on a simple bamboo raft in the river..


Wayanad was full of surprises... and magical moments to remind us of the trip, forever!

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Location: Wayanad, Kerala, India

Comments

  1. MridulaDecember 22, 2013 at 11:05 AM

    In the bamboo river raft picture both of you look so happy!

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    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 22, 2013 at 11:36 AM

      Yes, Mridula! It was such a different experience for us.... me for the adventure of it all, which I usually shy away from,,, and for him, the experience of swimming along side the raft, keeping up with its pace! unforgettable experience!

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