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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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Alexandrine Parakeets

Rose Ringed Parakeets are regular visitors to our home, and, considering that they are so visible, (and also so audible, and thus easily spotted), I have clicked them often. Yet, as the winter shows signs of setting in, and the parakeets come visiting more often, I cannot help sharing some more recent clicks. All these have been clicked in the last week. And it is thanks to Mridula that I realized that what I had clicked weren't the usual Rose Ringed Parakeets I usually see, but Alexandrine Parakeets!


From what I could learn, Alexandrine Parakeets are bigger than the rose ringed ones, and they can be easily identified by the maroon patch on their wing coverts. More interestingly, the species gets its name from Alexander the Great, who is credited with the exporting of numerous specimens of this bird from Punjab into various European and Mediterranean countries, where they were considered prized possessions for nobles and royalty. 



Coming back to the birds I noticed, It is obvious that their breeding season has begun. No wonder I can hear them all the time, screeching away, attracting their mates, fighting away their rivals.. I don't know if I can call them 'expressions'. but the eyes of these birds, especially the males, seem to speak volumes, do they not? 


P.S. Thanks, Mridula for correcting me. I had simply assumed they were the ring necked ones, because they are the ones I see all the time! 

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Comments

  1. MridulaDecember 5, 2013 at 10:44 AM

    Anu these aee alexandrine parrots I think. Lovely images!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 5, 2013 at 12:27 PM

      Thanks so much, Mridula! Have changed the title as well the text. i simply assumed they were the usual ones :(

      Delete
  2. Shine India TripDecember 5, 2013 at 1:31 PM

    what an interesting and creative work.... really a nice talent... loved your work very much....keep it up and keep sharing your creativity with us.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Meghana HassanDecember 5, 2013 at 11:10 PM

    Wow, so many of them, lovely shots.. Happy birdwatching...

    ReplyDelete

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