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Odisha Part 11: Discovering the Jaina Heritage of Odisha at the caves of Udaygiri and Khandgiri

The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
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Birds from my Window - Black Kites

I see them all the time, soaring above the trees, their screech audible as I sit typing... or trying to type :) This is that time of the year when their screeches become shriller, and they build their nests atop the coconut trees. These are the Black Kites which nest in our colony, year after year...




These are birds of prey, and may seem to rule the skies. However, at least in our area, it is the crows which rule the roost, and make lives difficult not just for the smaller birds, but also the bigger ones like these. 



I already see the crows chasing the kites away, not allowing them to perch longer than a few minutes on the bigger trees, and I know the sight that will greet me in a few weeks... of the female kite perched on the coconut tree, near her nest, her shrill cries rousing me from my work, while the male kite tries to chase the crows away. 



For now, I indulge in the pleasure of seeing these birds often, perched in pairs atop trees and poles, calling out to each other, and soaring beautifully overhead, as I happily leave my work aside to watch them! 


Incidentally, do any of you know why these birds are called 'Black Kites'? I think they are more brown than black.. don't you? Someone told me once that its because they appear to be black from a distance, but that can be said of many birds, right?

I live in Mumbai, in a colony lucky enough to still have plenty of trees and open spaces. The best part of living here are the birds I see from my window, every single day. "Birds from my Window" is a series, where I regularly feature photos of birds I see from my home. To see all the posts in this series, click here. 

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