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Odisha Part 6: The Yogini Temple of Hirapur

I fell in love with this temple the first time I set eyes on it. Back in 2017 , I had been excited to see yet another Yogini temple, when I visited Puri. The resort I was staying at (and writing for), had arranged for a car and driver to take me around. The driver was happy to take me to most of the places I wanted to go, but when it came to Hirapur, he was appalled. He knew of the temple, but had never been there. It was a tantric temple, one not visited by women, and certainly not women travelling alone. He tried to convince me not to go, but my stubbornness and persistence paid off, and he reluctantly agreed when I told him that if he didn’t take me, I would find another driver who would. All along the way, he kept going on about the sinister things that happened at the temple, the tantric rituals that were performed at night…. An Odisha brahmin who took his religious duties very seriously, to the extent of stopping the car to perform the sandhyavandam when he deemed it time, he...
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Earth Day - Images from Dandeli

On the occasion of Earth Day, I am sharing with you, some of my images from Dandeli, in Karnataka.




Not too long ago, Dandeli was at the heart of the mining operation. The land was rich in iron ore, and the place was dotted with iron mines, and, as the forest was cleared, with paper mills. Soon, the forest started disappearing, and the the mighty Kali River became a trickle.



Thankfully, the people woke up, and efforts began, to reclaim the land and restore it to its former glory. That was just over a decade ago, and this lush greenery is proof enough, that it has indeed worked. 





The forest is back, and is today a protected area, the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. While the big cats have indeed returned, it is the Malabar Pied Hornbill which is the pride of this forest. These birds need the forest to survive, and are thus the best indicators of the health of the forest. That we saw flocks and flocks of them wherever we went in Dandeli, can only speak volumes about the effects of conservation. 





On this Earth Day, let us hope that we are able to preserve what is left of our beautiful planet... for ourselves, as well as our children. 



I visited Dandeli in Jan 2014 on an invite from Dandeli.com a website which helps promote tourism in an environment friendly manner in the area. 
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Location: Dandeli, Karnataka, India

Comments

  1. Wynn BextonApril 22, 2014 at 10:54 AM

    Your blogs are always so intereseting such excellent photos! Thanks for sharing. Ruth K.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 22, 2014 at 12:21 PM

    I have been to Dandeli and it is indeed a beautiful place

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarApril 23, 2014 at 8:14 AM

      good to hear that, Rathina Sankari! Its really a beautiful place.

      Delete
  3. NatalieGApril 23, 2014 at 8:17 AM

    You get such great pictures of birds. I really enjoy seeing the native species that you photograph during your travels. Thanks for such an interesting blog! I always look forward to your posts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. R Niranjan DasApril 29, 2014 at 8:50 PM

    Wonderful captures from Dandeli.

    ReplyDelete

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