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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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Of Ker and Sangri - not as food, but in nature.

This tiny flower, nestled amidst thorns, is so pretty, that I brave the thorns (and the others' warnings) to try and get a decent photo....




It is only later that I learn that this is the flower of the 'Ker' tree... We have tried the Ker berries at Suryagarh, in different dishes, and I know that it is much used locally, especially as pickles. The shrub is thorny, and resembles a cactus. It retains water, and thus thrives in the desert, even during drought. 

A bigger Ker tree.. with flowers as well as berries


Its popular accompaniment is Sangri, the beans of the Khejri tree, and here, they both grow together, giving each other company in nature as well! 

The big tree is the Khejri, and on both sides are the Ker shrubs. These two are flowering too, but the flowers are so tiny, you cant see them here 


These trees and shrubs must be incredibly old, for a full grown Khejri tree is usually a short one, the roots going deep into the earth, longer than the height of the tree over the ground! 


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Location: Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001, India

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