Wildlife in the Desert

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.

Wildlife in the Desert

Black Bucks ran across the road, peacocks danced as we watched, birds flew into the air, and insects and reptiles scuttled into their safe havens at our approach. Our recent trip to Jaisalmer was full of such 'wild' encounters!

It all began with this tiny insect I saw on the ground. Its camouflage was what attracted me the most.... I think its some variety of cricket.

Then, as we stopped to look at a string of camels, we spotted a surprisingly large number of lizards disappearing into their holes. At first, this is all we could see...

Then, I was lucky to get a closer shot of the lizard... it looks like a Desert Monitor, but can someone help with the name please?
P.S. Thanks to Sumer Singh Rathore and Adesh Shivkar, for identifying this as the Indian Spiny Tailed Lizard or Saara Hardwickii, called 'Saand' in the local language. They are common in the arid regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan and are prey food for several species of raptors. Also, they are prey to humans, who extract oil from them for medicinal and other purposes.

While looking for the lizards, this is what we saw... A complete contrast to the first camouflage, right? This bug couldnt stand out more if it tried!!! It is the Red Velvet Mite, or Rain Bug, and interestingly, is called Beer Bahuti, in India, and is used for a variety of local medicines!! Want to know more, head to the Wikipedia page, which has some gory details...

Later, we surprised a herd of Nilgais at a watering hole.

But the most memorable were the number of peacocks we saw at the Khaba Fort!!

I haven't even begun to talk of the birds we saw, simply because to stop for them would have meant missing some other interesting aspects of the desert. They will have to wait for another trip!!

I was in Jaisalmer on an invite from Suryagarh, Jaisalmer, for a Travel Bloggers and Writers meet, and this trip showed me a completely different side of Jaisalmer... one which made me want to go back, at leisure! The wildlife is just one aspect of it, and there is lots more coming up soon!

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.

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