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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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Little Green Heron

Walking around the Club Mahindra Cherai Beach Resort, I noticed a flash of feathers as a bird rose out of the water and flew to a tree. Curious, I waited till the bird returned, and I realized that it wasn’t wading in the water as I had thought, but stood at the edge of the water, on the boundary wall….




Even as I watched, it stretched out its neck, and pecked off something from the surface, and flew back to its perch, to eat in peace!



I was so fascinated by the sight, that I stood there for quite a while, watching the Little Green Heron catch its breakfast!



I spotted it again, later in the evening, this time perched on one of the Chinese Fishing Nets.




The Little Green Heron is apparently quite a common bird, seen frequently in these parts. For me, however, this was a first time sighting, one I thoroughly enjoyed! 

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Location: Cherai Beach, Vypin, Kerala

Comments

  1. SumitOctober 8, 2014 at 1:19 PM

    Great example of photography. Loved each one pics. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. divsiOctober 10, 2014 at 7:49 PM

    Lovely capture. This is also commonly known as the Pond Heron?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarOctober 10, 2014 at 10:25 PM

      Thanks Divsi, but nope, this isnt a pond heron.. a close cousin though :D

      Delete
  3. krishnaOctober 13, 2014 at 5:34 AM

    Beautiful bird.. also beautiful writing and photography..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Marcia @ CuracaoVacationAccommodationOctober 16, 2014 at 1:52 PM

    And I have also seen this bird for the first time through your photos. Thank you for that.

    ReplyDelete

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