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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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Birds from my Window - Hoopoe

One of the best things about birdwatching is the excitement we feel on spotting a new bird. Even better is spotting a new bird in our own backyard! We were decorating the road outside our building with rangolis to welcome a procession of a local deity, and Samhith, who was hanging around, giving his opinion of our artistic skills, suddenly called me... This is what we saw....





a Hoopoe!!!!! In all honesty, it is quite a commonly seen bird, one we have seen many times before, but this is the first time we saw one at home!!! literally in our backyard! How could we not be excited!!




For once, I didn't have my camera with me, and had to run upstairs to get it while Samhith stood by, ready to stop people from frightening the bird away. Thankfully, the bird stayed where it was, till I managed to bring my camera and get some decent shots! 




The gaps in the stone paving of the compound, which so many of us have often complained about, seem to be providing the hoopoe with food. The bird somehow seems old and tired... or is it just me? It also didn't appear to be as bright as it usually does. All you experienced birdwatchers, any reasons you can think of, to explain? 

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Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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