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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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Sleepy Felines of the Himalayan Zoological Park, Gangtok

Spread over 230 Hectares, the Himalayan Zoological Park in Gangtok is surely one of the biggest zoos in India. I am not a big fan of zoos, but when one is as huge, well planned, and well maintained as this one, I have to appreciate it. We visited the zoo on an especially clear December afternoon, and found most of the animals busy having their siesta! I shall write more about the zoo later, but for now, let me share some of my images of the sleepy felines, which surely resented our intrusion....








The first and the last images are my personal favourites, and the reason for this post. Which ones do you like? 

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Location: Sikkim Himalayan Zoological Park, National Highway 310, Gangtok, Sikkim 737103, India

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