The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie
Starting the week with this gorgeous bird I see from my window every single morning when I send Samhith off to school....
For a tiny bird, which is less than 10cm long, it is amazingly colourful!
What better way to begin a week, than with such a colourful bird, right?
I live in Mumbai, in a colony lucky enough to still have plenty of trees and open spaces. The best part of living here are the birds I see from my window, every single day. "Birds from my Window" is a series, where I regularly feature photos of birds I see from my home. To see all the posts in this series, click here.
The Purple Rumped Sunbird is a regular at our colony, and I see them everyday, busy sucking nectar from flowers. They are, however, not at all easy to photograph, and I have only been able to capture these since this one arrives every morning, just before 8 AM, perches on the wire for a while and looks all around peacefully before getting to work!
For a tiny bird, which is less than 10cm long, it is amazingly colourful!
Look at all the different shades of blue/ purple it has, on that tiny body!
I live in Mumbai, in a colony lucky enough to still have plenty of trees and open spaces. The best part of living here are the birds I see from my window, every single day. "Birds from my Window" is a series, where I regularly feature photos of birds I see from my home. To see all the posts in this series, click here.
It's gorgeous! You are lucky to be able to spot so many lovely birds right from your window :)
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