Stories from the Road and beyond...

Bhubaneshwar is a city of temples. In this post, I talk about a few temples, and put them in context of the city and how it developed.

The Parasurameshwara Temple at Bhubaneshwar is a fascinating temple built by the Pasupata sect. It has some amazing sculptures of various forms of Shiva and the goddess.

Rajarani Temple Bhubaneshwar has some of the most beautiful Ashtadikpala sculptures

The Yogini Temple at Hirapur is an unique temple to different forms of the goddesses

Many years back, when I visited the National Museum in Delhi, one of the images that I was most impressed by, was the Surya from Konark. I remember being rooted to the ground as I stood in front of the sculpture, admiring every detail, simply unable to walk away. There are various ideas of where the sculpture was placed in the temple, but wherever it was placed, there is no question that it would have drawn all eyes. I remember wondering back then, if this single sculpture wa

The Jagannath Temple at Puri, one of India's revered Char Dham pilgrimage sites, is far more than a destination—it is an experience. Through two visits spanning eight years, the author reflects on darshan, temple traditions, monsoon-soaked memories, and the profound realization of Lord Jagannath's beauty, discovered not within the crowded shrine itself but in the serene Jagannath Gallery of Odisha's Kalabhoomi Museum. A heartfelt account of faith, architecture, devotion, and

A quiet gem on the outskirts of Varanasi, the Kardameshwar Temple offers a rare glimpse into ancient Hindu architecture that has largely faded from Kashi’s landscape. Set beside the serene Kardama Kund and adorned with evocative sculptures of Shiva, Vishnu, and other deities, the temple stands as a timeless reminder of the city’s artistic and spiritual heritage.

The Tilabhandeshwar Temple is one of the older temples in Kashi or Varanasi, with ties to South India

This post is about my 3 visits to the city of Kashi or Varanasi.

Newasa is where Sant Jnaneshwar wrote the Bhavartha Deepika or the Jnaneshwari. There is also a temple to Lord Vishnu as Mohini here, the Mohiniraj Temple