Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Desert

Featured Post

Odisha Part 7: The Rajarani Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneshwar gets its name from the stone used to build it - the red and yellow sandstone used here is locally called Rajarani. This temple was once known as the Indreshwara temple, which is mentioned in the Ekamra Purana, which tells us about the temples of Bhubaneshwar, which was then known as Ekamra Kshetra. Today, the temple stands in a well-maintained lawn, and is the only ticketed monument within the city. The temple is built in the typical Kalinga style, with the tall curvilinear shikara over the garbagruha , and a jagamohana connected to it. The temple is believed to date back to the 11 th century, and is most well known for its sculptures. The entrance to the temple has two pillars with a Naga couple protecting the sanctum, holding garlands in their hands. The base of the pillar shows 3 lions standing over 3 elephants, a typical motif in temples of this region during this period. On the other side of the pillar is a horse and rider, and the two mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Suryagarh Experience - Once again!

The sound of bells caught our attention, and drew us towards the wide open doors. A simply decorated table stood at the entrance, and everyone seemed to be gathered around it. Nakul beckoned us to join them, and as we approached, we realized that it was the Ganesh Chaturthi puja in progress.
4 comments
Read more

Re-discovering the Thar at Jaisalmer

The first time I visited Jaisalmer , the sand dunes stretched before me, fascinating me with their contours, making me fall in love with the desert and its myriad patterns. The second time, it showed me a different side. It told me of the many stories that lay hidden beneath the sands, of times long gone, and the people who lived here. Earlier this year, as I set out for Jaisalmer once again, I wondered what the desert would show me this time.
9 comments
Read more

My Suryagarh Experience

The early morning sun streamed in through the window, and I awoke to the muted strain of music. Eager to trace its source, I hurried downstairs, and was welcomed by the sight of a pair of peacocks ambling on the lawn, and a flock of doves waddling in the corridor! My morning at Suryagarh couldn’t have begun on a better note! Spotting the musician sitting in one of the window niches, I sat down for a hot cup of tea, wishing that every morning would be as picturesque!
11 comments
Read more

Stories of the Desert

“It takes a thousand voices to tell a single story”                                      – Native American Saying All of last week , sitting on my computer, trying to write the next post in my Suryagarh series, I was lost – for words, for ideas, for inspiration. Most of what I wanted to say had been said by others before me, and I began wondering if I should be writing at all. Then, this morning, I stumbled onto this quote, and suddenly, the ideas poured forth, as if a thousand voices were indeed telling me their own stories! And therefore, without much ado, here they are…
8 comments
Read more

Of Ker and Sangri - not as food, but in nature.

This tiny flower, nestled amidst thorns, is so pretty, that I brave the thorns (and the others' warnings) to try and get a decent photo....
2 comments
Read more

Re-tracing the Silk Route on the Sands of Time

A caravan makes its way across the desert, the lead vehicle stopping often to check their route. They have a long way to go, and the desert terrain is rough, and easy to get lost in. It is monsoon, and they are relieved to be spared the scorching sun. The cloudy sky is such a blessing after the harsh summers they have experienced here. The landscape offers them a change too, with pools of rainwater breaking the monotony of the sand dunes.
13 comments
Read more

Of old journeys and new ones... and a glimpse of my recent trip

June 2007: Shankar and I head out to Jaisalmer, 4 year old Samhith in tow. It is a memorable trip, one where we walk for hours over the Golden Fort, clicking photographs with our trusted old Kodak camera, as we take turns carrying Samhith and posing! We trudge across sand dunes on camels, even as I close my eyes tightly to avoid the queasy feeling, and then happily play on the sand, though it still retains some of the heat of the day! I return with so many tales from the trip that my sister in law suggests I start a blog. A string of camels walk across the desert. Somewhere in Jaisalmer @suryagarh #monsoonmagic pic.twitter.com/MhSnaIkU4s — Anu Shankar (@anushankarn) August 2, 2014
4 comments
Read more

Guest Post - Kutch Diaries Part 1

This is a guest post, written by my cousin, Niranjan Chandrashekar. Niranjan is based in Delhi, and loves to travel and explore. His latest passion is for photography, a hobby which began with a brand new DSLR, but is soon becoming an obsession, as we keep telling him!!!!  After much persuasion, he agreed to write a guest post for me. My family has always loved travelling, but I am the only one who has been documenting my travels so far. As I keep telling my uncles and cousins, they travel to a lot more interesting places than I do, so it is high time they began writing about it too! With Niranjan's foray into writing, I hope the others too begin supplying me with guest posts :D He was recently part of a trip to Kutch, organized by Darter Photography Pvt. Ltd . in the last week of December, 2011 (from Dec 24, 2011 to Jan 1 st , 2012). This is the first in a series of posts describing his experiences during the trip. This post is about the first half of the trip, where th...
23 comments
Read more

Jaisalmer-Of Camels and Sand Dunes

A Camel Safari Sand and water have much in common.....One always associates the sea with the seaside, that is, the beaches. When we had been to Bordi, we were amazed to see only sand as far as eyes could see. It was low tide then, and the water was far far away. Yet, one also associates sand to deserts. For there also, there is sand as far as eyes can see. Truly, Sand and the Sea have much in common. From where one stands, one can see only the same view, stretching, maybe to the end of the world. As we stood on the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, surrounded by sand on all sides, we felt really small... It was so easy to get lost in the never-ending desert...if it wasn't for the guide with us..It was scary, but so beautiful...nature at her rawest... One admires the people who live there. It is probably only because they have been born there, and have it in their blood that they can survive there. It is so easy for an outsider to succumb to the vagaries of nature in that land....un...
5 comments
Read more

Jodhpur- A Journey into the Past

The first thing that strikes you when you come out of the railway station at Jodhpur , is the aura of bygone days the place still manges to have, Of course, the old havelis have given way to modern buildings, but the city eludes modernization. In fact, this seems to be quite common in Rajasthan , which has more heritage hotels and resorts than any other state in India. We ourselves were staying at the Ajit Bhavan Palace hotel at Jodhpur . The hotel is affiliated to RCI Holidays, of which we are members. It is a well maintained hotel, which makes you feel like royalty. It was an enjoyable and unique experience, which I shall never forget. At the entrance - Samhith with the staff Outside our room... regal isnt it? Samhith cant be far from animals can he? Imagine riding in one of these carriages! The Ajit Bhavan Palace Hotel The Ajit Bhavan is supposed to be one of the earliest heritage hotels in India, which has pioneered heritage tourism in the ar...
7 comments
Read more