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...
After a troubled and tension-packed week , Saturday came along at just the right time to brighten things up. Technically, the day began on a cloudy note.. with the rain gods deciding to bring in the monsoon on just the day I had decided to bring out one of my sarees hidden away in the corner of my cupboard! So, in went the saree again and out came the well used Jeans, kurti and shoes.... the best attire for hunting down an auto amidst the downpour. And, will you believe it? The moment I caught an auto driver ready to take me to my destination, the rain stopped!! Well, it was too late to do anything about it then, and off we headed to our lunch date. Yes, "we" - Samhith and me, were off to the Trident at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) to join my Lavasa friends for a book reading followed by lunch at the Italian restaurant, Botticino, at the Trident. Samhith wasn't really invited, but I couldn't leave him behind, and so I took him along, wondering how he would ...