The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
Of all the temples we visited during our ten-day trip , this is one temple that stands out in my memory like no other. While I shall think of the Brihadeeshwara temple at Tanjore with appreciation for the beautiful architecture, and Dharasuram for the beauty of sculptures, Nallur , or Thirunallur , is one of those temples where I truly felt the presence of God. This temple is about 10 Kms from Kumbakonam, and just 10 minutes from Patteeswaram. From Diwali 08 - Thanjvur Trip The main gopuram of Nallur As we alighted from the car at this temple , I was arrested by the beauty of the Gopuram. The detail was amazing, and the deities depicted were fantastic! Here are a couple of photographs I took of the deities depicted on the Gopuram. While the first one I learnt later was Maha Sadasiva Moorthy , one of the 64 forms of Shiva, I haven’t been able to understand the second. If anyone knows the name of the deity, please do let me know. From Diwali 08 - Thanjvur Trip Maha Sadasiva Mo...