The absence of ancient Hindu structures in Kashi is something I have always lamented about. The shrines are certainly ancient, and that is something that has always attracted me to the city. However, I miss the beauty of the ancient structures that we see at other sites. This feeling is intensified when I see marble and concrete and tiles in temples that once would have been beautifully adorned with evocative sculptures, and worn by the passage of time, touched by the hands of seekers who came before. This time , this desire to see some remnants of an ancient Hindu structure in Kashi came true when I managed to visit the Kardameshwar Temple. The Kardameshwar temple is not one of the main temples in the city. It is part of the temples on the Pancha Kroshi yatra, a pilgrimage which takes one on a circumambulatory tour of the whole city. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, on the western bank of a tank called the Kardama Kund. The Kardameshwar temple is one of 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...