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...
No holidays, no vacations... no travel, no blogs to write... For more than a month, I have only been reading blogs... not writing any.... Of course, I have come across a number of interesting blogs in this period. You can check them out in the " Blogs I Follow " list on the side bar. Well, sitting at home, I have been looking for things to write about, and finally, I have found what I wanted, right in my back-yard, so to speak! I am lucky to live in an area, right in the middle of the concrete jungle that is Bombay, where time stands still and nature remains undisturbed, thanks to some bureaucratic muddle. Some time back, I had put up a post on Sulekha , about the abundance of nature in my garden. Check it out here . Samhith had been pestering me to carry my camera along every morning while we waited for his bus, and when I finally agreed, I was rewarded with some wonderful sights. As they say – Seek and Ye Shall Find ! To begin with, I always thought Ashoka trees were t...