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...
The monsoons have arrived and we breathe a little more easily, in spite of the flooded roads, and a power cut die to a short circuit somewhere.....Having nothing much to do with the current gone, I spent some time taking snaps of the skies from our window........ Here are three snaps taken at different times of the day - the view is the same, but how different it looks each time! This is why I love monsoons, and am willing to put up with any discomforts, from wet clothes to wading through knee deep water.... Its all worth it! For more skies around the world, go to Sky Watch Friday