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...
This certainly has to be the best Golu I have seen so far this year... It has been kept at the house of a friend of Shankar's uncle, and it takes the prize for creativity as well as hard, hard work! First, let us get the usual steps out of the way...... Here they are, with the usual dolls... Yes, I know we have seen enough dolls over the last week, but these are the only ones here which need to be highlighted - some representations of famous personalities as well as tribals... Now for the most interesting thing... Heres a first look.... Can you guess what all is there? and how it is arranged? Before I get to the individual pieces , let me tell you what this is - The Golu is a two tier one, the upper one representing an American town, and the lower one, an Indian village.. talk about contrasts!!! The person who makes all this retired from his government job quite a few years ago. This is his hobby, something he spends more than half the year on! To see his attentio...