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Odisha Part 10: Bhubaneshwar – the city of temples

Bhubaneshwar is often called the city of temples . It is impossible to know exactly how many temples there are, but it has been estimated that there might be over 700 temples in the city. This number, while impressive, is just a fraction of the original number, which, sometime in the 13 th century, would have been about 7000. Wikipedia has a page dedicated to the Hindu temples of Bhubaneshwar , where 93 temples are listed. All these are ancient temples, built between the 7 th and 13 th centuries CE. Bhubaneshwar was once known as Ekamra Kshetra , the sacred mango grove. We know this name from an inscription at the Ananta Vasudeva temple, which mentions the name of the place, and the main temple (that we now know as the Lingaraja temple) in the mango grove. Ananta Vasudeva Temple, with a sculpture of Trivikrama in the niche It is extremely interesting to note that the Ananta Vasudeva temple is the only temple to Lord Vishnu in this city. Varaha, Ananta Vasudeva Temple Located v...

Skywatch Friday - Tree and Light

In a forest filled with trees, this one stood out. Its girth, its height, in every way, it loomed over the others, clearly a patriarch towering over the rest.

Wayanad - First Impressions

Wayanad – the name comes from the words ‘Vayal Nadu’ – land of paddy fields, and that’s what I expected to see – paddy fields stretching in all directions. However, entering the district through the heart of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the sight that greeted me was of towering trees lining both sides of the road....

Back at last.... after a long break!

Here I am, after almost a month of silence. Where have I been? On a trip of course!

Skywatch Friday - Sights from my window

As the summer sun rages, I hide inside the house while Samhith makes the most of his summer vacations playing outside with his friends, unmindful of the heat. I have been busy though, for the last few weeks, and haven't been able to write at all. Today, for Skywatch , are some images I clicked in these past few weeks... my only respite from the sun and the pending work....

Ashoka Flowers

The only good things about summer are school holidays and the vibrant colours that surround me. This is the time the Ashoka tree outside my window blooms, and these gorgeous red flowers brighten my day each morning....

Snapshots from Mumbai - Salt And the City

Vast tracts of land cut up into squares - each filled with water... and sometimes, a white mound by the side.... These are the salt pans which line the highways leading into the city of Mumbai.....

Book Review: Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

In his introduction to Midnight’s Children , Salman Rushdie writes –