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Odisha Part 11: Discovering the Jaina Heritage of Odisha at the caves of Udaygiri and Khandgiri

The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
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Merry Christmas!

Wish you all a very merry Christmas, with this glimpse of Christmas decorations in kolkata! I am traveling through Christmas and New Year, so to keep up with my updates, follow me on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
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St. Francis Xavier and the Churches of Old Goa

The Decennial Exposition of St. Francis Xavier is being held in Goa till the 4th of Jan, 2015. This article on the Saint, and the churches of Goa appeared in the November 2014 issue of Being Woman Magazine.  St. Francis Xavier He was born in Spain , and during his lifetime, travelled across Europe and Asia, spreading his faith. Death would normally put an end to such a life of travel, but after his passing, his remains travelled once again, re-tracing the route he had taken in life. More than five centuries later, he still arouses faith, drawing from far and wide, the devout and curious, across religions. Such is the inspiring story of St. Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit Missionary.
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Tharangambadi - The Neemrana Experience

The roar of the sea is all I can hear . Then, the skies open up, and the rain beats a rhythmic tattoo on the roof, adding an element of percussion to the musical note of the waves. Sitting alone on an easy chair, watching the interplay between the sky and the sea, it feels like nature is putting up a show, complete with a musical symphony, just for me! It is easy to understand why, in the local language, Tamil, this place is called Tharangambadi – land of the singing waves!
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Birds from my Window - Hoopoe

One of the best things about birdwatching is the excitement we feel on spotting a new bird. Even better is spotting a new bird in our own backyard! We were decorating the road outside our building with rangolis to welcome a procession of a local deity, and Samhith, who was hanging around, giving his opinion of our artistic skills, suddenly called me... This is what we saw....
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When stories come alive - An Encounter with a Hanuman Langur

Bheema, it is said , once came across an old monkey, lying with his tail across the path. Not wanting to step over the tail, Bheema asked the monkey to move. The monkey replied that he was too tired, and could Bheema himself move the tail, since he was so strong? Bheema, always confident and proud of his strength, bent to lift the tail, but was surprised that he couldn’t even shift it an inch! After trying multiple times, he finally gave up, acknowledging that his strength was no match for the monkey. Pleased, the monkey revealed his true form. He was Hanuman, the older son of Vayu, the wind, and thus Bheema’s elder brother. He then blessed Bheema, promising to stay by his side in the great war which was to come.
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Skywatch Friday..... So many shades of blue!

We were on the ramparts of the Dansborg Fort at Tarangambadi, when Samhith excitedly pointed out the clouds looming low over the sea. "Amma, look at how many shades of blue there are!" he exclaimed...... Tarangambadi in Tamilnadu is where the Dutch first landed in India, and this little town was once a Dutch colony. Today, it is a sleepy hamlet, with the restored fort the biggest attraction, and the sea a constant reminder of nature's vagaries. The Tsunami of 2004 washed part of it away, and the scars remain, making the sea not very safe for bathing or swimming. It rained through the two days we spent there, and we enjoyed the experience of just sitting, listening to the pitter patter of the raindrops, and the roar of the waves... no wonder the name of the town, in Tamil means "Land of the singing waves" I am posting this as part of Skywatch Friday ... Lots more pics and stories coming up about Tarangambadi soon! 
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My tryst with the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

What is it that you look for, in a phone?   Photo Courtesy: Sony Xperia Z3 website  
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