Uma clicks

The world as I see through my lens

[umasrinivasan]

The story of Mahabali and Vamana

The story of Mahabali and Vamana

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Gajasura Samharamurthi - The God who killed the demon Gajasura

Gajasura Samharamurthi – The God who killed the demon Gajasura

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How the squirrel got his stripes

How the squirrel got his stripes

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Ravana - The emperor of Lanka

Ravana – The emperor of Lanka

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The tale of Vali and Sugriva

The tale of Vali and Sugriva

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An Introvert’s Way of Getting Away

Such beautiful thoughts!!!

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The Grandeur that is Gangaikonda Cholapuram

The Grandeur that is Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gangaikonda Cholapuram The temples at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Darasuram and Thanjavur form the three great living Chola temples. A living temple is one where daily rituals and pujas are performed. The three temples have also been declared as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Image of Chola dynasty (Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynasty#/media/File:Rajendra_map_new.svg) Rajendra Chola nee…

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Pattadakal - the cradle of architecture

Pattadakal – the cradle of architecture

Pattadakal group of monuments Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring 7th and 8th-century Hindu and Jain temples. Pattadakal is located on the left bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote in Karnataka. It is 22 km from Badami, and about 10 km from Aihole, both of which are well known for Chalukya monuments. The Malaprabha river (which runs further north to meet the…

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Dazzling Darasuram - Part 2

Dazzling Darasuram – Part 2

The Airavateshwara temple is very different from the temples at Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram. The Airavateshwara is much smaller in size but makes for it with its beautiful intricate carvings. Episodes from Hindu mythology are carved on the pillars of the mandapas. You could call it poetry in stone. The three temples stand testimony to the pinnacle to which Dravidian architecture rose…

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Dazzling Darasuram - Part 1

Dazzling Darasuram – Part 1

Airavateshwara Temple The Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram was built by the great Chola king Rajaraja II (1143-1173). Inscriptions refer to this temple as Rajarajeshwaram, just like the one in Thanjavur. It is one of the three living Chola temples in Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram. A temple is said to be a living temple when daily poojas and offerings are made to the God…

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The Ghost town of Dhanushkodi

The Ghost town of Dhanushkodi

Dhanushkodi… The Lost Land The Ghost Town  Dhanushkodi is about 20 kms from the temple town of Rameshwaram. The drive from Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi is absolutely beautiful with the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other flanking the road. As you drive down the road, you reach land’s end where there is an Ashoka Pillar erected. Ashoka Pillar From there all that you can…

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Lyrical Lepakshi (Part 2)

Lyrical Lepakshi (Part 2)

The Veerabhadra temple in the small village of Lepakshi in Hindupur district of Andhra Pradesh is a sight to behold. There are such beautiful carvings, frescoes and paintings that it is difficult to do justice to them in words. If you just happened to stumble into this post, do read the part 1 of Lyrical Lepakshi at https://umasrinivasan.wordpress.com/2021/06/23/lyrical-lepakshi-part-1/. The…

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Lyrical Lepakshi (Part 1)

Lyrical Lepakshi (Part 1)

Lepakshi is a small village located in Anantapur District, in Andhra Pradesh, India around 130 kms from Bangalore. Lepakshi boasts of the famous temple dedicated to Lord Veerabhadra. The temple dates back to late 1500s and was built by the two brothers Viranna and Virupanna. This temple is one of the most notable examples of the Vijayanagar architectural style. So how did the name Lepakshi come…

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The imposing Nagalilnga at Lepakshi

The imposing Nagalilnga at Lepakshi

The Shiva linga is seated on a three-coiled, seven-hooded naga prabhavali. The Shiva linga is made of black granite. This beautiful monolithic sculpture is 15 feet tall. Legend has it that this structure was carved out of a single granite boulder by sculptors in one hour, while they waited for their mother to finish cooking their lunch. It is believed that when their mother finished her cooking…

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Lepakshi- The story behind the name

Lepakshi- The story behind the name

The entrance to the temple Lepakshi is a small town in Andhra Pradesh very close to the Karnataka – Andhra Pradesh border, famous for the beautiful temple and the huge monolithic Nandi statue. My idea is not to just talk about the temple and its statues but also recount the mythological tales, some long forgotten. This is a first in a number of stories that I have woven and connected to the…

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The palace of Great Happiness

The palace of Great Happiness

  The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungtang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang (meaning “the palace of great happiness or bliss”), is the administrative centre of Punakha District in Punakha, Bhutan. The Dzong is located at the confluence of the Pho Chhu (father) and Mo Chhu (mother) rivers in the Punakha–Wangdue valley. After the confluence of these two rivers, the main river is known as Puna Tsang chu…

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The magic of silence

The magic of silence

Sunset at Madikeri The setting sun, the hills, the sound of the birds returning to the nest speak to you. Take the time to celebrate stillness and silence and see the joy that the world can bring. Sunrise at Marina Beach, Chennai The quieter you become, the more you can hear. Sometimes it feels good to just sit by yourself and relax. The crashing of the waves, the chirping of the birds convey…

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