Flights of fancy

To do list:

1. Archive and organize tons of pictures

2. Do a travel without a set date/destination

3. After every drive or a photo-shoot, write 

4. Learn to swim properly 

5. At least 30 mins of outdoor everyday

6. Learn to stop the thought process @ will

7. Try not to juggle few tasks

See the list goes on...and am oredi multi-tasking, instead of focusing on the list, out of no-where I remembered this shot and started editing...so why not make this itself as a blog post!

பறவையை பார்த்தான் விமானம் படைத்தான் - Our World Tuesday

Faces and Expressions

'Don't talk to strangers' says mom, and when a quizzical kid asks 'why?', typical answer would be 'you dunno, they might harm you'. This is a very common dialogue between mom and a kid in any part of the world. Drilled with this concept, even in our adulthood, we dare not to take the first step to talk to a stranger. However, it is always fascinating for me to watch strangers and if possible I enjoy freezing the faces and subtle expressions in my camera! Here are some of the shots that I'd captured in rural areas during my last trip to India.

The above shot is a typical scene, where pilgrims try to get 'parrot predictions' from roadside fortune teller! The trained parrot picks up a card, based on which the fortune teller gives predictions! Contrast to this, here is an old lady making her living...

The granny in the above shot reflects old tradition, where widows don't wear blouses!

Selling baby cucumbers by the roadside...

Cobbler waiting for business - Shadow Shot Sunday 2 and SOOC

Yet another perspective that shows how people relax during a hard day...

Chit-chat

Communication revolution even in remote village!

Thanjai Priya Koil (Brihadisvara Temple) - 10th Century Chola Living Temple

My love for Thanjai temple (Thanjavur Big Temple or Brihadisvara Temple) had flared up after reading the historical fiction 'Ponniyin Selvan', by Kalki. Well, the fiction is deeply rooted in the life and achievements of Raja Raja Cholan, the great Indian ruler of the Chola dynasty.

As per the novel, Raja Rajan developed a strong desire to build a huge temple for Lord Shiva after he returned from his successful invasion of Sri Lanka. There, he had seen colossal Buddha statues  all over the country. The monks had told him that lofty Buddha statues represents endless mercy and divine nature of their Lord, Buddha. Attracted by this concept, Raja Raja wanted to build a monumental temple that would befit Lord Siva in his kingdom as well!

Each step that I took in the Periya Koil was nostalgic and I was imagining the days when the temple was built. Kalki’s description of Chola artisans came alive and I had goose bumps just by wondering how Raja Raja managed to design this architectural wonder, in those days! It must have been a herculean task. With capable leadership, strong design skill and raw man power, Raja Raja had managed to build an architectural wonder! It felt so good to walk on the same path of the 10th Century CE legendary ruler!

The Maratha Fort Entrance and Keralanthakan Gopura (tower)

The gopura (tower) you see in the above picture was built in the 10th century CE to commemorate the victory of Raja Raja Chola over the Kerala rulers of the Chera Dynasty! However, the Maratha rulers of the 16th/17th Century CE, added the fort that is shown in the foreground of the above shot.

Layout of the temple and the inscription briefing about the temple

This has been declared as World Heritage site by UNESCO, but locally it is yet to gain the due recognition:(

2nd entrance - Raja Rajan Gopuram

Sculptures and inscriptions in the Raja Rajan Gopuram

No words to describe the beauty, and am sure my pics do not justify the grandeur of the granite carvings!

The majestic courtyard with huge Nandhi Mandapam and renowned granite Raja Gopuram (Main Tower) in the background

Before, going into the main temple, you will be awed by the larger than life Nandhi. This will be covered in a separate post.

Side view

Lord Siva resides in this temple in the name of Brihadisvara or Peruvudayar. Like any living temple, cameras are not allowed in sanctum sanctorum.

The dome is a single granite weighing around 81 tonnes!

This tower is built in such a way that the shadow NEVER falls on the ground! Just can't guess how Raja Raja managed to design this architectural wonder, in those days!!!
Let me show you some beautiful sculptures in the external walls...

Goddess - Sakthi on the left and Vishnu Durga on your right

Gate Keeper! - SOOC

Legendary warriors!?

Even the less visible side walls are adorned with sculptures and stone inscriptions. In fact, these inscriptions are a treasure trove that details the life in Chola period.
Here is the abode of Murga, son of Lord Siva

Each step that I took in the temple was nostalgic and I was imagining the days when the temple was built. It felt so good to walk on the same path of the 10th Century CE legendary ruler!

Sea views - Melaka, Malaysia

Listening to the sounds of the sea is one of my favorite activities. Often, I tend to drive along the beach roads in and around Klebalng and stop by, just to watch the gentle waves or go to a jetty and listen to the crashing waves. It helps me to unwind. Here are some of the shots I took recently.

Pantai Putrei

For the past few days, I was not myself, sort of restless and fidgety. To clear the cobwebs, today I drove by this stretch and stopped by this spot...sat on a small rock...after listening to the gentle rustle of the waves, I felt much better!

Near Malacca Club

Though I enjoy going to the beach alone, it becomes an exhilarating experience if I make it with a good company. The next shots were taken while playing tourist with a good friend, with whom I could relate to!

Jetty @ Portuguese Settlement

View of Pulau Besar

With little imagination, you could certainly see a sleeping pregnant lady with her head on your right! This island is legendary and has historical cemeteries which is believed to be powerful. Hoping to visit soon.

Karagattam - Folk Dance

Any village festival in Tamil Nadu is sort of incomplete without Karagattam. Until, my last trip to India, I never had a chance to meet and take pics of the dancers. This time round, we met a group in Namakkal, (Tamil Nadu, India) who were practicing for a competition! So I'd a good photo opportunity:)

Balancing the karagam - For SOOC and Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Yes, balancing this pot (Karagam) on top of the head without holding it and performing graceful, yet fast paced dance (attam) movements is KARAGAATAM!

Ready to dance

Until then, I used to wonder if they tie up or 'glue' the pot on their head and disguise with makeup! But now, for sure I know that it is purely an art of balancing the decorated 'karagam', which is most important to start the attam!!!

They dance with so much grace that it is hard to believe how the pot royally sits on their heads.

At times, as a challenge, they lie down on their stomach by few dexterous movements and pick up a small piece of wood or fruit from the ground, while balancing the karagam!!!

The dancers are called as 'karagattakaran (men) and karagattakari (women). The music is also very peepy and you feel like tapping your foot.

The man in white is musician of this troupe!

Karagattam should be highly regarded and encouraged. But, it is not considered as 'fashionable' among city dwellers, so, I feel that this form of art is under suffocation.

Wild Rices of Sabaha

On the way to Mount Kinabalu, Sabaha, roadside shops were selling colorful packs of rice.

Our cabbie told that they were wild rices of Sabaha! Well, I like brown rice, which is chewy and also healthier than the white rice. Wild black rice?! Definitely I wanted to taste it, so we stopped by one of the shops.

The friendly lady explained that these rices were grown with natural fertilizers. Well, she was naive and didn't know the term 'organic'! However, per kg rice was RM20! Certainly it is expensive when compared to the rice that we buy in supermarkets. Even imported Basmati or Wangi rice costs not more that RM10 per kg.

I wanted to try both brown and black rice, so I requested for 1/2 kg in each of the varieties. That ladies children were playful and at the same time watching us. The minute I took out my camera, the elder one became very shy and ran away, whereas the younger one halfheartedly followed her sister, but turned back and gave a lovely smile!

After coming back from the holidays, first thing I did was, take a close-up of the wild rices along with the basmathi rice!

I was told that the black rice is best suitable for making pulut (a kind of desert). Alternatively, it can be mixed with white/brown rice and eat it with tofu. Here is my version of the cooked mixed rice:

I feel that this wild rice is more fragrant and chewy than the normal brown rice.

6th Century Sri Somanathaswamy Temple @ Palayarai

As a die-hard fan of Kalki's historical novel பொன்னியின் செல்வன் (Ponniyin Selvan) I've always dreamt of visiting the places mentioned in that novel. Most of the places are near my Home town, Madurai in India. During this visit I managed to visit two top destinations, Palayarai and Thanjavur.

Palayarai, was the first capital of Medieval Cholas, until Thanjavur was built around 10th Century CE. Now, only a ruined Shiva temple is present at that place. We had to stop and ask for directions at several places, as Palayarai has lost its glory and now it is an insignificant sleepy village.

Ruins of the temple - viewed as we turned in that village

My heart sank, when I saw the locked gates of the ruined the Raja Gopuram (Tall tower) However, I got down from the car to take some shots of the tower and beautiful sculptures along the wall.

Only 2 levels of the gopuram exists

Pathetic reminder of the past glory:(

In remote villages, even now if they see a car, the villagers approach it with great curiosity! My dad asked one such villagers if there is anyone who could help us in entering the temple...'don't worry, the temple in-charge would have seen your car and anytime he would he here', before he finished the sentence, the in-charge came there with the keys!!!

Shrine of the Goddess

There is only limited online literature about this temple and town, so I tried to gather local info/folklore from the in-charge person. He said that this temple is more than 1400 years old...true it was built by the Chola dynasty in in 6th Century CE. He added that Raja Raja Cholan, the famous Chola king used to worship here before he built the Thanjvur Periya koil in the 10th Century CE.

The sanctum sanctorum of Lord Somanathaswamy

This shrine is designed like a horse drawn chariot!

Stone horse n wheel

It is unacceptable as per the Hindu customs to take pictures of the main deity...however, I did click at one of the most powerful Goddess worshiped by the kings, especially to give them moral and physical courage during war times.

Goddess Durga - carved out of single stone!

The half-gone murals behind the Goddess is supposed to be done by the Maratha rulers around 16th Century CE. Luckily, no one had tried to white-wash it!

Ardhanareeswara

Ardhanareeswara - is a beautiful concept where Lord Shiva manifests Himself as Half Man and Half Woman, to show that the male and female powers should co-exist! Later, on the same day, we saw similar beautiful sculptures in Thanjavur Periya Koil as well.

Yali - For SOOC

Yali, is a Hindu mythological creature, with Lion's head on a horse's body and this form is usually seen in Shiva temples.

The in-charge said that the temple renovation was underway as they were planning for Kumbabishekam. Now, I've mixed feelings, because they were sort of destroying our heritage by white-washing the precious, beautiful stone buildings and sculptures:(

Again, I've a big misgiving on Indian Archeological Dept, as to why do they fail to promote our assets? At least, can't we take care and preserve such glorious monuments of historical importance?!

Camp Site @ El Sanctuary, Lendu

Always I look forward to different experiences. This time I had a chance to visit El Sanctuary, a camp site in Lendu, which is about 30 minutes drive from Melaka, Malaysia.

MES, my kid's school had arranged for a camp. The dates clashed with my daughter's classical dance performance and our long holiday. I just took my kid for a short visit as she was keen to get a feel of what her friends do in the camp. While she was with her friends, I was busy with my camera, devouring the beauty of the place!

Miniscule sign board that can be missed very easily!

Bukit Hantu in Malay means Ghost Hill! With hesitation, I drove in to that obscure lane...

Reality is even more picturesque!

For SOOC

Ready for a camp fire - Dorms in the background 

Chalets - around 7 persons can comfortably stay

I feel that the Sepia finish enhances the beauty!

Well, I need to do another post to share floral pics that I took at this place!