tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-254764892024-03-13T17:32:59.282+05:30All Mix Fruit JuiceMadhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-39410222395011077002016-02-02T23:23:00.001+05:302016-02-02T23:23:19.199+05:30This blog has moved!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi guys! I finally got myself my own domain. This blog has now moved to www.madhugopalan.com :) I've literally grown up on this blog, so it feels a little weird to post at a new address - thank you all for being so kind and encouraging all along :) I hope you continue to follow me!<br />
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Love,<br />
Madhu</div>
Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-28290573633967841352015-12-24T15:37:00.000+05:302015-12-24T19:24:07.365+05:30World Heritage Site : Pattadakal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Chalukya architecture had its beginnings in <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Aihole.html" target="_blank"><b>Aihole</b> </a>and was honed in <b><a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Badami.html" target="_blank">Badami</a></b>, but it was in the riverside town of Pattadakal that it reached its zenith. Bearing testimony to this, is a cluster of 10 exquisite temples in the Dravidian and Nagara styles of architecture, that the Chalukyas combined to create their own distinctive idiom. Pattadakal, called Pattada Kallu in Kannada, was where the coronations of the Badami Chalukya kings were held from the 7th century onwards. The town was also called Raktapura in the past, probably because of the red (rakta means blood and pura means city) sandstone with which the temples are built.<br />
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The World Heritage Site of Pattadakal includes 9 Shiva temples built between the 7th and 9th centuries. The 10th is a Jain temple built in the Dravidian style, about half a km away. It was probably built later by the Rashtrakutas, who succeeded the Badami Chalukyas.<br />
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<img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGHmMy5tG1TIDHZ7BlUXflR1T6bToD4QwtcVMSyfUY24Waa-bFKoq2rqS-NxoEx0BNizswOenE680nh0NEwEW3Zd8WvL3EEVWOzLV3mvEb8obEj0-uL_PPNaDLhA8SuIt8afZ/s640/DSCF6808.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /><img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Fhyphenhyphenq67cH89uTivRwGCd71fs5wGn1fL0rbwIBaRWeFTQIvv7MWNwTAvhyweAqdSiZBnz04bR-UoYvWlcWYTd4BIQ-J1L4WUsbDJfQQDo6_oYtpAw-ip1qEUGRUJT6AiP4mp0_/s640/Pattadakal+%25288%2529.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></div>
The oldest of the Shiva temples in Pattadakal is the Sangameshwara Temple, built in the Dravidian style, and the last one to be built was probably the Kasi Visveshwara temple, in the Nagara style. One simple way to tell which style each temple is built in, is to look at the shikharas. Typically, shikharas in Nagara temples are gently convex, while those in Dravidian temples are pyramidal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86trEzTprJ5QYEi8609-E2HvN2bOFUKqC001cpbbAUjFxKghxdSKQ4oiamWlEAhuXLelTTnEMLdUfPeG5Tn_8LoxCrsM2tVwEcCfoh6IwGXZ4EfNM1iXXDl4aNqB4dCQdRlXw/s640/Pattadakal+%25287%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Dravidian style shikhara on the left, and a Nagara style shikhara on the right</td></tr>
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The loveliest structure in the complex is definitely the Virupaksha temple. It is also the biggest, and the most elaborate. It was built by Queen Trilokyamahadevi in the first half of the 8th century, to commemorate her husband Vikramaditya II's victory over the Pallavas. The temple is said to be inspired by the Kailashanatha temple of Kanchipuram, and the design of the Kailash temple in Ellora in turn, is said to be based on this one. The interiors as well as the exteriors of this temple are replete with elaborate carvings from Hindu mythology, and the pillars leading to the sanctum are breathtaking, depicting scenes from the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. Apparently, these carvings were done <i>after</i> the pillars were built - this meant, there was absolutely no room for even a single mistake! While all the temples have small nandis in front of them, this one has a smooth, shiny and colossal bull in a pavilion of its own (called a nandi-mandapa) in front of the temple. The Virupaksha temple and its nandi-mandapa are the only ones in the complex that are still in active worship.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgqqApP0Tq-WPlHbqcySJmpe5IxZQ8rusL3hlAv8nTqt6-Bfz9NWs9lODWSaiYKwTBuA7TehlQ2_MQADgtM_UbYkR2Es4PDcxT3a5OUnIgd8yjdpHTZRSoF2c7ZW8vA5csnot/s640/Pattadakal+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bhishma on his bed of arrows depicted on a pillar in the Virupaksha temple</td></tr>
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<img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXRgMJh2zyhjFdhrogidfm-5_MkhvBRb7ijUNx8eTdXufy29h9GNavlpeKOh7fyZ8t1wxclHR4s6Ugilrihe2so8I5gmqFfPrT_XKyp-WzlMpnn8SqqOnQGk2x28mJ_pwf_3F/s640/Pattadakal+%25284%2529.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></div>
The Mallikarjuna Temple adjacent to the Virupaksha Temple was built soon after, by Vikramaditya II's second queen, and it is like a smaller version of the latter. The other structures here are the Galaganatha, Papanatha, Jambulinga, Chandrashekhara, Sangameshwara and Jambulinga temples.<br />
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<img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SOJtmljfI0W5-7V9aHUUBmMetPMDdMHYultOrNAoV-IHTIAoBLOWhQgYDg5nqyv31blsrof2RQEmIA9b3Lt3OLie7Yd3RApvyGijnm4Oty3G0nQpIlvw5ytpWlbQ_Sl-dL-Z/s640/Pattadakal+%25285%2529.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgQU-v_rc321O7tfAGwyFmz-lfIlIZGBhh-6OEN4LZDkbjVYtplAWAY2Eru9jc0W1s0nx3UrilJcRdeJJEKNo0VPjd-u72_Mm6xiteCDc0vy-4aDxrtqFT0iG36MsX2W2GYWG/s640/Pattadakal+%25286%2529.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsRMW0KgzQ9Aw9EQTAq0HPY1KGNHzwEZw4VLXhc4kB-JzJN6KzniO52GboQxjUfW63_crz9Qlxq2pVUsXT-M-KNVO2ywQfDLUdlOF5hJCExTJOFWD_4qhOUBqIecL461VwKfx/s640/Pattadakal+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Pattadakal Group of Badami Chalukya Temples" width="640" /></div>
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And that brings us to the end of my series of posts about the temples that the Badami Chalukyas built. As I mentioned earlier, the best place to stay in while visiting this circuit is <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Badami.html" target="_blank"><b>Badami</b></a>, only 3 hours from Hampi, another World Heritage Site.</div>
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Eid Mubarak, Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year to all of you! </div>
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I'll see you in 2016!</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-81107149733518260322015-12-16T21:39:00.000+05:302015-12-16T21:45:54.258+05:30Mahakuta<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The next stop in my Chalukya series is Mahakuta, a very small town about 15km from <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Badami.html" target="_blank">Badami</a>. Here too, the Badami Chalukya legacy lives on in the form of a group of 6th-8th century temples in their signature architectural style. The temples are all dedicated to Lord Shiva. The largest of these are the Mahakuteshwara and Mallikarjuna temples. It is believed that the Mahakuteshwara temple was built by Kirtivarman I, the son of the first Chalukya king Pulakesin I. The rest of the temples in the complex were built by later kings of the dynasty, and have shikharas typically seen in the Nagara school of architecture.<br />
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4exSvpspFIdeJfPXYCHpfNu3tWpfd7dYtzBhhyphenhyphen5ucUpEX0BCfSVmrWX-lTaLTNgMcfFvtoeMbV0FKPi6YW0AS1Er_8UHxlGlX80ILGxBMSZtQdunzRLNHRhYOIUn09aaf7JQ/s640/Mahakuta+1.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6Yj3-vpqyYgH5OBYmbAXkVODve-AZL8unulwNDXC33fAFmdN78LpAyHgJ4idLWJ00FJKtMx-jJ-_r_qWayCjP3eXALqOjz8sOtJsrFW4LGhvc-Q2MivxOyrET70oe8GYC0K4/s640/Mahakuta+2.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
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The hub of activity in Mahakuta is the rectangular Pushkarini tank, fed by natural spring water.<br />
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bmofr8Cy_ilcD98WEinuC_1xtYK0eUYhTmSTK4yEwPx1pD6xTdBs_fvgHqI6-m7T7Bg2SdM171SHXhFuiNOeqbq3u_vTC6IuBmm7-vOxpELgn79vfUTkf1KvkL6X09vzgsRV/s640/Mahakuta+Pushkarini.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
The afternoon we went, dozens of young boys from the village were playing in the water. They were incredibly sweet, friendly, and very happy to be photographed!<br />
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QaGd_Z_1AukS-WULnq331XjG6wbX835tsukmq5EUzx34zkJn0i1DKfb2gpsk4FfcHhWiSEjJhIdJtUSpZCin5AJ0U6qeBCwNYkKE050WQEIgmDUfLHYcl-ySwfAH0aFn_xlX/s640/Mahakuta+Children+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyN6tEZKO8ri9ud4Wnz7dDUTFyXBtGsNPtke9liNsNYyRmEOgohvTr8tKL7pwsu3Y0HXeVGfniyim6JyVgRvpczeI72XwFNwtC2lTKWtwo6pXEoGpHSt2o9PKORMjDR7auGxQv/s640/Mahakuta+Children+%25283%2529.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
A small shrine with a Chaturmukha or four faced Shivalinga (quite uncommon, apparently) sits in the tank.<br />
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<img alt="Mahakuta Group of Temples" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlzK01Qz6pWhWcTBRmWC7Ku4lzZUSk3xVEiyk-dW6berNfMsqJGWYmmkvYvadl-_OrG_7esN2hJZlNLWP0ivjeiufp5zrGtTKqz2ajO8VcW1r2bWH1oi4MdmMZWiSGnGz8ShI/s640/Mahakuta+Children+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Mahakuta Group of Temples" width="640" /></div>
Mahakuta has played a huge role in helping historians unravel the story of the Chalukyas. The Mahakuta Pillar, a sandstone pillar with inscriptions in Sanskrit and Old Kannada, providing a wealth of information about the Badami Chalukyas, was found lying here. It is believed to date back to the reign of Kirtivarman I's successor, Mangalesha ie, the late 6th century. Today, it is kept in the Archaeological museum in Bijapur, about 150km from here.<br />
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While not as expansive as those in <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Badami.html" target="_blank">Badami</a>, <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Aihole.html" target="_blank">Aihole </a>and Pattadakal, most of the temples here are still in active worship, and the vibrant atmosphere makes Mahakuta a worthwhile stop if you have a couple of hours to spare.</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-18522465615776344802015-11-30T20:52:00.004+05:302015-11-30T22:30:17.764+05:30Badami : The Capital Of The Chalukyas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Badami, about 35km from <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Aihole.html" target="_blank"><b>Aihole</b></a>, was the capital of the Badami Chalukyas for 3 centuries. The town was originally called Vatapi. Legend has it that two demon brothers called Vatapi and Ilvala lived here. Vatapi would disguise himself as an animal, and Ilvala would offer his meat to weary travelers, who would eat it unsuspectingly. Ilvala would call out to Vatapi, and the latter would come back to life (thanks to a boon he'd received), bursting out of the person's stomach and killing him. Vatapi and Ilvala would then eat the poor dead passerby. This went on until a sage named Agastya came by. He played along with the demons' trick, but immediately digested Vatapi, before Ilvala could call him. This ended the menace the two brothers were causing in the region :)</div>
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<img alt="Rock cut cave temples of Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5G3-67X6PC9LPGVBWLV2p43VL97LgzuH2fkKip-aatBcNc5EPq2KTNMwRNTncVAWYVoCBos78Cm4GkRFmphuLw2gLYLvx9EUPP_vjppAPR0CqOJXceEJs5g3nWOj0E25CfXe/s640/DSCF7180.jpg" title="Rock cut cave temples of Badami" width="640" /></div>
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Badami is most famous for its complex of four Chalukyan rock cut cave temples. Gouged out of almond (called badam in India) colored sandstone that is believed to give Badami its present name, every cave has pillared verandahs in front, and a sanctum right at the back. They were all excavated not at the same time, but during the reigns of various Badami Chalukya rulers. (I wrote a little about the dynasty <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Aihole.html" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>)</div>
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<img alt="Rock cut cave temples of Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zWPtmqzyeY1anCp1-8WmEuRUWcpThyphenhyphenMC0vSViuKfyT-Uk5jeqGROseBA-VcJB5oVsvZf48uUrPZcSiK-H1qwZ-SABOSamA7CDcjo8uyczM3ozD72mTkHDXQk6-Fcmwjr8Wiy/s640/A+Cave+Temple+in+Badami.jpg" title="Rock cut cave temples of Badami" width="640" /></div>
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The lowest cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is believed to have been built in the 6th century, during the reign of the second Chalukya ruler. It is decorated with sculptures of Shiva in various forms, and the most exquisite ones are those of Nataraja (Shiva in his cosmic dance), Harihara (half Shiva and half Vishnu) and Ardhanareeshwara (half Shiva and half Parvati).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cave dedicated to Shiva, Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1Z_IYSzJKx13fMQwBLPuWUYC50yPMK7HBLMH7Gjhp73EV3ecsPyfPHXIQq0cH84jj8cGGIgEc-dZ9MQyB_fRnttd01qlfoc8J6ERDsH7PzlK9u0xdQUAq0B-g_sShFYSg3af/s640/Cave+1+Ardhanareshwara.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cave dedicated to Shiva, Badami" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiva as Ardhanareeshwara</td></tr>
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The second cave is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and has magnificent depictions of him in his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vamana" target="_blank"><b>Vamana avatar as Trivikrama</b></a> and in his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varaha" target="_blank"><b>Varaha avatar</b></a> as a boar, among others.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cave dedicated to Vishnu, Badami" border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3C8woocdGv3HGpjN2lbC1xQrjjizA3FeClUw41BWTwOyocaeLzfWECCdm1QOZaNwZuPlObUCDzr4sjWCNIXLsoBvJW8FDUsUJxkHfa09a6dRIPoFp42n1kFgdWY0zouDd3Zj1/s640/Cave+2+Trivikrama.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cave dedicated to Vishnu, Badami" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vishnu as Trivikrama in his Vamana avatar</td></tr>
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The third cave is the largest and probably the most spectacular, and is also believed to be the oldest of the lot. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu as well, and my favourite images in this cave are of Vishnu's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimha" target="_blank"><b>Narasimha avatar</b></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varaha" target="_blank"><b>Varaha avatar</b></a>,<b> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vamana" target="_blank">Vamana avatar</a> </b>and also the one of him seated on a coiled serpent.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cave dedicated to Vishnu, Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgomxwz-813i2iUk9E6C3vQxj7rKjmDHFXusS4kLy9hAyv242lRyqZoBV0yvvg1crJO8jA8mzwcB74qXo7Wn8TuPAbPyqkVbEP76a7WGiDXT3ErmBuPE18JfEJzoeXBDZnkQL0/s640/Cave+3+Vishnu+on+serpent+Varaha.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cave dedicated to Vishnu, Badami" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vishnu seated on a coiled serpent. In his Varaha avatar on the right.</td></tr>
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The topmost cave is breathtaking, and is the only Jain shrine in the complex, dedicated to Lord Mahavira. If I had to pick a favourite cave, I wouldn't be able to choose between this one and the previous. The columns in this cave are decorated with Jain tirthankaras. Inside the sanctum, Mahavira is seated in deep meditation.<br />
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<img alt="Jaina Cave, Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieaAi20EPOowWiLcrRfYjOfLGbREieX2f6ysxRtoOY2Uww-2mbPID4I1xMtJEeyAe_TEUreHNxK2ReA2E-JEN5FoqmhnKX2GQpq4W821zj8bD6azZtEuKxGUWJUjetXd5fMQ3/s640/Cave+4+Jain.jpg" title="Jaina Cave, Badami" width="640" /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Jaina Cave, Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HoU40curPYWPg5iJOj1qkPRUNuyNQHG5Mh5qtxvH9xwDR1tTgQCmuKyOWy3hIjUyL-MgrJFHhRvJ9z_zQiGKJRSPn5EvrInNpMsp4-zZGm1eLjog03O6hs7bxGfbVlXXNO9L/s640/Cave+4%252C+Mahavira+in+Meditation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Jaina Cave, Badami" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mahavira seated in meditation in the sanctum</td></tr>
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The sparkling (manmade) Agastya lake in front of the caves, separates the rocks from the stunning Bhootanatha group of temples. They are built in the Chalukyan style of architecture with features from the Dravidian temples of the south and the Nagara temples of the north. One cluster was built in the 7th century by the Badami Chalukyas, while the other was built in the 11th century or so, by the Kalyani Chalukyas.<br />
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<img alt="Bhootanatha Group of Temples, Badami" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtHJEHp8arxqq_QzHyY4-JxL9IMUpQg2QsqWSLhvfUIX5j8n_4CUcnzeijp1X6ezQpK357-dGX2QjPi9Mjk4_QKy4qHDYN_C1Np204lqcl9rUpHfYSUf8bSXya07oevJmRm5Z/s640/Bhootanatha+Group+of+Temples.jpg" title="Bhootanatha Group of Temples, Badami" width="640" /></div>
Many scenes in the Bollywood movie Guru were shot in Badami. You can see the caves <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFX4zMzhvGM" target="_blank"><b>in this song</b></a>. The scene in which Abhishek and Aishwarya get married was shot at the Bhootanatha group of temples.</div>
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By road, Badami is about 3 hours from Hospet. Many people choose to do a day trip from Hampi/Hospet to the Chalukyan trio of <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/11/Aihole.html" target="_blank"><b>Aihole</b></a>, Badami and Pattadakal. Since Badami has many decent hotels, and we didn't want to rush through everything in a day, we stayed a couple of nights here.</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-74503903696823074632015-11-23T14:39:00.002+05:302015-11-23T14:50:48.945+05:30Aihole : a treasure trove of Chalukyan architecture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yet again, I've neglected my blog for months, but I've now accepted that my enthusiasm is always going to wax and wane, and that's okay. So from Bhutan in my previous post, let's go deep into the Bagalkot district of Karnataka in Southern India, to talk about the Chalukyas, a powerful dynasty who ruled between the 6th and 12th centuries. At their peak, their territories included all of Karnataka and most of Andhra Pradesh. The dynasty was established by the first king Pulakesin I, after overthrowing the reigning Kadamba dynasty. His first capital was Aihole, but he soon shifted it to Badami. So he and his descendants are called the Badami Chalukyas.
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There were three distinct Chalukyan dynasties - the Badami Chalukyas (6th to 8th centuries), the later Kalyani Chalukyas (11th to 12th centuries) with their capital at Basavakalyan near <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2010/11/road-trip-to-bidar.html" target="_blank"><b>Bidar</b></a>, and the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, near present day Eluru in Andhra Pradesh. This and the next few posts are going to be about the legacy left behind by the Badami Chalukyas.<br />
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Aihole, a sleepy and primitive village by the Malaprabha river is a wondrous treasure trove of Chalukyan architecture. Many consider it a cradle of temple architecture in South India, and with good reason - there are at least a 100 temples scattered across the village in varying states of preservation. They range from early rock cut cave temples to later structural temples built in the distinctive Chalukyan idiom, which combines Nagara (Indo-Aryan architecture seen in Odisha, etc) and Dravida (the kind you see in Tamil Nadu, etc) features. Some clusters of well preserved temples are enclosed by compound walls, while others are just a part of the village.
Let me show you some of the most prominent temples in Aihole.<br />
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Among the oldest is Ravana Phadi, a cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, dating back to the 6th century.</div>
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<img alt="Ravana Phadi, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHP_0w9Dn75RgeDA4CPswqbj3v4CQnyWdKrX_U8o29dOdsRiBdSR565rkDfUUGNjUa9ITtNK7lGkjybgwl3cnVMFGkbVwzD7WbRYxEegX-P2QNgRC-28Y_iszRWn-pirNC2iDO/s640/Ravana+Phadi.jpg" title="Ravana Phadi, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Ravana Phadi, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS0nxTt28fBDvgcgPw4cfqHybhAHw5YbuNdFUqIYbgfFbyMOA2YLMSrb8nFi9xV4lkXNLRvRodwSBKeLUnjdKe9CHTpKUwjqpv2uZrSQWok0cziZilM7IveOW9yIjLR3mtwff/s640/Ravana+Phadi%252C+Aihole.jpg" title="Ravana Phadi, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">The most recognized structure in Aihole is the beautiful Durga Temple with its unusual apsidal shape </span><span style="text-align: left;">(imagine one side of a rectangle replaced by a U)</span><span style="text-align: left;">. </span><span style="text-align: left;">It is believed to date back to the late 7th century.</span>
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<img alt="Durga Temple, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfh9IO1bIdTHTblF6Eiw8BigsJwD-3RmohbAzB2RPMe1T3NEVODkh73QhhpHbHIt8pl2LDTOcIMtDFEQWEYg921RqCGNC_wEr9kjOVcH8XXqtotuniCHDmKVXh-2LKCCB_nCHb/s640/Durga+Temple%252C+Aihole.jpg" title="Durga Temple, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Durga Temple, Aihole" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-ZDaGI4HYgJZIE1EF1tgwsRlK88dQunWK4OdAV-re3B-teRCkM-cu3KB8S3wJLPDd0p0P_bptKQMPUIQk802SwSYeOZL0vuet4-0w3FviR6abjOZfKyhBctyZ2JFD3Is4UfX/s640/Carvings+in+the+Durga+Temple%252C+Aihole.jpg" title="Durga Temple, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">The Lad Khan temple in the same compound almost looks like it was built with logs of wood. They say the curious name comes from a Muslim General who used the structure as his residence for a while. The complex also has a small archaeological museum. My favourite exhibit there was the birds eye view of Aihole that shows the distribution of temples around the village.</span>
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<img alt="Lad Khan Temple, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJ8b_hhfM9XyaDdZkufJTxUv5XN6QHYpGXzeDDZ4l7oGZuQaAc2-CSnExL7BGNeEZIIuX82mAFDndib0HASQfEFsjP24dHYYfq1og3Y8-Jpm3jexHIx7SSdVnKz2JrVdpWcEM/s640/Lad+Khan+Temple%252C+Aihole.jpg" title="Lad Khan Temple, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
<span style="text-align: left;">The Hucchimalli Gudi (Gudi means temple) stands in its own enclosure along with a beautifully carved step well.</span>
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<img alt="Hucchimalli Gudi, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8vR3Hdxf1f-Au8fGu5vnxE4ikq4RSvEdE7doj3kp05m3_y9Nr2upcrih4MBiJQjQqZYykdyo-563ylX1ve8nHgnBUMvoKspGmSQuCMa0pWk-SOwO-e9tJqobW3Ux3MFAsdpE/s640/Hucchimalli+Gudi+Temple.jpg" title="Hucchimalli Gudi, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Step well, Hucchimalli Gudi, Aihole" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvIfTuEITTD666eKDARK2K-FHwm3zAqgkfKtCU9-BCG95DENgpF1foZFpQBolXJeAjw8jY98WmUVNU0AVnkrtfF3FK4jhbSI-G9UeF05soxtpCLxkv42kYx5kpHotv2d788ex/s640/Stepwell+in+Hucchimalli+Gudi+Complex.jpg" title="Step well, Hucchimalli Gudi, Aihole" width="640" /></div>
Some more temples from around the village:
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<img alt="Aihole, Karnataka" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9TwoavCflk6QSSNhhbf5CqP0cfDdgDnmbZ4ei0y9Bz7K8zJN3fT6hUz6eWpldne45JQP5VytGm5Vw37jHkFHh1miR43ujQ9L0RSwr9jaeD6UIku5b369FFOAU7GdyCfzU3im-/s640/Chalukyan+Temples+in+Aihole.jpg" title="Aihole, Karnataka" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Aihole, Karnataka" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMKNsNUJo4cry55DPp5ERaMIu5nTULtGDu3H1in6w24mmxjuHzp8dIfUXPnkVXP1H7hL1ClUcV0k5BgxRJXUqD7E2-4AyFt4zhvslBtEH0xiUDOGqYDqyJl2g6UUfvP9UIJ1b/s640/Galaganatha+Group+of+Temples%252C+Aihole.jpg" title="Aihole, Karnataka" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Aihole, Karnataka" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGn1uPMGz0BCGqHbsEBoad1eneYA9vUgfakSXsRW3guGdAO0MbvovYe8cnV30PCK3gexoWn0Rej8teNPbgOQF28h5C6NZwoHcFTuW4299ugxBUkdw5PLUj4iQUmSPCuoSk1rD/s640/A+Chalukyan+Temple+in+Aihole.jpg" title="Aihole, Karnataka" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Aihole, Karnataka" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YUBeScKirCzC_hiQnrM0A6Okl2tMZF1ewdx2BeSaq0f9e-AC1kkFMtdSrO8PmDnhb-5RziHU8R1_rTA5WeFFbSs9cryyBW_9fzRNxXd1KifvZ-Lqx9zKBYG99GBP1Dc8r_TG/s640/A+street+in+Aihole.jpg" title="Aihole, Karnataka" width="640" /></div>
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Aihole is about 140km from Hampi/Hospet. The nearest town where you can get good accommodation is Badami, 35km away. If you are crazy about monuments, you could easily spend hours or even days exploring Aihole, given the number of ruins in the village. But for most other people, 3-4 hours should be adequate to visit the most important temples. </div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-41191826400258012122015-09-09T20:28:00.000+05:302015-09-10T20:33:00.868+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Tiger's Nest Monastery, Paro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4NIAFdLhoTLnpwl3gFfGq7VuxAgEE0Nj9LDx_kgUNu6GCOyIHS8JgMawU6bFJHejvXz8eabJdfomU7MifXxDLSLUWiByQkzL7DUERFuRuNYmuNj2p8-AAVs0AkOF95vBYHTH_w/s640/Paro+%2528396%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That little speck is the Tiger's Nest Monastery</td></tr>
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See that little white spot up there? That's Taktsang, or the Tiger's Nest Monastery in <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Paro.html" target="_blank">Paro</a>, the most sacred site in all of Bhutan. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, the Indian saint who spread Buddhism across Bhutan, flew to the top of this cliff on the back of his consort, who took the form of a tigress. A monastery was built at the site in the 17th century. It hangs off the rockface dangerously at more than 3100m above sea level, and I demand to know why it's not a wonder of the world!</div>
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Trekking up to the monastery is one of the holiest pilgrimages that a Buddhist can undertake. <span style="text-align: left;">Even if you're not spiritually inclined, it's an experience of a lifetime.</span></div>
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The trek will take a good part of a day, and I'd be lying if I said it's easy. But seriously, if I (lazy, unfit, somewhat asthmatic) can do it, literally anybody can. The first and last half hours are the hardest - the first is just starting trouble, and the last involves about 700 very steep steps. The rest of the time, you kind of settle into a comfortable pace. Ponies are available to take you up about one third of the way, but better avoided because they are not completely safe. Hiking poles are useful, and you can rent one at the base. We did the trek on the last day of our stay in Bhutan, so we were well acclimatized to the altitudes. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRCIAGpL0NT8EWlKED_MfrJCLY1L-HUKHmwF7oPneXWIFMLx_RmfLrKmaBoaI0cuDU_4i_fe7xbyMbzCE05c2LLVmCN2sNlnoYjprQ5RSgp2yUeDZC1Dv4UAOnDJ_NjC-WmPuog/s640/Paro+%2528398%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the easier stretches of the climb</td></tr>
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About 1-1.5 hours into the climb, the cafeteria appears in the distance like an oasis! It's the only place in the trail where you can stop for refreshments or even a meal:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaw2JKGXqnMKLpSQcvY2h817NMGSuDN4wO4J1hU2W36iLmkPwNiyTcqiVuu1_mbbiFh4AIDI-RjNYbbkgObJbJWmszGaAKTdRdWYXXb88iBwSSWNM7q26XwlIR_cPhQBB-kj2bpQ/s640/Paro+%2528408%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That cluster of shacks is the cafeteria</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2vP5qcKtGo8_0pxkiHbsEoUU6g-YgagJxWNUJ1QEEqtiJXaQho7665rqpIs1wr0snb9am3CH-jzr_q2ws_nQ1-6b3UhiiNqplnYKJDuVvKsmSrEqD4fU7F8liaVHXNXAQwHAYg/s640/Paro+%2528430%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This lucky cat lives in the cafeteria</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">As you trudge on, you are treated to breathtaking views all around, and you can see the monastery slowly getting closer.</span>
Sometimes, you can see it clearly, past the greenery:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GjQfWqg-LrZevWq0UQaQ4qmTtsBoOpjFSr-DtgD3QdMowKr6rzHIO9prUcIsD8AwjBDQreqh7NgzMxREHRMZS5IN88D653LPCwKByi3ouZnEoC1BDVF6Tolcz5WYaRA3Gm-WHg/s640/Paro+%2528432%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Past the greenery</td></tr>
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Sometimes you see it through the prayer flags:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4MH4sQ2wxYVrOR_gA-jhwjplQypspz5JdX7W-fcXA0meSbM-qJ_DkQ82lJnJy3EC1pdvk9oBXll6qJIuUAiSNZQaq7khWmprEBDtDlLWwj4hMXV-5jfxxtiAwy5HAvl2_x_aRw/s640/Paro+%2528437%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the prayer flags</td></tr>
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If it's spring, you can see it past the rhododendrons:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y3eIYTJLa-7QtR8IuqUHxEJUvVUWN0YLZYansv3ZxJhIeLrMTQSraHuNO4ETzowirkUJRp6LRS80WgsEHIbmatRzYfEbMYCUU-pbOAMiPXcV4imGcs-ABtyFOo2pSf0xD6lt1g/s640/Paro+%2528514%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beyond the rhododendrons</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYqiGBYc3NvYrN2xc2Dowym2uSy8qFGgbnabvWhXR5xX16mKZ8hbk8Bxk1c8VHRQJ2PyaqLnGuSJOUj4zsDYGTIHO2E52i5Z62s8e8ToDIQPyq4wseNrS8IxcMqDP9MYjvW1s9Q/s640/Paro+%2528536%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhododendrons in full bloom</td></tr>
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Through the gaps in pine trees<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPfywjbBcbfzaoCOkKUKjK1DZlw-t9RWjhHZUqC0MhqLzpq1LQgIzrBO1Qf_udMiZIoufIPrmPd4Y3FLWcdXNZgXH5jOZKQ1y-pejV7QRZv8kB_AjVGdk-cS_-v8qpGQkCDpskA/s640/Paro+%2528442%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the gaps in pine trees</td></tr>
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Sometimes, very faintly, through the clouds<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDlp4zLuDrTXKaY2LG_JBpm_qorb2gnRB7g6cK8_URJPm_Ihj1K7eJtRZpPZwlu0aa9GM8Ci13ZQrIrM6Z8FYE17_R801E0AYkcq19OyD2M4__L-_FAHBZ2TqlLGCNvKrhNDL-Q/s640/Paro+%2528416%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the clouds</td></tr>
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At times, it seems close enough to touch<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFsCoDe-vBp5PkSvD0SSDUJzFcFYHLxpU0QQXEnH_jj9u0vNMrnGiHq8GXOy13ATRU8T6bMxWbfCU-mlS3UCJlrwrtEVdPZi8_ZaQOBC69nvwDrEh5ihcUMTwBXmnuKAMAxw38g/s640/Paro+%2528438%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paro Taktsang / Tiger's Nest Monastery" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there!</td></tr>
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And then, finally, you make it! <span style="text-align: justify;">Photography isn't allowed inside the monastery, so I cannot show you what it's like inside, but it's incredibly spiritual and serene. It's the site Guru Rinpoche chose, to meditate for 3 years, 3 months, 3 days and 3 hours, and you're right there! Just the thought is amazing :) After making a wish at his altar, we began the long descent, which is harder than you'd think. Some parts can get very slippery, and keeping your balance can hurt your toes quite a bit. It was bittersweet - an absolutely beautiful trip was ending, but in the best possible way :)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38aAeTJDn5UVFoUDo-aBFN8YWNSXBsE1fEP4CjUkvAg_RH3c3YTipE5hyphenhyphenYtOtVRuQ83v76KUPd1fDZBWQvwk1yUNcpB3DSpkg0OCfsMtM5YrBkvCPyO9HYG2C5eCy-rYS1PICQA/s640/Tiger%2527s+Nest+Monastery.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holy water cascading down just before you reach the monastery</td></tr>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-79142244474545972972015-09-01T22:22:00.000+05:302015-09-02T16:45:09.673+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Flowers For Good Luck<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadME32NXLK3nENxkqi_uly99IWrpvcAMS6fhwCtCpLopUmtf63kXMKLJk-iB9IhaMk4VzV3Z8IiH87TIcOkIJbz9SbkP5wc3eVfPv5y19KrXG60UlF6yNR_jkXVnvo8wiuzuGlw/s640/DSCF5544.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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One of the things that I loved the most about Bhutan is that almost every home or shop has a few potted flowering plants. This is because the Bhutanese believe that flowers bring good luck - totally my kind of philosophy :) And the loveliest part is that these plants are grown in upcycled containers like tyres, tins, paint buckets, cement bags, drums, fish tanks - just about anything.</div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-wZHBOgNVKdqyzg9ydUE2MOOJvklUY3Xiu38DcN8grCwQB5qdyPM6A9sARTqo1IG4Zr9tt7i2Nb0AfDGf4oa71yDhCbtE7XV2GnzEt_3z37hKk6lesLZ4XrGtkuhz2ppJYiwVA/s640/DSCF5200.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHVJNq6hHTNFNeljn8IC4YFETZcVtJwaygBTD5SymHCBKJCk00Okb16A0MErYZDr7ByuPH2lUeAkQaRxl8KqYtTcgXUIJ46pqBmA1VLZW318mmGFfnf6XlZ_HttehzwrHQCJ0BQ/s640/DSCF5202.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeku5NoXmHNIqicb06cLa_JNHo30dTKorhH_JxtoZGp8kVlhirciUd5wVt5984Z-lH_NXIfe_ddXfDbvaFZMGw-d47RVzZJm2dwvpEyE1Ruf0GRCp7Yv7ImEUhf5yT2V0xUECqw/s640/DSCF4549.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiemVF7CWY3VWA7CzXEq_Q-rmBsPdSlp3IQfavo6s6mXssis6tu45pzUCzr8ZpY1A7VvsdlCdmVmLEg950-MUoKZ70jvIRDIofG4lzg60WCN1mJRboQBAM_6jhXllyGN1rwvA7lg/s640/DSCF4554.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdW-P5E22DhzB9zaMEr9MZug5ZyzgPKFXHZfCqpp7nCA5PDfz21KR3jD10wZTnRbHYhDc1GCP2SdoWEMKwq__b-AtFQxslYsxprA7BdxJ-EV9zEdYJFLTTe4dJVVGwTuOhpMTyA/s640/DSCF5424.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZJZGYkrxhLILBzXGPDcWEsdCfNOlGUT4offZQ2DwInn3xPjfG3Fm7aDoQgoMBACxax_zP2lGuDlCBurUhZouxNzWlLAESr7Lj4xtvWMfWfhP5IzX6kAWwu8kwJ9Z0c-WUCpT9w/s640/DSCF5545.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzUHVTwkH9J7HROGlI4UZlUIJPI8UxkhATUYABhjzuLyrXqj-dDNfU2jsXl5AwwGNxXn98o7KaCPOf07jQSSLd6Jfy9sthzU57XrQ-t_pWVCz1gV2Y_sGABOCG_YL9Zc_wVy-mw/s640/DSCF5549.jpg" title="Flowering Plants in Bhutan" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-42905594507264377782015-08-17T11:31:00.001+05:302015-08-24T13:50:39.829+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Thimphu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Thimphu Valley" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QMD3NmEv9fsRHqCDd5S4kksyZL76p4mzLLnHS3FFWdS9MUSKM9yUJYVr28CnKAtHW1ENgfmhwG7jp4dH84vaJsFM519fgzDK_dpKmD7r1NrEDtqQgpVjQOfLyG8_Doy_8BnodQ/s640/Thimphu+Valley.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Thimphu Valley" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gorgeous Thimphu Valley</td></tr>
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The capital of Bhutan is Thimphu, about an hour's drive from Paro. Although it's a lot more urban than the rest of the country, it's very much a quaint and charming Bhutanese town. Here are a few of my favourite things from Thimphu :)</div>
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<b>The Tachog Lhakhang on the Paro-Thimphu highway. </b>After landing in <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Paro.html" target="_blank">Paro</a>, we drove down to Thimpu where we spent the first two days of our journey in Bhutan. On the way, we stopped at this historic temple built by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thang_Tong_Gyalpo" target="_blank">Bhutan's famous iron bridge builder</a> back in the 15th century. He also built an iron link bridge leading to it. It was washed away however, and what you see now is a replica. A less shaky and more photogenic (IMO) bridge runs parallel to it, for cattle to cross without getting their feet stuck in the iron links:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tachog Lhakhang" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsHAhRE6i2-oFYr65qTDDtBIlG98ZrHRMvnxVq5PHY6agYEzADT-sDM9Es36K2yaWmYSwlILTkjr1_JXWcoGRdWCQcdNBSIlkWKPhiL8kjMYK1-EA87e-Vgv91SzD68Udn8zs4A/s640/Tachog+Lhakhang+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tachog Lhakhang" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bridge to help cattle cross the river, lined with prayer flags </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tachog Lhakhang" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-N-dTg879ogE4HqVzfPdkjHtUlil2VjhxnC2_BiwbXhbSJ-j1D9XLXk7ViVPY3hXNm2SVLjyzv_XNCa37ROUyhOlhwSmMxdljWZ06QT6X49F7WC3z6AQx-iiCvoIIyqrODPQZw/s640/Tachog+Lhakhang+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tachog Lhakhang" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wang Chhu river under the bridge</td></tr>
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<b>Thimphu's main river is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid%C4%81k_River" target="_blank">Wang Chhu</a></b>, and you can see it in the above picture. This little river is no little river, actually - it flows through three countries (Bhutan, India, Bangladesh), and becomes a part of the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh.</div>
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<b>Thimphu has two dzongs, </b>both of them are magnificent in their own ways. The Tashichho Dzong is the seat of the Bhutanese government, and the Simtokha Dzong is Bhutan's oldest surviving dzong. <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Paro.html" target="_blank">As I mentioned earlier</a>, dzongs are like fortresses, but they also house a monastic section and the local district administration. Ngawang Namgyel, known as the Shabdrung or the unifier of Bhutan, brought the whole country under one rule for the first time, back in the 17th century. He is worshipped as a deity all over Bhutan and all of the dzongs that you see in Bhutan today, were built by him.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tashichho Dzong" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0N8z_wQ9lWU3kF2ZRLIFSbGQ7QEcErTv4eZmnu5AI68UrMpJ4iJ_D2Oqlxg1lri5hfPMliHoBl7mGgv15Cc8Yfc05Ojd5aM5OWIPvLmOklOmIBaMUs9mqQmPBTz2yS1fmP7Gxhw/s640/Tashicho+Dzong+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tashichho Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tashichho Dzong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tashichho Dzong" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbixRnQfCPl1WrNxDaF4Q_EQj1bYMaVF_Hc2-vRGjcjcwtNNo3iBpvIgwjlNIpxH1cd-4ojKi1uWeJvgzCdXsoypwpUEHCNVgUFxNaKtXvevEptuZsB9QSSpZs4vEBi1HJE3wZw/s640/Tashicho+Dzong+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" title="Tashichho Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tashichho Dzong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tashichho Dzong" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4g8XWgyq-3Q4CZrteRdRWrjMqdNc1XS_IV8Ld-uXaLYyselgZp9l180S-aZhYxnPo54vR2mPCUIsLkPIXWymv_eUvasyHzShbBE8-Rfg5xpWILKWLQedPRzrvcS2VWM2K0wl6A/s640/Murals+in+Tashicho+Dzong+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tashichho Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murals in the Tashichho Dzong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tashichho Dzong" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ebCmT-qS-zcP1VvK1dLt9rC3nKfmQ8d_SmT4t-DQuWhmNNv0poeupgAifDLcsHKIoxSV0SnCSjj-XdXYb_mmCjbQCPWzF3NQGI75h2EnNX1JfKttq1cc1C-zkd-2WL_Hxjz0xA/s640/Murals+in+Tashicho+Dzong+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tashichho Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Murals in the Tashichho Dzong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Simtokha Dzong" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVB9U_3619zKgoA5faY70q858z1Dvk0tg3DRNCvGZrv3tP9_FMuOdrE-t03EYAUgB6ePNXYhwVAzjyF86SIFS2tqLPY8fQSlt8sBi3BNW5u3GZwPIpWDVfKU89SJbuIMUoO_nRQ/s640/Simtokha+Dzong.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Simtokha Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simtokha Dzong</td></tr>
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<b style="text-align: justify;">The Buddha Dordenma or Buddha Point </b><span style="text-align: justify;">is probably Thimphu's highlight - it is a colossal statue of Lord Buddha that appears to magically rise out of the mountains! The statue is 51 meters tall, and you can see it from almost everywhere in Thimphu.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Buddha Dordenma" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPsokDDG8AOj_wqSc7Ri2eNr7L6O0LJqP4xtJrirZHQecc3_oRKaQNZTEgnL03HL5BwOinu-amO9RnXpyBqpX8UBvWpS7KAwc9qCIKWD3lI5Q9sVBRp2eJZyv0lQU0KgUebNIhA/s640/Buddha+Dordenma+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Buddha Dordenma" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha Dordenma</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Buddha Dordenma" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsw9LdWN5ysfhltoROrlXER9lcZ3bFQhV4MfdaDzV7zz6uFRtSc_M24W2xEQCQJH9HDl3g_Wrs1V21d9iUhyphenhyphenaZj_Ld6iTQho7WHjsPN67R8pvIN0hODVsjr18Odv6ReKbs-CqU5g/s640/Buddha+Dordenma.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Buddha Dordenma" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha Dordenma</td></tr>
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<b>We did a bit of window shopping</b> at a small handicrafts bazaar on the river bank, The prices vary wildly from stall to stall, so it's hard to know if you're getting a good deal!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bhutanese Handicrafts" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yeuU13W3DXbnSAxWduhtmtlr_xt9VdZRzUXXRoITFjMVLyxGalaM_YwvgWod6KGQJVyVWb3Gqv5kMIAzn0m8862cBR4NySSASgAPzYRvU6YYndD6_45x-T-yq1UdqGV4TsW9WA/s640/Thimphu+Market+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bhutanese Handicrafts" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping for handicrafts in Thimphu</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bhutanese Handicrafts" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJBL69CEhYXxtcaSxZeHOQDhor1uDP0rTP02i4GxXLqUXCMQYwOkxO2O4_k5XW-g5zIu4Sq95zaZuAALzn8UwlrsL7tus0iXsID3sSE-Tj6yAoT7Mj5ICSRGxO4T2WTJEGryJ3w/s640/Thimphu+Market+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bhutanese Handicrafts" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping for handicrafts in Thimphu</td></tr>
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<b>People come to the old Changangkha Lhakhang</b> (Temple) to get their little children blessed, and also to get lucky names picked out for their newborns. Or if they are like me, to check out the incredible view from the back of the temple.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Changangkha Lhakhang" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhZjRVhzcuQPMq35Q9Kjklm-T2d08RLPoBA0r6bgDZ26OuVbAD0ZU45MtHZ0QtJoG2IQvNnf4Ss4Bd1Va0FLLdQcpVFAOFMy3LsbudtkLb1ZrOo6NAcYJkUVV8_6chry02IPsCQ/s640/Changangkha+Lhakhang.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Changangkha Lhakhang" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changangkha Lhakhang</td></tr>
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<b>We went to the National Institute of Zorig Chusum</b> to watch students learning Bhutan's traditional arts and crafts. There are 13 specific arts that the Bhutanese consider very important - together they are called Zorig Chusum. Below, is a painting class in progress:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Institute of Zorig Chusum" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-_slJOOFRHnadZS2i9E_VwAcfdKBrjihDN226GHrHrktc2wNyU_XH06ZhyQ_vxwjlUhVtw8SvH5137TNASfk6iGR4n8y-FIfWYJtucFjQcYdk7DbQufpvP1x1vCTymWMsNxDdg/s640/Institute+of+Zorig+Chusum+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Institute of Zorig Chusum" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School of arts and crafts</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Institute of Zorig Chusum" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytktPy_ymdiG4cB9CrnuFfdoT6jGhxHu0H-iNC83fNMbjYppvqCh_4OlUJqYt6-ZYktp4SphnlC0wfhgLf0mWl51dr9HYsTzqv1LZ2IjRpHe0poUijl_Dg5bVxCS0iOhr6uelEA/s640/Institute+of+Zorig+Chusum+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Institute of Zorig Chusum" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School of arts and Crafts</td></tr>
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Thimphu has some really nice cafes and bars. If you drink beer, try the Druk and Red Panda beers - both are brewed locally in Bhutan.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Druk Beer" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYwEJhh3pkbEpfxH6w2cgcYMOQWXaR1o-HbjbMngVKnRBfSkpUPyGPDpptbavB34kl_t3u5XhYoHtmsVr-S-GMudRjHD2ICMCfGUewFBpig4n25f3c-3T06i9QKfC9vBHo2m2XA/s640/Druk+Beer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Druk Beer" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Druk Beer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Zone, Thimphu, Bhutan" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyF_t9kRGhgvCAe7R2azYJip9MHGSfLiM9gxK9UW83xme1cHnBKB4KYR3xcCrBE2W41znonkt68LuUXlTejvw8zdx1RnRN_IoqGjg22ycwzGjIZfeDucHAswdLCfZxXlTcri6zw/s640/The+Zone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Zone, Thimphu, Bhutan" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cozy cafe called The Zone</td></tr>
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These were just my favourites - there's a lot more to do in Thimphu, like the National Memorial Chorten, a cluster of lovely museums, the post office where you can get custom stamps printed with your face on them and the Takin zoo. After getting our fill of Thimphu, we drove eastwards past the picturesque Dochula Pass to remote <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Phobjikha.html" target="_blank">Phobjikha</a>. A three hour drive from there took us to historic <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Trongsa.html" target="_blank">Trongsa</a>, from where we squeezed in a day trip to Bumthang. We then turned around, and headed westwards to warm <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/08/Bhutan-Punakha.html" target="_blank">Punakha</a>. Finally, we returned to <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Paro.html" target="_blank">Paro</a>, where we began our trip. This wraps up my series of posts about the towns that I visited, but I'm not done with Bhutan - there's more coming up :)</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-3343091023817784902015-08-10T23:55:00.001+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.331+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Punakha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Punakha is a beautiful warm valley at an altitude of about 1200m above sea level - you can tell by the warmth that it isn't very high up. Covered with lush green terraced paddy fields, the fertile district is Bhutan's biggest producer of rice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paddy Fields in Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT-rQE47gAP8jxapujmlGP6V5gid4Sa7YDluG-50AMaXDAHCFVbePm5YJyaJPwiIF2hg74y6FFSwJTneZmhP1V1DcfJzuBAb7oMBp223fcax4DnRGZEH8pqdnEnMdxg0skLh3_A/s640/Paddy+Fields+in+Punakha.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paddy Fields in Punakha" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paddy fields outside our room in Punakha</td></tr>
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Punakha attracts hordes of visitors for two main reasons - this is the first one:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Punakha Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQOhJBPGmp1EYFHLyI1i1Roazpp2gOcEdXyBCyV1mVJquJAeColBRfPKgPppu6Xa_ZdAmnzQzBe8GBQA1XVLc415TGX_7I-AAideLLLSpMOM-he1wxUaYVeth6RBgnSWyonHclg/s640/Punakha+Dzong+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Punakha Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacaranda blooms at the Punakha Dzong</td></tr>
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Good reason, right? The Punakha Dzong is widely considered to be Bhutan's most beautiful fortress. And it's very hard to disagree, especially during spring - the front of the fortress is covered by gorgeous purple jacaranda trees in full bloom. No wonder the present king and queen chose to get married in this idyllic setting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Punakha Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOS2dUFepD8u_VftnBL3DO2H_ndo65rg2VmiZALacQaa1nzJmg10iG0Q2EQF6N8wyl0EDE2S5vZWZ9B3rQKt_B9ZS7j9W_YkFUj2IqLuDlVLUaojybzHI6IeKdisiV3Zf2o4ebw/s640/Punakha+Dzong+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Punakha Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gorgeous Punakha Dzong</td></tr>
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The second reason is a 15th century saint named Drukpa Kunley, or the Divine Madman. He was an absolutely outrageous teacher who used his phallus (yeah, you read that right) to tame demons and bless followers - he called it his Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom!! I want to keep my blog family-friendly, so I won't go into any more details, but you should totally google him - he's an utterly fascinating character! Since he subdued a demon here at Punakha, there's a temple called the Chimi Lhakhang, dedicated to him. It's also called the temple of fertility. It is reached by a beautiful 20 minute hike through the village and past paddy fields. On the way, almost every home or shop has a phallus painted on it - this is actually very common all over Bhutan. The paintings are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. Phallus themed souvenirs are very popular too.<br />
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<img alt="Phallus paintings in Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKT3vTkw4hpnxvUDXZSCTyABjifNzV_FqAdX8giH8N0r5Qlu42fndrspOvMuXiS_9ttQFVK_pE-AWS2YKuHMcK-UthMJHAONR5DwRAd8hJ6YXgkt-kBttqjETtVrbL0A9Ihxvkzg/s640/Phallus+Paintings++in+Punakha+%25283%2529.jpg" title="Phallus paintings in Punakha" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Phallus paintings in Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KQO5V_F6JqJgiWp2jhyphenhyphen30IDbX9vb_Yg-jYf576_b-mG4A-Jdknl-Rhi97vEQKDowlU1roCZqpNje6tkUdYVkvVBF_WNcBzu1042GKjrr8SBLSpr9rVbD-dULjnuMSWduKrqhxA/s640/Phallus+Paintings++in+Punakha+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Phallus paintings in Punakha" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Phallus paintings in Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BltNdLYy_rtQ9tE6w_oCqJFozjyv_yg_ldFu7fCAQR16Wi3YAty3XYVd_vQzLnn4Sr5XLKajctpkF37-xtQSusZF6La86OyizjJsdBBGkvwqykKTtxca3E6gdvAaL1CfVLph6A/s640/Phallus+Paintings++in+Punakha+%25284%2529.jpg" title="Phallus paintings in Punakha" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Punakha is also home to Bhutan's longest suspension bridge that hangs over a gushing river:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Punakha Suspension Bridge" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMSv_JHvY5U15Famd02If1HspX4e7uYFQAXY3voRsGOaltWfvEZEnmcoHhRJ4a7jE3fyxUN71e2-2CLChWWodRsZVtK8kI8CCjJeUH_3kZdGFbzyXddATjOZqHk5gtYwifUsbAg/s640/Punakha+Suspension+Bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Punakha Suspension Bridge" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punakha Suspension Bridge</td></tr>
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We stayed at the Drubchhu Resort in Punakha. It is pretty modern, but it's very charming and beautiful. It's a family run resort, and the mom is a very passionate gardener. Every time we ran into her, she was in her hat and boots with a shovel in her hand - that is exactly what I want to be when I grow old!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Drubchhu Resort, Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDR_PMgokIaODakksWRNm2qcvgJR_AiBxQtYdHgDe63aQXT5spqgYVKfPc8QtHkZvV0kxWVuG5yaRDwUtIhd-88z7DAWHmjnm2dNFW_FoNNZVqKDPhm35Tcq7fwq-D07PtwkSyw/s640/Drubchhu+Resort+Punakha+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Drubchhu Resort, Punakha" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our room at the Drubchhu Resort, Punakha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Drubchhu Resort, Punakha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQvNV0GV-MqsrehsvOhdWpPM3MdTvIrp4Q_EDrlePhG7VOgMhycTPTnosOgQoN2PZ-jwN9WsAWPgpwRDOPRticlNeoKUR-e8Io0-xePyGFP0X0ThvqzVRMVzbH316qdOFX9Xdjw/s640/Drubchhu+Resort+Punakha+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Drubchhu Resort, Punakha" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasturtiums from the garden at the Drubchhu Resort, Punakha</td></tr>
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One of my favourite things in Punakha was hanging out with the young monks sitting on the grass outside the Chimi Lhakhang - some of them were doing their homework, some were practicing playing the dungchen, a kind of horn from Tibet. We couldn't understand one another too well, but it was really fun to watch them learn magic tricks from Tenzing, our guide :)</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLPSEKocU6tHiqs5ezNt3Qve30yqwPJUo6_XVglfSu0B065rdra62xpO73g8PTrgtJ803CxDx77XZ7h8SKQNhaeIhjIW3Ud_nErP8vuxsc8CiuF5LeMKtyPzeG9tDoQRcqu7npA/s640/Monks+in+Punakha+%252811%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR4MiG37542YRh0WUJw4Bo13L0GLh-3LPMXsOrqOKRIPI5fl_n9q-BsqiNjNuHjy293gRz-SIOPv01aH1oQYIp3p0QLkX68mzO6gz-kOx9-BubFy9cylaZ5n_U9qlFuaLq6_8kw/s640/Monks+in+Punakha+%25284%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nxp0XJdMV-qlxDzrxaVyHAKYPZCGkVyd3j2YXpC3eftgxQ6UevBEZODd3u5KIJ5hpOe84d_5t0lIBm0c4SOLgnHwXwH3BDJLWCEgDZNaox8zJLm4M_t9oTMP6xHMFCtN9t4gfQ/s640/Monks+in+Punakha+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC-mFvxvwAz3QOpXDpetp-pr_vlN5gsmqyQhxjqUbxL2JH-aQhrb3QaD865EsoQQXU6A62u3ZuFVYNyuMjN-HvWK0NOmJ8zHigaiUHyWDGWrCYTMevn_nN5kDwuNwhw21UjDhIw/s640/Monks+in+Punakha+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-25592926598420653252015-07-20T11:27:00.001+05:302015-08-20T19:29:21.201+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Trongsa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">The Trongsa district in central Bhutan is the ancestral home of the Wangchucks, Bhutan's royal family. The kingdom's first king Ugyen Wangchuck was actually the twelfth governor of Trongsa. He managed to bring the whole country under his control and was elected as the first Druk Gyalpo or Dragon King of Bhutan. So, in a tradition that is continued to this day, the crown prince of Bhutan serves as the governor of Trongsa, until he becomes the king.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Mangde Chhu River, Trongsa" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_ZXXtidPEhnBUerlzlIC1wwp3CHGHQKIWXQ6nCZGKRA3fkpU7wki4XH5Iom_tg4ZlMnPtpZgMBrA4foLQkaI6Zb420h3-5c3zmFawNbrJgHWdC2DlV8kuhQncvd5W6SKLViBEg/s640/DSCF5174.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mangde Chhu River, Trongsa" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mangde Chhu river flowing through Trongsa</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It took us about 3 hours to drive to Trongsa from <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Phobjikha.html" target="_blank">Phobjikha</a>. As we approached the town, the majestic Trongsa Dzong (fortress) came into view, nestled in the middle of lush greenery.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Trongsa Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbfRH4VgF2fcDP9q1fJR0AdRd68-o5LLGpnTqfZH6x41xirKF8iqMY0m-4MWGNvns7UD19Txf1z-WjvCElY240CBohtO-uytJUfVhQtyXDRUVw22ZSSUNO2ExGM-cyZ2qNjwB2A/s640/Trongsa+Dzong+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Trongsa Dzong" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Trongsa Dzong</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The town of Trongsa has just about two small streets, and they are crammed with tiny restaurants, bars and grocery stores. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Trongsa Town" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4p8_5QRpXZMQapj0bKoP1uzJKHOLK7b8w04cyWaQdWuq0ActUcUHqhjLgN-UDVLYAuxVNAXnQ4IfTX2t95xLJ2TqNiuWISGYWkO_chIvL5N3mU2iQo4hAoZnrrbv8OCNKMV9Cg/s640/Trongsa+Town.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Trongsa Town" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trongsa town</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We stayed at the Tashi Ninjay guesthouse run by a wonderfully warm family.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJDx8WcXasEi1ETRH2XuVNcasFr4vIwmkMwGtDUE6FCpbsGmrJzoHG3VsAkuC7a5XFtNxqFiSIg0cWhmmw35MVao0M4RILpMdaZw4WILl9PWiJPrSOr6H12YklLpS1WZtxPpmiA/s640/Tashi+Ninjay+Guesthouse+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The room was adorable, and the view from the balcony was just jaw-dropping.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhxEOrsYRfcRpI_bOGJHd9Rarul8GIjbO_6bfHz0S2XfWS3IXiZ6v-fI0uc1-aQL6OkNE9eXOG56IW6HoUSzfSflSOIcQGvqtK13qxb02DqdCbndAdOF_OyjITzDDS3RfluMWwg/s640/Tashi+Ninjay+Guesthouse+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The dzong is Trongsa's main attraction, and we didn't even have to step out of our room to see it! It was surreal to stand in the balcony with a cup of tea, watching the dzong disappear every now and then as clouds BELOW us ran in and engulfed it.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aINfU1SngDKC81lYuHx_0ONc4PtBtoOvxAC1guOfLSS35zqtqIKPZKVykEc54aOzrwMU6ROlrVAWlTqRNmbPPBQwetBHaDvM2KoEN58QComMrGvTZghJv5YrUI4s4G5Pj1pUdQ/s640/DSCF5145.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most perfect balcony ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPx5VhsIpHAk7Fhfv6lZXylErs6oF1KlWWIYexVbSMgF7VnelV7JzAYjkgoQi7ehAjQPOVtGzzFXKy8igw2HzjUJJX8vBs3mKmywmQENR3Pcpj6PiO1eyPgXnl3cM4JyppAIBEtg/s640/DSCF5160.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the dzong from our room on a sunny morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47QcgP9_wHxgJ5Q4gak2o1vrUflL7ew0j6j_O7mRRgLJqJfiZqQBzeB5ujovUjkMNlOmjPOc1yHe6VWwM0l_dj6pLxXf1pxOE_ebDKLSUxje-QoLmf6Qkvvxm-h9ddFfgZciLJQ/s640/DSCF5153.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="View from Tashi Ninjay Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dzong all lit up at night</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQrrRy2fcBU5hi9E6-fedg87RWu6Xksg2KloyQatLZzOWDbPSYjyu6FDi7xAJIZ4EyvTE5wuJ8X7ykdtreuoQzSvXDGMxCj835LTfoReTwfSFYLEGVC9vCIn9_kRMVkLVbqxK9Q/s640/Rainbow+in+Trongsa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot from the room - notice the rainbow? :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Some pictures from the inside of the fortress, featuring Tenzing, our awesome guide :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Trongsa Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIh8ZRvYKs38wpKnKdc64QHC07_5HvYR36Ps73DZeESrxthXI7INjj4iq5HgrNlsi6aWwH7KA9heRlB63VdqbI6IrIqiITPbDtR_ugdEqcUhSyH8AXQ343qnJ0u-kmbr49-A3Ag/s640/Trongsa+Dzong+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Trongsa Dzong" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Trongsa Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyZQQO-eVpSNlPpEQxJ2dJvCwlx6Nmc3ilUlH6mtj32GLcrrPsUkkjqMlNOYvnz9pAJwiAm-q-cOjaD9w5MC6XQ_93PuF3p6mYccdi54OaTDQ1HQBgKSx6tinb-5jf27Qcndwjg/s640/Trongsa+Dzong+%25283%2529.jpg" title="Trongsa Dzong" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Trongsa Dzong" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugPLHh_MxryCg9meJyVpmn66_ff9z2AsVbbvYbP1JQpvdUG2jBubcqFI62uOLz408Vs1abSlqTy6Mong6hEH5bucNoPiiAeTj5ffe_yQ-zg3qyGkb7nxiiUdHMTCElEej2V9PwA/s640/Trongsa+Dzong+%25284%2529.jpg" title="Trongsa Dzong" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The Royal Heritage Museum housed in a watchtower close to the fortress is amazing - a must-visit if you're a history buff, or just want to quickly understand the history of Bhutan. We took a small walk on the outskirts of the town, and found fiddlehead ferns (delicious ferns used in Bhutanese cuisine) and hundreds of wild strawberries growing all along the trail.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Strawberries in Trongsa" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGdWKTwZ8vSOoJ1xBxXp7aFONJhL72eC8AV13V2tOM0yiL3wGA6fdanUbVeYK3YEkNrXkI9Jwter8HiZjuMAN7ZLDSfX9QdAvQj8xQZHw2rvzwzgXGmTjh2F-Jv_NsOs0c9QMRQ/s640/Strawberries+in+Trongsa+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Strawberries in Trongsa" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Strawberries in Trongsa" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaV7xgEsc0y5oGTNwonOa-rCSUb5hiuMScnsYNBAta63QxdNq1nvE3g9hoNDv_M2GkXgQ89HtCpXfk3tceWliAp-bYCTqxD8Kbecwlg-gWqSh52XNjAXdVokfclhwZnC0v63RlbA/s640/Strawberries+in+Trongsa+%25281%2529.jpg" title="Strawberries in Trongsa" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">While Phobjikha was my favourite destination in Bhutan, Trongsa was a very close second. We managed a short day trip to the Bumthang district, and that was as interior as we went. I wish we could have gone further east - I bet the remote eastern districts are even more spectacular, but I'm glad we left ourselves a reason to go back to Bhutan :)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The mountains of Trongsa" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVU3_nW74-ReUfwydw_HlXCVcNE6lOkAt4hOyFTWQAmXw0JNmPQOxdcar3gpHqhQdJSYJFe6SRkkWyEWwLQqAKdSAlYpsg5KvDqpRG2qPy58oiZnAUqCxm4Yj-HI4WG8BHDfq5g/s640/Trongsa.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The mountains of Trongsa" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountains of Trongsa in the late afternoon sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-31763598889358147072015-07-13T21:20:00.001+05:302015-08-20T19:29:21.216+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Phobjikha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Soooo I was planning to do my Bhutan posts in a west-to-east order, but I was really dying to tell you about Phobjikha, my favouritest of the lot, so I decided to dump that plan!<br />
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After landing in <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Paro.html" target="_blank"><b>Paro</b></a>, we drove to Thimphu, about an hour away. We spent a couple of days there, and then drove to Phobjikha, an insanely gorgeous glacial valley in central Bhutan. The drive was pretty bumpy, and took about 8 hours, but it was an experience in itself - on that one day alone, we saw more beauty than we'd seen ever before!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Dochula Pass" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2RMir7I-ol63sakXW-KHF4QLVxRj2ZYF7Ij2QdxOwgwIOeZ-3pwg0XXYFNAvOkT1Q9-wZ9pnZW8OtTm5sviiE-Xwi4WdAhE0odj_yBCNNiyz2zHubX84cwoEtQkEE2LhAGdvzw/s640/DSCF4517.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" title="Dochula Pass" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stupas at Dochula Pass</td></tr>
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We drove through two gorgeous high mountain passes - the first was the Dochu La Pass at 3100 meters. 108 little stupas stand at the pass, commemorating the successful eviction of Northeast Indian insurgents by Bhutanese forces. The cafe up there is an awesome place to enjoy a cup of tea with a view. We actually ran into a Bhutanese Rajnikanth fan there! It made us realize once again, how well the Bhutanese know India. From Bollywood music playing in cars and cafes to Indian food even in remote towns, India's influence on the tiny kingdom is really visible. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xvDThv5a6T3yTH3ViG307NMcs2oddUsSSPGH3lVOyA89Q9c4spERc01ipeuwKEnwMy-Pt12eWGrQce44LM7svoGVEfPuLsF0Bad6tXxYPwihpRwczMlWMXwqkZNiIizcPOQZGA/s640/DSCF5555.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cafe at Dochula</td></tr>
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Shortly after we crossed Dochula, it started raining, and continued to rain almost all day. The entire route was wet and misty and incredibly beautiful.<br />
<img alt="Phobjikha" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Icng6ElkoNGBXsjSTC1jZ3cBySz879u4J9m2O5YUpdjTwZpk9pU0ZGZchA2NgX38KaNRXTn-f5SGrcwxULuGVk3EemTbhm2eFTD2ZhiZnU1ppijjVtWyiy3uCh4-B843zt5ahw/s640/DSCF4566.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="Phobjikha" width="640" /></div>
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The rain thinned down to a light drizzle by the time we reached Lowala Pass, the entrance to Phobjikha. At an altitude of 3360 meters, with the clouds and the valley far below, and surrounded by yaks and rhododendrons, it was the most picturesque stretch in the entire drive.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Lowala Pass" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcPzspp4ac7ylEvIMLZvJi5Gp0eWm_C31-gDOVGI_EP4YaLU4Lxu9ao05Z1mQcfwU96hmePRH2K9lESw4MRRKow3FxjpPVc0iFCPJUCiOQLzbiWhvOTwe_C-wR-efmJ7Pm6A8WxQ/s640/DSCF4586.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lowala Pass" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lowala Pass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Lowala Pass" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLEIjxkUAlsHL2BbOYhBjou1gBSyT6wcycigh1m46wSb3bf5PXV6RMd9TDV8kCrUOuuI_12d0aXSKXpv5Ex5fuA-N4jeUTouaw3DheR5ceJvFLX5hIWi2C3ub_-NjWNDQQob2wQ/s640/DSCF4596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Lowala Pass" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lowala Pass</td></tr>
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Since we still had a little daylight left, we went straight to Gangtey, a little village overlooking the valley. It is home to a beautiful monastery called the Gangtey Gompa. We were lucky to be there during a festival - the huge crowd gathered there was singing together and a masked dance was going on. The spiritual head of the monastery was going around blessing everyone. The village is really charming too, with traditional Bhutanese wood houses and gorgeous views all around.</div>
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<img alt="Gangtey" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij2AeGDAbiPMS_wy6OzHqPsQUJDuWVAUIMVZTxxyWW0yzqMLMdjBZ9U4LP4xknBu0YFXsjHl2eKT_FRl0of1ouS5deelcGJ-c6QgXWvwNENU-XLs4x74_lulhQwIBQbr5Jo5Pnw/s640/DSCF4695.jpg" title="Gangtey" width="640" /><img alt="Gangtey" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9oY9FQxh2K5qahs3RuRcHFC5JD1MNexTPw1Kfir4lxgnyja-Yr9Y9Hj4aSFX4RijuBlxkZWikyRFOKAqUh-uao4Jhx_BmxzIXltrVskMpLf7l57W7XOcioeQxXX7xjeLoFXlqA/s640/DSCF4707.jpg" title="Gangtey" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Phobjikha seen from Gangtey" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvy3KuYhZZuccylg-XCA7yTKFekNEaNXTHgzu4-LNJ6I7x0MLmspD2fueiW6P8dUYP5jQUSD1NWWcz09t3CZkm7PkNMUQmWpkfHFjYV_9QR4DT8of2uQq2fMeyu73Q7ghzRigRg/s640/DSCF4682.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="Phobjikha seen from Gangtey" width="640" /><br />
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Quite exhausted after a long but most EPIC day, we headed to the Gaikiling Guesthouse where we'd be spending the night. And there was more awesomeness waiting for us there!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gaikiling Guesthouse" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-kWxHDUOW730G-uBc-Uw4SO1TgIDNwDWife1giwfHTAN0ykFNefz3dBUBOdEc6e6hN8sWwqafwhz6nm1oUHfJ1NQzukIA80Ehxi-cDGggGQtgl1W98mbcCMH17djLEk_E4_SUQ/s640/DSCF4750.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Gaikiling Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gaikiling Guesthouse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gaikiling Guesthouse" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2D74hhYfwdD0Syl1CWfLfyM5zxu9DHNVHa7NYTzswcSAKolTxQL2wcv5yichBZfkulIaxMYR2NFG8O-UA7YrFZ-SLFlYRcmuf14idXtanF7vWvePP0D-IyaGO4awoTDpCmUAJww/s640/DSCF4727.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Gaikiling Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our wonderfully cozy room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gaikiling Guesthouse" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG23KhDntbxZ3kq30yilmIDS9WnsCI-yGpkk_Xq91G794YkTrbEwTBWAzldkfNWVTRY9h-0WTDnYgk9unxuEabPVcQnD7jbUQLwvgHAyZIL-M0qcpncT07bb7VB0fIXux74V9pA/s640/DSCF4737.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Gaikiling Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gaikiling Guesthouse" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZrn-O0zyBRQ1ehlMZ7n3ohiJ0M-dcYTT_UYgPubFNh3KULGpNH5XlQxqtRQmFCQ4IhHY54MZOdOY5sWyP2C75GDDqJyW8tQPU9X5SSI2e5o8-16oPfA2EApN7g5lrR0nk-vPQKg/s640/DSCF4757.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Gaikiling Guesthouse" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where we had breakfast the next morning</td></tr>
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There isn't much to 'see' in Phobjikha. During winter, black necked cranes come visiting from Tibet, but that's about it. It's a great place to soak up the jaw-dropping natural beauty all around, disconnect from the world (Phobjikha is so remote, it didn't even have electricity until recently), and go on long, stunning hikes. </div>
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<img alt="Phobjikha" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftGRjtOAYKsGSgFW_hZkoJvZGQzASkhSyPeU2q9YsrJC_KYCIDFGBrHFcA-Nz2VD4-WespX7gAo26-mUR7BXTdx_5v-bLP1ciZSDjQEw0A1LtuaTP09aSgYVPQv9tAPgbqeZqFA/s640/DSCF4789.jpg" title="Phobjikha" width="640" /><img alt="Phobjikha" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguMeAoSS4KsQtwSz3n6TwhBKAiMKrvrECs76xA_Baukaeai7w_yw4EPoZh-PxZviy_mZtulzIeyz3e1xcR-lhFba_sF244mvwuuyc4GeJr70fyh2rIVzGBr0zsO1WOP_jiruXew/s640/DSCF4793.jpg" title="Phobjikha" width="640" /></div>
<img alt="Phobjikha" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirh6-MDgcyHliibh7Phx9spAOecmU0e41buYJUygip1EFm17s52zInkfIKHBXNu-fCqhWo_k8Y0zw-XQDEoAc1zQ4_q0VIo3WnxkkeYfiKOkkKn5_wGtLo-BPNUJa1ZUocPh5JdQ/s640/DSCF4824.jpg" title="Phobjikha" width="640" /><img alt="Phobjikha" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYFY8kIbhloc90X4QWJfbwM-u58SVPOY1m5RBOL1j15cYvVsLhO4z2HChmTOL6EuZ-mKhGzWA0tJiLiyAQdWzWTlZsxELLet8GacLZ3Yum4hZ_t20GRDqwX51uyhmtxUF3qYUUg/s640/DSCF4846.jpg" title="Phobjikha" width="640" /><br />
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We only had time for a short hike called the Gangtey Nature Trail, but I know for sure that if I ever return to Bhutan, I'll skip everything else and go straight to Phobjikha. After Phobjikha, we drove deeper into central Bhutan, to our next destination, <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/07/Bhutan-Trongsa.html" target="_blank">Trongsa</a>. But that's another story for another post :)</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-25111394688111641122015-07-03T10:06:00.000+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.305+05:30Bhutan Diaries : Paro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wow, I've been away from my blog for more than 3 months! But now that I'm back, get ready to be bombarded with posts about a country that I've fallen hopelessly in love with! Last month, we spent ten days travelling through Bhutan. I'm not even going to attempt to describe in words the kind of beauty that is SO commonplace in Bhutan. It is so overwhelmingly gorgeous that after a point, stuff like "wow" and "ohmygod" makes no sense, and all you can do is sigh and smile:) We'd have readily stayed on there for the rest of our lives, but we had to drag ourselves back, leaving pieces of our hearts behind.</div>
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Since we flew to Bhutan, our trip began and ended in Paro. Paro has the country's only international airport, one of the most dangerous ones in the world. It's also really small and quirky - people get off the plane, and generally mill about for a while taking pictures, and nobody really bothers you unless another plane has to take off or land! </div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFfcOi2LQzWIaRtcxZxnpAKc26d7Lu9vQ0nczs7MAgjoR-iMBBiMUK_L7DvfjfKLxq5T_z2remIrGIr8XOzNPZyyNe4STzTkI77iPOfEfZb1Ext-hnymRgT-xTxAlIzLCu78oPw/s640/Paro+%252812%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1ydMrD8dLTH7seLE8NgZhQReNopTPtf0KhnM6ZMGQiT8LWvx8BrttwRbVDIcbY2ljEr5t7pA_s_js-JmBx7oEV1I0xcPRQOydDOeZOAWDXQ6MVh_h2lY_8fw_en0MjlmbRjzKg/s640/Paro+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The white and red building that you see beyond the runway in the above photo is the Paro Dzong - I'll show you more pictures of it in just a moment. The fertile Paro valley is full of lush green paddy fields - it literally looks like a green bowl formed by the mountains around it.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5glYe5DtS8vFwnoYTnM5gRlrpoMQRb_2RKOsr6P5Qo6URasynb8F1vf8-Af4zFnyUFpp26-k2R6kBVZAElnQqHK_DF6BkA_Hz_pSyRQaj0Pvpj4Tv-uXtbW3n5czb7CmV_TGz1A/s640/DSCF5739.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2lCfTfic5t0XsWG7wGxiDhmET3toL0zbuv8AqWzteBe5d6M50DlXJLBGTm0q3HpohHrYnaJO7TQDx7jFxC2oIQxEUvNM4VbF8dO7XTltECJPaqg2Ckb_26sMIJcRl_sjLwmkFg/s640/Paro+%252849%2529.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Like the rest of Bhutan, Paro has as much man-made beauty as natural. The next few pictures are from the Paro Dzong. Dzongs are like fortresses, but they also house a monastic section and the local district administration. Ngawang Namgyel, known as the Shabdrung or the unifier of Bhutan, brought the whole country under one rule for the first time, back in the 17th century. He is worshipped as a deity all over the country. Most of the dzongs that you see in Bhutan today, were built by him. </div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUV_7FYGxyMTnk1i1uX3Yxjt6JfuzAXfyyh0aLTS33baYnj4aYdLpPB3KFEPLp9-uOBecYPiOEu80uc_qXRs6DXnQ-0RahIlRDjJyTFYgTRzDWj81-h4yhzmmt2APzwGCsTzdTA/s640/DSCF3897.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSWuJJjB2s2AZfgduCNdGuZ9Hj_VvIOg1k9P9_qfVacn5myr5L2cdbMRUboyhsgfhERm87y33A33JNUWq-ejR1BFVDW6uVuN7Dzrv2h95yB2emKYSWiqgFZfNB-4zNGQLKKUhGQQ/s640/DSCF3907.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO-KwxtzQZrSowZ9zE32jL30Jgm47I1odnBvHewQwVfxIihUT3xKxgOx0YCgoBnYfK93M_m_Y7NUUyD7snrESrKCg8-JO30YA0CwmAIxsDdXDDVWFJCQsH9No7UPx9B4KbAMPsQ/s640/DSCF3937.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1Oqg5gpbsR9yqGPl4De4vLObsGdbEV6CKyoMfxdVJITv60FUHbAjbvWpLpFS1yiMRSvajfsEvXQssOlclIfN1ob8ib2eZM8_6teND1-zASCKty7KAyzdFd_3vgM-pbBKxFqDlQ/s640/DSCF4034.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The most famous and most sacred site in Paro, and probably in all of Bhutan, is the Tiger's Nest monastery, that sits high up on a cliff at an altitude of more than 3000 meters! Guru Rinpoche, an Indian Buddhist saint, is credited with spreading Buddhism across Bhutan. It is said that he flew to the top of the cliff on the back of a tigress, and meditated there for a long, long time. Sadly, I had no tigress to carry me, so I had to rely on my Skechers :( It's a pretty exhausting trek to the top - especially if you are as lazy as I am! See the white specks on the top right in the photo below? That's the monastery. And I took this photo about midway during the trek up! I'll probably do a separate post about the trek.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd6BZxB3C56iFGXirs3PkxKOijVIAsswfb23HD6toOIEtuab9YTomzLrQgVkyk5Fp7QQ7q437OJSbEEt1S3otw0NqNfLUbVcC7D85uR_fyHiB9kpp-HPyOk06ZDZQQfj3JKs8cQ/s640/DSCF5783.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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While in Paro, we stayed in Hotel Olathang. It was quite a nice place - decent food and a slightly dark but very cozy and comfortable room. We got a good night's sleep before and after the trek up to Tiger's Nest.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uhvPUuTD8cPet4UPasyfjGrtIWpjMbcp15mhVSGbeQ1sz45wSQU-a4rjV4RbfpM6Mf530bo5AwAjzlfSRsfPTbBwQJ-sx2tIevZFqDa7lx0Mafu0BNW1j1o6ePL1s4Ra15Xm3Q/s640/DSCF5749.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Our stay in Bhutan wouldn't have been the same without <a href="https://instagram.com/p/2zfvBGBxX-/?taken-by=madhugopalan" target="_blank">Tenzing and Dorji</a>, two of the loveliest people we have ever met. And I mean this with all my heart. Tenzing and Dorji, if you are reading this, you represent everything that is wonderful about your country. You inspire us to be gentle and kind. Thank you :)</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-69822126409758909302015-03-25T10:02:00.000+05:302015-12-17T21:14:39.181+05:30Chennakeshava Temple, Somanathpur<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zX3E0FQZmX7oX3HizlSai80Wh-gyBaXYztj3VX1uULC6LYlo_OmVxRXRTYmAls-LHTf04v-R8IGrhVonNhYh-1hnZn3_30xKUkZ5hufgKDJU9HUbNzl1F4k9Udoc5i-bZr5Udw/s1600/DSCF2533.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Remember I was in </span><a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/search?q=wayanad" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Wayanad</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> in December? On the way back to Mysore, we took a teeny detour to Somanathpur to visit the Chennakeshava Temple. It's a spectacular Hoysala temple just about 40 km from Mysore.</span>
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The Hoysala dynasty was a powerful medieval South Indian empire that ruled between the 10th and 14th centuries. Their kingdom included present day Karnataka and even parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The first few Hoysala rulers were followers of Jainism but King Vishnuvardhana, the fifth ruler, and his successors, embraced Hinduism.
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The Chennakeshava Temple dates back to the 13th century, when Narasimha III was the Hoysala king. It was built by Somanath, a commander in his army. That's why the village is called Somanathpur. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu - Chennakeshava means Beautiful Vishnu.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacgiosr4KV0UiQJCzkPlkT-J9w96a27fsUoXsHGP0bxRt2ruoyI6zXnZIC4HQD-RdlXDX9OvgKp51D-0xve_rxs6CIcGc6KW4e5GlZI4oihHjmBQN7RIoGN6XABBUokIouft5FA/s1600/DSCF2512.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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Hoysala temple architecture is quite distinct from the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The raised platform, the star shaped ground plan, the zig zag walls completely covered with carvings, the space around them to walk on - these are all features typical of Hoysala temples. You can see these in the above picture. The pretty lady is my mom :) The main material used to build these temples is a kind of soapstone. Apparently it was chosen because it is sturdy and yet easy to carve.
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The intricate details on practically every square inch of this temple are beyond amazing! I mean, look at this: </div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgys280MDbWxq8MpD50TEcBzwlK5H6iY03oKlG_gf938fw2lPh5Stln7g3W6diItD2sWnDYun7SfXNd1dkQ6hyphenhyphen6Qfodhd_NAxNpbwtL0FUfnCMLYqkWfFbkJh6SQ-muezrmiFQbng/s1600/DSCF2529.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">Each 'band' in the above picture is about the width of my palm!</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqognvQc-UkP1sQmQV0wBhuPgqhqAdB2GRrCC61QpfsOhiGqs2iWzY4auWV1X64bAx_VJdIOqWisxU_C4lIOIoSiKPywox6PEm-Ms0N_ASIWJ_7fjE7pAKCWlAeB0mtHRAbJsSw/s1600/DSCF2514.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY6WAjYUXsLRlWVHWgpawO3GtQ4nRVPNIgBwqpjyhRKzTVzMhAoxlABPpL4XHes1o4T1FDwZUeT8DkpXDCduyndOHtt6zrdr9idCgxTv7zEArV6QkywN_MU_qht_keg4fF_KU2A/s1600/DSCF2519.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" />
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Exquisite sculptures all over the exterior of the temple depict Lord Vishnu in various forms </div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZoCzakErlQlBnwRrKbH6gMRe3-RKqfA7roICjaVmH3dyQHS8wIzpJ0vk2t3tf9OeRfVYCmJaLlidsKDzGHDBjHULL0jbF04U-e5UcwAnhcHGz26L0LP2RelKQJAwivE_lcAVsg/s1600/DSCF2520.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOh4v1NQ29wc7yEpMQOFLAWnkTxA_f-4c4dcaluyiGlr8D9qeD3jZDYRhZwjDkxDmwRADdyCcNXiC17q9jNAbq2rO6clpGCTxrJvBmz3svb73zMb5etbGn-SUv-mSHXwL1Y4OPw/s1600/DSCF2559.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1G3d0-xkGR-3WlvugX5eIOQjpUL8ZYysyp7yUYx1fNEf5ldtdUidHuJMiBcb-G0ThcxTdyBiN3DcDhStgam5TAUDghR2HJF-CrnK4J0yePj41zX7BktWJ8MRItVPO9SLH_IKDA/s1600/DSCF2553.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcATGgI0zsKCFmDa_GzdKGcrD1X1yPvvWvmTAFWNaSihNtls5_b5xgwOAJkElTOzSil4H23dMP7zy5rist6vnJD65bth6q1TxZrBdJOVdQFxZM6LIfwUsV_tGGmD4eQWrIdiyeQ/s1600/DSCF2541.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">A cool thing about this temple is the red letter box hanging on the tree right outside. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">(Some color finally, right? :D)</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEime77id6p20BobWpKLL9QDC4K8QZSbXL4IHhtkxF0O3MoypUXgAnpWXdKg_yGV5LrotLBQFVUId16dPRASIYAtN9NGWg8WzWOUh98C5SyIX1aUpkn-XlcbCSBQ57fIJBaqCSPmHQ/s1600/DSCF2594.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Letters posted in this box get a pictorial cancellation, which is like a stamping in the shape of the temple to promote tourism etc. Like this:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1N9oAVNPavdLUXBvzhXYcffJQM1_qe80Y5ej2NxzbQ1FnRrP0T176JE7Qp8PBj7dz1sMsGTHuNm98VX8Wzlijkw8bg0M9-WGt-vHohM-mPkMr4HtUk3igJ4ZiXSg2dl62302_g/s1600/Pictorial+Cancellation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry about the crop - I had to get rid of my address!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.indianphilately.net/ppc.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">This link h</a><span style="text-align: left;">as a list of other sites in India you can get pictorial cancellations at. The left sidebar has them grouped by state.</span></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-12387876237579367872015-03-10T11:08:00.001+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.273+05:30Some more postcards from Singapore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I thought the previous post would be my last one about Singapore, but as I was going through my photos, I was tempted to do just one more! This is a random bunch of pictures from different parts of the city.
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<span style="font-size: large;">The beautiful riverside:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="A bumboat on the Singapore River" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDk8aTMRJHbfo-424nyEytwK-Wwmvnf1Wh4AZx1bJA7ZJESL1ut-kPsLIh-HV-nvLcRJ0NpWjb2ltuIGLDFKsOiX51hyphenhyphenTU3twNirSQ1Jgg86_pH4ZT5fNItJXlkA4vxJqAB3Iyyg/s1600/DSCF2741.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="A bumboat on the Singapore River" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 'bumboat'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Fullerton Hotel" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjCXSQRAea3hbFojHbrO_iOKclRVgJTgLzEpXi-iBmkxTzCNGxlmpSile7Cs-B4E8UrSD73c6LCHrbLokSrftBY9CurHcOMTGO_mFBAbA87T9k1jVVP5DXA9Xb80fvbB2fck2mg/s1600/DSCF2742.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Fullerton Hotel" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stunning Fullerton Hotel at night</td></tr>
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<tr><td><img alt="Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUcKLswRsXMJCulXhGl6ATHzrCLwk8B9c_etWtP8BCtwvcITWG_FgKWzKJlWd5lqgSx_4S6g9pfNtk8Ol40a2DHpNg6LPypGyJg-go08wh10NnOEQD1UBt9CVGnaKi0G-LuD55kg/s1600/DSCF3186.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Little India, Singapore's Indian neighborhood:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Little India" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0J9Wi0vzw45ugcB6BvRz8stslFge5yskTWaxeanuKNPQWG6lDfHh6c0lZs1A5dL40jCo8t7Z35kmeHHi-jfm4zkYnnjWmpIIbXXLKbfG8mj4IP4hR8AAQyl-XR_54ZiYcFvFaA/s1600/DSCF2782.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Little India" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A multicolored Chinese villa in Little India</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Little India" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjSLVBlTrAQ8iVb-cvyi8wfISE1qu1MNFYZnvkvdTKF_hY9MtxAa2lhkufCkkH-beh9cx-zh3LDsV33f-Q7c0E935whyphenhyphenonNhDJbkzQRR_0TeUP33T7vu4HrRCiU_AneAw3yPmyA/s1600/DSCF2783.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Little India" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of its occupants is a restaurant called Andhra Curry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Little India" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvHwuuVy8KE5v6wR3Ga6suNNg7K0TuoUnA4bHKELB5_PikWnvrBin3vl8DSafUgtjDJUo9tuHtF73cVL_hG7S7zdtNpIGinqYRXuyjI9AclTbe5KIuRnaAchTqP2egKTxLiwXsw/s1600/DSCF3277.jpg" height="448" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Little India" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abdul Gafoor Mosque</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Gorgeous Chinatown:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-a0qZnVefS4603JI747hY4W21aYp9sukJWTrZ8Ihcdsl-SaCMFJb_E4RBK1c55nCq1Rk-j4HHUS3LCxLKKmqs4yCvPz14x15P0l0apZdOcppAyfcDoEH4hN0sieUHLjSNzgrOiw/s1600/DSCF3298.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsipgK2t84BGtTHS_1kKtjn5p_AEO9EC7V0UuGRsJy8l7re51HWVaUmftb21OvxaYuVAtIT4tsD7bPOqBZf2ZPipfhCT7f_nWHdU0bPyu44subCdgYHKME7u54IfDuA_lIPks_1w/s1600/DSCF3300.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this was in the Avalokitesvara Hall</td></tr>
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<tr><td><img alt="Thian Hock Keng Temple" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtO6yvqrWTpNPXgs716ucpTcAFsqNESxgcynp9N_Rpwn2nLI4ksydhtQhCFet4V626VHN-XWu-SXCl2fGYOO0cCRYLcMVQuldbWySG_ct_8klF1V57WXN_qqTIdrfvu6zB_PvTw/s1600/DSCF3390.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Thian Hock Keng Temple" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The Thian Hock Keng Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Thian Hock Keng Temple" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyXhPLu88x1jx9R17vR91yrG_U5A7J3RsZIUgjurapWCKBgLvPINoJ79QUxRrlXaSyXPQ4TKaJk9vb-PXvylj09FxfOlDkUi41mRJIhfVRODiK-lZVzSw7jd_lvN7n_VTnAQFdg/s1600/DSCF3402.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Thian Hock Keng Temple" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The temple is dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of the Sea.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Chinatown's quaint shophouses and cool cafes</span></div>
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<img alt="Shophouses of Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecq3EBlIcInCQGIeiJiJN3_YKzGsTnrDZjeWCwOPg62xAg3x7w6hr1v3vXChQgZl0S_HWCq5MPjaWBDR0kXN0B5hdN3IzvtDy4AGb-FxJivliHtGd3G7-AdsVJXa3ZaCVslHPhw/s1600/DSCF3355.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Shophouses of Chinatown" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinz79yaK6U71U5bC3zw-NX1psYbB77-z3h95BQS1nkcYmkwqM9Ve4qcqL6-ttnXLYje08s_GvgXyloKVbJRgGa2UX-yjRt8MyNw5Xd08gJMINAyB70nQZwR91ICvPyVzPCJ2RJWg/s1600/DSCF3356.jpg" height="426" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Shophouses of Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUytiZcrsL_zZnprjM7DTGa06IEjopS2fCtYnBUQkwvLRMVdEP8di-pFI0UxIsnQMpEX6n5RqYh6RBTALyjz4x0Lpgk3k4zHZGVTyb-OHIC5HBww1iEBlyhwV-0T289lIuOIS4Cg/s1600/DSCF3359.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" title="Shophouses of Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Shophouses of Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTohK_tldHL2cMW52agDvh_hp0tKbhR1mIjq9WdixaLEhSOBgQhc_2VMTIJs0u73_euy9w8Z5GxlCze-S0UIsD9HIutrdp8AYMGDAJHsx3od_G9ej0-Yo_sg37uuFLY1zbSukIw/s1600/DSCF3364.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Shophouses of Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Shophouses of Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdTqmbwfhhBEYT1md9hyphenhyphenRt_PtvvPfz8D7bYt_FWXEVW7EGJVL2ww4srAanzH_BI5PbhYLvhDQfIsUpUUKcW2x7G585Xl5h6Z63CB-V1221OgQrniGULD0gTa-F_v1MPM2N_WY8g/s1600/DSCF3317.jpg" height="426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Shophouses of Chinatown" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5jAl1Vk4aEKC2kUq_QFnPhaeiZRrUAfB4JEfYoGF7LVRyLyddM6X20GzjUMggwkhff1YZl77PsTN9F99ywgC2_l5wld014Sg9wyDxIDS4eZRhXMNcnjFux_ltRxTLy2GB0GyHw/s1600/AnnSiangHill.jpg" height="480" title="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hQ-_3SaMpS5kLQoOtwsxJwcV2NJQVEiJXrVrytAOIB5-ZcScESFQCZWih5ZJKbYWzfuIvy6SlcqI2DP8SkiDhTKbUwWgOazOzafK1ysV31nzBRcAXGX_Q2_UoGwqfCUIAqwY-w/s1600/DSCF3318.jpg" height="426" title="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAD97nDoKgarJqmJvPxeFa8mDXTeIFmT2MEb2tkaAoS-3JyhLXCdizXpp3hpT-kJcZxklBz7o5X6ONG0C-rhRn5C5quZVtAN9yi9dMzTQ2Xxy8l45Txjjx7N_-odVMAVtHp3UbA/s1600/DSCF3319.jpg" height="426" style="text-align: left;" title="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AXgm_Cw4xwQB6mBN-pPPKf2z-13glrm6Ow2twbIn4703JBSP1k_F2xWNtMs0stQ4fRaKglbiyHS_rAFJ-Sbmkc9eSpZ6z0Z_RCXJHWvNqpTOROYL39RCipiX1gDIDOrck13Y9g/s1600/DSCF3329.jpg" height="426" title="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" width="640" /><img alt="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1wikPR-iWNmwETRzao3oVsc2E0PmtWruPCg5cLhL8KFqQ-TBikiYWwpWFPt-1KeXQTH4NR45B7tMtFfavfmK8p1rAFIpam5O-bL-vmmAtXpLB6JezAfbIUTBcHZhuEl_N_4hkg/s1600/DSCF3333.jpg" height="426" title="Ann Siang Hill, Chinatown" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-51426961042605972462015-02-24T16:19:00.000+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.364+05:30The colours of Kampong Glam, Singapore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While in Singapore, I stayed in the oh-so-beautiful Kampong Glam neighborhood. It was traditionally the area where the island's Malay and Arab Muslims lived, and even the Sultan of Johore had his residence there. The place just overflows with color and creativity. It has a very hipster, modern vibe and yet you know you're in a place with a history. It was easily my favourite part of the city, and I thoroughly enjoyed walking around taking pictures! Take a look!
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDjI0eJJd7w9U6yalJLjZkHm0fjNYt3gW132Omq0Pdh-Q_k44NPUMdEavznWoWOLdKyFiLv4dQqSLuQZAscC8MLDlWwL1y0dbNBYsamNi3rtVFNLne8O9itMWJX6iDtBJNiRm1Q/s1600/Kampong+Glam.jpg" height="480" style="text-align: left;" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></span></div>
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5tb8PFJNtdNamVmhPcF85U6B4f3iDwl9oFkPaQophWx1x1SD7naBHCSkbMYmgBwFS5Bxa1ndwT-y4pqTEztCqJTux8HnsPHOWqZzoH-t2vO1C5_oLurQwpGnNAlrFKbsL-5B_Q/s1600/DSCF2870.jpg" height="425" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-CVPn_hwNoi6tzOcl1xIFDp6cWBjMSVW5t5OMy6VerhFvn8hNlko2DdO9pGEJ1sLjWNIzuJs0sNBPwrmhXqmQVIVKkPz36PdFy0RFrwdBWWmez3hnAp05coCZcG1uhcB-ajSkw/s1600/DSCF2689.jpg" height="425" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8vejP9P6KgDCdwiR-u1cYTGGSS_gWen5-n9J4lGOGV3PGHzFwhvJ2knAIJMd1H1NHU3OF8aLLOfAzbbjXScHKDOYJy1GFvdIWzzekr7VtSJWf_apBVHeZlf0SB_A27WzMlge3Q/s1600/Kampong+Glam+2.jpg" height="480" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></div>
<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibxNQ7yojHyhd427PTwRXBtzdNdfVEa_m_ChNE_uZ5Y4bH3xGUlDwgQpMU4NnqvGdLj0iy_F8gFvDt10S2xevE98V9BzFyEgW6oZYG4ssJoWC5SbeSdifpeTlbDDjBddQ3IUPtQ/s1600/DSCF2687.jpg" height="425" style="text-align: center;" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuzX-I8W0407VefhUJWtu_gG7sj4ee4J7EscLHNKwfiO0Bi7_yoIv9FMzDxjZna3a42J6J-4_9x72TOfVMsgWK2I4TkSIsKjvXLKki8Ign86x35yabCblDMaonsGSiXy5P70XJw/s1600/Kampong+Glam+1.jpg" height="480" style="text-align: center;" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS8VaqcKbS4hlZ-bgbl1Dx8YbJlSbdDLWIlkLswQVVqwqjigGwDnE7AWPWOU7SINiG-TWR3ZdBaXUUVoQKffSN8JcCZU0XbYo7NFoYpQJTz5rjLKR1oV4urKUOPmu82wbXZPRrw/s1600/DSCF2882.jpg" height="425" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaetTzFHclUcvhWauYIo5viAP5iq7NwZlulGRLzC9_kJzsGZp0fBr6NY-Mlb0mUqtxRmtb1uRh2TvaZx74tgoozABwrWnmI50DrJNAOK_WdImRDRgGnRmZEpBAx6dnqQN1k-ytw/s1600/DSCF2901.jpg" height="425" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDAx58_lFwJlviwk6d9Ccb0tDLp8P_Exoa653iIZXXAaa3dpnDmR0tfXhm0PAHcXm9N94W4AiU7FcWge_sYLox742KDumh_6bJloZpiW6eTI1eg-lmIuHGmmMPqrbMwMT8if5WQ/s1600/DSCF2913.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRvWCK_2XKuQNqbvDSS2A9xewVeXu2IaxH-YiYx9t8lT8e6REfoQD1gW827TbNCKElObLkfeggWdaBG-ija7VSb73r9eZxQpB7YhwdCUk2KqWP_YVVuNt79zKnSr3DcHLXsZhRw/s1600/DSCF2918.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingqGJ7Is40-8hTbKN-g8DW-aPF2si-YF8yNStl3L3HwqkXapjbnAaPGA9819oD5GF_V3D_EhJTY21oDxve7pGDfxGHyDy_H9aypPMZZ8URLC7KNko4pK6LLANboh-XJSVtwpL6g/s1600/DSCF2924.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNHdKQ9KJWeS6wBFILPaJ7iAnlQaiyqR2LZWfzVX2MV039nSsTmBhL7iBPyXnbRgsDzarOoLf0eZGc1pgZCfxXe5IxdzGd4ApeUctDHZ2DTx8mJcSwuUKtjJuvR-9_Ubepb_M0g/s1600/DSCF2934.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
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<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQwaIly4947cnSV9mCRUuwZLzs7ey7ZGahIuaEK8sX3cfPhbebTtEvU_TGYBcy6-HCREcvA4UB_Ykcsqx1xne9JrZiDpCLInuJwwYbfXFjU1AJjqJftY5GpicKUp0-jjMvKrDnw/s1600/Kampong+Glam+4.jpg" height="480" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /></div>
<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBfIKReEyIS37MOKE-X11c2aSdRlRq3Q2-jC97TDIuSjs6d_mogFE14UJlSQlpo6MakqyOh_gJ7ICLws5mFMi2mFIKqypTGdxUedbBN5TcEK-JuinqMg5LBJ13fKqdmFRzbOyRQ/s1600/Kampong+Glam+3.jpg" height="480" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMriazhVzHXcElPtRX10uMa8pZtyBGXIppMR6zcOjMgC9_zCysmBj3uB-oDNF3waMtGli259h_N2FKhc8lhLT-K_Fd8G3R_cohAIIyyemNsxGw4SBScMXWfhnqHFWgksD8zb9zfg/s1600/DSCF2944.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwK-wcDUTfomreE35atcwvMwIzclGWtMKcmQNhX7yD2IjPgJOXBsBS8YXPajnJ910xLLicAt07gb7tVrYMkBDDv_HFwKGAiiNIIn1RiWR0xFMHOzHa5cKVTlFmOTClEaqh1U-B7Q/s1600/DSCF2945.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9AvyLQbPohntrdDIEfadEzp8f5VeU6_eVINUaqYYloI6fr-uIICG5RjDBuUOuqPgBIozMXiMV2yCQ2fluPRpzPkNoL3lRgT32biAsnVUC6NifCHfoDnx9LPej-fiYv6ihoEnsQ/s1600/DSCF2907.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T8lXUT9pp0GtgBsOdU-lsfwrnsrs1JWewc8vqqszYLlRvx0G3OzXGDfnEeT5rb9rE6qbbFOfrPNIkMb0WOBIVJuM3NNCg0ATQeoVd7AXi6Q4kA3MhLKY1xeZs4z4bYjcMv0uMg/s1600/DSCF2946.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpSu7Nr0mjrryHHVDWL3S8jw4q863KBO92lNxmJDTXExfWoLx-vh3n03Gx1Cwy4kXnjuhuCA5bxP7oy1oDi_MNSvTz6loqN6zDG3c_J89JxP5cYvnEUhScraNKwGtAp-kQiMgMw/s1600/DSCF2935.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></div>
<img alt="Kampong Glam" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieA8SEPmW32-JUWxeAoKs2hSOT0oPowrTyQGByLhStVZbuW-qfuuQqyfQ9CAP4OSRosTDFpt7V4D922qJj8vOIqXRGqO3fvU3wI7pyhLb0My0hWEuKSBwB5zBUAmoFIwI63Mf6WA/s1600/DSCF2668.jpg" height="426" title="Kampong Glam" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J1OoggM29Ql5LPBnCCYyKsntBCDA2kaSi6Um71ZSSSYac6Jrd0oTy-pT7_blApaw0CnlNaj2jA6FdUFIeZpi2bq6cWypZlTAHxlRxo5UtIqIxH_VVbrAcBiRY0hr-_sjMNqPqQ/s1600/DSCF2949.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-1261531158234976352015-02-16T10:30:00.000+05:302015-12-20T21:16:30.795+05:30Singapore on Instagram<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My 2015 began with a week in Singapore. I'm still sorting out the photos I took there, but the pictures I shared on my Instagram kind of sum up my trip. So I thought I'd start by sharing some of them here - all taken from my phone.</div>
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This is Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. And behind him, the city he created.</div>
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<img alt="Sir Stamford Raffles" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhhP1ehjYcy0IWdrWt5sJjVE1LUzMA2JiaRMVE2Hiu49UsNaoCibUO6KPrIUywPCNRCfJ1psObIDOXCwIGKZi8WCIXnQPIx_p86A6nvanOwkIQQAQR8ixYJfW15PdwPKwGeAtg/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(1).jpeg" title="Sir Stamford Raffles" /></div>
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This is the Singapore river, with the Cavenagh bridge running across it. That beauty in the background is the historic Fullerton Hotel. It used to be Singapore's General Post Office!</div>
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<img alt="Singapore River" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpRmOI6YkmejvpRdpEgV3gH5Rt-fXXGMiQK61Wk_zXWsMPM9DHLWEthXA3_9myRdc4qQirmELY1eWinFqMGs4PzjG6z3l-a2fBvPMnRiiRRsxUmrwdn0_6GPF6gEqLD_hJju8Eg/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(3).jpeg" title="Singapore River" /></div>
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A bunch of colorful tropical fruit juices in a market. I was outdoors all the time and walking a lot, so I was always ready for something sweet and hydrating. </div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHkbKq_WJkDavNasr7yo175xk9YLIoF17tTHRN7umpF_9dV0ACnz81MGCfY0ITeYHOL9RyyWSMCAQEbn1RksKAkOXc7xYCEq2quNlGawLuZsTJgXrFAPiGM3-2h3PRkBZ2HEyeA/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(7).jpeg" width="640" /></div>
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Check out this Honey Dew Sago. It has slices of honeydew melon with sweet cold coconut milk and colorful sabu dana on top. You can get the same thing with other tropical fruits too. It's pretty filling, so I had it for lunch one day. I *think* this is vegan and it's very very yummy.</div>
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<img alt="Honeydew Sago" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4PR53LwjFXb3xFqj5ajxzVYHO9jAIop-PBTjREiA_bOc0r2X3UZLquf7XVOqcW__k0P-nhi6C7vWAPJ4xjHc3bqak_HPpkNXg2GMAF5HlfyIpoePStCzBYphiFc9BlKwKST4Qw/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(6).jpeg" title="Honeydew Sago" width="640" /></div>
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This frothy milky tea is called teh tarik in Singapore</div>
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<img alt="Teh Tarik" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oZFBHU_5fcn8d9ho4kSUS50GWaUazUlEatpsxLzCuY1wIhEeQtWXeOzQ3GPES021BLGnDoxPfSvZJDUqYEu5P05q3NhfQ-yAZJh5BopB-2G2WAY79w5Xu0FKuSsE8gpLmU06JA/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(12).jpeg" title="Teh Tarik" width="640" /></div>
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Roti Prata - a Singaporean Indian dish. Sort of like the Kerala parathas we get here in India. SO DELICIOUS! </div>
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<img alt="Roti Prata" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFhjlWvQRBG_Ph0MJ8t9zYsnGlpwN5Bwnw8ru7fITkwAUo1URbyJCk5nrrIG9FFwU_6AYrqtR4fv-yvM9qhOZam7RbJd1AKLxpxb5fuPfs3TM3fH-ywM3ZwWO38mAcqYYteIFjg/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(15).jpeg" title="Roti Prata" width="640" /></div>
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Ice Blended Milk Tea. After the first sip, I thought EWW. After the second sip I was like HMMMM. And after the third, YUM! This was at a cute little place in Chinatown called Nanyang Old Coffee. </div>
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<img alt="Nanyang Old Coffee" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB13LFb3JVgsQyAQgSBY5r-4U9DrhPyhXeb5YYYvl5Ct_OpAHegovUAFnbFOfBhiSGuzVe5cX7EwTnPxZerCbQ1bPqWhEFRn_RlHE9OyyABS5TZfBE4tQAxP71xerVPagO4IW5cA/s1600/IMG_1504.JPG" title="Nanyang Old Coffee" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Beautiful restored houses on Emerald Hill Road. If you've been to Singapore, you've probably shopped at Orchard Road. This lane is just off Orchard Road - and it's another world altogether.</span></div>
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<img alt="Emerald Hill Road" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwn1AyWZhNFlqsMLWq4bNKcLSdM0lsTK-m1ifqFxAcZXSHDC496l5_UbY7lZqQ3LrP5uI3hc4tbtVa5ZbptV756Kw73M5GdiNsgb3LxRbCK2RGHAAvPosXSB0VkUo2F_jQ3e5_w/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(8).jpeg" title="Emerald Hill Road" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Emerald Hill Road" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpgQI8tpakMeovIb7zAzsJq0Oju86HUF1A7m6PzHuJESNIsNIvqr6JqrgK3Xbp4dLhK_p5VjD3jc4h8JF4PBFoveV7xSRQVCKXTSepCq2nTMDKRjwncx05Ciesz19TMm0Ro4AiQ/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(10).jpeg" title="Emerald Hill Road" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Emerald Hill Road" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyHu0_amZLqbnWFTXWx-_6v6PW1kkyynxA7ktY2_871M2l-YI5vdJNCQ7snn-rcILspa5DUh7hcAMUBomkxi-hNOm8udOezzBxTQVkHuIXDo4sThDYoyNDZoR47SUpyOVSl-1lA/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(19).jpeg" title="Emerald Hill Road" width="640" /></div>
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The beautiful Abdul Gafoor Mosque in Little India:</div>
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<img alt="Abdul Gafoor Mosque" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzdW7w31cWOBQTskmL_XAPGTnaeQdjpUgcez3ulVH6BsxsEtngD0dkG5TwC4taVUtj5CMlcj9gJBnLaZIBr3F2sx5U7kQ5myZUQ2dWBKkRs-hvOqWeUfTdfYBJvKvTZIrNhE1pQ/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(13).jpeg" title="Abdul Gafoor Mosque" width="640" /></div>
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The beautiful architecture of the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in Chinatown</div>
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<img alt="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalNTPqVtoy9OfDhKUEkPXVknmGBKwwMq8Mtb8t4cL8m-bhP502OTk-rOHHh4c1CeFLcDz_M5-fnHY2S3cUOP-k1qS4RGgoKTHIFgkS2T7cPz3hOW_huNPxzKcamSNx9sSrv4gPw/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(18).jpeg" title="Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum" width="640" /></div>
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Chinatown has many calligraphers who'll paint your name, dry it and frame it for you in just 5 minutes. It's fun!</div>
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<img alt="Chinatown" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcWVapyG7JDwmPQ7jLxzCjX7dzpuj3ShT37jURnTrdV_gdQ8Vr66x3MjjIzQqQwWX-hDFd95ockJbrvfPbbZPmgUsGOxcgL-Yn2mhKvcyEphl7kktCeQBOBwCIB8WOq2wWFEQeg/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(21).jpeg" title="Chinatown" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The Singapore Flyer is SO. MUCH. FUN. Check out the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel on the left, seen from the top of the flyer.</span></div>
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<img alt="Singapore Flyer" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwtu8VO7uh9yOrUUrH-DpeAwdsFmBFBjPe8gb6WmlTZEQXDKfqxtAqKQWkYIY7GNM6C-_m8iqvCmuqpk4OPhxF6eVMmFBEUjoJgxCoeUYt4-GDMPuQhneP56zwNLgmo1v-DZDr5w/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(4).jpeg" title="Singapore Flyer" width="640" /></div>
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This is the Helix Bridge leading to Marina Bay Sands.</div>
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<img alt="Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGknz9nbHnCQ2HZwWmQYChAa5V2UT7FinxwwERzPcz0MTXdtXdsArsl1etCgtFjF4GsM8t7RkL3IhM3zeLWwD7iAIMPXMJ0ljHuBLhsDgmjs_ma4VA0Kol4B75kPGdxwAHzdD8g/s1600/Singapore_Instagram_madhugopalan+(14).jpeg" title="Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands" width="640" /></div>
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I think that's it for now, but do watch this space - I've got tons more to share.</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-38347239292449194872015-02-11T23:16:00.000+05:302015-12-20T21:17:25.504+05:30A weekend in Pondicherry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you <span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="http://instagram.com/madhugopalan" target="_blank"><b>follow me on Instagram</b></a>,</span> you probably know that I was in Pondicherry over the weekend. It was my first visit - yes, seriously - I'm not a fan of seashores, so I guess I never got around to it. But once I went, I really loved the town! It's quaint, pretty and hipster in a good way! We'd all had a hectic week, so we ended up just chilling and not doing too much. We ate a lot, drank a lot and drove around the streets taking pictures.<br />
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<img alt="Road Trip" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdflQvmJv5Ih48KjSvV2zqfOJ2fDmGsKsVrzQXX2A3ejNKzVcQIpPGceCdl17LLDQtmyvxjCmn5E8Zo5xKzK0eyo0vgtvhsxuE28g4l7N7ta1TOZP_bIrvkClwbDsDKFcshYsuFw/s1600/DSCF3595.jpg" title="Road Trip" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Road Trip" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyL8FV_LDzUG2PIMVr2XX_nmwwnsS9bnAichzo3lZkb-vt-tViZ63aJB_pWBiQhUt9-ws8qBLmI0lMtQ-K-wP_ZDY582bsGm9CfjSn2KmysFqn8v7I0Vp-HfCCB5b6yN7EDZBZA/s1600/DSCF3593.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="Road Trip" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPcLOLRtU6edIuvUHHIqkD3AKt-76P3MLEXKSQvSuH5L_nztLaB6mue-v4R9MW0nFmx0Sy9RgHtAT5NIlieB-RufmLzC8dhgj0BhBz6AehtU70GBEQ978ZcZAbg7shUb-cadGhQ/s1600/DSCF3458.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Satsanga, Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BkmpjJMFqifpcB2fmNgAKTwV4CQLpENemMgOjyql-1gZ3b9J7EJGjwaRcKou-Uwdu7s6nDxB2z1eDnkhZiF4X2itpDEDx84aSjxj8fxROoLHZDEVqlz8GBDXAc9Em0xnSzrn6g/s1600/DSCF3481.jpg" title="Satsanga, Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Satsanga, Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NrdP1Anat_FKUN_TUFdbi-7SMY0m2gMnTD8LfclxoN-DCnjvUKc5IPt0HiP5_a1IOr_i6ho88owsy5Nq-9Y8iAcueh8sGbAgJXwi5rQYaYk5Pa4z5kBVUlyyngsyRS6IS3lN_A/s1600/DSCF3473.jpg" title="Satsanga, Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnsgP9WVGNW29DpFMl49K8JkpF0SnSwGEaONi36_2oy5ZejHFIlXESFj3I5ok0X34aXlfZYEZ5aK6FO-VXfgp7YObCw7e4dKx7w4KN5Z1aMtzx-SvqlBn57YgM1sXVTtd25v8GA/s1600/DSCF3503.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYEY9IILMFfhBW4Ey4sSZRdmYwKDzNC4ZaSYabFzZrKwETiVhZfxQvnNogjtwvAOSQvfiAYQ_STXfY-xEZSyJsH7Ef3L_-OIbyn3ZDiPtH21vLwNUilGHtJ30CPN3LOgXwXJ6Ng/s1600/DSCF3550-3.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcSyFBING_rrOff_2dUpgB6B1h2NLajBmXFhmuTDlceCulBlNie-0cZerDL5lOpVsXi_HEerHqk03T7LaurEnzeL8uMosNaSatb0GX0VftLOd0dXIcpYzDGtwtFHr8RElOVENCQ/s1600/DSCF3557.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxA1r5gzSw8A_3XAyEEo03JgfS8E-Zu_NA05CAQyjiINQ-YSLeOYTgedKUCD4k_MC_Y3XAE3D3wr2BpC_Hstvwb1JIMTR7Zid7Atau9no0z8Jk_W5LaD5DWuCisUlJ4ggVrOcEg/s1600/DSCF3560.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbkF2Ud7oJkJUKZNx0kYscxkVN8uhCu-PbxWahT3KY6lnZTPtLzavA8G8apViLK8DXMK_rKQs93uolsHgg7EOw2Qzi-4zSpuMxep_JYwZiFE4jnin9Qc1X-R4tSXbV-9zc_u_MA/s1600/DSCF3565-4.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtD3YzNhbs50VR7ITo8PmmYZ_N6IkDEIzy3xh1o6VrSbx0uj-Xqqb5lmQ0hArGF8Db92JLdLSK2d0BlRj-6AXmowMlGhY_PCeh-t9NtEIXr-la3h24DIMexJw6Ei9kD-nooHUv1w/s1600/DSCF3567.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyjoYDAf4y4J_BdT0UcmM2M29plA5YqXcc7vUF16nqq2yBuC5Q5I6bYvsbX5CxBZ36dvnEH2fAjSpGUPna5i_KhTxvrUeDf5JsufA9gqR7i3yQRu6MqKSyjGjz8F24zlkpNSrrQ/s1600/DSCF3561-2.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDx71dgKbgFFnx6YRBcry7aE5sfKVy7EqpYlwLdSeDSqz0nxK6UpwyrpsLhy_cD1eDv1-cn58RRWy95VS4PE6YtN0KYO63RXHNWdCHWjZDP-3usJXMrt_BMmfjlT4rE2Mejo9nA/s1600/DSCF3562-2.jpg" title="Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLgdFR3xEn_gFpZnL2yY4rZK5Sb-6MTLm0ehf2eYnPTEHWGmcKQotJz3pc22JHzCY7HRtyx7DqrwIx1srf3Zxr-hxjodKNSNSy1mgCANlS0M0SQ37eroAcPkRPSUU0Wn7XhpS8g/s1600/DSCF3564.jpg" title="Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">And I couldn't leave this delicious pizza out - it wasn't in Pondicherry, but on the drive back into Chennai. Yes that's coriander. And paneer. Yeah, I'm that kind of Indian :D</span></div>
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<img alt="Pizza in Tuscana" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzs1SUzEbYVAz7oGMp7gVLzMnVE4YALll3sXD96OZUl9Akv7AuPy8F6mqLloiFJRSHPDLdb_LKMQp6eZTmMFCbO75-LbYdKRSABQ3kVZwlZHs7Q1myKi22LX96CN0C2DP6NNtHg/s1600/DSCF3602.jpg" title="Pizza in Tuscana" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-67592428424881697732015-01-27T20:00:00.000+05:302015-12-20T21:18:22.128+05:30Postcards From Wayanad - Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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And I swear this is the last part! I won't drag this out anymore :)<br />
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We began our last day in Wayanad at the Wayanad Cricket Stadium where some selection match was going on. The view from the back of the stadium is fantastic!</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDY2h-F1MbjnNJeOT0pw7K0bSzpsbuq6CFmdI_eP4XVQ142bDaOlmRUsWKFAPfeXOW9YVXSUgbU_Jyx_iiKXEitH1jLSoRA3W69sykHSPbLOlkX1gBE9XmYVvw2aECQFUpkXDpA/s1600/DSCF2346.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpEI-_4SXwWyXKZGJPL2EfgxHyHH5Expmsxury0yZlmTFf9tBqLjIhpq7C4smYs7diq08rtlbAnDN2hH5Bdpwm0NUttd4_mhl7HMkt8LauLFvXwwF7thgVUi6D3hU7vi-kSz96w/s1600/DSCF2355.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The Banasura Sagar dam on River Kabini is India's largest earthen dam, and Asia's second largest. The motorboat rides there are very popular, but you have to wait for ages to get your turn. We preferred to enjoy the view instead.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07D1MrqqelTY7BAhSOTOOR5rRlSg5wieHB5u7MnuDglsDu_QiEpq0OHw1f8VO-1W_jVK3klqPNFcKuRmVnKBNDJu8L7AhXrgaobuvD_AQcvEut9-KDVQl6CQG88AbSrxx5YTLMQ/s1600/DSCF2380.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpZXLHtR3cKkLNhbwpe1LuNm0dRk1uyRo_RJbq5YMdJYYx0WdYKvXzlJKbOLVieipHAsnzN_uBumrlatbYQ0pPVdG-FGnG16Li3g4LBy-iDeHRwf3tMCeJFtSiMTEuqxWAKOE0w/s1600/DSCF2368.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I saw a rubber plantation for the first time that day, on the way back to the resort:</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRfo6NNwqFuXxQw5wxRlXXBAV279UUWQhkt-uJTu3F6eqVlqko1wvgHjoKJ2L1la3opEjL-I0r_L7viAvgNMgOruoMxEPxzcB21zMu-xkOTdrRNJ_B_W65zfvtDQ1dBrosbHukw/s1600/DSCF2404.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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To harvest the latex, a cut is made on the bark of the trees. The latex that oozes out is collected:</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBnu4INv5eLva_pkMHh5Y0W_A9nRVDyh9WzgtgoBTGJPe7YSXVXjeq-lvztErnLg1y0VLfVdEuouANqWk2sjBu_7DNXM6MYSJ5crOT7nowd2ayQIDdntjdRXPrsoFM4lDWa3NNg/s1600/DSCF2402.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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We stopped at two stunning but ruined temples near Sultan Bathery. One was right on the highway, and the other inside a coffee plantation</div>
<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfU6BIdSE5OHpWWjlDYVXajxv1DqtK9VC1raIIW11z1ajvP9S3fg3WeCCQlJCNRVJoXA4gjaeAooBin6EAVSWL-xee3_azqHp6773D57fRGO76dTnAuhbXE5xR0zNqYLXHNDYTVQ/s1600/DSCF2429.jpg" width="640" />
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLNlvT3qljuQ9zNAUFZGtYW_1VyWNhzHQA0VgtqHzDETQ0vXsNUM2fdeGArjAIIzCHR9r_koy9_e-bAOpmV-JhhbUfb5Hus_o5U2JxUgoj0BRELqxxm8ztUzJbn6Tx0dMU7WK5A/s1600/DSCF2419.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KunqoRq_NrLWJujHrtuJgOQD2e6tytMZS81e1rkM103hzVcoHwDP5iGHjLRR49dbqIzm_l9O1zboWhl8z02NhHSsBHodfgObAijlVzJKsAisl450keITqaLqnYEdzExgFq0mlw/s1600/DSCF2426.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-13295705960257233752015-01-12T09:30:00.000+05:302015-12-20T21:19:29.798+05:30Postcards from Wayanad - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2015/01/postcards-from-wayanad-part-1.html" target="_blank">Last week, I shared pictures from my first day in Wayanad</a>, when we visited the ancient Edakkal Caves. Here are some pictures from day 2.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcafOrqORho0FZlmgDX1M9LE4stdDxuTYqIMTX1oEyr4PBXTf6-8TJkOlnEfjicNoxjm4m6K9L29OZCa9WhIbvd0dKk4Bg_7G3jqpkxTcXCw2-LkBx07PZtznnKqhJ5AjRNydoA/s1600/DSCF2107.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meenmutty Falls</td></tr>
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The gorgeous Meenmutty Falls seen from the Neelimala View Point. Across the distance, we could hear the roar of the waterfall crashing down the hill. Getting to the view point is quite exciting. You can drive to a point about a km away, but only by jeep because the narrow path is rough and steep. And then you have to walk. A few spots are dangerous, so a guide who is familiar with the terrain comes along in the jeep.</div>
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When we were on our way to the Soochipara Waterfalls, our driver said there was a lesser known one called Kanthanpara Waterfalls on the way, where there'd be almost no visitors. We happily went there instead. It was my favourite place in the entire trip! So pristine and beautiful!</div>
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<img border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6i0H8XaojRS6Hv_fY8uP84sveQcR-2OAzj_We8KaADq_bM9_qEzn2-7yi44JvbAcQf9s1_XURJ5woiFe8tKJb_owDI3lvoCoSlSWvUa6iT8MpN2gHcMdSiuMctu9RUG9ajS-Yg/s1600/DSCF2166.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLz2_Qeq-T0UjTCtK5TFXx5wEXJIqPT8t-HxN10KQfCgA_RJDB8GsVo0djH35PhV-YdBDsKazI9P1332415-iNNFnaDJ54rcoGgSfS5LvZKCaldMQCk4B-bnoCpz9CvLtx-SDsmg/s1600/DSCF2211.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Ashwin shot a video of this place and you can actually hear the gurgle of the water.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dQdxL6Vo5TUakIoXJIqGDclnTti-yEdTdFKMHesGJko-rAg4oaLzpM1XaWD2LMeNzvLT8UIQztEhjnjB8B1t46hV6LYiPvLX23yG5Rb3le3QQTcMAS7AGoVx1oZmTo8J5fenGw/s1600/DSCF2216.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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My toes were still hurting from the climb to the Edakkal Caves, and dipping them in the cold water in Kanthanpara felt so good!</div>
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As with every place in Wayanad, the Kanthanpara falls involved a fair bit of walking and climbing too. None of it is too difficult, but it's something you should be aware of if you have older people in your group.</div>
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Wayanad is beautiful everywhere you look. A few random stops during our drives:</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OqqzwXxF7pnSVD1y4EV-8Rl4crlLn_jwphQh8eFBb4IxgePx381NmL0HVJotKufcLbrZHb1n6VQ-OaP5_G8_2TOg_nbyZFHw7t2Bgw1bgLfqtvpZ-1jY_dtpHTrk0VZDro7QNQ/s1600/DSCF2218.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMch4tvVF124xKTdNBnwUbYe0Wh23z099tGL1YoPvt4I_c9JZGa4YHHLCuSa6ibkv7Y7nFXyMLFb6wQ7bK6OlaG2OTl5d7y7sG_pZzhQLZHSI47Z9nhnqPk3Ibd9uvYRMxYRuMg/s1600/DSCF2233.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56aOsbr_6_3D4NXJq54Bh0E9eGcaOetfse5loEIskwGlJ3-HR_prD6x2rnL6634VMz2pNj4AmxH6Rw8_yJNUiVICir7Z6-hQ032gN3aBR2gcQrTfHqBjDa773DzlThcSd-sTtFQ/s1600/DSCF2295.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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A tea garden on the way. Mountain air, blue skies and greenery all around.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBgCEQIjnhfHc8ry8gqkuV6bi5vs3lUGu85SswLYuaMU3h-X65bpECwzvQN81Yh8VHAI7GthSupE5KCY48QrWE_AD0JxzzG9fYvd5qCzeGHjI_94xybWYdiyzKv1QbPxIKM4W-w/s1600/DSCF2220.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqhLhxaR_w5sHIKR6h7mCFK5rTY_sUfiNfZgx6iNvr3daC5Pa9I3Sws6RW83LHO1FZyNan4vZe_ujlMPRbCJzizEnxMON14-tCoihZ4BQMmF5Lgt484IeyG-3uJTgv-IZthgksw/s1600/DSCF2261.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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We went to the Pookode/Pookote Lake, which turned out to be a mistake. The lake was pretty but the place was just too crowded and there's nothing to do unless you're into those boat rides. The only thing I found interesting was the pinkish cast on the surface of the water. Do you see it?</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KsJgyECBVRr7XKQak38OrJuR_VX2B1VDR4BwRgOh632OHOxFcrMJkYYovmLIHBi6a8AOMRMSGDcTXIAELqQ5LSYKTSGeAFrMeJFPVZg1IsRs6cip_aLfbUWa47qS-9rPW0R7VA/s1600/DSCF2270.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Here's why - the surface has some aquatic plant with thousands of tiny pink flowers growing all over it. Any idea what it's called?</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt762Op_lzeKWVRm6A2J1EukbHNvcPMbG22WTxvm0aX3DPKzHKgHhiGowiN21_SwgIMhJ-PgsPs7iw3rljXPIgeuW2EvVHCSS_L5pQz25l4uvdmmPmW-WrgVKJBCfAcCBXifcuA/s1600/DSCF2282.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Some point on the way back to our resort:</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-j6vTK8BSyrHca4fmwZcDBfNpiRPoWXQ8DwJEO24Alwaf6c8Dv9DD_pr0lZc0EK3TCYm_n6YE_1PjitdUdNERfUk0b6TAXZBRQn4SAeY-wfgO0SAgVhil5WVsOKkUpeKnHvvXYA/s1600/DSCF2304.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCzz67umm6DjmV4bvre6ccvEdepaQ-euAsrfgqEpKLOvNFVzQu8MYw1PHRM4hxCvmGeVnoQ262Yxni4bCwEsYX5kspboFN5oL17YedJs3Mm4lQsGO9-JMc9FwAj_WVcDUikWoJhw/s1600/DSCF2311.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-40823324387140668822015-01-03T15:53:00.000+05:302015-12-20T21:21:12.907+05:30Postcards from Wayanad - Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aF7gAJqU19buAzUr7FABoc0Qk315lBYgYBawTZ4TiJK2R9WMl9BK89oauu9qcIM0BXeNFs5HAizNkaP8USuDhQRQRqGkxJoaGrh0fPv9mwuQwtfTH_ZITlIqrr2pHDpEpjV2pw/s1600/DSCF2373.jpg" width="640" /></div>
Happy New Year, guys! I hope 2015 is everything you want it to be, and more!</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I was lucky to spend some time in Wayanad last week. We couldn't have chosen a lovelier way to end 2014! </span><span style="text-align: justify;">We drove to Wayanad from Mysore. The 3 hour drive takes you through the lush Bandipur forest, that falls partly in Karnataka and partly in Kerala. The funny thing about this forest is, you can tell which side you're on, with your eyes closed! If the road has speed breakers, it's Karnataka. If not, you're in Kerala :) </span>We spotted wild elephants, deer and even a cheetah!<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">In Wayanad, we stayed in a villa in a basic but gorgeous eco friendly resort.</span></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_B-XEcDxzi6kDw7Sdae09gfgLjoK9fM7fR1vENhn9ajD-lEVXxR-Tx-VdveUTktnz65ZTpzXsrXeHMsLRgm8iu91xw7MdClvQYZUQLmtfdRFLp4j-cWoQaCdT9MBL_ZKk-pe6nA/s1600/DSCF2094.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">It was so pretty, it's a miracle that we even stepped out. But step out we did, beginning with the Edakkal Caves, home to Stone Age carvings that date back to at least 6000 BC. Take a moment to process how old that is!</span></div>
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The caves sit at the top of a mountain, at a height of about 1000 meters. They are not really caves, but a fissure that was created when a part of the main rock split away. Legend has it that it was formed when Lav and Kush, the sons of Lord Ram, shot arrows here. The carvings are mostly of human and animal figures. Because of similarities between the motifs found here and those found in the Indus Valley, scholars think the Indus Valley Civilization probably had a presence here too. Maybe the civilization didn't just go extinct, but blended into other cultures instead.</div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-ElY85s1rTkLd_Da2s9zvbB9JNxlCfa0OJ-4mRWVaF8g2A7hyphenhyphenk-KHLJGeJzmGSbPZnn85Ye2Z35w1pv-_4kTLuucriggk8V3kQJylxQ6hCPc0Af9fer8GgRRUS4h6dEClOzKrw/s1600/DSC_2092.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">If you want to see the petroglyphs (that's what such carvings on stone are called), you'll have to work for them. A pretty steep walk about 1 km long takes you to a ticket counter. And then you need to climb more. A lot more, actually. In most parts there are steps but in others, just boulders. It's not very difficult, but it is definitely tiring - my toes were hurting for a couple of days afterwards. Definitely carry water with you.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The mountain at the back of this picture is the one you need to go up:</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkiFwzc3sK1mQLr_5JZ0zzO2sPDpag6YrGpnkwDWPPKmy3Cij4AkUNDThym0m0tNeeOUBnTNE2_53sxEK3T6f4EZ7QHZvNMlSUUhCnaZZCPSPpLrMezaQNYvGcHOLaMXcI2aooA/s1600/DSC_2159.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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A slightly tricky spot on the way up - tricky mainly because of the crowd:</div>
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The view from the top, just outside the caves:</div>
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It's very humbling to stand exactly where our ancestors must have stood thousands of years ago. The carvings in these caves are definitely the oldest man-made things I've seen in my life. Absolutely a must-visit while in Wayanad, and totally worth the effort of climbing up.</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-55709531419819981302014-10-28T16:45:00.002+05:302015-10-21T01:19:09.333+05:30World Heritage Site : The Great Living Chola Temples<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As a kid, I'd go to Kumbakonam from Hyderabad almost every summer to visit my grandparents. But in those days, neither photography nor heritage interested me, so I never realized that three exquisite specimens of Indian architecture were so close by! They are collectively called the Great Living Chola Temples, because they were built by the Chola dynasty. The group is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Brihadeeshwara Temple in Tanjore (or Thanjavur, more correctly), the Brihadeeshwara Temple in Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airavateshwara Temple in Darasuram form the trio. All three are dedicated to Lord Shiva. I did a series of articles about the temple for The News Minute, and I'm going to just link them below.</div>
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A BIT OF HISTORY<br />
The Cholas were one of the most powerful Tamil dynasties of South India. Raja Raja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola I were two of the greatest Chola rulers, and built the temples in Tanjore and Gangaikonda Cholapuram respectively. The third temple in Darasuram was built by Rajaraja Chola II, who came about 8 generations later. <u><b>R<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_dynasty" target="_blank">ead more about the Cholas here</a>.</b></u></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">BRIHADEESHWARA TEMPLE, TANJORE</span><br />
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This temple is the grandest of the three and was built by King Raja Raja Chola I in the beginning of the 11th century. It is jaw droppingly exquisite. It now has a small museum in it and the knowledgeable staff will tell you at least a million things that make this temple unique. <a href="http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/thanjavur%E2%80%99s-brihadeeshwara-temple-quintessence-chola-splendour-34913" target="_blank">Lots more about this Chola magnum opus in my article here.</a><br />
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<img alt="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Tanjore" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOzmBB8eTZhyphenhyphenbWOAIemJZkxIipeuhQ6-MqlXUlumVICbty5Zjv79jFxAxZjZpLtu4J9NOplJxWZ56PTZvnXXcAnwjXi93WpdbU6nJVRQiaHYxgEHaC6ZQxGYsiJAcTWx3FOuhkHQ/s1600/Tanjore+(2).jpg" title="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Tanjore" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Tanjore" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzQk7CnT2QuiS6dCkPtybAjizQ6eq9Fsp7cWimkABdwYTn8jh0AvXTt6xCOw95LDJNvb2q_kz-YBvTT1wbGtV_JdLUqifsqFVrv_qihI_mIESAPehLVOU948K7A4lozDB_mmUDQ/s1600/Tanjore+(1).jpg" title="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Tanjore" width="640" /></div>
BRIHADEESHWARA TEMPLE, GANGAIKONDA CHOLAPURAM</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">This temple built in the 11th century is strikingly similar to the one in Tanjore. Not surprising, since they were built by father and son. <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/1000th-anniversary-of-coronation-of-Chola-ruler-begins-in-Thanjavur-district/articleshow/38989499.cms" target="_blank">This year marks the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of King Rajendra Chola I, the builder of this temple</a>. <a href="http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/gangaikondacholapuram-city-chola-who-conquered-ganga-35138" target="_blank">Read my piece about it here.</a></span></div>
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<img alt="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNa243bonzofICLloXbwQasx__IhQDb_ZBhOnQ21MLB4YX7tsbqgE2xvELo2h1Gxf1Tt8XtL9T6OO8onkwYSIBMkbZgsMqyL6M91cl5AWNh8S2k01lFRKZQylS98dDmeiLj71Lw/s1600/Gangaikonda+Cholapuram+(2).jpg" title="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzvTt5BvncfVvJ27CPMYlacJr7xaxu7x4ppgRZ-P9dUFL43Muux72W3mALT0n6IMiQ0UprmB8IbwB8vh4wtknscgBBmD3MGLpI_xccFlLD-hAFljYNBhvkHZ5uoz0VhI7BHQ_Thg/s1600/Gangaikonda+Cholapuram+(1).jpg" title="Brihadeeshwara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram" width="640" /></div>
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AIRAVATESHWARA TEMPLE, DARASURAM</div>
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This temple built by King Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century is quite different from the other two, but every bit as stunning. The front of the temple is shaped like a chariot. <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2012/05/darasuram.html" target="_blank">Here's my post about the temple.</a></div>
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<img alt="Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOX2H1In_SREzs-wdFDm1o1f0mmfwLGGMIeWOGzfCeQ1UVrYDq9f5R8ORmoPuKhtUUCjL1RFd-lgTdqNjYyvRCGne6q5_1ojQj8zITlu8JmVcqovSyS-ZAOWAgz1ppmG86jJtzA/s1600/Darasuram+(1).jpg" title="Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram" border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2fy1efahoeqzyho0uG2UiyUgDrldZXAD4IpQQfQ1_US6W2yMpLFBPdEvsADjH_1CiMEVu_LK9nx5RbCc1DT2CUtbfyKEaMZGG2xkkQwp9zPon2DHJEoK5zlUH7lWsfOl3qJmlA/s1600/Darasuram+(2).jpg" title="Airavateshwara Temple, Darasuram" width="640" /></div>
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HOW TO VISIT:</div>
The three temples are almost in a straight line. Darasuram in the middle, is practically in Kumbakonam - it's just 3 kms away. Tanjore and Gangaikonda Cholapuram are on either side, at 40km and 35kms respectively. You can go to Tanjore (310 kms) or Kumbakonam (270 kms) by bus/train/car from Chennai. Both have decent hotels and taxi services.<br />
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I took an auto rickshaw from Kumbakonam to Darasuram. To the other two temples, I went in a taxi. There's a bridge on the way to Gangaikonda Cholapuram on which they don't allow buses (as of Feb 2014).<br />
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The temples are closed approximately from 12 to 4 in the afternoon. Kumbakonam has many gorgeous temples that are totally worth visiting but pretty much all of them are closed in the afternoon. If you want any other details, feel free to ask in the comments or on twitter :)</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-88977268357617183032014-08-06T11:44:00.000+05:302015-09-15T12:49:41.535+05:30Avudaiyarkovil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsPIyqn2FcALWZC6PGdkAOsm5tu2AlMzMisnz7qmNs2rcjp9rgFiKtay0WYMEm5OBiDDJSbG72hSbAUbXbgjatwVdASAWerbgS57ALjap9Nf6eqZvOnR7mWXvEV6KsluyB1MixA/s1600/DSC_1226.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="640" /></div>
I had the opportunity to visit Avudaiyarkoil (or Avudaiyarkovil), a really small temple town near Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu, some days ago. These parts are very close to the popular Chettinad region, which I unfortunately didn't visit. Some other time, I hope!</div>
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The Avudayairkovil Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva was built by Manikavasakar, a 9th century Tamil poet who was the Prime Minister of the reigning Pandya king. Apparently, he used money meant for purchasing horses for the army, to build the temple. And then Lord Shiva had to appear in the angered king's dream to sort things out! Additions and modifications were probably made over time, and most of the current structure is believed to date back to the 15th century. What's special about this temple is that there is no idol of the main deity - he is called Atmanatha, which means formless! Hot pulihora (tamarind rice) mixed with bitter gourd (karela) is spread out on a stone slab and the steam that rises from it is the only offering to the deity.<br />
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The temple is a treasure trove of intricate sculptures based on Hindu mythology, but it doesn't get too many visitors. The temple is about an hour away from Pudukkottai, which you can reach by train or road from Chennai. You could also drive down if you are visiting the Chettinad region and have a few hours to spare. We were shown around by a very knowledgeable gentleman Mr. Manikam - do ask at the temple if he is available - he will show you hidden gems that you'll never spot on your own. Read more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avudaiyarkoil" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.</div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi282k3avR971PBmAj2uoTT-jAbqLRydw-uUi6etHYOStH857ZcjEckEmEjjxLUfkZ23e4Ofl9ErMbU1bespLxeA2BN25vwZVRvUKDIgsWKw4BTkKFo2kGm-ZCtIo5bc2XMpD1_GA/s1600/DSCF0703.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde1Ak_PkrxrSVX_XCN4yqzsKQae2_BpZee6Otmzeaxqcc9vmq92vvG6YEQBdeFDX4tktsv44-xayWAj3gJxsHQHhKMaIWiDPmKg3GOgyqEobw_J7QC9SFrVRE2xTsmYTzva8hIw/s1600/DSCF0696.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH3USfuxdkpKwIm44F3KdNKHjshFzg_jUk7J4OD8_0fEh1NpePX7hRgJFCENfXE0NpXKXOPawUXchBZWKhAdX9VH31GrgV0qreM_JD3UH3hgTS1IPfTC_YyA_PXPL1zcJfZjs5A/s1600/DSCF0701.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="670" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhId6q9GGo7l9uXLmLuBf7YnqQmrr2MzjvAP07ZOLafVUBme1og5NzbV_rVGfraeJQFUP15b3otQDmY9FT4CXRpKGIZNW1GnzRrlr8OGzl5Hn_XShhA-RDdO0CYGFo1YtsKsX7fOg/s1600/Avudayar+Temple+Collage.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhr1nHuS20YcOcMC04Yo1sA6fWzpPtzevQsXxUfBkhcyqDa18tZ-TCEh89_y8pQSACAQKUpd1xW4kV90IUaBcuenmII1RPRjsbiiD18lrf7QFgRp1AYeVd69aU1rb_H_WHAAKOw/s1600/DSC_1217.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvk3VqhXl9TNFZLS5TcQ-JghUo5oK8a_HGKHK-pZmmmm5CliFpPbA_Y47Mst_l4no0elWrsOSjtexi032gBFCU2nrPH7qkGsu83HW_ktcXTE-kTMmPNbDsH0tx4H8wFx-Xf3fsA/s1600/DSC_1214.jpg" style="text-align: center;" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9u3PWqqCRiKLVyLHF0wdHq8gkXoRkoiOT4ewN7w5PTHFCghgD_n2tGEIiY8x2wLa9ctJyEhWr3SgemuxvLPbNA3KbZfmByCYOwYyHTTR2xff_GuQIAotCro0-dumFaFTCcN2lQ/s1600/DSC_1231.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This mural on the ceiling of a corridor is of a saree washed and spread out to dry! See the wet patches on it?</td></tr>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gyKEuIx01recndfVk1-TMGw_9UppxWBVwK_eapOG4NCl3BRGwWytTTFULLOK5nASXedhnH_kKh35tT3_-sRUwrx_O89B__q8VMyhEMvhOXGWptQOc2u66XPUOWxarrU7IOhjow/s1600/DSCF0623.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="266" /><img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TYbeCg9FyreolrSEwUbnL2nj5VXmdwWmm4VpzWvV87XCDiJgcdgUcZKMfMnohDz8yA_DxuMkzQ0bClRAKJZ0wDlhiSXicQ5apBCj-6dnyppu2UhNtfGfuFAGwfP_sL8deL47cQ/s1600/DSCF0729.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="266" /></div>
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<img alt="Avudaiyarkovil" border="0" height="auto" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnbNsbOFVZWjhnN2we9UNZX0_atCHD97iBn9n-FXpHNSJVh-9jymMEMSoFO-hv7IdzkOhz9VH5r-vRh3ZniSGi2A8fgfguVJaS3fAbLh2pRCNDjA0ydO5QPVIr_zbkFJYyKE6ng/s1600/DSC_1230.jpg" title="Avudaiyarkovil" width="670" /></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-87461068073034013442014-06-26T09:45:00.000+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.430+05:30From Armenia To Madras<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the 7th and 8th centuries, groups of merchants from a small land far beyond the Hindu Kush mountains started coming to India to sell silk, muslin, spices, timber and precious stones. Starting with the Malabar coast, over the next many centuries, they formed small settlements in different parts of the country from Kerala to Kolkata, and from Agra to Madras. By the 17th century, there was a sizable population of their people in Madras, and the street where most of them lived, came to be known as the Armenian Street.</div>
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These merchants were Armenians. Armenia is an ancient mountainous country in Eurasia, surrounded by Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia. It is said that Noah's Ark came to rest on the Ararat mountains in Armenia after the flood waters receded. It is one of the oldest Christian civilizations, and in the 4th century AD, it became the first officially Christian state in the world.</div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEity_t0dqKQKTKpwkMYqMJHJCKsROfZmAysLHedse9ZbbIvh9FOxbs5dQKgJefCyJFihBcmruT9TZitHZjCEGnvbqvwQz7uGrp5ZznJOgxkPgq5Fp4rmmvGRTCcIrh_ADnGyJVRxg/s1600/Armenian+Church+(12).jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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The Armenian street is home to the Church of St. Mary, India's oldest Armenian Church. At this point, I'm beginning to count the number of times I use the word 'Armenian' in each sentence! The church was first built in 1712, but after getting destroyed in a French siege in 1772, it was rebuilt in its present location - the grounds of what was an Armenian cemetery. </div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpcYogzVU9QYscyOEfowVeD9scUEfvwR6bLzoK5FBRVAE1Ag_cNN-olRj02m92C5BFQ4EUaE45oSewfBFWC4Ma8OeZD0J3fUEXT_jjBiWK9RAMgUVPuMJSkRvEf6Cosp52rHi6A/s1600/Armenian+Church+(16).jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRBGKM4kIxAbhdDakwDOFwnnvAHxZ8BU93yjvlkOVBuOECxOf0py7v8aztYicOB_pOzX5VYB4QRQC0kJZU2tP4rrDNRLNV6f5S7BwsPIyMnetkrMOvZu09bsESoRDf2jd5kifiw/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25282%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73yTNgkTr-749fKypCIPNFy1BHn_s2wYfPKWL9MxHXh8acIy5ZD-LLx39mC8V08l_FVxMBYDCCAdH_Lt0RCSV0AIS8gV_HcqBammRPTBL6omVpRoCBOsstEThYzzRZ6ODRfDdrA/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25283%2529.jpg" height="416" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf5DhDUz5wi2dXoA3ZITKTcI-In4fNCq-597av1KzUh0RwhO1sDelEYNbSmg8HyZM8WaEPSOixXyLPBi-p_j01QVAaIHUxhwjm4wAUbmJuaB-wwphnafRH_uCGQU3e68zI7Fl5vA/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25284%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHyNnFVfhnyAs6yFj93swVETZfX91t3GKMsUDqb7RundQ_yTx8O7j1mbcgxMns8z_AooprWxCKnaVDGpxly7b5Co4bMizXdDtXYuoioCNcGhWXT5s4iHxmv7tvWSgXZOPMLznhIA/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25285%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHO_PecamJ62c7Af-pIb1e25HQlXL0KYVsVtMLeQ6C367d3c01Owl71CEIeXP8X1p3WwFZsXuz90QT6OZVaj2dqcz_d5x71EbKgx4GxV5XpwG23fUxpg_ceX29rc0cmK-dS7GcDA/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25286%2529.jpg" height="418" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Since it is built on a cemetery, hundreds of flat graves with inscriptions in the Armenian script are scattered all around the church and in some places it is difficult to move without walking on them. </span>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFC3uRBHWSfcUDgUs19WXe8V6CXWNIk3Ob1bc-Dr1NXjlZ7lntn_FO8XWO08evyikCTvBPpz3vasvMu61Iwx3SU2jwOofLL6w3y7hOWtcKNTop9wwp8SLsF3imguoortdP3rJ5Gg/s1600/Armenian+Church+(15).jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yLU2kCdkl-3l9DLj2cae602voAMZ-hszbXzlZMT_Uy6uDITw6S_5yi5DSYMjmt0N2E37dst3zf_tTvcwOa4JoRwtoZoCY5u7BiOxu4hdUJo_6ULYZafnLgDqVEKLwskltwkz_Q/s1600/Armenian+Church+%252810%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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While all the other graves are flat and at ground level, a raised one in the garden adjoining the church is clearly special. Buried here is Rev <span style="text-align: left;">Harutiun Shmavonian, who printed the first Armenian newspaper in the world, sitting in this church! And hence, the open stone book on his grave :)</span></div>
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<img alt="Armenian Church, Chennai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzzNQlQw_QNboWEyP0cy5kV6-_ID4YZ1A_uEvX0p4vW99X58rHx0sUj1hWhcggshknuEMDOYAUTLSKp_8uPWYCIT89DDF6tAlATUttDOEd8FHF0lBXHIhVwgpXiYJx5OXxZ7rRw/s1600/Armenian+Church+%25289%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Armenian Church, Chennai" width="640" /></div>
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There are no Armenians in Chennai anymore, and the church is maintained by the Armenian Church Committee in Kolkata, which still has a small population of Armenian Christians. Regular service is not held here, but the church is open to visitors from 9 in the morning to 2:30 in the afternoon. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Church,_Chennai" target="_blank"><i>Here's more about the church if you are interested.</i></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">After we spent a while at the church, Ashwin's father took us to a cafe called Hotel Zum Zum (yes, seriously) where he'd hang out sometimes when he was young :)</span></div>
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<img alt="Hotel Zum Zum" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfOFAH8LZUtei9vSJp4COUafqtjXkD2c_NJ0oTcBmMsPfDfatHNH_ouUsswtYzZ3s1AVNHGuDzIjd9oEsJhwmOVV2lQFGeuYt8iO6ko-mWM45AMJvFAy1IdaBrySDHv71nOcqOzA/s1600/Armenian+Church+%252813%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Hotel Zum Zum" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">For lunch, we went to an old restaurant called Menaka in Hotel Palm Grove. Coincidentally (it wasn't father's day or anything :P</span><span style="text-align: justify;">) </span><span style="text-align: justify;">my dad regularly ate at this restaurant when he was young (he went to college in Chennai). </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I had the 'Madras Meal', a traditional thaali - </span><span style="text-align: justify;">simple and very yummy.</span></div>
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<img alt="Hotel Palm Grove" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoDi6yd_ZbaJe7y8t-0UYy2ubPfNbSDshYhOYnBx2Oq56UxVAAGHYAZ23-tav77nx3eYJyqM6UuHtJreVj6vZiDBdrbiT4Ia57UZF17yykWLdNjB2iixK10yDvcQ7kugDVRZrhw/s1600/Armenian+Church+%252814%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Hotel Palm Grove" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">My birthday was earlier this month, and Ashwin gave me a Fujifilm X-Pro 1. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I love the camera so much - it is small and unobtrusive, the colours are gorgeous, the lens (I'm using an 18-55 at the moment) is brilliant and the shutter sounds beeeeautiful ! </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I used it to shoot the pictures in this post.</span></div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-32507872264449209532014-05-12T10:30:00.000+05:302015-08-20T19:25:00.324+05:30Afghan Church, Mumbai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJrU_JrxV09JxOlY1TJNh4wMC8H95kNjycQLrTwDVktWJhxv6rtuqtKdTkvVaH9Xti2-QXD-pv_YcPmalBBdOFy0jvj3dKOV8KWfGaQp19CkeFQCcj7NhfVxO1CcEV_jehTQlHg/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25281%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The first time I heard about the Afghan Church was when I saw</span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashwind/3083139419/in/set-72157612539073151" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"> <b><span style="color: black;">this picture on Ashwin's Flickr stream</span></b></a><span style="text-align: left;"><b>.</b> At that time, I never thought I'd visit the same church with him one day! :D </span></div>
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5O1_gaMiXXIT-HW0-9OnE5gSal9Psob8xB5mSvKqKeELhiykkwdOyiVZTAhJFxt8u7rNBwYFn4Jn5elADi7rYixd8KEJD25-vNmpk4n_nzha3SBGeIjzJoMeNPIMhmqnM7wBbg/s1600/Afghan+Church+(2).jpg" height="auto" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="310" /><img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXMLIsCstVszHZ0-x-38PXLeCjyDUqPu97_arkMxzRQCOfN-H23sdziVvakyFvAFHFobuwezAmsCzuMqjT_sTjzSc9vhHNAO6uIgh8YC79SLXTNKkC6mPhUy4HGn7THQjUbql7Q/s1600/Afghan+Church+(3).jpg" height="auto" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="310" /></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The beautiful basalt and limestone church in Colaba is actually The Church of St John the Evangelist, but it is locally called the Afghan Church, because it was built in the memory of the soldiers of the British army, including members of many Indian regiments, who died in the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Afghan_War" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">First Afghan War</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> fought against Afghanistan from 1839 to 1842. The church has a spire that is almost 200 feet high, because the government granted land for its construction on the condition that it must be the tallest structure in the area, and the spire must be visible clearly even to the ships at sea. The exquisite stained glass work on the windows depicting scenes from the Bible came all the way from England, and the tall pillars and imposing arches came from Iran.</span><br />
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBq1_FCAfD1K_FlodLBFt4O1lYwM1LODR6sUb33IbhTyldOQx2etAkT5HiAX8YmJfDD2mg_ssHPW4qC7T3sZ7NHZl04PGljadyyhZvGtkGFC65MYOyczldG9AWyQk3SxXhrFIsJw/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25288%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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These grooves were for praying soldiers to rest their rifles in:</div>
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtaO10jRLuCoFrnFSUpIxpgurgP1aSLdDzcjTNM0upTmKaEji148nGd9_3W4oWK3lhQb0wonHvexMPOaLGJzxPX0wMl9jvcJqEcnxmGsvz3ptnX7ud9OJ1_s8Y0sZq9sCvdezVg/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25285%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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The highlight of this church would have to be the shafts of light streaming through the stained glass panels! Gorgeous!</div>
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMl62NKxnTlPH15JwCkAWrAc1FYHozjrx7NrUPWOL90dRtRAu8W0Yh4KFMEHSqBXKAlPwfnFRPmZviLjN6hkuwJfXj3I6oXj4vbR2pC4E7NkLzi_OlKLw2gntAQ4H_fP9_H87tQ/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25287%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdMU7sxNhqpuNWgDwpywoCnXGsyYJC5NqSSIKzWDaKrhuvCre-fn0wzDMYlPnUhDjCg_l6tx5AIAD10CqvK9PaQWIvIcVNy0jfvwn1bHdrCsaB2HrPiO8pnn0hHS_L1eMYB_IX0w/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25286%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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<img alt="Afghan Church, Mumbai" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk8NmY-O5scu0bjxTm8pk6miDMcukDBAKVnGJUUj2PKJNHyxYG8JYbGJmkSnzR3kpZQvVUZrIV80uFehmzW8qKdwv3BBBmSVww_bfwxqqflym3dXG8tYd3BPITAMSq9sJQ7DB5Q/s1600/Afghan+Church+%25284%2529.jpg" height="426" title="Afghan Church, Mumbai" width="640" /></div>
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I first went on a weekday - I was allowed to take pictures of the exterior, but the main church was closed. So I had to go again on a Sunday to see the inside.</div>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25476489.post-53150656955457394782014-05-07T10:48:00.000+05:302015-08-20T19:30:51.987+05:30Squirrel Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We live in a building surrounded by trees, so squirrels hang out in our balconies and terrace a LOT. Remember the time we found<b> <a href="http://madhugopalan.blogspot.in/2013/01/little-balls-of-fur.html" target="_blank">baby squirrels in a shopping bag</a></b>? Now, a couple of very hungry squirrels keep coming to our balcony - if the door is shut, I can get really close to the glass and it doesn't bother them at all. I put sunflower seeds in a small metal bucket to lure them, stand behind the door with my camera, and snap pictures of them as they eat :) </span><br />
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<img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdhCWKyTG41bb-HE8yEmxYHvPHUDPnAQa_44n64yV7Xu5AHg73wMYm2u4mfSAFKnk7lyQgt2ZZzMVM4dBvMmUL8YGVsMZ6r2zBGxia2A7kvCtvmRJcO2imNBui5X6wgX3XT6rCw/s1600/Squirrel+(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></center>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are those....SUNFLOWER SEEDS???</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66c2a5_Y3oIuSXpiY6g-ngUmjKbGqWrHULaNHjn0QP-YER2Huc5XI3KrMfpv5eWmMVXuvhEBRloacLi0rmCgfQtwpav2dqUWeSj4OB0x0uGOjkxdgNGw9Pc_o3TOIC7Vmn8HHEA/s1600/Squirrel+(5).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUMMM!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-fVutAzw0mrVv26aTKUOf_pNg-7Dgr-i_uBYI4o_fv19bescFftZSuMdraUKgDVRi7AExGbE_wjNzCsxS9gm_X8jXQR8HYFWedwmOto_0FX349EDw9jaFKjcqQF4sJL5baN3rQ/s1600/Squirrel+(6).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MUST. JUMP. IN.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcu24t9cLe9s37CjUedEjSZ3a7cjdE45vqNF-0dndbcqFayuZph7SpkRferdHOHamGXoradKyWE1yjyKpDOcHcxOETLMUdOkplVAoBuQ3NEvgZIcsK9EgUkQPt2_L1lxqiW4zWWw/s1600/Squirrel+(7).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuaMIGbycN1dI25muPqkIryKoyU0siM56zD_ogWE1MxJhZzgCH4lAUIlHQny2X_x4ADKfKmZxFLLLJsALKxvHZHnedtdJeBsXEn-7Djffq1jUaeqsNBB1m-qajer9zu_9OIJtvw/s1600/Squirrel+(8).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popping in</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOol63f_kURC0XIUAur_S4ZJJspaZUk5EGTR_2hjJ7zXrJHuzF_Rxz61gmc6nPlce5dkI12RyvU_Rq7yuXqnes_NYIAOYMb-vDpcjxNFOZq7J9Zr3D_T_2KckapImjTlTVhGP1A/s1600/Squirrel+(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popping out</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr3D3CF7b3RPeyj4hB3ohgMjjN-H4QBjsOzOT7-_dcAu3GLNQ6MkR1VL36Wnkl9pTuT_LwZUj4kMAZZDl1CYxhtPgf5uYRS0cEnq8LkjV2zt1HQkdW3RqMAgy57TAo5iEpOaUew/s1600/Squirrel+(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nom Nom Nom!</td></tr>
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Madhu Gopalanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782446279959875659noreply@blogger.com11