Saturday, January 28, 2012

Birds in Sunderbans, West Bengal

Juvenile Brahminy kite
Sunderbans
Some more pictures from my Sunderbans trip. These set of pictures are focussed on birds. As usual I have dipped into my cousin Soma's collection from the trip. Her pictures are so perfect that  my pictures fade in comparison:(

I need to upgrade to a better camera soon.
Brown headed gulls
Sunderbans

Common Redshank Sunderbans



Common Sandpiper
Sunderbans

Darter, Sunderbans


Eurasian Curlew
Sunderbans
Great Egret


Juvenile Shikra Sunderbans

White bellied sea eagle

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Sunderbans; beautiful, serene, and wild

Sunrise at Sunderbans, West Bengal
Sharing some pictures from my recent Sunderbans trip. It was very short trip. We left very early around 4am and spent the whole day at Sunderbans. and came back late evening.

The weather was not very encouraging, it kept raining off and on, and that depressed us. But eventually the sun came up, and the day wasn't such a wash out after all!

I guess, because of the weather or perhaps I ran out of luck, this time we were not that lucky; we did not spot a tiger:(
 
Having said that, Sunderbans never disappoints, just the ride on the boat through the mangrove forests can be extremely therapeutic. This was my second visit to Sunderbans and I wish to go again soon. If you visit West Bengal, Sunderbans should be in your agenda. Sunderbans is so beautiful; the water and greens all around you is so blissful. My bird entusisatic sister, Soma, mananged to get some good close up shots of birds, I am posting some of her pics and mine too!

You can check out my earlier Sunderbans trip report and the Royal Bengal tiger video. We saw this tiger for around 40 minutes! Now I know that we were very lucky to have spotted the tiger then, it is not easy to spot a tiger in Sunderbans.

Black capped Kingfisher Sunderbans
Collared Kingfisher, Sunderbans
West Bengal


Common Kingfisher
Sunderbans
Pied Kingfisher
Sunderbans, West Bengal



Oriental white eye
Sunderbans
Purple rumped
Sunbird, Sunderbans



Beautiful Sunderbans

Water monitor, Sunderbans

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Hampi - Ancient and Beautiful temples in Karnataka,India

Hampi
Hampi has so many beautiful temples, it is quite impossible to capture all of them in a few posts.

I am posting some more selected pictures from my Hampi trip.



Lakshmi Narsimha Hampi

Siva Temple, Hampi


Rock cut temples, Hampi

Rocks used for temples


Kadalekalu Ganesh, Hampi

Sasivekalu Ganesha, Hampi

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Mahanavami Dibba, Hampi, Karnataka, India

Mahanavami Dibba, Hampi
Mahanavami dibba was the hub of religious activities.People from far of places came to be part of this huge gathering.This platform has some beautiful carvings, must be been so beautiful when it was in it's original form!




Board displaying info on Mahanavami dibba
from Archeological survey of India




Carvings on the platform
Intricate work on Mahanavami dibba, Hampi, Karnataka

A beautiful Pushkarni near Mahanavami Dibba
Hampi

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Hazararama temple, Hampi, Karnataka,India

Hazararama temple, Hampi, Karnataka

One of my personal favourites, this temple was dedicated to Vishnu in the form of Rama. The name Hazara-Rama has been derived from the thousands of Rams carved on the temple walls.

I absolutely love the carvings on the walls, especially the carvings on the pillars inside the temple.


Carvings on the walls
Hazara-Rama Temple, Hampi

Carvings on the walls of Hazara-Rama temple, Hampi


Hazara-Rama temple, Hampi


Pillars with exquisite carvings inside the temple
Hazara-Rama temple, Hampi, Karnataka

Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Zanana enclosure,Hampi Karnataka

Happy new year. Wishing everyone a very happy, prosperous, and peaceful year ahead.

This post is in continuation to my earlier posts on my trip to Hampi.

The Zanana enclosure, Hampi
This walled area in the Hampi temple complex, houses the basement of a large palace building, three watch towers, Lotus Mahal, the woman's guards' quarters and a water pavilion.


Basement of  a large palace within the Zanana enclosure
Women's guards quarters, Zanana enclosure, Hampi


Lotus Mahal, Hampi
Carvings on the walls of Lotus Mahal, Hampi

Lotus Mahal (above) -It is a mix of Indian and Islamic architecture. We were not allowed to go inside Lotus Mahal, but this two storied structure is indeed beautiful. I believe this is where King Rama Raya met with scholars.

I have put up the pictures of one of the three watch towers (below)
Women's guards' quarters- This building is interesting, it has no windows; there are only ventilators at the top. Our guide informed us that this quarter was also used by King Rama Raya to keep valuables.

View from Zanana enclosure, Elephant stable at he background
Watch Tower, Hampi


Elephant Stable and Guards quarters, Hampi, Karnataka

Board displaying info on Elephant's stable from Archeological survey of India





Guards quarters, Elephant stable, Hampi

Elephant stable, Hampi