Just a few photos of the 3rd c BC elephant sculpture at Dhauli, a few kilometers south of Bhubaneswar. This elephant emerging out of the stone was sculpted out of the top of the rock on which are inscribed Ashoka’s famous edicts. This rocky outcrop, and the nearby Dhauli hill, are situated near the battlefield where Ashoka renounced violence and turned towards Buddhism. Continue reading
The Khandagiri caves are not as numerous as those on Udayagiri, and some are being used as active temples with new structures built in front of them. Continue reading
Photos from Udayagiri Caves 10 & 15 to 18. Continue reading
Photos from Udayagiri Caves 12 to 14. (I’ve skipped Cave 11 – it’s not got anything special)! Continue reading
Photos from Udayagiri caves 06 to 09. Continue reading
Photos from Udayagiri caves 02 to 05 Continue reading
About 5 kilometers west-north-west of Old Town Bhubaneswar (as the crow flies) lie the adjacent hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri. On them are carved multiple rock-cut caves that constitute a Jain monastery, dating back to the 1st c BC. Continue reading
Chausath Yogini Temple, located in a suburb of Bhubaneswar called Hirapur, is one of the handful of temples dedicated to worshiping sixty four (chausath) forms of Devi/Shakti in India. The only other Chausath Yogini temple I’ve been to is at Mitaoli in Madhya Pradesh. Continue reading
Old Town Bhubaneswar is one of those urban areas that is crying out to become a heritage zone, with special regulations and guidelines on construction, development, activities etc. Not only is there a plethora of important ancient temples in the area, there are also dharamshalas (rest-houses), maths (monasteries) and residential buildings from the early 20th c and possibly even 19th c. Continue reading
Photos of a few of the other temples around Old Town Bhubneswar. Continue reading
Sarson ke Khet 