This is an image of the remnants of the kirti stambh (Victory Gates) at Modhera Sun Temple, a 990 year old structure in Gujarat. They stand proud through the ravages of time commemorating a victory, long forgotten. The clouds in the sky, I believe, add a dramatic touch to the scene.
I sulked a little, stood there obstinately for a while more and reluctantly walked in after some time. “It’s just another thing you will not do anymore”, a little voice inside my head said, “but you have so many more of them.”
Photography Challenge: Developing Your Eye II Prompt: Warmth Photo clicked in bright sunlight at Modhera Sun Temple, a fine specimen of centuries old Solanki architecture two hours away from Ahmedabad, India. A feast for the eyes.
One of the finest specimens of Solanki architecture, the panels on the temple structure depict different mythological scenes from the Indian epics as well as scenes from the daily lives of the contemporary people. On every equinox, the sun rays shine directly into the sanctum sacrosanct (Garbhagriha) bathing the interiors of the temple in a golden light. It is believed that the golden statue of the resident deity had been looted away in one of the military invasions of Alauddin Khalji. Thus, the once glorious temple had fallen into neglect and dereliction.
Thus, I groped along my belongings (I was supposed to be packing anyway) and came up with these beautiful wooden blocks I had picked up from a flea market in Jaisalmer.
The challenge was to focus on only one color on a neutral background. And I chose to steer clear of the reds and blues and vibrant yellows and mellow pastels and go with the classic shade of white.
Once upon a time, I was in the Golden Fort of Rajasthan. The golden sandstone walls were shining in the sun rays and there were rows and rows of beautiful things- golden puppets, colorful turbans, exquisite shawls… and I wanted to buy them all but did not have enough money…
Photography Challenge: Developing Your Eye Day Seven: Prompt- Big The challenge was to click a photograph of something big from an unusual angle. Well, this is the Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur as seen from Jaswanth Thada. I believe the silhouette of the soldier’s statue in the foreground adds a dash of drama to the frame, […]Read Post ›
I heard boredom in their voices, saw defiance in their strides and even made out a slight hint of rebelliousness. Solitude, however, was nowhere to be found.
With its vibrant red cotton soil, abundant foliage tumbling down in abandon and a solitary track that seemed to invite guests away into a different world where time stands still, the station seemed to have been pulled right out of a Ruskin Bond novel of my childhood.
