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Temples of Kashi - The Kardameshwar temple

The absence of ancient Hindu structures in Kashi is something I have always lamented about. The shrines are certainly ancient, and that is something that has always attracted me to the city. However, I miss the beauty of the ancient structures that we see at other sites. This feeling is intensified when I see marble and concrete and tiles in temples that once would have been beautifully adorned with evocative sculptures, and worn by the passage of time, touched by the hands of seekers who came before. This time , this desire to see some remnants of an ancient Hindu structure in Kashi came true when I managed to visit the Kardameshwar Temple. The Kardameshwar temple is not one of the main temples in the city. It is part of the temples on the Pancha Kroshi yatra, a pilgrimage which takes one on a circumambulatory tour of the whole city. The temple is located on the outskirts of the city, on the western bank of a tank called the Kardama Kund. The Kardameshwar temple is one of the...
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Ducks in the Lake

The Nakki Lake at Mount Abu has a small island at the centre where some ducks have been kept.






They have not been caged, thankfully, and seem free to come and go as they please. It seems quite evident that they do come back, because we saw many on the banks of the lake, as well in the enclosure itself.




They attracted quite a lot of attention from the tourists boating in the lake, but no one threw any food or tried to touch the birds, which was quite heartening to watch!



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Location: Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

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