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Newasa - Encountering an unique form of Vishnu, and Sant Jnaneshwar

The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
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Skywatch Friday - Silhouettes of Temples at Pattadakal

Pattadakal is on my mind...Its been almost a year since I visited the World Heritage Site, but the memories of the consummate artistic talent are as fresh as if it were yesterday!

Our first glimpse of the temples at Pattadakal .. the temple towers stand out tall against the clear sky..



Pattadakal is the third in the triad of Chalukyan temple architecture. Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal together show the development of temple architecture and building methods between the 6th and 8th centuries AD. While Badami was the capital of the Chalukyan kings, and Aihole drew the scholars, it was Pattadakal which is believed to have been chosen site for the coronation of the royals. The temples at Pattadakal are also among the finest among the three, and no wonder it is today classified as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. 



Even to my untrained eye, it was apparent that here were two completely different styles of temples – some built in the northern style and some in the southern. In the language of architecture, these are the Rekha Nagara Prasada and Dravida Vimanas respectively. 









One only has to look to see the difference, yet, one has to look closer to see the similarities - in the work involved, in the intricacy and attention paid to the details, the talent and creativity of the artisans who built such works of art, and finally, in the Gods these temples were built for!

We spent just a few hours at Pattadakal, something I sorely regret! These temples deserve a day or more, and I could just sit and look at these temples for ever! Look out for more detailed posts coming up!

Fore more beautiful skies from around the world, go to SkyWatch Friday!



Pattadakal  Quick Facts
Getting there:
Nearest Airport: Hubli (about  120 Km )
Nearest Railway Station: Badami (29 Km)
Pattadakal is well connected by road to Badami (29 Km) and Aihole (24 Km).
Where to stay: There is practically no accommodation available at Pattadakal. The nearest city is Badami, where the KSRTC Mayura Chalukya is the best option. There are also other hotels and lodges in Badami. 



Labels:
Location: Pattadakal, Karnataka, India

Comments

  1. Lady FiNovember 25, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Wonderful shots - love the architectural detail!

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  2. RutasinhasaneNovember 25, 2011 at 2:30 PM

    i sure look forward to views and observation on these pieces of architecture... ruta

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  3. FotoAnnaNovember 25, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    So beautiful and I love the architectural details Anu!!
    Happy SWF and greetings from Holland,Anna :-))

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  4. Lakshmi SharathNovember 25, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    Lovely shots..reminds me of the trip made almost 20 years ago..shd go there again..

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  5. Anu ShankarNovember 25, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    Thanks Lady Fi! its absolutely amazing!

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  6. Anu ShankarNovember 25, 2011 at 4:34 PM

    Thanks Lakshmi! you should def go again! I think i can go again and again there!

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  7. Anu ShankarNovember 25, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Thanks Ruta! u would have loved the place! It was full of art and architecture students looking at the structures, and drawing and painting them! it was so wonderful! would love to go there someday to draw them!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anu ShankarNovember 25, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Thanks FotoAnna!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Team G SquareNovember 25, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    Wonderful place and nice capture .

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  10. Mridula DNovember 25, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Lovely captures in the golden light!

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  11. NishaNovember 26, 2011 at 11:38 AM

    Bright sky & lovely architecture. never been to this place. Shall we? Now that the ladies group is building up. :) 
    What say?

    ReplyDelete
  12. NamitaNovember 26, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    lovely pics and description

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  13. Anu ShankarNovember 26, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    Thanks Team G Sqaure!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anu ShankarNovember 26, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    THanks Mridula!

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  15. Anu ShankarNovember 26, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    Thanks Namita!

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  16. Anu ShankarNovember 26, 2011 at 12:27 PM

    Its an amazing place, Nisha! just wait for some of the other pics I have clicked here! and I would love to go again, esp with our gang of girls!!! ha ha!

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  17. PradeepaNovember 26, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    Just spectacular.

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  18. ViyomaNovember 26, 2011 at 11:52 PM

    Beautiful...and what artistic captures you made. Pleasing/. endearing images. 

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  19. PN SubramanianNovember 27, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    Oh! lovely. Your untrained {?} eyes catches heavenly bodies.I have been longing to visit the trio. May be next year. Right now I am touring Kerala.

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  20. Anu ShankarNovember 27, 2011 at 7:48 PM

    Thanks so much, Pradeepa!

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  21. Anu ShankarNovember 27, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    THanks so much Viyoma!

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  22. Anu ShankarNovember 27, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    thanks PNS! you should def go! am sure you will love it! and Kerala sounds great!! am waiting for a chance to explore more of the wonderful state! dont know when i will be able to!

    ReplyDelete
  23. DeepuNovember 30, 2011 at 11:57 AM

    this would help you ,if you are planning for a tour in kerala.
    http://www.msdnholidays.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. DeepuNovember 30, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    These snaps implies there where the best achitechtures in 6th centuries AD.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anu ShankarNovember 30, 2011 at 1:07 PM

    well, they are certainly among the best!

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  26. R.RamakrishnanNovember 30, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    Hi, Loved the images of Pattadakal. Fascinating temple architecture 1500 years ago never ceases to amaze. And there is hardly any crowd.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anu ShankarDecember 2, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Aah, thats because this pic is from far.... wait till u see the rest of my series.. esp the more popular temples!! thankfully, it was afternoon, so it wasnt too bad, though i had to wait to click pics without ppl in it!

    ReplyDelete

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