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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...

Skywatch Friday: Abbey Falls

Located in the heart of Coorg, the Abbey falls are on every tourist's itinerary. In the monsoon and the months following, the water cascades 21 m in a rush, drenching the surroundings with its spray, and rendering the whole area slippery and dangerous. In the summer, however, we see a far tamer version....




It is the local stream, called the Mutharmuttu, which cascades down this rocky gorge, forming this gorgeous waterfall. The name, however, comes from the Kodava word for waterfall - abbe. 



Interestingly, the British called these falls, Jessy Falls, in memory of the daughter of Madikeri's first chaplain, or so says the board here. The board also cautions visitors against trying to bathe in the falls, as the boulders are slippery, but a few deaths each year don't seem to keep enthusiasts at bay yet. 



A conveniently constructed bridge across the stream provides the perfect camera angle for eager visitors, and as far as I could see, even the searing summer sun and lack of water didn't seem to discourage tourists. 

For more beautiful images from across the world, visit the Skywatch Page

Comments

  1. Its Nice. I too visted this place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I guess everyone who visits coorg visits the falls :D

      Delete
  2. Great contribution to the theme day. Enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Thank you, Niranjan! I am sure you would have seen the falls in better form than that!

      Delete
  4. Pictures are very beautiful,

    Please tell me more about this Skywatch and if we can link our blog there

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely shots of the falls.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey your blog is an interesting read! Check out our blog punediaries.com-for all the talking and listening taking place in the city of Pune! -

    ReplyDelete

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