Taken on November 29, 2020 in Bijapur (Vijayapura)
Looking like the remnants of a bombed out Gothic cathedral, this expanse of arches resting on a massive plinth is actually the unfinished mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II. Shah intended this structure to dwarf other famous tombs — e.g. the nearby Gol Gumbaz and the Taj Mahal in Agra — but when he was defeated by Aurangzeb the structure became stuck in suspended animation.
Taken on November 27, 2020 at Hampi.
Taken on November 29, 2020 at Kudalasangama.
Taken on November 29, 2020 in Bijapur (Vijayapura)
This is the second largest unsupported dome in the world (after St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.)
Taken in Aihole on November 28, 2020.
Taken on November 28, 2020 at Mahakuteshwara Mandir.
Taken at the Pattadakal Temple Group on November 28, 2020.
I
flat waters
glide wide at the bend,
their might mute
II
boulders stacked
in precarious piles —
yet they stand
III
the palm trees
stand over stone ruins —
upright sentries
IV
a leaning tree
reaches its gnarled, bent trunk
to shade pilgrims
V
strange landscape —
rubble swept into piles
by what hand?
Tiger Riding for Beginners 