DAILY PHOTO: Madikeri Fort

Taken March 30, 2014 in Madikeri.

Taken March 30, 2014 in Madikeri.

This 17th century fort was built by the Mudduraja, and subsequently controlled by Tipu Sultan, Doddavira Rajendra, the British, and the Wodeyars.

DAILY PHOTO: Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara

Taken March 29, 2014 at Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe.

Taken March 29, 2014 at Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe.

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Namdroling Monastery is the largest teaching center of the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. It is located in Bylakuppe in southern Karnataka. Bylakuppe is a series of settlements that constitute one of the largest collections of Tibetans in Southern India (about 20,000 Tibetans live here.) This monastery was established by the Penor Rinpoche in 1963, after the Tibetan diaspora of 1959. The original monastery was a small bamboo temple, from that it has grown to a large campus of buildings.

This, the “Golden Temple”, is a must stop visit for travelers in southern Karnataka. For those with interest in Tibetan Buddhism, one may want to arrange a longer stay. Be aware that there are certain permitting requirements for visits longer than day visits.

DAILY PHOTO: Coracle Captain

Taken in November of 2013 at Hampi

Taken in November of 2013 at Hampi.

This 89 pound man rowed tourists (usually weighing much more than 89 pounds a piece–and sometimes including five or six per group) upstream, and then float them back downstream.  He was definitely putting his back into it.

DAILY PHOTO: Crocodile at Peace

Taken in November of 2013 at the Mysore Zoo

Taken in November of 2013 at the Mysore Zoo

There is no smile
worn by a crocodile,
that’ll induce me to pet him.

There’s no grin,
neither wide nor thin,
that extends my treasured limb.

Save your beaming.
It looks scheming.
“No, I won’t go for a swim.”

 

 

DAILY PHOTO: Temple Dancer

Taken November 23, 2013 in Belur, India

Taken November 23, 2013 in Belur, India

This may be my last Daily Photo post for almost a  month. If I do get any in, they’ll be sporadic. However, upon my return I will have lots of new posting fodder from Malaysia and Thailand.

DAILY PHOTO: Commercial Street Storefront

Taken December 7, 2013 on Commercial Street in Bangalore.

Taken December 7, 2013 on Commercial Street in Bangalore.

This is one of the more ornate and less modern storefronts on Commercial Street.

Commercial Street is the heart of a market district in central Bangalore. It’s a short street that runs parallel to, and a few blocks north of, MG Road.

 

 

DAILY PHOTO: Leopard

Taken at the Mysore Zoo on November 29, 2013.

Taken at the Mysore Zoo on November 29, 2013.

I took this photo at Mysore zoo through the chain link fence, but got focus on the leopard.

DAILY PHOTO: Ancient Temple, Modern Workers

Taken November 23 at Hoysaleshwara Temple in Halebidu

Taken November 23 at Hoysaleshwara Temple in Halebidu

For almost 900 years poor schlubs have had to scrub their way around this temple, washing its ornate carvings.

I wonder how similar or different the workers of past generations looked? Obviously, they didn’t have molded plastic water jugs, but the pottery version might have looked similar (not the day-glo lime green one, but certainly the brick-colored one.) No dress shirts or ball caps  back then, but the turbans and sarongs are probably not so out-of-place.

Of course, the scaffolding, rough-cut wood lashed together, gives it an ancient feel.

Probably, the most striking difference is the female job foreman.

DAILY PHOTO: Temple Gate at Chennakeshava

Taken November 23, 2013 at Belur.

Taken November 23, 2013 at Belur.

This is the gate into the Chennakeshava temple in Belur. In the foreground is the base of a pillar that served to hold the temple lantern that let all find the temple in the darkness. (Fun fact: the pillar isn’t secured to the base. That is, it’s held in place by gravity.) The base is the same multi-sided shape as the temple mounts.

Below is a pic of the lantern pillar (it’s not as askew as it appears in the pic.) (Fun fact #2: if you type askew into Google’s browser it will twist the page askew.)

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DAILY PHOTO: Dariya Daulat Gate

Taken November 29, 2013 in Mysore

Taken November 29, 2013 in Mysore

[I missed my Daily Photo post yesterday due to being on the road to Mysore, so I’m doubling up today.]

Dariya Daulat is Tipu Sultan’s palace at Mysore. There’s a similar structure in Bangalore, where the Sultan conducted meetings while in town. The Mysore palace is much more impressive from the inside. The murals have been restored and there are exhibits of furniture, arms, and artworks from the era.

However, the outside the structure is much less impressive because of ugly green blinders that are used for the twin purposes of keeping the light and tourists photos out. (There is no photography allowed inside.)

This is the gate which stands inline but opposite Dariya Daulat.