logologo
GOPS CREATIV :: REDISCOVERING MY LOST PASSIONS
  • HOME
  • ABOUT ME
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
    • CULTURE
    • HERITAGE
    • LANDSCAPE
    • PEOPLE
    • NATURE
    • MORE NATURE
    • AND MORE NATURE
    • SOME MORE NATURE
    • STILL MORE NATURE
    • DRAGONS & DAMSELS
    • MORE DRAGONS & DAMSELS
    • LOTS OF LOTUS
    • FALLEN
    • FLOATING FANTASIES
    • SPIRITUAL
    • STREET
    • MORE STREETS
    • TRAVEL
    • KATHAKALI
    • COLORLESS CLASSICS
    • NATURE’S BRUSHSTROKES
    • HAMPI
    • THE SUN AND THE MOON
  • CREATIVE ART
  • BLOGS
  • LICENSE MY PHOTOS
  • BUY FRAMED PRINTS
    • KERALA BACKWATER
    • EAGLE OVER THE TOP
    • FARMER WITH BULLS
    • WESTERN GHATS
    • A BUG’S LIFE
  • CONTACT
  • PRIVACY POLICY
Oct 28
by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage 9 comments tags: architecture, blog, buddha, buddhism, buddhist, caves, cut, elephanta, ellora, ferry, gateway, gharapuri mural, gop.org, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, heritage, hindu, hinduism, india, MUMBAI, of, photography, rock, shiva, shrine, site, temple, Temples, tourism, unesco, WORLD

EXQUISITE ELEPHANTA CAVES

Artillery firing continued profusely for weeks and months without having a single enemy in the vicinity. In fact, the Portuguese soldiers were firing cannon balls at the mighty rock sculptures in Elephanta caves for target practicing. A journey through the timeline of explorations, invasions and colonization would reveal the bloodshed and destruction that accompanied every successful event. Successors of those ruthless invaders who turned the treasures of a great country into heaps of rubble and sand must feel ashamed of their forefathers’ deeds. While we boast about the rich culture and heritage of India, those disturbing facts are often being ignored. Gharapuri was the name of that ancient island kingdom situated near Mumbai harbour. Gharapuri literally means ‘City of Caves’ in Marathi language. Traces of early inhabitation that dates back to 2nd century BC is still visible in this little island. For travelers visiting Mumbai, it would be a quick escapade from the hustle and bustle of one of the largest cities in the world. The island consists of two small hillocks on its east and west sides with a narrow ravine situated in the middle. Caves and sculptures have been carved out of Basalt rock similar to that existed […]
Read More
May 18
by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage 4 comments tags: architecture, arsikere, belavadi, belur, Chandramouleshwara, gop.org, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, halebeedu, halebidu, hindu, hoysala, india, Ishvara, karnataka, Shivalaya, shrine, sivalaya, temple, tour, tourism, veeranarayana

A SNEAK PEAK INTO HOYSALA HISTORY : BELAVADI & ARSIKERE

“Hoy, Sala !” in Kannada language means “Strike Sala !”, a dialogue that comes from Kannada folklore. As per the story, a young boy called Sala fought with a lion (or tiger) and saved his Jain Guru named Sudatta. The young warrior became the founder of an empire called ‘Hoysala’ and a depiction of this incident was adopted as the emblem of Hoysala dynasty. Hoysala Empire ruled the Deccan Plateau region of Southern India between the 10th and 14th centuries. They developed their own style of architecture and built a number of impeccable masterpieces around the kingdom, thus leaving their cultural imprint in and around the region. Several of these architectural wonders still exist in Karnataka, the most prominent ones are listed below in chronological order : Click the name of a temple to go through a photo tour. TEMPLE PLACE YEAR KING Chennakesava Belur 1117 Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleswara Halebidu 1120 Vishnuvardhana Kedareshwara Halebidu 1200 Veera Ballala II Veeranarayana Belavadi 1200 Veera Ballala II Ishvara (Shivalaya) Arsikere 1220 Veera Ballala II Kesava Somanathapura 1268 Narasimha III    VEERA NARAYANA TEMPLE, BELAVADI  Belavadi is a little village located 10 km north-west of Halebid (Halebeedu), the ancient capital of Hoysala kingdom. Belavadi is also known […]
Read More
Apr 23
by GOPAN NAIR in Indian architecture & Heritage 12 comments tags: aihole, Badami, bangalkot, Bhaje, cave, caves, chalukya, fort, Ganapatim, gop.org, gopan, gopan g nair, gops, gops photography, hindu, india, jain, karnataka, mahakoota, mahakuta, Malegitti, Nataraja, pattadakal, pattadakallu, RAVALPHADI, RAVANA PHADI, RAVANAPHADI, Shivalaya, shrine, Temples, tour, tourism, vatapi

BADAMI : MAGNIFICENT CAVES OF ANCIENT INDIA

BADAMI (ಬದಾಮಿ or Vatapi as it was known originally) is an ancient temple town located in the Bangalkot district of Nothern Karnataka in India. The place ‘Badiamaioi’ mentioned by Greek Geographer Ptolemy (150 AD) has been identified as Badami. Badami was the capital of Chalukya dynasty who ruled several parts of Karnataka between 540 to 757 AD. The town of Badami lies 460 Kms from Bangalore, situated  at the mouth of a ravine protected by huge red sandstone ridges on either sides with a beautiful lake (Agastya lake) in the middle. Legend has it that Badami was named after an asura called Vatapi who got killed by sage Agastya.  Chalukya rulers had fortified the hills surrounding the town and built several temples in and around the area. The temples and ruins at Badami, Pattadakkal, Aihole and Mahakuta are good examples of Chalukya architecture. The most famous among this group of temples are the rock-cut cave temples built between 6th and 8th centuries AD. There is a famous Carnatic recital “Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje” praising lord Ganesha at Vatapi, composed by Muthuswami Dikshitar. The Chalukyas were defeated by Pallavas in 7th century and the idol of Vatapi Ganapati was transferred to TamilNadu which […]
Read More
Recent Posts
  • CHRYSILLA VOLUPE, THE RARE JUMPING SPIDER
  • A HINDU MONK FROM ITALY
  • LAUGHTER OF POVERTY
  • ABSTRACT REALITIES OF THE GREEN KIND
  • THE PARADOX OF ABSTRACT REALITY
Archives
  • January 2023 (1)
  • September 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • February 2020 (2)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (3)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • September 2017 (1)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • June 2016 (1)
  • March 2016 (1)
  • February 2016 (1)
  • January 2016 (1)
  • December 2015 (1)
  • November 2015 (1)
  • October 2015 (1)
  • September 2015 (1)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (1)
  • June 2015 (1)
  • May 2015 (2)
  • April 2015 (1)
  • March 2015 (1)
  • February 2015 (3)
  • January 2015 (12)
Flickr Photostream
Find me on FaceBook

Find me on Twitter
Follow @gopsphotography
Follow on Instagram
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Jan    
2002~2017 GOPS Creativ. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading expressly prohibited.