Victoria Terminus, Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) formerly known as Victoria Terminus at Mumbai is the 19th century heritage structure. It was built to  to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. 

The terminus is one of the first construction that made use of industrial revolution technology merged with the Gothic Revival style based on late medieval Italian models.

This style made use of color and ornamentation that is compatible with the Mughal and Hindu architecture of the subcontinent.

The facades present the appearance of well-proportioned rows of windows and arches.

This is the highlight among the city's historic buildings. From across the street one can admire all its quirky ornaments. 

Yellow Wagtail at Diu

During our visit to Diu, we came across many colourful birds. Our trip was made memorable by the presence of beautiful birds. One such colourful bird we saw was Yellow Wagtail. 

It is a slender approximately 16 cm long bird, whose body is olive above and plumage yellow below and on patterned edges of wing-feathers. 

The heads of breeding males come in a variety of colours and patterns depending on subspecies. It has a long tail that is constantly wagging.

It eats insects and other invertebrates, foraging on the ground and in the air.

Brahmadeva Pillar, Kambadahalli

In Kambadahalli we have ancient Brahmadeva Pillar in front of the temple Panchakuta Basadi. It is believed that the village got this name due to the pillar erected here. When Kambadahalli when translated in Kannada language it literally means "village with pillar". This is one of the few high-raised pillars in ancient South India. 

This 57-feet-high pillar stands on an octagonal base. Tiers of floral motifs adorn its well-crafted shaft. On the pillar there are carvings of ashta dikpalakas. An inscription around the lower portion of the pillar dates back to 1118 A.D. 

The pillar top has a square platform that holds aloft the seated image of Brahma Yaksha. The outer corners of the platform are embellished with hanging bells. 

Parshwanatha Basadi, Halebid

The Jain Temple complex in Halebid as three Jain Basadi's. Among them Parshwanatha Basadi facing the entrance of the Compound is the largest Basadi.  This was completed in  1113 AD in the memory of Ganga Raja, the commander of Vishnuvardhana Raya by his son Boppadeva. This Basadi looks simple externally, but the interiors is a contrast to the outside.

This Basadi built using soapstone consists of a garbhagriha, a sukhanasi, a navaranga and a detached mukhamandapa. The pillars of the mukhamandapa even though they are not polished they are beautifully ornate.

The square garbhagriha and the walls of the navaranga are plain but decorated with pilasters at intervals. In the navaranga the 12 black pillars that support the dome have been shaped attractively and thoroughly polished. 

The lathing of these pillars has been done very well and all the images on each of the pillars are very different from each another.

The image of Parshwanatha in the sanctum is an example of beautiful workmanship of that period. This 18 ft. tall sculpture with a seven hooded serpent over his head represents a perfect yogi or with a benign and sympathetic smile on his lips.

There is a attractive sculpture of Bhuvaneshwari in the underside sealing.

Birds of Jakkur Lake - 5, Bangalore

At Jakkur Lake in north Bangalore you can come across many colourful birds.  Here is a bird  flying in search of fish in the lake.

Will it get there?

Check it out in the coming weeks.

Jain Basadi, Halebid

The Jain Temples of Halebid are the gems of 12th century.  There are three Jain temples all constructed that are constructed inside the single complex by queen Shantaladevi.

The attractive mantapa at the entrance to these temples is a glimpse of the rich architectural beauty of the bygone era of Hoysala period. The three temples are:

• Parshwanatha Basadi
• Adinatha Basadi
• Shanthinatha Basadi 

These temples are just a stones throw away from the famous Hoysaleswara Temple.

Ooty Lake

The lake located in Ooty is one of the major attractions in the city. The lake offers boating facilities to the visitors for a nominal fee. It is an  artificial lake constructed by John Sullivan, in 1824.

The lake is formed when the water flowing down mountain streams in the Ooty valley was dammed to occupy an area of 65 acres. The lake is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees and a railway line used by Nilgiri Mountain Railway runs along its shore.

Originally it was used for fishing, but as it diminished in size, it was converted into  tourist spot by the authorities to restrict encroachment of the area.

The kids and adults equally enjoy the boat rides here. One can around in the lake with the choice of their boat such as Paddle boats, Row boats, and Motor boats.

Also one can also see water birds in this lake.

Nagueshi Temple, Ponda

This temple in Ponda is one of the modern temple that is simple yet beautiful. This type of temple architecture is mainly seen in this area.

Most of the temples in this area were shifted from the adjacent Vehla during the Portuguese invasion. But this temple is originally from this place itself according to the inscription on a 1413 AD stone in the temple premises. 

The Temple was built in 1413, when this place was under the rule of King Veer Pratap Devaraya. Since then the original temple has undergone successive renovation even in the days of Chatrapati Shahu the Maratha ruler. 

The main deity of the temple is a form of Lord Shiva. A stone sculpture of the Nandi Bull- the vehicle of Lord Shiva is set at the entrance of the main shrine. On either side of the sanctum are ancillary shrines of Lakshmi Narayan and Lord Ganesh. 

The major attractions of the temple are the five-storied lamp tower.

The temple also has historic old water tank. It is built in such a way that standing at a certain point around the tank one can view the reflection of the idol of Lord Nagesh and the lighted lamps in the inner sanctum. 

Birds of Jakkur Lake - 4, Bangalore

At Jakkur Lake in north Bangalore you can come across many colourful birds.  One can see lot of birds on the trees on the small island in the lake.

One of them is Grey Heron and I could see it flying around.

Gandhi Smriti, Bhavanagar

Gandhi Smriti in Bhavanagar is a monument built in 1955 that signifies the life and service of Mahatma Gandhi. The ground floor houses the Barton Museum that showcases the archaeological remains of the surrounding areas. 

The first floor houses the Gandhi Museum  that depicts life of father of the nation and rare photographs from the life of Gandhi.

In addition to the above it also has library and Khadi Gramodyog Bhandar. Visiting time is 09:00 am to 12:00 pm and 03:00 pm to 06:00 pm. But unfortunately we were late and we could not visit the museum.                                                          

Surya Kund, Modhera

Sun Temple at Modhera is the architectural marvel of the 11th century built by rulers of Solanki Dynasty. The temple is dedicated to Sun God and in front of the temple is a beautiful step well known as Surya Kund.

It is a rectangular step-well that approximately measures 1962 sq meters and a flight of steps through kirti-torana on the west leads to this step-well. This is primarily used for storing water and perform ceremonies for worshipping the Sun God. 

The architecture showcases the symmetry in the layout and beautiful carvings. There are four terraces and recessed steps through which one can reach the bottom of the tank. The steps on each terrace are at right angle to steps on the next terrace. These steps are rectangular or square except the first step of each flight of steps which is semicircular. 

There are numerous miniature shrines and niches in front of terrace-wall that have images gods. There are supposed to be 108 small shrines all throughout the steps in the tank. The gods and goddesses adorning the steps of the tank include Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu, and other locally worshipped forms.

Egret at Ponda

During our visit to Ponda, we saw a watery field near the temple with variety  of birds in it.

One among then is Egret.