Category: Destination
Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
The Belur Chennakeshava Temple, a gem among stones, is an architectural marvel. It showcases the Hoysala architecture with many notable features, including its unique layout, ornate pillars (one of them revolves about its own axis), and most importantly, the bracket figures, the beautifully carved sculptures mounted on the exterior wall at an angle just below the eaves.
Note: This page is about the bracket figures. Check the Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Navaranga page for the images and detailed explanation of the architectural elements inside and outside the Navaranga.
Navaranga – Hoysala Class ic Design
Although the front portion of the temple – popularly known as Navaranga – is relatively small, it is unique in many ways and aesthetically pleasing. The layout of the Navaranga shown below highlights the location of the bracket figures and the other architectural elements.
Note: The diagram is not drawn to scale. The bracket figures are represented by circles and given a number. The sections of the wall are also labeled to indicate their location. For example, S4 is the fourth section on the south side from the main entrance.
The temple is symmetrical about an east-west axis. In other words, the south-side layout is a mirror image of the north side (and vice versa).
As you can see from the diagram, there are three entrances, the main entrance to the temple is on the east side, and a side entrance each on the north and the south. Because of the location of the garb
Bracket Figures – Hoysala Masterpieces
The exterior wall surrounding the Navaranga has eight sections each on the south (S1 to S8) and north (N1 to N8) sides. On each section, small (height of 2.5 ft on the average) but finely-carved and ornate sculptures are mounted on the brackets just below the eaves of the temple. They
There are 38 bracket figures on the exterior wall, 18 on the south side and 20 on the north side. Two on the south side are missing from the original 40. There are four bracket figures on the pillars surrounding the dance hall inside the Navaranga.
The bracket figures are inclined in such a way that the onlookers can have a good view of them. Each figure is standing on a disc-like base mounted on top of a pedestal that is attached to a pillar slightly below its capital. The pedestal is carved to look like a lotus flower. Engraved into the sides of some of these bases are the inscriptions, written in Halegannada (Old Kannada), with information about the sculptor.
Each pillar in the outward-pointing corner has two figures mounted at right angles to each other. Each middle pillar, as well as the pillar in the inward-pointing corner, has just one figure.
Most of the bracket figures were made of Balapada Kallu, a type of soft soapstone with characteristics ideal for sculpting and is available in plenty in Karnataka. It is soft, so it is easier to sculpt. Once the stone is exposed to air, it gets hard, so the sculpture lasts longer. Balapada Kallu comes with an attractive soft gray color, which is one of the main reasons most bracket figures are made of this stone. However, a few of them use Krishna Shilรฉ, a type of black stone. As the name suggests, these stones are black and are typically used for sculpting gods and goddesses.
Here are some of the noteworthy bracket figures:
Darpana Sundari
Darpana Sundari 
Darpana Sundari – Another view
Popularly known as Darpana Sundari, this beautifully carved shilฤbฤlike is an iconic figure and one of the most famous sculptures in the world. She is like Monalisa of the sculpture world. In Kannada, darpana means mirror, and sundari means beautiful lady.
As you can see from the image, Darpana Sundari, wearing a stylish dress and fine jewelry, is holding a mirror and looking at herself. Her elegant stance suggests that she is a dancer. It appears as though she is looking into the mirror just before the start of a dance performance.
Notice the three small figures at the bottom. Two of them are handing over some objects, likely the makeup material, to Darpana Sundari. The third one is a mysterious stocky figure carrying a monkey on his left side and holding a bunch of fruits or nuts with his right hand.
Located to the right of Shuka Bhasini, Darpana Sundari is mounted on a pillar on the left side of the door at the main entrance. She is also one of the four shilฤbฤlikes on the facade of this entrance. Experts believe that one of these shilฤbฤlikes resembles Pattada Rani Shantala Devi, an accomplished dancer and the queen consort of King Vishnuvardana, the builder of the Chennakeshava Temple.
In the Navaraga Layout, Darpana Sundari is figure number 1.
Sukha Bhasini – Madanike talking to her pet parrot
Popularly known as Shuka Bhashini, this madanike appears to be talking to her pet parrot while her three friends/assistants, who are holding what appears to be corn cobs, are watching her talk. In Kannada, shuka means parrot, and bhashini means lady who talks.
As you can see from the image, the Shuka Bhashini has gracefully bent her body to give her an elegant stance and held her left hand precisely at the chest level so that the parrot can stand on the back of her palm and look at her.
In the
Nฤtya Sundari – Dancing madanike
This beautifully sculpted madanike, popularly known as Nฤtya Sundari, is one of the first bracket figures you see when you enter the Chennakeshava Temple. She is above the doorway on the right side, and the iconic Darpana Sundari is on the left side.
As you can see from the image, Nฤtya Sundari has a well-proportioned body covered with stylish clothes and jewelry. She has a graceful dancing stance, and it appears as though she is dancing with an Indian classical dance move. Accompanying her at the bottom are the four musicians playing different musical instruments. As you can see, two on the left are beating the dolu, one on the right is playing the tฤla, and the other playing the flute.
In the Navaraga Layout, Nฤtya Sundari is figure number 38.
Gฤna Sundari – Singing beauty
This madanike, popularly known as Gฤna Sundari (Singing Beauty), is seen singing and playing the tฤla (notice the bell-like objects in her hands). Unlike the other bracket figures, her mouth is slightly open, indicating that she is singing.
As you can see from the image, her well-proportioned body is gracefully bent to give her an elegant stance. She is wearing stylish clothes and finely crafted jewelry all over her body.
Notice the four figures at the bottom; They are playing some musical instruments. It appears Gฤna Sundari is part of an orchestra, a quintet in which she is the lead singer accompanied by two male musicians playing the dolu, a lady musician playing the tฤla, and a male musician playing the flute.
She is bracket figure number 37 in the
Kapi Chastรฉ (Monkey Mischief ) – Madanike chasing a monkey
As you can see from the image, a monkey is pulling the dress of a beautiful lady who is trying to chase it with a small tree branch. She appears to be semi-nude, and her facial expression shows annoyance at being harassed by the monkey.
As with the other bracket figures, the background is a finely carved creeper. The base on which the dancer stands has an inscription describing the sculptor โ inscribed most likely by the sculptor himself.
This madanike is figure number 5, i.e., mounted on a pillar on the third section (S3) of the exterior wall.
Kesha Sundari – Madanike styling her long hair
Popularly known as Kesha Sundari, this gorgeous madanike is styling her long hair, helped by two lady assistants at the bottom, who are holding objects that are likely part of the hair-styling kit available in that era. Note: In Kannada, kesha means hair, and sundari means beautiful lady.
As you can see, Kesha Sundari and her accomplices are standing on a disc-like base mounted on a lotus pedestal. Engraved into this base is an inscription, written in the Halegannada (Old Kannada), likely inscribed by the sculptor to describe himself and his work.
In the Navaranga Layout, Kesha Sundari is figure number 7, i.e., mounted on the corner pillar located at the junction of the third and fourth sections of the south exterior wall.
Tribhangi
As you can see, Tribhangi has elegantly curved her body by bending her knee, waist, and neck to give her a beautiful S-like shape. The sculptor has captured this dance pose perfectly with great details.
This exquisitely carved sculpture captures the details of a complicated dance move, known as Tribhanga, commonly performed in the Indian classical dances, such as the Odissi, Bharatanฤtyam, and Kathakali. Described in the Nฤtya Shฤstra (ancient Indian text on dance) and Shilpa Shฤstras (ancient Indian texts on crafts), Tribhanga refers to a pose with three bends in the body (typically, knee, waist, and neck). Because of this dance move, the popular name for this stunningly beautiful sculpture is Tribhangi.
Tribhangi is dancing while playing on the davane, held gracefully above her head. She is beating the drum-head with her right hand while holding the davane steady with the left. As part of the dance move, she has bent and twisted her well-proportioned body and gracefully lifted her left leg. As you can see, this move is difficult to perform, and capturing it perfectly in stone requires extraordinary sculpting skills.
In the Navaranga Layout, Tribhangi is figure number 8, i.e., mounted on the middle pillar attached to the fourth section (S4) on the exterior wall.
Davane Playing Madanike
As you can see from the image, this exquisitely carved madanike appeared to be dancing while playing on the davane, hung by a thin rope from her left shoulder (part of the rope is missing). Using a curved stick, she is beating the drum-head with her right hand while holding the davane steady by inserting her left hand inside the net formed by the strings connecting the drum-heads.
Accompanying this madanike are the two male musicians, each beating a dolu, also a two-sided drum-like instrument, but played with hands. All these sculptures are standing on a disc-like base mounted on a lotus pedestal. Engraved into this base is an inscription, written in Halegannada (Old Kannada), likely inscribed by the sculptor to describe himself and his work.
Nฤtya Sundari with a Lizard Chasing a Fly in the Background
As you can see, this beautiful madanike, popularly known as Nฤtya Sundari, is dancing with an Indian classical dance move, accompanied by two musicians at the bottom, one playing the tฤla and the other beating the dolu. She is unaware of a lizard behind her chasing a fly on a fruit (likely a jack fruit).
Nฤtya Sundari and her accomplices are on a disc-like base, mounted on a pedestal carved with three layers of lotus flower petals.
She is bracket figure number 13 in the Navaranga Layout, i.e., mounted on the pillar on the right side of the door at the south entrance.
Betegฤrthi (Huntress) – Proud madanike after a successful hunt
TThis madanike is a Betegฤrthi (a huntress), shown by the bow on her left shoulder and an arrow (only a small piece remains) in her right hand. She seems to have finished a successful hunt, indicated by the kill, what appears to be a deer, carried by the lady, standing at the bottom right, on her shoulder.
The lady on the bottom left, who likely helped the hunt, is seen carrying a sword-like object. Sitting next to this lady is a small mysterious figure, most likely a man, with a puzzled facial expression.
This bracket figure is finely carved with amazing details. Betegฤrthiโs majestic stance and facial expression show her pride after a successful hunt. Notice her left toe, which is up slightly as if she is about to move.
Betegฤrthi is mounted on the
Kapฤla Durga
This shilฤbฤlike, depicted as Goddess Durga, is seen holding the kapฤla danda (skull cup attached to a staff) with her left hand and an unidentified object with her right hand. Accompanying her are the two
In Hindu mythology, Durga is a goddess who fights evil forces. As you can see from the image, Durga is wearing a garland of kapฤlas on her crown, symbolizing the liberation of mankind from evil.
The round base on which this shilฤbฤlike is standing is on top of a lotus pedestal. The side of the base has an inscription written in the old Kannada script inscribed most likely by the sculptor describing him and his work.
This shilฤbฤlike is mounted on the pillar at the junction of section 4 (S4) and 5 (S5) of the exterior wall. She is bracket figure number 9 in the Navaranga Layout.
Mango Plucking Madanike
Standing with an elegant pose, this beautifully carved madanike is plucking a fruit โ what appears to be a mango โ with her right hand. Her stance suggests that she neither a dancer nor a singer, rather a beautiful lady collecting fruits. Notice that her left hand is missing, which she likely used to hold a basket to collect fruits. The marks of broken stones at the bottom suggest that two small figures existed on either side of the original sculpture, just like in many other bracket figures.
As you can see, this madanike is on a disc-like base mounted on a pedestal carved with three layers of lotus flower petals. Engraved into this base is an inscription, written in the Halegannada (Old Kannada), likely inscribed by the sculptor to describe himself and his work.
This madanike is on a corner pillar at the junction of the 6th and 7th section of the exterior wall. She is bracket figure number 16 in the Navaranga Layout.
Nagna Sundari
This beautiful madanike, popularly known as Nagna Sundari (Nude Beauty), is holding the ends of her dress as though she is undressing. She is scantily clad but covered with a lot of jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, armbands, and anklets.
Standing with an elegant stance on a disc-like base mounted on top of a lotus pedestal, Nagna Sundari is looking intensely at the scorpion crawling on the side of the base. Her facial expression suggests that she is amused or scared.
The story behind this madanike is anybodyโs guess. According to one story, Nagna Sundari is shaking off the scorpion found in the dress. Another one suggests that she is a visha kanye (venomous girl), indicated by the presence of the scorpion, a poisonous creature.
The legends of visha kanyes appear in many ancient Indian texts, including Kautilyaโs Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft authored by Chanakya, the Prime Minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. According to the legend, visha kanyes were beautiful women born with poisonous blood (or other bodily fluids). They were capable of seducing powerful men and killing them with their poison.
In the Navaranga Layout, Nagna Sundari is figure number 26, i.e., she is on the leftmost pillar attached to the facade of the north entrance.
Flute Playing Male Musician
This is one of the most beautifully carved sculptures among the 42 bracket figures in the temple. It depicts a flute-playing male musician standing with the Tribanga pose (bent in three places, knee, waist, and neck), typically performed in the traditional Indian dances like the Odissi, Bharatanฤtyam, and Kathakali. Accompanying him are the two musicians, a lady musician is playing the tฤla on the bottom left, and a male musician is playing the flute on the bottom right.
As you can see, all the figures are standing on a disc-like base, mounted on a lotus pedestal. Engraved into this base is an inscription, written in the Halegannada (Old Kannada), likely inscribed by the sculptor to describe himself and his work.
This bracket figure is mounted on the corner pillar (11) of the fifth section (S5) of the south-side exterior wall.
Davane Playing Male Musician
This beautifully carved sculpture depicts a male musician playing the davane, a two-sided drum-like instrument played with a stick that is curved at the end. As you can see, he is beating the drum-head with his right hand while holding the davane steady with his left hand. Accompanying him at the bottom are the two male musicians, each playing a dolu, also a two-sided drum-like instrument played with hands.
As you can see from the image, the male musician is sporting a mustache (upward-pointing handlebar style) and a beard (neatly-trimmed boxed style), which is probably a reflection of menโs fashion in those days. As for his hair, he has a long ponytail held up behind his head. Like his female counterparts in the bracket figures, he is wearing stylistic jewelry, including large loop earrings, armbands, and necklaces. Because of his stance, it appears that he is dancing as he beats the davane. As with the other bracket figures, the background is covered with a finely carved creeper.
This male musician is one of the three male figures among the 42 bracket figures in the temple and located on the last pillar on the south side of the exterior wall. This is bracket figure number 18 in the Navaranga Layout.
Notes
Note 1: Tฤla – An Indian musical instrument made of brass, typically played while singing devotional music. It looks like a smaller version of hand cymbals.
Note 2: Dolu – A two-sided drum-like instrument played with hands.
Note 3: Davane – A two-sided drum-like instrument played with a stick that is curved at the end.
Related Pages
Hoysala Temples
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Navaranga
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Garbhagriha Outer Wall
โ Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
โ Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Badami Chalukya Temples
โ Badami, Cave โ 1, Cave โ 2, Cave โ 3, Cave โ 4
โ Durga Temple at Aihole
Copyright ยฉ 2019 โ 2021 by YatrikaOne. All rights reserved.
Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs
Narrative and exquisitely carved
Known for its immensity, grandeur, and architectural brilliance, Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world and one of the most visited. Located in Siem Reap, Cambodia, this sprawling complex was originally a Vishnu temple built by the Khmer King Survarman II in the 12th century. It was later converted into a Buddhist monument by the kings who came after him.
Angkor Wat also offers a glimpse of the day-to-day life during the heyday of the Khmer civilization through its intricately-carved numerous bas-reliefs carved on its galleries, pediments of gopuras, and pillars depicting scenes based mostly on the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, and ancient Hindu texts, such as the Puranas. Although there are bas-reliefs on the upper-level galleries and pediments, the bas-reliefs on the lower-level galleries are extensive and detailed.
Elaborate bass-reliefs on the lower-level gallery
The lower-level galleries are in a rectangular structure built at the periphery of the lower enclosure. On each side of this structure, there are two sections of continuously carved bas-reliefs. In total, there are eight sections of bas-reliefs, each with a different theme. The bas-reliefs are carved on the polygonal walls of the structure, and most of them have two or three tiers in the vertical direction. Many of the bas-reliefs have polished appearance, and a few still have traces of original paint, especially red.
Unlike the majority of Hindu temples, which are east-facing and where the visitors follow the pradakshina patha (clockwise circumambulation path), Angkor Wat is west-facing and the visitors follow the counter-clockwise path starting from the main entrance, which is in the middle of the west side gallery.
West Gallery, South Section: Battle of Kurukshetra
The Battle of Kurukshetra is the theme in the southern section of the west gallery. Based on the Hindu epic Mahabharata, this bas-relief depicts the fighting scene between the Pandavas and Kauravas.
The image below shows the advancing Kaurava army. On the top-left corner, Bhishma, the commander of the Kaurava army, is seen lying on the bed of arrows fired by Arjuna.
Death of Bhishma
The death of Bhishma is a well-known episode in Mahabharata. According to the story, Bhishma, the grand-uncle of both the Kauravas and Pandavas, leads the Kaurava army for the first ten days of the battle. As the Kurukshetra Battle rages, Krishna realizes Bhishma is an obstacle to Pandava’s victory because Arjuna is unable to beat Bhishma in the battle. To ensure Pandava’s victory, Krishna devises a clever plan involving Shikhandi, a eunuch, to kill Bhishma. Krishna knew Bhishma took an oath not to fight the other gender.
As per the plan, Shikhandi accompanies Arjuna in his chariot on the tenth day of the battle. When the battle starts between Arjuna and Bhishma, Arjuna hides behind Shikhandi and fires arrows at Bhishma. Unable to fight back because of his oath, Bhishma lays down his arms. As Arjuna’s arrows pierce through Bhishma’s body, he falls down making it appear as if he is lying on the bed of arrows. See the image on the right side.
Raging Battle
The image depicts the fight between the Kaurava and Pandava armies. The Kaurava warriors are moving from left to right, and the Pandava warriors are from right to left. The commanders are on the chariots.
South Gallery, West Section: Procession of King Suryavarman II
The Procession of King Suryavarman II is the theme of the western section of the south gallery. Unlike the other bas-relief themes, this is based on history. It depicts King Suryavarman II in a procession with his commanders, soldiers, courtiers and ordinary people. The commanders are on elephants, and the rank of commander is indicated by the number of parasols surrounding them.
Suryavarman II as the King
As you can see from the image, King Suryavarman II is elegantly seated on his throne with his legs on the seat โ a typical Indian way of sitting. He is portrayed with beautiful jewelry on his body as per the custom in India and Indianised kingdoms in Southeast Asia. He is wearing bracelets and arm rings on his hands, anklets on his legs, a beautiful necklace around his neck and an udiyan (waist chain) around his waist. He is holding with his right hand a strange object believed to be a dead snake, the significance of which is a mystery.
Surrounding King Suryavarman II are his attendants waving pankahs (fans) with long handles and chauris (fly-whisks). Notice the parasols around the king. There are fifteen of them in this bas-relief. The number of parasols indicate the rank of a commander in his army. The king has the highest number of parasols among the commanders in the procession implying that he is the commander-in-chief.
Suryavarman II as the Commander-in-Chief
Standing majestically on top of the elephant is King Suryavarman II as the commander-in-chief of his army. His left hand is holding a sword that is pointing downwards, and his right hand is holding an unknown object (probably a weapon). Sitting in front of him is the mahout goading the elephant with an
Notice the parasols surrounding the king. There are fifteen of them in this bas-relief. The number of parasols surrounding a commander indicates his rank in the army. The king has the highest number of parasols among the commanders in the procession implying that he is the commander-in-chief.
A Commander
The image shows an army commander standing majestically on an elephant. He is holding a shield with his left hand and an unknown object with his right hand (similar to the one held by the king). Sitting in front of him is the mahout goading the elephant with an ankusha.
Other Participants
The image on the left shows a contingent of Siamese soldiers carrying spears marching at the head of the parade. Behind them is their commander riding an elephant. The image on the right shows women marching along the procession.
South Gallery, East Section: Swargas and Narakas (Heavens and Hells)
As the name suggests, the Heavens and Hells bas-relief is about the depiction of heavens and hells as described in the ancient Hindu texts called Puranas. The image shows a section of 200 feet long bas-relief carved into the eastern section of the southern gallery.
As you can see from the image, this section of the bas-relief has the following three horizontal layers:
1. Upper layer: Depicts swargas (heavens)
2. Middle layer: Depicts the bhoomi (earth)
3. Bottom layer: Depicts narakas (hells)
The entire Heavens and Hells bas-relief depicts 37 swargas and 32 narakas. The narakas are much more descriptive than the swargas. As you can see from the bottom layer, the punishment of sinners is gory and elaborate. Although naraka translates to hell, it is not the hell as understood in the West. A naraka is more akin to purgatory because it is not eternal and the sinners can redeem themselves once they pay for their sins. In Hindu mythology, sinners are reborn, but not always as human beings.
Yama’s Court
In Hindu mythology, Yama is one of the Ashta Dikpalas (guardians of the eight directions) and is responsible for guarding the South, which makes him the lord of the south. Therefore, the bas-reliefs related to Yama are in the south gallery.
The bas-relief on the left image depicts the Yama, the god of justice and lord of naraka, sitting on a buffalo and conducting the proceedings in his court. He is portrayed with multiple hands, one of which carries his signature weapon gada (mace), and is surrounded by his guards and sinners.
The bas-relief on the top right shows the continuation of Yama’s court where Chitragupta, a god in Hindu mythology and the assessor who keeps the records of good and bad deeds of a human being from birth to death, assisting Yama in determining who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.
The image on the bottom right shows the guards in the upper-tier pushing the sinners to the lower-tier through a trapdoor and the guards in the lower tier, which represents a naraka, punishing the sinners in a variety of ways.
Narakas – Punishing the Sinners
According to Hindu mythology, a naraka is designed to punish a specific type of sin. The images below show some of the 32 narakas depicted in the bas-relief.
East Gallery, South Section: Samudra Manthana
The south section of the east gallery depicts Samudra Manthana, one of the well-known legends of Hindu mythology. In Sanskrit, samudra means ocean and manthana mean churning.ย It is a story about the churning of the ocean to produce amrita, the nectar of immortality. This story appears in many Hindu epics, including Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana.
According to the story, devas (demigods) and asuras (demons) collaborate to produce amrita by churning the Ocean of Milk. To perform churning, they use Vasuki (king of nagas) as the rope and Mount Mandara as the churning rod. Vasuki is coiled around Mount Mandara with asuras are on the head side and devas are on the tail side of Vasuki.
The churning took 1000 years to complete resulting in many by-products, including 14 ratnas (precious things), one of them is amrita. The other ratnas include the Moon, Ramba (an apsara), Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth). Produced along with amrita was halahala (poison) emanating from the mouths of Vasuki. Realizing the danger posed to the world by this poison, Shiva drank it but did not swallow it. So, it stayed in his throat forever. Shiva is therefore called Neelakanta (blue throat) as the result of poison remaining in his throat. Vasuki then became Shiva’s snake and remained coiled around his neck.
The left image shows asuras led by a multi-headed Ravana pulling Vasuki’s body on the head side. To the left of Ravana is the army of asuras on elephants and horses. The middle image shows Vishnu with four arms overseeing the churning at Mount Mandara and Indra flying on top of the mountain to stabilize it. The right image shows devas led by Hanuman pulling the body of Vasuki on the tail side. Although Ravana and Hanuman were not part of Samudra Manthana, their symbolic inclusion was to show that it was a fight between good and evil.
To the left and right of the Mount Mandara are the apsaras acting as cheer-leaders to asuras as well as devas. The bas-relief in this section is beautiful and intricately carved. Unlike the other bas-reliefs, it is easy to understand the story and identify the players.
East Gallery, North Section: Vishnu’s Victory over Asuras
The northern section of the east gallery is about Vishnu’s victory over asuras, a generic theme not taken from any epics. It is believed that this bas-relief was likely completed at a later date, probably in the 15th or 16th century.
North Gallery, East Section: Krishna’s Victory over Banasura
The scenes depicted on the bas-relief carved on the eastern section of the north gallery is based on Krishna’s Victory over Banasura story, which appears in Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana. This story is about Krishna, who is an avatar of Vishnu, fighting Shiva and becoming victorious. It is not a well-known story but chosen deliberately to show the dominance of Vishnu because King Suryavarman II broke the Shaiva tradition of his predecessors and made Vishnu the dominant god of the Hindu Trinity.
Legend of Banasura
According to the story, Banasura, an asura king with thousand arms, is an ardent devotee of Shiva whom he tried to please by doing
One day, Usha dreams of a young man and falls in love with him. When she mentions this to her maid Chitraleka, who realizes that the young man is Aniruddha, one of the grandsons of Krishna. Chitraleka with her superpowers summons Aniruddha to Usha’s quarters. When he sees Usha, he falls in love with her too. Meanwhile, Banasura comes to know of Aniruddha’s presence in Usha’s quarters. He captures and imprisons him. When Krishna comes to know about his grandson’s imprisonment, he wages war against Banasura. At the request of Banasura, Shiva keeps his promise and starts fighting against Krishna. Realizing this, Krishna tricks Shiva by firing a weapon that puts Shiva to sleep. Krishna then severs all but four arms of Banasura. Shiva then wakes up and begs Krishna not to kill Banasura. Meanwhile, Banasura realizing his mistakes begs forgiveness and allows his daughter to marry Aniruddha.
The image shows Garuda facing Agnigraha (house of fire) built by Bansaura to keep his daughter Usha.
North Gallery, West Section: Battle between Gods and Asuras
The theme of the bas-relief on the western section of the north gallery is not taken from any epics, instead, it depicts a generic theme of the good fighting evil. The bas-relief Battle between Gods and Asuras is about the Hindu pantheon of gods fighting the evil asuras. It is a battle scene with 21 Hindu gods mounted on their vehicles fighting the asuras.
The images below show four of the gods, Vishnu, Varuna, Indra, and Kartikeya (also known as Skanda, Subramanya), and an unidentified asura.
The gods are seen riding their signature vahanas (vehicles) and fighting asuras. Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity, is riding Garuda, an eagle-like mythical bird. Indra, the king of heaven and gods, is riding an elephant called Airavata. Varuna, the sea god, is riding a multi-headed mythical creature called Makara. Indra and Varuna are dikpalas (guardians of directions); Indra guards East and Varuna West. Check the Ashta Dikpalas page to read more about all the eight dikpalas. Skanda, the god of war, is riding a peacock called Parvani.
The bas-relief of Brahma, one of the Hindu Trinity, sitting in a cocoon is unusual. Although Brahma is the creator in Hindu mythology, he is not worshiped widely like Vishnu or Shiva. There are very few temples dedicated to Brahma in the world. The Brahma Temple in Prambanan is one of the well-known temples in Southeast Asia. The Brahma Temple in Pushkar is one of the few temples dedicated to Brahma In India.
Check the following sculptural reliefs of Brahma on the outer walls of the temples: Brahma in Belur Chennakeshava Temple, Brahma in the Somanathapura Chennakeshava Temple in Karnataka, India
There are several legends why Brahma is not worshiped. According to one legend, his consort Savitri, who was angered by Brahma’s extreme lust, cursed him not to be worshiped anywhere in the world except in Pushkar. In another legend, Shiva cursed Brahma because he lied to him and Vishnu about their creation.
West Gallery, North Section: Battle of Lanka
The Battle of Lanka is the theme of the bas-relief carved on the northern section of the west gallery. This is the final battle in Ramayana in which Rama and the army of monkeys (Vanara Senรฉ) defeat Ravana and rescue Rama’s wife Sita. The Battle of Lanka bas -relief is likely based on the Yudda Kanda chapter of Ramayana authored by Valmiki. Besides Rama and Ravana, it depicts many prominent figures from both sides.
After the abduction of Ramaโs wife Sita by Ravana, Rama gathered an army with the help of his ally Sugriva, the king of the vanara (monkey) kingdom of Kishkindha, and attacked Lanka to rescue her. According to Ramayana, Lanka, where this epic battle took place, is an island located south of India. The present-day island nation of Sri Lanka closely fits the description of Lanka in Ramayana.
According to Hindu mythology, Ravana is a rakasha (demon) with supernatural powers. He is capable of assuming any forms, but in his natural form, he has ten heads and twenty arms. His typical iconography shows him with these features. As you can see from the image, he does have ten heads and twenty arms. ,
In this bas-relief, Ravana is in battle mode leading his warriors in this epic battle against Rama. He is holding a variety of weapons with his hands, including bow and arrows, maces, and astras (arrows that posses supernatural destructive power). While Ravana is leading his charge, a monkey warrior is lunging at him on the leff. Ramayana describes this monkey warrior as Nila, the commander-in-chief of the vanara senรฉ (monkey army) and builder of Rama Sethu (the bridge between India and Lanka). Charging with Ravana are his warriors carrying gadaas (maces).
Raging Battle between Rakshashas Vs. Vanara Senรฉ (Army of Monkeys)
In this battle, Ramaโs warriors are mostly the vanaras from his ally Sugriva. Ravana being a rakshasa (demon), his warriors mostly the rakshasas.
The entire Battle of Lanka bas-relief is about raging battle that is underway with the rakshasa and monkey warriors engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Straddled on the heads of two beautifully carved lions harnessed to a chariot is a ferocious monkey warrior carrying on his shoulder a rakshasa, who presumably is the charioteer. Notice that the rakshasa is wielding a sword and trying to attack the monkey warrior.
The images below show two more such scenes where a monkey warrior is dueling with a rakshasa.
Related Pages
โ Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei
โ Phnom Kulen, Tonlรฉ Sap, Cambodia
โ Bali, Prambanan, Prambanan Bas-Reliefs, Borobudur, Indonesia
Copyright ยฉ 2018 – 2022 by YatrikaOne. All rights reserved.
Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Wall Surrounding the Garbhagriha
Located 137 miles west of Bangalore in southern India, the Belur Chennakeshava Temple is a magnificent temple dedicated to Vishnu. King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala dynasty commissioned the temple in 1167 CE to commemorate his victory over the Cholas at Talakadu.
Architecturally classified as the Mantapa style temple – a subclass under the southern Dravida style – the Belur Chennakeshava Temple consists of two main parts, garbhagriha and mantapa. The garbhagriha is the inner sanctum where the principal deity of the temple resides. The mantapa, popularly known as the Navaranga, is a covered hall in front of the garbhagriha.
This page describes the exterior wall surrounding the garbhagriha. To read about other parts of the temple, check the following pages:
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Bracket Figures
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Navaranga
Unlike the wall surrounding the
Attached to the outer wall are the massive pillars carved with sculptural reliefs of gods and goddesses and other deities. The carvings do not appear to be in any particular order or following any storyline.
Because the temple is dedicated to Vishnu, the majority of the reliefs are related to Vishnu and his avatars. Shiva and his consort Durga appear in many reliefs, most of which depict the story of their incarnations. Brahma, on the other hand, appears only in one pillar. The other deities include Manmatha (Vishnu’s son) and his consort Rathi and Ganesha (Shiva’s son). There is also a relief depicting Ravana shaking Mount Kailash.
South side wall
The orientation of is wall changes from east-west to north-south. For the sake of simplicity, the description of the wall is divided into the following four sections: 1. East section 2. Middle section 3. Southwest Section 4. Rear Section
The carving is much denser on the southern side of the wall than the northern side, and the south side has more variety of sculptural reliefs.
East section
This is where the wall around the garbhagriha starts and is connected to the Navaranga wall. The wall is oriented along the north-south direction and is flatter compared to the other sections. As you can see, there are six beautifully carved sculptural reliefs with Vishnu as the theme.ย
The relief on the rightmost pillar depicts Lakshmi Narayana, i.e., Vishnu sitting with his consort Lakshmi on his lap. Below them is his vehicle Garuda in the kneeling position with folded hands. The relief to the right of Lakshmi Narayana is Vishnu portrayed with four hands carrying his signature objects, Gada, Chakra, Shanka, and Padma. The relief on the pillar next to it depicts Harihara, i.e., Vishnu and Shiva fused into a single entity with Vishnu’s features on his right side and Shiva’s on the left. Carved on the Vishnu’s side is his vehicle Garuda, and on the Shiva’s side is his vehicle Nandi the bull.
The rest of the reliefs carved with the standard iconography of Vishnu.
Mid section
This section of the wall is oriented along the east-west direction. On the right side, it is attached to the east section. On the left side, it is attached to the wall of the chariot-like shrine.
The middle part of the square pillars and the wall in between the pillars are carved with sculptural reliefs. There is a round pillar that has no carvings except for a small figure at the bottom. The reliefs on the wall to the left and right of this pillar are related to Shiva. The relief on the right side depicts Shiva slaying Andakasura and the relief on the left side depicts Kali, an incarnation of Shiva’s consort Parvati.
The relief on the squarish pillar portrays Vishnu with four hands, each carrying his signature objects. Another Vishnu relief is carved on the wall to its left. The next square pillar on the left has two sides, each of which has reliefs of some unknown deities. The relief on the corner pillar attached to the shrine depicts Ravana shaking Mount Kailash, where Shiva is resting with his consort Parvati.
Southwest section
This is the section between the south shrine and the west shrine and the most interesting one from the sculptural reliefs point of view.
Brahma, the creator
In Hindu mythology, Brahma, the God responsible for the creation, is one of the Trimurti (Hindu Trinity). The depictions of Brahma with standard iconography show him with four heads, each facing a cardinal direction and four arms.
As you can see from the image, Brahma has three heads (the assumption is that the fourth head [facing east] is not visible) and four arms, two on each side. Brahma, with his two right hands, is holding a spoon (used for pouring ghee into the yagna pyre and japamฤla (prayer beads), and with his two left hands, a kamandala (water jug) and a book (Vedas).
Carved on the bottom right is Brahmaโs vฤhana (vehicle) Hamsa (Swan), and on the bottom left are the two unidentified figures.
Although Brahma is the creator in Hindu mythology, he is not worshiped as widely as Vishnu or Shiva. There are very few temples dedicated to Brahma in the world. The Brahma Temple in Prambanan (in Yogyakarta, Indonesia) is one of the few temples dedicated to Brahma. The other well-known Brahma Temple is in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.
There are several legends why Brahma is not worshiped. According to one legend, his consort Savitri, who was angered by Brahmaโs extreme lust, cursed him not to be worshiped anywhere in the world except in Pushkar. In another legend, Shiva cursed Brahma because he lied to him and Vishnu about their creation.
Narasimhavatara, the fourth avatar of Vishnu
The Narasimhavatara relief is carved on a pillar attached to the exterior wall surrounding the
In this avatar, Vishnu has the torso of a man and face and claws of a lion. He adopted this body to kill an asura named Hiranyakashipu, who wanted to take revenge on Vishnu for killing his brother Hiranyaksha in his previous avatar, i.e., Varahavatara. Here is the story of Narasimhavatara in brief:
To exact revenge for his brotherโs death, Hiranyakashipu performs an intense
The relief depicts Vishnu with the lion head and human torso having multiple hands with claws. With the body of Hiranyakashipu lying on his lap, Vishnu is seen ripping the entrails of Hiranyakashipu with his claws.
Slaying of Gajasura
The relief shown in the image depicts Gajasurasamhara, which means the slaying of a demon named Gajasura. In Sanskrit, gaja means elephant, asura means demon, and samhara means slaying.
The Gajasura story is described in two ancient Indian texts, Kurma Purana and Varaha Purana. Here is the story in brief:
Gajasura wants to take revenge for the slaying of his father Mahishausura by Shivaโs consort Durga. To fulfill his wish, he goes the Himalayas and performs
As you can see from the image, Shiva with a dancing pose is standing on an elephant head and with his numerous hands carrying a variety of objects that include
Bhairava – Fierce form of Shiva
In Hindu mythology, Bhairava is a fierce form of Shiva created by himself to destroy both the internal and external enemies. His sculptural depictions indicate the fierceness of his physical presence.
As you can see from the image, Bhairava is standing with a fearsome stance. Although he is a digambara (i.e., wearing no clothes), he is wearing a variety of jewelry, including necklaces, anklets, armbands and udiyana (waistband). He is also wearing the yajnopavita, a looped thread sacred to Hindus worn across the chest from the left shoulder to the waist.
He is wearing a crown made of a garland of kapalas (skull cups), and another set of kapalas is hanging from one of his necklaces. Surrounding is legs are two coiled nagas (serpents) with one visible head.
With one of his left hands, Bhairava is carrying a severed-head belonging to Brahma. According to a legend, Brahma used to have five heads, four of which facing the cardinal directions and the fifth head gazing upwards. Shiva cut off the fifth head when he realized Brahma became infatuated with a female goddess he created. Bhairavaโs other hands are holding a variety of objects that include a
Rear section
The image shows the west side of the temple surrounding the garbhagriha (inner sanctum). As you can see from the image, there is a two-storied mini-shrine at the center.
The star-shaped roof is supported by pillars on the right and left of this mini shrine with sculptural reliefs. The temple is built on a platform named Jagati, which is also star-shaped. There is a small shrine built on the floor exactly at the center.
North side wall
The north side wall is similar to the south side, but has less denser carvings.
Chariot-like shrine
As you can see from the image, a statue of Vishnu is standing inside the inner sanctum. Each story of this shrine has a balcony with beautifully decorated balustrades. The water from the shrine drops into a small tank made of stone. A small statue of Ganesha, Shiva’s son the head of an elephant, is placed below the second-floor balcony.
Notice the three layers of beautifully carved frieze below the first floor. The bottom layer is a row of elephants, the middle layer is a row of lions with some men fighting them, and the top layer is a row of people riding horses. It is interesting to note that no two carvings in a row are alike.
The shrine is flanked by two squarish pillars. The left pillar has a relief of Vishnu and the right pillar depicts Shiva slaying Andakasura.
Mid section
The section of the wall shown in the image is on the north side of the temple and is oriented in the east-west direction. On the right side, it is attached to the wall of the chariot-like shrine.
The square pillar standing on the right side exposes the front and left sides.
The relief on the wall between the Varahavatara and this round pillar replicates a bracket figure that depicts a lady trying to chase a monkey that is trying to pull her dress. The relief on the wall to the right of the round pillar depicts a beautiful lady holding a flower with the right hand and the head of a child with the left hand. There is another child on her left side. This wall is then attached to a section that is part of the Navaranga.
Varahavatara, the third avatar of Vishnu
Varaha is the third of the ten avatars of Vishnu. Varaha in Sanskrit means wild boar. In this avatar, he assumes the form of a wild boar and rescues Bhudevi (Mother Earth) from an evil demon named Hiranyaksha, who was tormenting her.
As you can see from the image, Vishnu as Varaha is lifting Bhudevi with his tusks while Hiranyaksha lay dying on the ground killed by Vishnu.
The story of Varahavatara is a popular theme in both Chalukya and Hoysala temples. Both the Chennakeshava and the Hoysalesvara temples have several reliefs carved on their walls. The Badami caves also have numerous carvings of Varahavatara.
Monolithic pillar at the corner
This massive monolithic pillar is standing at the junction of the Navaranga and garbhagriha (inner sanctum) on the north side of the exterior wall. There is a similar pillar at the corresponding location on the south side.
As you can see, the exterior wall of the temple is attached to this pillar. The wall on the left surrounds the Navaranga, and the wall on the right surrounds the garbhagriha.
This precisely-cut pillar is highly ornate, with two female figures carved at the bottom and many layers of star-like patterns stacked on top. It appears as though grooves in the middle are machine-made because of their smoothness and precision.
West Section
As you can see, there are six reliefs, three of which depict Vishnu with standard iconography. In middle of the wall is the relief depicting Manmatha his consort Rathi. Manmatha, who is known by many names, including Kamadeva, is a son of Vishnu and the Hindu god of love and desire. As you can see from the image, Manmatha is holding a sugarcane bow with his left hand and the floral arrows with his right hand.
On the right, there are two female figures, similar to the ones in the Bracket Figures. The second female figure from the right – likely depicts a huntress – appears to be damaged and defaced.
Related Pages
Hoysala Temples
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Bracket Figures
โ Belur Chennakeshava Temple โ Navaranga
โ Kappe Chennigaraya Shrine
โ Somanathapura Keshava Temple
Badami Chalukya Temples
โ Badami, Cave โ 1, Cave โ 2, Cave โ 3, Cave โ 4
โ Durga Temple at Aihole
Copyright ยฉ 2019 โ 2021 by YatrikaOne. All rights reserved.
Iceland
Iceland is a country like no other. It is is an island with a spectacular but strange landscape. With a population of 350,000, it is one of the smallest countries in the world. While Iceland is smaller in terms of size and population, it is not small in terms of achievement. It prides itself of having a Nobel Prize winner. It even qualified for the FIFA World Cup Soccer finals in 2018. Although Iceland is located near the Arctic Circle, the weather is not brutally cold. An underwater ocean current known as Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean keeps it warmer. Mid-Atlantic ridge passes through Iceland dividing it into two parts, which drift away from each other at a rate of 2 cm per year.
Reykjavik
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik where the majority of the Icelandic population lives here. It is also the hub for tourists who visit Iceland.
Hallgrรญmskirkja
Located in central Reykjavik, Hallgrรญmskirkja church is an iconic landmark whose tower is visible from different parts of the city. It was named after Hallgrรญmur Pรฉtursson, a well-known Icelandic poet who lived in the 17th century.
As you can see from the image, the facade of this magnificent building is unique and eye-catching. It was designed by Guรฐjรณn Samรบelsson, who got his inspiration for this building from Iceland’s unique landscape, which includes glaciers and lava fields. The construction began in 1945, and it took 41 years to complete. The statue of Leifur Eirรญksson, a Viking explorer who visited the shores North America 500 years before Columbus, stands in front of the church. Hallgrรญmskirkja is not only a popular tourist attraction but also an active Lutheran parish church.
Sun Voyager – Sculpture of a Viking Ship
Located on the shoreline of Reykjavik, this beautiful sculpture resembling a Viking ship is called the Sun Voyager (Solfar). Sculpted by Jรณn Gunnar รrnason of Iceland, it won the competition held in 1986 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of Reykjavik. It was placed in the current location in 1989.
Harpa – Modern concert hall
Opened in 2011, Harpa has become a cultural center in Northern Europe and an iconic landmark of Reykjavik. It is located by the harbor and near another Reykjavik iconic landmark, the Sun Voyager.
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic Opera and Reykjavik Big Band hold concerts in this hall every year. It also attracts musicians and bands from all over the world. The building was designed by the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects. Harpa also serves as a conference center.
Northern Lights
The sky in Iceland is often lit with the Northern Lights (also known as Aurora Borealis), which is a result of some phenomenon occurring in the sun. When electronic storms occur in the sun, they throw into space a massive amount of charged particles, which are caught by the earth magnetic field at the poles. During this process, the charged particles collide with the gases on the earth’s atmosphere resulting in a spectacular display of multi-colored lights as shown in the images below.
Waterfalls
Iceland is home to several spectacular waterfalls.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss, which means Golden Waterfall in the Icelandic language, is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. Located 70 miles northeast of Reykjavik, Gullfoss is on the Hvรญtรก River’s path. The Hvรญtรก River gets its water from the nearby glaciers.
As you can see from the image, Gullfoss is a two-drop waterfall. The first drop is shorter and calmer, whereas the second drop is higher and fiercer. The water from the second drop falls into the Gullfossgjรบfur canyon with an enormous force. With a height of 230 feet, the second drop is an awe-inspiring sight.
Faxi Waterfall
Faxi is a small waterfall compared to Gullfoss. It is located on the Tungufljรณt River’s path near Skรกlholt Cathedral.
Geothermal Activities
Iceland is home a lot of geothermal activities and has two types geothermal areas, which are:
- Hot areas : These are high temperature areas. Areas near volcanoes come under these category.
- Cold areas: The areas outside the volcanic zone come under these category.
Strokkur Geyser
Located in the Geysir geothermal area of Iceland, the Strokkur Geyser is a spectacular sight during its eruption, which happens regularly at every 8 to 10 minutes. During eruption, it spews hot water to a height of 25 to 35 meters in the air.
Strokkur means churn in the Icelandic language. It is one of the few active geysers in the world that erupt at regular intervals. Some of the other famous geysers are Pohutu in Rotorua, New Zealand and Old Faithful in the Yellow Stone Park, USA. The video shows three continuous eruptions, which happens once in a way.
Currency
The Icelandic currency is Icelandic
Copyright ยฉ 2019 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.
Phnom Kulen
Revered by Cambodians from all walks of life, Phnom Kulen (means Mountain of Lychees in Khmer) is the birthplace of the Khmer civilization. King Jayavarman II chose Phnom Kulen to found the Khmer Empire and declare himself a Chakravarty (King of Kings) in 802 CE. The kings who came after him expanded the empire and built numerous temples and monuments in and around Phnom Kulen.
Phnom Kulen is not a single mountain,ย but a landscape covered with hills and hillocks separated by valleys and flatland. This land of exceptional beauty is now a part of Phnom Kulen National Park.
Legend of Mahendrparavata
Phnom Kulen was known as the Mahendraparvata during the Khmer period. In Sanskrit, mahendra means great Indra and parvata means mountain.
According to a local legend,ย Mahendraparvata is the mountain which Hanuman lifted to the battlefield in Lanka to extract Sanjeevini, a herbal plant that is capable of curing all diseases, to save Lakshmana from dying.
Location
Phom Kulen is located 30 miles northeast of Siem Reap.
Kbal Spean River
The Kbal Spean River is a small river flowing within the Phnom Kulen National Park.ย It is a tributary to the Siem Reap River, which flows through theย Angkor Wat Archaeological Site in Siem Reap,ย Cambodia.
The Kbal Spean River is known as the Sahasralinga River (River of One Thousand Lingas) because of the hundreds of lingas carved on its sandstone riverbed.ย Sahasra means a thousand in Sanskrit. The linga is a symbol of Shiva, one of the Hindu Trinity.
As you can see from the images below, the lingas are carved on the riverbed in a grid-like fashion. In addition to the lingas, the river has other sculptures carved on its riverbed and the rocks.
Sahasra lingas carved into the riverbed of the Kbal Spean River
One thousand lingas carved into the Kbal Spean riverbed
Natural Pool
The natural pool near shown in the image below is located near the Kbal Spean River. The water in this pool is a result of some geological activity occurring beneath the pool. It appears as though there is an underground spring under the pool.ย A small stream of water flows out of the pool into the Kbal Spean River. The water in the pool is not very hot but appears to contain a lot of minerals.
Waterfalls
The image below shows a spectacular view of the waterfall in Phnom Kulen, which is a major tourist attraction,ย is visited by Cambodians who come here to dip in the pool at the bottom of the falls to atone their sins.
The waterfall shown below is located just above the larger one shown above.
Preah Ang Thom
Preah Ang Thom is a Buddhist monastery situated on a boulder in theย Phnom Kulen National Park. It’s famous for the reclining Buddha statue carved out of the boulder.
Preah Ang Thom Entrance
Reclining Buddha in Preah Ang Thom
Copyright ยฉ 2018 – 2019 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.
Contact
Tonlรฉ Sap
Located on the lower Mekong basin, Tonle’ Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Because of the seasonal changes, its size fluctuates.ย During the dry season, the lake shrinks as the water flows out of the lake into the rivers.ย During the wet season, the lake expands as the water flows into the lake from the rivers.ย and the water level rises as much as 30 feet.ย Thus, it acts as a natural reservoir.
Located on the lower Mekong basin, Tonlรฉ Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Because of the seasonal changes, its size fluctuates. During the dry season, the lake shrinks as the water flows out of the lake into the rivers.ย During the wet season, the lake expands as the water flows into the lake from the rivers, and the water level rises as much as 30 feet.ย Thus, it acts as a natural reservoir.
The maximum dimensions of the lake are, length – 260 miles, width – 62 miles, and depth – 33 feet
A boat transporting goods in the Tonlรฉ Sap Lake
Tonlรฉ Sap Lake in Cambodia
Tonlรฉ Sap Lake in Cambodia
Location
Tonlรฉ Sap is located 30 miles south of Siem Reap in Cambodia.
Floating Villages
Tonlรฉ Sap is home to many floating villages inhabited mostly by the Vietnamese and Cham people. They earn their livelihood by fishing and crocodile farming.
In addition to floating houses, these villages have floating schools, shops, and even churches. See the images below.
A floating school on Tonlรฉ Sap
Floating shops on Tonlรฉ Sap
A floating church on Tonlรฉ Sap
A floating Catholic Church on Tonlรฉ Sap
Crocodile Farming
The wild Siamese crocodiles are native to Southeast Asia and are on the United Nations endangered species list. However, they are allowed to be farmed in Tonlรฉ Sap.
Siamese crocodiles in a farm on a floating platform in Tonlรฉ Sap, Cambodia
Siamese crocodile skins for sale in a souvenir shop on Tonlรฉ Sap
Related Pages
Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Banteay Srei, Phnom Kulen, Cambodia
Copyright ยฉ 2018ย – 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.
Contact
Australia
Auckland
Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand and a transportation hub. This is where the most international travelers arrive inย New Zealand.
Location
Civic Theatre
Sky Tower
Located in the Central Business District (CBD), the Sky Tower is one of the main tourist attractions in Auckland. With a height of over 1000 feet, it is the tallest structure in New Zealand. It has 60 floors with several decks on the top for observation and dining. Visitors can get a 360-degree view of the city of Auckland and the surrounding areas.
City View
The image below shows a spectacular view of the city from the Sky Tower deck.
Harbor View
View of Auckland Harbor from Sky Tower
Ferry Building
Built in 1912, this beautiful Baroque style building is an iconic landmark of Auckland, New Zealand. It is modeled after San Francisco’s Ferry Building and the similarities are striking.
Copyright ยฉ 2018 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.
Contact
Rotorua
Te Puia
Located within the city limits of Rotorua, Te Puia is home to some amazing geothermal activity, including boiling mud pools, hot springs, and geysers.
Te Pui is also the area where the Maori settled in the 1300s and have been living there ever since. The people from the Te Arawa tribe made their home here. Te Puia has two important attractions :
- Te Whakarewarewa Valley
- Maori model village
Te Whakarewarewa Valley
The geothermal activity is centered around the Te Whakarewarewaย valley in Te Puia. There are bubbling mud pools, geysers and hot springs in this area.
Boiling Mud Pool
The image below shows a pool of boiling and bubbling slurry of gray mud in the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley. These pools are known as mud pools or mud pots.
Mud pools are a typical occurrence in geothermal areas. They occur when the acids, gases, and microorganisms emanating from the underground geothermal activity break down the rocks into the mud. If the water supply is limited, the mud becomes a viscous slurry, which boils and bubbles because of the high temperature.
The image below shows a beautiful pool with water flown into it from geothermal activity in the Te Whakarewarewa valley.ย The water sprouted from the geysers flows though underground channels into many pools spread around this area. Because of the dissolved minerals, the water in these pools is alkaline.
Whakarewarewa Geyser Terrace
The geyser terrace has six geysers, of which three are active, two are occasionally active and one is dormant. There is a nice walk to this terrace for visitors to watch the geyser eruptions.
Pohutu and Prince of Wales Feathers Geysers
The Pohutu geyser is one of the most active among the six geysers on the Whakarewarewa geyser terrace and the largest active geyser in the Southern Hemisphere.
Pohutu in Maori means big splash, which is an appropriate name for this geyser as it can shoot up water to a height of 100 feet.ย The eruption occurs once or twice in an hour and can last up to 30 minutes.
The Pohutu geyser has a twin named Prince of Wales Feathers (Te Tohu in Maori). The shape of this geyser resembles a feather.ย When the Prince of Wales visited the area in the 1900s, it was namedย Prince of Wales Feathers to honor him.ย Prince of Wales Feathers typically erupts slightly before Pohutu, and its eruption can last up to seven minutes.
The images below show Pohutu and Prince of Wales Feathers before and during its eruption.
Blueys Pool
As the name suggests, the Blueys Pool is a small pool of cobalt blue water flown into it from the nearby geysers. It is situated next to the Pohutu geyser. A variety of minerals dissolved in this water gives it the blue color and also makes it alkaline.
Related Pages
โ Hobbiton Movie Set, Auckland
โ Queenstown, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, New Zealand
โ Maori Culture
Copyright ยฉ 2018 – 2022 by YatrikaOne. All rights reserved.