2012 - Interesting Trips - Phoenix Saguaro Cactus

Saguaro Cactus:

The most striking thing about Phoenix are the huge cactus called Saguaro.

You can catch a glimpse of these giants right at the Phoenix Sky harbor airport

Saguaro is an Indian word. The correct pronunciation is "sah-wah-ro" or "suh-wah-ro." The formal name is Carnegiea gigantea. It was named for Andrew Carnegie.

Thanks to my colleagues for a nice trip to the south mountain. The mountain range has large number of these

gentle giants. Some snaps I took

 

 

To know more about these gentle giants visit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saguaro

2012 - Interesting Trips - Ritual to overcome fear

Banashankari Temple, Banashankari, Karnataka, India

Came across an interesting religious ritual in Banashankari. I had never heard about it earlier.

The ritual is to swim the kid across the temple tank in a contraption that looks like an ancient man powered water bike

The kid has to endure the trip across the tank with a stranger. Must be quite an ordeal.

 

This is a panaromic view of the tank of the Banashankari temple tank.

 

 

 

The kid crossing the tank starting from the right to the tank on the left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe the ritual helps the kid to face and overcome difficulty and fear.

Very similar to some simulation training we undergo.

2012 - Interesting Trips: Pattadakal - Mahishasura Mardhini

Pattadakal - Mahishasura Mardhini

Pattadakal was a temple building R&D center of the ages gone by.

A hidden jewel in the huge temple complex is the exquisitely carved idol of Mahishsura Mardhini.

It is easy to miss it as the temple housing the idol is not well lit with natural light or otherwise

 

 

 Know more about Mahishasura Mardhini at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahishasura

 

2012 - Interesting Trips: Kappe Arabhatta Inscription, Badami

As the 2012 fades into history, it is the time to reflect on what the year had to offer me and what I could made out of it.

Let me start with some interesting snaps and learnings from my personal and official trips

Feb 2012: Badami, Banashankari , Aihole, Patadkal  Karnataka, India

You all would have been to the usual tourist spots in Badami, Banashankari, Aihole and Patadkal.

The below spot is extraordinarily important for the people of Karnataka

Tucked away in the boulders on the other end of the Aihole. To reach the spot you have go through the narrow lanes of the Badami town

 

Kappe Arabhatta Inscription:

 

 

What it means:

Kannada: ಸಾಧುಗೆ ಸಾಧು

ಮಾಧುರ್ಯಂಗೆ ಮಾಧುರ್ಯಂ

ಬಾಧಿಪ್ಪ ಕಲಿಕೆ ಕಲಿಯುಗ ವಿಪರೀತನ್

ಮಾಧವನೀತಂ ಪೆರನಲ್ಲ!

and in the English poetic rendering:

"Kind man to the kind,

Whose sweet to the sweet,

Very cruel to the cruel

He was nothing but God Vishnu in this regard"

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappe_Arabhatta