Ganesha at home

Shillu :: Ganesha in an urn in my house. I like the reflections of the plants from the balcony in the water.

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VJ ::

vakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha

nirvighnam kurumeideva sarva karyeshu sarvada
Meaning: Lord with the twisted trunk, with the brilliant radiance of a billion suns, always remove the obstacles when I am on any challenging task.

Time for a break

Shillu :: This little angel flew in to relax under the shade of the money plant leaves and was checking out the cute couple driving by.

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VJ :: Resting on a sunny afternoon
Location: Shravanabelagola
Time : 1445Hrs IST
In Hassan District of Karnataka, right opposite the Chandragiri Hill, is where this hand carved Ganesha was found taking a nap on a sunny afternoon, amidst the other idols. Also notice that he has lost a lot of weight, could it be due to the summer heat in India?

Walking

VJ ::

Walking on the Pier,
Location: Isle of White.
As soon as you get off the ship from Portsmouth, you walk this pier to reach the mainland- Isle of White. the pier is wide enough to accommodate vehicles, pedestrians and a train line. Walk it to enjoy it...
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Shillu :: Juti's - Leather crafted foot wear for sale at a crafts fair in Bangalore. Though all of them look alike, you need to pay attention to the details to choose which one you like the most. I love all of them!

Statues

VJ :: Statue of Gomatheswara - When you climb 650 steps, you are on the top of the Chandragiri Hill, where the statue of Gomatheswara is located. I was told that this statue was carved out of a single monolith. However, what appealed to me was this a statue made of bronze that was placed at the foot of the giant statue. Notice the bronze bell placed next to it..have we all seen it somewhere and does it ring a bell ?

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Shillu :: One more picture from the temple series. Unfortunately the head of this statue is missing - I am sure there is a story behind this...An invasion, a battle maybe?..

Bells

VJ :: Have you heard the legendary Dr. Chitti Babu's composition called- Temple Bells..when I took this picture, those were my first thoughts..I have seen in many temples in South India lately where it is forbidden to ring a bell.

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Shillu :: Handmade copper bells in various sizes & forms for decorative purposes for sale.

Art work

Shillu :: What you see here are the tools of Bidri artist who is half way thru creating a beautiful handicraft. Birdi ware originates from Bidar in Karnataka state (India). The metal used is a blackened alloy of zinc and copper inlaid with thin sheets of pure silver. You can read more about this unique art here.

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VJ :: Look at this picture. Walking into this palatial building called the 'Chatsworth' castle, I was pleasantly amazed with this image on the wall. Now, look at this picture one more time, you think it is real or a painting? I would not put my money on someone who would call it real?

Interesting people

VJ :: When I was taking pictures for the London Bicycle event, I came across a couple who, very enthusiastically opted to be photographed. They loved the way I asked them to pose and instantly attained a celebrity status with the flash..flash..flash....have you ever felt that way ?

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Shillu :: Artist at work, hand carving a wooden elephant to be sold at a handicrafts fair.