'Lord Ganesha in Hindu mythology' by K.J.S.Chatrath

Visiting a friend two days back, I was attracted towards this statue of Lord Ganesha on the very first sight. I found the colour of Lord's dhoti quite different from the way it is normally portrayed. I was informed that this impressive statue was procured from around Sidhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai.

Then yesterday when I switched on the TV, I was in for a nice surprise. Yes, I have stopped viewing the so called news channels on the TV after they became too loud and their bias become too obvious.  So instead I watch my favourite show 'Devlok with Devdutt Pattnaik' on Epic TV channel. The discussion last evening was on Lord Ganesha. It was highly informative. And if you have not watched 'Devlok with Devdutt Pattnaik, I would strongly recommend it to you.

 A few words of introduction about Mr. Devdutt Pattnaik (born 1970) . He is from Odisha and is a man of many, many parts. He is a medical doctor by training and profession turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written over 600 articles and 30 books on the relevance of sacred stories, symbols and rituals in modern times, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana, Business Sutra: An Indian Approach to Management, Shikhandi: And Other Tales they Don't Tell You.

What really glues me to his show is the pleasant ease with which he explains the very difficult subject of mythology. He has a smiling face and is so very soft-spoken. And one last point- he makes interesting comparisons with other religions. Such comparisons are knowledgable and respectful.

Thank you Dr. Pattnaik for making an atheist like me get deeply interested in Hindu mythology.

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'Indian musical heritage' - by K.J.S.Chatrath

Some postage stamps brought out by the Indian Department of Posts to honour the musical heritage of India through the ages.

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'Buddha statue from Patteeswaram, Vijaynagar, India, 14th-16th century A.D.' - K.J.S.Chatrath

Buddha statue from Patteeswaram, Vijaynagar, India, 14th-16th century A.D.
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'Lalitgiri, Odisha, India' by K.J.S.Chatrath

Lalitgiri, locally known as Naltigiri (Lat. 20 35” N and Long. 86 15” E) in Birupa-Chitrotpala valley is one among the major centers of Buddhism in the Mahanga Tahsil of Cuttack district. It is 90 km. away from Odisha’s  capital, Bhubaneswar. The site is couched between hills of Parabhadi and Landa of the isolated Assian range....9^th 10^th century A.D.

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'9,000 year old rock shelter paintings in Bhimbetka, near Bhopal, India' - K.J.S.Chatrath

I visited Bhimbetka, about 35 kms from Bhopal, India, earlier this week. Some of these stunning paintings in natural stony rain shelters/caves are estimated to be around 9,000 years old....Photo article coming on my website www.fiftyplustravels.com soon....

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'Tunganath Temple, 12073 ft., Uttrakhand, India' by K.J.S.Chatrath

I had the privilege of trekking upto the holy Tunganath temple on October 5, 2015. Tungnath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in Rudraprayag district, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

The Tunganath (literal meaning: Lord of the peaks) mountains form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys. Located at an altitude of 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and just below the peak of Chandrashila, Tungnath temple is the highest Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is the third (Tritiya Kedar) in the pecking order of the Panch Kedars. It has a rich legend linked to the Pandavas, heroes of the Mahabharata epic.

(Text source: Wikipedia) 

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'An unusual sculpture at Hampi, India' by K.J.S.Chatrath

<p>Hampi (Hampe) is a village in northern Karnataka, India. It was one of the richest and largest cities in the world during its prime. The name Hampi can also mean "champion". It is located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, Hampi continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple and several other monuments belonging to the old city.</p>

<p>The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi. The empire boasted a massive army comprising close to a million men. In around 1500 AD Vijaynagar had about 500,000 inhabitants (supporting 0.1% of the global population during 1440-1540), making it the second largest city in the world after Peking-Beijing and almost thrice the size of Paris. (Source: Wikipedia)</p>

<p>I took this photograph in Hampi, Karnataka. It has intrigued me as I find it quite unusual. Look at the two hands. The right arm is coming from under the right leg and a finger is pointing out towards the right eye. The left arm is on the left knee. The figure has big ears as in the Buddhist sculptures. </p>

<p>I wonder if any learned reader can throw light on what is being sought to be conveyed by this statue. </p>

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