Whenever I could find opportunity, I enjoy travelling to spiritual places, in my own small experiments with spirituality. Last week I put another set from North India and this time, a set of powerful energy sources in form of temples from the south and Central India
This is also submitted to Poetic Form: Haiku that I am hosting at Jingle's blog "The Purple Tree". Please check out to know more about Haiku through the feature there and to read great talent as well as add your own haiku .... Click here
This is also submitted to Poetic Form: Haiku that I am hosting at Jingle's blog "The Purple Tree". Please check out to know more about Haiku through the feature there and to read great talent as well as add your own haiku .... Click here
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| With a south Indian temple Architecture, we made a Shiva temple in Bihar. Here village folks are going to fetch water from the river A ritual for consecrating Deity |
Carrying devotion in heart
A lonely women washes temple floor
Cleanses deity off stone
__
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| Ashram of Gandhi Ji in Ahmadabad, for some great people Temple is not required at all |
Desire to believe in love
So great
The temple steps aside
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| The largest mosque after Mecca, at Bhopal in India |
Small happiness’s, the birds
On tall Minars, is music for the soul
Sufi dance round and round
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| The famous Sun Temple of Konark - Orissa, India |
Loneliness is Sun
Knowing all He embraces
Turn ashes
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| Guruvayur Temple of Lord Krishna - Kerala, India |
Wafts in flute's song
Love calls
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| Temple in Kanchipuram near Chennai India Its also known as the Kasi of South |
Breeze, Mist and ripples still, in awe
In Sunrise
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| Thiruppurankundram Temple near Madurai of Shiva's Son, Muruga |
Shadow of tree reaches out
Climbs up the temple steps
To grow some roots and be the tree
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| Meenakshi Temple in Madurai This is the world famous Idol of Natraja Lord Shiva in Tandav Dance A dance of destruction and Creation |
Dance of cosmic creation
Chiseled in dark ages
Needs fresh light of love
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| Panchmukhi Shiva (Five Headed) at Meenakshi Temple |
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| The beautifully sculpted enterance of Meenakshi Temple One of the 4 Gopuras |
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| Shiva's Temple at Rameshwaram - India |
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| Temple of Lord Buddha at Sarnath - Varanasi, India Posted here again for the Haiku's Below |
Looking at young Bhikshu sitting below
Bodhi tree smiles
Who Buddha is?
In the shadow of Bodhi Tree
Young Buddha smiles, too
What life is?
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| Shore Temple of Mahabalipuram |
Sculpted in withered stones
Of loneliness, by the sea
ॐ नमः शिवाय
These are really really pretty pictures. thank you for sharing. and thank you for commenting on my blog.
ReplyDeleteK
I have a deep interest in Indian culture. I loved looking at all these photos of temples, deities and your haiku depicting temples, and devotional ritual. You even have a haiku which mentions Bodhi--from where I chose part of my blog name: Bodhirose.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed my visit, thanks for sharing.
Gayle
Dear Kumiko
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and hope you will enjoy my verse too.. This is the second part, the first part you will find here, if you like...
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2010/10/still-life-some-fountains-of-spiritual.html
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Gayle
ReplyDeleteThanks for enjoying this still life collections and if you like, you can see the previous part here...
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2010/10/still-life-some-fountains-of-spiritual.html
I appreciate your visit here and I am happy to know that you have a deep interest in Indian culture which is actually very vast and all encompassing. If you need some more info or something more to know about India and its culture let me know, I will be glad to be of any help. Though through my blog, you will be able to find a lot about Indian Culture...
Well, I have traveled across almost all the place related with Buddha in India and have liked the Buddhism philosophy a lot. And as I do love to write Haiku's I end up using part of your name quite often.. ;-)
Here is the link to the place where Buddha took his Nirvana (Leaving his mortal body)
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2010/07/wanderlust-kushinagar-final-resting.html
thanks for your visit and look forward to seeing you again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
these images are lovely and refreshing, perfect Haikus to match them.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Happy Rally.
ReplyDeleteyou are a poet with high quality characters, Glad to have you.
I truly enjoy your work here.
Keep it up.
Dear Jingle
ReplyDeleteThanks for liking this one. And you made my day by complimenting me with such great words, though I am just a learner and experimenting with life and spirituality. I value your words and these are the words that keep me going too.. thanks a lot.
I greatly appreciate the work that you are doing, collecting great talent at one place and getting them to interact with each other. Its really a tough job, I know, I have been there and still am ... ;-)
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
As always a pleasure to visit your blog. Love, love, love this!
ReplyDeleteLovely! both the Photo's and Haiku- Great job!
ReplyDeleteWow, you get to travel- super-although having spent a lot of my childhood doing just that; I know how it can be difficult at times. Probably would have enjoyed it more as an adult- but I am a true home-body now! Thank you.
I have post cards from India and half of the images here are on my post cards! Lovely connection of images and words!
ReplyDeleteI came over from Suz's blog and am glad that I did. I think the architecture, the philosophy, and the culture of India are quite interesting. I have many CD's with Indian music and studied a bit in college World Music. It was quite interesting and very distinct between north and south. Thanks for the photos. I am going to browse through more of your blog later today.
ReplyDeletethis was like a pilgrimage of India in words.. Lovely entry for the Rally, friend! :)
ReplyDeleteMy Rally Week 32 Entry
Sir. You have placed my mind on a different world. The entire other posts I read are different (in some sense) and this is one which has made a difference to my thought. No more comments.
ReplyDeleteVery nice Haikus Shashi and photos as well...very refreshing thanks..
ReplyDeleteLove,
Dom*:)
Nice thought Sir..
ReplyDeleteGud to have a holy experience like this
Nice flow of words .. Amazing !!
Heyy Take a look at my new Poetry ..
http://ashbeezone.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/examination/
Selected for Jingle Poetry Week 32
and other creations as well in my BLOG
http://ashbeezone.wordpress.com/
Hope you like them for sure !!
I admire you for being able to say so much with so few words. I find that very hard, but you've made it look easy here. You've done a lot with these short verses, both in expressing the mood of the photo and the mood of the country in your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteShashi
ReplyDeleteYou live in a beautiful place... you are truly blessed. I live in Oklahoma and the thing that a person sees here are extremely different from your pictures. It is an honor and privilege to visit your site. Peace be with you.
Dear Thoughtsnotlost,
ReplyDeleteI am happpy that you loved it so much and I am grateful for your visit.
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Izzy
ReplyDeleteI am lucky to have a job where my offices are in almost all corners of the country. So I ensure that when I visit those places, find some source of energy, temple. mosque. church, river, sea etc to visit and replenish my own inner self. Yes travelling some times becomes exhausting but then there is more to gain from travelling than sitting idle in a hotel room. I enjoy travelling.
thanks for your wonderful words and hope to see you back again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
I appreciate your offer, Shashi, to share your cultural knowledge with me. I am very drawn to Buddhism myself. When I was younger, I lived in a Sikh ashram for about eight years and have since then studied many different spiritual paths. I find so much inspiration from so many ways...
ReplyDeleteDear Scentofmyheart
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment and yes most of those places are not only liked by me, and valued but also by spiritual people of India and world. Its good to see that you could recognize most of them... thanks for your words and appreciation. Look forward to your visit again.
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Teri
ReplyDeleteI must thank Suz for playing a great part in you being here.
India is a diverse culture with lot of colors, arts, architecture, music and spirituality. And that is the essence I try to capture in my blog here. I am glad that you liked this. If you browse through you will find quite a lot about India, Music and temple architecture from India. And if you are interested, I would be happy to give some more off blog too.
The culture of South India and North India is really very different and hence it reflects in the temple architecture, dance forms and music to a great extent.
As a photography enthusiast myself, I liked images on your blog a lot, too.
Thanks for visiting and look forward to your visit again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Leo
ReplyDeleteYes it was a pilgrimage for me too... Thanks for your visit.. Look forward to it again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Vinay
ReplyDeleteI am happy that you could take something out of this post which is quite close to my heart and soul. I derive lot of energy from these images and memories that they bring..
thanks for your visit and I look forward to it again.
One more thing, Vinay, Please call me Shashi. I am old, yes, but still young enough to prefer Shashi....;-)
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Hedgewitch
ReplyDeleteThanks for your beautiful words. I appreciate it. I got interested in Haiku's long time ago and enjoyed the way so few words, paint such vibrant picture. It some how rubbed on me and I try to use words now to create images of my thoughts and feelings.
I am glad you liked both the words and the images... I value your comments and look forward to seeing you again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear 2zpoint
ReplyDeleteThanks for your wonderful words and yes India in its diverse culture is a beautiful place to be in. Specially for a person like me who has spiritual bent, its a very fertile ground...And yes its Different.
Thanks for being here, its my pleasure that you are here and I am honored for it. I look forward to seeing you here again.
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Dear Gayle
ReplyDeleteLook forward to more interaction with you.. thanks for your reply.
I have loved the Gurudwara's (Sikh Holy Shrine) and have visited many of them including Golden Temple and Paonta Sahib and respect their culture of service in the Gurudwara as well as in their own personal life. Where you were? Its great to hear that you were / are so close to the Indian Culture.
Thanks for your words and I value our interaction. Look forward to it more...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
I have no religion, but I find Buddhism interesting and inspiring, with many teachings that make more sense than other schools of thought. I've been planning to study it, and even bought a book called Siddhartha, which, i have to admit though, I haven't finished reading yet. I'm not spiritual, but I admire and am in awe of spiritual people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. :)
Hi
ReplyDeleteThanks for liking this and I also appreciate Buddhism very much. I have visited almost all the places connect with Lord Buddha, where he was born, where he attained enlightenment, where his nirvana took place (Kushi Nagar - infact I was born in that district, you can read about my recent visit to Kushinagar at my blog, the link is http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2010/07/wanderlust-kushinagar-final-resting.html ) and find all of them very inspiring and spiritual invigorating.
Herman Hesse's Siddhartha is a great book and I am sure you would like it too and I can recommend another book which is most beautiful and not very heavy, if you are interested in reading the basic tenets of Buddhism, called Old Path, White Clouds; - http://free-ebook-download.org/Old-Path-White-Clouds:-Walking-in-the-Footsteps-of-the-Buddha.html at this place you can down load it free and its very simple and beautiful and interesting read...;-)
Thanks for your visit again...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Wow... loved the photos! I hope I could travel as much as you do!
ReplyDeleteWhat a Divine composition exactly at the time of celebrations.. Always a delight to read you. Loved the images.. Shashi, so well done.. :)
ReplyDeleteLoads of Love xoxox
Mesmerizing pictures and beautiful collection of Haiku.
ReplyDeletehttp://wordsworthmillions.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/my-religion/
Such amazing pictures! And the poems compliment them so well. Such a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the many temples and the verses that described them.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lu for liking this post and loving the images... May your wish come true...
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Thanks Olivia for appreciating and liking this... Yes, it was an aupicious occasion too and have had a great time... cleansing.. and pray and then partying in the night...;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Thanks Wordsworth, Bward42 and Strummed for enjoying and liking this post and the images... thanks again...
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
My favorite one by far is "Loneliness is sun
ReplyDeleteKnowing all He embraces
Turn ashes..."
Thank you for sharing the pictures...they are very beautiful...
ReplyDeleteGreat haikus to accompany them.. :)
This is beautiful and a wonderful gift to those of us unable to get to these places. A blessing from a fine poet and photographer. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJamieDedes
great Haiku's and images... took me on the pilgrimage with you...
ReplyDeleteThanks Seenmissing, Sumit and industrialarts for visiting and liking this post. I look forward to your visit again..
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Thanks Musings for appreciating this one and liking this post. The image themselves are powerful source of energy and that was the idea, to put those images here so that friends can feel it to. I am blessed too.
ReplyDeleteॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
cleanses deity off the stone...i like that...enjoyed your verses...and so glad you were in the spotlight over at one shot...
ReplyDeletethis is really beautiful! I love the photography and how it blends the verses.
ReplyDeletejust stunning!
Colorful... Nice use of both language and the camera. Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Shashi...Beautiful post..
ReplyDeletewonderful images and haikus..
Thank you very much for visiting me and giving your valuable comments...
I am keeping all that in my mind..Thank you very much..
Thanks every one, please check my new posting about my trip to Rishikesh through "Gateway Buddha - A spiritual journey through Rishikesh" with some interesting images again...
ReplyDeletehttp://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/01/still-life-gateway-buddha-cafe.html
Om Namah Shivaya
I stand in awe of your talent with Haiku! Some of these just took my breath away. I particularly loved the temple stepping aside in the face of love. Love and loneliness are threads that run through the individual haiku, stringing them together. The image of the temple dressing up in sunrise made me smile!
ReplyDeleteWho Buddha is who life is...excellent
ReplyDeleteI am thinking give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is Gods
I am grateful lizziviggi for your appreciation... thanks for visiting and reading this post.
ReplyDeleteOm Namah Shivaya
Dear Kodjo
ReplyDeleteI like that one my self too...
Om Namah Shivaya
elegant and perfectly fine tuned Haiku sets,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Such beautiful photos from a journey in haiku frames.
ReplyDeleteGreat combination of beautiful images and eloquent Haiku.
ReplyDeletei love all of these, Shashi! but most especially ~
ReplyDelete"Loneliness is Sun
Knowing all He embraces
Turn ashes"
stunning!
dani ♥
Beautiful pictures, and lovely words to match. I am always struck by the loveliness of the Indian temples and countryside when I see pictures of them.
ReplyDelete