Mahabalipuram: Graceful Sentries

These sculpted figures adorn one side of the temple wall, one guy even has his hand resting on an animal that kinda looks like a lion. 

There's some sort of a pattern here, the guy with the beast must be a figure of authority. Flanking him are two couples and then a solitary figure. They are so slender and graceful... they seem like a calm and beautiful race. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them)

Other pictures in the Mahabalipuram series...

First Glance

Rock Elephant

Temple Carvings

Temple Entrance

Mahabalipuram: First Glance

The next few posts will feature pictures from my recent trip to Mahabalipuram, which is famous for its shore temples and other massive carvings by an ancient race called the Pallavas that ruled the region in the 7th century. These ancient monuments are mostly rock cut and monolithic, depicting various gods and the people of that era. It must have taken many men working patiently together to create these awe inducing relics of an ancient civilization. 

Calvin and Hobbes Birthday Cake...

I celebrated my birthday over the weekend with this amazing calvin and hobbes cake. I love Calvin, he cracks me up, his parents are pretty funny too. This is a photo cake, you send the bakery a picture and they somehow print it onto the cake using a sugar and cornstarch mixture. I loved this chocolate truffle cake, every bite was sinfully good.

Pretty neat, huh...

Milky Way...

Milky Way is another nice hangout place, the ice creams here are wonderfully light and soft. It's not luxuriously thick or creamy, so if you're on a diet this is a good place to visit.

Ordered a waffle cone with crunchy choco ice cream and raspberry ice cream, both were pretty good. They have sandwiches and other starters too.

Flower Carpets...

Onam (the festival of Kerala) was celebrated a few days back, and these designs made of flowers are a defining feature of the festival. Houses, offices and other institutions are decorated with elaborate and colourful flower designs on Onam.

Here is your Mother...

Stopped by a church on the way home and saw this grotto of our Lady and St. Bernadette. The writing above Virgin Mary is in Tamil and it reads 'Here is your Mother.' Please click on the picture for a larger view.

A Hindu Festival...

So it's the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and at every corner you see Ganesh idols like this. This festival goes on for ten days and there is a lot of dancing and drama on the streets. He is the elephant headed god, history has it that Lord Shiva (Ganesh's father) accidentally beheaded his son and then replaced his head with that of an elephant's. As usual click on the picture for a larger view.