Somnath Temple Spire

March 15, 2023 by Photographer Ravi

The Somnath temple was reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by multiple Muslim invaders and rulers over India.

The present temple is a Māru-Gurjara architecture (also called Chaulukya or Solanki style) temple. It has a “Kailash Mahameru Prasad” form. The architect of the new Somnath temple was Prabhashankarbhai Oghadbhai Sompura, who worked on recovering and integrating the old recoverable parts with the new design in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The new Somnath temple is intricately carved, two level temple with pillared mandapa and 212 relief panels.

The temple’s śikhara, or main spire, is 15 metres (49 ft) in height above the sanctum, and it has an 8.2-metre-tall flag pole at the top.

Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple

March 14, 2023 by Photographer Ravi

The intricately carved honey-colored (further accentuated at sunset) Somnath temple on the western edge of Gujarat is believed to be the place where the first of the twelve holy jyotirlingas emerged in India – a spot where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The temples lies at the meeting of Kapila, Hiran and Sarasvati rivers and the waves of the Arabian Sea ebb and flow touching the shore on which it is constructed. The ancient temple’s timeline can be traced from 649 BC but is believed to be older than that. The present form was reconstructed in 1951.

The setting sun transforms the temple sign, in Hindi script, painted with Indian flag colors by casting a golden glow.

Postcards from Costa Rica

January 27, 2023 by Photographer Ravi

Costa Rica is a rugged, rain-forested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.

The Costa Rican flag has five stripes – the one in the middle with the red stripe twice as big as the blue and white. Blue stands for the Costa Rican sky that works like a shield. White symbolizes peace. Red shows the heroism and energy for the Costa Ricans when it comes to defend their principles (like democracy).

Will be sharing postcard images from a December 2022 trip to Costa Rica using the colors of their flag.

Fort Moultrie, South Carolina

November 22, 2021 by Photographer Ravi

Fort Moultrie is a series of fortifications on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston. The first fort, formerly named Fort Sullivan, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and nickname of South Carolina, as “The Palmetto State.”