Glow of Stalagmites and Stalactites

Stalactites, stalagmites and other cave formations fluoresce under the glow of ultraviolet or blacklight at Poole’s Cavern, Derbyshire, England. Fluorescent formations absorb and release energy very quickly. When an ultraviolet, or black light, is directed at these deposits the manganese molecules become activated and we see the calcite release light as a blue-green glow because it is at a different wavelength than the surrounding light sources. Once the light is removed the glow on the rock disappears.

Stalagmite in Blue
Stalactite in Blue
Reaching for the Other

Shree Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple

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.

Somnath Temple Gujarat
Golden Glow on Somnath Sign

Somnath Temple, Gujarat

The Somnath temple is a Hindu temple located in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus and is believed to be first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. We visited the temple at sunset and the golden glow of the sun’s rays is evidenced in all images.

Photography is not allowed on the temple site so we had to access a walkway along the ocean to capture the images.

Somnath Temple at Sunset