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.
Ambaji is an important temple town in Gujarat with millions of devotees visiting the temple every year. This is the principal shrine of a goddess who has been worshiped since the pre-Vedic period. She is often referred to as Arasuri Amba.
Made of white marble with gold cones, the rays of the setting sun accentuate the golden hue on the temple spires.
A Golden Temple in Gujarat
A Street to Ambaji Temple
Poshina, a small town situated in Gujarat, India, is home to Adivasi shrines acclaimed for their votive terracotta horses. A growing army of more than 2000 horses surrounds the petite Adivasi shrines. The horses are offered in anticipation of achieving a particular wish or upon fulfillment of a desire, such as childbirth, curing of an illness, sick animals, timely rain, aid in a difficult harvest, and so on.
The term Adivasi means “original inhabitants” and there are a number of Adivasi communities (such as the Garasia, Bhil, Koli, and Rathva) residing in the northern, central and southern part of Gujarat. Most Adivasi communities believe that their gods cannot be represented by images. Instead, they install wooden posts or clay pots as focuses for their prayers.
Poshina Clay Horse Shrine
Clay Horse Shrine in Poshina
Rudimentary shrines are quite prevalent in rural India farms and roads
Roadside Shrine
A perfect place to rest under the tree besides a small shrine on the outskirts of a village in Gujarat, India
Resting Under the Tree
A “torii” is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to sacred. Image circa 1985.
We will now transition from Japan to other places in the world ……
Shinto Gate
Symmetrical Arches
Sunlight and shadows accentuating the symmetry of arches in the walkways of an Indian shrine
Photos by Ravi 