It had been real difficult to stay away from this Blog and from my passion. But that's what is happening for last six months; the odds have taken the centre stage pushing away my most beloved one, the one and only, my passion of Photography.
While I believe that its only a passing phase, I am getting suffocated. Today it's my very selfish interest that compells me to write this, at least to relive a few days of the past, the days I spent with my Camera and lenses.
This time the destination was Belur, a few hundred km. away from Bangalore, the site of the famous Hoysala architecture which is preserved in the temples in that area of Karnataka.
I am not a Historian but I love the History for a complete different reason. I love the Architecture of old Indian Dynasties, but that is also not all; the real reason is a little weird. When I enter an old temple or any old structure built long back, in my imagination I get transhipped to the old ages. The ambience and the architecture let me easily slip back in time, each touch of the stones take me away from the present to the past. It gets me inside a stance which I love and relish. As for the Photography, I try to capture this feeling more than anything else.
Two buses and about 18 hours, took me from Chennai to Belur instead of Hassan where I was schedueled to stay until the last moment when the bus stopped at Hassan and I took an extension of my ticket.
I am sure many of my friends know about Hoysala architecture but for those who don't..... The base of the temples are generally are on 4ft.(approx) high stone platform. The edges of this platform are geometrically zigzaged which is a signature of Hoysala architecture. The walls of the temple are built by attaching numbers of horizontal panels and then stacking such rows of panels one above the other. The panels are of different dimensions but the lower most panels are always Elephants, to carry the weight.
After spending a few hours in Chennakesava temple with dull lights and drizzle, I started for another temple, very little known Lakshmi Devi temple in Doddagaddavalli. Both this as well as Channakeshava temple were built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana in the year 1114 AD.
The distance may be only 16km from Belur but in public transport it took me almost one & half hour and a bus ride followed by autorickshaw to reach this site. As a matter of fact, I prefer to travel by public transport only during my such trips for getting the feel of the place which is obviously in its people and a private transport would keep me away from it.
This temple was inside the village with a huge pond on its one side. I spent as long as I wished. To keep away the worry of time, I never wear a watch when I am with my Passion. More than this Chatuskuta (four tower construction) temple I got a fantastic feeling of a serene village.
On my return to Belur, again I spent a good couple of hours inside the temple and trying different angles. The day was definitely not right as far as the sunlight was concerned. But I could get a nice photograph of priests performing Havana, inside the temple. Thanks to my brand new remote control.
I forgot to mention that I also bought a 11-16mm Ultra wide angle lens on the day I started and many of these images are taken with that.
My next day was spent in Halebidu and Belavadi temple.
The Hoysaleshwars temple in halebidu was on the same architectural platform as that of Belur temple. But the carvings were more intricate and sometimes I felt that it was over crowded (though I am not qualified to say so).
I was very excited once I entered the temple. The long corridors were full of carvings and closed doors which I understood to be the houses of Gods but are not opened regularly. I tried my best to capture the play of light filtering through the opening on the walls.
I was totally absorbed in photography and finally was thrown out for taking so intense interest in capturing the temple. What a pity... But that's what it was.
With a little dampened spirit I went out only to carry on my effort on the outer walls which were also equally interesting and photogenic.
It was here that I got the prize; the image of the lowest panel of Elephants... one of my favourites and liked by many of my friends and senior photographers.
The trip to Belavadi was particularly rewarding. I could capture the Veer Narayana Temple from within with the shining pillars, another signature of the Hoysala architecture. This temple is like a big Cross and the carvings on one side are half finished whereas those on the other side are fully completed.
I didn't know that here in Belavadi I would get one of my favourite candid images. It was the Priest of the temple. We started to talk just normally as I generally do as my endeavour to get a feel of the
people. A very nice person whose only daughter studies in Chennai.
I was chatting and was capturing the temple from different angles using my camera bag as the tripod (tripod is a strict No No).
Suddenly it struck me that this person has nice photogenic features and can be a good model for my Candid photography.
The person was relaxed with me, the verbal and non verbal connections established, so there could not be anything better.
Slowly I turned my camera and clicked... one two and several. Of course I took permission from him post facto so that the photographs would be natural and not posed
Next day was my last day. the local people in Bus terminus, shoe keepers and tea stalls suggested a fort, old and not particularly beautiful. But it was old enough to excite me. It was Munjirabad Fort, built by Tipu Sultan.
I couldn't find this fort much exciting other than its walls and the breathtaking views from it. But the bus journey on the chilly morning through the plantations and the plantation quarters was very nice.
I had to come back to Belur on time to catch the 2pm bus to Bangalore for my return journey after a three days long dream trip. Road side food, ramshackale buses, half spoken and half understood words would never been so nice.... after all it is my OTHERSIDE.
While I believe that its only a passing phase, I am getting suffocated. Today it's my very selfish interest that compells me to write this, at least to relive a few days of the past, the days I spent with my Camera and lenses.
This time the destination was Belur, a few hundred km. away from Bangalore, the site of the famous Hoysala architecture which is preserved in the temples in that area of Karnataka.
 |
| Chennakesava Temple, Belur |
 |
| Darpan Sundari @ Belur |
I am sure many of my friends know about Hoysala architecture but for those who don't..... The base of the temples are generally are on 4ft.(approx) high stone platform. The edges of this platform are geometrically zigzaged which is a signature of Hoysala architecture. The walls of the temple are built by attaching numbers of horizontal panels and then stacking such rows of panels one above the other. The panels are of different dimensions but the lower most panels are always Elephants, to carry the weight.
After spending a few hours in Chennakesava temple with dull lights and drizzle, I started for another temple, very little known Lakshmi Devi temple in Doddagaddavalli. Both this as well as Channakeshava temple were built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana in the year 1114 AD.
The distance may be only 16km from Belur but in public transport it took me almost one & half hour and a bus ride followed by autorickshaw to reach this site. As a matter of fact, I prefer to travel by public transport only during my such trips for getting the feel of the place which is obviously in its people and a private transport would keep me away from it.
This temple was inside the village with a huge pond on its one side. I spent as long as I wished. To keep away the worry of time, I never wear a watch when I am with my Passion. More than this Chatuskuta (four tower construction) temple I got a fantastic feeling of a serene village.
 |
| Lakshmi Devi Temple @ Doddagaddavalli |
I forgot to mention that I also bought a 11-16mm Ultra wide angle lens on the day I started and many of these images are taken with that.
 |
| Priests performing Yagna in Belur |
My next day was spent in Halebidu and Belavadi temple.
The Hoysaleshwars temple in halebidu was on the same architectural platform as that of Belur temple. But the carvings were more intricate and sometimes I felt that it was over crowded (though I am not qualified to say so).
 |
| Hoysaleshwara Temple @ Halebidu |
I was very excited once I entered the temple. The long corridors were full of carvings and closed doors which I understood to be the houses of Gods but are not opened regularly. I tried my best to capture the play of light filtering through the opening on the walls.
 |
| Morning Light in Hosaleshwara Temple |
With a little dampened spirit I went out only to carry on my effort on the outer walls which were also equally interesting and photogenic.
It was here that I got the prize; the image of the lowest panel of Elephants... one of my favourites and liked by many of my friends and senior photographers.
 |
| Rows of Elephant @ Hoysaleshwara Temple |
The trip to Belavadi was particularly rewarding. I could capture the Veer Narayana Temple from within with the shining pillars, another signature of the Hoysala architecture. This temple is like a big Cross and the carvings on one side are half finished whereas those on the other side are fully completed.
 |
| Veer Narayana Temple @ Belavadi |
 |
| The Priest |
I was chatting and was capturing the temple from different angles using my camera bag as the tripod (tripod is a strict No No).
Suddenly it struck me that this person has nice photogenic features and can be a good model for my Candid photography.
The person was relaxed with me, the verbal and non verbal connections established, so there could not be anything better.
Slowly I turned my camera and clicked... one two and several. Of course I took permission from him post facto so that the photographs would be natural and not posed
Next day was my last day. the local people in Bus terminus, shoe keepers and tea stalls suggested a fort, old and not particularly beautiful. But it was old enough to excite me. It was Munjirabad Fort, built by Tipu Sultan.
 |
| Munirabad Fort |
I had to come back to Belur on time to catch the 2pm bus to Bangalore for my return journey after a three days long dream trip. Road side food, ramshackale buses, half spoken and half understood words would never been so nice.... after all it is my OTHERSIDE.
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