I love India!! and Indian hand painted trucks!
January 8, 2009: MUMBAI
the three travelers met in Mumbai and boated to Elephanta Island
Gharapuri Island, called 'Elephanta' by the Portugese, is the home of Shiva.
Kathy and cow at the entrance causeway
Nataraga: the Dance of Shiva
three travelers pose with Shiva at Elephanta, our first site
A Unesco World Heritage site, these rock cut caves were made between 810–1260.
cut in the 'living rock'
cushion capitals
door guardians were being cleaned
the Shivalinga with flowers
visitors posing in front of the Trimurti, three faces of Shiva
some cleaning was going on
the pillow column capitals date Elephanta
there is a large central space and two side temples
January 10 MUMBAI: by car to Kanheri caves
Kanheri Buddhist Caves date from 1st century BCE to 9th century CE
it is all about water and drainage
Kanheri was home to Buddhist monks during the rainy season
small stupa with later carvings around it
Kanheri is a popular spot for Indian tour groups
chaitya temple at Kanheri
April and the big guy
rock cut stupa
monk's cells and meeting halls are cut into basaltic rock
still working cisterns for the dry season
schoolgirls on a trip to Kanheri caves
JAN 15, LONAVOLA: by car to Karle caves, with a Hindu festival
we walked up the hill with Hindu pilgrims
Sunday's Hindu festival
the women lined up to enter the Hindu temple
an Ashoka column outside the main temple
the Hindu temple was built just outside the Buddhist one
Marion and Kathy at the entrance
the intrepid travelers
Karle column capitals sported couples riding elephants
loving couples astride elephants!
Karla chiatya, with a sutpa and umbrella and tourists
April surrounded by a class from beautician school at Karla cave
Mohamed, our driver, accompanied us
everyone enjoyed a visit to the temple
although the lines were longest for the new Hindu temple
a family rested at one of the side caves
bees buzzed on the festival garlands
Ayurvedic medicine stand
rock shop
everyone was surprised to see American tourists!
Lonavola: by car to Bedsa cave
we drove to the small town at Bedsa
not many SUV's
April resting on the way up to Bedsa cave temple
Bedsa cave, the most secluded
Buddhist visitors were documenting the caves, with mirrors for photography
lunch on the road with our driver
dosa breakfast before our journey
Aurangabad: by car to Ajanta Caves
we approached Ajanta from above and across the river
Walter Spink with visitors Marion C, David P and Katherine T
Aurangabad: by car to Ellora
Ellora includes Hindu, Buddhist and Jain sites
Aurangabad Caves
overnight train to Bhopal: reserved sleepers had three bunks
Bhopal: by car to Sanchi Stupa site
Sanchi ticket booth (always road work!)
Sanchi, the best preserved Buddhist Stupa
down to the earlier Stupa 2
Bhopal: by car to Udigiri caves and the Sanchi and craft museums
Udaigiri Caves
Vishnu's boar incarnation lifts the earth from the waters
the guide points to personifications of the oceans
vishnu sleeping on a sea of snakes
professional drivers added luck to their driving skills
Kajuraho by train, car to temples
Three travelers at Kajuraho, where 24 of the original 85 temples remain
cleaning from a bamboo scaffold with 2% ammonia and a toothbush
the Ganges pours from the mouth of ths makara
Vishnu lifts the earth again
Vishnu's conch at the temple entrance step
construction work in saris
Vishnu again!
fly to Varanasi: by car to Ganges boatride
dawn meeting for a boatride on the Ganges
Agra (by air): to Taj Mahal by car
entrance gate to the Taj Mahal
Agra: by car to Fatehpur Sikri
Agra: by car to Agra Fort
welcome to Agra Fort...want to buy postcards?
Mughal garden design in four quadrants, Agra fort
Agra: by car to three Mughal Gardens across the river
water course at the Agra mini-Taj, Akbar's father-in-law's tomb
Drying saris by the Yamuna, kids running to beg
ruins of a reflecting pool behind the Taj
the Taj Mahal from across the Yamuna
back to the hotel across the railroad bridge
Agra: drive to Sikandra, Akbar's tomb
first dosa for breakfast
Sikandra, Akbar's tomb
the security lady
the inevitable hungry monkeys
Mathura: ghats
boatride on the Yamuna
a drive through downtown Mathura
making cow patties outside the Mathura Museum
Mathura to Delhi road: Qutub Minar
the world's tallest free standing minaret.
Marion at the Qutub Minar
Delhi: Delhi Museum and the Jantar Mantar
the Lion avatar of Vishnu
lifesize ceramic Ganges and Yamuna river personifications
Jantar Mantar observatory, Delhi
me and Kathy at the Jantar Mantar
Visited Karen at the Imperial Hotel
more film OR disks available here!
fly home in 14 hours...
