The beautiful temples of Bali

The Indonesian island of Bali is home to the majority of the country’s Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is characterized by the worship of the supreme god Acintya, along with the trinity in Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The art and ritual of the Balinese Hindus trace back to influences from the 4th century when Hinduism reached the island’s shores. Balinese temples are ornate, beautiful and situated in visually stunning locales. LAKSHMI SHARATH traipses through Bali and returns with these breathtaking picture postcards.

If you think India has many shrines, think again. In Bali, Indonesia’s Hindu island, there are temples everywhere – in streets, atop mountains, clinging to cliffs, on the seashore, and in the courtyard of every home.

 

The Mother Besakih temple is one of the most important temples in Bali. It is located atop Mount Agung. It is not just one shrine but a cluster of 20 temples overlooking the villages and the green slopes of the mountain. Balinese believe that the good spirits along with their deities reside here and the shrines resemble houses built for them.

 

Goa, I learned, is pronounced “Guha” as in many Indian languages. It refers to a 1,000-year-old cave excavated here that houses the Hindu trinity of gods and Ganesha, whom the Balinese know as “Gajah” (as in elephant). The 11th century site, called Lwa Gajah, was not discovered until the 1950s and was believed to be a sanctuary of a Buddhist monk. Carved images of the Buddha and smaller shrines and a step-well dot the green landscape here.

Bali’s shrines are often located in the most exotic landscapes. This is Pura Uluwatu right atop the cliff. The scenery is breathtaking as you climb uphill through a small forested area patrolled by boisterous monkeys.

Pura Taman Ayun, literally “beautiful garden”, is the shrine of the royalty in Bali. Built in the 17th century, this temple in Mengwi, south Bali, is believed to house the ancestors of the royal dynasty and their family deities.

The sounds of performances fill the air as you walk into any of these temples. Wayang or shadow puppetry, the Kecak or fire-dance, and various other local dances like Barong, Legong and Pendet are some of the art forms to experience while you visit these shrines.

No trip is complete without a glimpse of the spectacular sunset in Tanah Lot temple, a tourist magnet located on a rocky oceanic island. The 15th century shrine, dedicated to the sea spirits, was built under the direction of a priest and is believed to be guarded by snakes.

Priyanka Gandhi -- The power dressing queen

Be it the humble sari or the crisp shirt and trousers, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra carries each of her look with ease and elan.

As she battled the dust during her three- day campaign trail in poll- bound Uttar Pradesh, the Congress’ star campaigner and sure shot vote- bearer, Priyanka, exuded the charisma of her late grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Her visits to Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies saw the woman, who introduced power dressing to the world of Indian politics, sticking to her signature style — of teaming gorgeous cotton saris with longsleeve blouses.

Her unassuming look belies the confidence and power that she holds within, a trait reminiscent of her mother Sonia Gandhi’s modest and unpretentious fashion sensibilities.

At all the three sightings in UP, Priyanka was seen in a sari and long- sleeve blouse, the pallu falling over her arm.

While addressing party workers in Amethi, she was seen in a blue sari with purple border and a matching purple blouse. In Rae Bareli, she was spotted in a sunny yellow checked sari with a maroon blouse to match her happy composition and enthusiasm. On the last day of her visit, she repeated a similar colour combination.

Off the campaign trail though, Priyanka is seen in tucked- in shirt and trousers or a casual jeans and T- shirt.

Keeping her audience in mind, the fashionista always manages to be bang-on trend.

When in the city, Priyanka is urban chic in the casual tee and jeans or crisp shirt and trousers.

Canada's Call of the Outdoors

Reconnect with nature by camping on Lanezi Lake in Bowron Lake Provincial Park.

Go golfing at the Greywolf Golf Course in Panorama Mountain Village near Invermere.

 

Take a scenic, exhilarating motorcycle tour in Jasper National Park in Alberta.

Mountain biking is another adventurous activity you can indulge in.

Kayaking enthusiasts head to Hopewell Rocks which are located on the shores of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick.

   

 

 If you love skiing, Alberta will prove to be your ski haven.

                            

Giddy up and go horseback riding through fields of wildflowers near Kamloops.

 

Gear up for canoe adventures at Yukon River.

 

Go hiking in the moss covered forest in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve in Haida Gwaii.

 

Get set for a thrilling river rafting experience at Fraser River.

Kite Festival

A kite shaped like a multitentacled spider balloons up before it is airborne

A kite takes to the air at the International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad.

A kite looks down at the tiny word below

Banner kites, fighting kites and sculptural kites are just some of the varieties of kites brought to Ahmedabad by master kitemakers.

The official entry of Gujarat Tourism at the Kite Festival. Since 1989 Ahmedabad has hosted the International Kite Festival as part of the official celebration of Uttarayan.

A foreign participant with his kite. It is believed that kites came to India with Muslim traders from Persia or Buddhist pilgrims from China.

Unusual kites from Malaysia and Indonesia join local Indian kites in a colorful pageant.

Is that a slogan? Or a protest? Kites bearing messages perhaps make a stronger statement than T-shirts.

A kite flyer wears his attitude. The International Kite Festival draws visitors and participants from all over the world. Kite-flyers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Italy, France and Japan among a host of countries make a beeline for Ahmedabad on January 14.

A foreign participant takes pleasure in watching her kite fly.

Kitemakers from all over the world showcase their art at the winter festival of Uttarayan.

Colorful motifs and patterns are on display.

An enormous crab-shaped kite takes wing

Rare Pics By Homai Vyarawalla - The First Lady of Indian Press Photography.

Homai Vyarawalla - The First Lady of Indian Press Photography India’s first woman press photographer Homai Vyarawalla, who passed away January 15, 2012 at the age of 98, captured the last days of the British Empire in India. Her work also traces the birth and growth of a new nation. The story of Homai’s life and her professional career spans an entire century of Indian history. This selection of rare photographs tells her life story amid footnotes of an emerging nation, as she saw it.

‘Home Leather-Worker: Photo by Mrs Homai Vyarawalla’, Cover of The Illustrated Weekly on December 9, 1945. “My pictures of Lady Irwin College were first published in the Weekly (1945). This Ceylonese woman saw the pictures and was motivated to come to India to study at the college. She later modeled for me for this picture.”

Homai during her college years, in 1931. Homai would stitch her own blouses and she shared six sarees with her widowed mother, Soonamai.

Homai and family, with the car DLD 13 (which inspired ‘Dalda’, the nickname she gave herself). “Purchased in 1955 for Rupees 11,000/- with taxes! It came to me on the 13th of the month that happened to be Dhanteras at Diwali time. I believe in numerology and the number thirteen has been lucky for me.”

“On Children’s Day, I would notice the staff shooing away children of the less privileged. Of course, Nehru never knew that. He played with any child which was brought to him. So, in all my twenty-seven years in Delhi, I never saw Nehru with the children of the poor in his arms. There was always a coterie around him and he saw only what they wanted to see.”

A show of hands for the voting for Partition. In her meticulous documentation of events leading up to Independence, Homai Vyarawalla photographed the significant meeting of AICC held on 2 June 1947, in which the decision to Partitition the country was made. From Homai’s accounts, this meeting was a stormy one.

Mahatma Gandhi’s body at Birla House. Sardar Patel, Nehru, Mountbatten, Baldev Singh, and Gandhi’s son Ramdas are seen in the picture.

The ceremonial ride of Dr Rajendra Prasad through Vijay Chowk upon becoming the first President of India.

The first Republic Day Parade on 26 January 1950, was held at the ground where the National Stadium stands today with the Purana Quila in the background. It was only after this that its venue shifted to India Gate. This picture shows Dr Rajendra Prasad taking the salute without any security surrounding him.

Nehru’s Cabinet seen at lunch hosted by Sardar Patel after C. Rajagopalachari became Governer-General, 1948. Seated here are: Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Baldeve Singh, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, John Matthai, Jagjivan Ram, Mr Gadgil, Mr Neogi, Dr Ambedkar, Shyama Prasad Mookherji, Gopalaswamy Iyengar and Jayaramdas Daulatram.

The first three Presidents of India: Dr Rajendra Prasad (1950-62), Dr Radhakrishnan (1962-67) and Dr Zakir Hussain (1967-69) at a condolence meeting of Parliamentarians on Nehru’s death.