ಕ್ಷಣಪ್ರಭಾ - Kshanaprabhaa

Well, an almost unplanned one day trip to the temple towns and wildlife regions of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts of Karnataka last week (first week of April) proved two things: Think twice before doing this in the hot and sunny summer (Nanjanagudu and Talakadu were literally burning hot), and  You can spot some wildlife even in the scorching heat, if you are lucky... Some pictures... A leafless tree hosts the red-vented bulbul Endless dry deciduous forests surrounding the Himavad Gopalaswamy Hill The Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple A stag far away from the temple, grazing alone A deer herd trying to find shade and protect themselves from the scorching heat Entrance to the Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple, with the green backdrop Gray Langur playing hide and seek? The calm Cauvery water at Talakadu The lone fisherman on the sunny afternoon at Talakadu An elephant in the wild at Bandipur

Some pictures from my last year's visit to Pattadakallu  - a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the Malaprabha river, home to some of the most stunning Chalukya architectural grandeur.

Here are some more haunting images from my trip to Badami last year, continuing on from a few shared here : A life size Adinatha statue at the Mahaveera (4th) Cave Temple A view of the little temple structures on the hill opposite to the Badami Caves Bhootanatha Temple complex as seen from  the Badami Caves Serenity The grandeur and the unique color of the Badami Cave Temples Stairs to the architectural heaven Bhootanatha Temple complex from the Agastya Lake around sunset Stunning carvings of Varaha, Ganesha, Trimurtis, Mahisha Mardhini, Ugra Narasimha and more beyond the Bhootanatha Temple Agastya Lake and Badami Cave Temples as seen from the Bhootanatha Temple complex A calm picturesque water body behind the Bhootanatha Temple complex

Some pictures from my last year's trip to Badami, Karnataka. All these special architectrues are from the Badami Chalukya and Kalyani Chalukya period, ranging from 6th Century CE to 12th Century CE. Entrance to the cave temple dedicated Shiva Stunning carving on the rooftop inside the Shiva cave temple The famous Nataraja statue depicting multiple Bharatanatya poses Varaha lifting Bhoodevi Vamana becoming Trivikrama Entrance to the cave temple dedicated to Vishnu The Kalyani Chalukya marvel right below the Badami Chalukya caves Vishnu? or Chalukya king Pulikeshi? Paintings on the rooftop from the 6th / 7th century Badami Chalukya period From inside one of the cave temples of Badami

Some pictures of the many Shiva Temples in and around Mahakuta - a place just a few kilometers away from Badami, Karnataka . Visited this place last year.