Bhoganandishwara Temple - Nandi Hills

My new found hobby is photography.  Mike and the boys (and Santa, and everyone I know pretty much) gave me a new camera for Christmas.  It is quite a popular pastime for the expats here because India lends itself to such beautiful photos.  The colours in the saris, the dirt and dust, the dark skin, the beautiful temples, the colourful poojas - it all helps in creating some beautiful photographs.  I don't pretest to be very good and I am not looking to win any competitions (or enter for that matter) but I enjoy the challenge and I love seeing some fun outcomes.

So, last week I did a short course on learning the 'nuts and bolts' of photography and how to use this very cool new toy I have.  Luckily for me, there was a trip today to a temple in the Nandi Hills.  This was great to build on the foundations of what I learnt last week and also to try out some fun new techniques, while exploring a new place.

So, Bhoganandishwara Temple is about 1.5 hours from where we are in Bangalore and is one of the most ornate Dravidian temples in Karnataka.  Dravidian is a style of temple that is like a pyramid style with steps and has many carved pillars - usually with gods, goddesses, warriors etc.  There is actually two temples with many statues and pillars to create an intricate network of 'rooms' and shrines.  In the second temple there is a body of water (like a well) called Pinakini Kolla and was recently used for a celebration where lots of candles were 'floated' in the water.  Unfortunately, when the wax and debris fell into the water, all the fish that lived there died.  Such a very 'Indian' outcome to a celebration........

So we wandered around trying to get our 'eye in' and getting better perspective with our photos, along with trying some new fun techniques out.  I am far from good, but it's so much fun and such a great bunch of ladies to have a day out with.

As it so happened, it was the day that the temple staff had to count the financial offerings.  It is quite rare to see this happen, so we felt very lucky and they were quite happy for us to take photos - right there in the courtyard !!

Afterwards, we had the opportunity to go to the home of a silk making family.  It was a great process to see, with the raw silk being spun in to silk thread.   However, the best part for me was spending quite a bit of time outside taking photos of the local children.  They are just adorable and they are so happy with the very simple life they live.

I apologise for the number of photos - my next skill is to learn to cull better !!

One of the other ladies took this, she wasn't happy because
it is overexposed but I love it.

This is the entrance to the temple

Susie being 'arty'

One of the many carvings in the pillars

The first image inside the temple, it was so beautiful.

Praying to the Nandi Bull

Waiting for mummy to finish praying

More of the statues along the internal walls

One of the priests at the Ganesh Shrine

A beautiful Goddess

The entrance to the second Temple - I love the doors.

Pillars as far as the eye can see

The Nandi Hills in the background, the steps in the temple
in the foreground

The 'lovely' water in the well.

A lovely group of worshipers happy to have their photo taken
such gorgeous colours !!

Another angle of the well

Gorgeous Architecture

Frame within a frame

The wonderful Ganesh

Counting the money

Ganesha !!! 

Enjoying the sun

Praying to Ganesh

One of the locals

A local market outside the temple

Time for some grooming

Silk spinning

Many many spools

yep, thats a pile of silk

This lady seemed so sad.

I loved these doors - can only imagine where
they lead.

These girls were shy but so beautiful

Cheekiness !!

Cheekiness times 4 !!

She was scared of looking at her picture in the camera - but after the bunch of white ladies
stayed for a long time she came around.

On a mission