Nagabana- the Garden of Serpents

 All along the Western Ghats, there are Nagabanas, or reserved forest for snakes.The forest there is kept in pristine conditions.

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 The Nagabana at Apsarakonda has a beautiful waterfall which makes a delightful pool.

 Apsaras, the beautiful heavenly maidens used to bathe here, according to the locals!

 There are some natural caves on the hill adjoining the falls, and a natural garden.

 When you come down the rough hewn steps, you are in a golden beach. And if you are lucky, you might catch sight of a snake as we did. This was a sea snake thrown ashore by the waves.
The Nagabanas which dot the hills of the Western Ghats are important for the ecology of the region since they conserve the endangered native flora. People treat the snakes with great respect there.

My thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt who started ABCWednesday, and Roger and his team.

Magical Mirjan Fort

It was just by chance that we went to see Mirjan Fort near Kumta, last week. The monsoons were just over, and the walls of the fort were covered with moss.There were swathes of wildflowers inside the fort. The place was sheer magic.

 Built in the 15th century, Mirjan Fort served as the headquarters of the shrewed and brave queen, Channabhairadevi. She exported pepper, cardamom,ginger and sandalwood to Europe from the seaport at Mirjan. She made a canny deal with the Portuguese, who gave her the title Raina da Pimenta,or 'Pepper Queen'

 The fort is strong and built with red laterite stones. There is a durbar hall and a market place inside the fort.

 There are three deep wells inside the fort, which are now covered. These wells were connected to the moat surrounding the fort.

 After the Pepper Queen's death, the fort passed into the hands of different chieftains.

Sharief-ul-Mulk, the governor of Goa renovated the fort in 1670.

 There is an amazing secret passage to help people escape if things became too difficult!
Mirjan Fort is near the famous temple town of  Gokarna on the west coast of India.

I'll be linking this post to ABCWednesday started by Mrs.Nesbitt, and meticulously managed by Roger and his team.

ABCWednesday- Harne

 If you haven't had halibut with hot chilli sauce, you must head for Harne, in the Western coast of India.Hundreds of fishing boats go out to the sea each morning and get a harvest of different types of fish.

 The Hindu fisherfolk live on a hill,

 Heavy vehicles carry the fish to Mumbai and Pune , packed in ice.There is a lighthouse and a disused harbour near the village.

While the hombres relax with a half-pint, it is the women who do all the haggling.

My heartfelt thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt and the humorous Roger for hosting ABCWednesday.

Goa !

One should go to Goa to have a great holiday. 

 Goa was under Portuguese rule for centuries. You can see many cathedrals and churches built in the Portuguese style. The Se Cathedral on top is the largest cathedral in Southeast Asia.

 A park in Panaji, the capital.

 An alley in Goa which has a European flavour.

During Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, Goans make idols of the demon Narakasura and set fire to it.

Thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt and the good Roger for making ABCWednesday a grand success!

Dandeli- a village in the dense forest

 Dandeli is a small town in the Western Ghats. At present, it is receiving very heavy rain. The river Kali flows near it. The thick jungles of the Kali basin house many wild animals and wildflowers.

 Butterflies here are larger than what we see in the city.

 A trek in the rainforest of Dandeli is a wonderful experience.

My thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt, the author of the delightful meme ABCWednesday, and tothe dashing Roger who manages it so beautifully.

Bijapur, the City of Victory

The Gol Gumbaz

 Bijapur is a city of historic importance in south India. It was built by the Kalyani Chalukyas in the 10th century, and named Vijayapura, or City of Victory. In the course of time, it was ruled by kings of various dynasties. The Adil Shahi dynasty of the 16th century added some beautiful buildings and gardens . The most famous monument in Bijapur is the Gol Gumbaz. (topmost picture) It is an enormous dome which houses the tombs of Mohammad Adil Shah and his queens. The dome is second in size to St.Peter's Basilica in Rome. The whispering gallery in the Gol Gumbaz attracts a lot of visitors. The accoustics are so amazing that if you whisper in one corner of the gallery, it is heard in the far corners too. The kings who were music lovers, liked to listen to singers here.

 Carvings on the door of the mosque at Ibrahim Rauza,

 The Ibrahim Rauza has two buildings, one a mausoleum and the other a mosque. The buildings are surrounded by a beautifully maintained garden. Many of the carvings in the buildings copy the carvings in Hindu temples.

My thanks to Mrs.Nesbitt and the team of ABCWednesday, where you can come across gorgeous pictures,great poetry and scintillating wit.

Yakshgana- the Song of the Demigods

The villages and towns in the coastal districts of Karnataka resound with the sound of drums every night during summer. It is Yakshagana season!
Yakshagana means the song of Yakshas. Yakshas were demigods according to Hindu mythology.Yakshagana is a folk theater of this region , where stories from the Indian epics are presented in a combination of dance, music, drama and poetry. The actors are dressed in special resplendent costumes with special headgears made of locally available material.
The lead singer called Bhagavata, renders poetry in  a powerful voice. the actors dance vigorously, and say their pieces, which are usually improvised.

This is my contribution to ABCWednesday, started by Mrs.Nesbitt and managed so well by her team.
The image is from Wikipedia.