III. Temples

Captain’s Log: Sunday, 17 September 2017

Distance: Still in Mahabalipuram

Today we took the bus to a “city” (our tour guide called it city), where we visited a lot of Dead Temples. The Dead Temples are different from the Living ones, since there are no priests and no people who pray and so on.

The first one was quite fascinating, because it was made off one huge stone. They saw the rocks there and wanted to have a temple, so they build it there since they did not know yet how to make bricks and how to take them somewhere else, so they carved their twmple right where the rocks had been.

You can search for the frog in there. By the way, it’s now 2 votes for each, Sammakko, Groda and Chupa, so I am as clueless as in the beginning… I guess, it will take some time to name him.

He even made friends there!

When we got back to our bus, there have been goats everywhere, and stray dogs, and so many people who tried to sell us something. I think, I had to say No fifty times until one of them stopped walking beside me and talking to me. I would not say it is annoying, it is just something I am not used to. But they are still very friendly.

The next few temple were also very impressive. One of them had a giant wall with many elephants, figures, lions and other animals. Our tour guide told us a lot about the gods and the Hindu Religion. One of those things she told us, was that everyone is on one level. The animals, the gods, the people, all were on that wall, mixed, and no one is more of worth than the other. I think, that is something we have to learn in Europe as well.

Another stop was at an old lighthouse, and beside it a newer one.

I had to hold my frog there, otherwise it might have fallen down. Safety first.

As you can see on this picture, we have coulds the whole day, yesterday as well. It is a good thing, I mean, it is still hot enough, and very humid, but we do not have the direct sun.

That was another location. (You can search again) I have no idea how it stays up there, since it went down quite steep there. 

By the way, all these locations were like, 5-10 minutes with the bus away from each other.

The last temple was the Shore Temple, one of the Seven, but the other seven were underwater in the ocean.

I am really sorry, I just have to put my frog in every picture. On the camera I have some without it as well.

This temple was build a little bit later than the others, since they have learned already how to make bricks and how to get the stones somewhere else to build another temple.

Afterwards we were in a little shop.

All the figures who have four arms are gods, these ones with two arms are humans.

And here we have another human.

Afterwards we had time to walk around in the market, which has been a bit exhausting because all the cars and motorcycles and motorrollers were driving around and honking, and we were right beside it… I admit, I was glad, once we have been back in the bus again. In the early afternoon we returned to our resort, where we had free time till dinner. We used it to rest a bit in our room, and later we played cards after a visit to the beach until dinner was ready.