Interesting nuggets about Odisha

A series of random interesting nuggets from Odisha:

1. A temple that does not allow non Hindus and foreigners in. So a viewing post has been built outside the compound walls for foreigners may get a glimpse! Had only heard of such a place – now I’ve seen it.

2. A lovely old house on the streets Cuttack.

3. A Buddhist Stupa built with collaboration with the Japanese. It is not inside any city – a detour of several kilometers needs to be taken in order to reach this spot.  Too many questions come to my mind: Why ? Why here? Why Japanese? …. The world is full of mysteries. But it is a lovely place – so the ‘why’ does not matter.

And the photographer’s at Shanti STupa have a complete printing set-up right here on the steps! This happens only in India.

The photo printers taking a lunch break

Sugar cane after the juice has been squeezed out. The bundle is ready to be picked up and sold to the next level of value extractors. Still good for getting out more sugar, more fiber … the cycle goes on.

Bird’s nest …. on sale as an artefact.  

And a few more shaped into toys

A trash can!! Viva creativity!!! Again the question arises “why” …. but I have resigned to the fact that the world is full of mysterie sthat i will never be able to solve!

More toys

Local folk – very striking but I did not see enough , so it si probably an import from some other region nearby.

A river

Riverside bathing.. Bathing in a river seems like a complete unattainable luxury in my world ………. when will I acquire such wealth?!

Riverside laundry. And just what is that large white laundry? The colorful ones are saris.

Painted decorated village homes.

Painted decorated village home with a nesting pot for pigeons. Living with nature

Cleaning wheat. Been there- done that in my childhood!

Cycle rickshaws

Birthplace of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – an Indian freedom fighter that every schoolkid learns about.

The JAIL!!!!

A jail ? Needed in Odisha? it is hard to believe that such a sweet community would require a jail!

Cuttack is bounded on 2 sides by rivers … the river flats on one side 

Not sure why … but a few dozen pots in a temple compound.

[Received an email from a reader today who generously explained why in an email and am posting it here: Manaw Modi writes “Here is why – the temples here “sell” prasad of rice, daal, and various odiya dishes and the pots are used as containers for devoted customers. A very green but years old tradition!”]

Rangoli – or decoration at the threshold of the home is a common morning ritual in Indian homes. When the house is cleaned and freshened then the Goddess Laxmi (wealth) might come visiting. It makes complete philosophical sense – to create enthusiasm about ‘maintenance’  of assets. Other states have the tradition of using powders, rice flour paste and flowers. Here cow dung and flower have been used to create a large circle. An example of naive folk art.

Rickshaws at Puri.

A temple in Cuttack

Odisha … hidden away in the east coast of India. Not loud. Not attention seeking. But its muted beauty has a flavor of its own that may not have a parallel anywhere else in India.

jm

June 2013

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