Ramoji Rao Filmcity - this is Bollywood ! outside Bombay. India's biggest film studio does not feature special effects sets, but it features castles, pretend cities, even a Hollywood sign. All said and done, as much as it is pretty to look at, it is certainly not worth the price - Rs.300 (about 8 dollars). It has very little to offer, its too hot and lacks proper drinking water, toilets and tour guides.
Temple of the Sun God in Konark, Orissa. This temple was demolished by the British. Before it was demolished, it housed a huge magnet and a shrine that was 175 feet tall. The magnet is now housed in a museum somewhere in England.
The temple's walls are filled with carvings out of the Kama Sutra. Most of them depict threesomes - little wonder, because Surya Bhagwan (Sun God) had two wives - Chaaya and Maaya (Shade and Illusion). It is a popular spot among couples - young and old, who come by and study the carvings for inspiration. So much for a conservative india :p.
Temple in the distance is the Jaganath Puri temple. It houses an incomplete statue of Lord Krishna along with his cohorts. Beware of scamming Brahmins called 'Pandas' by the locals. They will bless you and then demand a humongous sum of money. When this demand is not met, they curse curses like - you will die on your way back home or you will never have kids, etc.
Lounging at Puri Beach. The Bay of Bengal at this beach.
80-Feet Buddha. The Dalai Lama blessed this idol in 1998. It is maintained by the Japanese Buddhist Brotherhood.
The Mahabodhi Temple. This is the spot where Buddha spent his last days. After he passed away, his followers built this temple.
Inside the temple.
This is the legendary Mahabodhi tree. After Ashoka's wife chopped off the original tree, a small sapling from the undergrowth was taken to Sri Lanka by Ashoka's sons. A sapling from the Sri Lankan temple was planted at Sarnath. And a sapling from Sarnath was planted back at this spot. But, the original Mahabodhi tree started growing again by the time all the transplanting was done.
A sign inside the temple.
Sri-Lanka funded temple.
Ashoka's Stupa. When King Ashoka - King of Maghadha gave up violence after the battle of Kalinga, he embraced Buddhism. He and his sons dedicated the rest of his life to spreading Buddhism around the world. This stupa was built by Ashoka as a memorial to where Buddha might have meditated. Today, it is only ruins. British Raj, and consequent beauraucracy got to it.
These are wish handkerchiefs outside a temple. If you have a wish, write it out on a piece of cloth and tie it here. If it comes true, come back and tie another piece of cloth.
For instance, this one reads "I wish my uncle gets a good job with a good pay. -Abhishek"
This is a Bodhi tree. Every temple compound has one of these. Each one traces its lineage to the original Mahabodhi tree in Bodhgaya. The one that was chopped off by Ashoka's wife, in response to his extreme love for Buddhism over her.
Varanasi Railway Station - Built to resemble a temple.
Rajamahal Ghat - Legend is that a Rajasthani King wanted to spend his last days in Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges. So he had this palace built as his retirement mansion. After he passed away he donated the land to the people that served him. Today the palace is owned by the Government of India and serves as a subsidised living space for those that are not very monetarily fortunate. Rents start at just Rs. 5 a month.
A view of the Ghats.
Ganga Puja. This is the same Ganga prayer as the one seen in Haridwar, but on a larger scale. Every Ghat, excluding burning Ghats is illuminated and thousands of Indian and foreign tourists throng the place on foot and on boats to check out the evening prayers.
People assembling for the evening prayer.
