The worshipers !

The worshipers !

Vedvyaas Mela

Vedvyaas Mela

Vedvyaas is a holy place for all rourkelites to carry out important rituals. Almost all major festivals are celebrated at this complex of temples located on the sangam of three rivers. The attraction among all is the famous Vedvyaas mela arranged on the auspicious week of Mahashivaratri.

"Vedvyas Shivaratri Mela ( Fair) is an annual Mela that is held for 15 days starting with the Hindu festival of Mahahivaratri, in the Vedvyas Dham Ground, Rourkela. Shivaratri Mela is held as per Hindu calendar every year on the Krishnapaksha 13th day/13th night (breaking fast/'Vrata' on 14th after sunrise) of the waning moon in the month of Phalguna that corresponds to February/March as per Gregorian calendar. The festival’s popularity is widespread and hence is known as Vedvyas Mela, Lots of vendor from all over India came to open shops of different traditional & daily use items, local sweets and villager sweets vendors are coming to sell their product. "

                                                                                  ---- http://sundergarh.nic.in/vedvyas/festivals.html

Here are some glimpses of the premium fun and fair. Roughly one lakh or more people visit every day and visit few among as many as seven hundred shops. The district administration keeps the crowd quite disciplined. 

The colors of Joy

Hundreds of small shops sell the goods required for the daily purpose, from plastic made to wood made. As the prices fall down, most people enjoy the shopping. Although the quality of goods like cheap ornaments, decorative items is rubbish, handmade articles by the local skilled craftsmen is certainly a good buy.

The food stalls

More than half the stalls sell food items, especially the sweets !

.... and very few sell least demanded cold drinks. Remember it is still February and Rourkela is still cold !

The fun part - Not 'only' for children:

Some try shooting, although there is no prize to claim !

From children to young and older ones enjoy most of it, may it be the giant wheel or for that matter any fearful rotating mechanism. I find these places full of emotions - fear, excitation, innocence, curiosity, and most importantly satisfaction !

A small compilation of happenings at the fair !

Mahashivratri rituals at Vedvyaas

Mahashivratri rituals at Vedvyaas

Every year on the occasion of MahaShivRatri, people in Rourkela offer 'Puja' to the Lord Shiva. Thousands of them gather at Vedvyaas, a complex of temples located on the banks of River Brahmani.

Vedvyaas can be approached by road as well as by crossing the river. River stream shrinks and is easy to cross in the month of March. Locals put up temporary wooden bridge to make it further easy. 

It is believed that Lord Shiva bless the one who builds the idol "the Lingam" using the sand from the river. Believers collect the sand in copper pots and construct one and then decorate it.

On the evening the river bed starts flooding in with worshipers from all over the town to grab a place near to the river stream. 

Whole family put the efforts together and decorate the idol using flowers and Lord Shiva's favorite bell-patri.

Not only women, boys and men also perform the ritual to get the blessings from the almighty.

Offering puja comes with so much of preparation - Lamps with ghee, fruits for Naivedya, making garlands etc.

The last thing before the prayer is to take a quick bath in holy river water.

Soon after the sunset, the prayers are offered, lamps are lighten up. 

Now imagine whole river bed with such thousands of lamps !

Family seats around the idol, keeps lamps lit throughout the night. Next morning, the lingam is submerged into the river and the fast ends.

Vedvyaas temple complex looks spectacular decorated with both electric and oil-lamps. A typical Indian fun-fair is also organised in the fields near by which runs for more than a weak.

Hotel Renaissance, Powai

Hotel Renaissance, Powai

The Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel offers a luxury retreat in the heart of India's most vibrant cities. Perched on the banks of Lake Powai, it offers sweeping view of Lake Powai. Here are two captures of the hotel shot from the terrace of hostel 12 of IIT Bombay.

Bhubaneshwar in Panoramas

Bhubaneshwar in Panoramas 

Start your morning with a visit to Kapileshwar temple complex, situated in old town. Place is photogenic - worshipers, priests, people, day-to-day activities 

Understand the Buddhism through the sculptures and scripts - Visit Dhauli Shanti Stupa and experience the landscape dominated by river Daya. Do not forget a quick visit to Dhabaleshwar temple very much near to stupa.

Bhubaneshwar is city of temples. Among many, I would prescribe Mukteshwar temple for its outstanding design.  

Now a relax time: Visit Indira Gandhi Park for an evening walk with snacks and to review the day so far !

Pleasure of driving.....

'Pleasure' of driving.....

For photography tours, I always preferred travelling on bike rather than car. Driving bike gives you pleasure being open to nature. Go slow, looking the beauty around, and stop when you like it to be captured. Two wheeler is fastest and easiest mode of conveyance. On one of my memorable weekend travel to Guhagar, I borrowed 'Hero Pleasure' from my sister. Evening golden light on the grass meadow on the way was a perfect surrounding for photographing this beauty. Here are some images for you....

The priests of Bubaneshwar !

The priests of Bubaneshwar !

 

The job hours are long. Lot of wait and patience is required to attract (!) the devotees .

 

One priest is devoted to every idol / worshiping place in the temple campus. He earns bread and butter from the it. More devotees he attracts, more he earns !

Apart from performing rituals, any other sacred job has to be performed by the priests of the temple. Cooking included.

There is leisure time too ! They are so many fr a small temple.

Some lucky ones get time to pose for the camera and they do it happily !