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An interesting recent addition to the collection, a book that plunges into the historical linkages of a mammoth epic. The connections are perhaps easier to make as I have visited most of the excavated sites mentioned, esp Kaushambi. 
More recent additions, these from the world book fair, in Delhi. A massive 3-volume listing of #hiddenheritage monuments in #Odisha. Amazed that the govt's publications division was giving this set away at a throwaway price.
More from the book fair: the memoirs of Britain's best known WW II commander and a book on personal anecdotes from the war.
Have always found the Yoginis a fascinating aspect of Indian history, the isolation of their shrines adding to the theme. And now, artist Seema Kohli has created a Yogini sculpture exhibition at Sunder Nursery heritage park, around a Lotus Pool.
Traditions survive, evolve over time. Like Gauri - also called Ksemankari & Ajita. Depicted as a 9th cen Yogini sculpture (replica) frm Hirapur, #Odisha. Contemporary Gujarat has Khodiyar Mata, a goddess whose shrine is a stepwell. Both have a croc as vehicle. The same goddess?
And guess which creature happened to enter the Khodiyar Mata ni vav one day. A crocodile, which got mighty upset when locals put vermilion on it. timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/…
Inspired by the Persepolis pic, sharing a few 'pillars' seen in India. This set is of the Heliodorus pillar, a stone column in #Vidisha, MP. Could have been part of a Vishnu temple that was once at this site. Indo-Greek, dated to 113 BCE, rediscovered by Cunningham, 1877.
This pillar is a virtual witness of Indian History - bearing inscriptions of Ashoka, Samudragupta and Jahangir. Originally Ashokan, was moved from Kaushambhi to its present day location inside the fort at #Prayagraj to commemorate Jahangir's accession.
#ExploreUP: Kaushambhi is one of India's finest excavated sites. It still retains one Ashokan pillar which stands amidst green fields.
First pit-stop on my #ExploreUP journey, Bhitargaon in #Kanpurdehat. Amidst squalor, in a village seemingly over-run by a combo of buffaloes & pigs, stands what may be north India's oldest existing temple. This brick temple dedicated to Vishnu dates to Gupta period, 6th century.
#ExploreUP: Having read abt a Lodi-era tomb at #Kalpi, #Jalaun dist, I expected it to be in line with the octagonal Lodi-Sur era tombs elsewhere in India. It turned out to be quite different. Locals call it the Chaurasi (84) gumbad.
#ExploreUP: The tomb @ #Kalpi, was described as that of a 'Lodi Badshah'. Aware that of the three Lodi rulers, two buried in Delhi & third in #Panipat, was puzzled abt the Kalpi person. Turns out to be a brother of Ibrahim named Jalaluddin who propped himself as ruler for a while
