Of temple trees and tanks - The Bhoganandishwara Temple

A recent trip acquainted me with some of the temples of Karnataka and neighboring Andhra Pradesh. As always the older they were , the more they appealed to my aesthetic sense and spiritual sensibilities. The Bhogandishwara temple, built in 810 A.D by the Cholas. The area around the temple is very well maintained by the Architectural Society of India.
 

 

 

 

 The interior was just as impressive. There were three sections - one with the prayer hall and inner sanctum, another with the kalyana mandapam (wedding hall) and a third - the most spectacular - a huge tank area surrounded by the most exquisite sculpture.

 

 

And in the tank area I saw something I had not seen for many many years - the house sparrow! Driven away from the cities by the rapid urbanization, loss of nesting space and feed, it seems they are still prevalent in the rural areas, specially places like this temple where the priests scatter seeds around for them every day.

 

We also saw, what I think is the Indian pond heron near the tank outside.