Of People and Places

A sketch of CSI Wesley Cathedral, Mysore We stumbled on The CSI Wesley Cathedral on one of our long rambles around B N Road in Mysore . It looked a pretty sight, framed with overcast clouds. The weather made it an absolute joy to be outdoors.  The cathedral is over 140 years old and is one of the oldest churches in South India attached to the Church of South India (CSI). Rev. John Hachian of the Wesleyan Mission sought support in England and collected funds to build this church.  One of the best things about having a sketchbook around at all times, is it lets me cherish moments like this one. And when I revisit the sketch later, it transports me back to the time I was at the place :) 

The illustration is of a drummer, in a Kandyan dance performance that we saw at the Oak Ray Regency in Kandy. Like the dancers, he is flamboyantly dressed, with a white turban, waistband and an ornate breastplate. The drummers' theatrics are just as interesting as the dancers, when  they give a sudden turn of the head to emphasize the beat.  This was the second day of our trip to Sri Lanka when we went from Colombo to Kandy, a lovely city surrounded by hills and plantation - the last capital of the Sinhalas. It is also famous for the temple of the Tooth Relic. Read all my Sri Lanka posts -  Galle Clock Tower in Sri Lanka The boatman on Madu river, Sri Lanka Feeding frenzy at the Pinnawala elephant orphanage Dutch canal in Wattala, Colombo In Beruwala, Sri Lanka The tunnel of trees in Madu River, Sri Lanka

Illustration of the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa  "Bom Jesus is to Velha Goa what the Taj Mahal is to Agra."                                                           - Manohar Malgonkar, Inside Goa Every tourist in Goa makes a bee line to the beautiful Basilica of Bom Jesus in Velha Goa, the part of Goa that looks familiar and exotic at the same time, depending on who you are.  To a European, the churches and convents must look familiar, and to an Indian, the coastal country, with its hills,beaches, lush coconut and palm trees must look ordinary, the same land that is attracting Europeans in hordes because it is so exotic! Everything,then, seems to boil down to relativity. The Bom Jesus Basilica is of religious significance - it preserves the body of St.Francis Xavier, the missionary who changed the course of history and whose trav...

Illustration of a Black-crowned night heron at Madiwala lake Madiwala lake at sunset - joggers, lovers, book readers, dog-walkers stop what they are doing for a minute to watch the glorious sky. I am squatting near the lake, watching a meditative Black-crowned night heron, hunched over, peering into the water. He is very languid in his movements, waiting for the fish to come close enough to grab and eat. Under the concrete parapet built over the lake, there are holes. Three snakes jut out their heads as the water forms gentle ripples around them. They are very small - I think they must be babies. Perhaps there is a snake's nest in the space around the built structure and the water and mud under it. The Black crowned night heron has a distinct black crown and back. I have read that they seem mostly lethargic during the daytime, and become active at early dawn and dusk, when it's time to hunt.  They mostly forage in the night. So, I guess this one was just awakening from h...

Brihadisvara temple illustration, Thanjavur ( UNESCO World heritage site) In the Kaveri river valley, a powerful kingdom arose, known far and wide for its military prowess, feats of architecture, patronage to art, music and dance.  They spread out into Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Lakshadweep and even far out Bali and Sumatra across the Indian ocean. Their most illustrious emperor - Raja Raja Chola the great. The Cholas owed their glory to the gods and in honor of this, built several fantastic temples all over South India. The most magnificent of them all is in their former capital, Thanjavur - The Brihadeeswara temple, dedicated to Shiva.  Its massive gopuram is the cynosure of all eyes, visible from miles ahead.It is built entirely from granite and is well restored, thanks to a very good job of conservation by the ASI. It is still a place of worship, perhaps that is the reason it managed to survive intact.   The most popular icon in India...