Badami Cave Temple, Karnataka

Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

The Badami Cave Temple in Karnataka was the capital of the early Chalukyas, who ruled much of that area of India during the 6th and 7th centuries. Badami is a treasure trove of Indian rock-cut architecture and sculpture. It is set in a picturesque countryside at the mouth of a sandstone ravine . The caves overlook a large lake known as Agasythya Teertha.

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Beauty Of Kerala- Alappuzha

Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

Sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and Vembanad Lake on a sliver of land barely 4 km wide, Alappuzha has the dual advantage of cheap inland water transport on its eastern end and calm seas suitable for an all-weather port on the west. Its criss-crossing canals, which were once busy waterways, historically evoked comparisons with Venice. Continue reading

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary

Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is Kerala’s first officially recognized bird sanctuary. Named after the late renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali, the small but intensely biodiverse area lies snugly between two branches of the Periyar river and the serenity of the Anamalai hills. This bird watcher’s paradise was once a rubber plantation, but due to its abundant wildlife and in order to protect the wide range of resident and migratory birds it was declared a sanctuary in 1983.

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Wild Periyar- Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)

Periyar’s diverse forest types and ecosystems- moist deciduous and evergreen forests, shallow banks and wet lands – attract more than 360 species of bird life. The Brown Fish Owl chooses habitats near the ponds, streams and lakes of Periyar. Continue reading