AS MURPHY'S LAW CATCHES UP WITH ME .....
Photography in India's temple sites has so many problems - I recount here some of the problems I have come across personally . Trustees do not allow photography at several temples . Example - Jagganatha temple ,Puri, Lingaraj temple complex,Bhubaneshwar . The idols @ Srinathji temple , Nathadwara and Jagdish temple ,Udaipur are so exquisite ! But, photography is strictly prohibited at Nathdwara . Deity's photograph at Jagdish temple also cannot be clicked. I visited Ranakpur 2nd time after 2009 in November,2014. The core area of Chaturmukha/Adinath temple was out-of-bounds for photographers, thus robbing the photographers from clicking best of the wall-reliefs! Well - the Trustees here has not yet been as restrictive as those of Jain temple of Mount Abu. Such restrictions take away the joy of being among architectural wonder like Chaturmukha/Adinath temple or Lingaraj temple complex,Bhubaneshwar
@ Belur, Halebid and Ranakpur , I have faced major glitches To-day, I can look back with some amusement and a lot of regrets. I might have avoided these problems with better planning which have left big gaps in my collection of photographs. It may be interesting to write a few lines on each of the incidents as a part of my travel diary .
Batteries of my Canon 1000 D and Ruby's s3is almost simultaneously reached 'zero' level within 10 minutes of our reaching the temple site.Both the cameras faced 'Low Battery' situation with freshly charged ones - indicating drained out batteries s3is needed 4 pencil batteries which could be easily obtained from a local shop just across the temple. But, Canon's LP-E5, that started malfunctioning after only 5000+ shots, continued to trouble me till I could purchase a new battery at Mysore day after next , i.e, after we covered both Belur and Halebid.While at Belur, I managed 370 shots with 3/4 intermediate charging @ slightly far away Hotel room and from the temple-adjacent shop from where I purchased pencil batteries in the morning.
@ Halebid, I could manage 150 shots through 3 re-charges. Thank goodness - Canon s3is continued to function smoothly. So, we could leave with photos of all that caught our eyes.
But, at Ranakpur, both in 2009 and 2014, we were not so lucky. We reached Ranakpur after 4pm in 2009. By the time we booked our accommodation , bought tickets and entered the Chaturmukha/ Adinath temple, it was 4.25 pm. We found out, after 5 pm, the authorities do not allow photography inside this temple ! Bad 'cops' were after my camera from 5.05pm - but a good 'cop' allowed me to click a few more photos till it was 5.15pm . Outside , in three other temples, we could continue till sunset, but, I still have regret for not having reached the location by 3 pm ! That was when I thought I should return here to click without tension.
This year in November,2014, we were @ Ranakpur again. Reaching there by 11 am to find we cannot take photographs inside the temple till 12 noon. So, we had an early lunch and covered the smaller temples After completing photography @ Suryanarayan temple, I realised I had an incorrect camera setting.I corrected the same, shot some more photos ,but, during the re-setting, mixed up the sizing. After reaching Jodhpur in the evening, I realised that the photo size selected was 'SMALL' !!
My regret compounded when I realised I completely missed one of the smaller temples - Parsvanath temple - which has exquisite examples of Hindu/Jain Iconography. This was covered no doubt by Ruby, but not 100% .Some of the wall-reliefs I wanted to click were not there !
The last of the glitch was at Mandawa when , for no apparent reason, stitch on left side shoulder of my relatively new shirt, tailored by Raymond's gave away. The stitch was repaired by a tailor opposite to Raghunatha temple.I stayed put in the car as I felt shy about walking around with a camera in a vest. Therefore, Ruby went ahead with her canon s3is - but, later I found , the temple was adorned with excellent paintings of stories from Ramayana & KrsnaLeela, but, lighting was poor. Canon 1000D was indeed needed.
* Note - Reference taken from : https://thatandthisinmumbai.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/the-jain-temples-of-rajasthan/.
Ranganayaki temple @ Belur.
100th photo at this temple complex when
battery of 1000D rang the 1st alarm-bell !
Photography in India's temple sites has so many problems - I recount here some of the problems I have come across personally . Trustees do not allow photography at several temples . Example - Jagganatha temple ,Puri, Lingaraj temple complex,Bhubaneshwar . The idols @ Srinathji temple , Nathadwara and Jagdish temple ,Udaipur are so exquisite ! But, photography is strictly prohibited at Nathdwara . Deity's photograph at Jagdish temple also cannot be clicked. I visited Ranakpur 2nd time after 2009 in November,2014. The core area of Chaturmukha/Adinath temple was out-of-bounds for photographers, thus robbing the photographers from clicking best of the wall-reliefs! Well - the Trustees here has not yet been as restrictive as those of Jain temple of Mount Abu. Such restrictions take away the joy of being among architectural wonder like Chaturmukha/Adinath temple or Lingaraj temple complex,Bhubaneshwar
Rich engraving on pillars - total 1444 nos* -
of Chaturmukha/Adinath temple, Ranakpur.
The double-line chord is there to restrict photographers !
@ Belur, Halebid and Ranakpur , I have faced major glitches To-day, I can look back with some amusement and a lot of regrets. I might have avoided these problems with better planning which have left big gaps in my collection of photographs. It may be interesting to write a few lines on each of the incidents as a part of my travel diary .
Panel of Kedareshwar temple Halebid.
Last shot before battery of 1000D went to sleep !
My sincere thanks to this shop-keeper
( Opp. to Belur temple)
But, at Ranakpur, both in 2009 and 2014, we were not so lucky. We reached Ranakpur after 4pm in 2009. By the time we booked our accommodation , bought tickets and entered the Chaturmukha/ Adinath temple, it was 4.25 pm. We found out, after 5 pm, the authorities do not allow photography inside this temple ! Bad 'cops' were after my camera from 5.05pm - but a good 'cop' allowed me to click a few more photos till it was 5.15pm . Outside , in three other temples, we could continue till sunset, but, I still have regret for not having reached the location by 3 pm ! That was when I thought I should return here to click without tension.
From Chaturmukha/Adinath temple
- image-size only 1.03 MB !
This Bhairava-like deity'photo was taken 1n 2009.
Would have loved to visit him in 2914 too !
Ravana emerging from Lanka -
painting @ Raghunatha temple, Mandawa.
Needed heavy dose of PS to bring out clarity.
The last of the glitch was at Mandawa when , for no apparent reason, stitch on left side shoulder of my relatively new shirt, tailored by Raymond's gave away. The stitch was repaired by a tailor opposite to Raghunatha temple.I stayed put in the car as I felt shy about walking around with a camera in a vest. Therefore, Ruby went ahead with her canon s3is - but, later I found , the temple was adorned with excellent paintings of stories from Ramayana & KrsnaLeela, but, lighting was poor. Canon 1000D was indeed needed.
* Note - Reference taken from : https://thatandthisinmumbai.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/the-jain-temples-of-rajasthan/.
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