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Maheshwar, located on the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, is not on the itinerary of very many tourists as there is no rail service. It took twelve hours with a car and driver to reach our destination from Indore. The roads were very rough, but were being improved - a good thing, as Maheshwar and the surrounding area are well worth a visit. Within the Holkar dynasty fort there are several temples with wonderful stone carvings dating from the 17th Century. These photos, taken in 2007, give two examples.
These photos of Notre Dame in Paris were taken in 2008 when the cleaning and restoration of the cathedral had been underway for 17 years. This has enabled us to greatly admire the beauty of the sculpture. Featured in the first photo is the beautiful tympanum of the central door of the cathedral's west front. It dates from the 13th Century and depicts the last judgment. The twelve apostles, six on each side, have been given individual facial features. These as well as the carved figures in the second photo look real enough to be people who actually existed.
These 2007 photos were taken in front of and inside a Jain temple in Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Jainism is an ancient religion which regards every living thing as potentially divine and therefore to be protected. Jains seek to attain spiritual enlightenment through the practice of non-violence and through cultivating wisdom and self-control. Jainism is thought to have influenced Bhuddism and Hinduism in ancient times. The religion, which has between 10 and 12 million followers, is held in high esteem in India. Jain temples contain beautifully intricate stone carvings, and most towns have a Jain animal shelter. In the second photo above a man is making an offering in the temple.
