Orcha: A City Lost in Time...

Located on the banks of the Betwa River in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Orcha is a city virtually lost in time. A sleepy town of about ten thousand, it offers weary travelers a welcome respite from the more densely populated "must see" cities of northern India.  The air is fresh, the river is clear, and there is peace.  Happily, there are also numerous unusual medieval ruins - picturesque cenotaphs, imposing temples and massive palaces - to explore!

Layers of Stone...and History
View from Jehangir Mahal to Raja Mahal and Chaturbhuj Temple beyond
Orcha, India - 2007

Ruins of Rai Praveen Mahal with the Betwa River beyond
Orcha, India - 2007

Orcha was founded in 1501 by Raja Rudra Pratap, a Bundela Rajput king.  During the reign of Raja Bir Singh Deo in the early 17th century, the princely state reached the height of its political power and artistic achievement.  By the late 19th century however, the city was abandoned. This unfortunate circumstance has serendipitously provided us with a rare window into that lost world.

Today, the archeological investigation and historic preservation of Orcha's past is well underway at the Fort Complex, which dominates one side of the river.  The Fort Complex is a collection of three palaces, the most famous being Jehangir Mahal, which is considered to be a particularly beautiful example of the architecture of that era, a masterful blending of Hindu and Moslem architectural traditions.

Cupolas Mark Every Intersection
Jehangir Palace

Raja Bir Singh constructed the Jehangir Mahal as a gift to his friend, the emperor Jahangir (son of  Akbar, father of Shah Jehan). According to our local guide, two hundred workers labored four years to complete the palace in time for Jehangir's visit to Orcha in 1606.  Jehangir accepted the gift and spent one one night in the palace with his entourage before moving on to pressing affairs of state in other parts of the country.  The emperor never made it back to Orcha, so the palace has laid vacant for all but that one night.

Courtyard of Raja Mahal

Courtyard of Jehangir Mahal

Roof of Jehangir Mahal

Enfilade
Jehangir Mahal

Raja Mahal with Chaturbhuj Temple beyond
Orcha, India - 2007

No Elevators...Take the Stairs
Jehangir Mahal

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Spreading Good Will and Compassion through the Winds...

Prayer Flags are quite a common sight here in Santa Cruz, California where I live. I see them on porches, over entranceways, strung along fences and between trees in gardens. Without giving too much thought to their cultural significance or symbolism, I can respond to the way in which their cheerful colors and light cotton fabrics interact with the wind and the sky.  Somehow they manage to embody both peace and power as I watch them billow softly against a serene blue sky.

Prayer Flags and Mani Stone in the Morning Mist
Tarboche, Tibet (en route to Mt. Kailash)
2001

In South Asia and the Tibetan Plateau, you see them everywhere. They are an intrinsic part of the landscape, seemingly timeless and mysterious. They can be found at significant religious sites and at high mountain passes where their blessings are thought to be activated and spread to all corners of the world by the wind.

Spreading Good Will on the Wings of the Wind
between Bhumthang and Trongsa, Bhutan
2009

Boudhanath Stupa
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
2009

 Timber Temple and Flags
Bhumthang countryside, Bhutan
2009

There are essentially two types of prayer flags. Lungta (or Lung ta, translating to "wind horse") flags are strung horizontally and Darchor (or dar chor, translating to "increasing life, fortune, health and wealth of all sentient beings") flags are raised vertically. They come in sets of five colors that represent the elements (blue is sky, white is air, red is fire, green is water, and yellow is the earth), and it is believed that the balance of these five elements creates health and harmony. 

Waterfall en route to Tiger's Nest
(Taktsang Palphug Monastery)
Paro, Bhutan - 2009

Samye Monastery
Yarlung River Valley, Tibet
2009

While some believe that the practice of hanging prayer flags originated in the Bon tradition (which predates Buddhism), others trace its origin to the Sakyamuni Buddha, whose prayers were written on flags carried into battle.

Buried in Prayers
Yungbulakang Fortress Palace
Zedang, Tibet - 2009

What I find particularly wonderful about prayer flags is that they are raised not to benefit a singular need, but to spread wisdom, strength, compassion and peace to all.  With time, the flags become an element of the landscape. The writing and colors fade.  Old flags sit alongside new ones. The cycle of life continues...

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Rocks With Spots!

Natural Bridges State Beach, located at the western edge of Santa Cruz, California, is a great place to play in the sand, explore tide pools, and marvel at the single remaining "natural bridge".  Early photographs show that there were originally three dramatic arches here.  However, by the mid-1970's, two arches had collapsed, leaving just the one (for more information on this, see Santa Cruz Coast: Then and Now, Arcadia Press, 2006, pages 27 - 28)

As you climb up over the rocks to get a closer look at the tide pools, you stumble upon something else that grabs your attention: unmistakable markings on the rocks underfoot that look like spots of varying sizes, forming spiraling patterns and lines.

These warm brown, slightly faded spots and lines dance around the sun-kissed surfaces in counterpoint to the inherent jointing in the rock.  They create bold, yet harmonious compositions everywhere.

Coastal geologist and oceanographer, Gary Griggs, says that this rock is Santa Cruz mudstone, and the markings were most likely created by the process of iron oxide precipitation.  Apparently, a rock's exposure to a variety of biological processes, in addition to salt water spray, runoff and seeping ground water, can markedly alter the way rocks look.  In his book, Introduction to California's Beaches and Coast, he writes:

"The fractures or joint patterns are usually due to the stress the rocks have been exposed to in the eons since they were formed, and these fractures tend to occur in geometric patterns.  As the water seeps into the cracks, the iron contained in the water will gradually precipitate out, leaving rusty iron oxide marks behind as the water slowly dries out or evaporates.  The stains will form in different geometric patterns based on the rock structure and weaknesses that water has been able to penetrate. The leopard spotting results from the same iron oxide precipitation process but may be a result of microbial activity within the rocks that was spaced out somewhat uniformly within the cracks in the rocks and served as points where the iron could be precipitated more easily."

Photo courtesy of Gary Griggs

Photo courtesy of Gary Griggs

How fascinating that a natural process can create distinct markings, as if guided by a sentient hand. Just looking at these images makes me want to head out to Natural Bridges State Beach very soon to see what other mesmerizing compositions I can capture...so stay tuned...

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Yantra Mantra...Jantar Mantar...hmm Abracadabra??

If you've ever traveled to India, you may have come across the curious term, "Yantra Mantra" (more commonly known as "Jantar Mantar").  The literal translation of "Yantra Mantra" is "instrument of calculation".  In my less well-read youth, my own translation for the words was "magical device", and in many ways, I still find these Yantra Mantras magical places.

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Rama Yantra, New Delhi Observatory, 2007
 (used to measure the altitude and azimuth of celestial objects)

There are five Yantra Mantras in north central India.  All of them were constructed between 1720 and 1740 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, a scholarly warrior king who also had a keen interest in mathematics and astronomy. Designed for astronomical observation and celestial calculation, each Yantra Mantra site is a compound housing a collection of "instruments" made of sandstone, marble and metal, on a grand scale.  Shaped to precise, geometric specifications, these sculptural playgrounds are delightfully intriguing and visually stimulating to explore.  It is only upon closer inspection that one realizes that these constructions were used to measure time, predict eclipses, chart the lunar calendar, track the location of stars, and the declination of planets.

One of the twelve Rashivalaya (Star Sign) Yantras, Jaipur Observatory, 2007
(used to determine celestial latitude and longitude)

New Delhi Yantra Mantra, 2007

Jai Prakash Yantra, New Delhi Observatory, 2007
(an invention of the Maharajah Jai Singh, this was used to verify the readings of the other instruments)

Kapali Yantra, Jaipur Observatory, 2007
(used to determine azimuth and altitude of the sun)

The photographs I've included here don't capture the grand scale of the these Yantra Mantra sites.  Recommended for further exploration is the project: Jantar Mantar: The Astronical Observatories of Jai Singh II, in which Art Professor Barry Perlus at Cornell University has utilized advanced imaging technology to create interactive panoramic virtual reality (VR) photographs and time lapse sequences to allow us to explore and understand how India's Yantra Mantras functioned.  Fascinating stuff!

Section of the Samrat Yantra, New Delhi Observatory, 2007
(the Samrat Yantra ("king of all instruments) is a gigantic sun dial and is accurate to 2 seconds)

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Silent Rocks Do Tell Stories

Rocks...they connect us to the Earth.  On a sunny winter day, there is comfort in their solid warmth.  With their many varied colors, patterns and textures they are truly a visual and tactile delight.  But what do rocks tell us?  Do they have a story? Of course they do!

Some of my favorite rocks are those that include "trace fossils" (or ichnofossils).  In contrast to "body fossils" which are the remains of actual plants or animals within the rock, trace fossils provide a geological record of living animal activity, such as crawling, walking, resting or feeding.  Paleontologists are not always certain as to which organism is responsible the "trace" that we see, but that is what makes these rocks so much more interesting and intriguing....

Dinosaur footprints in Jurassic Sandstone
Salema, Portugal (Algarve Coast) 2011

Dinosaurs roaming the earth!  What could be more exciting?  These exceptionally well-preserved 135 million year old footprints on what appear to be lakeshore deposits are most likely those of a vegetation eating hadrosaur (known as the "duck-billed dinosaur) who walked upright (and in a very straight line...)

Sea Floor Tracks 1
Point Lobos, California 2006

Such a lovely pattern!  Though one can easily imagine that these impressions depict delicate fern-like plants, they are actually tracks of ancient organisms, probably something similar to crabs, that lived on the sea floor and propelled themselves forward with the help of their pincers and legs. Below are more tracks, approximately 60 million years old, of a different sea floor animal.

Sea Floor Tracks 2
Point Lobos, California 2008

Crustacean Burrow Fillings Series 1
Selema, Portugal (Algarve Coast) 2011

In the collapsed Jurassic sandstones along the beach of the sleepy town of Selema, on Portugal's Algarve Coast, are what look like a huge mass of entwined crocodiles!  These are actually large fossilized burrows of primitive crustaceans, probably shrimp-like organisms. The hollowed out negative space of their burrows essentially created a "mold" which was later filled with sediment that hardened and then became exposed over time. Below are additional burrow fillings that create an abstract sedimentary rock "bas-relief" forming quite a pleasing composition of contrasting figure and ground.

Crustacean Burrow Fillings Series 2
Selema, Portugal (Algarve Coast) 2011

Inanimate rocks are full of the evidence of life.  Silent rocks do tell stories....just ask any geologist or paleoecologist, and have some fun exploring!

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Pilgrims of Tibet: Portraits of Unwavering Faith and Purpose

Tibet is one of those rare places where religion, faith and everyday life are one.  Religion is woven into the tapestry of Tibetan life, and everywhere you go, you meet pilgrims.  From all over Tibet they come with prayer wheels in hand, to flock to holy sites like the Jokang Temple in Lhasa, the Samye Monastery in the Yarlung River Valley,  the Tashilunpho complex in Shigatse, and Mount Kailash in western Tibet.

Mid-day Prayers
Barkhor Square in front of the Jokang Temple in Lhasa

Before paying their respects within the temple, pilgrims will undertake a "kora" - the clockwise circumambulation - of the site.  Particularly devout pilgrims will not just walk, but add a prostration between their steps.  A kora (without prostrations) around the Jokang Temple can be accomplished within an hour, but the 30 mile kora around Mount Kailash, at heights of 16,000 ft - 18,500 ft will take Tibetan pilgrims a very long day (the rest of us sea level dwellers will need three days).

One cannot help but admire these pilgrims who are so resolute and resilient.  The clarity of their purpose and the depth of their belief are etched on their faces.

Prayer
Barkhor Square in front of the Jokang Temple in Lhasa

Contemplation
Yarlung River en route to Samye Monastery

Time for Talk
Yarlung River en route to Samye Monastery

Time to Rest
en route to Yungbulakang Palace

All Smiles
Yarlung River en route to Samye Monastery

Friends
Sitting together for a photograph before saying our goodbyes...
Returning from Samye Monastery

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!

Tafoni: Architecture by Nature

To be surrounded by tafoni is to be transported to another world...a cavernous labyrinthine world where one loses all sense of scale and space and time.

This series of tafoni photographs was taken just north of Santa Cruz, California on the San Mateo Coast. The geomorphology of the area is so strikingly similar to Point Lobos (which is sixty miles to the south), that geologists actually believe that this stretch of coast sheared off from Point Lobos several million years ago, and that it has been transported northward along the San Gregorio fault to its current location (and that it is moving still!).

In his book, Introduction to California's Beaches and Coast, Gary Griggs writes:

"Tafoni seem to start as shallow pits, although why and when they start is not well understood. In some cases, the pits may form due to differences in the distribution of mineral grains or structural weaknesses within the rock that allow salt water, or the salt that crystallizes from the water, to etch, dissolve,or begin to break down small circular sections of rock. This process continues slowly over time as the pits deepen, expand and eventually coalesce. Tafoni continues to be a curiosity whenever we find it and stimulates even non-scientists to ponder on its origin."

While the science of tafoni formation may be complex, there is no doubt that it makes for a most fascinating tactile landscape that totally captures your imagination and begs to be experienced and explored.

All of the images posted here are available for purchase as 8x10 and 5x7 fine art prints and A2 size greeting cards (all printed on archival water color paper) at http://DigitalYak.etsy.com/.  Be sure to send me a message if there is something you'd like that you don't see listed, or if you'd like a custom size or item, as I truly enjoy creating one of a kind items that hold special meaning. Thanks!!