Dede Sophie

It is a fine specimen of 12th century Hoysala temple architecture. It’s Chenna Keshava statue can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. And it even features some elements of Chola temple architecture. But, in spite of such high stature, this temple has fallen into disrepair. Except for daily puja and mangala aarti, there is hardly any maintenance here. It seems like the government has turned a blind eye towards this gorgeous temple. Weeds have overgrown the temple campus and even some statues from the temple have been stolen. I am talking about the offbeat Brahmeshvara temple, a 850 year old hidden Hoysala gem only a few hours away from Bangalore. As soon as one enters the temple campus, one can notice the Hoysala style of temple architecture with intricate carvings and its beautiful location next to a large lake. But, as you get closer to the temple, you realize that unlike the other Hoysala temples that are built on an elevated pedestal, this temple is located on th

Creature ABC Ages 4-8, 120 p, Chronicle Books, Isbn-0811869784 An elegant addition to any library, this deluxe alphabet book features 120 pages of Andrew Zuckerman’s breathtaking wildlife photography. From alligator to zebra, each featured animal boasts two striking studio portraits against a clean white background, offering a unique up-close view of the animal kingdom. Readers can flip to a helpful glossary in the back for extra information. From the sleek beauty of a smiling hippo to the powerful majesty of a roaring lion, this gorgeous new book is both a stunning work of art and a ferociously fun way for young animal-lovers to learn their ABCs. The book is good. The glossy photos – the details in them as if the creatures were about to leap off the pages – were just perfect! I just wish all the letters were represented by the appropriate creature. Don’t get me wrong – most of them are, but some aren’t. Like N is for nocturnal creatures (which is more the category than an actual creat