INDIVUE

India, Mahabalipuram, photography, Tamil Nadu, travel, video

Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, and 5 reasons to see it

13/12/201813/12/2018by INDIVUELeave a Comment

Shore Temple is located by the sea in the East Coast of India and it is said to have been built in 700 – 728 AD. Here’s 5 reasons why you should go and see this Hindu temple by the Bay of Bengal, which has survived over 2500 years by the sea and even a tsunami –

5 reasons to see the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram

Shore Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Monument.
It is one of the oldest structural stone temples of South India.
Shore Temple is beautiful and impressive to look and experience at.
It is located by the Bay of Bengal, so you get to see the East Coast of India at the same time.
Mahabalipuram Dance Festival is held by this site, to celebrate traditional Indian dance.

The attached photographs from Mahabalipuram show you the clear blue sky on a typical hot and sunny day in Tamil Nadu and the green nature surrounding the Shore Temples.

In addition to lions and Nandi, many Gods and Goddesses were also carved in the temple stones as you can see from the images –

Images of Gods carved in stone inside the Shore Temple

Top of the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, India

See also this Indivue short video about the over 2500 year old Indian temple and its surroundings –

Indivue shortvideo about the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram

After this Indivue shortvideo about the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, you might also be interested in the nearby city Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Other famous places in Tamil Nadu, in addition to Chennai and Mahabalipuram, are for example Puducherry and Auroville.

Read also about the other places in India which Indivue visited and photographed and subscribe for the new updates to come!

More details of the Shore temple can be found from the Incredible India website link attached.

5 reasons to see and experience Oodi in Helsinki, Finland

05/12/201808/12/2018by INDIVUELeave a Comment

Do you fancy drinking tea in a terrace in Helsinki during summertime? Maybe with a random book or magazine? Oodi is making that possible, since the new three-story library building is opening this week in the centre of Helsinki, and it will be having a very big and fancy cafeteria with a terrace on its third floor.

Ball chairs in Bookheaven on the third floor of Oodi library

Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening

First floor of Oodi, facing the Finnish Parliament House

Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening

Oodi library Helsinki Finland

Nationalsbalcony in Oodi, Helsinki Finland

Cafeteria in Oodi, Helsinki Finland

Stairs in Oodi library Helsinki Finland

Stairs in Oodi library, Helsinki Finland

Oodi and view towards Töölönlahti, Helsinki Finland

Oodi library is the 100th year birthday gift from Finland and its capital Helsinki to its citizens, and it took 3 years to build it. This week Oodi will open its doors for the audience and from then on it will be one of the most important sights of Helsinki and the whole of Finland. The view from the 3rd floor of Oodi will most certainly charm you, whether it’s inside or outside, not to mention all the other things one can do in this three-story library building.

Not knowing anything more about those 100000 books and magazines Oodi will be having, here’s still 5 more reasons to see and experience Oodi, which will be open seven days a week starting 5.12.2018 –

1.Oodi will give anyone a free chance to experience clean and beautiful design, the impact of which will surely be healthy and uplifting for the mind.

2. From the balcony on the third floor one can admire sunsets during summertime – There will be no skyscrapers blocking the sun all though it will be in the centre of Helsinki.

3. Oodi is not only a library but a cultural centre – in addition to traditional libraryservices you will also find a cafeteria, restaurant, movie theatre and a playpark for kids from there, among other things. Movie theatre Kino Regina will open in January 2019.

4. On the second floor of Oodi there will be workspaces of various kind in handicrafts as well as digital works and also soundproof rooms for study or work, and music play. Second floor will be fully open when the year changes.

5. Oodi promotes lifelong learning, active citizenship, democracy and freedom of expression.

In addition to this, the third-floor ball chairs offer a great opportunity to read blogs in your own privacy on your own phone screen!

More information on Oodi’s website
The video below reveals more beautiful details about Oodi’s architecture and decorative details –

Photographs Noora Saarinen

Find this article in Finnish at indivue.fi

5 reasons to visit the amazing Gokarn in India

27/11/201827/11/2018by INDIVUE1 Comment

Gokarn, also written as Gokarna, is a small village in the West coast of India, in the state of Karnataka, which is a neighboring state to Goa. Gokarn is located some 145km towards South from Goa, and it is a religiously significant place for Hindus, which is why pilgrims dressed in black are common there.

You can reach Gokarn easily by train, bus or car, from Goa, but of all these 3 the busride will most likely consume most of your energy, though nothing beats the warm wind blowing through the bus windows during sunset time.

Here’s 5 reasons to visit Gokarn –

1. If you are hippy minded missing the good old days of Goa, you can get some of those hippy vibes back from Kudley Beach, Om-beach and especially Paradise Beach in Gokarn. Paradise Beach you can reach by boat and sleep overnight there in some very simple huts by the sea. Sunbathing also allowed.

2. Sunsets by the sea in Gokarn have been a way more beautiful than in many other places in India. One of the best places to enjoy sunset in Gokarn is on top of the hill between Kudley Beach and Gokarn Beach. The wind is very smooth. Just remember to return to the village before it gets too dark.

3. Gokarn will show you the real beautiful India, which is not too modern. It will also show you some incredible things as well, like a man and a woman walking on the same street without a shirt and without any problem from other people. See the attached photo if you don’t believe it.

4. The small streets of Gokarn will give you an idea of the real life of dedicated Hindus.

5. Restaurants in Gokarn are often very spicy for the Western tongue, but one small cafe there used to make really fabulous uttapams. That taste could make the customer come back all the way from Finland. Don’t know if that place exists anymore, but at least in Om Beach there’s one very nice restaurant, namely Namaste Cafe.

Hill between Kudley and Gokarn beaches — Watching the sunset on the hill between Kudley and Gokarn beaches

People swimming during sunset in Gokarn Beach

Religious vehicle in the center of Gokarn

Religious sight in Gokarn, India — Small religious sight in Gokarn

See also the previous post about Gokarn with videos!

Goa, Travel Opus

5 reasons to visit Old Goa

24/11/201824/11/2018by INDIVUELeave a Comment

Wall decoration in Basilica of Bom Jesus

The grave of St. Francis Xavier in Basilica of Bom Jesus

St. Francis Xavier 500-year-birthday in 2006

Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Old Goa

Gandhistatue in Old Goa — Gandhi statue in Old Goa

Old Goa is a historically significant area in-between North Goa and South Goa, little bit towards inland from the capital of Goa, Panjim. Several Christian worship places are located in there, and because of them Old Goa is a World Heritage site.

Here’s five reasons why you should visit Old Goa –

1.Basilica of Bom Jesus, located in Old Goa, is the most spectacular Christian building in Goa, India. There is a lot to see in the walls and aisles of Basilica of Bom Jesus for people interested in church art. Inside the building there is also a beautiful garden.

2. Basilica of Bom Jesus keeps the grave of St. Francis Xavier and through the glass cover you can see the remains of his body and pay respect. St. Francis Xavier was a Roman Catholic missionary whose 500th birthday was celebrated in 2006, from the time of which these photographs are also from.

3. Old Goa in India is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4. The nature and trees in Old Goa are beautiful. You can also see lot of Portuguese-style architecture and one Mahatma Gandhi statue there.

5. There’s also few other Christian churches for a cultured person to see, such as the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

You can read this article in Finnish here: Viisi syytä vierailla Vanhassa Goassa

Find more inspiring places to go from Indivue’s Travel Opus to Goa!