INDIVUE – travel & art

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  • Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, and 5 reasons to see it

    Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, and 5 reasons to see it

    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. It has survived over 2500 years by the sea and even a tsunami –

    5 reasons to see the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram

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

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

    In addition to lions and Nandi, many Gods and Goddesses were also carved in the temple stones. See the images attached –

    Shore Temple, a World Heritage Monument in Mahabalipuram, India
    Shore Temple, a World Heritage Monument
    Wall of the Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, India
    Wall of the Shore Temple
    Images of Gods carved in stone inside the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, India
    Images of Gods carved in stone inside the Shore Temple
    Top of the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, India
    Top of the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, India

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

    Indivue shortvideo about the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram

    After watching the Indivue shortvideo about the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, see the nearby city Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Other famous places in Tamil Nadu, in addition to Chennai and Mahabalipuram, are Puducherry and Auroville, for example.

    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

    5 reasons to see and experience Oodi

    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.

    Book heaven on the third floor of Oodi
    Book heaven on the third floor of Oodi
    Ball chairs in Bookheaven on the third floor of Oodi library
    Ball chairs in Bookheaven on the third floor of Oodi library
    Book heaven, view from the Fazer café
    Book heaven, view from the Fazer café
    Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening
    Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening
    First floor of Oodi, facing the Finnish Parliament House
    First floor of Oodi, facing the Finnish Parliament House
    Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening
    Shelves in Oodi library, empty in November, a few days before the opening
    Virtual glasses in Oodi library
    Oodi library Helsinki Finland
    Window decoration dots in Oodi library
    Nationalsbalcony in Oodi, Helsinki Finland
    Oodi library cafe tables in Helsinki Finland
    Cafeteria in Oodi, Helsinki Finland
    Stairs in Oodi library, Helsinki Finland
    Stairs in Oodi library Helsinki Finland
    Stairs in Oodi library, Helsinki Finland
    Stairs in Oodi library, Helsinki Finland
    View outside of Oodi library towards Finlandia house in Helsinki centre
    Oodi and view towards Töölönlahti, Helsinki Finland

    Oodi library is the 100th year birthday gift from Finland and its capital Helsinki to its citizens. 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 you’re inside or outside the library. In addition there is a lot 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. It will be open seven days a week starting 5.12.2018 –

    5 reasons to visit Oodi in Helsinki

    1. Oodi will give anyone a free chance to experience clean and beautiful design. The impact 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 is 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, a playpark for kids, etc. 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. There will also be soundproof rooms for study or work, and for playing music. This second floor will be fully open in 2019.

    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 with your own smartphone!

    Find more information on Oodi’s website

    The video below reveals more beautiful details about Oodi’s architecture and decorative details –

    The Oodi library in the eve of opening

    Photographs INDIVUE

    Find this article in Finnish at indivue.fi

    Read more about Helsinki here!

  • 5 reasons to visit the amazing Gokarn in India

    5 reasons to visit the amazing Gokarn in India

    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 it is very common to see there pilgrims dressed in black.

    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
    People swimming during sunset in Gokarn Beach
    Religious vehicle in the center of Gokarn
    Religious vehicle in the center of Gokarn
    Pilgrims in Gokarn dressed in black
    Pilgrims in Gokarn dressed in black
    Commercial wall paintings in Gokarn
    Commercial wall paintings in Gokarn
    Religious sight in Gokarn, India
    Small religious sight in Gokarn
    Sunset and sea in Gokarn, India
    Sunset and sea in Gokarn, India

    See also the previous post about Gokarn with videos!