Pine forest in Himachal Pradesh

Someshvara Temple in the campus of Mysore Palace-Mysore

To the north of the palace lies the famous Kodi Someshwara temple,
which dates back to the thirteenth century and is built in the Chola
style.

pine forest in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India

On the way to Ooty while returning from Kodaikanal.
Forests on the top of Palani Hills of Kodaikanal is the most beautiful
forests I have seen in India.

Tomb of Tipu Sultan at Srirangapattana, Mysore

Srirangapattana is 16 km from Mysore city, Karnataka, South India.

Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) was the de-facto ruler of the Kingdom of
Mysore. He is better known as the 'Tiger of Mysore'. His full name was
Sultan Fateh Ali Tippu and he was born on 20th November, 1750 at
Devanahalli, in present-day Kolar district, near Bangalore, India. He
is the eldest son of Hyder Ali.
Tipu Sultan was a farsighted person who could foresee East India
Company's design to get entrenched in India. He therefore negotiated
with the French for help and also sought assistance from the Amir of
Afghanistan and the Sultan of Turkey. The British were scared of
Tipu's growing strength and after their defeat in 1783 they formed an
alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad and Marhattas. The French,
however, deserted Tipu after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
The British availed the chance with the help of the Nizam and the
Marathas, and started the third Anglo-Mysore war in 1790.
As long as the British fought alone, Tipu always defeated them. But he
could not come over their diplomacy, conspiracy and intrigue. Thus he
was defeated in his capital, Seringapatam, and was forced to sign a
humiliating treaty on March 22, 1792. As a result he had to concede
half of his kingdom and pay an indemnity of 33 million rupees to the
British and their allies. The alliance between the adversaries was
soon broken and in 1795 the British, after defeating the Nizam, once
again turned their attention towards Mysore. After the treaty at
Seringapatam, Tipu Sultan did not waste his time and made extensive
preparations against the British. He had rebuilt his war machine in
the shortest possible time with the help of the French. The British
regarded it as a violation of the treaty. This led to the start of the
fourth Anglo-Mysore war in 1798 with the help of the Nizam. The French
were unable to provide the needed support to Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan
retreated to his capital and continued fighting till he breathed his
last in May 1799. Tipu Sultan is buried at a mausoleum that he himself
had built, along with his father Haider Ali and his mother Fatima
Begum.

from Coaker's walk-Kodaikanal, South India

'Kodaikanal' literally means, 'the gift of the forest'. The most
inimitable of things certainly, are natural. Cradled in the southern
crest of the upper Palani Hills, in the Western Ghats, 120 kms from
Madurai, Kodaikanal is located 2133 m above sea level. Special efforts
are being made by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department to prevent the
commercialisation of this scenic beauty.

Kodai is very chilly now. The best time to visit Kodaikanal is in May.
But in Madurai-just 120 km from Kodaikanal -it is very hot now in
March.

Cape Jasmine

From archive of Devabrata.
Now edited and framed.

Have the promises at the dawn been kept?

Do not be sad. I'll carry it out!
There is no truth in experience. You are saved in my inner dawn.
So do not be sad. I'll carry it out!

calm vital

It's a collage

a hibiscus

I saw it in the garden of Narayan Samajpati. But it was half-hidden by
leaves. So Narayan Babu had to bring it out by holding the branch and
keep it visible for me.
But still I'm not satisfied in the way it appears in its image.

happy efflorescence

Can there be any exact English term for the Bengali word -'khusi'?

flowers are like beautiful words

And they can translate their message for people of all languages.
But I think silence is the best medium!

in the air of spring

chaitra pabone mamo chitto bone...

Here in India especially in Bengal spring is for a short period.
It is beautiful to the eyes but not pleasant to the skin for the arrogant sun.

Hibiscus

Light of the Purified Power
Of irresistible simplicity in its power solely consecrated to the Divine.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Waimaea'
Chinese hibiscus, Hawaiian hibiscus, Rose- of-China

bougainvillea

Sunset

hesitation while parting?

You have something to tell but it remains untold.
Are you thinking of it as you look back with hesitation?

I will have my night with your untold words!

summer holiday

green's rhapsodies over the coming of summer

I am awake even in darkness...

from the window of a train

It was when we were going to the north-west of Bengal, India

Hibiscus

Victorious Beauty against ugliness of life

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis 'Grace Goo'
Malvaceae Chinese hibiscus, Hawaiian hibiscus, Rose-of- China
Large single flower with crinkled petals in golden ochre to mustard
with a very deep red or vermilion centre and a silver grey or pale
lavender aura.

White Flag of Aspiration

Spathyphyllum
Common name: "Peace Lily" or "White Flag"
Latin name: Spathiphyllum 'Lynise
Aspiration for Purity
Purity is perfect sincerity and one can obtain it only when the being
is entirely consecrated to the Divine.

[We can, simply by a sincere aspiration, open a sealed door in us and
find...that Something which will change the whole significance of
life, reply to all our questions, solve all our problems and lead us
to the perfection we aspire for without knowing it, to that reality we
alone can satisfy us and give us lasting joy, eqilibrium, strength,
life.
THE MOTHER]

radiating purity ...

The two appear yesterday to define the word 'purity' in a fragrant language.

[Perfect Radiating Purity
Nothing escapes its action.

Gardenia augusta [Jasminoides]
Jasmine, Cape jessamine
Medium to large highly fragrant double white salverform flower with
curling irregularly shaped petal-like lobes that radiate horizontally
from the sturdy corolla tube; borne singly among the leaves. A medium
to large shrub with attractive glossy foliage.---The Mother]

seeking you in your place of hiding

I am to seek as you have gone into hiding...
If you were here always without veil you would remain unattainable for me!
...
The water goes to far above and hides in clouds...only to return in
shower of rain to meet the thirst of the earth below..

[The above lines are a part of a song of Tagore. I have tried to
translate it from Bengali but my knowledge of English makes a poor
show of those beautiful lines!]

fragrant evening with jasmine

Summer has just stepped in here in India. But it is not a shy and
hesitating tiptoe; it makes an arrogant long strides. The summer is
unrelenting and unwanted in India.
But exactly at this time the white fragrant flowers like this Jasmine
bloom in the darkness of the night.

"[Purity
True purity has a lovely fragrance.

Jasminum
Jasmine, Jessamine
All varieties of small single white salverform flowers with a slender
tube and four to nine pointed or rounded lobes; the flowers are
typically highly fragrant; borne in terminal or axillary cymes. Shrubs
or vines.]"

Light in the cells

Golden Lantana.
Taken from my roof garden today.

[Spiritual significance as per the Mother for this golden variety is
light in the cells]

bloomed today

night is mine

I can give away all my days for a night exclusively of my own!

a little banyan tree

I am a bit tired today. So I have not sought for anything for my
Flickr page. But while taking a stroll I found it sprouting from the
cemented corner of the passage for entering the house.
It is a little banyan tree. This is also our national tree.
It represents a die-hard ability to exist. We are thousands of years old!

Radha's consciousness in the vital-Aparajita

While planting a new plant in the small piece of land in front of our
house I found it crawling over the ground. I helped it to have its way
over the wall.

Radha's Consciousness in the vital*
Perfect attachment to the Divine replaces all vital attractions and passions.

Clitoria Terenatea
Blue pea, Blue vine, Butterfly pea. Pigeon wings, Mussel-shell creeper
Medium-sized single light purple or mauve papilionaceous flower that
has a broad oval central petal with a yellow centre and wing petals
edged with pale blue; borne singly on a short stem. A slender
perennial vine with beanlike pods.
[*The spiritual significance of this flower was given by the Mother of
Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, India. The word Vital is ascribed
generally to the life forces by Sri Aurobindo. In Sanskrit it is
called prana]

Progress

The spiritual sinificance of this flower -was named as Progress by The
Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. She was the authority in this subject
in the world. The Hindi name of this flower is 'sadabahar'. In Bengal
it is called -'Nayantara'

The technical name of this plant is Catharanthus pussilus which comes
from the Greek word meaning ' pure flower'. Previously it was known by
the botanical name of Vinca Rosea. It is also known as Madagascar
periwinkle. Today, the leaves and roots of the periwinkle are used in
the pharmaceutical industry and in ayurvedic medicines to treat
different diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

Yellow Oleander

A very common flower in Bengal. Its botanical name is THEVETIA
NERIIFOLIA. It is found mainly in three colours. The other two are
deep yellow and white.I like the colour as seen in the image.
It's my favourite because of its sweet divine fragrance.
It is also known as Lucky Nut
Perhaps the origin of this flower is Indonesia.

touched by sea-breezes

a red request

lights