Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam

Posted by Annette Johnson on February 7, 2020
Posted in: Indian Subcontinent. Leave a comment

During my 4 month trip round Southern India in 2015, I stayed in many Temple towns. Here is the Sarangapani temple, in Kumbakonam

At a distance of 2 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station and 500 m from Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Sarangapani Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Kumbakonam.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Sarangam means bow and pani means hand. The deity is having a bow in the hand. Also known as Tiru Kudanthai is the third of the 108 Divya Desams. The Sarangapani Temple is also one of the Pancha Ranga Khestras with the other four being Srirangapatnam, Srirangam, Appalarangam, Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple at Mayiladuthurai and Vatarangam at Sirkazhi.

Sarangapani Temple is the biggest Vishnu temple in Kumbakonam. It is of great religious significance and considered to be second only to the Srirangam Temple in Trichy. The temple boasts of 5 prakaras and a holy tank which is known as Porthamarai Kulam. The rajagopuram has 11 tiers and has a height of 150 feet. This is the third tallest temple gopuram among the Divya Desams other two are Srirangam (236 feet) and Srivilliputhur (192 feet).

Chariot festival is the most prominent festival of the temple, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (March-April). The twin temple chariots are the third largest in Tamil Nadu, each weighing 300 tons. Brahmotsavam, spring festival and Navaratri are the other important festivals of this temple
I have included a pic of the chariots that are pulled by the devotees….

Ohm Nandhi Kesaraya Namaha

Posted by Annette Johnson on February 3, 2020
Posted in: Blog, Indian Subcontinent. Leave a comment

The giant image of Nandi (Bull) is located at the top of Chamundi hills in Mysore. More than 350 years old, this is one of the oldest icons in Mysore. The Nandi is portrayed in sitting position with its left foreleg folded in an about to get up posture. While the image is in great proportions, the finer details are executed equally brilliant.

You can see many sequences of bells and garlands dexterously carved over the Nandi. With his ears pointed in rapt attention, the expression on the face is something not to be missed.

The whole image sits on a 4 feet or so high platform. According to Hindu mythology Nandi is considered as the vehicle (mount) of Lord Shiva, the lord of destruction. In front of every Shiva temple, on the court facing the shrine, you can see the image of a Nandi. About 16 feet in height and 24 feet long, this Nandi atop the Chamundi Hills is the third largest in India.

The creation of this colossal image is attributed to Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar (1659–1673) on of the illustrious Maharajahs of Mysore. It is the same maharajah who also commissioned the 1000 stepped stairway to the hilltop.

Originally this was a colossal boulder. The image of the Nandi was carved out of this boulder in situ. When you visit this Nandi just look around to see similar boulders around this site. In fact right behind the Nandi image is small cave temple under an overhanging boulder dedicated to Shiva. These boulders are painted with white and ochre stripes.

And yes I climbed the steps to the Temple at the Top!

Old Coconut Plantation

Posted by Annette Johnson on February 3, 2020
Posted in: Peaceful Moments, Phuket. Leave a comment

Sometimes , when out exploring this wonderful World, you happen upon some unique and almost forgotten places.

Places still lived on, or in, but a shadow of what they used to be. Sometimes as in this case , the shadow gets bigger, or should that be taller!

whilst out on a photography project , I saw this old Coconut plantation, dotted with Banana trees too, and went for a walk of serene calmness and natural beauty. A oasis of green in the busy town.

 

Phuket Philatelic Museum

Posted by Annette Johnson on February 3, 2020
Posted in: Phuket. Leave a comment

From my recent visit of the smaller and sometimes overlooked places of Interest in Old Town Phuket
As an ex Royal Mail postwoman from around 2011, I a always interested now in not only the architecture, but the history of any given countries
postal system. After all it was one of the first methods of communication between different communities.

Phuket Town has one that might interest you. The Phuket Philatelic Museum is located in an old district of Phuket Town in a building from the year 1920.

Once inside the so-called Post Museum, you can see the same machines and layout of the office as it was nearly a century ago. There are old stamp and packing machines, and even telephones displayed as they were a century ago. There are post boxes for in-house mail and mailboxes for homes, mail scales, and some of the stamp metering equipment is still there. You can see some of the old stamps they used in the early part of the twentieth century. If inclined, there are stamps available for purchase as souvenirs of the old Phuket Post Museum (or Philatelic Museum).

The Phuket Post Museum is located an 80-year-old building on Montri Road (the original signage still adorns the old Sino-Portuguese style building which was built in 1930, saved from demolition in the 1990’s and then opened as a museum in late 2004) close to the main Phuket Post Office in Phuket Town, on the east side of Phuket Island, and is open during regular weekday business hours starting at 9 am.

Replacing the Focusing Screen on My Canon 70D

Posted by Annette Johnson on January 23, 2020
Posted in: Accessories. Leave a comment

Why would I want to do this ? I hear you ask, well after five years of hard graft with this camera and trying in the last three years to clean the dust and rubbish that accumulates out of it. Not necessarily the right way. I found I had made little scratches that were even more annoying than the original dust and hairs that seem to find their way into this very, apparently, tightly sealed area!

Next Question? Why so long before doing this? well for a long time Canon have been saying that if you do anything to your camera in invalidates their warranty. Secondly that you couldn’t change the focusing screen on a Canon 70D, and that really didn’t make sense as had I sent it to Canon for changing, they could do it!

So as I do from time to time, I look on the internet and see if anyone has found a way to do this themselves. Imagine my delight when I saw a video on You Tube of a Canon 70d Focus screen being changed, step by step.  By a guy called JS. Not that hard is it?

Well before you even think about embarking on this type of activity there is something you need to think about. The quality of what you are putting back into your camera.

So I trawled the internet again and found DHcamera an American camera spares and repairs company selling spares. Great and they would post to the UK! Even better, because although I am currently living in Thailand it is still easier for me to get things sent via the UK.

So via the UK , Via my Daughter, this arrived today. It took bout two weeks t arrive in the UK and then another 7 days to get to me.

 

 

So armed with my blower, my small screwdriver set, rubber gloves, tweezers and spot lamp, i started the process of dismantling the inside front of my 70D. As per video. Just so you know, I watched the video several times until I was happy with what order i was to dismantle and reassemble in. I still had my laptop on standby , video poised at any point to help if i got stuck.

All went very smoothly and about half an hour later, although it felt like longer, I had a nice new shiny, blemish free focusing screen back in my viewfinder, and oh what a joy! No annoying little bits of dust and debris, and definitely no Scratches!

This is the Screen…….Tiny focus screen

and the little plastic tool is for clasping the little protruding leg to handle it by so you don’t damage it again on the way in!Clamp tool

Abandoned Villa- Old Town Phuket

Posted by Annette Johnson on January 23, 2020
Posted in: Uncategorized. Leave a comment
So another in my Urban exploration series, this time the abandoned Villa, in Old Town Phuket.
Built around 100 years ago this sadly empty and decaying building is left. Surrounded by some out buildings and what would have been servants quarters.
The building is securely padlocked at all entrances to the ground floor, I suspect that as much of the main roof section has gone the upper floors maybe rotten beyond repair and very dangerous!
Windows are closed and I managed to push one open a little to get a peek inside. Tantalising glimpses of what was before. You can get around to the side and the rear of this building, the back, backs onto a water culvert so not practical to enter through there either. Judging by the undergrowth, i wouldn’t want to bet on the local friendly snakes either.
So instead I just looked at what I could and wishing I could restore it to what it used to be. On a prime piece of land in the center of the Old Town in Phuket, it looks like there will be a long wait before that if ever comes up for sale!
This location is open and public;
Shared route From Siam Commercial Bank, 59 Ratsada Rd, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000 to 100 Ratsada Rd, Tambon Talat Nuea, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Chang Wat Phuket 83000 via ถนน รัษฎา. 1 min (200 m) 1 min in current traffic 1. Head west on ถนน รัษฎา toward ซอย ประดิษฐ์ 2. Turn left 3. Arrive at location: 100 Ratsada Rd For the best route in current traffic visit https://maps.app.goo.gl/EKF8YTPpEY2TF…

Camera Insert Bag Protect Package Case Partition Padded for DSLR-Review

Posted by Annette Johnson on January 22, 2020
Posted in: Accessories. Leave a comment

Great camera kit insert liner.

Good quality material, well padded and more than enough partitions.Strong Velcro fasteners for the lid which are fully adjustable!as are the dividers.

This bag liner takes as shown below in the photos; Canon 70D with Tamron 10-24mm attached Canon 18-135mm STM Canon 55-250mm STM Plus room for the end cap and some lightweight cables/remote set/spare battery Great value for money!

I have been using this now for sine March 2019, and I have not regretted getting it one bit. It fits very snugly(almost too much so) into my Osprey Back pack, but better into my Swiss gear Shoulder bag so much better. Great for managing not to crack your camera and lenses together when out shooting, and very quick and easy access through the top Velcro, material lid.

I must admit it has been one of the most useful for my money items/accessories I have bought for my camera kit. And still shows no signs of wear or breaking The Velcro tags are still as annoyingly sticky as the day I got it!

With The 70D, 18-135, and 55-250mm stm
With The 70D, 18-135, and 55-250mm stm
In closed position

Cost from 5-10 GBP a bargain for what it does. So for day pack users I can’t recommend this enough.