Baobab tree of Korlai

Little more than a month after discovering Baobab trees of Vasai, Vijay Menon discovered the Baobab near Korlai fort. The Baobab is situated next to Revdanda-Murud road. Not sure if this the only Baobab here or if it's more than one.

Thanks to Vijay for noticing this living heritage and for sharing its photo.

Here's the list of Baobab trees compiled over a few years of research:

1. Hilltop Nightclub, Vagator, Goa
2. Cabo Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula, Goa
3. Quepem, Goa
4. Bamboo Motels, Goa
5. next to Yogapur mosque, Bijapur
6. Mahalakshmi Gudi premises, Martur, Kalburgi district
7. Dodda Hunashe Matha, Savanur, Karnataka
8. Near the aquarium in Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bengaluru
9. Two Baobab trees at Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashaala, Yadavagiri, Mysuru
10. Purana Qilla, Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, Telangana
11. Attapur, Hyderabad
12. Vansthalipuram, Hyderabad, Telangana
13. near Chappel Road, Hyderabad, Telangana
14. Ranganath temple at Nanakramguda, Hyderabad, Telangana
15. Shivalaya on Balachandruni Guttalu, Nalagonda, Telangana
16. Uppal in Chengicherla Reserve Forests, Hyderabad, Telangana
17. Nellore, Andhrapradesh
18. Theosophist Society Gardens, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
19. The American College campus, Madurai, TN
20. Chinmaya Vidyalaya's campus at Ilanthope, Rajapalayam, TN
21. Mangaliawas near Ajmer, Rajasthan
22. Vadodara, Gujarat
23. Dayapur, Gujarat
24. Kutch, Gujarat
25. Bhanagar, Gujarat
26. Baroda, Gujarat
27. Victoria Garden, Sukharamnagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
28. Mulund, Mumbai, Maharashtra
29. Byculla zoo, Mumbai, Maharashtra
30. Close to an entrance of Vasai fort, Maharashtra
31. Tilak road and Ghokale road, Pune, Maharastra
32. near Aurangabad, Maharashtra
33. Nana Fadnavis Wada premises, Menawali, Maharashtra
34. Mandavgad or Mandu, Madhya Pradesh
35. near Sangam, left bank of the Ganga, Prayag, Uttar Pradesh 
36. Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, Bihar

Hoping to discover more.

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Anantashayana and Koshtharaya rock-cut shrine, Badami

At the southeastern end of Bhootnath group is a cave shrine in which have rock-cut relief sculptures, the prominent one being of  Vishnu. Hence this is shrine called Vishnu Gudi. Just above the steps, the small opening between the floor and boulder is the temple entrance. One has to crouch to enter it.

Once inside, adults cannot really remain erect because of the low ceiling. We had to remain bent or had to kneel down. This temple is a combination of rock-cut and structural. Only the side walls have been built hence this is more of a rock-cut shrine. On the center wall is Anantashayana i.e. Vishnu reclining on the seven headed serpent Adishesha.  Vishnu is attended by Sridevi, Bhoodevi and Gaurda. Vishnu's symbols Shankha & Chakra are clearly seen. 

A closer look at Anantashayana. On the arch above are miniature images of Dashavatara i.e. the ten incarnations of Vishnu- Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki.

The side walls are also decorated with relief sculptures. On the left are the Trimurti- Vishnu, Maheshwara & Brahma. On the space below Trimurti are incomplete images of Basavanna and unknown characters. Over the Trimurti is a grand looking Shikhara & Kalasha.

On the right is an interesting image of a seemingly royal couple seated in half-lotus posture. With the couple is a cow & nursing calf. Next to the cow is a plant.. coconut sapling? Then there are two other plants which seem like stalks of food grains. Is this possibly a scene of Sankranti being celebrated. There's another plant behind the cow which seems like a Peepul tree. Would be nice to an expert historians opinion.

Also in this cave shrine was a niche with a circular embossing. Since there's no deity in it, this seems like a nest to place an oil lamp.

A short distance from Vishnu Gudi is another rock shelter called Koshthraya's Cave. On the rear wall is an image of a man seated in half-lotus posture on a lion-throne under a peepul tree. There's a halo around his head. Apparently there are Shankha & Chakra, symbols of Vishnu. Then there is an imaginary creature to the man's left which is usually seen in Jaina images. For example- similar creature can be seen at the rock-cut Jaina Basadi at Aihole. Also there are two attendants both holding fans. He has a sacred thread around his torso. I'm not clear whose image this is.

One of the side walls has this image of a well built man sporting long hair and a well shaped beard.  He's seated in half-lotus position. There's a symbol on his forehead but it isn't clear. Next to him is a staff. Again no idea who this man depicts.

There are several rock shelter shrines on the slopes of Hiregudda, the sandstone hill of Badami. While on this topic I must mention Arali Honda or Aralikatte rock-cut shrine a the edge of the sandstone formation. It's not visible from here. To access it one has to reach the plateau and walk along the edge overlooking Agastyatirtha.

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