ShutterBugStore

One of the most prominent Christian pilgrim centers in Kerala is Malayattoor. The church was set up by St. Thomas the Apostle which has been designated as an International Shrine by the Vatican. This magnificent church atop the 600 meter high hill was established in A.D. 900 and is a popular tourist center. The only way to reach the hill top shrine is to trek 2 km uphill along the scenic trail.

The church is a combination of Greco-Roman architecture with a traditional Greek styled altar. The old building now show signs of decaying. But it will remain to be seen whether these visually appealing building will continue to stand the test of time.

This beautiful foggy morning is a part of the Shimoga series. We camped near the river and the night was chilly. I woke up by 6 in the morning, partly because of the chill and due to my interest in an early morning landscape shot. I was strolling on the bank of the river mesmerized by the way the fog was skirting the surface of the still river just before the sunrise and decided to capture the moment.

I woke up early than usual for this shot, while on my trip to Shimoga and realized that the day brightens up slower in the forest. I spent most of the time by the riverside shooting mist before sunrise. As it got bright enough to see the forest paths, I moved into the denser woods to capture the early morning sun gleaming. The jungle was brought back to life from the cold night by the early sunlight cutting through the woods, lighting up wilderness with a warm glow.

Last week I tripped to Sharavathi Wildlife Sanctuary situated in Shimoga district of Karnataka, with the help of Sharavathi Nature Trails, a non-profit Registered organization working on nature conservation. This is one place still untouched by the commercial tourism and you can get the real feel of nature here.

As a part of the trip, we camped near Sharavathi backwaters which lodges evergreen to semi-evergreen forests. Above is a view of the forest and its reflection shot across the Sharavathi backwater.