India - temples, churches, and houses

Mahabalipuram Shore Temple was built in 8th Century AD. Built entirely from granite, it's situated on the Bay of Bengal (which is right behind those trees in the back). It is the last of a series of temples still standing on the site. The tsunami of 2006 exposed ruins of several more offshore.





Another set of ancient granite temples, from 7th century AD:



Each temple building has a statue of its sacred animal next to it.




And this is a modern temple in Chennai:


The province of Kerala, in addition to being run by the Communist party, has another, contradictory distinction: it is predominantly Catholic. The land there is full of churches, with bright designs and easy, relaxing proportions.













Many of the churches incorporate something of the native culture in their designs, like the post on the right.


As we drove through the province, I noticed many new houses, with modern designs and finishing touches. Each one is unique and represents only the taste of its owner.



This one is a "movie house" - owned by some studios who use it as a set for their flicks.


The owner of this has asked us not to share its picture and location with movie producers in India - afraid of it being converted to a "movie house".