July 18, 2007 - Bhubaneswar, India

"Time is never time at all,
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth.
And our lives are forever changed,
We will never be the same."
~ Smashing Pumpkins

The town of Bhubaneswar is named for being "The Lord of the Universe." Although this town has left a bitter taste in my mouth, I must pay homage to its greatness.

The remains of over 1,000 temples are in this region. However, it is the caves that I am most drawn towards. The Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves were chiseled out of a hillside in the 1st century BC. They are believed to be a Jain monastery. This Jainism stone monument is one of the only still remaining in the world, as most were originally made of wood. Some theorize that Jainism is the religion that gave rise to Buddhist thought.