English: The Chandragiri Temple Complex at Shravanabelagola.

Technical: This panorama was combined from three separate photographs taken on a Nikon D5000 DSLR camera, using the standard kit-provided Nikkor 18-55mm zoom lens, via software post-processing.

Story: The individual source images were captured after climbing the hill and exploring the area around the peak at dawn, during my descent to investigate the temple complex. The sun came out through the clouds and suddenly lit the complex in a beautiful, vivid light. Other than the Jain monks and nun, I was almost the only person on the mountain. There were plenty of animals though, particularly red caterpillars and various types of lizards preparing to bask in the morning sun. I discovered these critters to the sounds of a simple stringed instrument that an old local man played who had apparently climbed the hill to add a musical dimension to the Jaina sangha's morning offerings.

(PS. Excellent vegetarian food and lodgings in the town, very peaceful, lots of history, and great architecture. Definitely one of my favourite places in all of India.)