On World Elephant Day, I want to clear up a misconception. Temple elephants aren’t simply “wild elephants in captivity.” Many were born in captivity or became separated from their herds and are now dependent on humans for food and care. For centuries, temples have housed elephants, often on large tracts of land that can provide more space than cramped private facilities. Video-Virupaksha temple's Lakshmi at river Tungabhadra,Hampi (1/n)

Virupaksha Temple at night. #Hampi #UNESCO - Dating to the 7th century CE and expanded under the Vijayanagara Empire (14th–16th centuries), this temple is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva, and is among India's oldest continuously worshipped temples.

My wife and I traveled to Cancún, Mexico, in December 2008. One of the highlights we wanted to see was Chichén Itza, about a two-hour drive from the Cancún Hotel Zone via the toll road, or nearly twice as long if you took the local roads. We rented a car in the Hotel Zone and, armed with our very limited Spanish, somehow managed the drive to and from Chichén Itza without much trouble. On the return journey, however, things took a turn. As we approached Cancún, a severe thunderstorm rolled in. Visibility dropped to almost zero, and we lost our way. This was 2008 - GPS navigation wasn't something most travelers had at their fingertips. We pulled over and tried asking people for directions to the Hotel Zone. That's when a young boy, probably no older than 18 or 19, stopped in his Ford Taurus. I'm quite sure he didn't understand our broken Spanish - or whatever language we were trying to invent at that point - so he resorted to the universal language of hand gestures. He simply signaled for us to follow him. Then he took off. He drove that Ford Taurus like it was a sports car. I couldn't keep up with his youthful enthusiasm, especially in the pouring rain, and soon he disappeared ahead of us. Just as I thought we had lost him, I saw him parked by the roadside, waiting patiently for us to catch up. This happened several times. He would speed ahead, realize we'd fallen behind, pull over, and wait. Finally, when we were close enough to the Hotel Zone, he stopped one last time, pointed us in the right direction, gave us a friendly wave, and drove away. I've never forgotten that young man. Despite the language barrier, he understood exactly what we needed. What has stayed with me all these years is not just his kindness, but the way he balanced youthful exuberance with a quiet sense of responsibility. He could have simply pointed us in a direction and continued on his way. Instead, he chose to make sure two strangers reached their destination safely. I've been back to Mexico a couple of times since then, but eighteen years later, I still remember that young man in the Ford Taurus more vividly than many of the country's famous landmarks. Pic: Chichen Itza

News - India is going o renovate the Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Prambanan complex comprises 240 Hindu temples, making it one of the largest Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. I am not sure if only the Prambanan temples (240 of them) will be renovated or the rest of the temples in the Prambanan temple compound. Other temples in the Prambanan temple compound (Prambanan temple complex is within this compound) are Candi Sewu, the second-largest Buddhist temple complex in Indonesia after Borobudur, originally consisting of 249 temples. One of its most striking features is the pair of colossal Dvarapalas (temple gate guardians) that flank its entrance. Other notable temples in the area include Candi Bubrah, Candi Lumbung, and Candi Asu. Except for Asu, these monuments are at various stages of restoration under a collaboration between UNESCO and the Indonesian government. Candi Asu remains buried beneath volcanic deposits from Mount Merapi and is yet to be fully excavated. Pic 1: Prambanan temple complex, Pic 2: Candi Sewu Pic 3: Candi Bubrah 4. Candi Lumbung

One of my favorite photos - Levitating boats at crystal clear Dawki river/Umngot river on a sunny day in Meghalaya, India. It is near the border of India/Bangladesh.