Temples have always been a challenging subject for photographers. The range of visuals they offer can leave even the most experienced lensmen bewildered. Avey Varghese, who discovered his "innate veiled love for photography" as late as 2011, could have lost focus by trying to capture too many things. But in the book, 108 VISHNU TEMPLES: ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOUR, SPIRITUAL BLISS (Niyogi, Rs 2,000), Varghese maintains a calm distance from his subject. The book is a pictorial account of the 108 Vishnu temples, collectively called divya desams, which have been mentioned in the works of the 12 Tamil Azhwars or saint poets of yore. Varghese also details the architectural style and legends associated with the places. Above is a long shot of the Devaprayag temple in Uttarakhand. The matchbox-like modern houses seem to accentuate the solemnity and beauty of the ancient temple. Below is Vishnu, showing off his acrobatic skills in the trivikrama pose, at a temple in Tamil Nadu.