Monsoon Goa

Monsoon Goa

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Upon reaching the hotel, we realized that it would be a disaster to stay at kenilworth and pay money to ruin our holidays so we demanded the hotel to arrange for a room in similar property in Goa. Unfortunately, the weekend being a long weekend, Goa was completely sold out (or atleast, none of the 5 star deluxe hotels/resorts seem to be willing to offer rooms to us)
To add to the grief, while we were on the lookout in the cab, it didn’t stop raining. I wondered if I loved the rain or not ?

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महाकालेश्वर दर्शन व पुन: दर्शन (भाग 9)

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महाकालेश्वर मंदिर एक परकोटे के भीतर स्थित है। गर्भगृह तक पहुँचने के लिए एक सीढ़ीदार रास्ता है। इसके ठीक उपर एक दूसरा कक्ष है जिसमें ओंकारेश्वर शिवलिंग स्थापित है। महाशिवरात्रि एवं श्रावण मास में हर सोमवार को इस मंदिर में अपार भीड़ होती है। मंदिर से लगा एक छोटा-सा जलस्रोत है जिसे कोटितीर्थ कहा जाता है। ऐसी मान्यता है कि इल्तुत्मिश ने जब मंदिर को तुड़वाया तो शिवलिंग को इसी कोटितीर्थ में फिकवा दिया था।

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Nainital to Kausani and back to Delhi by road

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Though the entire Kumaon region is divinely beautiful, Kausani & Gwaldam are the authentic highlights due to its spectacular landscape with 300 km panoramic view of the range of Himalaya’s few of the very high peaks at hand shaking distance. The Nanda Devi and Trisul are the main attractions that attract tourists from far and near to glance the breathtaking scenic splendor at dawn which is unparallel. Mahatma Gandhi has rightly called the place the ‘Switzerland of India’. Located amidst dense Pine forest atop a ridge at an altitude of 1900 m, Kausani is a cool and tranquil place with limited tourist turnout hence still raw, retaining the natural essence.

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उज्जैन दर्शन: श्री सिद्धवट मंदिर, मंगलनाथ मंदिर और सान्दीपनि आश्रम (भाग 8)

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संदीपनी आश्रम परिसर में स्थित श्री सर्वेश्वर महादेव मंदिर में 6000 वर्ष पुराना शिवलिंग स्थापित है । ऐसा माना जाता है कि इसे महर्षिसंदीपनी ने बिल्व पत्र से उत्पन्न किया था। इस शिवलिंग की जलाधारी में पत्थर के शेषनाग के दर्शन होते हैं जो प्रायः पुरे भारत वर्ष मेंदुर्लभ है। अधिकांश मंदिरों में नंदी की मूर्ति बैठी हुई अवस्था में ही होती है। इस शिवलिंग के सामने, मंदिर के बाहर खड़े हुए नंदी की एक छोटी सी दुर्लभ मूर्ति है।

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Nainital – Kumaon’s Capital

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Sadiatal and its cascade also fall on the way just after climbing a few kilometers on the serpentine road. A short halt for photography there is never a bad idea. A little before reaching Nainital is Bara Pathar, an ideal Rock climbing spot conducted in supervision of trained professionals and maintained by Nainital Mountaineering Club. Horse riding activities are another attraction in the area. We have though neither tried hand in rock climbing nor horse riding but couldn’t ignore the next spot i.e. the Cave Garden just a few minutes from Bara Pathar. It is relatively a new tourist spot carved out of natural rocks as caves for a feel like entering the real caves named after predator viz. Panther Cave, Tiger Cave etc., a better place for kids rather. A KMVN run restaurant opposite to cave garden was a worth one to quench our hunger. By around 4 pm we reached Nainital. A hotel was the immediate search with safe parking space. Soon we found one just behind the famous and most expensive Manu Maharani. The Langdale Manor, though not a star hotel but it was very nice and comfortable with very professional and courteous staffs at a reasonable rate of Rs. 1,200/- for three including extra bedding (off season).

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त्र्यंबकम गौतमीतटे …….त्र्यंबकेश्वर से शिर्डी.

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भीमाशंकर प्रवास तथा वहां के रात्री विश्राम की खट्टी मीठी यादें मन में संजोए अब हम अपने अगले गंतव्य त्र्यंबकेश्वर की यात्रा प्रारंभ करने…

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उज्जैन दर्शन: गढ़कालिका मंदिर और श्री काल-भैरव मन्दिर (भाग 7)

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उज्जैन की केन्द्रीय जेल के सामने से होते हुए हम लोग श्रीकाल भैरव मन्दिर जा पहुँचे। मंदिर के बाहर सजी दुकानों पर हमें फूल, प्रसाद के साथ-साथ मदिरा की छोटी-छोटी बोतलें भी सजी नजर आईं। यहाँ कुछ श्रद्धालु प्रसाद के साथ-साथ मदिरा की बोतलें भी खरीदते हैं। ऐसी ही एक दुकान पर हम परसाद लेने के लिए रुके तो दुकानदार हमसे मंदिर में भैरों बाबा को पिलाने के लिए मदिरा लेने की जिद्द करने लगा। यहाँ पर लगभग हर ब्रांड की शराब उपलब्ध थी लेकिन शराब का रेट काफी तेज था, लगभग दुगना।

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गंगटोक सिक्किम Part-2

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रोपवे 70 /- रूपये किराया था एक बार में करीब 20 से 25 लोग इसमें सफ़र कर सकते थे। इसमें बैठने की व्यवस्था नहीं है इसमें खड़े होकर आस-पास और नीचे का व्यू देखते हैं। एक अलग ही नजारा देखने को मिल रहा था साथ ही साथ जब बस नीचे को तेजी से उतर रही होती है तब हल्का सा डर भी लगता है।

रोपवे की यात्रा के बाद सीढियों से नीचे उतरते हुए एक रेस्टोरेंट है। इस समय तक भूख जोरो की लग रही थी सभी यहाँ पर खाना खाने के लिए रुक गए। यहाँ पर हम लोगो को आधे घंटे से ज्यादा समय लग गया और अब 4 बजने वाले थे। ड्राइवर जल्दी से पास में ही Namgyal Institute of Tibetiology ले गया। जो 4 बजे बंद हो जाती है अभी हम अन्दर घुसे मुश्किल से एक मिनट ही हुआ था कि केयर टेकर ने लाइट बंद कर दी बोला टाइम ओवर।

अब तक शाम ढल चुकी थी सडको पर और मार्किट में लाइटे जगमगा रही थीं। परन्तु सारे दिन की भाग दौड़ के बाद शारीर इतना थक चूका था कि लग रहा था कि अब कुछ देर आराम किया जाय। आठ घंटे से ज्यादा समय घूमते हुए हो गया था।
एक बात और हम लोग इतने सारे व्यू पॉइंट पर गए पर कहीं भी कोई टिकेट वगैरह नहीं चार्ज किया जा रहा था। हाँ कुछ एक जगह टैक्सी स्टैंड वाले जरुर 10 /- रूपये प्रति कार चार्ज कर रहे थे।

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In Search of Tiger at Corbett Tiger Reserve

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The different zones offer varied landscapes with opportunities to sight different floras and faunas. The presence of animals varies in accordance with the landscape suitable to their habitats. The landscape of Jhirna is drier than in Dhikala and vegetation is mostly scrub. Jhirna was a farming village until 1994 when it was successfully relocated under Project Tiger. The abandoned farmland is gradually reverting to a wild state and is being managed to develop grassland habitat. The nearby terrain consists of numerous sots and narrow gorges running through typically Shiwalik landscape. The hills to the north of Jhirna are covered with dense patches of bamboo. Apart from being a good habitat for tiger, leopard and deer, the place hosts other interesting mammals like sloth bear and wild boar. A variety of birds can also be enjoyed here.

were informed that a male tiger is also reported wandering in the area during the early morning. There is a defined route for every visitor to follow from the entry gate which ends at the FRH inside the jungle. On the way there is a watch tower alongside the river for watching animals reaching at the stream for drinking water and bathing. We tried it but in vain. The spotted deer, peacocks, variety of birds including the sparrows were a delight to watch. Suddenly, the driver stopped the vehicle and we found some fresh pug marks of a tiger on the sand beside the road. After a few meters we spotted some scratch marks on a tree probably made in the past. These proofs however, evidenced the truth of story we were told by the nature guide about the male tiger visited the place early morning. Elephant herd might have walked away leaving signs of crushed bushes and flattened shrubs. The dream of sighting the mighty RBT remained a dream but it was good to see the evidence of their presence that retained the hope to see the king in future also.

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Ghumakkar Editorial Monthly Digest – October 2013

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I am an year older and hopefully wiser when this digest goes for publication. But that is not a significant event in October. A little more scratching and you realise that the month almost starts with Gandhi’s birth anniversary. Someone who established ‘Non Violence’ as a primary and only weapon to fight for greater cause. He once said, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind”. As you get old (and hopefully wiser) it becomes more important to introspect, to reflect and to course-correct. We also look back at our reasons behind Ghumakkar. Through travel, one gets exposed to things which are alien to him, whether it is as simple as what one eats to the greater realms of spiritualism. When one sees more of what one doesn’t know and follow, he slowly begins to accept the existence and more imporatntly starts appreciating the relevance of them. I am far more accepting to those scorpion, proudly displayed on wooden slates, ready to be consumed on my recent trip to Beijing then on my first trip and the constant feed of these small and little experiences gradually leads to greater tolerance. A tolerance towards something which is not you. Traveling builds tolerance and tolerance builds peace. QED.

And if this is making you jump off to other sections of this digest then let me dress this with something more appealing. Yeah, Okotber is a month of fest. The Dusshera and Durga Puja celebrations just finished, Bakra-Id followed soon after, Halloween is all around and we are all ganged up to make the most noise on Diwali. The card parties are in full swing, lights are out and the weather is at all time great. So one way or the other, October is a great begining and I prod you to make the most of it.

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