10 Oct

Varanasi

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I do not care for the тАШtruthsтАЩ they have faith in or the тАШliesтАЩ they spread. This is not the first cremation that I am descrying nor shall it be the last, but in this moment, I’ve understood the human endeavor of fighting death with life. The answer to the fears of our faith is in welcoming it with our arms wide open and embracing it like a long lost brother. ItтАЩll be perhaps in this gesture that the faithful shall be granted nirvana.

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Around a 1000 strong crowd has gathered to see what is a daily ritual but is as powerful and enchanting as it must have been a 1000 years ago. The spiritual seekers have loaded the boats тАУ some to get a better view, some for better pictures and some for their beliefs тАУ an adventure of a lifetime. The head priest is crying hoarse asking people to sit down calmly тАУ all the skills of a masterful showman.

So much for the lonely mokshaтАж (sigh)

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Skydiving Experience

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I opted for the tandem jump. On the assigned day, I reached Mysore airport. Staff from Kakini enterprises, organizers of the skydiving arrived later. There were about a dozen participants that day and my turn was at the end. That day’s group had some air force personnel and some adventure seekers like me.

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A Fun-filled Weekend at Mandarmani

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Every year during the Durga puja we plan a short trip to some nearby places. This year it was no different as we planned a two nights stay in Mandarmani. It is a small seaside hamlet situated in the Midnapur district of West Bengal.

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Visit to Lothal near Ahmedabad : An introduction to Harappan Civilization

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Excavation site is walking distance of half km from there. Sun is at its peak but cool breeze was maintaining the temperature. At most 20-30 people were there including the staff and visitors. We first visited the Archaeological Museum and itтАЩs better to visit museum first because it contains a lot of information about the site and that will help you to understand and visualize the whole architecture at the site. As photography is prohibited in the museum so no snaps are available inside of it.

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A weekend trip to digha. The Journey.

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When in Doubt, ask again. Ask someone else if you feel that the shmuck you just asked for directions was an inebriated nincompoop. I believe that even now, in the age of GPS and other bond gadgetry, the ultimate GPS is still the roadside paan wallah. Such is the level of accuracy & dependability, that i think they should be hired to proofread the local Google maps data.

You stop by a tapri/ khokha (as referred to in mumbai), light up a smoke, order a sweet paan, strike up a light conversation about how good or bad the weather is, and thatтАЩs it. Camaraderie set. The paan wallah will now easily divulge even the most complex info about the routes to take, routes to avoid, probable shortcuts & other awesome places to see in between. Screw you, GMaps !! I got my own local wiki/GPS/navigator/tour-guide.

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Little Rann of Kutch…the land of the Indian Wild Ass

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It was well past 2PM when we finally reached the camp area,our stomachs had started growling by then. The camp is surrounded by vast desert area and tidbits of small villages nearby.We quickly retired to our colourful round shaped huts with straw roofs,got fresh and dashed for lunch.The lunch served by the hotel staff was a bland affair and we couldn’t find too many vegetables included.

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рдЧрдврд╝рд╡рд╛рд▓ рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбреА: рдХрд░реНрдгрдкреНрд░рдпрд╛рдЧ тАУ рд╡рд┐рд╖реНрдгреБрдкреНрд░рдпрд╛рдЧ – рдмрджреНрд░реАрдирд╛рде

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рдЪреВрдБрдХрд┐ рдЖрдЬ рд╣рдореЗ рд╕рд┐рд░реНрдлрд╝ рдмрджреНрд░реАрдирд╛рде рд╣реА рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪрдирд╛ рдерд╛ (рдЬреЛ рдХреА рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рд╕реЗ рдорд╛рддреНрд░ 125 рдХрд┐рдореА рд╣реА рд╣реИ), рдЗрд╕рд▓рд┐рдП рд╣рдо рд╕рдВрдЧрдо рдкрд░ рдХрд╛рдлрд╝реА рджреЗрд░ рдмреИрдареЗ рдорд╕реНрддреА рдХрд░рддреЗ рд░рд╣реЗ. рд╕рдВрдЧрдо рдХрд╛ рдЖрдирдВрдж рд▓реЗрдХрд░ рдФрд░ рджреЛрдиреЛ рдирджрд┐рдпреЛрдВ рдХреЗ рдЬрд▓ рд╕реЗ рд╡рд┐рд╢реБрджреНрдзрд┐ рд╡ рдЙрд░реНрдЬрд╛ рдкрд╛рдХрд░ рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧ рдЖрдЧреЗ рдХреА рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рдкрд░ рдирд┐рдХрд▓рдиреЗ рдХреЛ рддреИрдпреНрдпрд╛рд░ рдереЗ. рдврд╛рдмреЗ рдкрд░ рдирд╛рд╢реНрддрд╛ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж, рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧ рд╕реАрдзреЗ рдмрджреНрд░реАрдирд╛рде рдХреА рдмрд╕ рд▓реЗрдиреЗ рдЖ рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪреЗ. рдереЛрдбрд╝реА рджреЗрд░ рдЗрдВрддреЗрдЬрд╝рд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж, рдПрдХрд╛рдз рдмрд╕реЗрдВ рдЖрдИ рдкрд░ рд╕рдм рдЦрдЪрд╛рдЦрдЪ рднрд╛рд░реА рд╣реБрдИ, рдкрд╛рдБрд╡ рд░рдЦрдиреЗ рддрдХ рдХреА рдЬрдЧрд╣ рдирд╣реА рдереА, рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╕реАрдЬрд╝рди рдореЗ рдпреЗ рдПрдХ рдЖрдо рдирдЬрд╝рд╛рд░рд╛ рд╣реИ.

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рдЕрдпреЛрдзреНрдпрд╛ рдирдЧрд░реА тАУ рдкреНрд░рдердо рднрд╛рдЧ

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рд╢рд╛рдпрдж рдЙрд╕ рдирдиреНрд╣реЗ рд╕реЗ рдЯреАрд▓реЗ рдХреЛ рд╡реЗ рдХреЛрдИ рдмрдбрд╝рд╛ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рд╣реА рд╕рдордЭ рд░рд╣реАрдВ рдереАрдВ рдФрд░ рдмрдбрд╝реА рдЦреБрд╢ рд╣реБрдИрдВ. рдЯреАрд▓реЗ рдХреЗ рдКрдкрд░ рднреА рдПрдХ рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рд╣реИ, рдЬрд┐рд╕рдореЗрдВ рд╕реАрддрд╛-рд░рд╛рдо рдХрд╛ рдирдпрдирд╛рднрд┐рд░рд╛рдо рд╡рд┐рдЧреНрд░рд╣ рд╣реИ. рдордгрд┐ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ рдЬрдирд╢реНрд░реБрддрд┐ рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рд╣рд┐рдорд╛рд▓рдп рд╕реЗ рд╕рдВрдЬреАрд╡рдиреА рдмреВрдЯреА рд▓реЗ рдХрд░ рд▓рдВрдХрд╛ рдЬрд╛рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рд╣рдиреБрдорд╛рди рдЬреА рдиреЗ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд-рдЦрдВрдб рдХреЛ рд░рдЦ рдХрд░ рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд░рд╛рдо рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдерд╛. рдЕрдиреНрдп рд▓реЛрдХреЛрдХреНрддрд┐ рдпрд╣ рдХрд╣рддреА рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рд░рд╛рдо рд╡рд┐рд╡рд╛рд╣ рдореЗрдВ рд░рд╛рдЬрд╛ рдЬрдирдХ рдЬреА рдиреЗ рдЗрддрдиреЗ рдЖрднреВрд╖рдг рдЗрддреНрдпрд╛рджрд┐ рджрд┐рдП рдереЗ рдХрд┐ рдЕрдпреЛрдзреНрдпрд╛ рд▓рд╛рдиреЗ рдкрд░ рдЙрдирдХрд╛ рдПрдХ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рдмрди рдЧрдпрд╛, рдЬрд┐рд╕реЗ рдордгрд┐ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рдХрд╣рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ. рдордгрд┐ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рд╕реЗ рдиреАрдЪреЗ рдЙрддрд░ рдХрд░ рдореИрдВрдиреЗ рдорд╣рд╕реВрд╕ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рдХрд┐ рдорд╛рддрд╛рдЬреА рдХреЗ рдорди рдореЗрдВ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рдЪрдврд╝рдиреЗ рд╕реЗ рдереЛрдбрд╝реА рдердХрд╛рди рдЫрд╛рдИ рд╣реБрдИ рд╣реИ. рд╢рд╛рдпрдж рдЬрд┐рд╕реЗ рдореИрдВ рдирдиреНрд╣рд╛-рд╕рд╛ рдЯреАрд▓рд╛ рд╕рдордЭ рд░рд╣рд╛ рдерд╛, рд╡рд╣ рдЙрдирдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдХрд┐рд╕реА рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рд╕реЗ рдХрдо рдирд╣реАрдВ рдерд╛.

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Tirthan Valley тАУ Magical abode to nature

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This was the day we plan to start our journey for a long-awaited trip to Tirthan Valley (a lesser known place to enjoy the beauty of nature and peace of mind). After a lot of if and buts finally, we penned down the location as Tirthan Valley. Thanks to the Ghumakkar Family for suggesting this great place.

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NRI Durga Puja- Evoking Mixed Feelings

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A few weeks ago, we celebrated the most awaited and significant festival for us Bengalis- the Durga Puja. Having spent a significant number of years of my youth in Calcutta, celebrating Durga Puja in the United States usually stirs nostalgically similar, yet unfamiliar emotions

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рдЖрдЧрд░рд╛ рдХрд╛ рдордирдХрд╛рдореЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдордиреНрджрд┐рд░

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рдЖрдЧрд░рд╛ рдореЗрдВ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдЬрд╣рд╛рдБ рд╕реНрд╡рдпрдВ рдЖрдпреЗ рдереЗ рдХрд╣рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ рдХрд┐ рдЖрдЧрд░рд╛ рдХреЗ рдордирдХрд╛рдореЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдордиреНрджрд┐рд░ рдореЗрдВ рд╕реНрдерд┐рдд рд╢рд┐рд╡рд▓рд┐рдВрдЧ рдХреА рд╕реНрдерд╛рдкрдирд╛ рд╕реНрд╡рдпрдВ рднрдЧрд╡рди рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдиреЗ рдХреА рдереА рдЬрдм рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рд╢реНрд░реА рдХреГрд╖реНрдг рдордереБрд░рд╛ рдореЗрдВ рдЬрдиреНрдо рд▓реЗ рдЪреБрдХреЗ рдереЗ. рдкреМрд░рд╛рдгрд┐рдХ рджреГрд╖реНрдЯрд┐ рдЗрд╕ рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рдХрд╛ рдЗрддрд┐рд╣рд╛рд╕ рд▓рдЧрднрдЧ рд╕рд╛реЭреЗ рдкрд╛рдВрдЪ рд╣рдЬрд╛рд░ рд╡рд░реНрд╖ рдкреБрд░рд╛рдирд╛ рд╣рдореЗрдВ рджреНрд╡рд╛рдкрд░ рдпреБрдЧ рдХреА рдпрд╛рдж рджрд┐рд▓рд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рдЬрдм рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рд╢рд┐рд╡ рдХреИрд▓рд╛рд╢ рдкрд░реНрд╡рдд рд╕реЗ рдЗрд╕ рд╕реНрдерд▓ рдкрд░ рдЖрдпреЗ рдереЗ.

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