Traveling is good
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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This is the place where Magan Lal Gandhi, grandson of an uncle of Mahatama resided. He had gone to South Africa in order to earn his living instead became an ardent follower of Mahatama Gandhi. Various designs of Charkhas are placed here now.
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तभी उन्होने झोले में से एक फल निकाल कर राजा को दिया और कहा यह अमरफल है। जो इसे खा लेगा, वह कभी बूढ़ा नही होगा, कभी रोगी नही होगा, हमेशा जवान व सुन्दर रहेगा। इसके बाद गुरु गोरखनाथ तो अलख निरंजन कहते हुए अज्ञात प्रदेशों की यात्रा के लिए आगे बढ़ गए।
उनके जाने के बाद राजा ने अमरफल को एक टक देखा, उन्हें अपनी पत्नी से विशेष प्रेम था, इसलिए राजा ने विचार किया कि यह फल मैं अपनी पत्नी को खिला दूं तो वह सुंदर और सदा जवान रहेगी।
The road stretch from Lalitpur to MP border will unhinge your joints. You cross into Ashoknagar district of MP over the downstream water channel of the Rajghat Dam. In rains water flows over the causeway. The landscape turns pretty with Vindhyachal hills and intermittent lakes making their entry. The early rains have made the hills lush with greenery. The beauty was enough for Babur to go ga-ga in his memoirs Babur Nama. The road after crossing into MP is a breeze and soon you see signs of the local Municipal Corporation welcoming you to the historic city of Chanderi. You are surprised to find the town clean with good roads and amazing signs for the tourists. Just looking at the densely packed attractions on the map confirms that Chanderi indeed is brimming with all kinds of monuments – tombs, mosques, gateways, palaces, temples and innumerable baolis.
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This was my main reason of visiting Portugal. The sheer beauty of it is amazing. Of the very little time I spent in Portugal, I experienced a little bit of everything. It is like eating a fancy buffet, where you get to taste everything you have wanted to eat. Coastal Portugal has some of the most amazing sights of the Atlantic Ocean. The little fishing villages, the churches, the bell towers, and the winding streets were a welcome relief from the predictable big cities and the monotonous freeways of America. There is history written all over Portugal. There is a great balance of city beauty coupled with rustic country beauty. There are beautiful churches, castles and palaces. The view of the bay from Lisbon is amazing. If you can endure the heat, the weather is awesome. Portugal is easily one of the most beautiful countries I have visited.
Travel tip: The westernmost point of continental Europe is located in Portugal, and is must see.
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By Devasmita Chakraverty Once the conference was over, we had a few days to explore Puerto Rico. The first day, we decided to explore…
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Driving in Puerto Rico is not for the faint-hearted. You get used to it of course. As I started to drive somewhat nervously, I realized that not only were the signs in Spanish, but the driving somewhat resembled the aggressive driving in India. Some of the bylanes were filled with potholes and without lane demarcations. Pedestrians just flagged you down trying to cross busy streets, something you never get used to unless you have driven in India. The roads close to the hostel were tiny compared to mainland US standards, often the car from the opposite would have to stop to let you pass, and I would have to find parallel parking on the street, something I am not very good at. When I parallel parked my car, half my car was hoisted up the pavement, just like every other car before and after mine. I said a silent prayer as I prepped myself for five days of driving around the island and parking. The next day, I was kicking ass, innocuously breaking a few driving rules, cruising through the potholes, and navigating my way with a confidence as if I have always driven here. It is amazing how fast your brain gets used to doing things. Some of the Spanish words I learned while driving were “Pare” (to stop) and “Salida” (an exit).
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ता शाकुम्भरी देवी शक्तिपीठ में भक्तों की गहरी आस्था है। उत्तर प्रदेश के सहारनपुर जिले में माता का सुंदर स्थान विराजमान है। सहारनपुर नगर से 25कि.मी तथा हरियाणा प्रांत के यमुनानगर से लगभग 50 कि.मी. दूर यह पावन धाम स्थापित है। शिवालिक पहाड़ियों के मध्य से बहती बरसाती नदी के बीच में मंदिर रूप में माता का दरबार सजा हुआ है। श्रद्धालुओं का विश्वास है कि माता उनकी हर प्रकार से रक्षा करती हैं तथा उनकी झोली सुख-संपत्ति से भर देती हैं। मंदिर के गर्भ गृह में मुख्य प्रतिमा माता शाकुम्भरी देवी की है। माता की दाईं तरफ माता भीमा देवी व भ्रामरी देवी और बाईं तरफ मां शताक्षी देवी विराजमान हैं।
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बात जब सड़क की हो रही है तो ट्रेफ्फिक और पुलिस की भी कर लें, यूँ लगता है जैसे जयपुर का सारा पुलिस अमला केवल परिवहन की व्यवस्था के लिए ही जिम्मेदार हो ! और ऐसे में यदि आपकी गाडी की नम्बर-प्लेट हरियाणा की है तो सावधान रहिये ! सीट-बेल्ट, मोबाइल पर बात करना, रेड लाइट पार कर जाना… भले ही आपके आस-पास से राजस्थान की अनेक गाड़ियाँ निकल जाएँ पर रोका केवल आपको ही जाएगा ! जयपुर में ऐसे बहुत से खट्टे-मीठे अनुभव हुए और कई बार तो ना चाहते हुए कुछ समझौते भी करने पड़े, एक तो पराया शहर, ऊपर से गाड़ी किसी और की… अपना शहर हो तो झेल भी लें पर यहाँ… समय की भी बंदिश है, परिवार भी साथ है, और इस कमज़ोर नस को हमारे भाई लोग भी बखूबी पहचानते हैं… एक बार तो थक हार कर एक हवलदार से तंज़ भी करना पड़ा, यूँ तो कहते हो ‘पधारो म्हारे देस’ और जब कोई सचमुच पधार ही जाये तो सारे मिलकर उसे लूटने में ही लग जाते हो…. बहरहाल ये बातें तो देश के हर हिस्से में हर किसी के साथ घटती ही रहती हैं, तो आइये अब आगे बढ़ते हैं…
चलिए ऐसा करते हैं, ज़रा शुरू से शुरुआत करते हैं, सोमेश एक छोटे भाई के अलावा एक बेहतरीन मेहमान नवाज़ भी निकला और साफ़ कह दिया कि बिना नाश्ते के नही जाना, दो-दो भाभियाँ हैं मिलकर बना लेंगी बाकी दिन भर आप जो मर्जी खाते रहना और फिर उसने हमे एक कागज़ पर घूमने की जगहों के अलावा उन सभी मशहूर जगहों और खान-पान के ठिकानों का पता भी दे दिया जो जयपुर में अपनी विशिष्टता रखते हैं ! इनमे से सबसे बेहतरीन था ‘स्टेचू सर्कल’ पर रात को क़ाफ़ी पीते हुये ‘हैंग आउट’ करना, जिसे आप जयपुर का मिनी इंडिया-गेट भी कह सकते हैं | सवाई जय सिंह का बुत लगा यह चौक स्थानीय तथा पर्यटकों के लिये एक प्रमुख आकर्षण का केंद्र है |
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It has a big entrance and you land up into a courtyard flanked on all sides by large, tall halls with stairs going up to the next level. You catch a breath to take a good view of overall topology and head towards the stairs. The initial bat-poo-smell is familiar but gradually the stench begins to get the better of you. The palace has seen good times and that is apparent from those murals (and more when we would visit Chitrashala), persian glass-ware and all things which are signature of forts. The jharokhas (Bay windows?) give an impressive view of the town and the Baoli. In December, the haze was thic but I would guess that in a better weather the view would take you few ages behind. The old, stunted-appearing, town almost feels like a scene from the film ‘Rudaali’. We walked around, with the help of a local guide/care-taker who patiently opened the locked doors so that we could appreciate the once-royal palace. The overgrowing stench, bad upkeep was now winning so I got into a conversation with the caretaker. He told me that the place is undergoing a litigation. There is a very thin layer of support staff to take care of the place but all they try to do is to keep the hooligans off and wait for well-meaning travellers. I didn’t want to make it more difficult for the caretaker and wished him luck and we proceed to 2nd floor/3rd level. Large rooms, supported with crafted pillars and brackets. The usual Torans (welcoming motif at the entrance) with elephants proudly protruding their long trunks.
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The old Fort is damaged but a lot of new construction has come up in the Fort. ‘Kangla’ was the ancient capital of Manipur from the ancient times down to the year 1891 AD.
Inside the fort there is an old Govindji temple, temple was closed & it seems that now no body offers prayer there.
After that we went to visit new Govindji temple which is not very far from the fort.The famous temple of Shree Govindaji is one of the prime attractions of Imphal. This Hindu temple has the deities of Hindu gods, Radha and Krishna Govinda.
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The balcony leads you to the lounge or resting area. This lounge will amaze you. Four-poster bed, easy chair, gramophone, tables, chairs, sofa – decades old decorates this lounge. One can also notice the typical Bengali red cemented floors here. The only touch of modernization in this room perhaps is the air conditioning. The best part was the view through the large glass window panes which got frosted because of the rain outside. It rather added to the rustic beauty.
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