Religious

A quick tour toTarkeshwar  – рддрд╛рд░рдХреЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдорд╣рд╛рджреЗрд╡

A quick tour toTarkeshwar – рддрд╛рд░рдХреЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдорд╣рд╛рджреЗрд╡

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I always have two sets of Ghummakari. One is with my family, where we book good accommodation and with all gears ready and behaving like “рдЕрдЪреНрдЫрд╛ рдмрдЪреНрдЪрд╛” (or rather achha buddha now LOL). The other set of trip is with group of my childhood friends (Laxman, Awasthi, Vijay & Pradeep).

With friends, our trip is quick, without any hotel bookings or preparations for the way and with minimum budget . It is so quick that sometimes we decide at night that tomorrow morning we are going. I keep a small tent, purchased from Scotland, in the boot of car, , which houses two and can be fitted in 20 minutes… but like our trains we can 3 or 4 slip into that in emergency.

Our trip to Tarkeshwar Mahadev was such a quickie. A day before we decided to dash and lo…next morning 4 am we were on the road with petrol tank full. all five of us packed well in the car and crossed Meerut in one hour. Road from Meerut towards Kotdwar is not easily recognised during traffic hours as it looks like a small bazar, but in the wee hours it welcomed us with open lanes.

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рддрдЦрд╝реНрдд рд╕рдЪрдЦрдВрдб рд╢реНрд░реА рд╣рдЬреБрд░ рд╕рд╛рд╣рд┐рдм рдЧреБрд░реБрджреНрд╡рд╛рд░рд╛ рдирд╛рдВрджреЗрдбрд╝/Sachkhand Gurudwara Nanded

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рд╕рднреА┬ардШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝┬ард╕рд╛рдерд┐рдпреЛрдВ┬ардХреЛ┬а┬ардореЗрд░рд╛┬ард╕рдкреНрд░реЗрдо┬ардирдорд╕реНрдХрд╛рд░.┬ардПрдХ┬ардмрд╛рд░┬ардлрд┐рд░┬ардЙрдкрд╕реНрдерд┐рдд┬ард╣реВрдБ┬ардореИрдВ┬ардЖрдкрд▓реЛрдЧреЛрдВ┬ардХреЗ┬ард╕рд╛рдордиреЗ┬ардЕрдкрдиреА┬ардиреВрддрди┬ардзрд░реНрдо рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рдХреЗ┬ардЕрдиреЛрдЦреЗ┬ардЕрдиреБрднрд╡реЛрдВ рдХреЗ┬ард╕рд╛рде. рдЕрдкрдиреА┬ардЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрд▓рд┐рдВрдЧ┬ардпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛рдУрдВ рдХреЗ┬ардХреНрд░рдо┬ардореЗрдВ┬ардкрд┐рдЫрд▓реЗ рд╡рд░реНрд╖ рд╕рдореНрдкрдиреНрди рдХреА рдЧрдИ┬ард╢реНрд░реА┬ардорд╣рд╛рдХрд╛рд▓реЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░┬ардЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрд▓рд┐рдВрдЧ┬ардХреА┬ардпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛┬ардХреЗ┬ардмрд╛рдж┬ардЕрдЧрд▓реА┬ардЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрд▓рд┐рдВрдЧ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рдХреЗ┬ард░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ┬ард╣рдордиреЗ┬ардорд╣рд╛рд░рд╛рд╖реНрдЯреНрд░┬ардХреЗ┬ардорд░рд╛рдард╡рд╛рдбрд╝рд╛┬ардХреНрд╖реЗрддреНрд░┬ардореЗрдВ рд╕реНрдерд┐рдд┬арджреЛ┬ардЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрд▓рд┐рдВрдЧреЛрдВ┬ардФрдВрдврд╛┬ардирд╛рдЧрдирд╛рде┬ардФрд░┬ардкрд░рд▓реА┬ард╡реИрджреНрдпрдирд╛рде┬ардХреЛ┬ардЪреБрдирд╛. рдЗрди┬ард╕реНрдерд▓реЛрдВ┬ардХреЗ┬ардмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ┬ардЬрд╛рдирдХрд╛рд░реА┬ардЬреБрдЯрд╛рдиреЗ┬ардХреЗ┬ард▓рд┐рдП┬ардЬрдм┬ардореИрдВ┬ардЧреВрдЧрд▓┬ардорд╣рд╛рд╢рдп┬ардХреА┬ард╢рд░рдг┬ардореЗрдВ┬ардЧрдпрд╛┬арддреЛ┬ардЙрдиреНрд╣реЛрдВрдиреЗ┬ардмрддрд╛рдпрд╛┬ардХреА┬арджреЛрдиреЛрдВ┬ардЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрд▓рд┐рдВрдЧ┬ардирд╛рдВрджреЗрдб┬ард╢рд╣рд░┬ардХреЗ┬ардЖрд╕рдкрд╛рд╕┬ард╣реИрдВ. рдирд╛рдВрджреЗрдб┬ардХрд╛┬ардирд╛рдо┬ардкрд╣рд▓реЗ┬арднреА┬ардХрдИ┬ардмрд╛рд░┬ард╕реБрдирд╛┬ардерд╛┬ард▓реЗрдХрд┐рди┬ардЬреНрдпрд╛рджрд╛┬ардЬрд╛рдирдХрд╛рд░реА┬ардирд╣реАрдВ┬ардереА, рдЕрдкрдиреА┬ард╕рд░реНрдЪ┬ардХреЗ┬арджреМрд░рд╛рди┬ардирд╛рдВрджреЗрдб рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ┬ардмрд╣реБрдд┬ардХреБрдЫ┬ардЬрд╛рдирдиреЗ рдХреЛ┬ардорд┐рд▓рд╛, рдФрд░┬ардкрддрд╛┬ардЪрд▓рд╛┬ардХреА┬ардпрд╣┬ард╢рд╣рд░┬ард╕рд┐рдХреНрдЦ┬ардзрд░реНрдо рдПрдХ…

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Deoria Tal – Tungnath – Chandrashila

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The last night’s amazing views of the sky dotted with innumerable twinkling stars left me spell bound and I was eagerly waiting for the sunrise. Next day, I got up at 4 and asked the tent shop owner to wake up the guide. After half an hour later, we started our climb to the peak and reached there well before time and now all (all bengalis except us as this place interestingly is mostly visited by the bengalis, witness to that are the shop signboards in bengali) were waiting for the sunrise. As soon as the sun rose from behind the Nanda Devi peak, all were all set to capture the golden ring created by the sunrise. Our guide told us the names of all the┬аHimalayan┬аpeaks that ranges from Nanda Devi till Yamunotri Peak from right to left where Chaukhamba is the most dominating peak in the middle.

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Rays of Light

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We started our walk and soon saw the first of the Sarnath monument, the Chaukhandi Stupa. A beautiful, well kept garden surrounding the Stupa welcomes you with dancing butterflies and chirping birds. Chaukhandi Stupa has a square base. This stupa was built during Gupta times. And later during Islamic rule, it got the peculiar head with edges. Built in red bricks, it was an impressive site, standing tall under a blue sky, silently remembering the era by gone.
This main road of Sarnath is lined with some beautiful Buddhist temples donated and built by several east Asian Buddhist nations. It really shows their affection and devotion towards Gautam Buddha and itтАЩs land.

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Patal Bhuvaneshwar – Paradise regained !!!

Patal Bhuvaneshwar – Paradise regained !!!

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We left Jageshwar around 10, refreshed and forgetting the horrible incident of yesterday night. When we came out of Jageshwar road, there are two ways to go to Patal Bhuvaneshwar. The normal and shorter route is that we turn towards Almora and 5 Kms after Jageshwar turn right and passing Bare Chhina, Shera Ghat and by-passing Beri Nag, we reach Patal Bhuvaneshwar.

The other road, we were told is longer and lonely. So we decided to take this longer route, because we had enough time and I am so happy to drive on lonely roads. We turned to our left towards Gangolihat. The road was Ok for most of the parts and we hardly saw any car crossing us. Occasionally 2 or 3 trucks passed. The scene was beautiful and awesome.

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The River and the City

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The airport is located in Babatpur, a slightly funny name but when you see the airport name displayed in bold letters as Lal Bahadur Shastri aiport, suddenly it gains stature and you feel a connection, a long lost memory jogged. And you remember a story of young Lal bahadur swimming across the Ganga for his studies.

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Jageshwar – A Horrible New Year !!

Jageshwar – A Horrible New Year !!

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Hot food was delicious. Families were preparing for good sleep after such long and tiring journey and I was standing at the balcony watching a few people going here and there. The time was around 10 and town was sleeping, just a chai-wala still open. Then I saw New Scorpio and Skoda coming and parking behind our cars. There was loud music coming from the cars and the people in cars started coming out. They were all between age 22-30 and were talking loudly. I smiled thinking they must be some new year seekers and after not getting hotel anywhere , reached here by mistake.

We switched off the lights and went for sleep. Sleep was almost waiting for us to lie down. It was around 11 in night that we all woke up from our sleep with the loud noise. The boys had opened all doors of the scorpion and they were playing the music system at full volume. We tried to sleep but the music was so loud that it was impossible. I assured my family that soon they will be tired and would sleep after 12.

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An Egyptian Diary: Post script

An Egyptian Diary: Post script

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India and Egypt shave a lot in common. Both are ancient civilisations and have emerged from centuries of foreign rule. Though the population is only 80 million, there is a lot of ethnic diversity with some who can pass off for Europeans, some who look like Africans and the rest of them look North African or Arab. Not surprising, if one takes into account its history and its geographic location, which is at the intersection of Asia, Africa and Europe…

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Dhaari Devi – рдзрд╛рд░реА рджреЗрд╡реА (рдЙрддреНрддрд░рд╛рдЦрдгреНрдб)

Dhaari Devi – рдзрд╛рд░реА рджреЗрд╡реА (рдЙрддреНрддрд░рд╛рдЦрдгреНрдб)

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So one night the head priest was awakened by someone and he saw Mother kali standing near his bed, eyes red with anger. ┬аShe asked the priest to stop sacrificing the animals in her name, otherwise she would destroy his family. ┬аThe priest woke up next morning in high fever and trembling with fear and announced “No more Balis” in the temple. ┬аThe locals were infuriated as nobody believed his dream ! ┬аBut seeing the adamant priest, who himself was enjoying the bali meat, they decided that the sacrifice will not be done at the temple but at Bhairon Gufa, 1 Km ahead the stream. ┬аSo this ┬аKali temple became the first sacrifice free temple of Devi in Uttranchal. ┬аI leave your own mind to judge the story as per your belief.

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A trip to Narkanda – Sangla – Chitkul – Kalpa – Jalori Pass

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After crossing the dam towards Sangla, condition of road was not very good and it was narrow too, however it was fun driving through this chilling route along with green Baspa. My wife and son were also lost in this beautiful valley but my 13 yr daughter was alert enough to remind me to blow the horn at every blind turn which I think is advisable while driving on hills. Before reaching Sangla my kids were excited enough to peep the scenic beauty through the sunroof.

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Kali Mathh -рдХрд╛рд▓реА рдорда

Kali Mathh -рдХрд╛рд▓реА рдорда

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Kali Mathh is the only hindu temple, where they dont worship any pindi or any idol or photo. ┬аIt is only that hole which Kali caused, which is worshipped here. ┬аAll Shaktas at least once in their life, visit this place, specially Bengali Shakta followers. Even if you do not have deep religious appetite, the place is so beautiful, untouched by tourists and civilisation, that it would be a mistake not to have visited there by anybody loving Himalayas.

So in a wintery Feb,2010 I fixed programme with my childhood friends, Pradeep, Awasthi and Vijay to be ready for a surprise visit ! We started from Delhi early morning around 5 am and crossing the usually jammed roads, in the fastest way possible and reached Haridwar around 9. ┬аTaking a quick dip in Ganges, we continued our journey uphill and next stop was at Devprayag. ┬аYou all know it is from Devprayag that the name Ganga starts, after Bhagirathi meets with Alaknanda. ┬аWe stopped for a while for “Pind-daan” of my father who died 2 months before.

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