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Amritsar

Parasnath Hill – the revered pilgrimage of Shikharji in Giridih

A tonk is a small civil structure made of white marble. Inside a tonk there was impression of feet on stone of the Tirthankar after whom the tonk was made. We visited some of the tonks. Each tonk was placed far away from each other situated on different hills.

रंगीला पंजाब – परिवार सहित अमृतसर यात्रा

तभी ट्रैन चलने की घोषणा हुई और जल्दी ही ट्रैन रेंगने लगी। वाइफ और बेटा खिड़की से बाहर देखते रहे और मैं आँखें बंद कर दिन भर की प्लानिंग करने लगा। कुछ देर में शताब्दी की सेवाएं शुरू हुई. पानी की बोतल, अखबार और फिर चाय, इन सबके सोचा की थोड़ा सो लेंगे। पर तभी टीटी जी आ पहुंचे। उनको टिकट देखा कर निबटे तो देखा कि बेटा सो गया था। हमने भी आधा घंटा नींद ली की तभी ब्रेकफास्ट आ गया। पंजाब की यात्रा हो तो छोले कुल्चे से बेहतर कुछ नहीं इसलिए हमने भी वही खाया। हिलती हुई ट्रैन में चाय का कप भी हिल रहा था और बेटा इसे देख देख हंस रहा था। ब्रेकफास्ट कर के सोचा कि कुछ और सोया जाये पर ऐसा हुआ नहीं. ट्रैन अम्बाला पहुंची और छोटे साहब के प्रश्न फिर शुरू हुए। यहाँ से ट्रैन चलने के बाद मेरी कमेंटरी भी शुरू हुई. क्यूंकि बाकी दोनों का पहला ट्रिप था, इसलिए मैंने अपना ज्ञान भर भर के बंट. राजपुरा से पंजाब शुरू होने के बाद तो ये ज्ञान और बढ़ा. NH 1 साथ दौड़ती ट्रैन, दोनों और गेंहूँ से भरे हुई खेत और बादलों की लुकाछिपी, सचमुच बहुत ही अच्छा सफर था. कुछ देर में ट्रैन लुधिअना पहुंची। यहाँ भूख लगने लगी थी तो हमने अपने साथ लए हुई स्नैक्स की तरफ ध्यान दिया. लुधिअना से चलने के बाद सतलुज नदी का चौड़ा पाट आया. वाइफ हैरान थीं की इस नदी का पानी इतना सफ़ेद कैसे है जबकि यमुना तो बिलकुल अलग है। इसके बाद फगवाड़ा और फिर जलांधर आया. जालंधर पर ट्रैन काफी खाली हो गए थी। क्यूंकि अब बेटा फिर ऊँघने लगा था तो उसे एक ३ वाली खाली सीट पर लिटा दिया और वह जल्दी सो भी गया। हम दोनों भी १ झपकी लेने लगे. ब्यास पहुँचने से पहले ब्यास नदी के दर्शन हुए. खेतों में हरियाली बढ़ चुकी थी. अपने तय समय से २० मिनट लेट, ट्रैन अमृतसर पहुंची. स्टेशन पर टूरिस्ट्स और ख़ास तौर पर स्कूल ग्रुप्स की बहुत भीड़ थी। हमने टैक्सी बुक की हुई थी जो हमें वाघा बॉर्डर घुमा कर वापस होटल छोड़ने वाली थी।

White water rafting, Leh and Khardungla… Top of the World!

And then it happens. We are warned that it is a really rough patch ahead and to be rowing as hard and fast as we can as we hit it. Before I know it, the rapids are upon us and …. I can see it happening in slow motion… our raft just rises up from the right front end and keeps rising. The two members on the right side fall on us taking all of us under with the raft overturned right on top of us. I tell myself there is no need to panic. The guides are trained and our protective gear is on therefore all I have to do is come up to the surface even if under the raft and breathe from the air pockets under it. Easier said than done. I come up and try to breathe and I can’t. Just swallow some water from my mouth so resolutely, I close my mouth and try to breathe in through my nose. No luck. It is as though the air had suddenly turned solid.

Majestic Ladakh : The Journey Begins!

Now let’s begin the journey. Yes it starts with this prologue. For me, the journey actually began much before I stepped into the land of Kashmir to enter into Ladakh.

The Chinese philosopher, Lao-Tzu, said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It is true for travelling to the top of the world, Ladakh! The first step undoubtedly would be to know a little bit about Ladakh.

It started, for me, four months before I actually travelled the region- through numerous articles, blogs and travel stories. Before going to Ladakh it was much essential for me to know about the places to go and activities to do in Ladakh, its history, culture, religious institutions and the mystics.

Ghumakkar Digest – September 2014

More than 20 Ghumakkars braved it. Tridev Sir and Silentsoul played the role of Sutradhars and helped us introduce each other. Apart from Sushant who came all the way from Saharanpur, the spirit of whom we salute from the bottom of our hearts, Naresh Sehgal joined us all the way from Ambala. As people started to gather, it was difficult to grasp so much warmth in that little a space. I would let the attendees talk more via ‘Comments’ section of this post. For me, it was an overwhelming experience. We didn’t talk a lot but somehow it feels that the connect and bond has suddenly grown much stronger. The first meet was a beginning and I do hope that it carries on, in smaller or bigger way, in different seasons, in various setups and in various cities and tahsheels and mohallas. It need not be bound by the fact that whether someone is writing on Ghumakkar.com or not, but by the sheer heady spirit of traveling. I would take this opportunity yet again to mention that traveling builds tolerance and tolerance builds peace.

Ghumakkar Digest – May 2014

Summers are here and with them the sweltering, all-melting heat, especially if you are living in the plains in Northern India and the coastal regions. When in school, we at least had the satisfaction of being able to chill at home during the blissfully long summer vacations. Of course there was the much-hated holiday homework. But even that failed to dampen our spirits. I managed to keep the homework blues away by the ever-useful tool, procratination. I kept on putting off the homework to the next day and in most cases ended up tackling the humungous monster in the last two days of holiday. And the fun didn’t end there. During those last two days, while I slept on time, my mom and my elder sister ended up burning the midnight oil to complete MY holiday homework. I wonder why I never got a whack for this.

Wagah border beating retreat ceremony

Not sure if there’re any celebrations when the flags are hoisted in the morning. As we came out, a bunch of people had blocked the road and were protesting against something.

It was a memorable event to witness. A better seating and proper visitor management would have made it even great. To quote an example, world trade centre memorial in New York has an online pass system. Only specific number of people are let in every day at designated timing.

To conclude: Evening ceremony at Wagah is a must visit experience if you’re going to Punjab. If possible, get a VIP pass. If that doesn’t work out, give the camera to women in your team- they will have better visibility and can take better pics. Water and refreshments are available inside, but when the ceremony is in progress you may not be able to walk out and buy something. Post ceremony you can refresh yourself. Photos, DVDs, souvenirs are all available for sale. Mobiles will NOT work in the border. So if your loved ones are separated from you because of gender or crowd, you need to have a meeting place pre-decided- like in front of the washroom or near the car etc, to avoid confusion and panic.

A family pic but two members from it are not with us any more!

Ghumakkar Featured Interview with dynamic and generous Avtar Singh – May 2014

large-heartedness and generosity has made him popular with our writers and his poetic prose has won many-a-hearts, earning him a long list of loyal readers at Ghumakkar.

Rendezvous with our dear Ram Dhall – Ghumakkar Featured Author Interview, November ’13

My call was received by a mature and responsible voice. His humbleness was shown in his very first greeting and then we began an elaborate talk! As we spoke, my apprehensions and prejudices just faded without my knowledge and the conversation got smoother and more involving. I started off as an eager listener and his knack of putting me at ease helped me strike a great conversation. It was about everything under the sun. From family to friends, from leisure to work, from the north till the south – just everything you can think of!

Featured Author Interview with happy and earthy Naresh Sehgal

Ghumakkar: So who else is there in the family? Tell us about your formative years. Was early education in Nanhera?
Naresh: We are three brothers and I am youngest of them. I got my primary education along with my brothers in village Govt. school. As the school in village was up to fifth only, I took admission for sixth class in Banarsi Das High School Ambala Cantt.

Ghumakkar: I have a feeling that you were very sincere in your studies and must have done well. Right?
Naresh: Yes, ha ha. I was good in studies and till fifth class I was topper of the class.

Ghumakkar: So all three brothers were going to same school? Any memories you would want to share?
Naresh: Yes, mostly. Actually after class V, we moved to a new school and it was not close-by. My eldest brother used to walk up to the school which was 4-5 kilometers away from our home. This went for two years. Then my father bought second cycle (other than my father’s) for my brother. When I took admission in that school in sixth then my elder brothers were in 7th and 9th. We had only one cycle to go school and out parents did not allow my eldest brother to carry both of us so one of us used to walk. I used to walk in the morning and my brother in the afternoon. This may sound very harsh but we were always up for any kind of hard work.

Ghumakkar Interview : In an insightful chat with Rakesh Bawa

Ghumakkar: Yes, Spic Macay was very active in ‘University of Delhi’ as well. Infact for one of the ‘North Zone Fests’, back in 1994, a large contingent from DU was in Chandigarh . I was part of the theatre group from Kirori Mal College. I was pretty impressed with the overall infrastructure. So did this continue post college ?
Rakesh : Yes. When I joined H.P. university Shimla, I simply auditioned for the plays to be held during annual function and student organisations functions and did 7-8 plays there during that stint, not more. But I was more a part of their Quiz team and Debate team which I used to enjoy more as i was a good quiz master to be sure, if not perfect and was highly influenced by Siddhart Basu,s programme Quiz Time. During University days I once interacted with Vijay Kashyap jI, theater personality and local theater artists . I remember one name, Deven. Nothing specific or any juicy titbit about those days except for long rehearsals and endless cups of tea in dhabas. A great influence on me , those days was of Prof. A.R. Khan, who is no more. He was an eminent historian though I was not his student as he taught medieval India whereas I was student of modern India. Simla is famous for Indian institute of Advanced studies and myself and him used to go strolling there from campus discussing intricacies of History.

Ghumakkar Featured Author Interview with sweet and candid Abhee

Ghum: That was indeed a short one but I think the spurts of travel, this urge to get out, that travel-rush is probably Ghumakkari. Any other travel during this time, you would want to share.
Abhee: If I wanted to mention any worth Ghumakkar trip, then it was at Aurangabad. When morning 0600 we started with a plan to go Ghrishneshwar Jyotirling, which further got extended, and we went to Daulatabad also on the same day. It was like most enjoyable and memorable trip.

Ghum: My guess is that because you lived at so many places, quite far from each other, you would have visited many more cities? Correct?
Abhee: Oh, that’s a good question. It’s a long list, but I must say. I started from Katni (MP), then Lakheri (Rajasthan, near Kota), then Mumbai, then Konkan, Nagpur, Aurangabad, then Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Indore and now Canada. Living at so many places has given me vast opportunity to explore places. So if I want to list out places I had visited it would be Katni, Maihar, Bandhakpur, Jabalpur, Kymore, Ujjain, Dewas, Indore, Udaipur, Eklingji, Nathdwara, Kankroli, Neemach, Jahazpur , Bundi, Kota, Lakheri, Indergadh, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Daulatabad, Ghrishneshwar, Mahismal , Jalgaon, Burhanpur, Ajanta, Ellora, Fatehpur (Maharashtra), Pen, Paali, Alibaug, Murud Janjira, Khopoli , Lonavala, Pune, Khandala, Mayapur, Khadakpur, Mysore, Srirangapatnam, Tirupati, Hyderabad, Bhadrachalam, Munnar, Cochin, Rameswaram , Vrindavan, Mathura, Agra, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Manali , Kullu , Manikaran, Mussorie, Dehradun, Nainital, Mukteshwar , Puri, Bhubaneshwar , Amritsar, Jalandhar, Vaishno Devi (Katra),Rameswaram,Pondicheri,Mahabalipuram,Omkareshwar,Maheshwar etc.

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