Binsar and Around - A compilation of my posts on my Binsar trip

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.

Binsar and Around - A compilation of my posts on my Binsar trip

Now that I have finally managed to complete my series about my Binsar vacation, I thought it would probably be a good idea to compile all my posts into one…which will hopefully make it easier for anyone wishing to go there to get the information they want…. So here goes…..

We started off from Delhi by train, and hired a cab to Binsar. To read about the journey and the Club Mahindra Binsar Valley Resort and Manipur Villa, read Binsar - Part 1.

The Club Mahindra Resort as seen from Manipur Villa

Home to the Binsar Bird sanctuary, the whole range is full of birds… you don’t need to look far to spot some wonderful birds…. Read all about the birds we saw from our room at Binsar Part 2 – Armchair Bird watching.

A Plum Headed Parakeet seen from our window

There are plenty of activities at the resort; all you have to do is find one to your liking. We chose to go for a short trek coupled with a bit of bird watching too… Read all about it at Binsar Part 3 – Trek to a river, with a bit of bird watching thrown in!

An oriental White eye seen on our walk

Having gone all the way to Binsar, it was impossible to give the sanctuary a miss. While we saw just a few birds, we had some wonderful experiences, including a panoramic view of the snow capped Himalayan peaks. It was an unforgettable experience, and we learnt a lot about the place like where to stay, what to do, the next time we went there…. To know more, go to Binsar – Part 4 – The Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

The path through the sanctuary

Temples attract me as much as nature – especially ancient ones! Read about the beautiful temples of Jageshwar at Binsar – Part 5 – Jageshwar.

The Jageshwar temple complex surrounded by towering Deodhars

An unexpected bonus of our trip to Jageshwar were the prehistoric cave paintings at Lakhudiyar, something we hadn’t even heard of before….Read about them at Binsar – Part 6 – The prehistoric paintings of Lakhudiyar.

One of the paintings at Lakhudiyar

Another memorable visit was one to the ancient caves of Patal Bhuvaneshwar. The stalactites and stalagmites might or might not resemble Gods in your eyes, but they will not fail to awe and inspire you! Read about these wonderful caves at Binsar – Part 7 – Patal Bhuvaneshwar.

The ASI Board at Patal Bhuvaneshwar

Every area of India abounds in temples, and this area has plenty of ancient ones. Read about a couple more temples we visited at Binsar – Part 8 – Some other temples.

A Bell at the Golu Devta Temple

Some of the best experiences we had were completely unexpected! Read about a short stop on the road which turned into the most enjoyable experience for my son at Binsar – Part 9 – A fishy story.

Fishes in the Kosi River

An unplanned halt on the roadside led us to some of the best photographs I have ever taken of birds…. Read about our ‘swift’ experience at Binsar – Part 10 – A ‘swift’ meeting.

A swiftlet in its nest

The end of our journey arrived, but not before a short detour to the tourist hill station of Nainital. Read about it at Binsar – Part 11 – Nainital.

The Lake at Nainital

While these are the main posts which contain information about Binsar and its surrounding places, if you just wish to have a look, there are many more posts with photos taken on the trip, and my thoughts about various things…..Hope they are useful to you!

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis

jayasreeMay 17, 2010 at 9:31 AM
Good job on compiling into one post. This will surely help readers who will come here to find Binsar info.
chitraMay 17, 2010 at 5:39 PM
Good work , summing up the whole series..
Indian BazaarsJune 10, 2010 at 2:45 PM
This seems like a nice place to visit. Thanks for sharing!

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