Back after a Break!

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.

Back after a Break!

I am finally back, after a short break, and it has been wonderful. As usual, though, now that I am actually sitting down on the computer, I don’t know where to begin!

To start with, for those of you not in the know, I spent the Diwali holidays at Tirupati, managing to escape from the pollution and noise the festival brings along. Of course, no place in India can remain immune to air and noise pollution during this one festival, and Tirupati was no different – well, maybe a little less polluted than Mumbai, and certainly a lot quieter! Most of the bangs we heard were from quite a distance, which actually helped us enjoy the spectacle of firecrackers, which were too far away to pose any danger! So, yes, we enjoyed Diwali, and spent the entire day visiting temples big and small in the vicinity. An auspicious way to celebrate the festival, wouldn’t you say?????

I spent almost 10 days at Tirupati this time, something I have wanted to do for a long time, and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are wondering what I did for ten days in a place where the temple is the most popular attraction, and has a reputation for being among the most crowded ones, you are not alone. That is the one question I have faced from everyone ever since I booked the tickets. But you will have to contain your curiosity for a while longer till I manage to collect my thoughts and put it all down!

Returning home after two weeks, I found that I had a wonderful Diwali gift waiting for me – a book, what else???? A much awaited one – The Slayer of Kamsa, by Ashok Banker, the first book in the Krishna Coriolis series. I had won the book a few weeks back in a contest on Ashok Banker’s website and was eagerly awaiting it. I first heard of Ashok when I stumbled upon his Ramayana Series books, and have been a big fan of his writings ever since, and I was looking forward to reading his version of one of the most interesting stories in Indian Mythology. Now that I have read the book and assimilated it, I can get to other matters and begin writing again J

This one is just a short post, intended to get me back into the loop. You can soon look forward to reading a lot more about the places I visited – no, I didn’t visit only temples! Unfortunately, I don’t really have many photographs, thanks to the paranoid security situation at our temples. There were so many interesting things I saw, which had me itching to take pics, but most of the times I didn’t have my camera with me L

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

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