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The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

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.
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Wish you all a Merry Christmas!
From
Samhith, Shankar and Anu

When you read this, I will be travelling, first to Hampi and then to Puttaparthi, trying to get in some more places along the way. A new trip does not mean that I am through with my Tirupati posts. I have just finished with the town of Tirupati, but there is more coming up, about places around. So, keep coming here and leaving your precious comments. There can be no better gift for me than a load of comments! I shall reply to all of you when I get back!

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