Ganesha with a Message

Over 2000 Km by road, in around 10 days. Stunning landscapes, wonderful people. That sums up our Ladakh trip. But how did it actually work? How did we make it happen? Read on to find out! Leh, the capital of Ladakh , is accessible by air and road. Flying into Leh is the easiest, and time-saving option, while the road is the time consuming one, but with the added advantage of driving past some of the most beautiful landscapes in our country. Each option has much to recommend it, and we chose the road for just one reason – altitude sickness. Altitude sickness was one of my biggest concerns, since I suffer from motion-sickness. Yes, I do travel a lot, but that is despite my condition, and, over the years, have learnt how to handle it. I struggled with it when we visited Nathu-La in Sikkim, and wondered if I would be able to manage a week at the even higher altitudes that we would encounter in Ladakh. This was the reason we stuck to a basic plan, of only 9 days in Ladakh, though we

Ganesha with a Message

While I enjoy going to see all the Ganpatis in their various avatars around Mumbai during the ten days of Ganeshotsav, it is those with a message which really touch my heart. Among my favourite ones - one I have been seeing for almost 20 years now, and which is located right outside my college - is the Ruia Naka Ganpati.

This year the theme is 'Save the Girl Child'.... And they have chosen to depict it through the medium of the Goddess as well as women achievers.

Maharashtra is home to 3 1/2 Shaktipeethas - 52 temples of the Devi located in the Indian Subcontinent - From left to right in the pic - Mahalakshmi at Kolhapur, Tulja Bhavani at Tuljapur, Renuka Devi at Mahur and Saptashrungi Devi at Vani.

And behind these deities are women achievers from every possible field.. There is a board in front of the deity -

The issue taken up here is the spate of female foeticides, and in Marathi is a poem asking the Lord to bless us with a vision that makes us see, not just a girl child in the ultrasound, but an achiever.

What I really liked about this one is how it focuses on changing our vision - after all, it is how we see things that decides how we react to issues. So it is that vision we need to change!

Usha, I really missed you this year! Esp when we visited this Ganpati.. which, I remember, is the only one you really liked when we visited Ganpatis together!

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

Bhedaghat - Home of the 81 Yoginis

The Narmada flows down the mountains , carving out a path for herself as she makes her way down to the plains of Central India. She cascades from the rocks, her fine spray making it appear as if billows of smoke (dhuan) arise from the flowing streams of water (dhaar), giving it the name Dhuandhar. Dhuandhar Falls The force of her flow creates a gorge , smoothening and carving out the rocks into fantastic shapes, the pure white of the rocks standing starkly against the shades of the water. It is a joy to cruise down the river in a boat, seeing the natural contours created by the river, now famous as the Marble Rocks. We are at Bhedaghat, located on the banks of the Narmada near Jabalpur, where thousands of visitors turn up to see these natural landscapes, creations of the sacred Narmada, and pay obeisance to her. However, to me, the most interesting thing about Bhedaghat, isn’t the falls or the rocks, or even the river. What makes Bhedaghat special is t

Kabini Part 3 - After the Rains

Visiting Kabini in peak summer, we hadn’t bargained for the rains, which dominated our three days at the Lodge. While animal sightings were understandably lesser than usual, seeing the forest in the rain was an interesting experience in its own way. However, as we headed back into the forest for our second and third safaris, we hoped the rains would let up, and allow us to see more animals! Winding jungle paths

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