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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.
3 comments

Skywatch Friday - Lonar Crater Lake

For Skywatch Friday today is a place I havent been able to get out of my mind since I returned from my Diwali trip... the Lonar Crater....





This photo was taken from the banks of the crater lake... the reflection of the mountains surrounding it and the sky, in the green waters of the lake was just too beautiful for words... the temple in the middle just added to the beauty... Look out for more detailed posts on Lonar in the next few days!



Lonar crater

The crater at Lonar is the third largest crater in the world, formed when a meteorite fell on earth about 50,000 years ago.

Location: The crater is located on the outskirts of the village Lonar in the Buldana District of Maharashtra.
  • The nearest airport is at Aurangabad, 122 Km away.
  • The nearest railway station is Jalna, 90 Km away.
  • The nearest bus stand is at Lonar, which is well connected to Jalna as well as Aurangabad.

Where to stay: There are a few hotels and lodges in Lonar, but the best option is to stay at the MTDC resort which overlooks the crater. 







Labels:
Location: Lonar crater lake, Maharashtra

Comments

  1. R Niranjan DasNovember 30, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    Nice capture.

    www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
  2. ArtiNovember 30, 2012 at 7:09 PM

    Never been there! Lovely capture Anu :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarNovember 30, 2012 at 9:41 PM

      YOu should go there, Arti! Its beautiful and so serene!

      Delete
  3. Anuradha ShankarNovember 30, 2012 at 9:39 PM

    THanks so much, Liz! Happy skywatching to you too

    ReplyDelete
  4. adijivamDecember 3, 2012 at 9:32 AM

    Hello: I discovered your blog when I was looking for information on Hampi. I loved ur posts on Hampi which I intend to visit soon. I have now started to follow ur other posts too. This one for Lonar Crater was eye opening. I had no idea we had a crater lake in India.

    Can you put more details about your journey to Lonar? For example, what activities are available and how many days were you able to spend there etc. I would greatly appreciate it.

    I have recently moved to Pune and hence have been looking to explore Maharashtra. Thanks for all your posts.

    Shekhar

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 6, 2012 at 2:14 PM

      Thanks so much, Shekhar! Hope you keep coming back and find more interesting things to read about and visit. About Lonar, a detailed post is coming up soon!

      Delete
  5. Bindhu UnnyDecember 4, 2012 at 11:16 AM

    We also visited Lonar during a Diwali holiday. Guess you had a nice and quiet Diwali :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 6, 2012 at 2:15 PM

      Yes, Bindhu, we certainly did!!! and your blog was a great help.. been wanting to visit ever since i read about it there... and finally did! Yaaay!!

      Delete
  6. ZephyrDecember 5, 2012 at 9:52 AM

    I have heard of this place from Vinni, but this picture completed the imagery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 6, 2012 at 2:16 PM

      Thanks Zephyr!! hope you like the pics which are yet to come too.. and its a beautiful place! the next time u are here, make some time for Lonar... get the L&M to get away for a while... and both of u will have a memorable trip :D

      Delete
  7. AnonymousDecember 7, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    Lovely photo. I had no idea about the Crater Lake. Sometimes such amazing things of nature come that make us really spellbound. Wated to read the detailed post on the Lake

    ReplyDelete
  8. SudhageeDecember 8, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    For a once-upon-a-time geologist, I have yet to visit Lonar. :-( Looking forward to reading all about Lonar in one of your forthcoming posts.

    ReplyDelete

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