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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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Trees




On our recent journey to Chandigarh, we were the only passengers in our coach after most disembarked at Delhi. 


After  24 hours of listening to the chatter of our fellow travellers, the sudden peace and quiet was strange, to say the least! With just us to serve, even the vendors gave our coach a miss, leaving us practically alone for the remainder of our journey. Never have I enjoyed a journey more, the window wide open, feeling the wind in my hair. We passed by yellow and green fields... the shades too numerous to count.... and trees of all shapes and sizes, and colours too...








And back came the memory of a poem I learnt at school, so long back....



Trees 
I think that I shall never see 
A poem lovely as a tree. 
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest 
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; 
A tree that looks at God all day, 
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 
A tree that may in summer wear 
A nest of robins in her hair; 
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; 
Who intimately lives with rain. 
Poems are made by fools like me, 
But only God can make a tree.  
-          Joyce Kilmer (1913)



No, I didn't remember the whole poem. That was thanks to Google and Wikipedia! And it was only then that I learnt that the poem was written in 1913 ... exactly a 100 years ago!




All photos were taken from a train running at top speed... Please excuse the quality of the pics.... The trees had so much variety that I just had to post all of them! 

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Comments

  1. Julia DuttaJanuary 9, 2013 at 11:11 AM

    Thanks Anuradha! What a lovely post. I love Chandigarh too, it is truly, planned and beautiful, laid back and organised, although our best friends Sardarjis seem to be the largest population.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 9, 2013 at 12:17 PM

      Thanks so much, Julia! Chandigarh is a beautiful town any day! sad there arent more cities like that!

      Delete
  2. NishaJanuary 9, 2013 at 3:26 PM

    Nice tree pictures, Anu! Didn't know they can make a lovely post with their colors like this. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 10, 2013 at 9:06 AM

      Thanks Nisha!! Sitting in the train looking at all those trees with colours was so wonderful! and we think we dont have fall in India! clicked so many pics couldnt resist posting!

      Delete
    2. NishaJanuary 11, 2013 at 1:32 PM

      Glad that you did. :)

      Delete
  3. UnknownJanuary 9, 2013 at 10:13 PM

    Great Clicks...and lovely poem...its one of my favorite cities in India.
    http://journeyintrance.blogspot.in/2012/12/tryst-with-destiny.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. Makwana78January 10, 2013 at 5:17 AM

    Great blog Anuradha.. I had stumbled across your blog while searching for some spiritual place and since than I am hooked.... Had a quick question - what kind of camera and lens are you using for taking these beautiful panoramic photos which you have posted above?. Would appreciate if you can provide some details/tips etc.

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 10, 2013 at 9:21 AM

      Thanks a lot... and i use a high zoom nikon camera, not a dslr... and it is not really panorama but a usual photo just cropped.

      Delete
  5. Vishal RathodJanuary 10, 2013 at 4:50 PM

    All were Great Pictures Anu jee and beautiful log with a new variety . I am learning from you how to blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. R Niranjan DasJanuary 10, 2013 at 11:33 PM

    Gorgeous green! Awesome captures.

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in/2013/01/old-goa-of-cathedrals-churches-chapels.html

    ReplyDelete

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