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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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Sandcastle for a Cause at High Street Phoenix

Building sandcastles is something we do when we go to the beach. However, this one is nothing like the ones we make. Its actually a sand sculpture, with turrets towering over the structure, intricate details such as doors and windows etched into the sand. We saw it for the first time at the High Street Phoenix in Lower Parel, Mumbai, last year, when Simon Smith, in association with Sand Cult, built this beautiful sculpture on the occasion of World Cancer Day. Click here to read about it. The event is back this year, and so is the sculpture, at the same venue...




The castle is similar, but not just the same.




This auto, for instance, sinking in quick sand, is new...





and so is this dog....



As Samhith pointed out, the boards have something interesting too.. such as the wood texture given to this one...



and the tiny fold on this one...



Of course, a visit to High Street Phoenix can never be complete without a visit to Hamleys, so, here is one last glimpse from the store.


P.S. Please excuse the quality of the photographs. I inexplicably left my camera at home, and had to settle with my mobile!

 Information: 

 The Sandcastle is on display at High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Mumbai, till the 17th of Feb., 2013. You still have a week, so if you can, go see it.

 There is also an event scheduled for Tomorrow, Tuesday, 12th Feb, 2013, wherein you can learn how to sculpt sand from the master himself! The event is on from 12 Noon to 8 PM, so if you can spare the time, it should be interesting. You can find more details of the event here. 


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Location: Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Comments

  1. RenukaFebruary 11, 2013 at 1:52 PM

    The photographs are nice, even though they are clicked by a mobile.


    http://renuka-mytraveldiary.blogspot.in/2013/02/beautiful-spring-in-delhi.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. IndraniFebruary 12, 2013 at 6:06 PM

    Amazing art work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownFebruary 14, 2013 at 9:22 PM

    It is important you shared this post that is for a good cause. Kepp up the good work.

    Phi-Phi islands blue water marvel: http://keigetswings.blogspot.in/2013/02/day-5-day-trip-to-phi-phi-islands.html

    ReplyDelete

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