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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 - Annadale, Shimla

Sometime around the year 1830, a young British officer exploring the area around the still developing hill town of Shimla, came upon a beautiful sight. Amidst the towering mountains, was a small stretch of plain land, a natural tableland, dwarfed by the mountain and forests, but presenting such a lovely view that he was reminded at once of the girl he had once loved, back in England. The man was Captain Charles Pratt Kennedy, the then Political Agent of Shimla, and he named the place ‘Annadale’ after his lost love.




Charles Pratt Kennedy doesn’t seem to have married his lady love... but the name he gave, stuck, and endures, centuries after him. It is sometimes mis-spelled as Annandale, but the romantic origin of the name still remains.



Annadale, in the early days of its discovery, was a popular haunt for the British. They came here for picnics, amusements, and games, and the ground became a popular haunt for polo matches. With the passage of time, the ground played host to races as well as cricket matches, and, with after Independence, was handed over to the Indian Army, which uses it as a helipad. If you look close, you can even see a helicopter there..

I wish the ground was still used for Polo or cricket... or even racing. It would be fun to see any sports held there. Meanwhile, the Army Heritage Museum at Annadale is worth a visit. More about that later....

Meanwhile, visit the Skywatch Friday page for more beautiful images from around the world! 

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Location: Annadale, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171003, India

Comments

  1. MridulaMarch 1, 2013 at 9:43 AM

    Such a beautiful place the first picture is really beautiful. And what a story behind the name!

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    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 1, 2013 at 9:51 AM

      Thanks Mridula!!!! no idea if the story is true, but it seems to have really stuck to the place :D makes it all the more interesting!

      Delete
  2. P.N. SubramanianMarch 1, 2013 at 10:21 AM

    Looks beautiful.The name also sounds pleasing. A similar name on Ooty route "Lovedale"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 1, 2013 at 12:22 PM

      Thanks PNS! Basically, dale means valley.. so its quite common in names given in the british era, esp in hill stations.. and each usually has a history to go with it too :D

      Delete
  3. NatureStopMarch 1, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    Interesting story and nice pics to go with it:)Have a great day!

    Shantana

    ReplyDelete
  4. IndraniMarch 1, 2013 at 11:22 AM

    Great captures from the place Anu.

    ReplyDelete
  5. R Niranjan DasMarch 1, 2013 at 12:07 PM

    You have captured the landscape beautifully!

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in/2013/02/maha-kumbh-mela.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jidhu JoseMarch 1, 2013 at 1:54 PM

    a great place
    happy Skywatch Friday
    Reflections

    ReplyDelete
  7. thomasMarch 1, 2013 at 4:25 PM

    Indeed a very romantic view for those in search of love.

    ReplyDelete
  8. manu tyagiMarch 1, 2013 at 5:40 PM

    nice info , journey and shot

    ReplyDelete
  9. online cab booking chennaiMarch 1, 2013 at 10:02 PM

    Such A beautiful Place,thanks For Info,Its veyr Informative

    ReplyDelete
  10. RenukaMarch 2, 2013 at 12:31 AM

    Beautiful pictures and a nice post, too! I had not heard much about this place. Thanks for sharing.

    http://renuka-mytraveldiary.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 2, 2013 at 9:50 AM

      Thanks Renuka. There isnt much to see here apart from the museum, and we saw this only because we hired a guide to do a walk of the whole place..

      Delete
  11. NeerajMarch 2, 2013 at 8:59 AM

    Nice place... but I'm sure it was not "discovered" by the British. I bet the locals must have known about this place long before the British even stepped foot on India. I also think it's about time we change the name of that place to something Indian.

    http://www.bharari.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarMarch 2, 2013 at 9:53 AM

      True Neeraj, that the place was not really 'discovered' by the British. But we cant deny that it was they who brought it to prominence and it is they who made it what it is today. changing names to indian ones is an idea that seems to have captured our imagination, but we cant forget that the british are a part of our history too... whether we like it or not, and we must remember that it is they who made the place what it is today. changing names wont make it any more indian....

      Delete
    2. NeerajMarch 9, 2013 at 6:54 AM

      I think changing the name from an English/British name to an Indian one will give it an "Indian Identity". Although it won't make any difference to us, it will make a difference to the next generation as they will grow up knowing the Indian name rather than the British one.

      Delete
    3. Anuradha ShankarMarch 9, 2013 at 9:25 AM

      well, Neeraj.. as I mentioned earlier too, we cant erase the British from our history and heritage no matter how much we want to, or how hard we try. its better to accept it and move on, and make our own identity rather than change names to create our identity

      Delete
  12. Ishita KhannaDecember 3, 2013 at 4:46 PM

    Wonderful, Shimla is so beautiful and Annadale is really interesting name for the place.

    ReplyDelete

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