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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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Ashoka Flowers

The only good things about summer are school holidays and the vibrant colours that surround me. This is the time the Ashoka tree outside my window blooms, and these gorgeous red flowers brighten my day each morning....


For years, I didn't even know that the Ashoka tree bore flowers. And then, one summer, they did. It was only when I read up more about them did I realise that most of the Ashoka trees we see around us - the tall, pillar like ones - aren't even real Ashokas. They are actually called 'False Ashokas'! The real Ashoka is much smaller, and every year, bears these beautiful red flowers which attract so many birds....



They truly brighten up my day!
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Comments

  1. P.N. SubramanianApril 25, 2013 at 11:36 PM

    Yes its true. Fresh flowers we see in the morning really brightens us up. Although we have the real Ashoka tree in our campus, I am still to see the flowering.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MridulaMay 3, 2013 at 11:59 AM

    What a lovely bunch! Post a picture of the tree too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. NeerajMay 7, 2013 at 10:16 PM

    Interesting, I didn't know about the "real" Ashoka tree. I always thought the tall, pillar like trees were Ashoka. What does the real Ashoka tree look like anyway? Put up a photo here!

    ReplyDelete
  4. SudhageeMay 28, 2013 at 4:15 PM

    Lovely captures, Anu. And this part about real and fake Ashoka trees is so interesting. I didn't know about them. Do share more info and pictures, please.

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