Navaratri Begins....

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.

Navaratri Begins....

Waking up this morning, the first sound that came to my ears was the chanting of the Lalita Sahasranama from the nearby temple. "And so Navaratri begins" was my first thought... an auspicious beginning to an auspicious day!

Not that we need a reminder. This happens to be our favourite festival, the one we plan for months in advance, the one for which we happily store loads of stuff, forgetting for once that we hardly have space enough for it all. Which is why, at times when we can not celebrate the festival, like it has happened since the last two years, it feels so much worse. The last few days have been the worst, seeing loads of clay and papier mache dolls at every shop, decorations and flowers at every corner, and family and friends eagerly taking out their dolls from storage. We stayed away from the shops selling beautiful new dolls, hoping it would help, but it didnt. Eventually, we gave in yesterday, and tortured ourselves by visiting one of our local shops selling clay dolls, feasting our eyes on the new ones, and wishing desperately we could buy some and keep a golu too. Sigh! We know that's not possible. But that doesn't stop us ogling at the wonderful dolls representing so many interesting stories. Here are some....

Gajendra Moksham

A Water Pump Scene.. We loved the water pump, though, as Samhith pointed out, we have a miniature water pump that actually works!

Radha And Krishna

We wondered if this is the wedding feast scene from Abhimanyu and Vatsala's marriage... ...

And this appears to be Ghatotkatcha, eating everything prepared for the feast

The story of the hare and the tortoise... sorry the pic isnt good, but I loved the milestones...
and had to show them to you!

Lakshmi - Hayagriva and Shiva- Parvati

Birds..

A Playground...we loved the slide!

Our favourite.... the kili josiyam... or fortune teller with a parrot in a cage.
Kiddo loved the way the cage had been made!

And so Navaratri begins, with mixed feelings for us.... sadness because we still can't keep a golu; relief because kiddo has exams anyways; and excitement, because, since we have no puja, we can (try) to go out and see some other golus! Of course, the exams do come in the way, but when have we allowed it to interfere with our interests?

Of course, wherever we go, you can be sure you will read about it here!

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

The Havelis of Bikaner - A Photo Post

The lanes are narrow , twisting and turning amidst buildings old and new. Crumbling old structures with intricate workmanship stand side by side with art deco buildings, and more modern constructions, which follow no particular style. Autos, bicycles, motorcycles and vans rush past, blowing their horns as loudly as possible, while cows saunter past peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise. In the midst of all this chaos, children play by the side, and women go about their chores, as we explore these by-lanes of Bikaner, and its beautiful Havelis. Facade of one of the Rampuria Havelis

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.

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