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2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with
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Memories of 2013 - Books, Reviews and so much more!

How can I think of wrapping up the 2013 retrospective without talking about books? This has been a year when I have (sort of) caught up with my reading. I have never, ever, been without a book in my hand. But, over the years, my reading had reduced, and recently, had been restricted to reading for Samhith, and thanks to buying more books for him, I have bought fewer for myself. The change began some time in 2012, but 2013 upped the pace. I began receiving more books for reviewing, till, eventually, I had to refuse some, since I didn't have enough time to read! It has been an interesting journey, reading books I probably wouldn't have bought, reading authors I had never heard of, genres I would tend to avoid, and in the process, re-discovering the love I have for the written word.




I can not mention books without mentioning #TSBC. For those of you who are wondering what that is, it is 'The Sunday Book Club' - a group on twitter, which tweets with the hashtag 'TSBC', and talks about, well, obviously, books! One of the founders is a dear friend, Sudha Ganapathy, and though I haven't been as enthusiastic a participant as I would like to be, TSBC has certainly led to me reading a lot more, and, more importantly, connecting to like minded people, who read just as much, or more, than I do! And yes, this year, I have also met some of these wonderful people!

With the #TSBC gang at Krishna Udayasankar's reading of the second book in her Aryavarta Chronicles series - Kaurava


Taking part in the #TSBC Book Exchange brought me some wonderful books, and sending off books to someone I didn't know was a wonderful experience too. After all, what can be more fun than picking out books for someone!!

These were the wonderful books I got from my secret book giver, through the TSBC Book Exchange! And they also sent me some lovely postcards! 

Meanwhile, this year, I was interviewed, for the very first time, by Fablery.com! interestingly, it wasnt as a Travel Blogger, but as a Book Reviewer, that I gained this fame!!! Makes me wonder - should I switch to blogging full time about books instead? What do you think? 

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Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 31, 2013 at 8:24 PM

    Per my opinion,traveling and books complement each other. For instead, I can't imagine to travel without carrying Ruskin bond' books.

    Regards
    Rachit

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarDecember 31, 2013 at 8:35 PM

      Thank you, Rachit, but travel and books cant be said to complement each other. while reading while travelling is always an interesting way to spend the time, I am sure there are many others who dont feel the same, as for me, i can never stay long without a book in my hand, travel or not. and also, as far as Ruskin bond books go, i have read and enjoyed many, but i prefer books which will last me through the trip. else i will have to carry a library along :D

      Delete
  2. UnknownJanuary 1, 2014 at 4:01 AM

    Sweet memories, Indeed! Have a great year ahead :)

    ReplyDelete

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