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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 : The Western Ghats, from the skies

Here is Skywatch today, with a difference. Instead of posting images of the sky, here are some images from the sky! I clicked these from the plane, as our flight from Raipur hovered over the Western Ghats, approaching Mumbai....





I wonder, if it is just my imagination, or are the Western Ghats less green than expected? Or is it just the season?


And this is my fav image of the lot... I did process it a bit, to bring out the reflection of the sun in the river.... which is the highlight of the pic...


So, What do you think? Don't the Western Ghats look beautiful from the skies?

For more beautiful skies from around the world, head over to the Skywatch page.

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Comments

  1. Arun MuthusamyJanuary 30, 2015 at 10:06 AM

    Wow just amazing pics...

    ReplyDelete
  2. JimJanuary 30, 2015 at 10:15 AM

    Great photos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. R Niranjan DasJanuary 30, 2015 at 11:05 AM

    Breathtaking captures, Anu! Loved them all. Western ghats is looking less green, could be the season. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anuradha ShankarJanuary 30, 2015 at 2:35 PM

      Thanks Niranjan! i hope so too... have to try again sometime in the monsoon, but then, only the clouds are visible!

      Delete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2015 at 11:42 AM

    How gorgeous and dramatic!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Light and VoicesJanuary 31, 2015 at 2:36 AM

    Good idea to photograph it from a plane. Lovely, just lovely photos.
    JM, IL-U.S.A.

    ReplyDelete
  6. NatalieGJanuary 31, 2015 at 7:10 AM

    Wow! The Western Ghats are quite rugged and austere, but very beautiful. The patches of green emphasize the terrain features quite dramatically. I love the pic of the sun on the river too... it looks like a dragon with a long tail!

    I am always entranced by the scenery when flying (as long as you can actually see anything besides clouds, that is!). Flying along or over the Rocky Mountain range in the U.S. is fascinating, as well as the patchwork patterns of fields in the mid-west of the country.

    Thanks for sharing the lovely pics!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ranjana's craft blogFebruary 2, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    Wow! Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete

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