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Showing posts with the label Nathu La

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Odisha Part 11: Discovering the Jaina Heritage of Odisha at the caves of Udaygiri and Khandgiri

The Hindu and Buddhist history of Odisha , or rather, ancient Kalinga, is rather well known to everyone. Who hasn’t heard of the grand temples of Odisha – Puri, Lingaraj and Konark, or the great war of Kalinga which inspired Ashoka to convert to Buddhism? In contrast, very few know of the Jaina heritage of this region. This is quite a pity, since, just around 7 km from the city, is one of India’s most ancient inscriptions, which throws light on the Jaina heritage of Odisha. This inscription is the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela, in the hills of Udaygiri. Udaygiri and Khandgiri are two hills located opposite each other, and both are testaments to the rich Jaina heritage of Odisha. The caves at Udaygiri are older, while Khandgiri is relatively newer, but has lasted much longer, and continues to be a place of pilgrimage for Jains even today. These hills, from inscriptions and excavations of caves, shrines and rock beds, appear to have been a haven for Jaina monks, right from the ...
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Wrapping up.... Our Sikkim Experience

Over the last couple of months , I have been writing about our first foray to the east in December 2014, and most of my posts have been about our trip to Sikkim. These posts have generated quite a bit of interest, and I have been flooded with questions about it, which is why I have decided to write this post as a compilation of my experience there, as well as answers to lots of questions I have been asked.
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Baba Mandir, Sikkim - the story of a Soldier-Saint

A young soldier , carrying supplies to a remote outpost, is lost. It is wartime, and with the bad weather and difficult terrain, it is clear he is no more, but his body isn’t found. This, while a sad occurrence, is not really news.
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My Nathu La Experience

I clambered up the last few steps , panting, not as much because of the exertion, as the altitude. At 14,140 ft. above sea level, this was the highest place I had ever been to (and probably ever will). A slight feeling of dizziness ensured that all my energies for the moment were concentrated on not falling down, and in a moment, it passed, and I was able to take in my surroundings.
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A Journey into the snow-clad mountains of Sikkim

“Will there be snow?” was the question Samhith asked us over and over again during the months, weeks and days leading to our Sikkim trip. Considering that we made the trip just after Christmas, chances of snow were high. However, also high were the chances that if there was fresh snowfall or if the weather was bad, the roads would close! Besides, there was the matter of getting our permits, a new experience for us. We had our fingers crossed! Thankfully, the skies were clear, we obtained our permits for Nathu-La, and set out on our first journey into the mountains of Sikkim!
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