Wandering Thoughts - Wildlife in the midst of Heritage

At the Masroor rock cut temples, while I was trying to identify all the deities, Samhith was busy elsewhere. He had spotted a lizard on one of the rocks, and spent the rest of his time trying to follow it, and see just how many there were! 

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The Rock Cut Temples of Masroor

“Kehte hain, Pandavon ne yeh mandir banaya tha” (They say, that it was the Pandavas who built these temples), says the ASI guide, at the Rock Cut Cave Temples of Masroor. I look at him, askance, expecting a bit more information than that. “But some other king would have rebuilt the temples” I insist, trying not to override his mythological beliefs, hoping to get some historical information. He shrugs, clearly knowing nothing more, and turns instead to show us some of the depictions of deities he does know. My questions continue, and his confusion increases. “Are you studying these temples?” he asks, flicking looks between me and my son. “No, I just write about them” I reply, and he is satisfied. “Lots of people come here to study these temples and write about them. We are applying for UNESCO World Heritage Status” he adds proudly.

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Faces in the Crowd - The man at ease, at Norbulingka

We were just entering the main complex at Norbulingka, when my eyes fell on this man....

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Norbulingka Institute, Dharamsala

The reflection of the Tibetan styled building seemed to shimmer in the water – the vibrant reds a striking contrast against the greenery, and the blue of the sky. We had seen many such structures over the last few days at Dharamsala. Yet, this was an image that captured my attention. My camera didn’t seem to share my enthusiasm for the sight, but I persevered. And this is the best I was able to do….

Have I been able to capture the essence of the beauty I saw that day? It is for you to say.

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Heritage in the Wilderness

Nestled within a copse of towering Deodar trees, the Church of St. John in the wilderness stays true to its name. As we walk into the gates and approach the church from the busy road leading to McLeod Ganj, the silence is marked – a much needed respite from the honking of cars stuck in a traffic jam outside. The church comes into view, shadowed by the trees, lit by a few rays of light escaping the green canopy.

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How to bathe a sheep - a step by step guide :D

Yes, you read that right. This post is indeed about bathing a sheep. Not elephants, which we travel far and wide and pay to bathe! Not cows and buffaloes which we see bathing everywhere! But this post is about sheep. Have you ever bathed a sheep or seen someone bathing a flock of sheep? We did, while roaming around Dharamsala. The sight was captivating enough to make us want to stop, much to the surprise of our driver! What was so interesting about it? First, that they were bathing sheep! Second, it seemed so well choreographed, such a part of their routine, that each sheep went through the same process to end up thoroughly bathed!! So, do you want to know how to bathe a sheep? Read on......

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Egyptian Vulture near Dharamsala

We were on our way to a temple, with a hot spring. "It is a nice temple" assured our driver. "It won't be crowded at all." The single bus standing outside the tiny temple should have warned us, but we didn't pay attention till it was too late. The shrine, and the spring, were filled with people - who stared as we walked in. It was an unnerving experience, and we rushed to get out. A flash of white on a tree diverted me, and I hurried to see what it was. It turned out to be an  Egyptian Vulture.. the saving grace of the long journey it had taken us to get here!!!

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A tea plantation walk in Dharamsala - a Photo Post for Skywatch Friday

This weekend promises to be a hectic one for me, and I am sure you have plans too. Therefore, instead of something for you to read, I have a photo post for you... These were clicked when we went for a walk in a Tea Estate in Dharamsala. The sight of greenery against the backdrop of the mountains, birds, butterflies and flowers never fails to inspire me, and I hope they will inspire you too! 

It was supposed to be a Tea Plantation walk, but the first thing we saw were roses!!! lots of them! 

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Faces in the Crowd - A Selfie Moment

Somewhere in McLeod Ganj....

A couple of monks with a friend were roaming around, the monks were bored, the friend was trying to click a selfie! It was a moment, just asking to be caught on camera!

People-Watching is fun, though not as much to click them, at least for me! However, when they are so engrossed in their own selves, and least bothered about who is watching... or clicking... them, I sometimes give in to the impulse and capture them on my camera!

What do you think of this photo? I would love to hear your thoughts!

This post is part of my series on my #summertrip 2015, and I hope to take you along with me as I recount stories from my month long trip, which took me across the country. To get an idea of all the places I visited, and what you can hope to read about, click here.  

Related Posts:

• The Story of my Summer Trip

• The Himachal Series- 

• Learning about Tibet in Dharamsala

• A Glimpse into our Dharamsala Experience in 20 Photos

• Bhagsu Nag - More than just the temple

• The Tadoba series

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Learning about Tibet in Dharamsala

McLeod Ganj and Dharamsala are now synonymous with the Dalai Lama. Our knowledge about him or Tibet was sketchy at best, which is why our highest priority during the  Dharamsala trip was to see if we could learn something more. Our first stop at McLeod Ganj was therefore, the Dalai Lama temple and the Tibet Museum.

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Bhagsu Nag - More than just the temple

“Aapko mandir nahi jaana? Theek hai, mat jaiye. Par waterfall dekhne to jaiye! (You don’t want to go to the temple? that’s ok, but at least go to see the waterfall)” insisted our driver as he dropped us off at the parking lot of the Bhagsu Nag Temple. The three of us walked slowly along the narrow path, paying more attention to the stalls that lined it, Samhith grumbling that we had just started our trip, and were already breaking rule no. 1. “No Temples”.

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A Glimpse into our Dharamsala Experience in 20 photos

From the jungles of Tadoba in Nagpur, Maharashtra, our Summer Trip next took us to the foothills of the Dhauladhar ranges in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. We spent a little over three days in Dharamsala, driving around, exploring the region, with just one caveat – no temples; at least, not big, popular, crowded ones. That was a promise we had made to Samhith, since this was part of his birthday trip! Much as I enjoy visiting temples, this was one decision we did not regret, since there was so much more to see! 

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