Vaikuntha Vishnu at Masroor

I am back, after two whole weeks offline! It has been rather difficult to get back to writing, with so many thoughts churning inside my head, but, making a monumental effort, here I am, continuing with the last place I wrote about before I left – the Masroor Rock Cut Temples.

We saw this image at Masroor, and neither the guide, nor friends I asked after I returned, had any clue as to who it was. The figure looks male, but what about the side faces? Those were definitely not human! I had seen something similar in a Vishwaroopa figure of Vishnu, but that one had many more faces. Besides, who were those two at the bottom he had his hands on?

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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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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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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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Namchi, Sikkim - Of two statues, temples and some thoughts

A huge statue is visible on the mountain as our car makes its way along the winding roads. We ask what it is and our driver replies “Oh, that is the Padmasambhava Statue. We shall be going there.” Soon, the curves hide the statue from our eyes, and we make our way to a temple complex, over which towers a massive statue of Shiva. 

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Khecheopalri Lake - One Lake, Many Legends!

It is a small lake, nestled amidst the mountains, surrounded by forests. The shape is slightly elongated, though not a regular oval. But then, you wouldn’t expect a natural lake to have a perfect shape, would you? At first glance, it appears like any other mountain lake. Why then is this one special? Because, it is associated with the divine, by Buddhists, as well as Hindus!

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Kochi and Around... A Compilation of my posts

Our trip to Kochi last May was all about firsts – the first church established in India, the first European church built in India, the first European Fort built in India, the first Jewish Synagogue to be built in India, and the first mosque built in India. The place also has a lot of ancient temples, certainly older than all these monuments, but we couldn’t visit the temples on the trip due to various reasons. Those are for another trip. However, now that I have finished writing all about the places we visited, it is time to wind up the series, putting it together in one post for your easy reference, if you are planning a trip to Kochi…

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My Sirpur Experience

I was in Gangtok when I received an invite to the Sirpur Music and Dance Festival from the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go, but asked for some time, so I could get back to Mumbai and check if I could manage to get away for the three days. Eventually, things worked out, and I set off, happy to be visiting a new state, wondering what the experience would be like.

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Tharangambadi - The Neemrana Experience

The roar of the sea is all I can hear. Then, the skies open up, and the rain beats a rhythmic tattoo on the roof, adding an element of percussion to the musical note of the waves. Sitting alone on an easy chair, watching the interplay between the sky and the sea, it feels like nature is putting up a show, complete with a musical symphony, just for me! It is easy to understand why, in the local language, Tamil, this place is called Tharangambadi – land of the singing waves!

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Navaratri Day 5 : Dancing Girls

I was going through my photos and wondering what to post today for Navaratri. And I found this... from the outer wall of the Vitthala Temple at Hampi...

When we think of dancing with sticks, we think of Garba during Navaratri in Gujarat. But such forms of dancing aren't confined to Gujarat alone. Down south, the same is called 'Kolattam', which literally translates to 'dancing with sticks'!! And this is what is depicted here. Doesn't it look beautiful??? 

Interestingly, if you look closer, you will notice that, on the right, the last figure isn't a girl. It is a boy, holding what looks like a trumpet in one hand and a drum in the other! It is such small details which make these temples so special! 

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Navaratri Day 2: Two Interesting Temples

On the second day of Navaratri, here is the story of two temples dedicated to the Goddess. Both are in Jaisalmer, and though I have visited Jaisalmer twice, I haven’t yet visited these temples. I first heard of them from my uncle, who, on an official visit to the city, took time out to visit the border, and, on the way, these temples. I was so fascinated by his stories, that I asked him to pen them down for me. So, here they are, as a guest post from Mr. K.S.Raghuraman, who, apart from being my maternal uncle, also worked at the Airport Authority of India , and managed to travel across the country and beyond, for work and pleasure! :) 

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Fort Kochi - Part 7 : Jew Town and Synagogue

Our introduction to Fort Kochi and her glorious history began with our visit to the St. FrancisChurch, the oldest European built church in India. Then, the Mattanchery Palacegave us an insight into the lives of the Hindu rulers, who were the original inhabitants of this beautiful town. A few minutes’ walk now brought us to another, and even more fascinating aspect of Fort Kochi – the Jew Town.

Special Cancellation at the Jew Town Post Office, Mattanchery Jetty

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