Highlights:

The British PM Mr Cameroon has answered in a negative to India’s demand for returning the prized jewel. This is the second time in 2 years that he has decline for the same. So both India and Britain still prize the jewel as ever.

Roopkund itinerary

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Roopkund Trek Itinerary:

• Altitude Range: 2621 m – 5029 m.
• Trek Grade: Moderate to Tough.
• Best Season: May to October mid.

Detailed Trek Itinerary:

• Day 01: Delhi – Haridwar (Altitude: 314 m, Distance: 210 km)

Haridwar is a gateway for several pilgrimage of Uttarakhand. It is reachable directly from Delhi by road, railways or by airways as well. Nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun which is only 35 km from Haridwar. Here you can explore clusters of temple along with several ghats. Har Ki pauri is one of the famous ghats in Haridwar, to see evening prayer and ritual is such a divine experience here. There are a good number of hotels and rest houses available for accommodation.

• Day 02: Haridwar – Loharjunga (Altitude: 2130 m, Distance: 240 km drive)

After driving 240 km you’ll reach Loharjanga. There are two routes to reach Loharjanga; via Haridwar and via Gwaldam (a hill station in Chamoli district). Via Haridwar route, you’ll pass through Rishikesh – Devprayag – Rudraprayag – Loharjanga. Loharjanga is a commencement place for Roopkund trek. It is town that thrives on adventure tourism and so it not difficult to manage accomadation, supllies, guides and porters.

• Day 03: Loharjunga – Didina (Altitude: 2550 m, Distance: 5 – 6 hour trek)

From Loharjunga a trail leads to Raun Bagad (Bagad means a spot where a river widens out to form a bed with sandy embankments) which takes 2 – 3 hours to reach there. An alternative route is to take road from Loharjunga to Wan. It’s a 6 km easy walk to Kulling village followed by a steep descent to Raun Bagad. The road route is easier than the Curzon trail. There is river named Neel Ganga, which flows between Wan and Loharjunga. The trail to Raun Bagad starts from Banq village and then passes through a mixed forest of rhododendron, oak and pine trees and several water streams. All along the trail of Raun Bagad you’ll explore various flora and fauna. The trails levels out after passing through 4 -5 villages and here you’ll found two trails ahead. Here watch for a fork in a trail where the main Curzon trail moves upwards towards Wan and the smaller trail descends to Raun Bagad. You need to be on the smaller trail. From the fork in the trail it is 10 minute walk to Raun Bagad. An iron bridge marks the end of the trail to Raun Bagad and start of the climb to Didina. You can rest at Raun Bagad for a while and enjoy the sightseeing of a tall water fall. After crosing river trail starts to climb upto Didina village. Didina village can be a bit confusing with many trails running into it. Stick to the trail that goes around the village, this leads directly to the Didina camp site, clearing 200 ft above the village. Didina campsite is small green meadow just 10 min trek above the village, gazes across the valley.

• Didina – Ali Bugyal – Bedni Bugyal (Altitude: 3350 m, Distance: 6 – 7km trek)

There are two routes to reach Ali Bugyal from Didina; via Tolpani and a direct trail towards Ali Bugyal.
Tolpani is small cluster of shepherd hut and around 3 km trek from Didina. It is perched at altitude of 1000 feet above Didina and the trail moves away from Ali Bugyal’s general route. If you want to explore more then follow this trek, traverse across the mountain side which joins the Ali Bugyal trek after a steep climb.
Otherwise you can take the direct trail to climb towards Ali Bugyal through the oak forest.
There is another option, trek to Tolpani and muse the hidden adventures of Toplani then return to Didina, stay overnight in campsite of Didina and next day climb to Ali Bugyal.

Next Day start early, stiff climb will wait at beginning and then easy walk at the end towards Ali Bugyal. En route there are enchanting views of Trishul and dense oak forest will remain with you. After 2-3 hour trek forest starts to thin and then oak forest left behind and a large green span will reflect your eyes. It is an indication that you reach Ali Bugyal. You’ll experience unique beauty of nature…several miles of lush green meadow, shiny, adequate charm and stunning landscapes.
You can camp here for the day or further trek of 5km more will take you to Bedni Bugyal, another green carpet of this trek. It is an easy leisure route and end with a short steep climb of 10 min.
There is a tea stall and GMVN rest house available at Bedni Bugyal. Trekker can book it in advance or they can camp here.

• Bedni Bugyal – Patar Nachuni – Bhagwabasa (Altitude: 3505m to 4419m, Distance: 5 – 7 km Trek)

From Bedni Bugyal to Bhagwabasa, trek starts with an easy assent then gradually descends followed by a stiff climb and ends with an easy walk. En route first time thin air and high altitude will affect travelers. Trek up to Patar Nachuni is a gradual climb and easy route. You have to traverse through a large span of meadows and you’ll found Ghora or Patar Nachuni Lotani meadows, which is a last stop for the horses. You can camp in Ghora Lotani for the day or can move ahead towards Bhagwabasa. Ghora Lotani offers splendid view of Bedni and surroundings and clear water streams out of the side of slope is a water source.
Patar Nachuni – Bhagwabasa: From here the destination is Kalu Vinayak and now the trek goes through a tedious zig – zag route and height is increased rapidly and you get breathless very soon. Climb slowly; distance is not so much, taking rest after every 15 – 20 minute climb will help you breath. Trail to Kalu Vinayak is a thrilling and toughest one.
Kalu Vinayak is small stone shrine where black idol of Lord Ganesha is main deity. Just beside the temple, snow line begins and trail from Kalu Vinayak to Bhagwabasa goes through an easy walk of 2 km. Now you can see snow patches alongside the trail.
Bhagwabasa is a small cluster of huts and local habitants of the region provide services like accommodation (per bed basis) and they can also cook for you. There is a campsite known as Hunia Thal in Bhagwabasa just 5 min far from these huts. It is a rocky place and enough room for 4 tents. You have to carry your own sleeping bags and tents because nights are extremely cold.

• Bhagwabasa – Roopkund (Altitude: 5029 m, Distance: 5 km Trek)

This route remains snow capped throughout the year. Gradual climb and snow patches make some difficulty to trek further, thus you have to leave Bhagwabasa early in the morning. At that time snow is still hard and you can settle your footsteps easily. At some part the trek is steep but most parts are moderate trek. Roopkund is a crater surrounded with snowy mountains. It takes only 2 to 3 hours to reach Roopkund from Bhagwabasa.
You’ll enthrall to watch this mysterious lake and experience the thin air on such high altitude.
Roopkund – Junargali: An additional climb of 200 feet from Roopkund in snowy patches will take you to Junargali. Most of the trekkers complete their trek in Junargali and believe Roopkund trek can’t be completed without traverse Junargali. This trek takes only 20 – 30 minutes but special care must be taken; take rope and ice – axes. Junargali indicates the end of Roopkund journey.
While returning from here care must be taken because snow starts melting and looks tricky and dangerously sloping. Getting down from Roopkund is often difficult. As soon as possible, try getting down from snowy patches safely and land in Bhagwabasa. Now you’ll not find any difficulty to getting down and you can trek back up to Ghora Lotani/ Patar Nachuni in the same day.

• Bhagwabasa – Patar Nachuni – Bedni Bugyal – Wan – Lohajunga

Retrace your path while returning from Bhagwabasa. Explore the meadows till Ali Bugyal then you’ll reach the point where forests start and then trees like Oak, Rhododendron and Cyprus will praise you on completion of Roopkund journey. After a few km down you’ll get a place of green huts that indicates Ghairoli Patar. Here you’ll get glimpse of Mount Trishul.
Trekking back to through a descent ridge, there is river known as Neel Ganga. Rest here and refresh yourself by this pristine water. Wan village is just half an hour climb from this river and after a long journey you’ll get entry in a busy civilization area. Nearest road junction from Wan village is Kasar Bagad, here you’ll find local jeeps up to Loharjunga.
Loharjunga is main junction and from here you can directly move to Rishikesh or Haridwar.

• There is one another itinerary for Roopkund trek that is followed by many travelers, as:

Delhi – Kathgodam – Gwaldam – Deval – Mundoli – Loharjunga – Wan –Ghairoli Patar – Ali Bugyal – Bedni Bugyal – Patar Nachuni – Kalu Vinayak – Bhagwabasa – Roopkund.

Chankaya, the philosopher!

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Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher and royal advisor. Originally a professor of economics and political science at the ancient Takshashila University, Chanakya managed the first Maurya emperor Chandragupta’s rise to power at a young age. Fifteen great thoughts by chanakya which could help the person to lead the life in a better way :-

1) “Learn from the mistakes of others… you can’t live long enough to make them all yourselves!!”

2)”A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and Honest people are screwed first.”

3)”Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.”

4)”There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.”

5)” Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions – Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”

6)”As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.”

7)”The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.”

8)”Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

9)”The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.”

10)”God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.”

11) “A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”

12) “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.”

13) “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.”

14) “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.”

15) “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.”

The largest saltwater crocodile of the world

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The largest saltwater crocodile of the world, named Lolong died in Philippines on 10 February 2013.
Lolong measured 6.17 meters (20.24 feet) The largest crocodile of the world died because of illness that is not known. It is believed that Lolong was over 50 years old.

Lolong was declared officially as the largest crocodile of its kind in captivity by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012. It beat the record of 5.48-metre crocodile named Cassius which was kept in park in an island off Queensland, Australia. Lolong belonged to the family of species called Crocodylus Porosus, or the Indo-Pacific crocodile, which is said to be the largest reptile of the world.

Dal Makhani recipe from Delhi!

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Dal makhani as it is popularly known in the punjab, with its smooth flavour is a delicacy that is very much a dish of the punjab.

Preparation Time: 15 mins.

Cooking Time: 40 mins.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole urad (whole black lentil)(for 2 hours add some amount of baking soda on that)
2 tbsp rajma (kidney beans)
salt to taste
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies , cut lengthwise
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 cups fresh tomato puree
1/2 cup fresh cream
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
1 tbsp fresh cream for the garnish

Method:
Clean, wash and soak the whole urad and rajma overnight(or you can soak it for 2 hours by use of baking soda)
Drain, add 2 cups of water and salt and pressure cook for 7 whistles or till the dals are overcooked.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
Whisk till the dal is almost mashed. Keep aside.
For the tempering, heat the butter in a deep pan and add the cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds crackle, add the green chillies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown in colour.
Add the ginger-garlic paste,chilli powder, turmeric powder and tomato puree and cook over a medium flame till the mixture leaves oil.
Add the dal, salt and approx 2 to 3 tbsp water if required and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the cream and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes.

 Today is the day of love as they say

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Today is the day of love as they say. The saint (Valentine) as a patron of love may still be a legend, but the original messenger or even an incarnation of Love is Krishna.

His entire life is a doctrine of love, devotion and friendship. He was Yasoda’s lifeline. She showered her vatsalya on him and the stories of his maakhan-chori and the subsequent punishments from the mother are as legendary as they come. He in turn was a devoted son. He loved Nand-lal and Yasoda as though their real son would not have. The feeling of “maitri” – kind of devotion and love is evident in a story that transpires between him and Sudama when they were in rishi Sandeepani’s ashram. Both were playing atop a tree among its branches when Sudama spotted a snake nearby and was petrified with fear. He communicated to Krishna. Krishna, being an embodiment of love and without “dvesha” for any being, presented himself with a friendly disposition to the snake and as the legend has it requested it to leave lest his friend would get more fearful. The snake poisonous as it was, showed no signs of fierceness and left the place meekly. Sudama was astonished.
It is also legendary how he later welcomed his pauper Brahmin friend Sudama into his palace in Dwarka and showered his bliss of friendship on Sudama. He even gave him the command of 3 lokas as the legend has it in response to Sudama’s devotion to the friend. He was equally bothered about all his devotees and showered his love and blessings unto all who were devoted to him. Arjuna was another of his friends whom he revealed his “Viraat Swaroop” out of love and a reward of his devotion.
Then there are the legends of the ultimate devotees or bhaktas – the Gopikas and the foremost of them being Radharani. Here, the expression of “maadhurya” in love and devotion is to be seen in its pomp. They were apparently rishis of yore who had incarnated in their current lives to express their love and devotion for the supreme personality of godhead. Extreme penance and meditation had sprouted the divine love in their hearts. Such is the effect of selfless love that even the ascetic sadhus are smitten by it. Meerabai is a more recent example whose love for Giridhar transcended senses as the poison chalice presented by Rana did not have any effect on her. And no love directed towards went unrequited. Rukmini sent a letter to him expressing her love for him and requested him to flee her from her palace lest she be married to shishupala against her wish. Krishna, the warrior arrived in his shining armour and fought a battle defeating the foes and fled with his bride. Her letter to him is as described in the Bhagwat Purana:
http://www.stutimandal.com/gif_bhgvt/rukmini_sandesh.htm

Those who have renounced the world, in whose hearts “vairagya” (dispassion) has dawned, are gullible to be attracted by Krishna (Manohar). That is the meaning of the word Krishna – “all attractive”. All the qualities that are attractive to a human mind find their genesis in Krishna including renounciation. Anyone who came in contact with Krishna felt “mantramugdha” and instantly became joyful. Such was his love for every being. And krishna is also known as premavataar – the incarnation of love and devotion.

An amazing spiritual and musical journey in the splendor of the historical forts of Jodhpur and Nagaur

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“An amazing spiritual and musical journey in the splendor of the historical forts of Jodhpur and Nagaur”
The stage is set, the curtains are drawn and the audience are waiting with great anticipation. Musicians! If you have been waiting for that one opportunity, The prestigious Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur and the Ahhichatragarh Fort in Nagaur open their doors to an extraordinary sacred and historical musical journey. Lit by the sparkling incandescence of a thousand candles, magnificent, inherited and spiritual arts will carry you to the very origin of a tradition linked to those pilgrims of the past, travellers of the spirit, who brought to civilisation a sense of inspiration and meaning. Through dance, music and singing, treasures of the Indian culture from Rajasthan and Kerala, nomadic poetry of the Silk Road from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, Sufi rituals from Turkey or Egypt, will be revealed during this new festival.
so lets join this vivacious event to feel the heart of the music.

About: Bedinag was the old name of Berinag; the place is famous for it’s snake temples
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About: Bedinag was the old name of Berinag; the place is famous for it’s snake temples. Berinag is situated in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand state.

Best time to visit: Winters are chilling, Summer are pleasant while Monsoon increases the beauty of nature.

Distance: Approx 450 Km from Delhi.

Travel Time: 10-11 hours approx.

Nearest Railway Station: Kathgowdam Railway Station (180 km approx).

Nearest Airport: Pantnagar Airport (211 Km approx).

Activities: Sightseeing, Spirituality, Trekking.

Main Attractions: Thick forests, Lush Green Valleys, Gorgeous Ravines and rich Flora and Fauna, snow capped peaks of Nanda Devi and Panchachuli , Kotmanya Deer Park(Home of Kasturi Mrig), several famous snake temples such as Dhaurinag, Kalinag, Feninag, Harinag temple and more. Also Tripura Devi Temple and Koteshwar Cave Temple.

Places Around: Gangolihat, Munsyari, Chaukori, Patal Bhubaneshwar.

Singori(also spelled Singodi) is an exquisite cuisine of Kumaonis, a community inhabiting the region of  Kumaon in the north-eastern section of the state of Uttarakhand

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Singori(also spelled Singodi) is an exquisite cuisine of Kumaonis, a community inhabiting the region of  Kumaon in the north-eastern section of the state of Uttarakhand. The region has its own distinct, impressive culture and delicious, nutritious, mouthwatering dishes.

The dessert is prepared from Khoya and served wrapped like a cone in Molu leaf.

Singori/Singodi is a cone shaped sweet exclusively available in the kumaon region of Uttarakhand. 

Pilkholi in Ranikhet is a place where you will find many sweet houses offering Sinogodi(here you will also find a checkpost or toll-naka)

In Almora, Kheem Singh Mohan Singh sweet house is a famous name for bal-mithai and singodi.

Somnath temple

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Somnath is the first amongst the holy temples and traditionally, the Dwadash Jyotirlinga pilgrimage begins with the Somnath Temple. It is the prime abode of Lord Shiva and is considered to be holiest among all the Jyotirlingas. The temple was destroyed and re-built sixteen times, is held in reverence throughout India and is rich in legend, tradition, and history. It is located at Prabhas Patan (Somnath – Veraval) in Saurashtra in Gujarat.
Somnath temple is dedicated to Someshwara, the Lord Shiva, with moon on his head.
In its external design, the Somnath temple compares well with the temple of Rudramala at Siddhapur and is more or less of the same size in length. The dome, however, is as large as any other built in this period. The temple faces to east and once had an enormous central hall with three entrances, each protected by a lofty porch. The fragments that lie scattered at a short distance from the site give some idea of the sculpture decorating the temple. The richly carved doorways, the sculptured representations of Nandi( Sivas bull), and the figures of goddesses and their female attendants must once have presented a grand ensemble of great beauty. In the recesses of the balconied corridor, there is a mutilated form of Nataraja(the dancing Shiva). Although essentially a Brahmanical temple, the influence of Jain architecture is clearly evident…

Gahat ki dal recipe

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Here we are with Gahat(Kulath) ki dal today. This dal has a warming effect on body in the cold winter days, so basically in winters people prefer to have it .

Recipe is as follows:

Gahat dal 1 Cup (16 tbs) (Horse gram)
Cumin seeds/Gandhreni 1⁄2 Teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 Teaspoon
turmeric powder 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil 1 Tablespoon (Leveled)
Salt according to taste
tomato one

How to prepare :
1.In a pressure cooker, cook gahat dal with coriander powder, turmeric powder, chili, salt, and tomato.

2.Grind some amount of Gahat with little water to make it thick as per requirement and add it to the dal. Cook for some time. You can use chawal(Rice) Paste as well but I personally suggest you to use grinded Gahat to enrich the taste..

3.In a pan(Iron Pan mainly), heat oil and add asafoetida or cumin seeds or gandharen. Allow to splutter and then add to boiling dal.

4.The dal is served hot along with rice/roti and bhang ki chutney.

Soon we will be covering Bhang ki chatni ..till then enjoy Gahat ki dal

Recipe - stuffed Chapati

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Once again, we are here to present a mouthwatering cuisine of Uttarakhand.

Its stuffed Urad chapati also known as Uradak buere rwati or masak bedu rwat in local languages of Uttarakhand.

Ingredients:

1 bowl urad’s dal.
3 bowl wheat flour.
2-3 pieces of chopped garlic.
small amount of ginger.
small amount of coriander leaves.
1/2 spoon turmeric powder,
1 tea spoon coriander powder .
2 pieces chopped green chillies.
salt according to taste.

How to prepare:

1.Rinse urad dal for 2-3 hours in cold water.
2.Separate the dal using cotton cloth.
3.Make the flour soft.
4.Grind urad dal and make a thick paste(don’t use water during grinding).
5.Mix everything in this paste.
6.Now stuff this paste in flour and you are done.

Now your cuisine is ready to serve. For better taste, use Ghee or butter along with a cup of tea to increase the taste.

Aalu ke gutke recipe

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Here we present you Aloo Ke Gutke… It is one of the famous evening snacks of Uttarakhand with tea. Though, rapidly being appreciated by people from other part of country as well… This mouthwatering cuisine is very tempted in one hand and on the other hand is very simple to cook. This cuisine requires your minimum efforts and resources.

It can be served with Bhang ki Chatni to increase its delicacy to maximum…..Simply Loving it!!!!!

Bhatt ki Churkani - Kumaoni cuisine

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The traditional cuisine of the land is highly nutritious, simple to prepare and at the same time appealing to the palate. Here we have delicious and mouth watering Pahari(kumauni) dish with the recipe So we are here today with “bhatt ki churkani”. Bhatt is actually Black Bean.

Ingredients are:

Black Bean (Bhatt)- 1 cup
Chopped Onion- 2 medium
Jeera whole- 1/2 tsp
Dhaniya powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Whole Red Chillies – 3 – 4
Mustard Oil/Refined Oil
Salt according to the taste
Green Coriander – 2 Bunches
Any flour to make it thick mainly ,rice, wheat ,besan -one cup

Preparation:

First Soak bhatt in for 2 -3 hours.
Heat oil in a deep pan (Karahi) (Iron pan adds more taste into it). Fry whole Red Chillies. And fry soaked bhatt. (Keep it aside).
Heat oil in karahi add jeera and add chopped onion and fry till slightly golden.
Add flour with the onion and jeera till it turn brown then add fry bhatt in the karahi with haldi, dhania powder, jeera powder and chilli powder, fry for few more minutes.
Finally add water and cook on high flames. Cover and simmer until bhatt gets soft and curry becomes thick or for 30-40 mins.
Garnish with chopped green Coriander and fried chilies.

Ghingaroo is a well known fruit in the himalayan region of India; the ghingaroo plant wears small fruit balls of red color during rainy seasons. This picture is taken at Kanalichhina, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. I do not know the scientific name of this fruit but I must say it is delicious. Really amazing to see ghingaroo plant’s beauty during rainy seasons.

The roots of ghingaroo plant are useful for a diabetic patient.

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Grishneshwar (Ghushmeshwar) is a popular Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and is among one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The shrine is located about 11 km from Daulatabad, near Aurangabad in Maharashtra India. The temple is located near the popular tourist attractions Ellora – featuring ancient rock cut monuments from the 1st millennium CE, and Ajanta known for its exquisite cave paintings again from the 1st millennium CE.

Pondering upon it’s history, we find that The Grishneswar temple was re-constructed by Maloji Bhosale of Verul, (grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in the 16th century and later by Ahilyabai Holkar in 18th century, who also re-constructed the Kashi Vishwanath temple at Benares, and the Vishnupad Mandir at Gaya.

Legend says that a devout woman Kusuma offered worship to Shiva regularly by immersing a Shivalingam in a tank, as a part of her daily ritual worship. Her husband’s first wife, envious of her piety, murdered Kusuma’s son in cold blood. An aggrieved Kusuma continued her ritual worship, and when she immersed the Shivalingam again in the tank, her son was miraculously restored to life. Shiva is said to have appeared in front of her and the villagers, and then HE is believed to have been worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlinga Ghusmeshwar and also known as Kusumeshwar Jyotirlinga.

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Haridwar(Hardwar), literally means ‘The gateway to the Gods’. It’s the place where the river Ganga descends to the plain. The place is believed to have sanctified by the powerful trinity of Hindu mythology – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. This is why the place has been an ever-refreshing mystic venue for the purification of the mind, body and soul. Haridwar is one of the most religious towns in Uttarakhand state that also hosts the famous ‘Maha Aarti’, every evening. “Har Ki Pauri” is considered to be the most pious ghat of Ganga in Uttarakhand. Haridwar is also one of the four venues of the famous Kumbh Mela. During this festival, an estimated 45 million people converge here to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges as part of a purification ritual.

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It had been over a year and we friends had not ventured out to a new place. This is a big surprise, as we all friends love to travel and explore new places. So on one fine Saturday morning, without planning too much we set out to Murud and Janjira Fort. Murad and Janjira Fort is famous, as being the only fort along the Western Coast which has remained undefeated despite Dutch, Maratha and English attacks. We were quite amused by the fact and wanted to have a first hand experience of this invincible Fort.

We reached the Fort by 10:00 AM as we started early. Gentle cool sea breeze greeted us. We enjoyed the Cool coconut water at the beach. As the fort was on a small island in the sea we had to use a small ferry to cross it. We hired a local guide who took us around the fort explaining each and every portion of the fort. He recited to us all the rich stories of the past. How the Fort had been attacked innumerous times but has always remained undefeated. These stories added to our pride, though we had no role to play in the victories of Siddis who own the Fort. After whole trip of the fort we started our way back to Pune. On way back we spent the evening in Alibag(Alibaug) and reached homes by 10:00 PM.

So in all it was an amazing escape from the daily din of the city life of Pune. A cool escape to the prestigious fort of Murud-Jajira with a frenzy evening party at the beach of Alibaug.

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Paragliding in Naukuchiatal is one of the most exciting adventure sport activity anyone can enjoy, this is a life time experience that rush your adrenaline

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Nag temple is one of the famous and among most visited places of Secundrabad.

The history behind the shrine which makes it uniquely different from others is as follows:

1. British official directing his men to demolish Nagamma Temple.

2. Nagamma Temple is demolished in the presence of British official on one Friday.

3. Surprisingly, on the very following friday the British official, his horse, and pet dog were found dead before the temple.

4. At the age of 7 years, Sree Jayalakshmi Amma Guru had first darshan of Goddess Naga Devi (Nag mata) and scared at the sight.

5. Subsequently, devoted Sree Jayalakshmi Amma Guru worshipping Goddess Nagmata regularly.

6. She was married to Sri Devarajan of Secunderabad.

7. Sree Jayalakshmi Amma Guru gave birth to Sree Narayana Swamy on 11 March 1956, Who is the incarnation of Goddess Nagadevatha.

8. At an early age, Sree Narayana Swamy started doing deep meditation.

9. Sree Narayana Swamy was very kind and affectionate to poor people.

10. At an age of 9 i.e., on 11 March 1965, Sree Narayana Swamy rested his divine soul in Goddess Naga Devatha.

11. After losing her son Amma Garu lost control over her mind and stopped taking regular food and kept mourning all the time.

12.Goddness Naga Devatha assuring Amma Guru that Sree Narayana Swamy will appear before her the very next day.

13.Amma Garu’s Daughter informing that a boy standing infront of the door, who resembles Sree Narayana Swamy.

14.Grief Stricken Amma Garu unable to recognise her son, while offering food.

15.Weeping Amma Garu at sudden disappearance of her son at the next moment.

16.Amma Garu lighting the lamp during severe windstrom at “Divine Putta” as per the orders of Naga Devatha.

17.Amma Garu along with family members started the temple construction, as per the orders of Naga Devatha.

18.Military personnel ordering Amma Garu to stop the construction work
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19.Military personnels fencing the constructed area of the temple.

20.Naga Devatha giving darshan to the military guards, who are on night duty.

21.Amma Garu again started the construction work of the temple. But military guards did not object, since they had darshan of Naga Devatha.

22.Military official threatening to arrest Amma Garu for violating his orders in constructing the temple.

23.Naga Devatha causing panic and fear in the house of miltary officer who had threatened Amma Garu.

24.Military officer, his wife and his sub-ordinates praying to Naga Devatha to excuse for their mistakes.

25.Military officer on recognising the miracles of Naga Devatha removing the fencing.

26.Military officer with his wife requested Amma Garu to Perform pooja.

27.Naga Devatha in the form of an old aged woman directing Amma Garu to construct a bigger temple for her.

28.Amma Garu personally working for the temple construction as per the orders of Naga Devatha.

29.Amma Garu with her family members and devotees carrying out the construction of temple Mandapam.

30.Military officials instructing Amma Garu to stop construction of temple Mandapam.

31.Military official who threatened Amma Garu experienced un-usual things in his house.

32.Military official along with family members frightened at the darshan of Naga Devatha and Sree Narayana Swamy.

33.Military official along with family members apologizing before Amma Garu.

You will surely feel peace of mind,body and soul when your are in the premises.Love to visit this place again and again……..

Jai Nag Devta

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The cave of Mawsynram in Meghalaya makes Mawsynram a popular tourist destination across India as well as the entire world.This Mawsynram cave is also known as Mawjymbuin cave. Mawjymbuin cave is an astonishing cave with a truly fashioned Shivlinga in the interior of the cave. Mawsynram is currently the wettest place on earth, with yearly average rainfall of 11872mm (39ft). According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Mawsynram received an incredible rainfall of 26,000mm in 1985.


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E-KHUDA TERI DAR PE AYA EK NACHEEZ HOO MAIN, E-MAULA EK INSAN BHAR HOO MAIN, MERI HASTI KYA HAI, TERI IBADAT SE SARA JAHAN ROSHAN HUA, BUS EK DUA K LIYE TERI DAR PE AAYA, TERA HI EK BANDA HOO MAIN…….

The internationally magnificent, jama masjid delhi is originally named as Masjid Jahan Numa. Jama masjid was built by Shahjahan, the Fifth Mughal Emperor of India. Top construction experts,sculptors, engineers and artisans of the world took part in the construction of the Jama Masjid. They worked dedicatedly for six continuous years. The Jama Masjid got ready in the year 1656 AD. In those days when the daily wages of a labor was 1 paisa, the construction cost of the jama masjid was one million rupees. Many nawabs of that era gifted stones and other construction material to the emperor for the mosque’s construction, which was not included in its cost. When the Jama Masjid was under construction then the emperor Shahjahan received complaint of its slow progress. Shahjahan therefore summoned Saadullah Khan, his minister in charge of the constructions, and ask for explanation. Saadullah Khan informed that the a Holy Quran preceded the installation of every stone to consecrate it. This pleased the Shahjahan so much that he ordered to construct the jama masjid that way.
The Jama Masjid was completed under the supervision of Saadullah Khan. The Jama Masjid is built on about(10 m) from the level of the ground and is about (1200 m²) in extent. The Jama Masjid has three gateways, four towers and two minarets

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Bhimashankar shrine is a Jyotirlinga situated about 50 km northwest of Khed, near Pune. It lies 127 km from Shivaji Nagar (Pune) in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills. Bhimashankar is also the origin point of the river Bhima, which flows southeast and merges with the Krishna river near Raichur. The other Jyotirlinga temples in Maharashtra are Trimbakeshwara near Nashik and Grishneshwar near Ellora around Aurangabad.

As per Shiv Mahapuran, once Brahma (the Hindu God of creation) and Vishnu (the Hindu God of saving) had an argument in terms of supremacy. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The jyothirlinga shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. Originally there were believed to be 64 jyothirlingas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy. Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity – each considered different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva.

The twelve jyothirlinga are :

Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharastra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharastra, Vaidyanath at Deogarh in Jharkand, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharastra.

There are a number of places in India which are attached with the pride and prestige of country. Among them, India Gate is one of the name that is also considered as one of the national monuments that are built in India.

The monument is situated in Delhi which is also considered as heart of India and is also the capital city of India. It is said that India Gate was constructed by an inspiration from monument of Paris”Arc de Triomphe” and the design of India gate was provided by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The construction of India gate was completed in year 1931. It is said that originally the place was known by the name of All India War Memorial and was also denoted a special place in the heart of India, Delhi as a prominent one because it includes the memorial of more than 90,000 soldiers who have given their lives during their fight for country against the rule of Britishers. It is also said that the fight mainly includes the World War 1 as well as Anglo Afghan War.

The monument combines within just the red as well as pale sandstone and apart from that granite has also been used in construction process.

At earlier time, people could also find the statue of Great George 5 who belonged to United Kingdom just beneath the gate but now the place appears to be vacant. The statue has been moved to Coronation parks where all the other statues that belong to same time are being kept.

As per the independence of India, India gate is also regarded to behold within it tomb of all the unknown soldiers who have given their lives fighting for their country. It is since 1971 that a flame which is often known as Amar Jawan Jyoti is continuously burning under the shrine of India Gate.it is for this reason that the place is also considered by the name of “Amar Jawan Jyoti” which means in straight terms the flame that is ignited for enduring soldiers.

At the India Gate, you will find huge crowd gathered at the place in order to have a view of the magnificent India gate parade on 26 January of every year.

It was till the late 1920’s when Old Delhi Railway station was considered a mode of commuting for people but now there are different modes available. Also you will find facing India gate is a path known as Kingsway or Rajpath.

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