yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

Is baar aap religious ~ spiritual trip pe aaye ho! - I was told at the German Bakery at Naggar.  Well, let us begin with the temples at Jagatsukh ! Shiva Mandir This is what a report by ASI - Chandigarh Circle states on this : This Siva Temple, located on the left bank of the river Beas, is an architectural gem dateable to the 8th century. It consists of tiratha sanctum with a sikhara which is devoid of corner amalakas and a porch resting on 2 tall octagonal pillars.  Gayatri Mata Mandir Known for its 'unique folk style architecture', the temple today stands cheek by jowl with a school ( and its play area! ) The pujari aunty insisted that I enter the temple - 2 welcome surprises here! On to those within Naggar now ( Both of these are within a stone's throw from the Naggar Castle ) Gauri Shankar Mandir Tripura Sundari Devi Mandir Some temples strike you with the visual splendour on offer. This is one such. Another temple dedicated to the very Goddess - in Banaras - too is ...

Naggar has been a place I have enjoyed revisiting - since a few years now.  The walks up and down its steep slopes, winding conversations at the German Bakery and a lot more.  This time the camera too came along.  Some sights as we walked -  Devika Rani and Svetoslav Roerich looked on as we walked towards the Roerich Estate and Museum .  The campus has special feel to it.  Walls of the Naggar Castle .  We were told ( during this trip ) that the Naggar Castle was previously located - further up - near the Krishna Temple! The Naggar Post Office.  The only other time I have associated 'dainty' with a Post Office was with the one located within the Osmania University Campus.   How does one shut the place? Are they all connected? I had wondered on coming across this train of doors.  Jarokhas for some reason always seem to have that something about them! Wonder why this fetish to burden the younger ones ?  To drive pleasure out o...

Walking, loitering in Kalimpong School Walls  Lively and atop a hill Old and graceful at the Dr Graham's Homes campus, like a lot else on the campus  At homes  Clear communication  Polite communication  Gauripur House  The house where Tagore stayed, a place which today has no signs on the route and none at the location either, a place which has a strange looking and much younger neighbour

Walking, loitering in Kalimpong Cheese Larks - an unassuming shop in the market area - is where we got cheese, locally made as also that from Nepal, both are delicious If you see fungus, after some days, just dip your knife in hot water and salt and scrape the fungus with it - we heard some other customers being told  Cheese is associated with Kalimpong since years like is the lollipop  Street food festival  Multiple evenings,  in the main market area, on the streets, publicity appeared to be word of mouth, lip smacking food and fun in the air   The fervour reminded me of the Dushera Mela at Kullu - of the people, by the people, for the people ( people here stands for locals ~ ) People jostled for space but ( for outsiders! ) shouting and pushing were conspicuous  by their absence   The event was a meat-eater's delight, the lone jalebi maker did not appear to have too many customers There were some yummy bakery products of course an...

Walking, loitering in Kalimpong  Mac Farlen Church - the caretaker shared how the church looked more beautiful after the post-earthquake restoration taken up about a decade ago As he closed the Church for lunch he suggested we could wait outside and once he was back we could re-enter the Church The Church compound had benches, benches that offered a view of the town Catherine Graham Memorial Chapel - located in the premises of the Dr Graham's Homes , clouds gave the place a dreamy look The building (under massive renovation works ) is of the lineage where even the walls and windows espoused grace It reminded me of G K Chesterton's description of church buildings  Durpin Monastery - was shut when we reached but as we waited one of the caretakers came with a bunch of keys  Once inside we felt the place to be special and were glad that we waited and that those outside were busy clicking images, one of the few times I am happy about tourists moving with mobile phones ( aka...

Tuesdays with Morrie An old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson Mitch Albom This book does what few books do, Touches you somewhere deep inside. It shakes you up, Brings out tears hidden somewhere, And leaves you in the company of questions. Questions on your life. Few lines ( 4 each on 3 themes ) below  Life and culture The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. The culture does not encourage you to think about things until you are about to die. We are so wrapped up with egotistical things, career, family, having enough money, meeting the mortgage, getting a new car, fixing the radiator when it breaks – we are involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So we do not get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, Is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing? Part of the problem is that everyon...

Baati Chokha Let us, to quote Lewis Caroll, " begin at the beginning ", Next come the favourites, I have had debates with colleagues, on potatoes, they (colleagues) are not able to fathom my love for them, And, of course, we (colleagues and I) reside in a town that boasts of alu jalebis, A A Milne and I, however, are on the same side of the proverbial fence here, to quote him, " what I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow ", Some say Banaras is at the cusp of (yet another) change, One of the indicators being the idlis and vadas challenging the popularity of baati chokha, For now we can take a look at the chokha preparation, As I smelt and photographed these suddenly spiced tea appeared in kullads, and soon vanished, The fun had me recall another such instance - food with friends, first rain of the season and a lot else had got together that evening, here , We then move to the baati Of course, no meal-time images, it ...

Peepal along the Ghats   The Ghats of Banaras boast not just of temples, akharas, steps ( and more steps ), hotels ( and so on ) but also trees. Here too, like at many other places, the Peepal stands out.  Right from the north at the Krishnamurti Foundation India's campus to the temple at Tulsi Ghat ( abutting Assi ) - the Peepal registers its presence along the Ghats.   Gaay Ghat  The early morning light makes the Ghats more special!  A light which is difficult for mortals like me to capture in clicks or words! Swimming camps used to be organized here ( during summers ) before masks came to our lives! Hanuman Garhi Ghat Two Peepal's stand next to each other at the Akhara!  Do they also join the Akhara proceedings I once wondered! This Ghat is the point we can walk up to ( from Rajghat ) when the water level is high! Bundi Parkota Ghat  This is where we crane our necks to admire the Peepal! Where does the tree gets its food and water from - a colleague...