I got a chance to visit Punjab, Jammu and Himachal during this summer.
After spending couple of days at Phagwara, we headed towards Amritsar. We spent half a day at Amritsar. First visited Jallianwala bagh. I felt strange silence over there. I was lil confused what see where so many people have sacrificed, their life for the country. Only thing was to pay a tribute to them.
Then we visited Golden Temple. I could feel the warmth and devotion of the place as we entered. The atmosphere around the temple is very relaxing and is surrounded by warm hearted people. The temple is very beautiful in the middle of a lake. We were fortunate to be in queue for darshan while Gurbani was being sung. Its so poetic and devotional. They have put TV screen where each line is displayed along with its meaning. All the Saints have described life or beyond life through poetry, you can take Tukaram's Abhang or Kabirs Dohe or Krishna's Geeta. It a song that's why it is called Geeta. Its not their analaysis about the life. Poetry can not come through efforts or experience, it has to just come from beyond. They have expressed something very vast through poetry in a very artistic form. I am amazed how each Ramdas's Manache Sholk follows the figure of speech "BhujangPrayat".
Then we headed towards Vaishnodevi. We climbed 12KMs to reach to the temple. The road is good and facilities are there for the all devotees visiting there. However the enthusiasm of everyone climbing makes it too easy. Especially children were so energetic saying Jai Mata Di enthusiastically. The temple is situate behind two mountains, in a cave. We find many such a mysterious places in Himalaya. Aha, one thing I noticed Cafe Coffee day has marked its presence on the way up 4-5 KMs from base. I wonder.
After spending a day there, we headed towards Devbhumi, Himachal to Dharmashala-Mcledoganj, home of Dalali Lama. The city is located in Dhauladhar range.You can feel the different culture over there. Visited Dalali Lama temple in Mcleodganj. The temple has Buddha's commentary stored and talk on it from various Pandits of it. I tell you its huge. This is place is given by Indian Goverment to Tibetans as a refuge place. I came to know that Chinese government has imprisoned youngest Dalali lama at the age of 6, over the dispute of possession of Tibet.
Spending evening time, having tea while seeing Dhauladhar range in the setting Sun was something memorable.
From 50 Kms from Dharmashala there is a old Shiva Temple built in 8 th Century. The temple is architecturally very rich with lot of carvings. I strongly feel that architectural science was so advanced in the past, somewhere somehow we have lost the knowledge.
Manali was kind of busy tourist place on the banks of Beas river. We visited another mysterious place, Manikaran, interior part of the Himalayas where there were many hot water springs. It carries a mythological story behind it. The place has got a hot cave, which remain hot in all season.
I have not clicked many of the photographs in this trip, hope you enjoy whatever I clicked.
Then we visited Golden Temple. I could feel the warmth and devotion of the place as we entered. The atmosphere around the temple is very relaxing and is surrounded by warm hearted people. The temple is very beautiful in the middle of a lake. We were fortunate to be in queue for darshan while Gurbani was being sung. Its so poetic and devotional. They have put TV screen where each line is displayed along with its meaning. All the Saints have described life or beyond life through poetry, you can take Tukaram's Abhang or Kabirs Dohe or Krishna's Geeta. It a song that's why it is called Geeta. Its not their analaysis about the life. Poetry can not come through efforts or experience, it has to just come from beyond. They have expressed something very vast through poetry in a very artistic form. I am amazed how each Ramdas's Manache Sholk follows the figure of speech "BhujangPrayat".
Spending evening time, having tea while seeing Dhauladhar range in the setting Sun was something memorable.
From 50 Kms from Dharmashala there is a old Shiva Temple built in 8 th Century. The temple is architecturally very rich with lot of carvings. I strongly feel that architectural science was so advanced in the past, somewhere somehow we have lost the knowledge.
Manali was kind of busy tourist place on the banks of Beas river. We visited another mysterious place, Manikaran, interior part of the Himalayas where there were many hot water springs. It carries a mythological story behind it. The place has got a hot cave, which remain hot in all season.
I have not clicked many of the photographs in this trip, hope you enjoy whatever I clicked.
