In the East, Durga Puja has been keeping everyone busy... The situation is same here in Delhi as well... but with a twist. In Delhi, the festive season which begins with Janamastmi and the Rakhi makes it hard to get on to the road till maybe after Holi...!! The twist being, there is the Durga Puja, the Navaratra Puja and Id all being celebrated with the same enthisiatism by one and all. ( Not that the situation is not the same everywhere else in the Country) but, the most most amazing sight that I have seen here is in Old Delhi or the Walled City as its famously called. On one side you have the Ramlila going on... and on the other the Jama Masjid is lighted up to celebrate Id and the there are the Durga Puja Pandal.
But this year, I had a completely different experience through the Navratra Puja. I had gone for a family vacation to Rishikesh (in Uttrakhand). Ofcourse the trip was not confined to the holy Banks of Ganges in Rishikesh, we went further up to Chamba as well (This is not the Chamba in Himachal, apperntly there is a Shrinagar also in Uttrakhand). My younger sister and I tried very hard to convince my father to let us go rafting, but all in vain.
The most significant thing about this trip for me was that, it was after ages that I had gone to hill station for a vacation that too with my entire family... yup after ages. Another thing that I realised when I got there was, that I saw the places where I had visited when I had come there with my school trip about 10-12 years back.
What is not to be missed when you have reached Rishikesh (especially if you have tonnes of money) is a stay at the Posh Resort of Ananda and exploring the galiyans of Rishikesh, which by the way has become a hub for foriegn tourists.... you see throngs of foriegners trying to find peace... all dressed in skimpy clothes, cafes with low seating and low lighting catering to them and yup, loads of massage parlours.... (The sanctity of that place has gone to hell- My grandma's words and I agree...!!! ) . There is the Maha Aarti in the evening at sunset, the 1.5 hour affair sees the children of gurukul taking care of crowds and doing the havan and escorting the head priest to do the bhajan and aarti. Its an experience in itself.
Here is the link you can check out the pics...!!!
But this year, I had a completely different experience through the Navratra Puja. I had gone for a family vacation to Rishikesh (in Uttrakhand). Ofcourse the trip was not confined to the holy Banks of Ganges in Rishikesh, we went further up to Chamba as well (This is not the Chamba in Himachal, apperntly there is a Shrinagar also in Uttrakhand). My younger sister and I tried very hard to convince my father to let us go rafting, but all in vain.
The most significant thing about this trip for me was that, it was after ages that I had gone to hill station for a vacation that too with my entire family... yup after ages. Another thing that I realised when I got there was, that I saw the places where I had visited when I had come there with my school trip about 10-12 years back.
What is not to be missed when you have reached Rishikesh (especially if you have tonnes of money) is a stay at the Posh Resort of Ananda and exploring the galiyans of Rishikesh, which by the way has become a hub for foriegn tourists.... you see throngs of foriegners trying to find peace... all dressed in skimpy clothes, cafes with low seating and low lighting catering to them and yup, loads of massage parlours.... (The sanctity of that place has gone to hell- My grandma's words and I agree...!!! ) . There is the Maha Aarti in the evening at sunset, the 1.5 hour affair sees the children of gurukul taking care of crowds and doing the havan and escorting the head priest to do the bhajan and aarti. Its an experience in itself.
Here is the link you can check out the pics...!!!
Comments
I really dont have words to express the feeling when I read that you all went to Chamba..All the pics of the place & all the memories assosciated with it came flashing thru my brain...u know my village is js near to Chamba..& a lot of my relatives also live in the beautiful villages near Anananda...The place is called Narendra Nagar..Oh Gosh!! How badly I miss the place..How badly I miss the joy of travelling through those bending roads on early mornings to c the whole place draped in morning sunlight..
I js miss the place,temples on hill-tops, the river literally everything about it.You wont believe that sometimes I c the place in my dreams .I miss it more so because I dont think that I would get a chance to go there till March..
Anyway,nice pics!! do u have any pics with the scenic beauty captured ?
Neways, most of the pics that I took of the scenic beauty were by my phone... and now I cant seem to rotate them...!!! though Ill try n post the pics after editing them asap.