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Showing posts from December, 2013

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2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with

Wish you all a happy 2014!

Wishing everyone a  Wonderful,  Colourful  and  Happy New Year...  May 2014 make your deepest desires come true. 

Memories of 2013 - Books, Reviews and so much more!

How can I think of wrapping up the 2013 retrospective without talking about books? This has been a year when I have (sort of) caught up with my reading. I have never, ever, been without a book in my hand. But, over the years, my reading had reduced, and recently, had been restricted to reading for Samhith, and thanks to buying more books for him, I have bought fewer for myself. The change began some time in 2012, but 2013 upped the pace. I began receiving more books for reviewing, till, eventually, I had to refuse some, since I didn't have enough time to read! It has been an interesting journey, reading books I probably wouldn't have bought, reading authors I had never heard of, genres I would tend to avoid, and in the process, re-discovering the love I have for the written word.

Memories of 2013 - Festivals, Events, and other such interesting stuff

The year began on a festive note with the much awaited Kala Ghoda Fest. When I clicked this photo of one of the installations, little did I know how important a part cycles and the city would play in the coming year!

Memories of 2013 - Birds

When it came to birds, the theme this year was  - See birds when you least expect them!   Changeable Hawk Eagle

Memories of 2013 - Rediscovering Mumbai

I have lived in Mumbai for almost 30 years, and, having wandered around freely and happily, thought I knew the city well. It is only this year that I realised how little I knew about it, especially its hidden secrets. One of the first revelations was a visit to Sewri with the Travel-Logs, who opened my eyes to the incredible history which remains unknown to most of its inhabitants. The Parel Shiva Heptad

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Goa

The Goa I have seen, twice, is the Goa of the travel brochures - the Churches, the Beaches, the seemingly never ending stretch of the sand and the sea. When I took Samhith and my mother to Goa this time, we saw all those too, for the simple reason that it was all new for them!

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Gokarna

When I think of Gokarna, this is the image that comes to my mind....

Merry Christmas!!!! X Mas Memories of Shimla

Since the last few days, I have been reminiscing on the blog about the year gone by. Today, for the special occasion of Christmas, I am taking the reminiscing a bit further, going back to the wonderful X mas we spent last year, at Shimla! 

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Jog Falls

What can I say about my visit to the Jog Falls this year, except, once again, show you a pic!!!!

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Mysore

If Wayanad was an eye opening trip, Mysore was sheer bliss. Continuing our Mom and Son vacation at the Heritage city, the zoo was easily the highlight of the trip! While Samhith was fascinated by the Jaguar, it was a Russel's Viper that he eventually adopted, as part of the zoo's admirable animal adoption programme. 

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Wayanad

Our trip to Wayanad was probably the 'Trip of the year'! To begin with, it was partly sponsored by Thomas Cook, and it was a new experience for me, to have someone plan my trip! Second, and more importantly, this was the very first time Samhith and I went on a vacation alone! And finally, Wayanad itself was so unexpected, it was truly a journey of discovery! From the Indian Rock Python we saw in the wild...

Memories of 2013 - Travel Vignettes - Coorg

Our trip to Coorg was on a sudden impulse. Three short days were nowhere near enough to do justice to the beauty or the heritage of the region. The first image that comes to mind, when I now look back on those three blissful days is this....

Church of St. Augustine, Old Goa

A solitary structure r ises over the ruins, and stands out starkly against the unexpectedly blue sky. The monsoon is still on, but the clear skies encourage me to explore. And here I am, at the St. Augustine’s Complex in Old Goa. Once upon a time, this was a sprawling complex, consisting of a church, a chapel, and also a convent, with dining rooms, infirmaries, guest houses et al, all built by the friars of the First Augustinian Order, who arrived in Goa in 1572. 

2013 - Looking Back

As the New Year approaches , it is time for a retrospective – a look at the year that has gone by. It has been a memorable year in more ways than one. Filled with ups and downs, it is a year that will remain imprinted in my memory for a long, long time.

Flemish Masterpieces in Mumbai

A huge horse towers over you, and the rider stares down. The image is so realistic, you find yourself looking up at him, wondering who he was, and why he has such a supercilious look on his face. It is easy to forget you are looking at a painting… it is not just any painting, though, but one of the works of Anthony Van Dyck – Portrait of a nobleman on his horse. On another frame, Neptune rides the waves, his trident by his side, horses he created from the foam rearing up to go…. Behind him are ships he is protecting, from the fury of the skies. At first, all you can see in the skies are clouds. A second look shows you the chubby figures blowing the wind with their rounded cheeks, one carrying lightning. A little beyond, a dark cloud seems to be letting out tentacles, waiting to grasp the ships, but Neptune’s outstretched arm seems to be warning them away. Time seems to have stood still, in this depiction of Peter Paul Rubens’ ‘Neptune abates the storming waters’.

Skywatch Friday - A view from Fort Aguada, Goa

Friday is almost over, but not quite, and the day has been just too hectic...  which is why I am posting this pic now for Skywatch Friday... This was the view from Fort Aguada, Goa, and that is where my thoughts are, as the weekend looms ahead... a weekend that promises to be even more hectic than the week gone by. No, I am not travelling anywhere, but am stuck at home, with piles of work to do, but lots to look forward to as well! Meanwhile, for those of you who haven't seen it on my Facebook Page yet, I have been listed among the 'Top 31 Professional Indian Travel Bloggers' by the Hop Around India website.   Thank you so much, all of you, for reading and commenting, which is what encourages me to write! Have a great weekend folks , and for more such beautiful skies from around the world, visit the Skywatch Page! 

Spot That Bird! White Cheeked Barbet

Sitting on the balcony of my room at the Club Mahindra Kodagu Valley (Coorg) , I heard this bird long before I saw it. From this pic, can you guess why?

Book Review : India A to Z, An Alphabetical Tour of Incredible India

A for Aadhar, B for Bazaar , C for Cricket, D for Dabbawala… and so on… goes this version of the alphabet – a very identifiably Indian version. India A to Z: An alphabetical tour of Incredible India, compiled by Veena Sheshadri and Vidya Mani, for Puffin Books, with illustrations by Sony Bhaskaran and cartoons by Greystroke manages to put forth a huge amount of information, combining it with a good dose of humour and titbits of fun facts.

Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum, Mysore

In a city filled with palaces and museums, the Jayalakshmi Vilas is probably the least known palace converted into a museum. Nestled within the serene environs of the Mysore University, it is off the regular tourist circuit, which probably explains why it is practically unknown, even to locals.

Alexandrine Parakeets

Rose Ringed Parakeets are regular visitors to our home, and, considering that they are so visible, (and also so audible, and thus easily spotted), I have clicked them often. Yet, as the winter shows signs of setting in, and the parakeets come visiting more often, I cannot help sharing some more recent clicks. All these have been clicked in the last week. And it is thanks to Mridula that I realized that what I had clicked weren't the usual Rose Ringed Parakeets I usually see, but Alexandrine Parakeets !

Karanji Lake, Mysore

A flock of Grey Hornbills flew across, their calls echoing over the surface of the calm lake. A pair of Cormorants perched on the dried branch of a tree, stretching their wings, trying to dry them before the sun set. On the lake, a bunch of spot billed ducks swam peacefully, quacking to each other every now and then. On the other side of the lake, more birds – egrets, herons, and cormorants, returned to their nests, calling out eagerly to announce their arrival. Every now and then, a peacock screeched, its harshness muffled by the thick foliage around. Sitting on a bench placed conveniently near the lake, we simply sat and watched the birds, enjoying the peace here, in this oasis of birdlife in the heart of a city.

Events in Mumbai this week and the next

It's a busy, busy time for me. There is so much to do at home, and there are so many events I want to attend as well. I don't know if I am going to be able to manage all, but here is a list if you are interested.... The Earth Mela is on, , and today is the last day. The venue, as usual, is the Maharashtra Nature Park, and there are plenty of workshops and talks happening. Check the schedule here . And if you are there, do drop into the photo gallery, where some of my photographs will be on display - for the very first time!!! And, since I am not too sure if you can make it, please do click photos for me! If you like books , head over to the Bandra Kurla Complex, for the NBT Book Fair. The fair started on the 29th and is on till the 3rd of December, from 11 AM to 8 PM. So, hurry, go immerse yourself in books! Next week, there are more interesting things happening. First, there is the Junior Writers Bug, this time happening at Maharashtra Nature Park over t