An Indian Bureaucrat's Diary

 
When we think of caves, we visualize locations in inaccessible places hidden amidst deep forests.

Some caves were carved out in inaccessible places because of fear of prosecution by kings and rulers of different faiths, or due to the desire to remain far away from society, but many were situated on the ancient trade routes and served as halting places for traders and other travellers. Read the rest of this entry »

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Strawberry Country

Mahabaleshwar is the largest and one of the most popular hill stations of  Maharashtra.
It is situated at an altitude of 1372 metres above sea level – about 5 hours drive from Mumbai.

Mahabaleshwar has a cool climate and is a popular week end get away for Mumbaites.
It is a lovely place to spend a few days – relaxing and rejuvenating.
It is also the summer residence of the Governor of Maharashtra.

There are several lookout points which offer spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys.
There are lakes, waterfalls and a number of pleasant walks.
There is an old historic Shiva temple nearby.

History

We find the first mention of Mahabaleshwar in 1215 when King Singhan of Deogiri visited Old Mahabaleshwar and built a small temple and water tank at the source of the Krishna River. Read the rest of this entry »

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Earliest Human Settlements in India

The Bhimbetka Caves, or Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, (also known as ‘Bhim Baithaka’ meaning Bhim’s seat), located at the southern edge of the Vindhyachal Hills, 45 km south of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, contain 15,000 year old Stone Age rock paintings – the earliest evidences of human life in India.The rock paintings, which are in remarkably good condition even today, take us on a journey into time and tell us about the lifestyle of our ancestors over a period spanning thousands of years.
Mythology

According to mythology, when the five Pandavas were banished from their kingdom, they came and stayed here in these caves. They even built a palace at Lakhajuhar made out of lac.
Bhima used the massive rocks for sitting. This is why the place is also called ‘Bhim Baithaka’. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Golden City 

Where would you go if you wanted to see sand, desert and sand dunes in India?The best place is Jaisalmer – in the middle of Thar Desert in Rajasthan.JaisalmerThe small town of Jaisalmer, nicknamed “The Golden City” – because this is what the town looks like – stands on a ridge of yellow sandstone on top of the Trikuta Hill.
It is crowned by a fort, which contains the palace buildings and beautiful Jain temples. Even today, a fourth of the population live within the Fort.
Many of the houses and temples are beautifully sculpted. 

History

According to legend, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav clan would build his kingdom on top of Trikuta Hill.

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Enigmatic land of Sand and Snow

 In the first part, I gave an overview of Ladakh and took
the reader east of Leh to Changla Pass and Pangong Lake.
In the second part, I wrote about some wonderful places West of Leh.
In this part, I am writing about Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world to the North of Leh and the unbelievably beautiful Nubra Valley beyond.
I am also writing about the beautiful Tsomoriri Lake, and Dhahanu, the Land of the purest surviving Aryans to the South of LehNubra Valley via Khardung La – The Highest Motorable road in the World (40 Kms from Leh)Nubra Valley, popularly known as Ldumra or the valley of flowers, is situated in the north of Ladakh between Read the rest of this entry »

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Enigmatic land of Sand and Snow

In the first part, I gave an overview of Leh and Ladakh.
And I took the readers on a journey east of Leh – past Shey, Thiksey, Hemis and Chemrey, over Changla Pass and on to the beautiful Pangong Lake.
In this second part, I will write about some wonderful places West of Leh.We will visit some of the oldest monasteries; the sangam (confluence) of Indus and Zanskar Rivers; the unique Magnetic Hill; and meet our furry friends – the Yak and Pashmina sheep.

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 Ladakh is unique.
It is unlike any other place in the world.
It really belongs to a bye gone era forgotten by time itself. Ladakh is the enigmatic land of sand and snow.
You can see snow covered mountains and sand dunes in the same place – at heights exceeding 11,500 feet (3,520 metres).
You can ride on long haired two humped camels or watch highly endangered birds and animals.
You can amble through ancient monasteries dramatically perched on high mountains and join the monks in their daily prayers or explore the mysterious corridors of old palaces.
You can indulge yourself in white water rafting or trek through the enchanting wilderness for a couple of days or more. Read the rest of this entry »

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Gateway to the Gods       

Haridwar (also called Hardwar) is a timeless, beautiful, holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges River.
The word Haridwar, meaning Gateway to the Gods, is derived from two words - ‘Dwar’ meaning Gateway and ‘Hari’ meaning God.It is here the holy Ganga enters the Indo-Gangetic plains of India after traversing 253 kms (157 miles) down the hills from its source Gaumukh at the tip of the Gangotri Glacier – 3,139 metres (10,300 ft) above sea level.

Mythology

The God and the Demons churned the oceans (Samudra Manthan) to obtain Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Amrita was deceptively taken by the Gods and carried away by Garuda – Lord Vishnu’s Vahan.
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Gateway to the Himalayas  
   
                                              
Rishikesh is a picturesque holy city on the banks of the Ganga or Ganges River at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Rishikesh and its surroundings are ideal for Vedic learning, yoga, spiritual meditation and similar activities. You can climb into the ice and snow covered mountains; stroll through the dense forests harbouring a variety of animals and birds; or engage in a number of adventure sports.Rishikesh is also the starting point for onward travel to the Char Dhams – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri  (the four holy pilgrimages) - and is therefore known as the gateway to the Himalayas.

Mythology


Lord Rama performed penance here after killing Rāvana, the demon King of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Read the rest of this entry »

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and the legendary Veerendra Heggade              
I have visited a number of educational and medical institutions in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu of South India.

Most of them are beautifully supplementing the work the Government is doing. In 2004, I was invited to inaugurate a wing of the Hospital of the SDM College of Medical Sciences in Dharwad (Karnataka).
The institution had applied for permission to start a medical college which was then pending.It has a beautiful campus.  Neat and clean. Well planned modern infrastructure – and a very good team of doctors.
Almost across the road is a sister institution – the SDM Dental College – older and one of the finest in the country.I received an invitation to visit Dharmasthala and meet Virendra Heggade – the hereditory head of the SDM group.
So I landed in Dharmasthala. A beautiful, historic place, seeped in legend, mythology and religion. Read the rest of this entry »

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