An Indian Bureaucrat's Diary

Unique Temple of the Formless Shiva

I have visited Chidambaram several times for three reasons.
· To meander through the Mangrove Forests of Pichavaram to the beach beyond.
· To visit, attend or give lectures at the Annamalai University.
· And to visit the Chidambaram Temple.

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The western most of Adi Shankaracharya’s Four Dhams

Some time ago, my mother wanted me to take her to Dwarka, the last of the Four Dhams of Adi Shankaracharya (we had already visited the other three).
The fact is she loved to travel. I also love to travel.
And there were many other places to see around Dwarka. So we landed in Dwarka.
The story of Atlantis flashed through my mind.

The Lost Isle of Atlantis
 

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World Famous Ratha Yatra

Jagannath Puri, or simply Puri, is one of Adi Shankaracharya’s Char Dhams (or Four Places of Pilgrimage) located in the four corners of India. The other three are: Badrinath in the North (Himalayas); Dwarka in the West; and Rameshwaram in the South.
Badrinath is located amidst the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The other three are located on the shores of the seas around India.

Jagannath Puri is world famous for its unique Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession).
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You will be surprised there is a mini Tibet in a remote part of India. Read about it.

Mini Tibet of India

Ever heard of the Mini Tibet of India?
No. I am not talking about Dharamshala, the head quarters of His Highness, the Hon’ble Dalai Lama, the political and spritual leader of the Tibetans. I am talking about Mundgod.

Mundgod was a non descript panchayat town in the State of Karnataka in India. Today, is the repository of Tibetan life and culture. It showcases the life style and ambitions of the Tibetan refugees and reflects the gradual transformation of a traditional society into modernity. It has rightfully earned the name ‘Mini Tibet’.
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Thanjavur
The most magnificent temple in India

Thanjavur (or Tanjore) is a small town in South India. It has more than 74 temples. But it is famous for the imposing Brihadeshwar Temple – the grandest and most magnificent temple in India.
Over two thousand years ago, the Chola kings ruled Thanjavur. Their rule can be divided into two phases – separated by five centuries.
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The City of Temples
and the Gate Way to the South

I have visited the 2500 old Madurai City many many times.

The Meenakshi Temple is the largest and most beautiful temple dedicated to any female deity in India.

Madurai is also the gateway to a number of tourist places in South India – such as Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari, Kodai Kanal and Yercaud.

Madurai is the headquarters of the world famous Aravind Eye Hospital, which is doing outstanding philanthropic work in the field of eye care.

And the hi-so Taj Hotel located on a vantage spot here is really affordable.
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A Lost Empire

Hampi is today a small hamlet in Karnataka (South India) with a population of about two thousand.
It is difficult to visualise that once upon a time, this was the glorious city of Vijayanagar (meaning City of Victory) – the capital of South India’s largest, prosperous and most beautiful empire.

History

The story of Vijayanagar takes us back to the 14th Century.
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Gol Gumbaj – 2nd largest dome in the world

Bijapur is famous for two things:
· Its acoustic wonder Gol Gumbaj – with its 2nd largest dome in the world, and the
· Malik-e-Maidan (Monarch of the Fields) – one of the largest bell metal guns in the world.
A single visit to Bijapur was not enough.

I had to visit Bijapur a second time to really soak in the sights and sounds of Bijapur.
Moreover, about two hours drive from Bijapur are the fabulous rock cut temples of Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami representing the best of Chalukyan architecture.
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The Pink City
Prince amongst the cities of India

Jaipur, or the Pink City, is the undisputed prince amongst the cities of India.

Status of Royalty in India – Pathetic

Someone wrote to me enquiring about the present status of the Royalty in India.

There were 547 kings and rulers in India before 1947.

After India attained independence, all these kingdoms seamlessly merged into India.

But the rulers were given privy purse, annual sums of money, as compensation.

They were also allowed to keep their palaces, jewelley, etc. and certain other privileges.
In 1969, Indira Gandhi abolished the privy purse – indirectly snatching away all their rights and privileges.

Overnight, the kings became commoners.
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Spices of India

If you visit tourist places in Goa and Kerala, you can visit spice gardens.

Some plantation owners have improvised their spice gardens into tourist attractions.
You can see a variety of plants where different spices come from.
The guide will answer your questions and clarify your doubts.
Your host will serve you authentic local meals in virgin surroundings and arrange a traditional dance.

Background

Indians use a lot of spices in their daily food.
But most do not know where the spices come from.
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