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There was this red Zinnia in the garden of Shepherd’s Vacation Home (the cottage where we stayed during our short trip). I zoomed in with my Sony Cybershot DSC-W190.

I found this tiny crimson beauty in the bush behind the cottage and the yellow one too…

The pink and blue ones bloomed at the feet of the Holy Statue of Samdruptse in South Sikkim. Can you tell me their names?

The monastery at Samdruptse has manicured gardens where purple and white cosmos were bountiful. They looked like small butterflies amidst the green blades of grass.

This ‘unidentified’ pink blossom along the garden fence also caught my eyes. And this time I badly felt the need of a DSLR…

On our way back to Pipalay (from Samdruptse) we stopped by Namchi Rock Garden that offers mind-blowing view of the mountains all around. Bonus was a variety of foliage that adorned the small garden. I thought this magenta one is worth sharing.

You might also love the following combination of red and green sprouted along the stairways of the Rock Garden.

We stayed in a cottage by the river Ringit. Ours was a beautiful small red-brick cottage that was surrounded by tall Shaal trees. And one fine morning I set out in the woods with my camera and captured this ‘Charlotte’s Web’ through my lenses.

This little arachnid seemed to be very smart to have woven its web high on the branch. And I only had Sony Cybershot DSC-W190 which doesn’t offer too much of optical zooming facility. Still I did as much as I could to capture this fine ‘work of art’ with my digi cam.

Hope you like it! Please don’t forget to leave your valuable comments, friend…

The Last Day: Exploring the Ghats in Varanasi

On the next day and the last too I decided to explore the ghats on my own while my family went to Viswanath Temple for a second time. The main ghat was 5-minute walk from the guest house. It was early morning and I roamed the ghats to ‘feel’ Varanasi for a last time. The river, the boats, the flowers in the floral shops, the sages in saffron and the people taking holy bath … all looked so different in the soft light of morning sun. I tried to capture some regular activities along the ghats.

My Photographer Avatar

Here are some for your eye only…  :)

In spite of its zigzag narrow lanes, enough to give you the feel of labyrinths; dirty overcrowded ghats, polluted water congested roads and no traffic rule at all, Varanasi has its own charm with its age old edifices, temples and a laid back attitude towards life. It was really a wonderful trip to the holy city in late February when the weather is pleasant. I think this is the best time to visit the place if you want to avoid both the chilling winter and the scorching summer of Northern India.

Gradually our time in Benares came to an end. I chose the Travera of the guest house for extra comfort. Pickup and drop cost us a total of Rs. 1200 which could be cut down to Rs 300-400 if we took auto rickshaws. But I don’t mind that extra bucks for the comfort and convenience of my family.

N.B: If you need to dry your laundries out in the sun don’t forget to clip them tight. Otherwise you may lose them forever… courtesy monkeys.   Take care and have a nice trip!

Second Day: Varanasi Sightseeing

The second day was reserved for sightseeing. In the morning we went to  Kashi Viswanath temple for ‘puja’. It was a Monday and the alleys to the temple were stuffed with people, actually devotees, from all around India.  Being a not-so-religious kind I chose to wait at a distance with all the mobile phones and cameras while my mother and aunt went inside. They don’t allow mobile phones and cameras inside. So, one way or the other I had to wait outside.

After lunch we set out for sightseeing in Varanasi. This time we didn’t take car from the hotel. We managed it with a local car rental agency and hired a Tata Sumo for the rest of the day at Rs. 800 (at the hotel desk, they asked for Rs. 2000). But I advise you should always start early for sightseeing.

Ram Nagar Fort

We started at 1:30 pm from the city and headed to Ram Nagar Fort, the palace of the ‘Maharaja’ (king) of Kashi (Benares).

Now the palace has been turned to a museum where you can see an assortment of oriental and western artillery used in the 17th and 18th centuries and the cars and golden chariots used by the royal family and the silk robes and intricately designed silver dinnerware and decorative ceramics.

Ram Nagar Fort

I liked the beautifully crafted chariot and was amazed by the size of a huge Cadillac. The ‘Rang Mahal’ (entertainment hall) has fascinating stained glass windows and doors to add more charm to its purpose, I guess.

Sarnath

From the fort we headed right to the holy shrine of ‘Sarnath’ where Lord Buddha is believed to preach his first sermon. Here, one thing I must mention that normally the sightseeing trips start with visiting temples in and around the city, then the university and then Ram Nagar fort to Sarnath which is about an hour journey from Varanasi. Since we started late we changed the itinerary starting with the distant fort and shrines and then coming back to the city.

Sarnath Temple was looking beautiful in the golden streaks of twilight sun.

The temple premises were clean and quiet with the typical characteristics of a Buddhist shrine. Serenity was prevalent in the atmosphere. But what disturbed my mind was the signboard right inside the temple “Rs 25 for Photography” while “photography prohibited’ was written outside. Commercialization has turned out to be an infectious disease!

Lord Buddha believed to have preached his first sermon at Sarnath

Banaras Hindu University

Our next destination was BHU, Banaras Hindu University, one of the largests in India. The university has its own aerodrome, helipad and bus service. The buses start from the main gate and ply the sprawling 10 sq km campus dropping students at their respective department buildings. Unfortunately it was already dark and I couldn’t take pictures. You’ll like the beautiful Birla Temple situated inside the campus.

Birla Temple at Night, Banaras Hindu University

Durga Mandir

Back to the city, we visited temples of Gaudi (Durga Mandir), Hanuman Ji (Sankat mochan) and Annapurna.

The manager at car rental suggested for a day trip to Triveni Sangam, Allahabad which is about 3 hours drive from Varanasi. Unfortunately we were too short of time. Well… there is always a next time … .

Continued… Part III: Exploring the Ghats

Incredible Benares

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the old city of Varanasi (Banaras) and would like to share my experience there. It was a family tour with my mother, aunt and my sisters.

On 19th February we boarded the Howrah-Mumbai Mail at 10pm. Courtesy Kolkata’s typical rallies and meetings, all the roads to Howrah were blocked and we were stranded in traffic jam for 2hrs. Thankfully, it was our destiny that we reached the station literally at the last minute when the guard was about to wave the flag and finally managed to get on board.

The train reached Mughalsarai Junction next morning right in time. We opted for pickup service (Rs 600) provided by the hotel. A white Ambassador was waiting outside to take us to the guest house. We took the GT Road (or NH2). It was a journey of about an hour from Mughalsarai station to Godowlia Crossing, Varanasi. However, there are plenty of auto rickshaws and trekkers outside the station that are much cheaper mode of transportation.

Ganges - view from our guest house in Varanasi

First Day:

As you know, the narrow alleys are one of the city’s specialties… we had to get down on the main road and walk down the alley to reach our guest house.

Sita Guest House on Chowsatti Ghat is really a good place to stay in Varanasi if you want to enjoy the view of the Ganges in the quiet and privacy of your room. Rooms are neat and clean and the price is quite reasonable with respect to its location, facilities and service compared to other hotels/guest houses located near the always crowded Dasaswamedh Ghat (known as the main Ghat of Varanasi). Sita Guest House also has a rooftop restaurant which was another reason for me to choose this place.

Views from the guest house window

Godowlia Crossing, the main commercial hub of the city was 10-minute walk from our hotel. After a refreshing hot and cold water bath in the guest house we set out to explore the city market. I believe the market is a place in every city or town that gives you an essence of the city at once.

One thing I must mention that if you want a good meal outside the hotel you are staying, go for Kesari Restaurant, which a popular eatery serving a variety of cuisines starting from Punjabi to South Indian. The restaurant is situated on the left of the road towards Dasaswamedh Ghat from the crossing.

After lunch our next destination was the famous Dasaswamedh Ghat. I wasn’t surprise to find the ‘sacred’ ghat so dirty. It was an over-crowded place where it seemed the whole city population swarmed in.

Dasaswamedh Ghat

The best thing about Varanasi is I think the boat ride in the Ganges…

Boat Ride in Varanasi

Since ours was an all-women group we reserved a boat for Rs 500 for one hour private ride. The boatman said he will show us the main 17 ghats and drop us in front of our guest house. Alternatively, you can go for a ride at Rs 70 per head in a group of 15 to 20 people at a time.

As the boat floated along the ghats the boatman went on briefing the history of each ghat including the main Dasaswamedh, Rana Mahal, Assi, Harischandra, Manikarnika and more. He was a captivating story teller, I must admit. I was busy in observing various activities of the devotees and visitors along the ghats while listening to him. From Hindu family performing religious rites to visitors from foreign countries taking pictures to some other species (buffaloes actually … ) staring at us while grazing lazily on the bank – it was quite an assortment!

Varanasi Ghats

In the middle of our ride we stopped at Kedar Ghat only to shop banarasi saris… well…you know women! Not buying a Banarasi Silk sari while in Benares is next to impossible.

Kedar Ghat, Varansi

There are a number of sari shops and silk factories around. Many of the shop owners will claim that they will give you pure Banarasi silk saree at cheaper price…BEWARE! In the market you’ll find many ‘dalals’ (broker) coming up to you and try to convince you to buy from their establishment. Do not listen to them as you may end up with a bad deal in the end. However, we shopped till we dropped… lol… and set back towards the main ghat. The sun was nearing the horizon and the ‘aarti’ was about to begin.

Dusk falling over the Ganges, Varanasi

It’s a wonderful experience to watch dusk falling over the city and lights coming out one by one along the riverbank. We found the ‘aarti’ already started as we reached Dasaswamedh Ghat. It was one of a kind experience to watch the ‘aarti’ from the boat. I saw clergymen clad in saffron stood up in a row and chanted hymns together while waving lighted ‘diya’s (indigenous lamp used in religious rites) towards the holy river. The ghat was flooded in the light of bright golden flames… beautiful!

Evening aarti on the Ganges, Varanasi

Slowly we passed the main ghat and headed towards Chowsatti Ghat. The boatman dropped us right in front of our guest house.

My first day in Varanasi was quite eventful.

continued… Part II: Sightseeing in Varanasi

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A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,900 times in 2010. That’s about 7 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 9 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 12 posts. There were 60 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 98mb. That’s about 1 pictures per week.

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The top referring sites in 2010 were twitter.com, orkut.co.in, indiblogger.in, facebook.com, and networkedblogs.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for seuli, seuli ful, moon blog, araku, and vizag.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Durga Puja 2010: Kolkata Dazzled in the Light of Festivity October 2010
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Collage: A Short Trip to Port City Vizag March 2010
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A Day out in the Alley of Potters called Kumartuli September 2010
4 comments

Kolkata Twitter Festival: Missed It This Time March 2010
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Tree Felling Spree in Kolkata Needs to be Stopped May 2010
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Amader parar thakur (Durga idol in our neighborhood)

This year I decided to get out and explore the Puja pandals, as many as possible. And what I found out is a dazzling Kolkata, all the more beautiful during the Puja days. The atmosphere has changed a lot. People are more mannered, crowd is more manageable, music is somber and tasteful and the designs and décor of puja pandals bear the mark of artistry and excellence with theme–based Pujas, far from the conventional decoration and mikes and sounds systems here and there blaring out cheap peppy songs all through the day in our childhood.

However, ‘puja’ today is not limited to its literal meaning, ‘worship’. It has expanded to include the idol of the goddess, the design and decoration of the pandals and the ambiance to win an award. Some Puja committees dedicated their pujas in the memory of Tagore, the great poet, whose 150^th birth anniversary is being celebrated across the state this year.

I have perceived the prevalence of glitz and glamour in every nook and corner with the complete commercialization of one of the biggest festivals of India and the most coveted one in Bengal.

From sponsored hoarding displaying puja greetings to contests for the best dressed or beauty to awards for the best pujas in the city the reflection of commercialization seen everywhere. What I did not like is that ice creams, drinks and bottles of mineral water were being sold at Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 higher than their MRPs at various stalls given by some of the leading brands. Also the over-enthusiasm regarding theme-orientation has played a spoil sport for some the pujas in Kolkata, especially when it comes to making idol of the goddess.

Well… this is my personal opinion after visiting some of the well-known pujas across the city. There was also that perpetual, tiring and irritating traffic jam due to pandal constructions along the roadside.

Still, with all the negativities and flaws Durga Puja in Kolkata rocked again. Even heavy rain in the afternoons of Maha Saptami and Maha Ashtami couldn’t dampen the spirit of the metropolis, for we have waited for it one l-o-n-g year! Tonight is the last of the Durga Puja – the idol has been carried out of the pandal and ready to be taken to the Ganges for immersion.  Bijoya greetings have already started flowing into my message inbox, reminding me that festivity never ends, it just keeps us waiting for another year ahead. Shubho Bijoya!

North Kolkata Streets

It’s that time of the year again, with Durga puja round the corner, we (Deblina and I) planned to explore Kumartuli, one of the cultural precincts of Kolkata. It was a Friday morning that we headed towards Kumartuli. From Shobhabazar-Sutanati metro station we took a rickshaw to Kumartuli, where clay sculptors were busy in making idols. Bright sunshine on my shoulders and the deep blue sky above were telling that autumn is on the threshold and with only one month left for the Pujas idol making would be in full swing.

Sunshine in my eyes...

It was my long cherished desire to visit Kumartuli, the alley of the potters, where gods and goddesses are born (read created) in the skilled hands of mud sculptors who are in the profession of clay idol making for several generations.

Idol making is in full swing.

Well, coming back to where we started our journey. We had to take a hand-pulled rickshaw. As soon as I boarded the rickshaw childhood memories thronged my mind. Such rickshaws were aplenty on the roads of Kolkata those days.  We used to ride rickshaws often, especially in the evenings while returning home after a shopping or a visit to some relative’s place. The rickshaw puller is almost running pulling the rickshaw, and the sound of the bells hanging in his hand … ting ling ting ling (this bell worked like horns) and a small lantern hanging at the back of the rickshaw, just like the rear light of a car – the images are still so vivid in my mind!

Hand-pulled rickshaw in North Kolkata

However, with the comfort and ease I am trying to sketch the picture of hand-pulled rickshaws, right now, it was no that easy during the ride. I sat stiff and terrified, thinking all the time, what if the rickshaw puller loosens his grip and we’ll land up up-side down (LOL!). Finally, we reached our destination and I was relieved to get down from the rickshaw.

As we moved on down the lanes the brick walls and structures were like closing in on us. I have never seen such narrow lanes and by-lanes in my life. Much to my astonishment, artisans live in there, with their families and have set up their studios for pottery and idol making! Well… studio, not in its literal sense.

Studios at Kumartuli

Their studios are far from what we think or have seen… with scarcity of space, no AC, no fans and small windows refusing the daylight to enter, artisans keep working all day and night during this season. As for equipment and materials, they have clay, straw, ropes (made from coconut fiber), bamboo sticks and two hands – two skillful hands that can transform the shapeless mound of clay into a beautiful and awe inspiring idol of goddess Durga.

Transformation from mounds of clay to beautiful idol.

Goddess Durga

Hats off to those artists whose talent will never be recognized… who will never get the chance to bathe in the light of success and recognition.

As we made our way down the alley I was amazed to see half-done idols with a variety of size and features … large, small, medium; with traditional wide-eyed face revealing anger, or with a soft compassionate look more like a simple, native Bengali beauty; posing like warrior against the demons or blessing like mother.

idols of goddess Durga

We had only a few hours in hand with so much to see. We could only explore a part of the entire area in one hour. Since it was a working day we had pending jobs to do at the office. We set out from Kumartuli, reluctantly. Just as we were walking along the street we saw a tram approaching, much to our delight and we instantly got on it. Sitting inside the tram I felt nostalgic. It has been a long time since I last enjoyed a tram ride.

enjoying tram ride

Trams are rare to see on the roads of Kolkata nowadays. The thought that Kolkata will be losing its heritage one day pains a lot. The metro has transformed a lot with a number of lavish shopping plazas, bustling multiplexes, flyovers and BMW, Skoda and Chevrolet plying the city roads.

Slowly the tram reached the terminal at Bagbazar. From there we caught the bus to Kalikapur, where our office is located. As the bus was passing through Shyambazar crossing I caught a glimpse of the statue of ‘Netaji’,

Kolkata has transformed but the spirit remains the same

basking in the sun, amidst a number of enormous hoardings and signboards trying to cover up the skyline, the bamboo structures for pandals on the roadside, posters of political rallies and the same zeal and enthusiasm for the Pujas reminded me, ‘Kolkata ache Kolkatatei” (The spirit of Kolkata still remains the same)!