Creative Darshan

Konark Sun Temple is simply Legendary

2014-03-07T22:23:00.000-08:00

You talk Science here it is, You talk Design and architecture here it is the magnificent Sun Temple of Konark leaves you spellbound not only by the architectural beauty but also by the amount of well-thought technology it has brought in to the temple of 13^th century times. This monument, by all means, deserves to be the 7 wonders of India or maybe the world for the science and technology being used.And indeed an achievement for Kalinga Architecture indeed a master piece

Orissan artists and their impressive contribution to the treasury of Indian Art and building technique. Standing majestically on the sandy coast of the Bay of Bengal, the porch, in its solitary grandeur is an eloquent testimony of a gracious and mysterious past. Dedicated to Sun God, this temple was constructed by Raja Narasinghs Deva-I of the Ganga Dynasty was dazzling supreme in the political firmament of India

It was constructed from oxidized and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I (1238-1250 CE) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
The temple made me ponder are we actually evolving or merely trying to reinvent the wheel.

It is hard for me to find any building or monument of today which will create history tomorrow.

The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. This thirteenth-century art masterpiece was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twenty-four wheels , carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens. That too without any 3d support or technology. Simply amazing !!
Surya (The Sun) has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period. As we know the sun rises from the east, so the alignment of this temple is also from east to west direction.So is the usage of magnet and iron for creating a magnetic field and induction effects.

Well, actually hats off to the imagination of the creator and the logic he put in creating this one.

Mayadevi Temple:- To the west of the main temple are the remains of temple no.2 popularly called the temple of Mayadevi, believed to have been one of the wives of Lord Surya. But the presence of the sun images as parsvadevata in-situ indicate its dedication to the sun god, built earlier than the main Sun temple. The temple facing east consists of a sanctum (deal) and a porch (Jagamohana) standing on a raised platform, façade of which is relieved with ornamentation. The superstructures of the sanctum and porch are missing. The interior of the porch is notable for their sculptural treatment while the sanctum is devoid of any deity. Stylistically, the temple is assignable to circa late eleventh century AD.

Vaishnava Temple at Konark Sun Temple:- The small brick temple facing east in the south-west corner of the compound was discovered in 1956 during the sand clearance. Also called temple no.3 is pancharatha on the plan. It consists of a deal and a Jagamohana but with the superstructure is missing and devoid of any exterior decoration. Images of Balarama and two 'parsva' devatas of Varaha and Trivikrama were unearthed (now displayed in Archaeological Museum, Konark) proving its Vaishnava affiliation. The temple is datable to circa eleventh century A.D.

Legend has it that the temple was constructed by Samba, the son of Lord Krishna. It is said that Samba was afflicted by leprosy, brought about by his father’s curse on him. After 12 years of penance, he was cured by Surya, the Sun God, in whose honor he built the magnificent Konark Sun Temple.

In some ways, this temple is the Khajuraho of South ;) and I guess again I am bound to find the similarities in the architecture of monuments in MP and Odisha be it caves of Sanchi of Bhopal and Udaigiri caves of Bhuvneshwar Odisha or Konark sun temple and Kujaraho temples of MP.

Timings to Visit Konark Temple

Open from sunrise to sunset

Entrance Fee:

Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) - Rs. 10 per head.

Others: US $ 5 or Indian Rs. 250/- per head

(children up to 15 years free)

Bhopal City of Lakes: Shahpura Lake # 2

2014-02-08T23:44:00.000-08:00

ShahPura Lake

One thing I will say that though you will not get the blue water in India but still its attraction is not reduced to even a bit. Water always attracts humans like me towards it. So in my Bhopal Lake Series, this is another feather in a cap.

Go to mornings or evenings you will get lots of elderly people doing laughter yoga. Watching people of any age group burning their calories is not a new thing for this garden.

Where in the evening these people are accompanied by people for fun and Masti in the morning they are accompanied by people who want to give food to fish, ducks and dogs.I realized they all have changed their eating habits as now fishes don’t mind to have top and town bread instead of wheat dough balls.

Whatever we may say live listening songs holds its own charm so here is the place you will find some group or the other singing for the evening.Most of them are Bollywood numbers on which kids cant stop from dancing. But till date I haven’t seen a couple dance here, I don’t know its because it not allowed or nobody had guts to ;)

· How to reach there: Shahpura Area J Near academy of administration

· Availability of food and water on the spot:

Now this area has plenty of food options for you there will be street side Pani puri, Chinese, mumus, Sachi parlor, Tender coconut, Bhelpuri as well as an MP Tourism designated spot __ which offers the entire gamut of the snacs item here. But outside eatables are not allowed in this area.

In the morning you will find people selling fresh juices of fruits and vegetables for health-conscious people.

· Best time to visit: in evenings with friends to have fun. Early mornings you will get some free laughter doses by the groups practicing Yoga here.You may also arrange birthday parties here

Coral Island of Pattaya

2014-01-23T09:24:00.002-08:00

Koh Larn, or Coral Island, is a beautiful little island in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Larn is located about 7km off the coast of Pattaya Beach. It seemed this island is confined to the area of 4*2 km only. There are about six beaches on the island that boasts white sand and clear blue water. The terrain is mostly mountainous which is covered in most part with dense vegetation and wild monkeys. Because the island is mountainous, there are also some spectacular views for those that like to take a few snapshots. Then there are the places to eat, many rights on the beach, serving up fresh, catch of the day seafood. If, you really want to have some. When you are planning for coral Island, you are at least talking about time from 8am to 3pm or so

Packing your bags for Island,

Don’t forget to keep a swimming costume trust me you will regret it if you don’t take my advice seriously now. Pick your footwear water and sea wave friendly.It might be a good idea if you ask the hotel you are staying in for beach towels and carry them along with you. Wear water friendly costumes as there will be lots of chances to get drenched in water so you will not like to shiver in an over loaded full-length pair of genes. Mostly you will not get any locker facilities around beaches so keep valuables at your own risk. Beach chairs are a paid service which is mainly taken care of in a planned tour else you have to seek on your own.

Activities on the way:

There are many activities here for visitors to enjoy, including parasailing, snorkeling, jet ski, banana boat, swimming in tropical waters, and there is even a shooting range! Which I became aware of after reaching back to Bankok.

Parasailing: Its fun, safe and fast so this should be a must to do activity for your day planner in Coral Island. Travelling in the air above water has its own fun. Charges are around 400- 600 Bhatt

Snorkelling: Enjoy underwater life. There will be guides with you to hold hand and make you

feel the corals and fishes passing by you.

Word of caution changing rooms will not be fancy so be ready for some messy stuff. If you like you can also buy an underwater cd with you in it for 900 Bhatt or so. Charges of snorkeling are 1200-1500 Bhatt per person

Shopping :

There are small beachside shops selling products which are mostly overprized bargaining is highly recommended. There are no changing rooms by any authority so residents of nearby village mostly Naban have opened changing rooms and charge around 5-10 Bhatt per person.

Eatables :

Though eatables are available here as well, that did not seem a great idea to me.

The Island is about 4km long, and about 2km wide and has nearly a thousand residents, most of whom live in the main village called Naban. Once on the island, you can get to all parts from both by song tao, or motorbike taxi for as little as Baht 10 on the narrow roadways that criss-cross the island.

It often said what’s in destination the fun is in journey so to make your trip more interesting and fun-filled try picking up one for the following ways which ever suits best to your pocket and temperament

There are following possible ways to reach the coral Island

WAY 1: Coral island tour with lunch package :

Includes transfer from hotel to the departure point. Depart by speedboat to KOH LARN(coral island). You may enjoy various beach activities at your own expense. Indian buffet lunch will be served at a local restaurant on the mainland. In the mean time, you will be given ample time to enjoy all the activities on the way.

This will cost around 400 - 500 Baht pp. Includes Lunch & transfers from your hotel.(general timing 9 am to 5 pm). SO it is advised to book in a day advance to enjoy the hassle-free travel and transit.

However, if you are of the self-exploratory types and don’t want to be tied up with any package or so here is the suggestive plan

WAY 2: Break up journey in your style

If you like to go by ferry, you need to get to the Bali Hai Pier, which is at the end of the Walking Street. Once you reach the Bali Hai pier, you have to buy the ticket at the counter, only 30 baht pp. If someone asks you to pay more than 30 Baht, then you are probably not at the right stand.

Getting to Koh Laan:

By Ferry Boat &; 30 Baht pp, per way.

To Taiwan Beach

From Bali Hai pier to Tawaen pier 8am, 9am, 11am, 1pm

From Tawaen pier to Bali Hai pier 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 6pm

To Naban pier

From Bali Hai pier to Naban pier 7am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 3.30pm, 5pm, 6.30pm

From Naban pier to Bali Hai pier 6.30am, 7.30, 9.30, 12pm, 2pm, 5pm, 6pm.

After this, you have to walk about 400 meters and board the ferry. The ferry will start exactly on time and will take about 35 - 40 minutes. The entire route will be very scenic & photogenic.

You want to go fast and explore on your own then there is a third way out for you

WAY 3: Speed Boat

It charges around 1500 - 2000 Baht per boat which can accommodate 6 to 8 persons.What determines price is the size of the boat if you have a small group pick out one of the smaller boats. Speedboat operators are easy to find. They operate all along Beach Road. In fact, you really don't have to see them they will find you, sooner than you think. The will take only 15 minutes. You can even ask for an 3 islands tour Koh Krok island – Koh Sak island – Koh Larn island.

If you find this one useful and want yourself to keep updated about around the world and India please like our facebook page

About City: Pattaya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattaya

Cactus Garden Panchkula

2013-12-29T02:44:00.000-08:00

Although I am not a botanist or cactus specialist of any kind but still have been lucky to visit our Asia’s unique cactus gardens one of them is situated in Ratlam (Sailana) and another cactus garden near Chandigarh, India is the largest succulent botanical garden of Asia which is relatively new being established in 1987

The area covered: Giving a coverage of almost 7 acres and a vast variety of cactus at least above 2000 species. It consists of 3 greenhouses.

Cactus shows the life in the desert, and so does the colorful varieties presented by it. The Garden has 272 species of genus Mammillaria, and 160 species have been naturalized out the door. The magnificent plants of 'Aloe species,' Aloe ferox & other exotic species can be seen here. In low growing cacti such as Mamillarias, Astrophytum, Notocacti and several other species have been used in the foreground of the feature. Bonsai collection of succulent and nonsucculent plants has been created and gifted by J.S.Sarkaria. This educative collection displays different styles of bonsai. Garden has nine glass houses having a collection of practically all the known genre of cactus. Garden also has highly representative collections of Haworthias, Aloes, and Gasterias. Plants are also available for sale

Let me talk about what I really liked about this cactus garden

· It has names displayed on cactus varieties.
· It seems that this is still in development phase or things keep adding on to this garden. Which gives me a hint it will be even better if I visit it next time
· They have done a smart usage of the landscape
· They have associations of erudite class of professors and students of botany in development of this garden and that makes me a feel god

Some suggestions to make this place an even better tourist attraction

· This garden lacks a professional guide who could tell the story of thorns.
· If they could think of making a shade for visitors few places to sit under shade and admire beauty it would be a nice add-on.
· I felt they should keep some plants for sale too as I was fascinated by few varieties and wanted to have them for my house and I had to come bare hand. A souvenir collection shop seems a smart idea to me in this situation.

Meanwhile, if you want to see what cactus is best suited for your garden this is the most recommended place to get confused and come to another wonderland

How to reach :

It is located at a distance of about 8 km from the city of gardens. Situated in the heart of the city of Panchkula,

Entry fee: INR 10

Dr. J.S.Sarkaria

National Cactus & Succulent Botanical HUDA Garden

& Research Centre, Sector-5

Panchkula

Manager : Dr. NIDHI BHARDWAJ

Email : hudacactusgarden@gmail.com

Tel : 09855034722.

Google Street View for Indian Monuments

2013-10-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey fellow Voyagers,

What Google has is going to equip you with the 360-degree view of the 100 Indian monuments that will be available to anyone with access to the Internet. Google has wisely partnered with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The 360-degree panoramic imagery would be available on Google Maps and on Google's World Wonders website after it's published, allowing people across the world to explore historical sites in India.

Qutub Minar and Taj Mahal are among the first few handpicked sites. So soon you can give your friends a virtual tour like rambling around Kutubminar by sitting in your home at Kanyakumari or Amsterdam.

The ONE who has taken the responsibility to do this all on own is none other than Volunteers at the trust who will be fitted with the 4ft, 40lbs backpack, which has 15-angle lenses taking a picture every 2.5 seconds which can be merged into a 360degree view. The images will then be stitched together and added to Street View, which is available on Google Maps

Let me tell you I almost forgot that Google was banned in 2011 from Banglore for street view

News Link 2011 Google Street View :(

However, it's worth mentioning that Google Street View covers everything from UNESCO world heritage sites to places like Antartica, leading universities and even commercial establishments like Burj Khalifa.

CST Terminus is not onle the Bollywood Landmark of Mumbai

2013-10-04T03:31:00.000-07:00

The face of Mumbai the Victoria Terminus which gives you glimpses of the Harry Potter Movie. Did you know it is rated as world UNESCO Heritage site? Mumbai is recognized in Bollywood by the British landmark where the Hero’s life begins to unfold or where the family members come with their bags to get lost in the crowd of Mumbai or at least wind taking their address away from them.In your own rush, you might miss tilting your neck a slight right to see the magnanimous gothic creation.But probably not from the front.

Almost 150 years old The Victoria Terminus, the most impressive of these buildings, was named after Queen Victoria, Empress of India, on whose Golden Jubilee it was formally opened in 1887. The terminus, now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (1996), was designed by the British architect Frederick William Stevens (1848-1900).

The terminus is one of the first and the best products of use of industrial revolution technology merged with the Gothic Revival style, which was based on late medieval Italian models. This form was acceptable to both European and Indian taste, as it is compatible with its use of color and ornamentation with the Mughal and Hindu architecture of the subcontinent. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. The centrally domed office structure has a broad platform connected to a train shed, and its outline provides the skeleton plan for the building. The terminus dome of dovetailed ribs, built without centering (framing for an arch), was a novel achievement of the era. The interior of the building was conceived as a series of large rooms with high ceilings. It is a utilitarian building and has had various changes required by the users, not always sympathetic. Its C-shaped plan is symmetrical on an east-west axis. All the sides of the building are given equal value in the design. It is crowned by a high central dome, which acts as the focal point. The dome is an octagonal ribbed structure with a colossal female figure symbolizing Progress, holding a torch pointing upwards in her right hand and a spoked wheel in her left. The side wings enclose the courtyard, which opens on to the street. The wings are anchored by monumental turrets at each of their four corners, which balance and frame the central dome.

The facades present the appearance of well-proportioned rows of windows and arches. The ornamentation in the form of statuary, bas-reliefs, and friezes is exuberant yet well controlled. The columns of the entrance gates are crowned by figures of a lion (representing Great Britain) and a tiger (representing India). The primary structure is built from a judicious blend of India sandstone and limestone, while high-quality Italian marble was used for the vital decorative elements.

And to acknowledge the excellent architecture time and again stamps were released by Indian postal department. More on the celebration of 100 years at the link http://mumbaimag.com/125-years-chhatrapati-shivaji-terminus/

Work began in 1878 and was completed 10 years later. Originally intended only to house the central station and the administrative offices of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, some ancillary buildings have been added subsequently, all designed to harmonize with the primary structure. A new station to handle main-line traffic was erected in 1929. The original building is still in use for local transportation and is used by over 3 million commuters daily. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Central Railway.

The main interiors are also lavishly decorated: the ground floor of the North Wing, known as the Star Chamber, which is still the booking office, is embellished with Italian marble and polished Indian blue stone. The stone arches are covered with carved foliage and grotesques.

With its grandeur and an enormous capacity to handle passenger traffic, the CST is a marvel well thought and designed by the Raj era. The external building itself is postcard picture perfect. The station itself is very very busy during office hours, so visiting after office hours would be more apt for people on vacation! The famous ending sequence of Slumdog Millionaire was shot here! And if I will actually start quoting the movies featuring this one then an era would be defined so let me recommend to you that if you haven’t noticed it yet try admiring the beauty at least for 30 seconds before crossing the road to the terminus.

Van Vihar The Unconventional Animal Park @ Bhopal

2013-09-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

‘Van Vihar’ the literal translation of this would be forest promenade (a paved public walk), and that’s what it exactly is. It is one of its kind, you can neither put this into a category of a conventional zoo nor in a sanctuary. It is the unique way of giving a cage-free life to both animals and visitors under an open sky and lush green habitat.

Van Vihar is a safari park situated in the heart of the city of Bhopal in MP. It is spread over an area of almost 445 hectares, which was an isolated village back till the 80's. It got its status as National Park only by the year 1983.The natural arrangement of putting animals here gives it more of a feeling of a zoological park.

Recently Van Vihar has a tiger Adopted by “ Marriot Courtyard " http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bhocy-courtyard-bhopal/ for a year. I believe this is incredible marketing strategy and invariably doing good for the tigers of the country.To be honest somewhere deep down this helped me to revive the sincere desire to adopt one on my own as I had when I saw few Tigers in Mysore Zoo are adopted by IT Giants like Infosys, TCS, etc. Needless to say, he is one among the healthiest animals of the park.

As told by the caretaker Most of the animals are either orphaned brought from various parts of the state or those, which are exchanged from other zoos. Contrary to the common belief, not a single animal is deliberately captured from the forest. If you make an effort you can spot 207 species of birds; 60 species of butterfly; mammals such as tiger, leopard, hyena, Sloth bear, lion, sambar, chital; and aquatic family of gharial, crocodile and several species of tortoise. All the animals seem to enjoy their natural habitat and space.

Vanvihar at Bhopal has an integrated mini snake park too. I have been to snake park of Santiago (California US), Mysore (Karnataka India) Chennai (Tamil Nadu India) so the variety here doesn’t impress me as it should have.But maintaining these lizards and snakes is an art in itself.Although I felt that keeping these many snakes in open is a risky affair mainly looking into the volume of children visiting the park. Yes, few set is maintained without any net.

Van Vihar also portrays a remarkable landscape and incredible scenic beauty in its entire 5 to 6 km walk or drive. While exiting the park, be ready to be spell bounded by other tourist attractions of the city. As on one side Dazzling bridge of ‘Sair Sapata’ is there and on other, the Lake invites you with some trendy rock band giving live performance especially on Sundays. You may also like to enjoy the panoramic view of sunset at the lake view where the Orange Ball tries to get lost in the peaceful pocket of upper lake of Bhopal

Best time to visit in a Day :

Definitely the meal time , after all a family that stays together eats together. And the Lunchtime would be around 12 noon and Dinner around 4.30 pm. Meanwhile, if you also feel hungry, there is a shop and a small sit out for fast food and snacks inside the park. Remember I said the best time not the only time to visit, as you can get lucky to see few of them at other time as well. Park is open throughout the year The park is open from 7 am to 11 am and 3 pm to 5 pm and closed on Tuesdays. It provides free entry to the park for schools, colleges, and senior citizens.

Mode to Visit the park:

Well here is the unique part of the park, you can take your bicycles, motorcycles, car or minibus there. In fact, you may even choose to make a healthy walk in the park.

But like all great things this also doesn't come free you have to bear a cost for entering into the park which is

· Rs 200 for a car /jeep for 8 people maximum

· Rs 50 for a two-wheeler

I came across a blog http://vanvihar.blogspot.in/ which seems interesting enough to keep a tab on

Vanvihar ‘s happenings

Lingraja Temple in City of Lord Shiva Bhuvneshwar

2013-08-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Almost 1100 years old temple in the heart of the City of Shiva “Bhuvneshwar” is vividly known as Lingraja temple.

Lingaraj means "The king of Lingam", the symbol of Saivism Shiva was worshipped as Kirtivasa and later as Harihara and is commonly referred as Tribhuvaneshwara (also called Bhubaneswar), the master of three worlds, namely, heaven, earth and netherworld) and so Godess parvati is also called as Bhuvneshwari

You will be able to get the traces of Kalinga architecture in all the shrines of temple including the tallest one 55m where the deity is placed Currently Lingaraja temple is maintained by the Temple Trust Board and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Interesting trivia is that this temple complex has around 108 temples made my vishvakarma!! But the temple to vishwakarma is itself half incomplete, and according to the saying, no one can complete it. It is also stated that this Shivlingam is self-originated one.

Actually, the temple is divided into four parts, the Garbh Griha, the Yajna Shala, the Bhoga Mandap and the Natya Shala respectively. In the Garbh Griha (Sanctum Sanctorum), the lingam of Lord Shiva is regarded as 'Swayambhu' (Self-originated) and it is worshipped as both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. This is in a way shiva Vishnu temple as one of the Punditji’s told us that wonderful and rarest of rare place we can find Lord Siva's symbol Sivalinga with Lord Vishnu's symbol Saligram .Nevertheless you enter through a gate for lions

On the main entrance, one can see a trident (Lord Shiva) and Chakra (Lord Vishnu) on the either side of the door. The concord of the two sects can be seen here, where the deity is worshipped as Hari-Hara. The term 'Hari' refers to Lord Vishnu and 'Hara' refers to Lord Shiva.

This massive image of 'Linga' appears to be of granite stone. The 'Lingam' is bathed with water, milk and bhang every day.The idol is 8 feet in diameter and is placed on a platform that is about 8 inches above ground. Apart from Garbh Griha, the 'Nata Mandir' provides a hint for its close alliance with the devadasi tradition. Apart from the Lord shiva the smaller temples are dedicated to both Mahadev and other gods and goddesses like Devi Parvati, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and Lord Vishnu surround the main shrine. All the images are huge and present an excellent workmanship of the artists. The images are festooned with rich draperies and ornaments.

Though you can see some the repair work still conducted in the direction
The spiritual ecstasy and the rich legacy of Indian culture offered by the temple are worth feeling for once.

Evening Darshans: In evening visitors are not allowed to visit inside diety premices “garbh grah” Where as for Morning Darshans: One may even go for the peaceful abhishekam at the temple (8-9am)

Temple is surrounded by the small vendors who sell flowers, Deepak (Earthen lamp) and Prasad inside the temple too.

Visitors are expected to keep their Shoes, Mobile and Leather items outside the temple in the locker. And what was shocking for me when they charged 15 rs per mobile, 15 rs for the camera and 5 rs per pair of footwear .On seeking the explanation the guys pointed out a paper stuck on wall in “Oria” guiding here all the amounts are written. And this turned out to be 35rs per head and it indeed was worth raising our eyebrows.

I have heard that only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, but I didn’t saw any checking in this regards inside the temple

Near by shops of temple give the feeling of old city of Bhuvneshwar

Address: Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Orissa,751001

Phone: 0674 234 0105

Shopping in Ludhiyana : Phulkari & Punjabi Jutiya

2013-07-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ludhiana is an industrial town of Punjab. They have more Mercedes Benz on roads than any other city in India. Though my that statement doesn’t direct you to buy a Mercedes or BMW it also doesn’t stop you from imagining the magnitude of the shopping can be done in the city.

Shopping in Ludhiana can be quite an experience! There is nothing you won't or cannot find here…you just have to have the eye for it! Must admit that this is the first city in my life where I saw a shopping mall /building near one shopping mall selling auto rickshaws in a showroom.

Ok I know what I have been talking about upper few lines you are not most probably not in Ludhiana to buy them :P

Ludhiana with its blend of Punjabi, Indian and Western cultures is a paradise for all shoppers catering to each and every individual.

Chaura Bajar/ Clock Tower /Ghantaghar

The central market of Ludhiana, popularly known as Chaura Bazar serves not only as a shoppers haven but also as a perfect place to window shop! Ludhiana City’s best icon Clock Tower, popularly known as Ghanta Ghar, is more than 100 years old. It was on October 18, 1906, The tower had been erected as a memorial to the silver jubilee year of Queen Victoria’s regime.

The best part is the location of this market. It is Only 5 Minutes walk from the Ludhiana railway station.Bingo !! You can shop even in the stop over time at Ludhiana

What to collect from Ludhiana J Well this is the section where you have to rely on my shopping skills/Market survey but then you can yourself verify them once you are here

When it comes to the royal living Punjabis always stay a level ahead. So its always an good Idea to grab few souvenir from Ludhiana for yourself and family

v Punjabi Jutiya They can be real reasonable starting from 100Rs to 700Rs but rest depends on your bargaining skills . Hmm don’t be afraid to go in streets for shops. So Collecting them as a souvenir will be a Good Idea

v Cloth Material (esp female) MRP stated by the shop keeper will be already on 30% discount from any middle tire cities barring Surat ,Nagpur and Mumbai . The only problem i found is that for suits they either give it in multiple of 2m or 5m.

v Fulkari Work Punjab is famous for phulkari work mainly which is hand woven work but you may be able to grab the machine embroidery one on cheaper rates

v Hosiery material(Branded) could be grabbed in real reasonable rates almost one third of MRP

v Buying woollens from Ludhiana could also be an most cost-effective Idea . And added on will be the factory outlets of the leading brands like Monte Carlo and Oswal here.

v Well my carpenter suggested me to grab some iron rods and some home fittings to which i smartly avoided to even look upon but you like to go with his suggestions too

Other Markets to Mention

Ghumar Mandi Road is a favorite as this is a place where you can get everything ranging from the best of jewellery to the fanciest of sarees. What's more, the shops are open all days a week except on a Sunday when the shopkeepers prefer to take the day off. Bursting at its seams on a crowded evening, you need to be able to develop a skill to move across the narrow by lanes and yes, muscles as well!

Ok Now here is the all possible list of Markets in Ludhiana where the later ones involve the target-oriented shopping in the city. But do let me know how you liked this article do you find it helpful.Your comments will be a true encouragement.

Chaura Bazaar            Shopping
Akal Market    W/S Readymades
Kochar Market            General Shopping
·         Mochpura Bazaar       Shawls & Blankets
·         Bajwa Nagar   Hosiery
·         Court Road     Clothing
·         Flea Market (Jgn Bridge)        Used Cloth
·         West-End Mall            Shopping Mall
·         Ansal Plaza     Shopping Mall
·         The Mall          Shopping
·         Bhadaur House           Hotel & Restaurant
·         Mall Road        Shopping
·         Model Town Market    Shopping
·         Calibre Plaza   Wholesale Clothes
·         Chawal Market           Hosiery
·         New Sabzi Mandi        Vegetables & Fruits
·         Purana Bazaar            Hosiery
·         Dal Bazaar      Hosiery
·         Dr. Gujjar Mal Road    Cloth Market
·         Red Cross Bhawan     Shopping
·         Surya Kiran     Shopping
·         Ghumar Mandi            Shopping
·         Sunder Nagar Hosiery
·         Karim Pura Bazaar     Cloth Market
·         Sarabha Nagar           Eating
·         Fountain Chowk          Eating
·         Welcome Palace        Exhibitions
·         Car Bazaar      Used Cars
·         Meena Bazaar            Confectionery
·         Kamla Nehru Markt    Miscellaneous
·         Books Market Books
·         Bharat Nagar Furniture
·         Lakkar Bazaar            Furniture
·         Basati Bazaar Cosmetics
·         Cycle Market Cycles
·         Pindi Street     Wholesale Medicine
·         Deepak Cinema Road            Sanitation
·         Gur Mandi       Imported Goods
·         Subhani Building         Scooter Parts
·         Sadar Bazaar Electrical
·         Feroze Gandhi Market            Banker & Financers
·         Saban Bazaar Hardware
·         Jawahar Nagar Camp            Wholesale Karyana
·         Sarafan Bazaar           Jewellery
·         Trunk Bazaar Trunks
·         Kesar Ganj Mandi       Wholesale Karyana
·         Vishal Mega Mart        Departmental
·         Sunday Bazaar           Pottery

Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves which gives peace and wings to your imagination

2013-06-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves which gives peace and wings to your imagination

Six kilometers west of the city center are two hills riddled with rock-cut shelters. Many are ornately carved and thought to have been chiseled out for Jain ascetics in the 1st century BC. Anciently the twin hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri were known as Kumari and Kumara (called Lena or leṇa in the inscriptions) parvatas respectively. So, in short, they hold importance both in historical as well as religious sites. And never the less one of the best locations for photo shoots.

These hills are honeycombed with excavated rock-cut caves, mostly meant for the dwelling retreats of the Jaina recluses. The caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri were dug out mainly during the reign of Kharavela for the abode of Jaina ascetics.

You may feel reminded of the Caves at Udaigiri in MP near Sachi not only because they belong to the same century but also because they are built in same Kalinga dynasty. The art of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, being almost contemporaneous with that of Sanchi has a striking resemblance to it but at the same time retains its own individuality and advanced technique. But surely it makes me think there are so many threads that bind India as one country SANCHI is in MP and Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves in Orissa. By train, it almost takes a day to me to reach the other place, and still, we see the striking resemblance in these two places Amazing

By inscription evidence, these caves were first excavated by king Kharavela of Chedi dynasty and his successors who were devout Jainas during the first century B.C. The Jaina occupation was continued here with occasional breaks down to the present day. The Jain temple on the top of the Khandagiri hill was constructed in late 19th century is under worship even at present, preserving the continuity and tradition of the glorious past of the hill.

Well although I haven’t counted each of the caves still on a rough estimate there are at least 30 caves and the count may go as high as 117.Lets say the most heard ones or from the archaeological survey of India number of caves at at Udaygiri is 18, while Khandagiri has 15.The scripts used in these caves is Brahmi

Me being from entirely nonarcheological and historical background couldn’t give you many details about all the caves but still would be mentioning the ones which especially draw my attention in the short visit.

Caves of Udaigiri

1. Ranigumpha: The Bigger one of all seems like double story house of seven sisters. At least that's what I thought when I first saw them but then was guided that these places were the residence of Jains. Isn't it strange and unique that even then the 2 story buildings existed out of stone carvings?

Meanwhile, the doorways can be seen carved with flowers and animals, and even the guard which I guess could be partly to create a delusion that the caves are guarded by some one regularly or may be merely a show piece

I somehow believe that most of the caves would have been used for the Chanting and meditation at that time and the voices would have echoed in the areas for durations. The depiction of 24 Tirthankaras along with Sasanadevis in the Barabhuji cave, Surya Gajalaksmi and Jaina symbols in the Ananta Gumpha of Khandagiri in relief are a notable achievement of early medieval Indian art.

2. Bajagharagumpha

3. Chota Hathigumpha

4. Alkapurigumpha

5. Jaya-vijayagumpha

6. Panasagumpha

7. Thakuranigumpha

8. Patalapurigumpha

9. Mancapurigumpha

10. Ganesagumpha: This one is the cave with two elephants as guards holding the symbol of peace.

11. Jambesvaragumpha

12. Vyaghragumpha: Vygrah is Tiger or Bagh, and this cave is carved as a mouth of a tiger. Back in the Kalinga time it might would have meant significant wonders for them but Now for sure this one poses an Ideal location for photography J

13. Sarpagumpha

14. Hathigumpha :

The inscription is written in a type which is considered as one of the most archaic forms of the Kalinga Brahmi script, also suggesting a date around 150 BCE May is around Chandragupt maurya’s time.

Though this Gufa seems insignificant in size but holds significant importance in historical sense because of the inscriptions found on the walls of it which refers to various conquests of this king, starting with his fight against the Satavahana king Satakarni and Further mentions that Kharavela forced the Indo-Greek (Yavana) king Demetrius to retreat from Rajgir, about 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Pataliputra, to the area of Mathura: Dhanagharagumpha

15. Haridasagumpha

16. Jagammathgumpha

17. Rosaigumpha

Caves of Khandagiri

Tatowa gumpha No.-1
Tatowa gumpha No.-2
Ananta gumpha
Tentuli gumpha
Khandagiri gumpha
Dhyana gumpha
Navamuni gumpha
Barabhuji gumpha
Trusula gumpha
Ambika gumpha
Lalatendukesari gumpha
Unnamed
Unnamed
Ekadasi gumpha
Unnamed

Things to take care :

Ample of food joints are there outside the area so no issues in these regards. This trip involves some walking and climbing with the ups and downs if you want to so it is better if you equip your dresses and foot wears accordingly.

Photography Tips :

An early morning or early evening will be the right times to capture both the scenic beauty and the archaeological monuments at the same time

Word of caution you may find monkeys in this location so beware don’t these them and avoid them to attack you.

Most of the places here act as the dorm of the system

Now even if you rush through the site as on marathon drive, this will take at least an hour of yours so at least keep that much of spare time in hands.

TIMINGS

The monument remains open from sunrise to sunset. 10 am to 5pm

Entry fee for Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar) - Rs. 5 per head and for each foreigner is Rs. 100.00 or the US $2.00 and free entry for children below 15 years.

They are easily reachable and are located near bhuvneshwar

Reference: http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_orissa_udaigiricaves.asp

Creative Darsan Goes Shopping Soon

2013-05-31T00:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends

Thanks for being with me on this blog . Out of the requests i keep getting on either trip adviser or the our very own FB page of Blog

That how to collect the souvenirs of the trip. SO i thought why not have a section dedicated for shopping in every city . after all you collect the specialities and memories only when you go around the city apart from the regular routines.

So soon you will see few posts on Shopping in India (Not the one in Shopping Malls ) but the local market as well . As usual Iam open for suggestions and improvements in all the regions as usual.

Thanks for being what you are

Kriti

Grand Basillica Church of Goa A classic tribute of Portuguese architecture

2013-04-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

Goa the state of beaches and land of Churches has a UNESCO heritage site for Goa and

that’s the Basillica Church is live example of Portuguese architecture. If you closely observe the building you will be able to see the richness of culture it holds and must be one among the oldest churches in India. For an instant by looking at the The altar of the church is adorned elaborately and covered with gold my mind got into creating the simile of Church to Golden temple Amritsar. The floor of the church is made of pure white marble, decorated with semi-precious stones. Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple and is built in the Mosaic-Corinthian style.

The Basilica was constructed in 1605 and is world famous for housing the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier who is considered by Catholics as one of the patron saints of Goa. The body of the saint is still in very good condition even after more than 400 years, surprising for many scientists. It is taken out and kept for public display once in every decade. 2004 was the year when the body was last removed and displayed.
Woo so I think I visited a year early or may be the next chance to see this will be in year 2014.

There is a museum on first floor of Church which holds century old paintings on life of Saint Francis and you can visit it with a minimal entry fee of Rs.5 . A quick visit can be given to see the specially carved wooden sculptures and the paintings of 17^th century art by Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini. it is said It took ten years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint's death. His liturgical feast is the third of December.

On the upper level, overlooking the tomb, is the Bom Jesus Basilica Art Gallery, containing the works of the Goan surrealist painter, Dom Martin.

Since st Francis was known for his miraculous healing powers so people offer Silver body parts to heal may be as a ritual or as a gratitude when they are gifted with betterment of their health or disease.

Taking pictures inside the church is not prohibited but taking pictures of other than jesus or church is prohibited. Probably they are right in their decision as we some times create nucence and destroy the harmony and peace of the Church with our chirping voices .

Trivia :

The name of the Church, Bom Jesus basically means "Good Jesus" and is used for Jesus when he was an infant. The Bom Jesus church was constructed around 1695 and it became an important milestone in the historical legacy of Christianity. St. Francis Xavier was a member of the Society of Jesus who preached the enlightening teachings of Christianity when he came to India along with the Portuguese. While on a voyage to China from India, he died on the ship on 2nd December, 1552.

How to Reach

Goa being a small state this church is easily accessible form any part of Goa

· Verna Verna (VEN) 6 km
· Vasco Da Gama Vasco Da Gama (VSG) 13 km
· Madgaon Madgaon (MAO) 15 km
· Karmali Karmali (KRMI) 19 km
· Sanverdam Chuch Sanverdam Chuch (SVM) 28 km
· Thivim Thivim (THVM) 41 km
· Pernem Pernem (PERN) 46 km
· Cancona Cancona (CNO) 49 km

Timings :

Sunday : 10.30 to 18.30 hrs.
Weekdays : 9.00 to 18.30 hrs
Masses: Sundays : 08.00 & 9.15 hrs.
Weekdays : 7.00 & 8.00 hrs.

Time to Visit That’s for GOA J:

Though there is no separate time to visit church but surely there are best suitable time or so called seasons to Visit Goa . But then I personaly feel you should be in GOA mood to be in GOA and nothing else is needed.

Summer (March to May) is hot in Goa but the sea breeze offers solace to the heat. The maximum temperature reaches up to 40°C. During this time the place has fewer crowd.

Winter (October to February) offers pleasant weather and is a peak season for tourists and festivities. It is ideal for perfect holidays and honeymoons. The minimum temperature goes down to 15°C. Sea beaches, sightseeing and water sports can be best enjoyed during this time.

Safety TIPS for Women traveling solo

2013-03-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

With the progress of nation , time crunch and lack of support system you cannot ensure that the women will always be escorted by some male if she needs to travel out of city and within the city . So here come some handy tips for women travelling alone

Being a women traveller who keeps travelling around the world quite often I feel there are few things which girls should take care of . In first half of this article there are few things which you should take care of and the next half comprises of some action points when you find yourself alone in any situation

(I might add few points to this list in future but till than)

i. Don’t think about the possible dangers

There are a million things that can go wrong, no matter how you are travelling. In fact, there are a million things that can go wrong in your life just by stepping out the front door.

But, that doesn’t stop you from getting on with your life right? Well don’t do the same when you are thinking of travelling solo.

ii. Be Aware

Keep your wits about yourself and your surroundings at all time. Spend time looking around you and taking note of what you see. Be present in every moment. This will help alert you to any potential dangers.

Well try avoiding camping in lone areas and keep a special eye and react immediately if you find your self being followed by others

iii. Trust your intuition

It always knows best. If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it. There is a reason why you get that unsettled feeling in your stomach when you meet that strange person on the beach.

Don’t freak yourself out by imaginary monsters, but definitely pay attention to those little messages our animal instincts give us.

iv. Walk assertively and confidently

When I was in year 9 we had to do a self-defence course for sport at school. I don’t really remember how to flip someone over in a death roll if they were to attack me, but I do remember a very wise preventative piece of advice they drummed into us.

Always walk assertively and confidently. If you do this potential scam artists and attackers will leave you alone.

They only prey on those who are vulnerable. Walk with your head held high, and confidently greet people and look them in the eye. I have done this many times when I have felt afraid, and it instantly made me feel very strong and brave.

v. Let people know of your plans

This is especially important for solo women travellers. When you are travelling with someone else, you always have someone watching your back and looking out for you.

Let people you know and trust know where you are going and when. With today’s communication portals this can involve something as quick as an email, facebook message, twitter update or Skype call.

vi. Talk to people

Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers, to make new friends and to travel with those new friends. Some times travelling alone gives me pleasure of knowing new people and understanding their culture and values,

I also met plenty of new friends travelling through various countries. I made an effort to talk to strangers, and travel with them. I was never afraid to do so.

What should you do when you find your self alone in following situations

What should a woman do if she finds herself alone in the company of a strange male as she prepares to enter a lift in a high-rise apartment late at night?

Experts Say: Enter the lift. If you need to reach the 13th floor, press all the buttons up to your destination. No one will dare attack you in a lift that stops on every floor.

What to do if a stranger tries to attack you when you are alone in your house.

Experts Say: Run into the kitchen. You alone know where the chili power and turmeric are kept. And where the knives and plates are. All these can be turned into deadly weapons. If nothing else, start throwing plates and utensils all over.
Let them break. Scream. Remember that noise is the greatest enemy of a molester. He does not want to be caught.

Taking an Auto or Taxi at Night.

Experts Say: Before getting into an auto at night, note down its registration number. Then use the mobile to call your family or friend and pass on the details to them in the language the driver understands. Even if no one
answers your call, pretend you are in a conversation. The driver now knows someone has his details and he will be in serious trouble if anything goes wrong. He is now bound to take you home safe and sound. A potential attacker
is now your de facto protector!

What if the driver turns into a street he is not supposed to - and you feel you are entering a danger zone?

Experts Say: Use the handle of your purse or your stole (dupatta) to wrap around his neck and pull him back. Within seconds, he will feel choked and helpless. In case you don’t have a purse or stole just pull him back by his collar. The top button of his shirt would then do the same trick.

If you are stalked at night.

Expert Say: Enter a shop or a house and explain your predicament.
If it is night and shops are not open, go inside an ATM box. ATM centers always have security guards. They are also monitored by close circuit television.
Fearing identification, no one will dare attack you.

What is important is to stay cool at all times. When you have spare time, think of everyday situations where you can be in trouble. And how you can save yourself.
After all, being mentally alert is the greatest weapon you can ever have. BE SAFE!

Please share this as much as possible .

Gadankhai Mata Mandir Bajna Ratlam

2013-02-15T03:50:00.000-08:00

On the way to Bajna a road takes twist inside and you reach this small but beautiful temple of Gadankhai Mata Mandir it is located almost 30 Km from the main ratlam city

this place is most admired by localides and people from places around come here specially bring the newly wed couple and for the ceremony of shaving children head.

Mandir has little shops around with pooja material which tells that there are many who come to visit this temple

It is said

Other Places to Visit when you go to ratlam

Sailana Cactus Garden

Kalka Mata Mandir Ratla,

Kalika Mata of Ratlam the Namkeen(Snacks) Land

2013-01-31T04:30:00.000-08:00

Every city has one of the famous temples in it, and ratlam has its Kalika Mata ka Mandir . it is situated almost in the heart of the city .

Inside the temple there are 3 Goddess and the middle one is the most gorgeous and impressive . I will not say that the statues are beautifully crafted and you will like the art but I know one thing for sure you will feel the power of Shakti at instant you stand there.

So if you have a wishlist in your mind you will not like to miss this place on your visit to ratlam.

Well due to our hectic work schedules we got free only by 9pm then its just 5rs/ per head shared auto to temple but if you don’t want to take risk and be fast to take darshans in fear that temple should not get closed then you can pre book a rikshw too (he started from 80 rs and came down to 60 rs which we still felt expensive and bargaining is our Birthright) But then after darshans we felt the toll taken by us was all worth.

For the taste buds @ Ratlam

Btw some of the friends have suggested me to go to Mahshwari chat bhandar near Kalika Ma temple , My bad I was unable to grab that one but surely you may try your hands on it. Other things which one should try to grab hands on are Garadu And if you are milk lover then you can not leave ratlam railway station without having Kadhai wala milk should be first on your hit list. When you are there you should not miss having snacks “namkeen ”On my visit I found some interesting varieties/ flavors of namkeen like chocolate , pineapple Maggie well out of them I liked least was pianapple as it was very sweet but rest are worth giving a try

About Ratlam

If you have traveled in north india then there are quite fair chances that you have passed ratlam as a junction . Ratlam has a badi line and a choti line medium ways and broad ways

Traveling .Ratlam is also a major railway junction on the western railway lines.It was famous for its Diamond crossing. Ratlam was a princely state in British India, part of Malwa agency of Central India. For long period the Ratlam region was under the rules of the Rathor's. The rules were Suryavanshi Rathors to which Maharaja of Jodhpur, Bikaner and Kishangarh belonged.The first Ruler was the Maharaja Ratan Singh,he married 12 wives (amongst others), Maharani Sukhroopde Kanwar Shekhawat Ji Sahiba, daughter of Kunwar Purshottam Das of Jhajhar(Shekhawati) in Rajasthan. She committed sati in 1658.

But I didn’t saw any historic proves of the city as such but indeed this city has its own charm and worth visiting .
Know more about places to visit near by Cactus Garden : http://creativedarshan.blogspot.in/2012/12/cactus-garden-wonder-land-of-thorns-at.html

Jyotirlinga of MP: Mahakaleshwar (UJJAIN)

2012-12-31T23:24:00.000-08:00

Ujjain (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti, Avantikapuri), is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Ujjain is famous of: The Mahakal Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas

Mahakal derives its name from "kaal" meaning end of life - death; the word Mahakaal means Lord of Death.

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga: The Mahakal Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is a famous and venerated Shiva temple. The Shivling in this temple is supposed to be the only Jyotirling which faces south and hence it is known as Dakshinmukhi or the south-facing ling upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition. It is the most popular and important temple of Ujjain. Every year on shivratri (claimed to be the Wedding day of Lord Shiva), there is a huge crowd of devotees for darshan. The same kind of public crowd can be seen in the month of Savaan, NagPanchami. On every Monday of "Savan", there is a huge procession for the Lord Shiva idol in the city attended by large numbers of devotees from across the India.

Mahhakaal the lord of Death and Lord of earth कालो में काल महाकाल

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams, which are supposed to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The temple is situated on the side of the Rudra Sagar lake.

In order to reach the temple, one can take regular buses or taxis that are available throughout Madhya Pradesh.

The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum above the Mahakal shrine. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karttikeya are installed in the west, north and east of the sanctum sanctorum. To the south is the image of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.

The temple is a three tiered one, with Mahakal at the lowest level, which is actually below the ground. At the middle (ground) level is a temple to Omkareshwar, and over it is a shrine to Nagachandreshwara. This is an interesting shrine which is opened only on Nagapanchami day every year. (To read about another three tiered temple in Tamilnadu, where the uppermost shrine is opened to the public every Friday at midnight.

Mahakal and Bhasma Arti:

To attend Bhasma Arti in Mahakaleshwar is desire for every Hindu devotee. Mahakal and Bhasma Arti are synonymous with each other. Bhasma means ash. Mahakaleshwar is the only Jyotirlinga temple,where the Bhasma Arti is performed. Amidst vedic chants and strotras and sounds of cymbals, conchs and damru, the Bhasma arti is performed every morning (Except the second day of Mahashivaratri) from 4:00 am to 6:00 am to the Lord Mahakaleshwar. The Bhasma is prepared by burning dried cow dung. The mahant of the Akhil Bhratiya Mahanirvani Akhada or his representative offers the Bhasma.

As mentioned, the Mahakaleswar Temple is another famous tantrik center of Ujjain. So for tantriks, the Bhasma Arti is most important. It is said that the ash with which the Shiva linga is 'bathed' every morning must be that of a corpse that has been cremated the day before. If no cremation has taken place at Ujjain, then the ash must be obtained at all costs from the nearest cremation ground. However, the temple authorities assert that though it was once customary for the ash to belong to a 'fresh' corpse, the practice had long been discontinued. Whatever the truth, pilgrims travel long distances to watch the Bhasm Arti. The belief goes that those who are fortunate to watch this ritual will never die a premature death.

Protocols of Bhasma Aarti

· During Bhasma Arti, no one can enter in the garbhagriha for worship wearing regular clothes.

· Only males wearing sola or silk clothe on their loins are allowed to enter into garbhagriha.

· At the time of Bhasma Arti,women are not allowed to enter inside. The devotees enjoy watching the great puja sitting in Sabhagruha just outside the garbhagriha.

· On next day of Mahashivaratri, the Bhasma Arti is held in afternoon after removal of the Lord's Sehra(bridegrooms' floral crown).This happens only once a year.

Mahakal Premises:

According to belief, 33 crore Gods reside in Mahakal premises. Adorned by Hanuman, Shiva, Devi, Navgraha, Radha-Krishna, Ganesha temples, the premises evokes vibrant spiritual feelings. Mahakal is the only temple among Dwadash Jyotirlingas, which has so many temples in its premises.

Mahakal premises is also referred as home of gods. There are more than 42 temples in Mahakal temple premises. This include Lakshmi Narsimha, Riddhi-Siddhi Ganesha,Vitthal Pandharinath Temple, Sriram Darbar Temple, Avantika Devi, Chandradityeshwar, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Garbhagriha, Omkareshwar Mahadev, Nagchandreshwar Temple(Which opens only on Nagpanchami in holy Shravan month),Nagchandreshwar Pratima, Riddhi-Siddhi Vinayaka.

Besides there is a temple called Sakshi Gopal which according to belief provide sakshi(evidence) of the darshan of the devotee to Mahakaleshwar.(Isliye Jab bhi MAHAKLA aao Sakshi Gopal Par apni Attendance lagana Mat Bhulna)

There are other temples like Sankatmochan Siddhadas Hanuman, Brihaspateshwar Mahadev, ancient Shiva idols, Trivishtapeshwar Mahadev, Bhadrakali, Navgraha, Marutinandan Hanuman, Vrikha Triveni, Lord Shri Ram, Neelkantheshwar, ancient Nagbandha, Khanderao Dakshini Maratha temple. Dedicated to famous deity of Maharastra-Khandoba),Govendeshwar Mahadev, Suryamukhi Hanuman, Lakshmi Pradata Modh Gandesh,Swarnajaleshwar Mahadev,Shani temple,Koteshwar Mahadev,Saptarshi Temple,Anadikalpeshwar Mahadev,Shri Bal Vijay mast Hanuman,Omkareshwar Mahadev and Vriddhakaleshwar Mahadev.

Swapanweshwar Mahadev स्वप्नेश्वर महादेव Lord of Dreams

There is a temple called Swapanweshwar Mahadev, which is one of the 84 Mahadevas of Ujjain. According to Skandpuran, the darshan of this temple provides relief to the devotee from evil dreams and the bad effects of such dreams are nullified. On the 8th and 14th day of the every fortnight a special worship is offered.

The powerful mahamrutyunjay mantra goes as -

"OM TRAYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE SUGANDHIM PUSTIVARDHANAM, URVA RUKMIV BANDHANAN MRUTYOR MUKSHIYAMAMRTAT"

AKAL MRATU VO MARE JO KAM KARE CHANDAL KA, KAL USKA KYA BIGADE JO BHAKTA HO MAHAKAL KA ""JAY JAY MAHAKAL"" ...

How to Reach Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain : The Temple is around 2km from the bus stand and you could easily reach by auto rikshaw , tempo etc with minimal amount .

Temple Timings:

Temple Administratuion and Pujas: Mahakaleshwar temple is managed by Shri Mahakaleshwar Mandir Prabandh Samiti, Ujjain. The authorities have put remarkable efforts for the comfort of devotees, cleanliness drive etc.

Many pujas are performed in the Mahakaleshwar temple. The rates are different. :

For simple puja it is Rs.51/-,
Abhishek Mahimna Strotra Rs.101/-,
Rudrabhishek Vedic puja Rs.151/-,
Abhishek Mahimna Strotra puja Rs.251/-
Rudrabhishek Ek Darshana Vedic puja Rs.501/-,
Laghurudra Rs.1500/-,
Maharudra Rs.11,000/-,
Mahamrityunjay Jap Rs.15,000/-.

The devotee who wants to perform such puja first has to deposit the amount in the trust office in temple, get receipt and contact the assigned pandit by the office. The pandits normally sit outside the garbhagriha and after getting the receipt, they perform the puja with the devotee. The pandits are not greedy and helpful kind of persons. The office also give prasads to devotee for such pujas. Devotee can self perform puja in the garbhagriha.

It is said that Mahakal is Mrityunjaya and his worship saves the devotees from the clutches of death. In a year at Mahakaleshwar, the Mahamrityunjaya puja is done more than a crore times. It is believed that the patient for whom this japa is done get cured, those on death bed get well.

You may login to the website for further details : http://www.mahakaleshwar.nic.in/

Writer of this Article are Payal Tiwari http://www.blogger.com/profile/10866859313391681667 & Kriti Trivedi

You may also like to visit Payal Tiwari’s Blog http://payalt.blogspot.in/

Cactus Garden : Wonder land of thorns at sailana ratlam

2012-12-07T04:07:00.000-08:00

Cactus Garden in India and that to having international varieties wondering where in India

Naag Phani with 5 Huds The Shesh naag Looks

There are only two worth mentioning cactus gardens in India one in panchkula Chandigad Hariyana and other one in I visited recently is in Sailana near Ratlam in MP.

As far as I will say my experience about this one I will say that this is of international standards ( I have visited one in Arizona spread in acres of land with vivid variety of cactus)

The variety of cactus this small land has captured in limited space is simply amazing

The Budding Cactus

From the entrance it self the magic of the cactus land starts embracing you into is wondrous and magnanimous sizes . You will keep yourself busy in taking twists and turns just to ensure you are not lost in beauty of the thorns. See all the thorns in all different forms shapes and sizes some flowers and thorns or some thorns in shape of flowers and what not.

Lord Ganesha in Cactus

The Cactus Garden portrays a wide variety of cacti in their different stages of growth and colors. This garden houses over 1200 species of cactus, with only 50 species being Indian, is considered to be the largest one in Asia. Some of the important species of cactus present at this garden include bell cactus, bulb cactus snake cactus, old man cactus, peacock feather cactus, etc. This place is also popular for its culinary tradition.

Well more than this I was amazed with the knowledge of the care taker and the lovely narration this small town fellow had Some of them are " The Old Man cactus, Bell cactus, Bulb cactus Snake cactus {Nag Fanni} the Peacock feather cactus etc I bet you will never like to say that again that life is not bed of roses it has thorns too . and if they have mystery then why not have them and create history J

No wonders that the Cactus Garden is one of the most popular sightseeing attractions of Ratlam, situated in the premises of the Sailana Palace of the town. It is situated 21 km away from the district of Ratlam, on the Ratlam-Banswara Highway. This garden is at least 50 years old, while the Sailana Palace where it is situated, is 200 years old . though I will not say the place has any thing else in addition to add to the beauty except the cactus.

How to reach :

The town of Ratlam is well connected to other regions in the state through a bevy of buses and trains, and these can be taken in order to reach the place. You can also opt for flights to the nearest airport in order to reach Ratlam. Buses are the locally active mode of transport, run under the state government.

Airport :The nearest airport is at Indore.

Station : Ratlam Junction Railway Station is the nearest railhead.

Little Alice in the Cactus Wonderland

To Sailana : Pick a taxi or they have local buses running frequently to go to sailana

Near By Places to visit , Ratlam : http://creativedarshan.blogspot.in/2013/01/kalika-mata-of-ratlam-namkeen-land-p.html
To Know more about Sailana Go to Royal Heritage Sailana

Horce Shoe Bend Or Glimpses of Shiva In Arizona

2012-11-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

Nature has its own way to say that wonders exists one of them is Horce shoe bend. Which is although locally known as "King Bend." But to me it looked more of Lord Shiva’s Shiva lingam . This is an area where the Colorado River bends around a large hoodoo like rock formation like a horseshoe. You would need a wide lense camera to capture it all, I think that can try to do it justice because with most of cameras it was not able to cover complete bend there. To see this site, you have to creep up to the edge of a cliff and peek over it.

Upon reaching the overlook, one is awed by the magnificence of the landscape that cannot be expressed in words or through a photograph. The overlook is at the top of a steep orange colored cliff several hundreds of feet high. Down below, an emerald green Colorado river makes a horse-shoe shaped bend before rushing towards the Grand Canyon. So you are catching the colerado before it reaches Grand Caniyon

Its one of those rare sights that costs nothing but your time to visit. But to see and capture the natural beauty you have to be ready to climb /walk as if you are lost in a desert for almost 15-20 minutes so don’t loose heart if you don’t see the planned trail . Also there are no exclusive guided trail you have to choose to guard your kids from the dangerous corners.No there are are no food joints at the location or even water except in shoe bend ;) so you have to carry your own water bottle there and since it’s a sand walk so you may not prefer to do in in noon In all I loved the experience of being here iam sure you too will

Sunrise or sunset work the best for spectacular photographs, but even during the day nice photos can be achieved around the rocks . And to get more spectacular picture of yours you have to take distant shots to cover you and location and even some courage to climb here and there will work for spectacular photographs of yours.

Photography Tips :

One would require a very wide angle lens to capture the bend in its entirety. I would recommend a full-frame equivalent of about 17mm. On cropped sensor digital cameras, a focal length of about 10-14mm should do very well. In addition, I would also recommend a polarizer to remove some haze. In summer months, there is a good possibility of storm clouds and bland, white skies. A 2-stop or a 3-stop Graduated Neutral Density filter can help bring out details in the sky and make the photograph interesting. An 85 series warming filter can do wonders as well.

Never mind even if none of this is there still go and enjoy the scenic beauty here because mine was not that efficient cam the time I visited so for the complete look of the location i have taken first picture from google images rest two are from My camera

Location :

Easy to find...just ask anyone in Page and they will point you in the right direction.located five miles (8.7 km) downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, about four miles or 6 km southwest of Page. Accessible via a ½-mile (0.8 km) hike from U.S. Route 89, it can be viewed from the steep cliff above. According to Google terrain maps, the overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level and the river is at 3,200 feet above sea level making it a 1,000 foot drop.You can stay in Page and cover Horce shoe bend , Antelope Canyons and mountain valley etc on the way

Now things to keep in mind when you travel

Naughty kids and adults need to keep a tab on themselves
Keep Water Bottle
Umbrella/Hats for shade
Wear foot were easy to walk in sand and climb the cliffs it should have grips, personally I will not recommend heels for ladies here
With kids you might need to keep food for them
And a wide lence camera :) Will do wonders for you at the location

Bhopal City of Lakes: Kalisot Dam # 1

2012-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Bhopal is indeed a land of lakes where rainy day just becomes more awsum as you can see water meeting water in multiple ways here so this is the post series where I will take you through various water bodies in Bhopal and very near by except the swimming pools ;) and how you can cherish in and around it.

Kalisot Dam

This dam is actually very small in size but looking into its location and warning says that water is too deep here. Not much far from the dam there is land looking like I land where temple is there not bigger one but still you can have the feel of ringing bells near water body.

Now for reaching there either you can take a stair way to climb few 60-100 stairs (I didn’t counted them) or take a longer decent route via balmi institute. But then if you still like to opt for option of tracking is always there. This long road of dam connects two area of Bhopal. No driving on this road is allowed but you are free to drive with your eyes and see the city from it. It will be definitely more fun if you keep people adding.

· How to reach there: http://www.jantareview.com/Bhopal/biz_64537/Kaliyasot-Dam So you have to take its way from the cross of Chunabhatti ,shahpura and kolar area. Ahm Ahm let me tell you this is one of the popular Bunk spot of students http://wikimapia.org/3288342/Kaliasot-Dam

· Availability of food and water on the spot: there is no formal arrangement of CCD or so near by this location but for sure if in season and on time you can surely enjoy corns(Bhutte) here with some tapir tea. You might be astronished to know that the chai wala of Kaliasot dam is on FB http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dadu-Ki-Tea-stall-Kaliya-sot-Dam-wink/126283820765424 well iam sure its not daddu him self but his fans have created this page J. Yes so this tells there will be one or two tea stalls waiting for you when you reach there.

· Best time to visit: Rainy season is the best time to see the oozing water body but can visit any time to take a walk. Though I personally like watching sunrise from here But sunset is also worthy watching from here . You can cherish in the place with friends with whatever time you want to spend there .

Takht Patna Saheb Gurudwara

2012-09-17T04:10:00.001-07:00

The journey of mine from the railway station to gurudwara was an interesting and memorable one.

It was here at Takhat Patna Sahib, that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru was born in 22 Dec 1666. He also spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur. Besides being the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, Patna was also honored by visits from Guru Nanak as well as Guru Tegh Bahadur.

This is one of only five Takhats or Holy Seats of Authority of the Sikhs. The Gurdwara Patna Sahib is in remembrance of the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.This Gurdwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.Guru Tegh Bahadur visited Patna, he stayed in this exact site. A magnificent house was built above the dharamsala of Salis Rai the dharmshala seemed to be the popular one among the community . A small museum is also there.

To know more about the place thakt patnasaheb has its own website as http://www.takhatpatnasahib.com/ and then any time to know all other gurudwaras http://www.sikhtourism.com/patna-sahib.htm is always there

As soon as you enter the boundaries of Gurudwara you can feel the surge if peace with the live chanting going on almost at any time of the day. Personally i love putting my feet to water before entering to gurudwara. Then similarly you can cherish the delicious Prasad of desi ghee. You can get it at the token of Rs 10 too which is worth far less then the quality you are having. It turns out to be most fulfilling

Reaching To the Destination

Well there are 3 ways to reach patna sahib gurudwara from the railway station

· A Road Journey

o Reserve an Auto for to and fro (400-500 rs)

o Reserve a cab (600-700)

o Use of sharing auto by changing 2-3 in a way

o Bus (I haven’t tried this one personally but there must be some arrangement via it as well)

· B Train Journey

Now let me pick these options in order I approached

Giving an auto 400-500 rs for day time traveling and for a single person doesent seemed that worthy so the idea was an instantaneous drop.

I have a liking towards train journey as they are traffic free hassel free in the day.

Grab any passanger/ local from main station to the gurudwara and then take a rikshaw 10-15rs you will be in patna sahib gurudwara . Now this seems to be the ideal and most value for money way as in 15-20 minutes you will be there at your destination .

So I thought to grab the way went to railway station and like any law abiding citizen I planned to buy a ticket but the every line seemed to be never ending so on second thought I thought to request some one for getting tickets I thought this is the time to get repaid for the equivalent task done at pune ,Mumbai for others but I guess this was not the day :P

The righteous ladies of patna said no for that.

So now since the best way was not feasible then had to go for second best it was via hopping the shared auto rikshaws From railway station to Gandhi Chowk (6Rs /per head) From Gandhi Chowk to Gai Ghat (10-15Rs /Head) From Gai Ghat to Patna Saheb Gurudwara (8 Rs per head) while returning we got a shared auto rikshaw directly from Chowk of Gurudwara to railway station (15Rs / Head).

Now the shared autos are frequently awailable so don’t rush behind any one.Yes the auto ride in patna is itself a fun . Don’t miss to see the streets the painted walls and hoardings they really bring smile on face .To Grab more on this wait for the coming article .

You are not allowed to take photos of monkeys

2012-07-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

DO you remember the days when we were selective in taking pictures, used to wait to see the pictures till the roll of 36 or 20 gets finished before getting them developed . We almost on every print cycle suffered heart breaks on some pic or the other which we expected a lot from and when developed it comes as a disaster whatever be the reason less flash light, camera was shaken , some one just passed at wrong time eyes closed and the reasons were numerous . Its not that those reasons have ended now but yes people have become more forgiving on the same errors now :) because now we are in digital era. We are now free to capture any moment of life freely both aspects of Mind & Money all good/bad/embarrassing /funny/emotional /togetherness/ proofs /nature and all long list

How Our Cameras have grown Handy

With the digital revolution we have produced more talented photographers in every home now . People don’t hesitate to click the snaps again and again of same objects of silly/crazy objects because they know if not liked they can delete it.They will just be taking some little space in their laptop/pc/cam They have started taking risk the reduced cost has per pic has allowed parents to handover the camera to kids now people don’t even need cameras they have their all time gadget (Mobile) with them to view now they are all ready to take pic of all dam thing ;)

We are getting very selective in getting things on paper/ print and i dont think we are doing this to save paper

Have you thought who earlier knew that you went to abroad or how you spend the weekend in 80's and 90's .People were invited home to show some pics or gifts brought but now you can tell the world that what you captured and i believe more than facebook/orkut/google +/ flicker/picasa and whatever be the name tomorrow its the contribution of digital camera & mobile phone cameras which surely takes leaps over the former.

History of Cams : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_camera

In all the success that we have achieved by digitalisation we have lost some semi professional/occupational photographers who survived on clicking your family pic , your pic holding tip of kutubminar or holding tajmahal in your hands, people promising the immediate delivery of the picture

We were in one of the famous temples of central India with our DSLR clicked one family pic , but then what caught our interest was the monkeys there who were busy doing their own stunts some human and some monkey like :) so we started clicking them restricting our self form letting the cam snatched by them.

One Boy came and asked us you r not allowed to take pics here

Our impromptu response was what about those semi professional cameraman’s there charging 20 for each immediate picture taking clicks in the same premises & no board of camera not allowed ?

His hesitated for a while and said "You are not allowed to take photos of monkeys "

We just asked him who said that to you? Monkeys !!

This boy didnt knew how to handle this question so he ran back to his father who was one among the people holding Polaroid cameras .

And i realized we are watching one species who will be extinct soon and they have to find other means to earns to survive and I know that you know iam not talking about monkeys.
btw One tip for us all couldnt resist sharing ;)

The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art A hand shake of art with common man

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

Rina Banerjee, 'The world as burnt fruit', 2009,
fans, feather, cowrie shells, resin alligator,
skull, globe, glass vials, light bulbs, gourds,
steel wire, Japanese mosquito nets,
253 x 90 x 90 inches

You might say that I’ am a person of limited exposure but still i would say for me this is the first museum I have seen in a Shopping mall and has something to capture interest of all.

Even before entering the place a huge tree of stainless steel utensils is there to welcome you. A tree which has almost every segment of utensil slicked to it (hmm after thinking for a while i found pressure cooker is missing ;)) Let me tell you this reminds me of Rajnikant of Robot the Chitti who can be a magnet to attract :D hee hee

The entire museum is spread in an area of 18,000 sq feet and has some separate chambers for different set of art pieces. It is India’s first philanthropic, profit-free contemporary and modern art museum and it houses artwork created by some of the leading names in Indian art.
Well when you get in you see a dragon like figure made up of feathers and homeopathic bottles . Does that sounds like our “कबाड़ से जुगाड़”

Subodh Gupta: Line of control 2008 10*10*10 M 20 Tons

A room dedicated to pictures of Indian archives, Honestly speaking i never thought the store room could be soo catchy in black and white. Then there is a metallic Taj mahal sets there that is also fun

While there are some art pieces which will make you stop stare and admire there are few which makes no or little sense to my little head.

Set of paintings and sculptures yep credit of the art is given to the person who has made it like any other museum but this all is done in an international class for a while you will feel you are not in India at all. The art collection largely consists of works from Indian and sub-continental artists such as Rashid Rana, Shahzia Sikander, Anish Kapoor, Subodh Gupta, and S.H. Raza, among others.

A friend of mine told me that she didn’t had enough space in her home to place this all and I will say not even this many visitors to acknowledge her sense of art so she has opened it in heart of city and in one of the busiest malls at the heart of the city.I believe Kiran has started the process of bringing the common man and art to face each other. She is nourishing the eyes of people to admire art not only when the plan to purchase but also to admire it . Indians are very sceptical in going to museums unlike NY which is almost a city of museums and almost all of them belong to the main city accessible to all. Quite on the lines of international standards this museum has a small shopiee of some creative stuff in it.

About Kiran Nadar : She is now known more as one of Indias biggest art collector rather than the wife of business tycoon Shiv Nadar He is the founder and chairman of HCL She is the women who managed to get tax redemption on every object to be placed in her museum . While Shiv went on to start HCL, Kiran decided to be more than just the entrepreneur’s wife. She has been working towards educational initiatives through SSN institutions, Vidya Gyan and the Shiv Nadar University. Based in Chennai, the university is counted as one of the best in South India and Kiran is planning to open a North India campus soon. In fact, she was one of the founders of NIIT, along with Rajendra Pawar and Vijay Thadani and took care of all the marketing and communication initiatives of the company. Gradually, what started as doing up her home became a passion. While collecting art pieces she discovered how talented some of the upcoming artists were and decided to push them in the right direction. Self-taught she buys what she likes and has a sizeable collection of art works herself. I believe again she is enjoying the joy of sharing. Login to http://www.knma.in to get the latest updates on Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.

While iam not sure that photography is allowed within the museum or not.Inside museum pic court icy http://artradarjournal.com I can say you will find some peaceful place to sit there and enrich your chit chat with art in an air-conditioned facility without worrying about your car resting in parking space. 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM (Closed on Monday) Exactly located at 145, DLF South Court Mall,
Saket, Delhi Well still if you don’t get where it is ask for a utencil tree and you will be there.

Floppy Discs Long gone but still Have a role in our life How ??

2012-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday while cleaning my Drawer I found a set of floppy’s some were well labeled with few of my school projects and others were merely unlabeled ok don’t blame me I was kid that time. I wanted to have a peek into my history what I wrote and how back then but question is How now there are almost no computers left who will have floppy drive I don’t know that How will I be able to recollect the data back . So kind of all the data which I have is almost as if I have kept it in a safe and the key of the safe is stolen and no lock manufacturers exist for it now.

When I was just packing them back and said to my mom do you remember what floppy is she gave me a classy expression of ignorance . Well my mom is not a geek but still a regular ipad ,iPod and laptop user and she just missed it. She made me count that she knows cd/dvd/pendrive /sdcard etc

Well that made me think that OMG Floppy are long gone who will remember them and how and then when I just thought to pen it down on word doc and tried to save it Hurrey I saw floppy symbol.

Floppy discs are long gone but still we almost daily see them as a option to save on microsoft (doc etc) or some site. I know most of you will be thinking IS it so Where ????

Answer is here

Microsoft /adobe and all of them pay tribute to floppy drives for the days when they were the synonym of having the data safe and saved. In all we still are using the symbol of Floppy in Save and Save as .

Or we can say that either they still think this symbol is the synonym of Save or They just missed out to adapt with the speed at which market is changing . What ever we say I was self enlightened on this finding ;) Its like we are so used to see them that we forgot what & when they were.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floppy

Bhopal Darshan by Bus

2012-01-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

I think it will be an injustice to my home town if I don’t dedicate some thing to it .Let me tell you it has Well a not so hidden motto of this article is to tell about the Bus services in bhopal

This article is mainly for those who are visiting Bhopal for first time

A Brief History of City:

Bhopal is the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of Bhopal District and Bhopal Division. It is also known as the City of Lakesfor its various natural as well as artificial lakes and is also one of the greenest cities in India.

The city attracted international attention after the Bhopal disaster, when a Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide manufacturing plant leaked a mixture of deadly gases including methyl isocyanate on the intervening night of 2 / 3 December 1984, leading to the worst industrial disaster in the history of industrialization and a loss of thousands of lives. And thats how bhopal is in News :(

A government website for Bhopal is http://bhopal.nic.in/ here you can get links of page for almost all gov sites Now what all you may like to see in Bhopal:

Within the city :

Places to Visit in Bhopal :

· Jama Masjid

· Archaeological Museum

· Bharat Bhavan

· Birla Museum

· Gohar Mahal

· Lakshmi Narayan Temple

· Lower lake

· Sadar Manzil

· Kerwa Dam

· Kolar Dam

Outskirts of Sity

o Sanchi Stupa

o Bhimbetka Caves : http://creativedarshan.blogspot.com/2011/12/peek-in-to-history-bheem-betika-caves.html

More details will be in the upcoming posts

How to travel in Bhopal

You have left hand drive in the city as in India , For local convinces you will easily get Auto rikshaw , Buses and Mini buses . Yes By Buses iam referring to City link buses (GOV) and mini buses are more on private. And must say that the bus services are really doing well the Gov ones with comfort and all its at par with the Maharashtra Bus system. These buses have computerized payment system as well as digital display of next stop and to add on they are also religious in timings .

For those who don’t own a vechile in bpl or love to travel by public transport

Bhopal Bus Routes :

1. Bairagarh to Habibganj Trunk route

2. Old Bus Stand to HEG Mandidee Trunk route

3. Bairagarh RS to Raisen Hsngbad Trunk route

4. Lalghati to City Depot Standard route

5. City Depot to Saket Nagar Standard route

6. Gandhi Nagar to Alpana Tiraha Standard route

7. Karound Cahuraha to Bairagarh Chinchli Standard route

8. Old Bus Stand to Khajuri Kalan Standard route

9. P&T square to Rajeev Gandhi College Standard route

10. Gandhi Nagar to Ratnagiri Bypass Standard route

Know in details about the maps of Bus routes you can visit : http://www.bhopalcitylink.com/BusRoute.html

What I feel that this site is lacking in giving the timings and I guess for that you have to take the local public assistance only . If you want to trace all these areas on MAP then http://www.bhopalcitylink.com/routeMap.html this link will be helpful for you.And for any queries on the rates charged for the rotes http://www.bhopalcitylink.com/routeRate.html

Bhopal as Educational Hub

Well leaving the sad stories apart Bhopal is now growing as an educational hub For Engineering :MACT , Rajeev Gandhi Technical University and affialaited at least 100 collages in Bhopal itself .

Medical : Gandhi Medical Collage and many other supporting it

LAW : National Law university is one of its own kind . The country has 5-7 of its types so we are growing in law as well

Peek in to History : Bheem Betika Caves Near Bhopal

2011-12-13T22:37:00.000-08:00

Never stop your kids from painting the walls you never know when they are contributing to create a history. If you don’t believe me than do pay visit to bhim betika near Bhopal. Here you can witness the scenes that depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bisons, tigers, lions, wild boars, elephants, antelopes, dogs, lizards, crocodiles, etc. the list is long of all what you could see in the caves from the ancient history

So here you go to see some prehistoric structures and old bunglows of our ansistors I mean the caves and their drawing and paintings . The entire place is swarming with caves and most of these caves have these prehistoric paintings. There are superimposition of paintings in the caves, which shows that the same canvas was used by different people at different times. Ufcourse no landlord was there to ask for rent or repainting charges so these paintings still exist . MP tourism has recently braughtin few sculptures to compliment the caves

The drawings and paintings can be classified under seven different periods:

Period 1 - (Upper Palaeolithic): These are linear representations, in green and dark red, of huge figures of animals such as bisons, tigers, and rhinoceroses.

Period II - (Mesolithic): Comparatively small in size the stylised figures in this group show linear decorations on the body.

In addition to animals there are human figures and hunting scenes, giving a clear picture of the weapons they used: barbed spears, pointed sticks, bows and arrows. The depiction of communal dances, birds, musical instruments, mother and child pregnant women, men carrying dead animal drinking and burials appear in rhythmic movement.

Period III - (Chalaeolithic) These drawings reveal that during this period the cave dwellers of this area had come in contact with the agricultural communities of the Malwa plains and started and exchange of their requirements with each other.

Period IV & V - (Early historic): The figures of this group have a schematic and decorative style and are painted mainly in red white and yellow. The association is of riders, depiction of religious symbols, Tunic-like dresses and the existence of scripts of different periods. The religious beliefs are represented by figures of Yakshas , tree gods and magical sky chariots.

Period VI & VIl - (Medieval) : These paintings are geometric linear and more schematic, but they show degenerations and crudeness in their artistic style. The colours used by the cave dwellers were prepared by combining manganese haematite soft red stone and wooden coal.

Even better, is a great view of Bhopal from the tortoise rock. One can see the entire Bhopal horizon from that point.

Material used for making combination of manganese, hematite, soft red stone and wooden coal. Sometimes the fat of animals and extracts of leaves were also used in the mixture. The colours have remained intact for many centuries due to the chemical reaction resulting from the oxide present on the surface of the rocks.
Btw i still dont know why this is called as bheem betika does any one of you know??

How to reach Bhim Betika

Bheem Betika is a world heritage site situated about an hour’s drive from Bhopal towards the south on the Hoshangabad highway.Best way is to have a car / bike drive to the place.

There is only 1 possible eating joint near the place of bhim betika even for tea and coffe and that is of MP tourism also here you can get things on made to order types (E-mail : bhimbetka@mptourism.com) so don’t expect the poha jalebi J and tapir ki chai there which you will be possibly needing after the rough patch of road (which unfortunately comes under central government), the other possible bottle neck is the railway crossing which keeps playing hide and seek

Being a national heritage the entry fee is rs 10 per person and 50 rs for car . Ok don’t think of saving money from place to park car as you will have to walk really long to be there ;) hee hee.Ya and closing time of the caves is 5.30 pm . You may like to go to the water spring (not in summers ) and /or water body near by to give the trip a perfect feel of picnic also since the entire area is stony you may find other tracking places there. In sum, a great place to explore Do remember to carry some sun block, a pair of sunglasses and lots of water and food, Ok Sports shoes are advised footwear.

have a fabulous time!