WAT

CONQUERING SELF-BELIEF: 3 PRACTICAL TIPS BASED ON VEDANTA

2021-05-04T01:54:00.014-07:00

Simple tasks such as riding a bike, running, making new friends are all connected to the faith that you have in yourself. You all have it in a dormant state. At least to some degree.

Taking important decisions, starting a new venture, addressing a huge crowd, confronting a difficult situation or people, are a few scenarios in which we see our faith as a sham. Why is it hard to practice self-belief while working on higher goals?

An answer to this question can give us a huge leap in our quest for developing self-belief.

Let’s find out…

Possibly the trust in our abilities may not be strong enough to handle a situation with a higher amount of stress. It is not the absence of self-belief but sometimes it's the lack of its implementation that stops us from achieving greatness. The good news is that our conviction in ourselves can be made stronger. How?

The answer is by working on its development. It is like a muscle that can be worked out to make it stronger.

Let’s first understand what Self – Belief is?

The Online Psychology Dictionary provides a very relevant definition of Self-Belief:

1. Our self-assurance in trusting our abilities, capacities, and judgments.

2. The belief that we can meet the demands of a task. To be confident about what I have done is okay.

The definition sounds apt. Believing in ourselves is simply having faith in our abilities to do a task or achieve a self-defined goal.

Hold that thought here.

If you can read between the lines, you will easily find a catch in the definition. Self–belief is not an element but a compound of several other components. It can be called a combination of our experiences, learning, decision-making skills, and willpower. Our entire thought process is a framework of self-belief.

“Believe what is in the line of your needs, for only by such belief is the need fulfilled… Have faith that you can successfully make it, and your feet are nerved to its accomplishment”.
– William James

A very renowned psychologist -William James has advocated “believing in oneself “ as a key to personal success. Many people never fulfill their dreams, not because of a lack of opportunity but a lack of self-belief.

In an article published in Forbes, the author Margie Warrell has very sensibly put that it is not based on your actual ability to succeed at a task but your belief in your ability to succeed.

Most of us think of self-belief as an inborn quality that someone inherits.

Make no mistakes.

It is not something that you are born with. You can train your brain and rewire your thoughts to develop a very strong self-belief that can give you the courage to lead from the front and take challenges as they come. Having a strong faith or self-belief is not something achieved by chance. It is a choice that you have to make.

Why does it matter at all?

An interesting paper by Princeton University delineates three important reasons that can help you understand why having positive image of your self is important:

Consumption Value- It is said that success may not make you happy but odds are very high that being happy can lead you towards success. Thinking of oneself favorably makes a person happier and creates a snowball effect.

Signalling Value- To lie most convincingly one must believe one’s own lies. Believing oneself to be of high ability makes it easier to gain the confidence of others.

Motivation Value-It boosts motivation and increases morale. Self-belief improves your motivation to undertake new challenges. High morale is a key for individuals and teams alike for winning in sports, writing a great book, setting up a business, losing weight, and so forth.

How to develop self-belief to stand tall amidst a storm?

A strong self-belief is not something that you can just inculcate in yourself rather it has to be practiced consciously. My take on developing a strong, mountain-moving self-belief is to have a very deep spiritual understanding. The more spiritually inclined you are, the more likely you will have faith in the all mighty, people, destiny, and above all belief in yourself. Below are three strategies based on talks of Swami Mahamedhananda (a monk of The Ramakrishna Order) that you can apply to establish a firm foundation of having self-belief: –

Faith in your strength

Swami Vivekananda had very strongly said that a person is an atheist who does not believe in himself. As per Vedanta philosophy, we all are a part of the divine. The conscious mind is connected to the superconscious. It is important to believe in our strengths before practicing our faith in god. We are a composite of:-

Physical Strength
Intellectual Strength
Spiritual Strength

Physical & intellectual strengths are temporary and relative. They both are governed by Spiritual powers that we possess. Self-development based on spiritual dimensions helps us to grow faith in ourselves. If you are willing to develop a strong spiritual quotient, you can start with making small changes:

Reading positive literature daily.
Being aware of your thoughts.
Practicing mindfulness.
Helping & serving others.
Praying & meditating regularly.

Faith in Destiny

“You are what your deepest desire is.
As is your desire, so is your intention.
As is your intention, so is your will.
As is your will, so is your deed.
As is your deed, so is your destiny.”
-Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

A difficult circumstance arises in everyone’s life. A time comes when we have to face challenging situations. This can be a natural calamity, professional downturn, or personal upheaval.

Not giving in to such challenges and having a positive attitude is the way forward for achieving success. It is important to believe in your destiny. Have faith that whatever will happen will happen for your good. At least having a strong determination that you will sooner or later overcome any difficult situation will help you to glide through the toughest wind. It’s the very foundation of positive thinking. This will give you a positive frame of thought and you will be able to face any situation with an open mind.

To practice this it is important to keep the right desires. It develops pure intention. We make our choices based on our intentions. Our choices determine our actions. And action is what takes us to our destiny.

Faith in fellow human beings

Trusting people around you is as important as trusting yourself. Being skeptical about others somehow also lowers self-confidence. This is why it becomes more important to be associated with the right people.

But easier said than done.

Our past experiences of being deceived by others keep daunting us and believing fellow beings become very difficult as we grow older in life. We must keep good company. This is a kinder garden lesson that we fail to remember. Attracting the right people is a choice. We should make every conscious effort to choose people that have a true soul. A person is right for you if he:

Motivates you.
Share common interests.
Helps you to improve upon your weakness.
Have selfless and noble life goals to achieve.

Having a good self-reputation of yourself is indeed a healthy thought process. However, keeping a false belief may be equally harmful. You should perform your due diligence of analyzing yourself. The classic SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity & Threats) can help you to work on your weaknesses and improve the areas that are your strengths.

There is no set formula for developing a Self-Belief and requires constant effort and experimentation to keep it on an optimum level.

HOW THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS USING PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS

2020-11-14T12:05:00.015-08:00

I have always been enthralled by the idea of foreseeing what is about to come that has the potential to influence the future. So when I began studying Machine Learning, I got fascinated by the prospects of a more complex type of Data Analytics known as Predictive Analytics.

What is Data Analytics?

Datafloq defines Data Analytics as a process of extracting, transforming, loading, modeling, and drawing conclusions from raw data to make decisions. It has four types:

Image Source: datafloq.com

Descriptive Analytics: It summarises the current data to help explain what is going on or what has happened in the past.
Diagnostic Analytics: It focuses on past results to decide what happened and why.
Prescriptive Analytics: It is used to suggest one or more courses of action to evaluate the results.
Predictive Analytics: Emphasizes the analysis of future outcomes using mathematical models and machine learning techniques.

All four analytics types are effective and help in achieving business objectives. However, the predictive and prescriptive analysis appears to be highly useful in the upper strata of any organization that follows a data-driven approach.

Let's move with the former. As mentioned in my previous post on the rise of Artificial Intelligence, Predictive Analytics is a branch of computational statistics that uses Machine Learning to derive patterns in historical data to identify the probability of future outcomes. It is solely based on past data to create a model for running analysis. The accurate model can help to evaluate the variables and provide a precise report of the likelihood of an occurrence, key trends, possible risk, etc.

Predictive Analytics in the Hospitality Industry:-

I have noticed a resemblance to products offered by different brands of hotels. The level of service is also more or less the same if the property falls in a similar star category. So, gaining a competitive advantage, improving brand image, or optimizing profit all boils to one aspect and that is increasing customer satisfaction. A loyal guest brings repeated business, word of mouth publicity, better reviews, and reduces marketing effort involved in hunting for new business.

The degree of customer delight is dynamic and highly sensitive. Companies need to continuously strive to maintain the client’s level of satisfaction to hold the client base before it is taken away by the competitors. This is where Predictive Analytics comes in.

A department of the hotel that extensively make use of Predictive Analytics is Revenue Management. It is about optimizing rates to reach the highest possible profit margins. Dynamic Pricing Automation helps the hotel chain to reliably forecast demand and consumer behavior trends. Data is collected based on household profile, number of children, age group, occupation, travel history, buying behavior, people's income, and even how they spend it. This information is then used in forecasting demand and formulating pricing strategies.

Big hotel brands use the power of analytics in deciding future investments as well. By analyzing data about people’s travel habits: frequency, the reason for travel, locations, income group, the management can understand the demand for new hotels and identify whether the type of property to be built will be for leisure or business segment.

Analytics is indeed revolutionizing the hospitality sector. It is enabling the hotel decision-makers to effectively plan and formulate strategies to gain an edge over their counterparts in the ever-changing and hypersensitive hotel industry.

Abraham Lincoln once said that the best way to change the future is to create it. Analytics can help you do it. It can give you all the blocks of a puzzling future, you just have to arrange in the correct order to create the right picture.

RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN INDIAN TRAVEL INDUSTRY

2020-11-04T11:40:00.025-08:00

To plan a perfect trip, a substantial amount of preparation is needed. Many components that require extensive research are involved in making a memorable tour:—

Finalizing the destination
Finding a hotel that suits your budget & location.
Looking for a flight with the cheapest fare.
Comparing the rates.
Designing the most suitable itinerary.
Choosing a reliable transport service provider.

No matter how comfortable you feel getting these tasks done offline with the help of human interaction, an AI-enabled travel system enables you to get the best online deals with highly personalized suggestions.

AI products will soon be the future of the Indian travel industry. Without going into the tech side of the topic, let’s look at some basic concepts that will help us to understand the idea behind the new revolution that will alter our decision-making and purchasing behavior while making online bookings.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a computer science field that explores how machines can be taught to think and behave like a human being. It is often used to make machines perform cognitive" functions related to the human mind such as problem-solving.

Machine Learning (ML) is about creating models that, based on training data, predict the outcome with high accuracy. It helps machines to boost their accuracy using statistical techniques, as more data is provided into the system. It is a branch of AI.

Machine learning is the technology that drives many of the services you use today, such as Netflix, Expedia, Kayak, and Google. These platforms are based on recommendation systems that are designed to read patterns.

MIT Technology Review defines the process in a very simple term: find the pattern, apply the pattern.

Each platform gathers quite enough information about your preferences -what links you click, what updates you like, type of movie you watch, or type of hotel you stayed in last time. They use the ML algorithm to predict the next stuff you would choose.

How ML is influencing travel industry?

I would say –predictions and recommendations. Here are the most widely known uses of AI in the Travel Industry: -

AI-Based Customer Service

AI can extract data from multiple sources, it enables machines to take into account information such as geographical area, experiences, or personal preferences to offer customers the most relevant content. As businesses continue to create more detailed customer profiles to better understand each customer, they can concentrate more precisely on particular consumer tastes, personal purchase habits, as well as preferred channels of communication. This helps in providing a more personalized experience.

Chatbots are the one-stop solution for creating AI-based customer service. It is a program based on artificial intelligence that can mimic a natural language conversation (or chat) with a user through messaging apps on mobile phones or desktop. It helps to optimize communications between individuals and service providers, improving the experience of customers. They give businesses new opportunities by reducing the average cost of customer care and strengthen the process of customer interaction as well as operational performance.

Recommendation Systems

Recommender Systems are tools that provide suggestions to the user that influences his decision-making mechanism.

It can help you to select which books to buy, which hotel or flight to book, or even what T-shirt to choose if you already have picked a pair of trousers.

Techniques used by Recommendation System:

-Collaborative filtering is a method of making automatic assumptions (filtering) about a user's taste by gathering preference data from multiple users.

-A summary of the item and a profile of the user's preferences forms the basis of content-based filtering methods. These algorithms attempt to suggest products that are equivalent to those that a user has enjoyed in the past or is currently reviewing.

-A hybrid approach is now used in most suggested systems, incorporating collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, and other methods.

Predictive Analytics

To predict what will happen in the future, predictive analytics refers to using past data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

A mathematical model is developed that takes into account key trends and patterns of historical data. To predict the end result, the model is then applied to current data. The results generated by this model can be used in decision making, analyzing risks, or understanding demands. All businesses may take advantage of predictive analytics to collect consumer data and anticipate the next behaviors based on past activity.

Generating maximum revenue from a single booking transaction, whether it is a hotel, airline, or tour operator, and reducing operating costs can be an important strategy for coping with the present COVID19 ridden market scenario. This can surely be done with the help of AI.

Adopting automation, and transitioning to data science can help the travel sector to survive during and thrive after this pandemic era.

A SHORT TRIP TO PRAYGRAJ ARDH KUMBHA MELA 2019

2020-10-18T11:03:00.032-07:00

Kumbha Mela is listed on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is one of the most sacred places of pilgrimage to the Hindus. The occurrence has evolved over the course of time on a very large scale. It has been a subject of exploration among various researchers as it brings a large number of visitors from all over the world.

The Kumbha for me has been a point of convergence of numerous interests. I was eager to visit Kumbha because of various reasons. Firstly, to meet The Naga Sadhus. Secondly, to understand the crowd management system. Lastly, to feel the excitement of the crowd and provide the first-hand experience of being on the world's biggest religious conglomeration.

It was a lovely winter evening in February 2019. I had planned a trip to Prayagraj to visit Kumbha Mela and booked a waitlisted ticket one month prior. Individuals from everywhere over the world come to India to visit The Kumbha . The likelihood of getting a confirmed reservation was low because of the hefty surge. Out of nowhere, my cellphone blared. I was anticipating some official messages. Be that as it may, surprisingly, it was a railway ticket confirmation notification.

Nowadays Indian Railways confirm waitlisted tickets only 4 hours before train departure time. So I had almost no ideal opportunity to pack and leave. I kept a few woolens and left for the railway station. The plan was to go around evening time, arrive at Prayagraj by early morning, wander during the daytime in Kumbha and leave before dinnertime for Delhi. No inns, hotels or wash n change. It was going to be a raw pilgrimage tour experience.

I reached Praygraj in the morning as per the plan. There was a huge gathering of pilgrims. All moving in one direction towards the river bank. The administration usually stops all cab services and the only option is to take a walk or hire a rickshaw. Unaware of the route to the holy site, the wiser idea was to follow the herd. It took around an hour to arrive at the sacred location including a 10 minutes tea break.

After navigating my way through the crowd I managed to take a dip in the river. The journey was like a holy dip into Indian culture and spirituality.

First glimpse of the event:

Let's have a look at some interesting facts about the Kumbha at Prayagraj that I learned in my journey:-

Why it is called Kumbha Mela?

In Sanskrit, the term Kumbha comes from the root word "Kumbha," which

literally means "pitcher or pot." Mela means uniting. According to the Puranas (compilation of Hindu ancient legends), the demons and gods were engaged in a battle to get hold of a holy pitcher of amrita (nectar of immortality), a few drops of it dropped on four locations, which are today known as Haridwar, Nasik, Prayag, and Ujjain.

Why is Kumbha celebrated?

The festival was started by a Hindu philosopher and saint named Adi Shankara in the 8th Century, to encourage major Hindu gatherings for philosophical discussions and debates across the Indian subcontinent.

It is said that it took twelve divine days to carry the Amrit to the heavens. As one divine day is equal to 12 human years and therefore, the Mela is celebrated every twelve years, at each of the four sacred sites in this cycle. The rivers are believed to have turned into Amrit at the cosmic moment, giving pilgrims the chance to bathe at that auspicious point of time.

Where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated?

It is celebrated on river-banks of 04 different cities :

Prayagraj (Ganges-Yamuna Sarasvati rivers confluence)

Haridwar (Ganges)

Nashik (Godavari)

Ujjain (Shipra)

When The Kumbha Mela Occurs?

The Ardha (half) Kumbha Mela takes place every six years in Prayag and Haridwar. Purna (complete) Kumbha Mela, however, takes place every 12 years in one of these four locations, depending on planetary movements.

The dates for the celebration of each location are decided in advance based on a special combination of the zodiacal positions of Brahaspati (Jupiter), Surya (Sun), and Chandra (Moon). Relative years vary between the four sites, but the cycle is repeated every 12 years. Since Jupiter's orbit is completed in 11.86 years, the transition in the calendar year occurs in approximately 8 cycles. Around once a century, Kumbh Mela returns to the site after 11 years.

What are the rituals and auspicious dates?

Aartis are performed on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna, and Sangam with great admiration, deep-rooted respect, and devotion.

Bathing or diving in the waters of the river, with prayer, is the basic rite of Kumbh Melas for all pilgrims. Customarily, on Amavasya – the most revered day of bathing – Hindu pilgrims welcome and wait for thirteen sadhu akharas to bathe first. This gathering, called shahi snan or rajyogi snan, is marked by a processional march, with banners, flags, and musicians along with the monks.

Kalpvas, at the holy confluence of Prayagraj during Kumbh, has a special significance. According to 'Brahma Purana' and 'Padma Purana,' the Kalpvas cycle is from the full moon Ekadashi in the Paush month to the 'Maghi Ekadashi.' There are 21 laws of mind, voice, and behavior that the Kalpvasi must follow.

About The Naga Sadhus

In the 16th century, to shield Hindus from the tyranny of the Mughal rulers, Madhusudana Saraswati of Bengal organized a segment of the Naga (naked) tradition of armed sannyasis. Usually, the naga sadhus remain in the field of non-violence and live a very ascetic life.

The Naga sadhus are prominent at Kumbh Mela, where the order in which they enter the water is fixed by tradition. After the Juna akhara, the Niranjani and Mahanirvani Akhara proceed to their bath. Ramakrishna Math Sevashram is almost the last in the procession.

Finally, I took the train by evening and arrived in Delhi in the morning. Everything went as planned. The fate of such short trips depends on time management.

Thanks to Indian Railways for being able to maintain train punctuality in the foggy winter season.

An interesting acquaintance

Though I did not take a night's stay, the best place to stay at Prayagraj is the hotel Kanha Shyam. There are many other places of interest, such as the Allahabad University, which was founded by the British during the British Raj, and several contemporary monuments, each representing a different period of time in the history of the city. Alfred Park, All Saints Cathedral, Allahabad Museum, and Anand Bhavan are some other must-see places of Prayagraj.

The trip had a very profound influence on my spiritual quest. The carousel of pictures of the sages, the visitors, people taking a holy dip, tilaks still run in my mind. Returning to such a huge gathering seems like a distant dream in this pandemic situation, but I hope that we all will travel again, fearlessly and nonchalantly, just like old times.

Let's hope! hope and hope for the best.

See you in the next post.

COVID19 TRAVEL DILEMMA : 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW (INDIA PERSPECTIVE)

2020-08-25T03:04:00.018-07:00

Coronavirus is a human tragedy that no one could foresee. The pandemic has hit us hard and made the whole world stop. India went into complete lockdown on 24th March 2020 for 21 days with the number of confirmed cases being approximately 500.

As I write this post the number of cases in India has reached to 31,67,323 with 7,04,348 as active cases.

Now, the country has already reached the unlocking phase and we have started adapting to new normal. Many factors are still changing at a very high rate. And this creates a lot of curiosity and confusion.

We all are facing this situation for the first time with a great amount of obscurity about doing little things that used to be a routine task for us during normal days. We feel deprived of the relevant piece of advice on many aspects related to our daily life, one of those is traveling.

Many of us are finding it safer to be indoor and that would be a very apt thing to do.

But what if the need arises to travel?

I have attempted to answer a few questions that will help you to navigate through the dilemma of traveling during the COVID19 crisis.

So let us go ahead and explore what you need to know while traveling within India:-

1. How hotels are operating?

The hospitality industry is making every possible effort to make their guest's stay safe and comfortable at the same time. They have adopted new policies to bring the hotel under standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure COVID free experience.

Continuous cleaning of all touchpoints in public areas like door handles, elevator buttons, railings, etc. using sanitizer/ disinfectant.

Use of sprayer with professionally identified chemicals to disinfect the hotel entrances, employee entrances, as well as various public areas.

Masks and disposable gloves being worn by all staff members at all times and changed frequently.

Sanitization of rooms after guests check out. To be kept vacant for 24 hours and then allocated.

Reconfiguration of restaurants and seating in the lobby to ensure safe distances are maintained between guests.

Temperature readings of non-resident and resident guests to be taken at least once a day.

You can find here the government norms for hotel operations.

2. How the way we fly has changed?

Crowded airports and congested flights are high-risk zones for passengers and require extra effort to ensure the guest does not come in contact with any coronavirus patient. The government has issued strict orders to minimize the risk of any infection while flying.

Image Source: india.com

Mandatory Aarogya Setu app during travel.
Sanitization of passengers’ baggage by the airport authority before entry into the terminal building.
Thermal screening of passengers before entering the terminal building.
Mandatory use of face masks/screens by passengers as well as airport employees
Enhanced security and airport employees at check-in counters to assist passengers in maintaining social distancing norms.
Blockade of seats between individuals by using proper markers and tapes to ensure social distancing between people sitting at the airport terminals.

You can find here the government norms for airline operations.

3. How to get e-pass for interstate and intrastate travels?

Many governments have made it mandatory for people to carry an e-pass while entering their states. You can find more details on prerequisites for getting an e-pass on this government website.

4. Which destinations are open?

The norms of state governments keep changing based on the status of pandemic cases. States like Goa and Uttarakhand are allowing tourists, having COVID19 negative certificate (not less than 48 hours old, based on RT-PCR tests), to enter freely without forcing any quarantine norms.

Many states are still seeing a rise in cases and have declared more stringent norms for travel. There are no fixed rules and I would suggest checking with a local tour operator or visiting state government websites before making any plans to visit any destination.

Apart from this if you want to check which countries are allowing flights to operate, a map from IATA can be helpful in your search.

5. Where to get updated data on COVID counts?

If you want to have an idea of currently active or non -active COVID cases, this official website from the Government of India can help you to get the updated data.

There is also an interactive dashboard from John Hopkins University for getting a worldwide overview of pandemic cases. Another option would be Worldometers.

I would suggest reevaluating your travel options several times before making a final call. Make all your bookings in advance. Choosing quality over price would be a wise idea because top-end hotels and reliable transporters would be more likely to follow a high level of hygiene standards.

THE KALINGA WAR

2011-08-01T00:57:00.003-07:00

The place shown in the picture is the bank of the Daya River near Dhauli Hill. On the way to the Sun Temple, we came across this place where it is said that the war of Kalinga (265-264 BC) was fought.

The Kalinga War resulted in the deaths of about 100,000 men on the Kalinga side and 100,000 on King Ashoka's side. Legends also state that the Daya The river was turned red with blood. The sorrows of the victims of the war turned King Ashoka into a great, kind-hearted Buddhist monk.

I don't know if he could attain salvation, but he made a tremendous contribution to fostering peace and harmony through Buddhism. I wish we could learn from history and not continue to repeat bloodshed and war. Our world needs more peace than nuclear weapons, and I hope the transition takes place sooner.

SUN, GOD, AND MYSTICISM- THE SUN TEMPLE KONARK

2011-07-31T04:44:00.003-07:00

Finding an old neighbor when you are few states away from your home, is not a mean feat. Nearby the Jagannath Temple in Puri, I met Dr. Sharma, a lecturer and an old neighbor who shifted to Orissa a few years back. After a feast of special street food, he promised to accompany me to Sun Temple, Konark. Let me tell you, Dr.Sharma, a Doctorate in History has more knowledgeable stuff in his head, than that what he has in his large tummy.

After a 35 Kms drive, we reached Konark. He told me that the temple was built to celebrate the victory over his enemies by Narashimhadev in the 13th century.

Sun temple is a magnificent structure of a chariot of the sun god with 24 wheels and seven horses dragging the temple. Two lions guard the entrance, crushing elephants.

Intricate carvings of Khajuraho like sensuous sculpture are also present on the wall. The main temple was constructed in such a way that dawn light would illuminate the presiding deity (it was moved to Jagannath Temple in the 17th century).

As the beauty sometimes insinuates mystery, the air at the temple has that similar esotericism. An ancient temple where prayer bells never rang, a structure, that during the British era diverted the directions of the ships and a marvel which albeit in its dilapidated state, possesses the same grandeur, has much to explore and many mythologies to believe...

A day at Rameswaram

2011-06-24T13:14:00.001-07:00

A View of Ramalingam Temple

Pictures on the Way-1

2011-04-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

A view from the train while crossing the Pamban Bridge.

Crossing The Pamban Bridge

2011-04-06T08:52:00.001-07:00

Operational from 1914

After boarding the train from Madurai station, sleeping was the wisest option.

So, as the train started moving, I went into a deep sleep. Suddenly awakened by the appalling sound of the wheels, thundering over the railway track, I peeped out of the window to see what was wrong. And to my amazement, I saw that the train was crossing over a beautiful rail bridge named Pamban Bridge. It's a 2 km stretch across Palk Strait connecting Rameswaram.

(Visit My Maps)

Cape Of The Great Souls- Kanyakumari

2011-04-05T11:22:00.001-07:00

Take a walk of 20 minutes from the railway station, on a road heading towards the South. And you are welcomed by the most invigorating view of the confluence of the sea with spirituality.

My sagacity was lost with joy and salvaged in peace, such was the beauty of Kanyakumari. No wonder it was the favorite of all the saints. The seashore is flocked by people during the time of sunrise and sunset. The market is crammed with shoppers eagerly choosing among the artifacts and bargaining for discounts. A variety of attractive seashell paraphernalia can be seen in every shop. The best way to enjoy the sunset is to sit alone near a rock and feel the serenity of the three most turbulent seas uniting together in harmony. I call this place- Cape of The Great Souls.

Vivekanand Rock Memorial

Vivekanand Rock & Statue Of Thiruvalluvar

The memorial can only be reached by regular ferries (INR 40/ person). The ferry service is closed by 1600 hrs as the sea becomes rough in the evening. In the same vicinity, there is a hall called- Dhyan Mandapam. It gives the numinous experience of meditation. It is a dark room, echoing with the enchantment of the mystic word 'Ohm'. Tourists can sit here in silence and meditate. Opposite the Vivekanand Rock, there is another rock where a statue of the great Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar is situated. It is said that it was built in a style, similar to that of the Statue of Liberty.

Gandhi Mandapam

A view from Gandhi Mandapam

Before the final submersion, the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were last kept here for public viewing. The memorial provides a spectacular view of the horizon that embraces the sun in the lap of colorful waters.

I found the following inscription posted on a tile -

-By Mahatma Gandhi

The Wandering Monk

It is a museum based on Swami Vivekanand's journey across India as a wandering monk. He believed that traveling can be a way of salvation as a traveler remains away from worldly emotions and negative Karmas.

About Nagercoil - The city is 20 km from Kanyakumari and derives its name from Nagraj temple. Built-in Chinese style, the temple exudes sculptures of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.

Meeting the end- Cape Canorim

2011-04-04T02:04:00.001-07:00

I always wonder, how we struggle throughout our lives, making those endless, infinite, and invincible ends to meet. Little joys are viciously sacrificed for improbable aspirations. Walking on the roadside, people can be seen dwelling inside their slums. A small gesture of kindness is a blessing for them. Endorsed by the sign 'Anything helps', they are on their own quest of meeting the ends.

Now, on moving further on the same road, you are manifested with a white-washed, double storied house with dark-colored window panes. They may be the crème da la crème.Being self-sufficient, they will never ask for any help. For them, individuals are not worth asking, only multinational banks can suffice their desires. The car, house, and gadgets, everything is based on credit. The same mysterious case of the ends that never meet.

Whatever the world does, I found my own ways of meeting the end. I had reached the endpoint of the Indian Subcontinent- Cape Canorim (Kanyakumari). Reaching Kanyakumari just before the dawn, I could smell the green-blue sea in the air.

My train journey ended at Nagercoil and then I took a bus for Kanyakumari (20 km). There are plenty of attractions including- Vivekanand Rock Memorial, Gandhi Mandapam, Kumari Amman Temple, Kanyakumari Fort, and Sunset Point.

Enjoy the handicraft market with roadside medu vada and chai, all beside a potpourri of the refreshing Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay Of Bengal.

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Spicing up at Kochi

2011-03-27T01:25:00.003-07:00

I left my train at Ernakulum Junction (7 km from Kochi) and took an auto-rickshaw for Kochi. The road was busy in the morning as many people were rushing towards their office.

The city of Kochi, a major port of Kerela, is situated on the South Western Coast of India and was an important place for spice trade-inviting traders from all over the world.

I was happy to be at St. Francis Church because of my childhood admiration for Vasco da Gama. He was a Portugal explorer who led an expedition at the end of the 15th century that opened the sea route to India by way of the Cape of Good Hope. King John III sent him to India in 1524 as a Viceroy, but soon he died of illness. He was buried here first and later, his remains were taken back to Portugal in 1539. So, he sailed when alive and sailed back after death, what a great explorer and a fortunate traveler he was.

St. Francis Church

At a ten minutes walk from the church, various settlements of Chinese fishing net can be seen. Lucky ones can even spot Dolphins while standing near these nets. I spotted four of them for free, unlike Goa, where I paid INR 100 for a boat ride and could see none. The nearest ferry station to this place is the Fort Boat Jetty connecting Vypeen Island. A public ferry can be boarded for Ernakulum. Vehicular ferries are also available.

Formerly ruled by Dutch, the city has many attractions like Mattancherry and Dutch Palace. Though the palace is a delight for art and history lovers, to my observation, Indian tourists of general interest seem to be indifferent.

Kerela is a state, rich in beautiful beaches and serene backwaters. A tour of 8 to 10 days is an obligation for having a complete experience of the Malabar region.

Kochi is a city of business, unique attractions, and beautiful people. And now I had no cravings for heritage. Enough were churches and temples. So I went for a ferry ride from Main Boat Jetty and watched the sun sinking into the sea

(Beach of interest-Cherai Beach)

Wondering On a Wonder-Taj Mahal

2011-03-12T08:36:00.005-08:00

"For heaven's sake, my heart, keep secret your love,

and hide the secret from those you see

and you will have better fortune."

(By-Khalil Gibran)

I am in heaven and to my surprise, I am alive too.

Entering through the red main gate, a cordial relationship is developed with the Taj Mahal, the most beautiful and the greatest mausoleum on the face of the earth.

It is a white marble structure on a silent bank of river Yamuna. The charisma is matchless and it is said that the zenith of its candor will be invincible for ages to come.

I wonder, a sense of acceptance for a human being, is sometimes as counterproductive as is anger or jealousy. The quest to create a marvel matching the glory of the Taj has been dropped, rather it has been surrendered to the mystery behind its grandness.

The secret of its mystic beauty, is the fountainhead of various perplexities and manifestations of many unanswered questions-what made it so sacred and meticulous? was it the skills of the artisans??... or ego of an emperor or maybe a pure hearty intention of a noble being... reflecting love, sacrifice & divinity?

Monochromatic

I see it as a symbol of all elements-belief, power, religion, and above all an urge for expressing love. Its splendor will never be deciphered, for it holds the secret, for a better fortune.

Goa- Ethnic & Exotic

2011-03-06T03:52:00.003-08:00

Goa is divided into two districts-North Goa and South Goa. I got down at Madgaon station, took a bus for Old Goa (also known as Velha), and checked in my hotel.

The best way to make acquaintance with the state is to hire a bike or a scooter. It's an easy and exciting way of sightseeing. But, I choose a bicycle to do my bit in reducing carbon footprints. So, I rode like a wise man with winds in my hair and the Arabian Sea beside, unknown of the fact that the rear tire was on the verge of going flat and me about to be exhausted very soon. Therefore, I went back, paid some more bucks, and changed to a scooter.

Churches

My first visit was the Church-Basilica of Bom Jesus. A UNESCO World Heritage Site has piousness and history of its own. It has the body of Saint Francis Xavier, which is said to be very fresh and decays at a very slow rate. The body is opened for public viewing after every ten years. Another attraction is Se Cathedral, just opposite the facade of Basilica. I was eagerly looking forward to the ' Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception' , the same place in Panaji , where the movie ‘Josh’ was shot.

Basilica Of Bom Jesus

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Beaches

Foreign tourists can be seen flocking near beach shacks, especially 'the flower children'. Spending a day on Calangute or Colva is almost the same, rather the choice should be made between the crowded or silent ones (eg Varca beach). Wednesday Flea Market at Anjuna beach is a 'must visit' for buying spices and handicrafts.

A Silent Beach

A boat in the Arabian Sea

Life in Goa is amazing. Here, people know how to relax and live with comfort and ease. The beaches are doodles of fun, nature, culture, and people. Restaurants are busy, with a large number of orders pouring on their stewards and youngsters tossing between the choice of lager or draught.

Churches and forts narrate their own stories of the Portuguese era. Sea-facing Goan houses with red Manglorean tiles and the backdrop of green palm trees, make a unique blend of ethnicity and exoticism.

I ended my trip with a boat cruise on the river Mandovi, a crab fry, and a beer (INR 45).

What more to expect from life? Cheers!!

Mumbai-The Journey Begins

2011-03-03T22:41:00.002-08:00

Mumbai is a kaleidoscope, projecting vivid colors of life, culture, heritage, and business. I felt great that I was starting my journey from here.

The city has its own flavors of sorrow and happiness. It sometimes amazes you with its wealth and then takes you across slums and poverty. It welcomes everyone and discriminates not on the basis of caste or color, rather on efficiency and determination.

I wonder how fortunate was Charles II of England because this city was a part of the dowry when he married Catherine of Braganza (Portuguese). All this happened in 1661 and when was dowry prohibited in India? well, it was in 1961. So he gets a clean chit.

A variety of street food can be explored here, but the most interesting are- vada paw, misal paw, bhajia paw, egg paw, keema paw & the list is endless.

Equipped with an inbuilt Indian stomach, I have a special inclination towards 'thalis'. I draw my sustenance from them while traveling. After having a sumptuous Maharashtrian Thali, I wandered around the Fort area and took the opportunity to click some pictures near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus & Churchgate station.

CST (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

A view from Haji Ali

Decoding 'Churchgate Station' :

I had heard a lot about Churchgate station. When I reached this place, to my surprise, there was no Church & no gate either. The air of curiosity started choking me and I had no option left than to enquire about this conundrum. So the story goes this way-there was a fort named Fort St. George. It had a gate that opened towards Thomas Church. In the 18th century, this fort was demolished for improving sanitation facilities in Bombay. The station is situated near this place and that is how it gets its name-Churchgate. The area where the gate was situated, now there stands a beautiful heritage structure called Flora Fountain.'

Flora Fountain

CST (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Queen's Necklace(Marine Drive)

The day in Mumbai was great. I rambled around Gateway Of India and Leo Pold Cafe. I had dinner at an Iranian restaurant and met people from different communities-Bohra, Parsi, Jews & Catholics.

Later, I boarded the train for Goa, my next destination. The view on Konkan Railway-passing through the Western Ghats is too beautiful to miss. I would suggest to renunciate the luxury of the AC compartment if you really wish to enjoy the beauty. Trust me you won't regret in a sleeper class too.

The Idea

2011-03-02T06:10:00.002-08:00

Welcome to my new blog!

Bitten by the tourism bug, last few years went on wheels in outdoing traveling and wandering in the unknown. This blog is an effort to transcribe experiences and thoughts into HTML, for joining the fray and sharing. Its all about my travel, our daily life & more.

WAT