Sarnath - Land of Ruins And Modern Buddhist Temples

It was  2 PM when  we rushed to Sarnath after a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Our plan was to reach back before 5'o clock for a boat ride in the Ganges.  But Sarnath, one of the four major pilgrimage destinations for Buddhists, had lots of surprises in store. Situated just 10 km from Varanasi, Sarnath is one of the most revered Buddhist pilgrimage centers.

WAT THAI SARNATH TEMPLE

This Buddhist temple is built in Thai style. Since there was less crowd at the museum, we wandered freely, gazing at the Buddha temple, Buddha statue and the well maintained garden.

Wat Thai Sarnath Temple, Sarnath  

The golden statue of  Lord Buddha  is indeed very beautiful.

As the sun began  its downward descent,  the side view of the  brown-colored  temple building was simply amazing.

Side view of Buddha temple, Sarnath

THE GIANT BUDDHA

A 80 ft.high Buddha Statue is located near to the temple. It is considered as the tallest standing Buddha statue in India.

Buddha Statue. Sarnath

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

We left the temple premises and walked towards the archaeological museum. It consists of  five galleries and two Varandahs. It has various ancient objects from the Buddhist arts, images of Hindu Gods  etc. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum.  Entry time is restricted between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm  and it is open on all days except Friday.

Archaeological Museum

EXCAVATED SITE

The excavation site of Sarnath has an impressive collection of monasteries, stupas, temples, inscriptions, sculptures and other antiquities ranging in date from 3rd century B.C. to 12th century A.D.  These sites are now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India

DHARMARAJIKA STUPA

This structure is said to be one of the few pre-Ashoka stupas remaining. It is a large circular base made of bricks. This base has some layers of bricks and the upper surface is completely flat.

Monks pay their respects at Dharmarajika Stupa

DHAMEK STUPA

Of  the structures, Dhamek Stupa, a well - preserved archaeological blue print of  Buddhist structures in India, is the highlight.  The Stupa is 28.5 meters in diameter at the base and 42.60 meters in height, built partly of stone and partly of brick. According to an instruction dated 1026 A.D. recovered from the site, its old name was Dharma Chakra Stupa. This is the place where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon. In search of the relic casket, Alexander Cunnigham bored a vertical shaft through its center down to the foundation level and at a depth of 91.4 cms, He found a slab with the inscription "Ye Dharma Hetu Prabhava hetu...." written in the brahmi script of 6th-7th century AD. Further below, he traced out a stupa made of Mauryan bricks.

Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath

The lower part of the  wall is covered with beautiful geometric designs, Swastika, leaf and floral patterns combined with birds and human figures.

There is a sign-board clearly requesting the tourists not to stick the golden foils on the walls of these ruins. We found gold pasted on the lower part of the stupa.

VOTIVE STUPAS

There are many ruins of small stupas, Buddha Vihars and a small temple in this escavated site. These small stupas are known as votive stupas.

Remnant of Votive Stupas and Viahrs

The great Dhamekh Stupa and several other structures stand testimony to the importance of the place enjoyed at that time. A must visit place, when you are in Varanasi.

Read More

Varanasi

Just after a week in Kanpur on an official visit, I managed to make my first visit to Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India ! It was unplanned and it just happened !! After a night long journey, we reached Lahartara in Varanasi at around 5 AM. Fortunately, we got an autorickshaw and we asked the driver to drop us at any one of the hotels near the temple. Since our visit was on the very next day of 'Dev Deepavali' which is a famous festival of Benaras, all hotels were occupied. But finally, after much search, we could manage to get a room near Shivala ghat.

By 6 AM, I was in the Ghats ( steps down in to the Ganga river) and Galis ( narrow alleys)  of Varanasi. There I was in Varanasi -  the City of Lights , also known by the name of Kashi and Banaras. This is the place where River Varuna and Asi merges with the Ganges. Hence Varun-asi or Varanasi. It is situated along the west bank of the holy Ganga River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. Wandering through the Galis of this 3000 years old city offers photographers and  travellers a unique opportunity to understand the soul of India.

VARANASI GHATS

Ghats are the signature in this holy city and all Galis  and roads  lead to the Ganges. Situated along the banks of the holy river Ganges, there are around 85 Ghat's in Varanasi. Each of the Ghats has a different name, history and importance. Walking along the Ghats will make you feel relaxed, especially during winter. And you can experience the local life as well.

The banks of the Ganges is beautiful in the early morning when  morning prayers and rituals begin. Ancient buildings overlooking the Ganges glowing in the crisp early light is certainly a sight to behold. Boats were resting at the tip of the Ghat. 

HOLY BATH IN GANGES

As the first rays of  the Sun shine on the waters of Ganga, devotees take their holy dip before starting the day.  In this holy city of India,  bathing in the ghats is a major  attraction.  It is believed that a ritual bath in Ganges or a holy dip would  wash away a lifetime of sins. I had  a holy dip too and it was a heavenly feel of blessings.

This is the best time to photograph the city. But there is little time for this, as I had to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple. 

KASHI VISWANTH TEMPLE

It was around 8'o clock in the morning . As we ventured into  the streets of Varanasi, shops were still to be opened. As camera, mobiles and eateries are not allowed inside the temple, we had to keep all our belongings in our hotel room. Had dosa from road side eateries and we moved towards Gate No.2 of Vishwanath temple or Golden temple which is dedicated to Lord Vishveswara- Lord Shiva who is the  Lord of the Universe. It is one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India.  There was a long queue through the narrow walk way with shops and houses all around. Shops were selling pooja items and Banaras sarees .  Chants of  ‘Har-Har Mahadev‘ reverberated through the air.  The temple complex is spacious and it houses a small Shivalingam - Tryambaka. After having darshan of the Lord of Lords, I came out of the temple with blessings of the  Supreme Lord. It was a long queue for almost 5 hours, but worth the visit.  A trip to Varanasi  is incomplete without a visit to this temple.

KASHI VISHALAKSHI TEMPLE

There are many small temples around the main temple. We decided to visit the Vishalakshi Temple or Vishalakshi Gauri Temple which is  dedicated to  Goddess Vishalakshi  and is very near to Gate No.2. It is generally regarded as a Shakti Pitha, the most sacred temples dedicated to the Hindu Divine Mother. 

SHOPPING AND FOOD

The narrow lanes were laced with old houses, temples, shops selling sweets and Banarasi silk sarees, food stalls and pan shops. The streets are crowded with stray cows, dogs and cycle rickshaws. You can taste crispy kachoris, paans, lassi,  chaats and piping hot samosas.

BOAT RIDE ALONG THE GHATS

A boat ride through the Ganges is the best way to see the ghats. You can select morning or evening ride depending  upon  your choice. In the evening you can have a good view of  Ganga aarti at Dashaswamedh ghat from the boat.

Boats assembled at Dashaswamedh ghat for evening Ganga aarti

EVENING GANGA AARTI AT  DASASWAMEDH GHAT

The evening arati at Dashaswamedh ghat is an experience which cannot be expressed in words. Everyday this aarti ceremony starts at 6.45 in the evening and  continues for 45 minutes. Divinely inspired  music and Ganga aarti fill our hearts and you can sit and watch  the priests performing the aarti.  This is one of the most memorable moments in Varanasi.

You can also release a small leaf boat into the Ganges with flowers and a small lamp in it.  It is believed that the boat carries your hopes and prayers to the Gods.

Offering of lights to the Ganges.

Varanasi is  magical in every sense of the word.  A place where the whole concept of life, death and rebirth offers a new meaning, a new definition !! A place where the mind connects with the soul !!

 After having dinner from a nearby hotel ,  we started our  return journey after a  spiritually fulfilling and rejuvenating experience. One should visit this place at least once in their lifetime. 

Read More

Mountain Getaway : Meghamalai

Meghamalai  is located in the Western Ghats in Theni zone, the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is situated at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level.

At 5.30 am,  our party of 26 boarded the van from Kochi. When each one of us boarded from different locations, we exchanged quiet good-mornings and set off through the darkness. Our route was,  Kochi - Idukki - Kumily - Cumbum - Chinnamanur - Megamalai

After breakfast at Neriamangalam and frequent halts, we crossed Kumily check post by noon. Unplanned stops are always a pleasure especially when you are travelling through high ranges. From Cumbum onwards, we passed through paddy fields, Coconut and grape plantations. Meghamalai mountain range can be approached in two ways - via Chinnamanur and from Andipatti via Kandamanayakkanur.  Our route was via Chinnamannur which is more scenic. We took a right turn from Chinnamannur town and along the outskirts of Chinnamannur town, the road was surrounded by towering hillocks which is the reserve forest area.

Meghamalai is not a famous travel spot among the tourists. After crossing Chinnamannur check post, we were greeted by ghat road. We were negotiating with dozens of sharp hairpin bends.

 
You can see traces of Cinnamannur village on the other side. There were view points at some places and the views kept getting better as we went higher.

Just before reaching Meghamalai, the tea estates greeted us with a greenish grin. The ride ended near a temple surrounded by tea estates. Most of the 6000 acres of tea plantation in Meghamalai is owned by the private tea planters. It’s so hard to spot any restaurants or hotels in this place.

And we started walking towards our base camp. As I made  my way through the tea-carpeted hills of Meghamalai,  I found workers going back to their home after a busy day.

Since Meghamalai is part of Western Ghats, this place resembles Ooty or Munnar because of its cool and misty mountain ranges.  First few minutes of our walk was through tea estates. The neat tea-lined valleys and a walk through the plantations that shaped Meghamalai make for a tasteful break.

Then we made our way through the forest with steep hiking. Every trial offers a fresh adventure whether it is through forest or plantations.

After half an hour walk through tea estates and forest,  we reached the base camp at around 4 pm. Our base camp was set up on a ridge looking out at the valley but clouds had gathered,  obscuring views of the valley. Simple vegetarian lunch was waiting for us.

Our actual plan was a two hour nature walk but we skipped our plan as we were already late. After resting for some time, we were busy with tent setting  and food preparation. Chicken was highly featured in the dinner. The whether was cool and there was heavy storm and mist in the area.

DAY 2

When I stepped out of my tent at dawn,  I saw the surrounding stripped of cloud cover followed by heavy wind.

After a quick breakfast of Upma, we set off.  Our destination was 'Varayadu Motta' which is famous for the presence of Nilgiri Tahr.  'Motta' means barren hills. There are five 'Mottas' in this region. There are many routes to reach the 'Varayadu Motta'. But we took the longest route through a combination of plantations, thick forest and open meadows.

After crossing the forest area, we entered the beautiful tea estate. You will be mesmerized with views of the deep valley and the forest-covered hillsides.

When you go higher, you will get a good view of the surrounding valleys and views of small towns and villages surrounded by mountains.  It took us a little around three hours to reach the first hill top, through mostly flat terrain, making plenty of stops to admire the flora and fauna along the way.

There were plenty of ascents and descents that varied through tea estates, coffee plantations and thick forests.

Since the area is a reserved forest area, which always means that there is the possibility of sighting animals like elephants, Indian gaur, deer etc. We were in a constant lookout for animals, but had no luck. We found elephant dung on the way. Beware of leeches as  we ended up with few leech bites inside the forest.

And we climbed  the hill.  It was such a peaceful place with virgin mountains.  Then the trek towards the peak where clouds covered the mountains begins. And we walked down through narrow edges towards the hill. Heavy wind was blowing and we tried to balance our self while walking through the edges.

We were in the middle of no where.  From this point, you will get a panoramic view of the mountains around for its sloping terrain. The plan was to walk till the end of the hill. Wind was blowing heavily and all of us were  trying to balance and some of us even sat down. My legs were shivering. We sat at the edge of the valley. Without taking further risk, we decided to return.

Returned to the base camp at around 2 pm. After lunch and rest for some time, we started our return journey.  Enroute, just  before reaching the check post, we had a pit stop for tea and snacks. After descending the ghat road and another ascending ghat road till Kumily, we stopped at Kumily town for dinner. From Kumily to Kochi, we retraced the route that  me and my wife had visited two weeks back on our vacation to Thekkady.

Prior permission is an absolute must to visit Meghamalai. Since this is a reserved forest area,  you must reach the check-post at least before 6 PM.

Read More

Road trip : From Kochi to Thekkady & Vagamon

It was a long weekend due to Dussehra and Gandhi Jayanti and I was planning  a family trip to some place in North India which I have not  visited so far.  But a different plan awaited me and  I found myself enjoying a road trip to Thekkady with my wife. And we drove from Kochi on the State and National Highway, past hills, valleys, tea estates, and water falls.

Thekkady, situated near Kerala - Tamil Nadu border, in the Indian state of Kerala is  popular for the Periyar Tiger Reserve and spice plantations.

DAY 1

The journey began from our home in Kochi to Thekkady. Started our drive early in the morning when the roads are empty. As we were  driving long distance, we stored plenty of water and snacks.

Our route was Kochi - Thripoonithura - Pala - Mundakayam - Kuttikanam - Peerumedu  -  Vandiperiyar - Thekkady

When you start driving, you will realize that it is not the destination that is important but the journey. From Pala the route was excellent through NH 183 and after Mundakayam the ghat road started. The drive from  Mundakayam takes you through the lush green countryside, with mountains and valleys lining the narrow, single-lane highway.

Thekkady is one of the most popular tourist spots. However, most people don't realise that on the way up to Thekkady there are few hidden gems for the tourists.

PANCHALIMEDU TOURIST DESTINATION

Take deviation from NH183 at Murinjapuzha junction to reach Panchalimedu. The road is narrow and full of curves.  Once you reach the place, you can see small hills with crosses placed by missionaries all over. You can easily climb the hills and from the top you can admire the beauty of the valley.

Admired the breath taking view of the valley from the cliff as the grey blue monsoon clouds set in and enjoyed the cool, gentle breeze. The clouds were gracious enough to let the sun beams partially illuminate a patch of the hills in the valley.

It is believed that  the Pancha Pandavas spent their years of exile in the forests of Panchalimedu and Draupadi - wife of Pandava's made a temple of Goddess Durga.

The Panchalikulam (the pond of Panchali), where Panchali is believed to have taken a bath is one of the major attractions of this location.

Panchalikulam, Panchalimedu

From Panchalimedu, we drove through the ghat road by enjoying lush green surroundings.

VALANJANKANAM WATERFALLS

There is an attractive water fall known as Valanjaganam water falls placed  between Panchalimedu and Vandiperiyar, beside NH 183.

Valanjaganam water falls

PARUNTHUMPARA

Drive up the hill, and turn right from Kallar junction, you  will reach Parunthumpara after 3 kms ride. At Parunthumpara, which is almost on a cliff, the scene cheers up.

Parunthumpara view point

The main attractions of Parunthumpara are Suicide Point and 'Tagore Head' which is named after the great Indian Poet  Sri Rabindranath Tagore.

Tagore head at Parunthumpara

It is an exhilarating feeling standing there, taking in the view of the vast valley and Sabarimala forests painted in myriad shades of blue and green.

VANDIPERIYAR

The last leg of this journey towards Thekkady was through Vandiperiyar with sprawling tea-estates. You can watch lots of local tea factories on the way. The Periyar River flows through this town enriching the plantations.

KUMILY - THEKKADY

Thekkady serves as the entry point to the renowned Periyar Wildlife Reserve which is 4 kms from Kumily.  Kumily is a small city as such but serves the basic requirements of stay. There are good restaurants, home stays and  hotels to cater to all your needs.

We had booked our stay in a hotel in Thekkady Junction. After lunch and rest for some time in our hotel, we walk down to the streets of Kumily.  Apart from spices, you will also get homemade chocolates and condiments.

DAY 2

BOATING THROUGH PERIYAR LAKE

Boating through Periyar lake is the most popular activity you can enjoy in Thekkady.  I reached the Tourism Police Information Centre  at around 5.45 am. Entry pass is Rs.53 per person plus Rs.38 if you are carrying a still camera. Then a 4 km ride in the bus from the ticket counter to the boating centre. You need to be in the  queue at the boating centre to get the ticket for boating. Boating fee is Rs.225 per head and a maximum of 340 persons can travel in one slot.

Boating Time : 07.30, 09.30, 11.15, 13.45 and 15.30 hrs.

Boating centre, Periyar Tiger Reserve

There are a lot of guided tours which are organized from this place into the wildlife reserve. You can choose Nature walk, jungle camp or Bamboo Rafting. You can also have guided spice tours where one gets to see spices like pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg etc.

We left Thekkady before noon. Instead of going back through the same route, we decided to cover Vagamon in this trip.

Our route was Thekkady - VandiPeriyar - Peermade - Elappara - Vagamon

VAGAMON

The drive through the tea estates started from Elappara. Elappara literally means “Cardamom rock”, named  after the spice grown here.  It was an amazing drive through zig zag roller coaster ride and we were treated to uninterrupted views of verdant green tea gardens on both sides.

PARAGLINDING VIEW POINT

You can visit the view point by taking entry ticket. Vehicles will go upto only 500 meters away from the view point. You need to climb the hill to get the view of Vagamon meadows.

Paragliding view point, Vagamon

We stopped at many tourist spots like Vagamon Orchidarium & Floriculture Project by KFDC, Pine valley and  Barren Hills ( Motta Kunnu in Malayalam language).

After having lunch on the way, we were back on the road. From Vagamon we drove to Kochi through Moolamattom- Thodupuzha route. The road to Moolamattom  passed through steep and curved hill slopes. Traveling by the hill road in this section is an exhilarating experience with deep valleys and magnificent views all around. It is little bit dangerous with steep curves  and you need to make sure that you vehicle is in perfect condition before driving through this route.

ELAPALLY WATER FALLS

The Elappally Falls is situated before reaching Moolamattom. It  originates in the upper reaches of the Western Ghats.

Elapally water falls

From Moolamatton the road was excellent till Thodupuzha. And I stopped my car for a tea which was enough for me to recharge and take a further drive to Kochi which marked the last leg of this road trip. The joy of riding your own car through vast green expanses is unmatched.

Read More

Mankayam-Ponmudi Trek, Kerala

At 8.00 a.m, our party of 19 boarded the Van from Thiruvananthapuram. After breakfast at Palode, we reached Mankayam at around 11 a.m. The journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Mankayam took around 3 hours.

Mankayam is situated near Palode in Nedumangad Taluk, Thiruvananthapuram district, in the Indian state of Kerala. Mankayam ecotourism, managed by the State Forest Department  conducts various activities for the visitors. Visitors can go to nearby picturesque spots and can also go for trekking. You can choose a half day or a full day trek .

Mankayam is a reserved place, with houses and a couple of shops. Not much happens here and this is precisely its charm. Our accommodation was arranged in Ponmudi Valley Resort. The resort where we stayed is a mix of modern and ancient huts. It has all basic facilities like A/c room, kitchen, open dining hall etc. The highlight of the resort was the Mankayam river  flowing just  beside .

And I walked around the resort watching the beautiful lawns and the garden. Rubber and coconut trees sentry in to the courtyard .

MANKAYAM TO AYAMPARA - AYIRAVALLIPARA TREK

Our first activity in the chart was trek to Ayampara. Dropped our luggage inside the room and carried our packed lunch and valuables in a small bag. Mankayam check post was the starting point of the trek. First few minutes trek was through plantations. The numerous farms flourished with acacia trees. There were around 15 streams to cross on this route.

And again a vast area of acacia tress. The path is less demanding with a usually chilled climate.

Spotted one hidden waterfall in the forest.   I could see the gushing water falling powerfully a few feet away from me.

There were small and large waterfalls. These waterfalls are perfect for nature lovers.  We took some aerial pictures of the breath-taking waterfalls while walking through the  height.

It was around 1 pm when we reached  a big waterfall. A less visited place, the waterfalls are surrounded by impressive greenery and rocks. The pathways are slippery but the view is  worth the risk. We bathed in the cold waters, had our packed lunch, relaxed for sometime by watching and listening to the crystal clear water falling from the top.

As there were numerous streams to cross, I took the advantage of getting refreshed by walking through the flowing water, enough to get recharged for sometime.

Continued our trek to a view point. In many place trek path was filled with flowing water and we walked through the slippery patches.

The forest area is rich in flora and fauna and various medicinal plants. I was lucky enough to spot and photograph a spider in nature green background.

The forest area is home to elephants and an elephant family just passed through a distance. So, we changed our route to Ayiravallipara view point. Soon we reached the view point that offered a breathtaking view of the surroundings - valleys and mountains.

It was around 5 p.m, we reached back to the resort. Strolling through the village in the evening, watching village life, beautiful surroundings, tasting black tea from a small tea stall and a bath in the Mankayam river made me feel relaxed. It was late evening by the time we came back to the resort, had group discussions and dinner .

DAY 2

BRAEMORE TO PONMUDI TREK

It rained all through the night and into the morning. After having breakfast, we vacated the resort. Put our luggage and packed lunch in the Van and we travelled to Braemore estate. Spread around 900 acres of tea, rubber, coffee and spices, Braemore estate is a privately maintained estate, which is just 8 kms from Mankayam.

We started our trek from the entrance of the Braemore estate at around 9 a.m.  The initial stretch itself was a difficult climb through the plantations.  Climbing immediately after a heavy breakfast wasn’t a bright idea. Luckily after the initial climb, the terrain alternated between steep climb and a Jeep road. It was a rainy day which did not dampen our spirits.

We had a pit stop in an open area where some film shooting had taken place last week. We could see remains of  small bamboo huts, temple and a well.

After a few minutes trek through the plantation area, we entered  the deep forest area. I took in the fresh air and listened for a different kind of music. We were walking through the mud jeep road path. There were plenty of plain brown leeches and they sat inert on leaves angling for passers by.

We had  frequent halts to remove leeches from our body by applying salt. The trek path suddenly curves and opens up to an open area where we found one ancient temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The front side of the temple is a rivulet. Since the day was the first of the Malayalam month, we saw a lot of people visiting the temple and they reached the temple by jeep.

Then the trek goes through the old horse route to Braemore estates,which was used  by the Britishers. Rain and mist completely washed away our chances to take any photograph. Although it was constantly drizzling, we still enjoyed ourselves.

Soon we reached the Ponmudi road where a board 'Varayadu Motta' welcomed us. 'Varayadu Motta' is a mountain where famous Nilgiri Tahr is visible. When you trek to this mountain from Ponmudi, you have to go down from this point till Braemore estate through the same route we trekked so far and change your direction to 'Varayadu Motta'.

We could see the Ponmudi road ahead of us and the tourists going to the top by car. Then 2 kms walk through the tar road to KTDC cafeteria.

It was around 2 pm we reached the Cafeteria that marked the end of the trek to Ponmudi. By that time our van had already reached with our packed lunch.

BISON VALLEY TREK

Our next activity was a trek to Bison valley. By 3 p.m  we started our trek by entering into the shola forest of the eastern slope. The surrounding place was filled by mist and we could not see anything. Enroute we passed through Sita theertham which is a small rivulet originating from the sides of a rock. We were walking through rocky patches and grass lands and we were on the constant lookout for Indian gaur, wild dogs, bear and elephants. But with no luck.

By around 5 p.m we reached back to the KTDC cafeteria that marked the end of our two days trek.
All of us were fed up with leech bites and we spent around half an hour  removing the leeches from our body. Had tea and snacks from the cafeteria and started our return journey to Thiruvananthapuram.

A day which actually witnessed a heavy rain in the State, with flooded roads and which infact saw most of them indoors during the day, had a few of us trekking through the forest and waterfalls, braving the rains and the heavy downpour ....However , it was fun all the way. Afterall, what is life without a little fun !!!

Read More