A Wonderful trip to Puri, Orissa

An Invigorating trip to Puri, Orissa

We wanted an unconventional Durga Puja retreat, so we decided to celebrate it with a trip to Puri, Orissa. We boarded the Howrah-Puri Express, for an overnight journey to our seaside destination.

When we arrived, in the morning it was sweltering & unbearably humid. Nevertheless, we set out to explore Lord Jagannath`s relatives` residence, in the evening. The temple was quite nice, and close at hand, was a Brahmachari Ashram. We visited a mini Buddhist Monastery, and the ambiance within it was serene. .

We dedicated the evenings to a seashore rendezvous. When you visit Puri, how can you overlook the seashore? The sea beckons all and sundry to get to know her, and intimately, too. Regardless of whether you know how to swim, or don’t( Like me)…..you must taste the salty water, to make your trip memorable.

On the next day, we visited the shrine of Lord Jagannath. The temple’s facade is exquisite, however as you visit the other temples, you will notice a pattern. This visit was eventful, to say the least. Crowds of jostling devotees made their way to this shrine and a mini stampede was on its way; however we managed to escape unscathed. The next stop was Sakhi Gopal, a small temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, which is amid Orissa`s oldest shrines.

We went to Raghurajpur which is a heritage crafts rural community inside Puri district, Orissa. We came across an artist who displayed some stunning examples of his work…on paper, silk and so forth. This person uses purely natural colors on his fabric, which makes his work more eye-catching!

There are lots of shops where you can get good and reasonably priced dress materials. Kotki is a kind of cotton fabric, renowned in Puri and Bhubaneshwar and you can acquire some excellent pieces, in the form of saris, dress materials, and even handkerchiefs…

The subsequent day entailed a visit to Bhubaneshwar. We passed Pipli, renowned for its applique work. Our first stop was Dhauli. The rock edicts bear witness to the ghastly war on Kalinga by the eminent Mauryan emperor Ashoka. This is where King Ashoka; sought refuge in Buddhism.

After Dhauli, we visited Khandagiri & Udayagiri, adjacent to Dhauli. The identical hills of Khandagiri & Udayagiri, is the site of a very old Jain monastery carved into a cave like structure in the hill. A few of the caves have exquisite carvings.

Nandankanan Sanctuary & Biological Park was next on our agenda. It is actually a Biological Park in a verdant landscape, where you can glimpse animals and birds in their natural habitat. A must visit feature of this park is the Lion Safari and White Tiger Safari, where you will get the opportunity to view lions and white tigers, in close proximity.

Our next destination was the eminent Sun Temple, Konark. This Temple is as the Black Pagoda, situated at Konark, in Orissa. By the time we returned, it was nighttime. En route to the hotel, we saw the beautiful Chandrabhaga Beach, which is located 3 Kms east of the well-known Sun temple of Konark. The waves literally splashed on the shoreline, and it was a sight for sore eyes.

Lake Chilka was the final destination. We went on a guided tour, via Odisha Tourism (Yes that is what Orissa is called, at present). This was also a memorable journey. By boat, we journeyed the Lake, which is amid the biggest saltwater lakes, globally. Moreover, it has countless Irrawaddy dolphins. We glimpsed a few dolphins, as well…

We visited an island named Rajhans….nothing momentous, though. It was just a deserted stretch, where people mainly halt, to unwind and to drink the refreshing coconut water, following a tiring journey.

This was a memorable trip for me, to Puri, Orissa. Apart from the shopping, there was a lot of enjoyment, and amusement as well. This trip will remain an unforgettable one for me, everlastingly.

Mystic & Tranquil Sikkim: An Unforgettable Journey

I went on a trip to Sikkim & Gangtok on the 2^nd of June. Our Journey was set in motion with the Darjeeling Mail. We experienced ultimate opulence as we traveled first class, for the first time. Chatting, eating, sharing memorable anecdotes along the way, it was a great feeling altogether.

It was an overnight journey, so we reached New Jalpaiguri on the next day. From there, we had to travel by car, to reach Gangtok, and this is a 4-5 hours journey. This was a bit grueling; nevertheless our first glimpse of Sikkim was enough to negate the journey’s stress.

We went sightseeing to view the scenic countryside, and Rumtek Monastery was our first stop. This monastery is a reflection of Sikkim in its calmness, tranquility and its religious conviction. The monks possess an inexorable religious belief, which seems to permeate your inner self. There is a Golden Stupa inside the Monastery which is a must-visit. The flowers outside the Monastery are amazing. I have never seen such massive flowers anywhere. Shanti View point enables you to view the picturesque beauty of Gangtok, at leisure. You can devour delicious veg momos, at Shanti Viewpoint.

The Chorten Monastery was next on our agenda. This is a smaller version of the Rumtek Monastery. Its white, pristine loveliness literally takes your breath away. To reach this monastery, there is a steep incline, which yet again takes your breath away. When we reached Chorten, the monks were engaged in some sort of a spiritual conversation and it was worth the climb, to view this sacrosanct place.

Our next stop was the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology. This is a Library which is adequately stored with uncommon books as well as manuscripts related with Mahayana Buddhism. This institute has a museum which exhibits Buddhist paintings, artifacts along with texts. This was the educational part of our trip.

The Flower Show was simply marvelous. There were gigantic flowers, and this was spread out over a huge area. I have never seen so many blooming flowers anywhere, though I have come across my fair share of blooming idiots.

We went to the Ropeway, in the evening. It was an interminable wait, as there was a big queue comprising people and their family unit. The wait was worth it, though The Ropeway offered a picturesque view of the mountains, and as we looked down, it seemed as if the houses and the cars on the roads were like miniature toys.

Our final destination was the Handicrafts Museum. This place exhibited the most amazing handicrafts, of Sikkim. This included durries, bright colored bags and wallets, as well as wall-hangings, and other interesting stuff.

This trip was a memorable one, especially as this was our first trip together….my husband, me & my mom & sis. We went during the rainy season, which is why we saw an unforgettable facet of Gangtok. The incessant rains during the nighttime, and the sunshine during the day, was an extraordinary experience altogether. There was a feeling of melancholy, as we could not explore Yumthang Valley and witness the incredible rhododendrons. On a more positive note, we can look forward to that on the next visit. This trip, in the meantime was simply incredible.

Pleasing People:

Leading a normal life is in itself a Herculean task, nevertheless if you are required to carry out additional duties, life becomes impossible.

This is an aspect we slowly comprehend throughout life. When we are young, our parents expect a lot from us. We are expected to be model citizens, and not say a word out of place or do anything which is not accepted by society. This is the same society which looks at us with a quiet disdain if we do not adhere to the norms which have been set by them. School is thus a rigorous lesson in discipline along with instruction.

We enjoy a little bit of freedom, in college. This is in fact the rebellious stage in our life. Watching movies, skipping lectures, oh that was an amazing time indeed. It is almost as if we are permitted to be in the secure cocoon, however the flip side is that we are completely unprepared for what follows. After we pass out from college, we are bewildered. Our parents, our peers as expected, have a lot of expectations from us. Do this, do that. Further studies, or else a job. Here too, we might have our own way. After that, it is an obligation to look after our parents however i am sure this is a responsibility which we accomplish willingly , without much prodding.

Till this stage, life is somewhat bearable. After marriage, what ensues is almost something we are unprepared for. Firstly, your husband expects a lot of things from you. What i cannot fathom is why expectations are simply one-sided? Why do we expect such a lot from people without investing any additional effort within the relationship ourselves? Do this, do that, follow these norms, don`t do this as people will frown on this sort of behavior. Why do we even bother to please people? Who are these people who constitute society? Just a group of nameless, faceless people. Who are they to tell us what is right and what is not?

I have always believed in doing what i think is right. Right from my college days to the days of my vocation at different BPO`s, i have followed my heart. I have probably not done the right thing at all times, but i can proudly state that have learned from my mistakes. Society will not come to your aid when you take a wrong decision, however they are more than willing to point an accusing finger at you, if you have done something which is not considered acceptable. Expectations is a cumbersome burden which threatens you like the sword of Damocles.

At the risk of sounding rebellious, i state that it is better to follow your heart. Do what you think is right and not what others tell you to. I am not saying that your parents, your spouse are ill-meaning people, however their advice is not always well-meaning. Do not act in haste, listen to people, however take your own decisions. Do not let people`s expectations force you to do something you would never ever have considered doing ordinarily. Life is short, live it the way you want to, not the way people want you to live it. Remember no matter how hard you try, you can never please people. So why try?

Spirituality:its inner meaning What do we mean by Spirituality? Is it a palpable feeling or an indistinct one? Is it manifested merely by worshiping numerous idols? The 33 crore god-goddesses, as Bengalis are prone to stating. Does this mean that an atheist who does not have any charitable feelings for idol worship is essentially not spiritual? To an extent spirituality is heightened by idol-worship on a daily basis. This process invokes an innate feeling of divinity within us. We are prone to spirituality when we worship the idol as a representative of the intangible presence which controls the Universe. Is spirituality about worship or is it a far deeper aspect? Is it in the form of transcendentalism? Meditation? Will this bring us a step closer to realizing the real meaning of life?

We cannot deny the fact that spirituality assists in realizing our true worth as an individual. Can we not realize it, to an extent when we are immersed deep, in meditation? Is it possible to meditate to an extent that we lose consciosuness of our real self? How did the sages, and great men achieve this? Is transcendentalism possible, or is it just an impracticable aspect we read about, in books?

These are questions which will, in all probability remain unanswered. When we talk of spirituality, it is just the innate divinity of a person. Varied people worship diverse gods & goddesses. They chant hymns, perform rituals to appease their inner self and the gods in question. Spirituality is your inner perspective, your innate belief. This is what separates ordinary, god-worshipping mortals from the agnostics and the atheists. This is my opinion.