Blinded for Simian Reasons: The Challenge of Seeing God

A Happy New year to Everybody!

I hope that everyone had a great start to this new year. I know that I did and so did Arsenal FC as they defeated Newcastle on January 2. Football rantings apart, the year has been good so far (4 days and counting) and I hope the next 362 are just as good.

Rewinding by a few days (or shall I say to last year), I had the opportunity to visit one of the holiest places for Hindus - the land that is renowned for Krishna leela - Vrindavan.

Our first stop - The ISCKON Temple

A nice and neatly built marble structure, this temple is a refuge for all those who seek calm from the deafening din outside in the bylanes of Vrindavan and the world in general. It has a calming effect on the mind and one can sit for long listening to the melodious devotional hymns of the bhakts. We spent some time seated listening to these wonderful tunes.

At ISCKON Temple (I have my spectacles here)

The second stop - The Bankey Bihari Temple

The area takes you back a few centuries as you traverse through narrow zig-zag lanes to reach the Bankey Bihari Temple. It seems caught between the ancient and the modern with sadhus quietly lounging on one side and e-rickshaws trying to navigate the squeeze through on the other. The throngs of devotees are scary and only a brave heart can hope to navigate the crowd to get to the statue of the deity. We were not so fortunate and had to rely on long distance worship as the crowd at that particular hour was an impregnable wall of bodies and so we paid our respects from our own particular vantage point.

The third leg - NidhiVan

This van i.e. forest holds 16,000 pairs of Vanatulsi trees, wherein each member of the pair is intertwined with the other. Legend holds that Lord Krishna appears  along with Radha and gopis after sundown and the forest witnesses Krishna Leelas each night. No mortal being - human or animal remains on the premises after the evening aarti and those who have are either driven mad by the divine proceedings that they see or die. The priest also places two items each of daily use after evening aarti before leaving and these are found as if used in the morning. We even danced for a bit here by holding hands and going in circles and yes laughed a lot during the entire walk(you are supposed to laugh here). This was probably the best leg of the entire trip complete with a legend that coaxed one's curiosity. I would definitely dare to spend a night here.

At Nidhi van (No glasses!)

The final stop- Nandgaon Temple

This temple is adjacent to a tree on which Lord Krishna is said to have played his flute on (I should have taken my flute to Vrindavan!) . What struck me as being relatively off was the 'donation scheme' for the temple. Donations though subject to the wishes of the devotee, in technical terms, were quite different here (subject to subtle coercion). The priest only accepted denominations of 365, 665 and higher! Moreover, when 400 were given, the person taking donations refused to return the 35. So much for worship and service.

Thus, ended half a day long stay at Vrindavan, the place where Lord Krishna is said to have spent his childhood. The naughty Krishna that is identified as being the makhan-chor is the one identified with this place and so is the Krishna who fought the huge multi-headed serpent in the depths of the Yamuna. 

Coming to the title, before I end, while the land boasts of being the home of Lord Krishna, the trees and buildings are definitely the abode of monkeys. These sly creatures are a pain for tourists and we were warned to take off our spectacles before proceeding with the journey. I did and spent the best part of my time trying to figure out what I was actually seeing in the distance relying mostly on the inner eye (for divine sight). Throwing all courtesy out the window, I frequently nudged the person beside me to tell me what we were actually seeing or whom were we worshipping! It was only when I got into the car towards the end that I was able to put on my spectacles. So yes, seeing God definitely proved to be a challenge for me at Vrindavan!

What we missed: Prem Mandir, Govardhan Parvat and 1-2 more places scattered in and around Vrindavan. I hope I complete them during my next visit with glasses or at the very least contact lenses on.

The Day I Walked Out on Everything - My First Solo Backpacking Adventure!

Plagued by a persistent itch to getaway from everything normal and mundane, I decided to step out and lose myself in the beautiful vales of Himachal. Even though my search for a companion yielded no results from all quarters, my ambition had already taken shape. I set off for this adventure all alone. This, I believe, was one of the best decisions I had taken in a very long time. After a quick post-exam celebration, I packed my bag (it was a borrowed one, actually!) and rushed to the Kashmiri Gate ISBT.

Delhi-Kasol

The first leg of my journey was a 13-hour bus ride to Bhunter. There isn't much to expect from this stage of my trip. I was asleep for a major part only waking at the two short stops we made for meals and snacks. One thing that struck me immediately in the hills of Himachal was the utter lack of good food in the road-side dhabas. Kumaon has a clear advantage over Himachal in this respect. Try the pahadi raita with chana and pakodas in Uttarakhand, this violent combination creates a sensation that leaves you yearning for more. 

Back to Himachal now. The bus dropped me off in Bhunter and after a quick homely meal in a small restaurant, I boarded a bus for Kasol. It is nearly 30 kms from Bhunter which means a one and a half hour ride in the hills. The road follows the curves of the river and is not in a very good condition. Yet, the scenery created an expectation of better things to follow in the immediate future.

Kasol - Manikaran

The first thing that strikes you when you get down at Kasol is the crowd! All around you, people with backpacks, some Indians, a lot more foreign travelers ( a vast majority hailing from Israel) milling around with an acute sense of wanderlust prevailing in the air. The excitement that accompanies it is visible in the crowd, in their motions and their gestures. Within minutes I was discussing the trek to Khirganga with a couple from Israel. They intended to make it there by nightfall. I on the other hand, had different plans. My first task was to secure cheap accommodation, which I did after some serious haggling (emotional jabs mostly!) and was able to get a decent room for INR 350 a night (pretty good bargain right?). 

View From My Room (Neat, right?)

The bus ride had left me tired, so I decided to take a nap before exploring Kasol and the neighborhood. My first excursion was a leisurely stroll to Manikaran which is 4 kms away. Manikaran has a Gurudwara with hot spring water to take a dip in. I took a detour  to the river bank halfway to my destination. The river, still in its youthful stage, gushed violently past not caring for anything that lay in between creating a picturesque scene that is mesmerizing for the beholder.The Gurudwara is approached over a bridge, below which the river churned over rocks creating scary rapids. The hot water bath in the Gurudwara is another unique addition. The steam rising from the surface of the water betrayed its temperature and true to its appearance, the water was extremely hot! 

Enroute to Manikaran

At Manikaran Gurudwara, Notice the steam rising up from the discharged hot water

The heavens shortened my stay at Manikaran as dark clouds began rolling in slyly from behind the tall peaks. A strong breeze followed by a short but heavy shower made me take shelter first, beneath an overhanging bush and later in a man-made establishment.

Shelter during the drizzle! (Later on it it turned to heavy rain and I had to seek shelter elsewhere)

It was seven by the time I returned, giving me ample time to explore Kasol. Tea and view of the snow capped Himalayan peaks left me fresh. After several introductory conversations with various travelers and an occasional talk with the local folk, I decided to have dinner at a place recommended by a friend - Stone Garden Cafe. It wasn't something great, rather an okay-ish establishment.Dessert from the German Bakery made up for this ordinary experience as I sampled at least 3-4 of the wares on display. It is a must try for everyone who visits Kasol. A short after-dinner stroll and I was ready to call it a night around half past eleven.

Kasol-Barshaini-Kheerganga

Up early the next morning, yet I was only able to get the 9:30 bus to Barshaini. This village is an hour's ride from Kasol. The bus frequency is quite low, with the first one coming two hours before and hence this bus was crowded. I jostled for space in the aisle with a bunch of school kids and a cage with two baby-goats. The bus emptied in Manikaran and I was able to secure a seat for the reminder of the journey. 

At Barshaini, I had my brunch in a small restaurant run by two ladies who happened to cook the most delicious of meals (another recommendation). After having my fill, I proceeded to gather directions for the trek from another restaurant owner nearby. His map and a graphic description of the wonders of Kheerganga only added to my curiosity and anticipation. (He described a lot more in context with the 'wonders of the Kheerganga valley'!)

Tasty and amazing!

The hand drawn map to Kheerganga (N is Nakthan, RN is Rudranag, PD is Pulga Dam)

The trek to Kheerganga would be a 11 km long one . I sighted plenty of travelers heading in the direction of the trail and chanced to ask a group of three whether they were heading for Kheerganga. After the first few introductions, we headed off together along the trail becoming good friends in the process.

The trek begins!

Markers are available all along the route (8 kms to go!)

The trek follows a beautiful trail with sights of small waterfalls, snow capped peaks and green slopes all around. The first leg of the trek is from Barshaini to a village called Nakthan. From Nakthan, we head toward Rudranag. Here the water scoops upwards in a small cup in the rock and subsequently falls as a projectile. It is a place of worship and the last bit where the easy walk ends. The next five kilometres were the most grueling ones with an uphill trek. We ended up going round robin on the backpack with the tent. (My companions were carrying a tent and I had agreed to camp with them!) . The path is marked with several small streams rushing down from the snow melt. The cold water left us gasping when we accidentally submerged our feet (shoes and socks) while crossing one. We stopped on a number of occasions and were only able to complete the trek in 4.5 hours! (The locals say that they do it in 3!)

The beautiful hillsides

The snowcapped peaks

Rudranag

The feeling of accomplishment at the end of the trek was dwarfed by the beauty of the Kheerganga meadow. Lying in an oval -shaped valley between mighty peaks, this meadow was a lush green setting dotted with rocks and a small human settlement. After a visit to the temple at the top, our first task was to setup the tent, which we did in quick time (And in this process I learned how a tent is assembled!) . Following the completion of the above, we rushed to take a dip in the hot spring pool to ease the tiredness of the journey. As we sat in the hot water pool, the cool breeze played a good companion to the heat from the water and this combination was refreshing.

On reaching Kheerganga! The smile cannot convey the feeling!

The hot water spring pool!

Following this, I spent some precious moments of solitude (numbering some 90 minutes!) just taking in the breathtaking scenery around me. From my vantage point, I also had the opportunity to interact with a variety of other people who were headed to and fro from a gathering a 1.5 hour trek away. (I gave it a miss owing to the tiredness that had set in now). By now the sun had almost completed its southward journey. The multitudes of colors on display that came with the setting sun were a bonus. As night crept in, the temperatures dropped. We built a fire (after prolonged efforts) and I had to don warm clothes, lest the cold troubled my sinuses again. Swapping stories (And stuff!) around the fire was fun! A less than palatable dinner in the small shacks (restaurants!) was a dampener for the spirits but what followed afterwards cannot be explained in words.

Enjoying these moments of solitude!

As we lay around the fire looking upwards at the heavens, we were taken by surprise by the night sky on display. It was a new moon night and the entire sky was dotted with stars sparkling small and bright. The valley seemed entombed in a beautiful shroud of twinkling stars . We lay admiring the needlework of the Gods on the dark wool of the skies as the sound of the river rushing deep below filled the silence.  With flames giving way to embers, we too decided to call it a day around midnight.

The next morning, I was the first one up and spent another beautiful period of solitude. It was the best feeling. With no contact from the outside world (there are no cellphone signals up there except for a lucky few like BSNL) and everyone, these moments of mine seemed to stretch into eternity as I forgot all and lived another life in those moments, among these hills. 

Our shelter for the night

Another dip in the hot water pool and we bid adieu to this enchanted location. The descent was quick and we made good time completing the journey in a little over two hours. From there it was a bus ride to Kasol where I parted ways with my new found friends who journeyed on to Kullu, while I stayed back to have lunch at Evergreen, which was a good recommendation.

The morning dip

On the way back!

Kasol-Kullu-Delhi

After a final walk around Kasol, I had to wait for a long time for the bus to Kullu. The bus dropped me off at the Kullu bus station with minutes to spare. The fact that the trip was ending didn't strike me until the bus had started moving off towards Delhi. As the rain splattered the windows outside, my eyes could not leave the hills beyond. I drifted to sleep with images of beautiful vales, gushing rivers and mighty mountains all left behind in this wonderful world.

8 am I touched base at ISBT and in 45 minutes I was back to college again!

Cost of the trip : 3,950 INR (Delhi-Kasol-Kheerganga-Delhi)

The experience : Priceless!

I am itching to run away again!

Did you say holidays?

The holidays have begun! 

After quite a normal seeming semester, it is that time of the year where one is expected to relax, to throw all cares to the wind, to cling to one's bed as if to a soul mate - basically, it is the "no work no worries, screw grades and studies" period! 

While the adventurous youth ventures out into the unknown, on trips to far off places (the occasional international jaunt) and the lazy bears get to hibernation, I have decided to lay low and hone my skills. "Really!" you exclaim!  "These are the holidays mate. Quit studies now at the very least and just chill." 

To be honest, the part where you 'chill' is good for a day or two or even a week, then boredom sets in and yes that is where the irritation begins and don't I loathe it. So, after a few days of residing on the lazy extremum, my mind has forced the body to take an account of all the promises it held before the holidays began.

That itself is another thing. The human mind is the most amazingly lazy and yet active being. Lying on a couch with droopy eyes, I had planned the tasks  for my winter vacation - "I would do this, do that blah blah blah..." I could picture myself working diligently, producing results and climbing upward on the learning curve. It seemed practical and realizable - two hours for this, an hour for that, a short break in between, an hour in the evening and then off to bed by midnight! 

Now, each and every project and task as such is divided into phases. This one is too. Also , it would be rude to begin something without a proper christening , so let us give it an appropriate name - "An educational winter" or"Holidays 2012: Tasks galore". Maybe call it  "W.I.N.T.E.R. = Work Intentions of Noob on Technically Enhancing his Resources." (Note : If you don't know what a Noob is, I do not think you have had any happy times with your machine.). I think I'll go with the third. So, we have a name and now to the phases of the project :

Phase 1: Planning

Successfully achieved. Will be carried out in two parts, first part will be devoted to Visual C# and the second to MATLAB. No hindrances whatsoever faced so far. High gains expected at the end of project.

Aims:

1. Study Visual C#

2. Study MATLAB

3. Learn to work on MSP430

4. Preparation for a Competitive Exam

5. Brush up knowledge on Machines (all electrical engineers will get this point easily)

Expected Results:

1. Ability to make decent GUIs

2. Considerable command over the language

3. Thorough

4. Just a teeny-weeny topic from the sea of proposed syllabus.

5. Brushed up knowledge on Machines

Phase 2: Resource Collection

In progress. No particular difficulties faced so far. 

1. Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate - Installed

2. MATLAB - in possession of setup, install pending

3. MSP EXP430F5529 experimenter's board and ez430-RF2500 Development tool in possession and   CCS installed.

4. Books stored in computer memory.

5. 80 NPTEL lectures downloaded and stored

Phase 3: Execution

Preliminary results:

Subject working way out of schedule. Haphazard sleeping pattern and nonchalance compounding situation. Some progress has been made though.

In the last few days I have had varied sleeping patterns. One day I sleep all night, get up early and work, the next day I stay awake through the dark hours and sleep in the morning. Forget W.I.N.T.E.R. my B.I.O.L.O.G.Y. is messed up. 

I will not usher in my modest self by saying that the progress is bad. It isn't. Here are examples on stuff I managed to make using the Microsoft tutorials on the Visual Studio :

A maze using the visual studio (quite ugly, I know!)

The first program 

Of course, these are mere renditions of the tutorials, but then again it was fun making it on my own. This along with the video course they offer has put me in a position to make something of my own now. (It is exciting for me, as so far I have never developed anything outside the DOS window (Windows Console) )

On the other hand, the NPTEL lectures have been the most uninviting pieces of video ever shot! My first two lectures were enough to make me avoid the rest till now and so the notebook has been lying still for a couple of days. 

Machines - the most interesting, yet the most despised subject in Electrical Engineering! (Grrrrr....)

The rest stay untouched for the time being and seeing my schedule I doubt i'll touching them soon. Future propositions too make my goals seem bleak in the present. Well, if I have to make them happen, I have to get working.

So long!

Happy Holidays! 

(Do not work, be lazy!)

Two to Tango (At the bookstore)

One day both N. and I slipped to Crossword with a new idea in our heads - book spine poetry. Our new found craze in this activity led to a brainwave of using the vast collection offered by the store to feed our need. So, donning the 'hat of creativity' both took to the aisles and BINGO! we had seven poems by the end of our deputed time. Here is a short recollection of the amazing time we had creating poems out of book spines.

The first one!

Hickory Dickory dock

Kill Alex Cross

Four past Midnight

True at first light

The modus operandi was quite simple :-

1.Pick a book randomly off the shelf (which would obviously be an interesting title). 

2.Use it as the beginning for your next poem. 

3.Scour the bookshelves till you complete the poem.

Just after sunset,

windmills of the Gods

After the darkness,

games people play.

Be it fiction, romance,drama, thriller or a writing on the more serious issues, we left none untouched in our efforts to create something out of these.

 

It wasn't love at first.

The morning after

(in)the lake of dreams;

Oops! I fell in love

more than you can say.

It was fun as we ran hither and thither trying to find the next piece of the poem, searching the bookshelf from the top to the bottom, making discoveries, keeping books aside for use in the next one! For instance, N. had kept the books Vanity and Envy on reserve since she first set eyes on them and we were finally able to make something out of them !

The sword of thunder,

vanity,

envy,

betrayal,

games people play.

Quite interesting, isn't it? The fact that we had an entire bookstore to our disposal made it all the more better. We were quick ! A set of seven under two hours was an impressive feat.

Our next shot was at something that showcased women power.Here is our tribute to that.

 

Leading ladies

storming the world stage,

playing with fire,

power shift.

What next?

And then there was a poem from the Hindi section too! (We  solemnly swear that as far as Hindi is concerned we have never been up to any good and so, we request you not to judge us!)

जीतने का साहस 

आत्मा के लिए अमृत 

सकारात्मक सोच की अदभुत शक्ति 

लक्ष्य !

As we came to the end, the last section was the food guide section. Feeling a bit adventurous on the literary scale we decided to try our hand at this and cooked up the dish we present next.

 

The red market

southern flavours-

fish and shellfish 

the family meal.

An hour and half full of fun and creativity. What an awesome way to spend the day! A maze of books, a camera and the enthusiasm with the perfect person. A day to remember - two to tango at the bookstore.

On an ending note, we thank the staff of Crossword , who without any knowledge of our actions saw it fit to let our efforts go unnoticed as we scampered all across the book sections sometimes with a camera and at other with books. Cheers for aiding our creativity!

Ye hai Bombay meri jaan!

The third day of this summer’s retreat to the Western Ghats saw us driving to the city of dreams  Mumbai! The expressway lived up to its name and reputation allowing us to reach the city within forty minutes.

There it was – the city building tier on tier daily with the high-rises looming overhead, crowded roads, the plethora of people from everywhere milling on the streets. This was Mumbai!

We wound our way through the forests of concrete for a short while before we took an exit through a road more frequented by port authorities and goods carriers. We joined the masses next at Colaba, near the iconic Taj hotel. The old style architecture that this landmark flaunts is mesmerizing. Sitting across the road from the Arabian Sea, the building and the surrounding area represents a well preserved piece of urban history. The feeling to just suck in the beautiful sight was delightful.

To the left at the very edge of land stands the Gateway of India. This historical monument was our next stop and we continued there on foot after locating parking spot on the narrow by lanes. The mammoth structure has been on our text books since kindergarten but to see it all in person was again another delight! Let the photos narrate further.

The Taj Hotel

Gateway of India

Quite realistic,eh?

A black and white photograph of the Gateway from the front

Engraving at the top of the monument

After this it was time to board the ferry and head to the Elephanta Caves, remnants of a great temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The hour long ferry ride was more boring than anything. The smell of diesel wafted from below the deck and this coupled with the rhythmic swaying of the boat resulted in a bad headache. An hour later we disembarked on Elephanta Island. After devouring fruits and other offerings from the vendors whose stalls lined the narrow street we boarded the small toy train that took us further. The climb to the top was not intense but the weather was! The transition from the dry Delhi summer to the extremely humid climate in Mumbai was difficult. By the time we reached the top the handkerchiefs were dripping wet!

The caves having being cut more than a millennia and a half ago still boasted of intricately carved statues. This extreme example of ancient engineering and art is one of the few remaining pieces from the Golden Era in India’s history. Lord Shiva and his various forms have been depicted in a number of caves that have been cut from a side of a hill. This was a nice experience and I took liberty in exhausting the batteries of my camera.

Boarding the ferry

On the toy train

Mom and dad

Entrance to the caves

The caves in the background

One of the various forms of Lord Shiva

Inside the cave temple

A courtyard in the middle

A shivalinga

The three faces of Lord Shiva in one of the most famous sculpted pieces of  rock

Another branch of the caves 

Accurate engineering of the past!

 An hour or so later we trudged back downhill, had a huge thali for lunch and boarded the next ferry back. The return journey on the ferry was more pleasant as this time we decided to sit on the deck above in the open. The view of the Mumbai skyline was quite picturesque and I took quite a few pictures. 

A stall on the way up to the caves.

On the way back!

Mumbai- a view from the ferry

Forty five minutes later we stood at a dock where we were off loaded on account of high tide conditions near the Gateway of India. So, a short walk and a taxi ride later we were back where we had started.

Next, was the ride to the very famous Marine Drive and  Nariman Point. As the sun prepared for its dive into the sea, we strolled on the boulevard that countless movies had turned into an attraction. The scenic views from this place are a memory to remember.

And as the sun set, I looked yonder

Nature turned a new color

I looked further, it spoke

And lulled me into a world another

Nariman Point

Marine Drive

Posing

With the setting of the sun, we set off too. Through the streets of Mumbai as it now glittered in silver and gold lighting sitting atop those mighty structures, we wound our way to the outskirts and so zipped back home on the expressway.

Thus ended, another wonderful day on my travels this summer.