Sunday, January 29, 2012
Ratha Saptami 2012 - snow and patches of ice
I don't have to make any travel arrangements for this one !!! He appears whether I ask or not !!! Let us pray to Him !!!!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
USA visa website link
If you are considering a Tourist Visa to legally visit USA, here is the link that provides lot of information.
But I think this applies only to those from India. The other countries could be different. Some countries don't even need a formal Visa.
http://usavisitorvisa.com/usa-visa.htm
But I think this applies only to those from India. The other countries could be different. Some countries don't even need a formal Visa.
http://usavisitorvisa.com/usa-visa.htm
Friday, November 18, 2011
Fellow bloggers and travellers
I can't believe that I haven't posted any since a month. Time flies. Well, the truth is currently I have nothing to post in this blog. Perhaps I should visit my other blog which contains my North American visits and remember some of my travels in the USA and Canada, before 2006 and post them.
We are still one year away from our next visit to India for the Maha Kumbh mela. My request in the meantime is - if any of my readers have any advice on the Kumbh mela yatra, please be generous with your comments and advice for us.
We are still one year away from our next visit to India for the Maha Kumbh mela. My request in the meantime is - if any of my readers have any advice on the Kumbh mela yatra, please be generous with your comments and advice for us.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Haridwar, Rishikesh and Badrinath - 1st time it was in 2006
Please see my post of August 7th, 2011 for the photos of Haridwar visit.
The main reason we included Badrinath was to visit Joshi Matt, which our travel agency did not include in 2006. Since it was one of the Shankar Peethams, Rao and Nirmala wanted to add to the number of Shankara peethams we visited. Second (my) reason is that we were in the vicinity anyway and for Bhuvana and Uma, this was their first time to this area and they were thrilled. Once we approached the TTD Devasthanams in Rishikesh, we found out that due to bad weather and land slides, the road to Badrinath was closed. Nirmala got us accommodation at the TTD facility. One room for all the four of us. Only two beds and a sofa were in the room. Uma opted to sleep in the varanda on the floor. His needs are always minimal. We had meals at Andhra Bhavan and prior to that we had darsans of Balaji and Chandramowli, both Temples are on the same street. No Temple bells this time. Remember in 2006, I woke up with the ringing of Temple bells at Balaji of TTD?
We decided to go to the Lakshman Jhoola early in the morning to take a dip in the Ganga waters.
Collected Ganga waters for our friends and family and the next day was to take a dip in Ganga in Haridwar, View the haarati there, visit Chandi Devi, Anjana Devi and Maansa Devi Temples. All this I briefly mentioned in my August posts. Photos of Maansa devi from another site.
The main reason we included Badrinath was to visit Joshi Matt, which our travel agency did not include in 2006. Since it was one of the Shankar Peethams, Rao and Nirmala wanted to add to the number of Shankara peethams we visited. Second (my) reason is that we were in the vicinity anyway and for Bhuvana and Uma, this was their first time to this area and they were thrilled. Once we approached the TTD Devasthanams in Rishikesh, we found out that due to bad weather and land slides, the road to Badrinath was closed. Nirmala got us accommodation at the TTD facility. One room for all the four of us. Only two beds and a sofa were in the room. Uma opted to sleep in the varanda on the floor. His needs are always minimal. We had meals at Andhra Bhavan and prior to that we had darsans of Balaji and Chandramowli, both Temples are on the same street. No Temple bells this time. Remember in 2006, I woke up with the ringing of Temple bells at Balaji of TTD?
We decided to go to the Lakshman Jhoola early in the morning to take a dip in the Ganga waters.
Collected Ganga waters for our friends and family and the next day was to take a dip in Ganga in Haridwar, View the haarati there, visit Chandi Devi, Anjana Devi and Maansa Devi Temples. All this I briefly mentioned in my August posts. Photos of Maansa devi from another site.
Yatra special ----" English speeched " - enjoy!!!!
I can't believe that I found some in Andhra Pradesh. Anyway, here they are !!!
Coffee rates : One set (4)
Full set (6)
Half set (2)
Can you decode this? I could not.
Plane Dosa, plane omlette, plane parantha (?)
Conflake
With milk or sugar (what did they really mean by this question?)
Idle (very phonetic??)
Jam to a butter tost.
The following two, I found in Nellore (boohoo my birth place):
State Bank of India office: Relation Ship Manager
BSNL Telephone company: Prise (????) for FCT 1450 (rupees???)
Coffee rates : One set (4)
Full set (6)
Half set (2)
Can you decode this? I could not.
Plane Dosa, plane omlette, plane parantha (?)
Conflake
With milk or sugar (what did they really mean by this question?)
Idle (very phonetic??)
Jam to a butter tost.
The following two, I found in Nellore (boohoo my birth place):
State Bank of India office: Relation Ship Manager
BSNL Telephone company: Prise (????) for FCT 1450 (rupees???)
Monday, October 3, 2011
The finale at Srinagar.
I settled the account with Noor that night itself. We wanted to leave early in the morning to arrive at Jammu before 4 p.m. I tipped the cook 200 rupees. He wasn't looking for any - a gentleman. since we were delayed by an extra day, I thought Noor might ask us to pay for the accommodation. But he waived those charges and asked the driver to take us to Surya excellency Hotel in Jammu. The rooms were 1800 rupees per room for two and breakfast and dinner were included. For the third bed in one room we had to pay extra and pay for the meals also. After lot of negotiation the next morning, they gave me some discount.
The meals were alright.
I came to know that in Srinagar, no Hindu style worship was allowed in the Temples. We visited only one which was not even functional. Once upon a time. it must have been glorious. Two soldiers were guarding it and one of them gave us a tour of the ruins. The driver told us that it was the Saraswathi Temple we were looking for. But it turned out to be a Shiva Temple. We visited several Temples in Jammu. The most fascinating one for me was Raghunath Temple. It is like visiting many Temples in one compound. I can't even describe how many were represented there. It was just wonderful.
We vacated the room by noon, visit other small temples and went to the railway station for our onward journey to Rishikesh. We thanked Suresh profusely, gave him a huge tip and continued the journey happily ever after!!!
The meals were alright.
I came to know that in Srinagar, no Hindu style worship was allowed in the Temples. We visited only one which was not even functional. Once upon a time. it must have been glorious. Two soldiers were guarding it and one of them gave us a tour of the ruins. The driver told us that it was the Saraswathi Temple we were looking for. But it turned out to be a Shiva Temple. We visited several Temples in Jammu. The most fascinating one for me was Raghunath Temple. It is like visiting many Temples in one compound. I can't even describe how many were represented there. It was just wonderful.
We vacated the room by noon, visit other small temples and went to the railway station for our onward journey to Rishikesh. We thanked Suresh profusely, gave him a huge tip and continued the journey happily ever after!!!
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