What I see out ,during Covid-19                              pandemic .

The outbreak of Covid-19 has changed everything. Have you ever thought about the labourers who earn on a daily basis? How, they have been living without money in this tough times ? I don't know how many of you know about them. In the blog today ,I want to talk about such brave ones.
Today when I stepped out to buy groceries the real picture came before me.Out ,all the things were looking different. The road which remained busy all the time was empty and had a deserted look ,no movement of private vehicles ,no traffic congestion,no honking .In the name of traffic ,a few police patrolling vehicles were crawling. Except grocery and medicines shops all shutters were down .Even the opened shops had also a small numbers of buyers , queuing up waiting for their turn ,maintaining social distancing.
         After buying essentials , I approached towards a woman veggie seller , sitting roadside with her wares.She welcomed me with a smile on her face .It seemed as though I was her first customer.No mask, no protective equipments on her body.Her facial expressions displaying her helplessness.In the curfew like situation when everyone stay-locked at home, her selling wares in the adverse conditions, along the road side says a different story that cannot be expressed in words but can only be felt.
I thanked God and also to this brave soldier who in the hour of need serving people.

 How Covid-19 affecting people ?

It is known that the pandemic caused by covid-19 has brought the fast moving world to a standstill , factories shut down, flights were grounded, trains stopped, In short, everything has stuck at its place. If we closely look we find that except essential services nothing going it's way. A few days ago everything was normal but now the fact is before our eyes.The deadly virus has forced the innocent masses to live stay locked at home.The time has turned the normal life to troubled ones .And God knows whether the lock down period will end soon or may extend.

 As far as other nations are concerned hardly do we find a place on the globe where people are not living under the scary environment of Covid-19.Even the nations having the tag of developed ones are also finding themselves hopeless and helpless in this turbulent times.Their ,all options and technological progresses have failed in the battle against Covid-19.At the present stage, no one has the answer to this deadly infectious disease and this is the fact.

What to do now? How ,the human race will survive and save themselves from this pandemic is the major question that stands before everyone ? The figures and data of infected persons have been rising at an alaraming rate.The deaths figure coming from all over the world is also shocking.The worst sufferers are the countries like Italy, Iran, U.S are still struggling with this infectious disease.

     Are the guidelines by W.H.O like social distancing, hand washing and staying locked at home are enough to defeat covid- 19.Then, what are the other options left ? No ,we have no better options other than following the guidelines of W.H.O and experts.Let's see the guidelines .
(1) Wash hands regularly for 20 seconds with soap and water or alcohol -based hand rub.
(2) Cover nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when we cough or sneeze.
(3)  Avoid close contact ( 1 meter or 3 feet) with people.
(4) Stay home and self -isolate from others in the household if we feel unwell.
(5) Never touch eyes, nose or mouth if hands are not clean.

The guidelines also recommend against  big group gatherings and request older people and anyone with existing health problems to stay at home.
Researchers also suggest that the spread of covid-19 may slow down with humid and higher average temperatures in countries like India.
The other way to slow the spread is less interaction of people with each other.
Drew Harris ,a population health researcher and assistant professor at the Thomas Jefferson university college of public Health says that reducing the opportunities for gathering helps folks social distancing .One more experts say that don't be panic.
Health experts also recommend at least 20 seconds washing with soap and water after using the bathrooms , before eating or after blowing nose or sneeze.

The situation prevailing all over the world is very disappointing.  when we all come out of this is the main question that worrying everyone.It's not that efforts are not being made by the researchers but no satisfactory results have yet come.
If we talk about another way of boosting immunity then to me meditation and yoga seems to be the better option.Some also suggest to have hot drinks as a precaution.It's up to you what precautionary steps you would like to add in your daily routine .But, I think in addition to following the guidelines suggested above if we all  add yoga to our daily routine the result will be different and soon we could defeat the covid-19.

  A Bargaining market , Palika Bazaar, Delhi.

Today almost after a gap of some three months me writing. It's not that I had no time to pen some words for you but the time I would hold the pen my mood would swing to some unimportant topics.

 Anyhow ,I managed the feelings and now I am present with a new subject of importance.

Recently , I got an opportunity to visit Delhi ,I don't know whether it was old or New Delhi so, I mentioned only Delhi.

 In the heart of the city there is a place called Connaught Circus ,a place where you can easily see a crowd consisting of  people from different fields.

 Whoever comes to Delhi keeps an utter desire to visit this place. I don't know for what reasons but is a fact .

In the same place a popular market is there called Palika Bazaar. Basically it is a cloth market but you can also get cosmetics products, leather products and other beauty products.

But the bad part of this market is that you should know the skills of bargaining otherwise  you will easily become fool. 

Here , the shopkeepers speak any price of the products and force you to buy at the same cost .So the power of bargaining is must here.

They give you the products of 2000 rupees at 200 rupees. They play every tricks to allure you with the products and the cost.

 It's not that all are of the same category .A few are very good one  also .You always try to buy the products from the shop where the prices are fixed. So, be careful while shopping at Palika Bazaar.

How some countries came out with the solution of traffic problems ?

It is not a new thing .Many of us have faced the problems of traffic jams and delays? How much painful is this is known to all . Every time we go out ,only one thing first comes to our mind.

God there should be no traffic jams. Isn't that correct ?

  Almost all cities and towns ,no matter the population all have this serious problems.

 Usually ,we all prefer to leave the place in advance to catch train or flights so that could not get stuck in the heavy traffic.

The question that always pinches me inwardly is, Why the traffic has increased multifold in recent years? Have you ever thought of that ? 

Some say it is because of rise in income of middle class family or the financial growth of this group. Good , atleast the income of middle class family is rising. But to solve this problem what we have been doing. Nothing, instead finding any solution we are demanding more four lanes and flyovers .

Some countries have taken this matter seriously and really have come out with solutions.

 Some developed western countries are encouraging people to use cycle and also requesting their citizens to walk for short distances. 

Not only that these countries are paying their citizens for using cycle and short walk.

 These countries are The Netherlands, U.K, Belgium, Luxembourg ,France, U.S  etc. Hope we also think over it soon.

Why foreign lands look very tempting? 

  

 In India, travelling abroad is no longer a problem and also not as expensive as it seems to be.

 The fact is even a low income people can also think of flying to foreign lands. This is due to cheaper air fares and also increase in per capita income of Indians.

      Now ,Indians are looking for better options not only in India but also abroad. If we look at the trends that suggest that travel to foreign countries has been growing constantly for past few years.

 The interesting part is that  even people from smaller cities are also taking part in this race. For them touching to foreign shores is just like a dream come true.

 In the year 2017 it is estimated that around 17 million Indians were leaving abroad.

 No doubt overseas, Indians find better opportunities,  handsome salary and quality life.

 They travel as tourists, as vacationers, as job seekers and as students. Several universities there provide top quality higher education and provide opportunity for research. 

The list of cheaper countries where Indians like to go are Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives and so on. The most favourite destinations for Indians are Malaysia,Thailand,U.S and U.K.  

An interesting and inspiring story .

Today I am not writing anything about travel. Not because of reason but simply to add a new flavour to my writings. Hope  all enjoy .

 Actually while reading a book, in the morning a word 'Moksha' , new to me caught my attention. I don't know about its origin whether it has come from Hindi or sanskrit but one thing is very clear and is also a fact that in Hindu religion this term has much significance.

 It is a known fact that Hindus visit pilgrimage sites, sakti pitha, Jyotirlingas and different temples.But why? What's the motive and purpose behind their visit? By doing so what they really achieve, The answer is hidden in the story of a little boy named 'Nachiketa.'

His father at the end of yajna donated weak and old cows who were incapable of bearing calves  . 

To see his father doing so ,Nachiketa interrupted him but to no purpose .His father lost the temper and said him to go to the Lord of Deaths ,Yama . Nachiketa left and stayed at the doorstep of Yama's abode for three days without any food, water and sleep.

 

When Yama returned He greeted him and asked for boons.To that Nachiketa asked him the mystery after death .

 

Yama refused to answer his question but later he unearthed the mystery by saying that after death soul  remains ,it never dies .And at the same time.

 

How to plan Tirupati.

Tirupati, a place of pilgrimage has always been my favorite destination and is also on top of my priority list.Never think that this destination is favorite to me only but is also a point of attractions for many travel enthusiasts.Over 50,000 pilgrims come to this holy site everyday and the figure reaches to lakhs on special occasions .Seventh hill, yes, the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is present on the seventh hill.To arrange food and accommodations for such a huge number is not an easy task.There is a board called TTD that looks after the temple and manages everything there. There job is really excellent.
      The board provides accommodations free of cost to the pilgrims who cannot afford to pay .Lockers and halls are there for the pilgrims.Several lodging options like dormitories, rooms, cottages are also available there.Not only the board has provided stay options at the temple area but also at the base of the hill close to  Tirupati railway station. But all these  options require proper identity card like Aadhar card.
  As far as transportation is concerned bus services, private vehicles etc are present in plenty to cater the need of the pilgrims and tourists.
Before you plan to visit this site the most important thing that is needed to be done is to make darshanam pass in advance .TTD online darshanam booking centre is one such option.www.tirumala.org

A visit to Tirupati temple -2

In the morning I checked in the room allotted to me .The accommodation was provided for a single day at a very low price ,just at rupees 50 for twenty four hours.The room was pleasant and comfortable.The most important thing that attracted me a lot there was  the surroundings all around very natural and positivity everywhere.All those elements of nature really rejuvenated my body and soul and I enjoyed each second there.
After a short stay I left the room and went straight down the temple premises for darshanam.And, in order to see the time slot I turned the pass in that 6pm was printed in bold letters. Still ,the time left for darshanam was more than six hours .So, I decided to use the time by joining the general queue.
       The queue was very long and moving at a very slow pace.But keeping aside all my negative views and thoughts I joined the queue.After hours the line entered a hall where passes for darshanam were being made.One such pass was also issued to me.Gradually the serpentine human chain moved into a waiting hall which was big enough to accommodate more than hundred people at a time.Taking advantage of the space I stretched my legs to relax.Others were also doing the same thing.During that period fresh food was served to us and I enjoyed each morsel of tasty food.When the clock struck 3 (afternoon) a gentleman sitting beside me asked" Sir, May I know your time slot ?" Then, I took out the pass that I had and read the time ,it was 8 pm the next day. To see the time I lost my patience and left the hall in no time.Now the other option that I had left with was the quick darshanam pass  which I had booked in the morning,the same day. I rushed to the quick darshan am queue which was not far away from me.There also the same procedure was followed like making a pass, sitting in a waiting hall etc.The line moving from one hall to another hall , going upstairs and downstairs ,turning curves reached the sanctum sancturm of Lord Venkateswara. Really after having the darshanam of Lord Balaji I forgot about my pains and exhaustion.The darshanam gave me immense pleasure and filled me with joy and divine peace.

      A visit to Tirupati temple -1

How did the idea of visiting 'Tirupati ' temple came, I didn't remember.It might be because of my travelling passion or the tag of the richest temple in the world that it has since ages.No doubt huge donations, countless pilgrims all together have made this lord's place one of the richest pilgrimage sites.Here, every year pilgrims come in millions .Why so many pilgrims ge† attracted to this particular divine place? Why the devotees in large come to this place? The fact is deep faith and belief in Him has  made this  pilgrimage site a popular and  richest one in the world .Pilgrims from different corners of the world come every year to get the blessings of Lord Balaji.
My trip to Balaji was very interesting .Earlier ,only once I had been to  that temple.I had also no much idea about that sacred place .I was also new to that divine place.Late arrival of my train delayed my journey to Tirumala. My short trip began at 11.30 pm after getting down the train.Out, there was a government bus I rushed and talked to driver .The gentleman promised and assured me that he would go to Tirumala but after getting atleast 20 passengers .I agreed to his proposals.Thanks God ,he easily got the required passengers and left for 'Tirupati'.A short drive of less than an hour, uphills and downhills brought me to the site .Even at late night I found many pilgrims standing in a queue for getting a room to stay .I too joined them with a Xerox copy of identification proof mainly Aadhar card. Without proper id card it is very difficult to get a room and also have a darshanam of the Lord Balaji.Now the next challenging job that I had was to arrange a pass for darshanam.Close  the lodge booking counter there was a counter issuing a pass for quick darshanam but to have that Aadhar card was mandatory.And I managed a pass for the darshanam.

How does travelling benefit us?

Hardly do we find one who has no love for nature. Everyone be a rich or poor all has a space and deep love for the same.Many of us have the passion  for travelling. Exploring a new destination, sightseeing, mouth watering food all together attract a tourist to a particular destination. Moving along a beach side or wandering aimlessly in a megacity all have a unique taste .But do we really ever tried to analyse the benefits associated with travelling. True ,travelling has lots of benefits.
     Travelling is directly linked to our physical, mental and emotional health.It improves our ability to handle stress which is said to be the mother of all diseases. It is said that travelling lowers the cortisol level and make us feel more calm and content. It brings happiness and cools down the mind at the time of stress.Touring a new destination does not simply mean moving to a new place or a destination but it teaches us many things about life which many of us don't know. It imparts knowledge about an unknown or a foreign land ,its culture ,tradition etc. It also teaches about ourselves .Also self motivates and reduces the risk of depression.
   Travel and tourism also benefit us financially. If we look at the facts we find that in terms of total contribution to GDP India was ranked seventh among 184 countries in 2017 related to travel and tourism. Not only that by 2025 the travel industry hopes to create 46 million job opportunities.

           Sabrimala temple.

In India the list of temples is very long.Needless to say ,devotees are also uncountable .Unending queues, large crowd are the part of temples and  could  be seen easily near any popular temple.In some devotees wait for hours to visit the same.

      Every year  pilgrims in millions visit the prominent and famous temple Sabrimala ,a beautiful temple located in Sabari Hills in Kerala which is also a popular site of pilgrimage.
    The temple is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. There are many stories related to the Lord.
It is a belief that Sabrimala is that sacred place where Lord Ayyappa meditated after killing a powerful buffaloe-faced demoness Mahisi who was the sister of Mahishasura.
Another belief is also there.It is said that when Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura, Mahisi tried to take revenge from Goddess Durga but she failed in her efforts and was killed by Lord Ayyappa. It is said that Lord Ayyappa had the powers of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
The unique thing about this temple is that it is not biased to any particular religion. It allows everyone belonging to any caste or creed. All devotees and pilgrims are welcomed here.
 The two crowd pulling events of this temple are Mandala pooja and Makaravilakku.Here, the pilgrim season begins in the month of November and ends in the month of January.During pilgrimage some rules has to follow by the pilgrims. At the time of Mandala pooja the pilgrims undertake a rigorous 41 day vratam during which they don't eat any non-vegetarian food and they also stay away from carnal pleasures.
   This holy place is also connected to a Muslim saint, called Vavar.There is a mosque in the vicinity of the temple. During visit the devotees move around this mosque ,chanting the names of both Lord Ayyappa and Vavar.
  Lord Ayyappa bless His devotees in the form of divine light also called Makaravilakku or Makar Jyothi that appears on the hillside on a particular day .

How to go to Sabrimala temple?

Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are the nearest airports .Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thiruvalla or Chenganur are the nearest railway stations.The bus stop close to the temple is Pampa.Kochin is around 104 kms far away.Mountainous path is also there to visit the temple.From Erumely it is 61 Kms and it is 12.8 KMS from vandiperyar.
The prasadam at the temple is Aravana payasam and Appam.

               The Sweetest Day

In present ,every individual is in the clutches of stress .May be rich or poor no one is untouched by the wave of stress.If you knock, almost everyone comes out with the tales of problems and difficulties.

Then who is happy? or what makes us happy? Does money really give us a real joy.It may be true for someone but is momentary. Happiness and joy are  not a part of money or wealth  and also has a very short period of life.The concept of joy lies in thinking about others, sharing moments with others .
The idea behind the celebration of the 'The Sweetest Day' is also the same.
     In 1922 Herbert Birch Kingston a philanthropist in Cleveland Ohio also wanted to help the orphans, lonely, isolated and so created the day 'The Sweetest Day'.This day is not popular all over the world but is celebrated in some parts of United states, like the Midwester United States,Northern part of Florida ,Northeastern United states on the third saturday in October. The sweetest Day is slowly spreading throughout the U.S. People share romantic deeds or expressions on this day.Gifts of candy, heart-shaped boxes ,greeting cards containing romantic expressions have been the part of Sweetest Day since its first observance. It is also the day that leaves candy companies salivating as the sales of sweets and candy increase multifold  on this particular day.Many believe that sweetest Day originated to promote the sale of sweets,cards and gifts,so has also been referred as a "a concocted promotion". The biggest sweetest Day celebrators are the cities of Detroit,Cleveland and Buffalo.
No doubt ,whatever may be the reasons but this day atleast brings smile on the face of many.

                    Lord Ganesha .

India is a country of festivals. Hardly ,do we  find a month when there is no festival. Holi, Diwali, Durga puja ,Ganesh chaturthi and many .Some festivals is popular in one part others in different part of the country.
In Hindu mythology Lord Ganesha holds a significant place.Every new project begins with the worship of Lord Ganesha.He is matchless .This is incorrect to say that He is worshipped only in India but the fact is different. Other countries like Sri Lanka,Bali,Thailand,Nepal etc.also have the images and temples of  Lord Ganesha.
Devotees of Lord Ganesha is present almost everywhere in India.Ganesh Chaturthi is the main festival of the people of Maharashtra.Basically ,this festival was started as a public festival   in Pune to bring different castes people under one roof.
     Ganapati, Sumukha,Vinayaka, Ek Dant, Vigneshwara are some of the popular names by which Lord Ganesha is known. He is Vigneshwara because He removes all the obstacles of life.As He has an elephant head so He is called Gajanan. He is a God with one Tusk so He got the name Ek Dant.
   The must to offer things that pleases Him are modak, ladoos and grass( Cynodon dactylon).It is said that grass is offered to  Lord Ganesha to bring good luck and prosperity.And in order to fulfill the  long -awaited desires devotees offer ladoos to Lord Ganesha.
        Shiva and Parvati are the parents of lord Ganesha.But the question is why did  parvati create Lord Ganesh?

There is an interesting story behind  the birth of Lord Ganesha .It is said that behind the creation of Lord Ganesha Parvati's two friends Jaya and Vijaya played the important role. They suggested to make Him.Nandi and others used to follow the instructions of Lord Shiva . And there should be someone who follow the orders of Parvati. So ,Parvati made Lord Ganesha from the dirt of her body.His body parts like long ears  signifies that everyone should listen more and talk less .The small eyes signifies importance of concentration and attention and a large head  is related to wisdom and knowledge.Lord Ganesha got married to Riddhi and Siddhi and has two sons Shetra and Laabh.

 Kawar yatra and Baidyanath Temple

In 2025, the Kanwar Yatra begins on July 11 and ends on August 9.

Out of countless Gods and Goddesses as is claimed by Hindu religion and supported by different mythological books ,Lord Shiva is believed as the supreme power and His divine power lies in Jyotirlinga, which is simply a symbol or a structure.

 

In India ,there are twelve jyotirlingas located at different places. Among them the jyotirlinga at Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand has its own significance ,also known as Kamna linga. The name itself reveals the meaning .Here ,Kamna means wishes or the linga that fulfills the wishes of an individual is called as kamna linga.

During sawan or monsoon season(July-August), also a sacred month of Hindus, thousands of pilgrims from different corners of  the world pay visit and offer holy water to the linga.The popularity of Baidyanath Temple is not only because of jyotirlinga but is also blessed with one more pilgrimage site. This is the only Hindu pilgrimage place in India where jyotirlinga and shaktipeeth are present at one place and very close to one another .

In the sawan month Baidyanath temple look differently because of kawar yatra Kawar is a wooden structure made of bamboo used to carry vessels full of holy water or Ganga Jal.Kawarias are the devotees of shiva who in saffron robes travel barefooted with kawar on the shoulder carrying the holy Ganga jal . 

Kawarias collect holy water or Ganga jal from Sultanganj in Bihar and after rambling through fields,uneven surface  covering 108 kms barefooted they reach Baidyanath temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand where they offer the Ganga jal to the Lord. Several help groups come forward and install makeshift camps along the way at different points to wholeheartedly serve the Kawarias by  providing free food and medical services along with space for rest. While trekking the route Kawarias chants hymns like 'Bol Bam' or ' Har Har Mahadev'.These words are used in praise of the Almighty .

During this sacred pilgrimage, Kanwariyas (devotees) follow strict rituals. While trekking, they avoid consuming salt, and if someone does eat it by mistake, they must take a ritual bath before continuing to carry the Kanwar. During the Yatra, devotees do not call each other by name; instead, they use the word “Bam” to address their fellow pilgrims, as a mark of devotion to Lord Shiva,

But the question is why do  devotees  offer holy water to Lord shiva mainly in the month of sawan ?

The answer to this question is very simple. As per the mythological books the Lord shiva is also called 'Nilkanth' because during churning of the sea many things came out like nectar ,precious gems etc and also a pot containing poison . Among gods no one accepted the same .Ultimately, Lord shiva drank the whole pot full of poison and kept it in the' kanth 'or the neck region and He got the name 'Nilkanth'.

The affect of the poison is more felt during monsoon season and to lower the affect or to cool down, water is offered .So, the holy water is poured during the sawan  month on the Lord or linga.This is the reason behind offering the holy water.  Safforn-clad pilgrims or the Kawarias do the kawar yatra ,which is an annual pilgrimage for or on fulfilment of wishes they had sought from the Almighty.

    

Where to stay during kawar yatra?

Many dharmshalas and temporary settlements are present  along the way which provide free stay option or paid services are also available.

Where to stay at Deoghar?

In Deoghar many dharamshalas ,hotel at pocket friendly prices are available. Luxurious and comfy stay options are also there.

What precautions are to be taken in Deoghar and Sultanganj?

Do bargaining before purchasing any thing and before performing any puja or rituals ask the priest or the panda in advance about the charges or fees to be paid.

Important phone numbers.

From Sultanganj the route to Baidyanath temple is not smooth but has variations. The journey of Kawarias begins with trekking on gravel road and then starts kucha road with inner bare earth surface and a thin layer of sand on top .When wet the road turns muddy and slippery and baked hard when dry.With the fall of rain the road almost becomes impassable and needs precautions to walk.

A large number of temporary stalls made of plastic sheets and some having thatched roofs lined up on both sides of the route that leads to the Baidyanath temple.After every ten to fifteen metres there are stalls where all kinds of stuffs one could get starting from a cup of hot tea to complete food.The Kawarias also relax and take rests in these stalls as they all have wooden beds or chowki called in local language.Some must to eat stuffs on the way are kela jaelebi ,a sweet dish prepared from the pulp of ripened banana,Dahi-rabri (sweet curd and condensed milk ),then hot pure fresh boiled milk .Perhaps ,all these things collectively make this 108 kilometers walk more pleasurable.

Certain rules

that Kawarias follow while carrying the holy water are 

(1)  Not to tell lie during the Kawar yatra

(2) Not to eat non-veg food .

(3) After every nature's call take bath.

(4) keep a distance from stray dogs so that it should not touch the holy water.

These are the important measures that Kawarias follow while travelling barefooted or kawar yatra.

The route to Deoghar from Sultanganj and distances in kms are given below.

 Ajgaibinath (starting point)----Kamrai    6KMS

|

Masumganj    (  2KMS )

|

Asarganj ( 5 KMS)

|

Rangaon ( 5KMS )

|

Tarapur ( 3KMS )

|

Madhodih ( 2KMS )

|

Rampur ( 5KMS )

|

Kumarsar ( 8KMS )

|

Vishwakarma Tola ( 4KMS )

|

Mahadev Nagar ( 3KMS )

|

Chandan Nagar ( 3 KMS )

|

Jalebia More ( 8KMS )

|

Tageshwar Nath ( 5 KMS )

|

Suiya ( 3 KMS )

|

Shivlok  ( 2 KMS )

|

Abrakhia ( 6KMS )

|

Katoria ( 8 KMS )

|

Lakshman Jhula ( 8KMS )

|

Inaravaran ( 8KMS )

|

Bhulbhulaiya  ( 3KMS )

|

Goryari ( 5KMS )

|

Patania ( 5KMS )

|

Kolkatia ( 3 KMS )

|

Bhotbangla ( 5KMS )

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Darshaniya ( 1KM )

|

Baidyanath Temple

With arrival to Baidyanath temple the Kawarias take a holy deep into Shiv Ganga ,a pond which is believed to be the part of sacred river ,the Ganga.After bath the Kawarias offer the holy water ,collected from Sultanganj to the Jyotirlinga at the Baidyanath temple.

After Deoghar the Kawarias visit to Bashukinath temple which is also a place of pilgrimage. A 50 minutes short drive from Deoghar will take the devotees to Basukinath. Like Deoghar this place also draws tourists from across the globe. Here, also the Kawarias offer  holy water to  the shiv linga .It is a belief that kawar yatra will be incomplete without a visit to Bashukinath temple.

What to buy at Deoghar ?

Here devotees  mainly buy peda ,a sweet dish made from milk, bitten paddy ,Elaichi dana made from sugar and powered form of plum also  known by name 'bare churna'

What to do before planning Kawar yatra?

Book railway tickets in advance or make reservations before planning as rush during kawar yatra reach at its peak and getting reservation be

Sultanganj  

0641-2492202 

Police control room 0641-2400701

Control room100

Ambulance 102

Women's Helpline 181

Disaster Management 108

Deoghar important  Phone   nos

Baidyanath Temple 916432232295

9431418752

S.p  06432 232733

06641 226100

A short trip to Mumbai city 1 .

Think a megacity and almost instantly Mumbai comes on the lips.The city that never sleeps .Be a day or night it works tirelessly, without any pause.Here, none of the train,bus or any transport problems come just everyone enjoys the hassle free journeys.  One day  I don't know how a crazy thought  got better of me and arose  my mental hunger to see this dreamland.This mega city has lured me and others in more ways than one. It would not be wrong to say Mumbai ,a land of superstars, beaches and colourful nights. 

   The next morning  ,I got up pretty early and the rental car sped me toward the railway station. After an hour and a half I reached the railway station a bit early the scheduled arrival of the train .As I stepped in the platform the Mumbai bound train entered. The platform was packed full.The closer I got to my coach,the denser the crowd became but I didn't lose my patience.Anyhow I continued to worm my way through and occupied my seat.

The train was flagged off on time.Next morning in the early hours the hustle and bustle going around, in the coach woke me up.I opened my eyes and saw outside. It was kalyan station ,the first stop close to the main destination. The time was 3.40 AM .The interesting part was that even at that time and early hours the platform looked alike office hours ,full of commutters, and office goers.Again, after a short halt the train headed towards  the main and final destination.Then, my eyes fell at the hill along the railway track which was flooded with light .The space of the hill was covered with slums, not an inch vacant where there was  no temperory settlements.

 The view was tempting but raised many questions like how do they live? What happens in case of landslides? .But I didn't ask anything to anyone and kept mum.After about an hour the train rolled into Dadar station that connects the main and western line.Here, the condition of the passengers was very pathetic .All the passenger trains that passed me was packed full .The ladies compartment too  had the same picture.Many a passenger found travelling with no precautions ,simply hooked the fingers and toes while rest body parts waving outside the coach.To see these pictures I remembered and prayed to the God for their long life. Taking in the sights,sounds and smells on way ,I reached CSMT by 5.30 AM,the main destination of my journey.CSMT is the abbreviated form of Chhatrapati Shivani  Maharaj Terminus which is the heart of Mumbaikars.The building is old enough and being a historical monument it is focus of  attraction for tourists and travel enthusiasts. 

The unique thing that we hardly get a chance to see anywhere is having platforms on both the sides of the coach which is really convenient for the passengers and also reduce rush .Out the station ,to find a proper stay option in small budget is not an easy task but my ten minutes walk ,mental work helped me a lot and brought me to a  hotel of my choice .Here, even with a tight budget I managed to get a room .So ,happily I checked into .As I was new to this place I was a little nervous .But thanks to the manager of the hotel who himself came to my help and asked ''Sir, what's your planning tomorrow?" "Nothing sightseeing" I replied " .He kept mum for a second and told " Get ready in the morning "Now the problems to hit the road got solved.

It is said that in the beginning the CSMT was named as Bori Bunder railway station ,then the name changed  to Victoria Terminus followed by CSMT.This station has historical background and is also in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.Everywhere there was chaos .Every element that is required for calling it  a 'metro' like malls, markets, rush hour madness all is present here.

with sunset the city turns young and colourful ,fun ,parties all around that none wants to loose.Perhaps ,these are the reasons that attract travellers and tourists from different corners .

But ,here they come with different motives.Some keep a desire to experience the beautiful sights. Some come with a motive of shooting the images of the stunning beauty.Some come with a dream of becoming a  superstar.The wishes of some also get fulfilled here.

Post dinner ,I  strolled straight to  the busy street   crammed with traffic and I followed the way where the traffic were moving with slow pace .The route had a few restaurants to stay fueled and has some great places to stop.My slow  walk brought me to a place about which I had  only heard and read since childhood .It was Colaba. One of the most significant places for travellers.The Gateway of India and hotel Taj at the sea shore here are the main point of attraction that rejuvenate the heart and fill it with energy .Everyday scores of tourists visit these sites. About Colaba it is said that only affluent people live here.In  brief I could say that Colaba is a  blend of modern and old city.Tbe place bas a deep Portugal touch.It is said tbat Colaba was one of the seven islands of Mumbai which was ruled by the Portugal and was gifted to Charles II of  England as dowry when he married  Catherine of  Braganza.I devoted my first day to explore only  Colaba   but I was excited about the vistas that were about to unfold in front of me.