An interesting journey !

A couple of days ago ,I was on my way to Patna .When my train pulled in and halted at Asansol jn ,in West Bengal a family consisting of two kids ,husband ,wife, grandparents boarded the train, with a  load of luggage .

As they got into it one of the two children ,very bold and smart rushed to my seat and said" Uncle 17,18,19,20,21,22 are our seats"I kept mum and didn't reply .In a flash his father came with two heavy bags ,followed by his other family members.They all arranged the luggage and occupied their seats.Then ,the granny asked the kids"Give the  luggage if any left" To that the kids shouted in unison "Take these two bags but the jute bag we won't give you granny, as this bag has food ,chips ,cakes and many more to eat ".

 Then, the process of eating started. Firstly, came the turn of tiffin box that they had .The aroma of the food spreaded  all over the compartment.They consumed the tiffin stuffs in no time.  Then, in the queue present were ready to eat food like chips ,cakes etc.The opening of packets continued up to the last minute of the journey .

During my whole journey of around eight hours their mouth kept doing the exercises, never paused for a second ,the chewing and biting process kept running. The most interesting part was that in that fest not only kids had participated but the whole members husband,wife ,grandparents all equally had taken part. I really enjoyed that journey and how the time ran out ,I didn't understand.

'Bhasma Aarti' of Mahakaleswar Temple

In ancient times ,Ujjain city was also known by the name'Avantika'.Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain is unique and has a significant place in the Hindu mythology.

 The description and reference of this holy place can be found in the pages of Vedas,Upanishads etc.It is one of the twelve jyotirlingams present on the globe.About this temple there is a belief that one who pays obeisance in front of this Shiv linga do not die a premature death.

Since ages,pilgrims from all over the country have been visiting this divine place. But the uniqueness is not only because of the jyotirlinga but lies in the fact that here a very uncommon ritual is observed i.e 'Bhasma Aarti'.

       'Bhasma' means 'ashes' and 'Aarti' is a ritual done to pay respect and to please the God.To truely experience the beauty of this' Aarti ' needs absolute devotion to Almighty. Concentration and clear mind are must to enjoy every bit of this function.

 Attracted by this divine ritual I also booked a free entry pass, a day in advance .Getting into also require a dress code and is strictly followed without fail.

The male devotees are allowed in traditional dress' dhoti' while females are permitted in saris .

Perhaps, this is because of the reason that in Hindu religion stitched cloth is not believed to be sacred.
 Next morning, I  left the bed earlier.Around 3.30 AM out the main entrance of the temple there was a long queue and I too joined the crowd. Gradually the serpentine queue moved towards the Sanctum Sanctorum .The path led me into a gallery lookalike a portion of stadium ,close to the Jyotirlinga.

After a short while, the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum opened and then began the chanting of mantras by a group of priests.The head priest bathed the Shiva Linga with holy water, milk,curd and many other things.

 At that particular instant 'Aghori' a man who lives in place where mortal remains are cremated stepped in with ashes of freshly burnt human body.The head priest accepted the ashes also called 'Bhasma' and adorned the Shiva Linga with it.The decoration was done in such a way that the Linga turned into a king wearing crown.

Really the images that passed through my eyes was fantastic sights to behold and deeply settled in my mind.

A trip to the temple city Ujjain-1

Travel enthusiasts are always in search of a new destination, a bit challenging but that really gives immense pleasure to them .Travelling always top their priority list.Their vacations are all about discovering a place of importance .They explore scenic beauty and experience the culture. They are always committed to travelling.Like them,I too have an appetite for sight seeing .No matter it may be a metropolitan city ,a temple town or a national park.Each sight gives a boost to my desire and always encourages me to hunt for another mesmerizing destination.
                 After a short stay at Udaipur city and with Vivid memories I returned Udaipur station when the day is done to catch Ujjain bound train.Many a time I have heard that the temple city Ujjain offers an unique experience of Hindu religion and more importantly is also a place of pilgrimage. It has a lot more than temples -rich history related to Hindu mythology like good food for both body and soul.And the friendly people with emotional touch.That's what attracted me a lot to tour there.

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           Next morning, my train pulled into this city and just 30 mins drive got me to the main entrance of 'Mahakaleshwar Temple' the temple of Lord Shiva.I was really enthralled to see the beauty of this temple. Since the days of the Ramayana Ujjain is known but by another name 'Avantika'
      In the vicinity many comfy hotels at pocket friendly prices were available and I chose one of them.Other stay options were also there.
     It is not just the temples that attract tourist from all over the globe but one thing that add a bit of excitement is to enjoy the 'Bhasma Aarti' performed in the Mahakal temple. To be a part of this Aarti a pass is needed that is issued a day in advance by the temple management.This is the Ujjain that has given birth to many stories relating to Hindu mythology.

A visit to Belur Math

Metropolitan cities rarely sleep and pretty much the same for Kolkata city.This city has a plethora of things to offer like historical places ,interesting sights ,ferry ride, delicious cuisines and the list goes on, that are enough to keep one busy all day!
Still ,there are a few important one that leave an indelible imprint on mind and one such example is ' Belur Math' a place of significance.
Really, Kolkata is blessed with fine place like 'Belur Math'.A 30 -35 minute short driving from Howrah station take one to this picturesque spot.
In the crowded and over -populated Kolkata city if anyone is looking for a quiet and must see place ,this is the best spot where one really satiates the soul.
          Founded by swami Vivekananda it is unique in architecture.The temples of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda and Sarda Devi here attract tourist from across the globe. And ,the museum is another point of attraction which has the collection of articles related to the life of Ramakrishna,Vivekananda and other sanayasis.
But, to truly experience the inner beauty of this place just vacate the mind ,disengage the senses ,stop diverting the mind and concentrate it that's what I have experienced during my short visit here.

What to eat in Kolkata?

Kolkata means two things for a traveller good food and best places or tourists spot to see. The true flavour of Kolkata could easily be experienced in its local delicacies. There, at short distances ,array of options are available to munch. Foodies needn't have to wander to get them.

To me ,it is a Paradise for foodies .The crowded street is filled with immense variety of mouth-watering dishes. The best place to try any new cuisine is Kolkata ,specially Bengali dishes starting from Jhal Muri, chat to sweet treat like sondesh,Rasogoolas etc. It is the best destination for travellers with a sweet tooth.Here, one can easily taste and enjoy the Bengali dishes ,in a string of stalls present in the busy streets at a pocket friendly prices.The list of delicacies in Bengal and Kolkata is never-ending.But a few must try items are

(1) Jhal muri
(2) Misti Doi
(3) Rosogolla of different flavours
(4) Rasmalai
(5) Rajbhog
(6) Radhabollobi
(7) Fish Curry
(8) Goja

A short trip to kolkata

Last week, I planned to travel Kolkata  but kept my travel plans secret up to the last moment. And I raised the curtain from the suspense a day before the day of the trip. The sudden decision to move their irritated my friends but they all happily welcomed my last minute decision.

  One thing is very clear about my travel plans is that as a traveler I like exploring places of historical significance ,or places full of excitement and inspiration. No doubt, Kolkata has everything that we needed food, busy streets, many ample and popular sites within a short driving .with these ideas our travelling on a weekend started. We boarded the train and reached Kolkata at late night around 11.30pm.In the vicinity at a walking distance many hotels were available and we checked in one of them. But the fact was different .The rooms were not comfy and luxurious as the outer appearances suggested old furniture, water dripping from the old model air conditioner and poor services.

Like other places here too the hotels close to the railway station were costlier and could hardly save some serious rupees.

It's true that Kolkata attracts tourists from all over the world for its fantastic sights to behold but a few must sees are Belur Math, Dakshineswar temple ,Victoria Memorial, Birla Science Museum, Science city and many more.

   Next morning ,less than an hour scenic drive takes us to Belur Math,a beautiful sight ,situated on the bank of the Hooghly river .It is a place where one can feel and experience a true peace. The temple is an example of excellent architecture, founded by Swami Vivekananda ,a disciple of Ramakrishna Pramahansa.

     Another twenty minutes of driving got us to another picturesque spot Dakshineswar temple mainly a temple of goddess Kali and because of its association with Ramakrishna ,this temple is world famous.

       Our last stop was Birla Science Museum where we all got the chance to see and experience the facts of science.

Beautiful science shows, surprising chemical reactions made us happy. A number of activities related to nuclear science, Mathematics ,Biology etc were being conducted which were very much interesting.

  In the end each spot of Kolkata leaves us overwhelmed and added a bit of excitement to our short tour and we really enjoyed each second of the trip.

A trip to Udaipur

Early the next morning before sunup, I checked out from the hotel for another alluring destination i.e Udaipur.Since Jaipur railway station was pretty close and also easy to reach so ,I decided to stroll straight there.And I walked the short distance with my luggage. the journey more comfortable I had reserved seat well in advance. The platform, even in the early morning was a bit busier.The Udaipur bound train was present ,I boarded the train and kept my luggage .A six-hour scenic journey on train took me to Udaipur ,a place full of captivating sights.Outside the platform many rental cars were parked.The drivers eyes were searching the passengers. without wasting a moment I also hired one of them.The cabman good by nature drove me to a budget friendly hotel 'Kajri',also the information center of Rajasthan Tourism development Corporation. Since I was badly exhausted of gruelling journey so, I checked into the same hotel located in the heart of the city.Anyhow ,the night stay at the hotel was comfy.The next morning around 5 AM I began the cruising towards  chittorgarh. After a three-hour comfortable drive I reached there.Having grown up reading about Chittorgarh I was excited to traverse the land of braves.Chittorgarh is really a land of finest fort.There are innumerable stories relating to chittorgarh and the bravery of Rajputs.The Chittorgarh fort has many beautiful monuments to see like Rani Padmini's palace ,Vijay Stambh also called the tower of victory built by Maharana Kumbha and many more .But among all Mirabai Temple is the magnificent site that draw tourists from across the country.
Next day destination was Udaipur city also known by the name city of lakes.It has a number of lakes like Pichola,Fateh Sagar,Udai Sagar etc.The two must see sites are Udaipur City Palace and Lake Palace made of black and white marbles.On the whole, I could say that Udaipur charmed me with lakes and palaces and left me feeling rejuvenated.





















































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data-ad-client="ca-pub-6530562477548311" data-ad-slot="9777259239"></ins> <s (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(the journey more comfortable I had reserved seat well in advance. The platform, even in the early morning was a bit busier.The Udaipur bound train was present ,I boarded the train and kept my luggage .A six-hour scenic journey on train took me to Udaipur ,a place full of captivating sight.
 Outside the platform many rental cars were parked.The drivers eyes were searching the passengers. without wasting a moment I also hired one of them.The cabman good by nature drove me to a budget friendly hotel 'Kajri',also the information center of Rajasthan Tourism development Corporation. Since I was badly exhausted of gruelling journey so, I checked into the same hotel located in the heart of the city.Anyhow ,the night stay at the hotel was comfy.The next morning around 5 AM I began the cruising towards  chittorgarh. After a three-hour comfortable drive I reached there.
       Having grown up reading about Chittorgarh I was excited to traverse the land of braves.Chittorgarh is really a land of finest fort.There are innumerable stories relating to chittorgarh and the bravery of Rajputs.The Chittorgarh fort has many beautiful monuments to see like Rani Padmini's palace ,Vijay Stambh also called the tower of victory built by Maharana Kumbha and many more .But among all Mirabai Temple is the magnificent site that draw tourists from across the country.
Next day destination was Udaipur city also known by the name city of lakes.It has a number of lakes like Pichola,Fateh Sagar,Udai Sagar etc.The two must see sites are Udaipur City Palace and Lake Palace made of black and white marbles.On the whole, I could say that Udaipur charmed me with lakes and palaces and left me feeling rejuvenated.