Skies across Uttarakand to Delhi and beyond...

Some gorgeous images of the sky while up in the air and during the safaris across Corbett & Panna....

Skywatch Friday- Sky coming alive at the break of dawn near Thailand...

I love travelling as most of you have guessed by now, even though I havent travelled as much as I would love to. And when it comes to flying, then I instantly gravitate towards the window seat. This time too, luckily friend wanted Aisle while I happily chose the window seat and we settled in. From Chennai, the flight took off at the unearthly hour of 1.45am and it was to reach Bangkok around 6.25 which became 6.35am finally. We boarded, got into our seats, got comfy, chit chatted a bit and that is when the stewardess came around asking all to shut the window. I wonder why they do that, there is nothing we can see anyways; it is pitch dark outside… Oh well! 

And then before I knew it, I had knocked off for about 4 hours, to wake up around 6 and see the sun rising above the clouds slowly. What a breath taking sight that was, the orange peeking into the white empty blue sky as we flew high above it all.  It was beautiful, for lack of better word..

A brand new day, a brand new destination awaited us on landing!!

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ...

Skywatch Friday.. Along the Galle Fort

We were on our last leg of the Srilankan holiday. We left Unawatuna that morning and drove towards Galle before heading down back to Colombo. Along the way, we decided to take a small detour and visit the Galle fort area. The cab driver also chimed in saying the place had some interesting architecture and quite a few shops as well. We drive inside the Fort entrance and stopped near the Fort wall. My friend and I hopped out and walked along the wall, watching the ocean, with calm waves and a man walking into the ocean to fish. The water was a beautiful emerald colour and seemed quite shallow as well.   

Located in the Bay of Galle along the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, the Fort was built back in 1588 by the Portuguese, but then over time it was fortified by the Dutch  when they ruled the region around the 17th Century. It has been over 423 years and even today the Fort stands tall and majestic. It is now protected by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka.

Within the Fort area we noticed the architecture was quite unique. The buildings were all pristine white and lined up in order neatly. There was also the Dutch Reformed Church and a temple we could see from the fort wall. We spotted a Roti stall and went over to check it out. Attached to it was a bed and breakfast, the owner who saw us gave us a quick tour of the place. We also picked up a cheese and onion roti from the stall [it was like a parantha and was quite good]  

What was amazing about the place was that quite a few buildings were still owned by the Dutch and the center has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.  This very Fort has not only stood the test of time, but also survived the Boxing Day Tsunami.

As we drove around the place doing a full circle, we saw the Lighthouse, Court house and a Hospital. The day seemed to have been an auspicious day for we saw quite a few couples getting ready for marriage or newly married. And then along with them there was always a group of bridesmaids and best men, all dressed in matching outfits and traditional srilankan attire. The bride and groom were decked up, the bride in a white saree with jewellery that hung down her neck like curtain, while the groom in a beautifully embellished jacket studded with stones and what not [shall get the pic from friend and post it here]. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ... 

Skywatch Friday- Along the blue waters at Temple Bay

A little beep on my phone where it all began! A friend asked "How about we all go for a drive and a nice lunch on 12th jan, sunday?"  After a few debates on where else we can visit along the way, things we could do, time we leave the city it was decided! At 8.30 we were on our way to pick up 2 friends from Thiruvanmiyur and were on the ECR...  

After a leisurely stroll around Dakshin Chitra, we arrived at Radisson Temple Bay, Mahabalipuram and decided to dine at The Wharf, facing the ocean [only because the other 2 restaurants had only buffet and we dint think we could do justice to that] . Our table was just a few yards from the ocean, we could hear the waves and feel the breeze. Only thing left was to run to the water and have some fun!! 

The blue waters were chill and just perfect. We spent about half an hour soaking, laughing, taking pictures and having a great time when it dawned on us that we would have to leave, bid it all adieu!! 

But, we were not ready to say Bye yet! We went ahead, washed ourselves, dusted off as much sand as possible and sat near on the stone wall for a while, enjoying the silence and beauty of the place.

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday... Dutch live on

After ages, am back on the Skywatch Friday wagon today... All thanks to a conversation I had with a friend about Tranquebar. It has been over 2yrs since I was there last, and I do wish I get to do another drive down the Coromandel Coast... [Fingers & toes crossed]

Tranquebar (Tharangambadi as it more commonly known) is a small town in Nagapattinam district, about 45kms from Chidambaram and 15kms north of Karaikal. The name literally translates to "a place of the singing waves". It was a Danish colony from 1620 to 1845, and today a getaway destination for many. There is a Danish Fort, Church and the Governor's Bungalow to see, apart from the shimmering ocean. 

The architectural journey of Tranquebar can be traced back to the 14th century Masilamaninathar Temple built during the Pandya Regime. Then come 17th century colonial fort and 18th century churches. 21st century sees the crumbling heritage structures being restored by INTACH. This involves The Bungalow on the Beach , Gate House, Shiva Temple, façade restoration of St. Theresa’s Convent, former Danish governor’s residence and Goldsmith Street houses. Entry to this town is through an impressive two hundred year old Town Gate built with a Danish allure.  [Info courtesy : Tranquebar.in]

Canon facing the ocean in front of the Fort

 The Dutch Fort, as you enter the complex

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday... Grandeur Galore

I couldnt believe myself. I was actually there, a place I had been wanting to visit for quite sometime now. This was such an impulse trip, and I was loving every minute of it. Where was I? I was in the temple town of Kumbakonam, more importantly I was standing at the entrance to the infamous temple complex- "Gangai konda Cholapuram" 

A man who was watering the plants came over and asked where I was from and what I was doing there.  When I told him I was from Chennai and here just to explore the place, he was quite fascinated. Said he maintained the temple premises, the garden mainly and had been working there for nearly a decade. Asked if I would like to know more about the place and I happily nodded my head. He guided me around the place, sharing information on the history, the ruler, and the various temples within the premises. 

Here is what I learnt,

What was once a city founded by Rajendra Chola is today a rustic village and all that remains is this grandeur [ASI] property. It was founded to commemorate the King's victorious march to the Ganges.  This was also the capital of Chola empire during the 11th Century CE for almost 250 years from then. Emperor Rajendra wore the title of Gangaikonda Cholan when his army captured the Ganges Plains. That is how the place came to be named Gangaikonda Cholapuram. 

It’s from here that the Chola empire expanded reaching great heights. They went on to control South India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia & even parts of Indonesia. It is believed that Rajendra Chola’s army brought water from the River Ganges to Gangikonda Cholapuram, filling up the tanks.    

The first thing that catches your eye is the larger than life Nandi (Siva’s Bull) at the entrance of the Maha mandapam. I know that the Nandi stands guard in all such temples, but here it is huge, and then there is a smaller one on the landing above the staircase. The attention to detail, and the intricate carvings on the Nandi are beautiful, you can make our each curve, each bell around its neck and the work on its legs as well. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday... Uniting the world- Baha'i House of worship, Delhi

And we had finally landed, we were in Delhi, couldnt believe it. It had been nearly 4-5yrs since my last visit and mom was here after eons. We were there for a wedding, but were also looking forward to spending time with my Uncle and family. The day after we landed, uncle was off to work, kiddo to school and others were busy with their routine. Since i was with mom i had told myself this was going to be a laid back trip, and i would have to take mom around... She asked "can we roam around today? i dont want to sit at home". I said ok, we walked out of the colony, hailed a cab and headed out to explore the city. The 1st destination my mom chose was the Baha'i house of worship. 

The Bahá'í Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all races and peoples in one universal Cause and one common Faith. Bahá’is are the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, Who they believe is the Promised One of all Ages.

The traditions of almost every people include the promise of a future when peace and harmony will be established on earth and humankind will live in prosperity. We believe that the promised hour has come and that Bahá’u’lláh is the great Personage Whose teachings will enable humanity to build a new world. [Information courtesy: Baha'i site]

Also called the Lotus Temple, the temple resembles a lotus flower in full bloom. Made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand, the temple is open to people across religions. Completed in 1986 by the Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada, it welcomes tourists from across the world, day in and out. 

Interesting facts about the place-

There are 27 freestanding "petals" made of marble 

There are 9 reflecting pools that encompass the temple from outside. 

Height of the building: 34,27m
Diameter: 70 m
Seats within the auditorium: 1300
The land was bought in 1953 and construction  began on April 21st 1980, Was inaugurated on December 24th 1986.

As we wandered through the gardens, i was mesmerised not only by the structure, but also by the clouds that seemed to be floating along slowly and gracefully. Two women who were walking near us commented on the Clouds before walking away towards the Information office. 

 There comes a point where you are given a bag to put your footwear and deposit them in the Boot house. I noticed there were quite a few, mostly foreigners who were hesitant to do so, and some turned away because of this.  And then there were those few who wore their footwear around their belts, tied using the shoe string. I wondered why? where they paranoid of germs? or fear of losing their footwear?

We reached the staircase that led to the entrance of the temple where we were greeted by a girl [who was from Malaysia, and volunteering here], and further along, we were asked to stand in a single file, when a guy [who was from Turkey, and he too was a volunteer here] explained about Baha'i faith [he spoke in English and Hindi as well- quite confidently indeed] before opening the doors. We got in and found a seat just as the prayer began [ everyday, multiple times through the day there are prayer chants- from 5 different religions a prayer is recited within the hall] . We left after the prayer, walked around some more and picked up a flier on the place.

As we walked out, we noticed a group of Koreans huddled in a corner with an Indian explaining the faith and about the place in fluent Korean. They were lapping up everything he said... Guess this is what is called  "The power of Tourism" :-)

 

Timings:

Winter: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Summer: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Note: The Bahá'í House of Worship is open Tuesday through Sunday (Mondays closed).

 For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday and 275th post... Welcome to the Blue Hills

It is not often that you take a holiday that leaves you wanting more. I had one such experience recently. Even though it was a trip to a familiar destination, it was with friend and her family, which made a world of difference. I enjoyed myself, visited familiar sites, saw new things, explored unseen sites, spent nights playing card games and word games. Must also mention that this was my 1st time at a Club Mahindra property. :-) We stayed at Club Mahindra's Derby Green in Ooty... 

The temperatures were 12-18 during the day and 5-7 at night. It was heavenly, being able to walk around in a Tee shirt and capri, not worrying about sweat, enjoying a hot cuppa chai and a bowl of maggi after spending hours exploring the Botanical Gardens. It sure was a memorable vacation :-) 

 

And through the days, the clouds and blue skies kept us excited, the drama, the movements, the shapes, it was sheer magical..... sweet memories....

Participating in Skywatch after long and just realised this is my 275th post on this blog!! Yayy~!!

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday ... Well, today is the last Skywatch of this year, see you all in 2013. Wish you a very Happy New year!

Skywatch Friday- Where the sea meets the sky

How I wish i could switch off this life and get away, disappear? Maybe to a place where i know no one and there is nothing but the ocean and clear blue skies for company? The only place that comes to mind is Pondicherry. The last time I was there was a year ago, sigh, time sure seems to fly... Walking along the ocean, as the sun rose into the sky, watching it shimmer in the crystal water was a sight that can only be experienced and not described. 

 

Early morning walkers and joggers went about their routine, fruit and juice vendors were just setting up their stalls as i strolled along the pavement. The grey walls of the building on the other side of the road shimmered in the morning sun. The ocean played music in my ears, as I forgot the world for a few brief moments. 

Even though you cannot go to the water in this stretch of the beach, there is a certain sense of peace that sets in amidst the buzz. The little town transforms, coming alive as day sets in, more so towards late evening. People are walking in groups, sometimes with a child running along, or a dog trotting beside them. Popcorn, sugar candy, ice cream vendors throng the shore line. Kuri josiyam [ a different form of palmistry] ladies trot from person to person trying to get a client and make them part with a few 100 rupees.

 

The Gandhi statue amidst the tall pillars stands out, above all the hustle and bustle around. Pondicherry is a town i can visit over and over, and everytime it brings a smile on my face, and i come back with a new experience. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday... Bridge over the Indian Ocean

I have been wanting to visit Rameswaram for as long as i can remember. But it just dint seem to happen. Gramma told me "Rameswaram & Kasi are places you should not annouce your desire to visit, it will not happen"... Hmm, i dint know if this was true or a myth, but i took a vow not to tell anyone of my desire to visit the place. And lo behold, towards 2nd half of the year, a friend called saying she was planning a trip to Rameswaram and if i would wanna come along... :-)

Imagine my surprise and joy!! I immediately said yes, even though she was going with her aunt-uncle, and few other family members. It dint matter, i knew her and they were ok with me coming along. 

Tickets were booked, plans were made and within a month, i was there, in Rameswaram. We had driven down from Madurai in a cab, stayed over at ISCON guest house and spent 2 days finishing off all that she had been advised to do at the temple. From there, we drove back to Madurai, stopping over for a few minutes on the Pamban bridge to soak in its beauty. The railway track runs parallel to the ocean, and we promised each other to do another trip to Rameswaram via rail. From the bridge, the ocean looked turquoise, shimmering against the afternoon sky, crystal clear. There were a few boats bobbing in the water and a small group of buildings afar. 

Within minutes we heard the tinkle of a cycle bell and spotted a vendor selling raw mango with spice powder. What a treat those were, we gobbled them up like hungry kids and kept running from one side of the bridge to the other to see there was any difference. 

Alas, we realised we had to get back on the road as we had a train to catch that night from Madurai. But the bridge, the ocean, the destination remain in my mind fresh, even today.

 

Do you see what we saw??? 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday