आयुर्वेद बनाम एलोपैथी

आज एक समाचार चैनल पर योगगुरू बाबा रामदेव और इंडियन मेडिकल एसोसिएशन(IMA) के निवर्तमान अध्यक्ष और वर्तमान महासचिव के बीच बहस का प्रसारण किया गया। ये एक योगी और दो डॉक्टरों के बीच तीखी बहस थी,या यों कहें कि सीधे तौर पर प्राचीन आयुर्वेद और आधुनिक चिकित्सा पद्धति एलोपैथी के बीच "कौन श्रेष्ठ है" की अप्रासंगिक और मूर्खतापूर्ण वाद-विवाद प्रतियोगिता थी। इस विवाद की जड़ में है बाबा रामदेव का एलोपैथी को लेकर दिया हालिया वक्तव्य जिसमें उन्होंने एक सोशल मीडिया मैसेज का हवाला देते हुए आधुनिक चिकित्सा पद्धति पर प्रश्न-चिन्ह खड़े किए थे। इस कोरोना काल में जिस तरह से लाखों रुपये का अस्पताल का बिल भरने के बाद भी अस्पताल में मरीज़ों की मृत्यु हुई,ये कहीं न कहीं हम सबके मन में संदेह पैदा करता ही है। संभव है कि अस्पतालों में हो रही मौतों के इस आंकड़े से आहत होकर बाबा रामदेव ने अपने मन की शंका ज़ाहिर की हो लेकिन भावातिरेक में उन्होंने ग़लत शब्दों का चयन किया। यहां स्पष्ट है कि उन्होंने चिकित्सा पद्धति पर सवाल उठाए थे न कि चिकित्सकों पर। आज गूगल और टेस्ला जैसी दिग्गज टेक्नोलॉजी कंपनियों के द्वारा आर्टिफिशियल इंटेलिजेंस को बढ़ावा देने के बाद भी कई टेक्नोलॉजी एक्सपर्ट भविष्य में होने वाले इसके कई संभावित ख़तरों की तरफ़ इशारा करते हैं और इसकी प्रामाणिकता पर भी सवाल खड़े करते हैं,क्योंकि तकनीक कितनी भी उन्नत क्यों न हो उसमें सुधार की गुंजाइश हमेशा रहती है।

आज इस कार्यक्रम के प्रसारण के पूर्व भी और कार्यक्रम की शुरुआत में भी बाबा रामदेव ने मामले की गंभीरता को समझते हुए अपने बयान को न सिर्फ़ वापिस लिया बल्कि बार-बार दोहराया भी कि उन्हें आधुनिक चिकित्सा विज्ञान से कोई परहेज़ नहीं है। ज़ाहिर है एक योगी होने के नाते उन्हें ये समझने में देर नहीं लगी होगी कि मामला अब बेवजह तूल पकड़ रहा है और ऐसे नाज़ुक हालात में उनके इस एक बयान की आड़ लेकर देश भर के डॉक्टरों को सरलतापूर्वक भड़काया जा सकता है,इसीलिए उन्होंने मामले की नज़ाक़त को ध्यान में रखते हुए समझदारी का परिचय दिया।

लेकिन ठीक इसके विपरीत उस कार्यक्रम में पधारे दोनों डॉक्टर महाशय ने शुरुआत से ही जिस अपमानजनक लहज़े में बाबा रामदेव से बहस करना शुरू किया,ये मेरे लिए स्तब्ध कर देने वाला वाक़या था क्योंकि चाहे वास्तविक जीवन में हों या टीवी कार्यक्रमों में, मैंने डॉक्टरों को हमेशा बहुत ही मर्यादित भाषा का उपयोग करते देखा है। लेकिन दो डॉक्टर एक टीवी कार्यक्रम में आकर गंभीरता-पूर्वक बात करने की जगह जब किसी राजनीतिक दल के प्रवक्ता की तरह आते ही सामने वाले व्यक्ति पर छींटाकशी आरंभ कर दें, तो आपको भी दाल में कुछ काला नज़र आने लगता है।

इस कार्यक्रम के दौरान एक और हैरतअंगेज घटना तब हुई जब आईएमए के महासचिव महोदय आते ही इस बात पर बिफ़र पड़े कि बाबा रामदेव कार्यक्रम में पतंजलि की कोरोना किट को बार-बार कैमरे के सामने क्यों दिखा रहे हैं! इस वाक़ये ने मुझे उत्तर प्रदेश में हुए पिछले विधानसभा चुनाव की याद दिला दी जब बुआ-बबुआ की पार्टियों के कार्यकर्ताओं ने 'कमल' के फ़ूल से भरे एक सरोवर को कपड़े से ढंक दिया था, शुक्र है कि शोले फ़िल्म के गब्बर की तरह इन्होंने मतदाताओं के 'हाथ' नहीं काट डाले। बहरहाल यहां बड़ा सवाल ये है कि दुनिया भर की विदेशी कंपनियों के मंजन, साबुन-तेल और खाद्य पदार्थों को मान्यता देने वाले आईएमए को आख़िर स्वदेशी कंपनी पतंजलि की कोरोना किट से इतनी तक़लीफ़ क्यों है? ये ठीक ऐसा ही है जैसे दुनिया भर में सबसे सस्ता डाटा उपलब्ध कराकर भारत में डिजिटल क्रांति लाने वाले और एप्पल, अमेज़न, अलीबाबा और डिज़्नी जैसी मल्टीनेशनल कंपनियों को पीछे छोड़ते हुए विश्व भर में 5वे सबसे मज़बूत ब्रांड बनकर उभरे स्वदेशी कंपनी जिओ टेलीकॉम के मालिक मुकेश अंबानी को लोग चोर कहते हैं और हमारे ही देश में उन्हें मारने का षड्यंत्र रचा गया। इस समय ख़ौफ़ज़दा अंबानी परिवार मुंबई के अपने आलीशान घर को छोड़कर देश के सबसे सुरक्षित राज्य गुजरात में रह रहा है, क्योंकि सत्ताधारी क्षेत्रीय दल के लिए "जय महाराष्ट्र" का नारा "जय हिंद" के नारे से अधिक प्रासंगिक है। सौभाग्य से विश्व की सबसे बड़ी वैक्सीन निर्माता कंपनी भारतीय है जो दुनिया में सबसे सस्ती दर पर कोरोना वैक्सीन देश में उपलब्ध करा रही है लेकिन आख़िर क्या वजह रही कि इस स्वदेशी कंपनी के मालिक अदार पूनावाला को कोरोना की दूसरी लहर शुरू होते ही अतिरिक्त सुरक्षा मुहैया करानी पड़ी? हद तो तब हो गयी जब विभिन्न राज्य सरकारों और नेताओं के दबाव के चलते उन्हें भारत छोड़कर विदेश में शरण लेनी पड़ी! संयोगवश पूनावाला का निवास भी महाराष्ट्र के पूना में है तो बहुत संभव है कि इन्हें भी "जय महाराष्ट्र" कहने के लिए बाध्य किया गया हो।

आज पतंजलि के केमिकल-रहित उत्पाद अपनी गुणवत्ता के बल पर एफ़एमसीजी बाज़ार में विदेशी कंपनियों को कड़ी टक्कर दे रहे हैं। लेकिन ये वही आइएमए है जिसने पतंजलि की कोरोना किट को मान्यता देने से मना किया था और ये वही आइएमए है जिसने प्राचीन भारतीय आयुर्वेद को कोर्ट में केवल झाड़-फूंक बताया है और यही वजह है कि इंटरनेट पर विकिपीडिया नामक प्रसिध्द साइट पर भारतीय आयुर्वेद को Pseudoscience यानि कि मिथ्या बताया गया है। आख़िर आयुर्वेद से मेडिकल माफ़िया को इतनी परेशानी किस बात से है, क्या इसके पीछे अपने एकाधिकार के ध्वस्त होने का भय है?

हम सभी साक्षी हैं कि कोरोना काल में स्टेरॉयड के बेतहाशा इस्तेमाल के बाद अब ब्लैक,व्हाइट, येलो और न जाने कितने रंगों के फंगस का संक्रमण लोगों में तेज़ी से फैल रहा है? कोरोना मरीज़ों के उपचार हेतु की जा रही प्लाज़्मा थेरेपी को हाल ही में कोविड उपचारों की सूची से बाहर कर दिया गया है। एलोपैथी दवाओं के साइड इफ़ेक्ट से सभी वाकिफ़ हैं।असंवेदनशील अस्पताल मरीज़ों को लाखों रुपये का बिल थमा रहे हैं फ़िर भी बड़े अस्पतालों से लोग ज़िंदा वापिस नहीं आ रहे, वहीं घर पर उपचाररत मरीज़ स्वस्थ हो रहे हैं। बड़े प्राइवेट अस्पतालों के कुछ लालची डॉक्टर जो दुर्भाग्यवश डॉक्टरों की कुल जमात का 90% हैं, वो आपदा के इस अवसर को पैसे कमाने के सुनहरे अवसर के रूप में देख रहे हैं। कई डॉक्टर और नर्स रेमडेसीविर एवं अन्य ज़रूरी दवाओं की कालाबाज़ारी करते पकड़ा रहे हैं। ऐसा कैसे संभव है कि नक़ली इन्जेक्शन जो धोखे से मरीज़ के परिजनों को बेचे गए,वो डॉक्टर या नर्स ने बिना चेक किये मरीज़ को लगा दिए जिससे बाद में मरीज़ की मौत हो गयी! ये तभी संभव है जब आप ख़ुद भी इस मेडिकल माफ़िया का हिस्सा हों। बात कड़वी ज़रूर है मगर सच्ची है। आख़िर ऐसा क्यों है कि कोरोना से पीड़ित लगभग सभी मरीज़ कोरोना से इतना नहीं घबराते जितना अस्पताल में भर्ती होने से घबराते हैं और घर पर ही अपना इलाज कराना चाहते हैं।

बाबा रामदेव के एक बयान के लिए उनके ख़िलाफ़ एफआईआर की धमकी देने वाले आइएमए ने क्या कभी कालाबाज़ारी करते डॉक्टरों को कोई चेतावनी दी है? स्वास्थ्य आपातकाल के इस दौर में भी मनमानी कर रहे अस्पतालों पर क्या कभी आइएमए ने कोई कार्यवाही की है जो दवाइयों और इंजेक्शन के चार गुना अधिक दाम वसूल रहे हैं? कामचोर डॉक्टरों के ख़िलाफ़ जब इंदौर कलेक्टर कार्यवाही करते हैं,तो यही मेडिकल यूनियन उनके समर्थन में आकर काम बंद करने की चेतावनी देती है और तब लोगों की जान बचाने की ख़ातिर प्रशासन को इन सर्वशक्तिमान डॉक्टरों के आगे हाथ जोड़ना पड़ता है; क्या आइएमए ने इस अमानवीयता को रोकने का कोई प्रयास किया?

आंकड़ों पर नज़र डालें तो कुल जनसंख्या प्रतिशत के अनुपात में भारत में कोरोना संक्रमित होने वालों का प्रतिशत कुल जनसंख्या का केवल 1.8% है जो कि अमेरिका में 10%, फ्रांस में 9% और इटली एवं ब्राज़ील में 7.3% है। भारत की जनसंख्या के अनुपात में कोरोना से होने वाली मृत्यु दर भी अन्य देशों से कम है। इसका सबसे बड़ा कारण भारतीयों की मज़बूत रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता है जो हमारे रोज़मर्रा के खाने में उपयोग में आने वाले विभिन्न जड़ी-बूटियों और मसालों की वजह से संभव हुआ है और प्राचीन आयुर्वेद भी इन चीज़ों के सही वैज्ञानिक इस्तेमाल पर ही आधारित है।

यहां आयुर्वेद और एलोपैथी के बीच के सबसे बड़े अंतर का उल्लेख करना आवश्यक है कि जहां एलोपैथी बीमारी होने के बाद गंभीर से गंभीर रोग का इलाज करने में सक्षम है वहीं आयुर्वेद शरीर की रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता को मज़बूत करके रोग पैदा होने की संभावना को ही कम कर देता है जो प्रमाणित भी हो चुका है। इस तरह वर्तमान परिस्थितियों में दोनों ही चिकित्सा पद्धतियां प्रासंगिक हैं और हम भाग्यशाली हैं कि हमारे देश में दोनों ही पद्धतियों के जानकार लोग मौजूद हैं जिनके ज्ञान का हमें अधिक से अधिक लोगों को स्वस्थ करने और जान बचाने के लिए इस्तेमाल करना चाहिए; क्योंकि ये समय दूसरे को नीचा दिखाकर अपनी श्रेष्ठता साबित करने का नहीं बल्कि क़दम मिलाकर साथ चलने का है।

सोनल "होशंगाबादी"

Devbhoomi Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand is an Indian state situated in the Himalayas. The state is popularly known as 'Devbhoomi (Land of gods)' because of several Hindu pilgrimage sites. That's why here religious tourism contributes a major part in the state's tourism. Uttarakhand is a complete travel destination as there is so much to do for everyone. Here you can plan a holy holiday for your parents including Haridwar & Chardham yatra comprising Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri to witness the origin of 2most sacred rivers of India i.e. The Ganges & Yamuna; you can book your honeymoon package for the 'Queen of Hills' Mussoorie; you can enjoy an spiritual stay at the Yoga & Meditation centers of Rishikesh; the younger ones can go for adventures sports such as water rafting, bungee jumping & trekking of Nanda-devi which is the second-highest top in India and the 23rd highest peak in the world; the lovers of wildlife safari can visit to the Jim Corbett national park which is the home of Royal Bengal Tiger & the perfect place for the bird watching; the nature lovers can go to the 'Valley of Flowers' situated between the Zanskar valley & the great Himalayas which is a World Legacy Site as recognized by UNESCO; you can go to Nainital surrounded by mountains on three sides which is famous for it's beautiful lake as you've been heard "तालों में नैनीताल बाकी सब तलैया"; so there are multiple reasons to visit Uttarakhand.

Holy Haridwar

My travel plan was to cover only Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun & Mussoorie as it was a short trip. So my journey starts from the ancient city Haridwar, as indicates the name itself this sacred city is considered to be the gateway to the Lord Vishnu's abode ''Vaikuntha". It is an ancient city situated in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand on the banks of the holy river Ganga. The city is an important Hindu pilgrimage site in North India which hosts the most prominent religious event of Kumbh mela. We checked-in our hotel at night & next day morning we were all set to go to the famous "Har ki Paudi" ghat to take a dip in the holy river Ganga. 

The happening market

The Har ki paudi ghat was a short walk away from our hotel. On the way to the ghat, a plenty of shops were there side-by-side on both sides of the narrow road. This market is called 'Moti Bazaar' which is the prime shopping place having many small colorful shops, restaurants and hotels. You will find shops serving tea, milk, sweets, fruits etc. Many shops are selling religious items, souvenir, bangles, artificial jewelry, wooden and plastic toys, woolens etc. This is a must visit market while you are travelling to Haridwar. People who are looking for pickles or ayurvedic medicines will find them in abundance here. This place remains crowded always. I just loved this market.

 

 Har ki paudi

Then we reached to Har ki paudi which actually means footsteps of the god. It is believed that Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu visited the ghat together. The ghat was built by the King Vikramaditya in 1st century BC in the memory of his brother, Bharthhari who had come to meditate here on the bank of the Ganges. Har Ki Paudi is also famed for being the place where River Ganga flowing through the Himalayas touches the plains for the first time. 

 

This place is very auspicious in Hindu mythology. Haridwar is one of the four places along with Ujjain, Nashik and Allahabad (Prayag) where drops of Amritham, the elixir of immortality, spilled over here from the pitcher or Kumbha while being carried away by the celestial bird Garuda, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu after the Samudra Manthan. These four spots have today become places where the Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 12 years. Over the years the ghats have undergone major extension and renovation as the crowds increased in subsequent Kumbh Melas.

        “कुम्भ राशिगते जीवे यद्द्विनेशन मशगे रवौ। 

          हरिद्वारे कृतसंसाननं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जनम्। “

This shloka reaffirms the astrological positions of the Kumbh mela 2021 at Haridwar, and describes that in such a cosmic occurrence, bathing in the Ganga sets human beings free from the cycle of birth and death. In other words, the person who takes a ritual bath under such a cosmic arrangement attains Moksha (Salvation). Recently kumbh mela was organized at Haridwar in the month of April2021 which was intercepted before time due to the 2nd wave of Corona pandemic in India. 

We had the holy dip in Ganga river at Har ki Pauri. Entering the river Ganga with its fast flowing cold water was a wonderful experience. The feel of the cold water of river Ganga was exhilarating. With each dip in the river Ganga, I felt a surge of energy through my body, felt revitalizing. There was something which was beyond my expectation & that was the water which was so clean that we could easily see through it like a mirror. The day before coming to Haridwar, we were roaming in Delhi for the whole day & still we were feeling so tired even after overnight stay at Haridwar, but after having bath in the river all the fatigue was just gone. Do not forget to click pictures around. Be there for morning or evening Aarti for divine experience.

 

 Mansa devi temple

After this ravishing experience, we headed towards the Mansa mata temple. From Har-ki-Paudi, Mansa Devi Temple is a walking distance, its fun also walking through shops and restaurants on this road. Mansa Devi Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi and one of the prime holy places to visit in Haridwar. The Goddess is believed to be a form of Shakti and is considered to have emerged from Lord Shiva’s mind. The temple is perched atop the Bilwa Parvat on the Shivalik Hills which is a part of the southernmost range of Himalaya. The temple has two statues of Mansa Devi - one with three mouths and five arms and another with eight arms.It is said that the presiding deity fulfills all your wishes if you pray earnestly and with devotion. Devotees can be seen offering coconut, flowers, and even jewelry to appease the Goddess. 

 

Visitors can reach the temple zenith either by 3km steep trek or by cable car which is also known as Mansa Devi Udankhatola, the panoramic view from the ropeway was exhilarating. It was a thrilling experience when the cable car was moving upwards at heights. After reaching at the top, we observed the serene beauty of that place.

 

 

 The Ganga Aarti

By the time we returned from Mansa mata temple, it was around 5:30o'clock in the evening & the preparations had been already started at Har ki paudi for the Ganga Aarti. Evening aarti timing is 6:00pm-7:00pm & i would suggest that if you want to watch it closely then you must try to reach the ghat one hour before the aarti as it gets heavily crowded during the aarti. So it's better to reserve your sitting on the front row steps from where you can see each & every proceeding of aarti being done by the priests very clearly.

 

The exact period when the tradition of the Ganga Aarti was started has not yet been ascertained. However, the ritual of the Ganga Aarti at the Har Ki Pauri was started by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in the 1910s. According to Hindu traditions and culture, the river Ganga is not a mere river; instead, it is the Divine Mother who gifts life in the form of water. Bringing in tourists and devotees from all over the world to watch the aarti both in the morning as well as in the evening when priests hold three-tier diyas and fire bowls in their hands and chant the Ganga mantras. The bells of the temples at the ghat start ringing at the same time making the atmosphere enchanting. People float "diyas" (small candles) and flowers, on the river to show their respect. Although early morning aarti is also beautiful in the wake of the dawn, it is the evening aarti with vibrant lights from the candles and diyas, which draws more attraction. This same water of the holy river is also believed to remove sins from the devotees who take a dip in the sacred water. The Ganga Aarti is thus a way to thank the River Ganga for all that she offers. 

 

It was amazing to see & being a part of that sacred ceremony. It needs a special mention here that the vow to keep the ganga clean is included in aarti and awareness is being created that every citizen is responsible to keep the ganga clean. The Ganga aarti exudes spiritual vibes and offers a spiritual retreat to be cherished. The divine experience which i had here, that was something I've never experienced before in any of the holy shrines either.

Marvelous Rishikesh

After a relaxing overnight stay at our hotel, next day we drove to Rishikesh. On the way, we stopped at Harihar Ashram which is located at a distance of 2Km from Haridwar where Parad Shivling is situated.  The Parad Shivling is made of Mercury, weighing about 150 kg.This temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is visited by large number of devotees every year. Our guide-cum-driver told us about the Rudraksha tree inside - which is one of its kind in India. When the Rudrakha is ready, it is given as Prasadam. Rudraksha is a Himalayan seed that is used as a prayer bead in Hinduism. It is believed that Rudraksha is actually the tears of Lord Shiva exuded from his eyes & fell down on the earth when he sat in a meditative state for a very long period.

It took only half an hour to reach Rishikesh from Haridwar. Rishikesh attracts people from all over the world like a magnet since decades owing to its religious and scenic attributes. Also, one of the most sought-after destinations for adventure seekers, this locale is nestled amidst the foothills of Himalayas. Surrounded by lush green forests and with the fast-flowing crystal clear Ganges crisscrossing this town, Rishikesh is indeed a place for perfect holidays. Today it styles itself as the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’, with masses of ashrams and all kinds of yoga and meditation classes.  

 Laxman Jhula

Lord Rama is said to have served his penance for killing Ravana here. The famous Lakshman Jhula which is among the best places to visit in Rishikesh has mythological importance and it’s believed that Ram and Lakshman crossed the mighty River Ganga here. Legend has it that Lord Lakshman crossed the river using just two ropes. To honour this brave act of Lord Lakshman, a 284 feet long hanging rope bridge was built and came to be known as the 'Lakshman Jhula'. Which was a jute bridge in the earlier days, got replaced by an iron bridge in 1889. But it got washed away during the floods of 1924 after that a strong bridge was built. Rishikesh is the home to ancient temples like Bharat Mandir, Shatrughna mandir and Lakshman mandir. Home to Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, 133-years old institution which is dedicated to promote and preserve Vedantic studies is yet another attraction spot here. 

Ever since the famous international rock band Beatles visited the ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late '60s, Rishikesh has been attracting a big mass of foreigners who often come here in search of spirituality by the means of ancient Yoga & Meditation. You can easily spot several foreigners roaming here & there in all over the town. I saw a no. of white girls wearing white & colorful saree and they were looking so beautiful. The good thing was that they were all happily agreed to take selfie with them. The whole view of the Laxman jhula from the sides of the river was so mesmerizing that it was looking like a landscape painting.

 

Now the much awaited moment has come- to cross the Laxman jhula situated at the height of 70ft. from the river. The Ganges was flowing with a super heavy flow beneath the bridge. The tourists were having fun in the deep water doing river rafting. We were standing on the edge of the bridge & could easily hear the roaring sound of water. Despite having rush of adrenaline, we decided to go ahead & finally crossed the bridge. It was not a normal bridge, it was a hanging bridge that's why it got the name. So it was literally swinging from both the sides, still some people were easily crossing that narrow bridge on bikes😲! I didn't look down even for a sec & quickly crossed the bridge. Seriously it was a thrilling experience. Recently i came to know that now the vehicles are not permitted on the bridge looking to the deteriorating condition of the bridge; thank god!

 

According to locals, the Lakshman Temple, around the Jhula with Rishi Kund, is where Lord Rama and Lord Lakshman took a bath in after killing the demon Ravana to wash away their sins. This temple too is a must visit. On either side of the bridge, you will see markets, where you can buy a variety of things including wooden goods, Rudraksha, idols of Gods and Goddesses, holy books, gems, local jewellery, clothes, semi-precious stones and other items. These local markets are also noted for their excellent street food. Here i bought the original "Saptamukhi(7faced) Himalayan Rudraksha" which i wear regularly that gives me mental peace. You can also buy the genuine one from here if you want to soak yourself in the tears of Shiva, the tears of ecstasy😊

 

After having lunch in Rishikesh, we went for boating & reached to the other side of river in a sailing boat where our driver was waiting for us. Returning back to Haridwar, we went in a beautiful newly constructed temple at Saptrishi road & there were some lovely sculptures inside the temple.

 

We were fortunate enough to reach Haridwar on time so attended the evening aarti once again, this time from opposite side of the Har ki paudi ghat. A well spent day had came to an end & we had a delicious dinner at our hotel.

 

Next day we had to wake up very early in the morning to catch the tourist bus leading to Mussoorie via Dehradun. It was so cold in the morning so i bought a woolen head cap on the spot before boarding the bus. 

 Beautiful Dehradun

Mussoorie was on the distance of 82km from Haridwar. Now we stopped at a surprise destination & that was at the Fun valley water & amusement park at Dehradun. Bridges, lazy lake, go karting, mini train,dragon coaster and water disco; the fun valley park has got it all. One of the longest water slides in India and the biggest wave pool in North India; Fun Valley is an exclusive amusement cum water park.

 

 With an integrated resort, the park attracts people of all age group. Tourists who are looking for a full family entertainment with a mix of thrill and adventure should visit the Fun Valley. It was fun to ride on a dodgem car along with 'Chandtara' & 'Water shoot'. However, we didn't go in the pool because we didn't had another pair of clothes to change.

 Way to Mussoorie

After having breakfast at the at the amusement park, our journey started again towards Mussoorie crossing through the beautiful city of Dehradun. Dehradun is situated in the Doon valley while Mussoorie is on the uphill. Dehradun is like a gateway to Mussoorie.
The landscape of Dehradun is bright and colorful, giving the city a majestic charm with the beautiful houses built across the road. On our way up to Mussoorie there was a Shiva temple located at the curves of the road. This Shiv Mandir is unique in the sense that No Donations are allowed for offering. You can have a pictorious view of mountains from here. As prasadam one gets free Tea, Kichari (Rice & Dal recepie) and puri-bhaji depending on time of arrival in the temple. One should stop enroute for a short break. The atmosphere was peaceful and fragrant, however, beware of Monkey menace.

After having darshan in the temple, our bus started moving upwards in the curvy road crossing the lush green valley.  

 

Mussoorie is located at an altitude of 6578ft. above the sea level. If you are going by your own vehicle then pl note that this road demands highly efficient driving skills otherwise you might get in trouble. Also note that this zig-zag road heading upwards can cause motion sickness to the people who are prone to this condition just like the lady traveler sitting behind my seat who was continuously vomiting throughout the journey. It was a little discomforting for me but i was helpless. So don't forget to carry polybags in your car.

Apart from the discomfort, i was more concentrating on the breath-taking view of the valley. I just couldn't take my eyes off it even for a second. I was continuously clicking pictures from the window. All along the route of Dehradun to Mussoorie there are several spots to get the scenic view of the Doon Valley. Even after so many hotel buildings in the midst of the valley, it still looks so beautiful. The Doon valley provides amazing panoramic view of the valley. It was the last week on November when the climate was chill and that added to the amazing experience of the valley. The valley gives you the perfect view of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas with cold air descending down to give you a chilly breeze. It is the perfect place if you want to see the true face of nature.

 

 Mussoorie Lake

On our way, we took a halt at the Mussoorie lake. The Lake is located just 6 km before Mussoorie in the Dehradun- Mussoorie road. A man-made lake yet one of the most beautiful sites in the city. Apart from boating on the lake, you can try water zorbing and zip lining here and now you can also do paragliding just a short distance away from the lake. There are several small souvenir shops, restaurants and a horror house near the lake. So after we have had our share of fun at the lake, we sat down for a delectable lunch at the lake-side restaurant. Here you can photograph yourself in a Pahadi(Garhwali) outfit at your own cost. 

 Kempty waterfalls

Finally we reached to the top. The driver parked the bus & after that we started walking to the much-famed Kempty waterfalls which was about 1.5km away. Kempty Falls is a magnificent waterfall set in the lap of a green valley. A British officer established Kempty Falls in the 1830s as a place for the British Raj to hold tea parties. The waterfall’s name is rumored to stem from the colloquial name of Camp Tea. Follow the walkways and bridges that lead from the falls’ entrance to vantage points. Marvel as the milky-white water cascades down a cliff face before bouncing off rocks and into a manmade waterhole. Plunging from a height of almost 1,364 metres, these falls offer spectacular views of the valley around it. Bathe in the waters of the pool formed at the bottom of the fall, click some pictures, or sit by the side of the cascading fall and enjoy garma-garam Maggi with kadak chai. 

 

The scenic viewpoint 

Lal Tibba is one of the highest viewpoints in Mussoorie. Just 6 km from the city centre, this vantage point rests at an altitude of 2275 meters above sea level. The name of the viewpoint literally translates to Red Hill, which is a direct reference to the color of the sky visible from here during the sunrise and sunset. The place is known for its scenic beauty that leave the visitors spellbound. Do carry woolens irrespective of the month of the visit. Although there were several shops available in the town selling winter wears. The celebrated Indian author & the winner of Sahitya academy award Mr. Ruskin Bond lives here in a nearby small cantonment town of Landour.

It was a delightful evening in the "Queen of hills" Mussoorie with picturesque mountains in the backdrop where dense forests of deodars and cedars covering the slopes around the hill station, This quaint little hill station is a perfect getaway for both Indians and foreigners, newcomers and mountain veterans all year-round. 

 

Mussoorie was the last travel destination of my Uttarakhand trip. Next day early morning, we checked-out from our hotel & had breakfast in a rushed street behind our hotel where street food/morning snacks from every state was easily available.  

The Locals

One thing I want to mention here that the local garhwali people are very modest & helpful by nature. Since my childhood I've been closely observed the garhwali culture as my childhood buddy belonged to a Garhwali family, she lived with her family in my colony & i remember that i used to spend more time in her house than my home. Her mother used to cook the traditional Garhwali vegetarian dish 'Seeda Roti' which was a dish that turns out to be a sweet treat and a good dose of nutrition at the same time. I think many of the people coming from Uttarakhand may not be aware about this dish as it's almost a lost recipe now. At my workplace i have some colleagues who hail from Garhwal & still there is a Garhwali family lives in front of my house. So i have so many connections to the beautiful culture😊

A Perfect Getaway

Uttarakhand has a lot in its platter to offer to travel enthusiasts whether it's religious with your parents, adventurous with your friends or romantic with your loved one. Chirping birds, sky-high mountains, rivers singing their own melody – many can only dream of the scenic beauty which Uttarakhand brings to reality. The most important thing which i noticed here that all the places were maintained very neat & clean, so pl be a good citizen & don't throw garbage here & there or in the river either. If I have to give rank to all the travel destinations I've been to, this Himalayan state will undoubtedly dominate the rank.

Har Har Gange!

 

 

Tirupati Balaji Temple

Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple is considered the richest temple of India which is popularly known as Tirupati Balaji temple. It is one of the most famous temples of India situated in a small hill town called Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. It is also the most visited place of worship in the world with more than 50,000-1,00,000 daily visitors and an average of 35 million visitors a year, while on Brahmotsavam, Vaikuntha ekadashi and other special occasions this number shoots up to more. Located on the seventh peak (Venkata hill) of the Sheshachalam Hills in Tirupati, the temple is dedicated to the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Venkateshwara and is also called as 'Temple of Seven Hills'. The town is well connected to other parts of country by road, air & rail networks. The complete day-to-day administration of the temple is controlled by the Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam Trust (TTD).

Advance booking

Since millions of devotees come regularly to this small town, so i would recommend advance booking of accommodation as well as for darshan slot as i did in my trip to Tirupati. It was my first visit to this place so i had no idea about the hotels available there but I was well aware about the rush happening every day in Tirupati. Being a North Indian, I had no detailed information about Southern India as I'd never been there before. As the security comes first in my travel plan so i decided to book online the accommodation provided by TTD i.e. Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam Trust. I opened the official website of TTD (https://www.tirumala.org), created my account & booked my 4days accommodation in advance along with the darshan slot. Here one thing is to be noted that identity proof is compulsory & only one account could be created with one i-card to do the online booking. Here comes another catch that you can book the room only for 24hrs from a single account associated with a single i-card & that identity card no. can not be repeated again. So I'd to create 4 different accounts by using 4 different identity cards of mine along with 4 different G-mail ids for registering myself for advance booking of the room for 5days. After this i got one room for 2days & another room for next 2days. I think it's due to the heavy rush usually occurs there, that's why this kind of restriction would have been made so that people could not occupy the rooms for long & rooms could be freed for others also. Also keep in mind that here rooms are not given to single person or unmarried couples. 

 

 History of the temple

The construction of the Tirupati temple was started by King Thondaiman of Tondaimandalam kingdom in 300 AD  and additions to the temple were made from time to time. One of the earliest recorded evidences state that Pallava queen Samavai had donated precious jewels and 23 acres of land for celebrating the major festivals of the temple. During the Chola dynasty, the temple was developed further. When the Vijayanagara Empire took over, diamonds and gold were donated to the temple. 

The larger than life statue of the main deity of the temple is said to have formed on its own, making it one of the eight ‘Swayambhu Kshetras’ (self-manifested image) of Lord Vishnu. Many ancient texts, including the Rig Veda mention the existence and prominence of this age-old temple. Many other texts and theories link the history of Tirupati Temple to Lord Varaha, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. According to a legend, Lord Varaha created the entire Sheshachalam Hills so that Adisesha, the seven-headed snake on which Lord Vishnu rests, could rest on earth. Interestingly, Sheshachalam Hills has seven peaks, which are said to be the representation of the heads of Adisesha. According to another legend, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Sri Venkateswara to save mankind from the adversities of Kali Yuga. 

How to reach Tirumala

We checked-in the hotel in Tirupati at night & next day in the morning we headed towards the main temple. Tirupati is the name for the town at the foothills. Tirumala is the temple town on the hills. Accommodations for stay are available at both the place, but if you want to stay close to the nature, then Tirumala would be better to stay. The main temple is situated atop a beautiful hill at Tirumala. To reach the top to the temple, either you have to walk a stretch of 11 km or you can take a bus/taxi frequently available at the downtown. We paid at the ticket counter & got the tickets of 30Rs. per person for the bus of APSRTC(Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation). Now the bus was moving upwards on the paved road built over the green deep valley. The route was so serene & beautiful as we could see from the windows of our bus. We had a picuresque view of the Tirupati town.

 

 Special darshan booking

My strong suggestion for the temple visitors is always book a ‘special Darshan’ by paying 300/-  per head to avoid the long hours (7 to 8 hours) queue to shorter 2 hours queue. Be fresh to stay in queue, carry enough 2 bottles of water with you to avoid dehydration. Book the special darshan tickets at least a month in advance. Choose a weekday and non-festival day to expect a lower crowd. Choose a time slot for darshan and try to reach before that. The special darshan queue has a slot based system and you should follow your slot. Carry a printout of the darshan ticket as you would not have access to phones in the temple premise. Dress code for ladies is saree or decent Churidar. Men shall wear white dhoti and decent shirt.

Darshan in seconds

So after crossing several security checks, very soon we entered into the main temple with the help of our VIP tickets. The divine chants of Lord Sri balaji & the high frequency veda chants were blossoming divine feelings in every pilgrim. Alive with the chants of 'Govinda Hari Govinda Venkataramana Govinda, Govinda Hari Govinda Venkataramana Govinda'.. You get a total of about 5 seconds to see the main deity and that too while the temple staff rudely pull your hands to walk faster (even if you are separated from the person in front by 15 cms!), and again the temple staff push you from behind to make you walk faster, even if you are touching the person ahead of you! Horribly rude staff, I think they have become insensitive to humans because of the crowd. But at other similarly crowded temples like Vaishno devi or Shirdi Saibaba temple which i visit every year , the staff are not so rude. It is the specialty of only this place! 

It was really a divine experience when i got closer to the gopuram & had a glimpse of the black-stoned idol of the deity. There was no artificial light inside & his aura was so magnificent that i couldn't even blink my eyes off from the idol. That time i felt like the real god was sitting inside, it was something that can't be explained in words. 

Fascinating facts

There are so many interesting mystical facts are popular about the most well-known shrine in India. Like the fact that the idol of Lord Balaji wears real hair. Or, that the idol of the deity has a tendency to sweat & the back of the deity always remains moist. The locals believe that the sound of enormous sea waves can be heard if one puts his/her ear on the back of the deity’s image housed in the shrine. The idol of Lord Tirupati Balaji placed may appear to be standing in the centre of the sanctum sanctorum, but technically, it is not so. The idol is actually placed in the right hand corner of the shrine. 

Temple architecture

The temple in Tirupati Balaji has a lot of Dravidian architectural influences and the intricate designing and sculpting done over centuries. The temple has three entrances, which lead to the sanctum sanctorum. The first entrance is called as ‘Mahadwaram.’ A towering gateway (Gopuram), measuring 50 feet high, is placed right in front of the first entrance. One of the most captivating aspects of Tirupati Balaji is the 'Ananda Nilayam'. Ananda Nilayam, when translated, means “Abode of Happiness,”; a golden plated gopuram, absolutely stunning and one of a kind that houses the main deity. The temple also has 640 inscriptions in different languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Sanskrit. The temple compound also has a holy pond called Swami Pushkarni, located towards the northern side. Pushkarni, which covers a huge area of 1.5 acres, is one of the most sacred places of the temple. A legend states that the pond was carried to the hills all the way from Vaikuntham (Lord Vishnu's abode) by Garuda.

 

 Tirupati Laddus

Originally termed as ‘Manoharam,’ Tirupati Laddus are heavenly sweets made of gram flour dipped in ghee with delicious fillings of almonds, cashew and resins. TTD manages the preparation of the laddoos. It is said that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams makes more than 7 lakh laddoos on a daily basis and makes sure that no devotee goes home without the prasadam after Tirupati Balaji Darshan. This Tirupati Laddu has received Geographical indication (GI) tag which entitles that only Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams can make and sell it & they actually worth it because these laddus are just super delicious. So don't forget to take the laddus.

Offering hair

Another fascinating thing about the temple is the hair cutting (Mundan). Most of the pilgrims offer their hair to Lord Balaji including ladies also. Although I was well aware about this but it was a little bit shocking for me to see a number of ladies bald-headed even young women also. According to a belief, the reason behind giving this donation is said to be that Lord Venkateswara repays the loan taken from Kubera. It is believed that the price of hair we give, Lord Venkateswara, gives you ten times more than that. The good thing is that devotees here donate hair of their own free will.

Mismanagement of footwears

Even in the last week of October, temperature was quite high. TTD clearly doesn’t care about what the devotees should do, when they have to leave the footwear near one gate (in our case it was ATC Circle) and exit from another gate after having Darshan and comeback searching for footwear in scorching heat of Sun. Absence of clear directions made us run bare foot in the wrong direction only to realize the correct direction later. Road surfaces are hot enough to cause blisters on your feet. TTD can lay walking mats and keep them cool by pouring water on it. But clearly they don’t bother about this (Typical argument could be – “Hardship is a must to receive God’s grace”).

After exiting, there are a couple of more temples and you can plan to visit them if you’ve time. You must try Anna Prasadam which is a food distribution service run by TTD.
All restaurants on the hill are managed by TTD and you can expect a good meal at extremely low prices. You can also do some street shopping from the local market available outside the temple premise.

Language & Food

After reaching back to the town, we had rest for some time in the room. Then in the evening we went outside in the hotel premise which was a quite big compound, where a plenty of people were walking around & talking in different languages. It was like a mini India where you can see devotees from every corner of India. Then I saw that there was a stage in the hotel campus on which a south-indian lady was performing the classical singing in Carnatic music. The audience sitting on the chairs in front of the stage were applauding her performance, although i couldn't understand a single word because she was singing in Telugu. Then we just roamed around the city to explore the market & obviously in search of some good & hygienic restaurant as it was the dinner time. Since we had eaten south indian food (Idli, Dosa, Vada etc) at last night dinner, today's morning breakfast as well as in lunch, so now i was wanting to eat some Chapati, but it was not available in any of the restaurants; then i realized that i am in South India. So again we had to order the same menu but this time with different flavor of Dosa. One thing i seriously didn't like here was the serving style. They were not serving Sambhar/Rasam & Coconut chutney in separate bowls as it's been served in North India rather they were just pouring all the Sambhar, Rasam & Chutney all together over the Dosa. It was looking so messy in the plate, that's the reason that most of the time during my trip i had to leave my food half-eaten. Another problem was the language, u can say that i could talk with them in English; i thought the same but it's the biggest misconception that all South-Indians could speak in English. It may be the case for the educated ones but what i found here in Tirupati that many of the shopkeepers, auto drivers & even restaurant owners were not comfortable with English either.

Rude behavior

Besides the food & language, there was another discomfort for the North-Indians & that was the behavior of the people especially the TTD staff of our hotel. I noticed that they were prejudiced towards North-Indians. Despite of the fact that I'd already booked the rooms in advance, each day on completing 24hrs from my check-in time i had to report to the reception & each day they used to check all of my identity cards which should be the same through which I'd booked the room. Then they start questioning that why we have planned to stay there for 4days if we have already availed darshan of the main temple. I was feeling like i was an illegal immigrant to America. I know that they were following the security protocols due to the heavy rush of public but in that case protocols should be the same for all. But i witnessed at the reception that they were providing the rooms to the South-Indians on the basis of their train tickets without checking any i-card, on the other hand they didn't allow a Hindi-spoken old-aged father & his son for stay there as they were unable to produce the same identity-card through which they have booked the room online whereas they have other identity proof with them but the staff rudely rejected it. I don't know where they got the shelter as it was already 11pm in the night but the TTD staff was simply not concerned about it. Another incident happened with me in the market when i went to a shop to purchase something then suddenly a puppy came from inside the shop & started jumping over me & tried to bite me and shockingly the shopkeeper-cum-owner of the dog was just laughing at me instead of pulling it away from me. Somehow I've managed to survive at my own & didn't buy anything from his shop. It's the fact that literacy rate of South-India is much higher than North-India but what i personally observed there is slightly different from the well-known fact.

The ISKCON Temple

For the next 2days we have planned to visit other nearby temples. We went outside where i bought a flower made Gajra for myself, fixed it into my hair like the South-Indian ladies do & moved towards the ISKCON temple. I've visited the ISKCON temples of Ujjain, Indore, Vrindavan & Delhi but i must say that the temple located in Tirupati is the most beautiful among all of them. The grand idols of the deities were situated there inside the temple which were as bright as the diamonds. A beautiful garden containing a variety of plants & flowers was stretched outside the temple in a big area in which I've clicked multiple pictures. I've bought the original Sandalwood powder from the temple's shop.

 

 Sightseeing

You can also take a trip to the old city after you are done with Tirupati Darshan and visit the historical temples constructed in this area. Apart from the highly revered Venkateshwara Temple, there are a lot of other temples also to visit in Tirupati like Govindaraja Swami Temple, Srivari mettu, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple, Sri Agastheshwara Swamy temple Mukkoti, Sri Kapileswaraswami Temple & the Gudimallam Shiva temple etc. These temples are known for the beautiful architecture and designs just like Tirupati Temple. You will be mesmerized by the number of intricate designs that these temples contain. 

The most ancient Shiva-linga

Among all these temples, the least known Gudimallam is also one of the most fascinating. Gudimallam, located just 30 km from the temple town, is one of the most ancient Shiva temples in India. The lingam here is believed to the longest continuously worshipped lingam in the world and is said to be over 2200 years old. Archaeological studies suggest that Gudimallam Lingam, one of the oldest Shiva Linga in the world is in the Parasuramesvara temple, one of the temples in Gudimallam. The temple is picturesquely located on the banks of the Swarnamukhi River, and the deity here is unique, a 1.35 M, seven-sided monolithic lingam. The front plane has the figure of Parasurama standing on the crouching figure of a Yaksha. It rests on a base of seven concentric rings, only two of which are visible above the surface. The lingam is believed to be a manifestation of the trinity―Brahma at the bottom, Vishnu in the middle, and Shiva on top. It is said that the sage Parasurama, having killed his mother at the behest of his father, wanted to atone for his sin. A sage advised him to perform penance on the banks of the Swarnamukhi River, and he chose this sacred spot for the purpose. There is an atmosphere of spirituality which pervades this temple, even in the absence of priests or devotees. After the crowd at Tirumala, a visit to this temple can be an uplifting spiritual experience! 

 Agastheeswara Swami Temple

Another famous historical temple is Mukkoti Agastheeswara Swami Temple Tondavada. Here Lord Siva is known as Agastheeswara Swamy. The sacred shrine is famous for the god Shiva in linga rupam, which was installed by the great saint Agasthya, the son of Urvashi. The wise Agasthya here made a penace for Lord Shiva and caused the origin of the “Swarnamukhi” river from this place. Here a free community kitchen is run by the villagers in the open ground in front of the temple where Idli, Sambhar & Rasam were being cooked in the huge vessels. We had the delicious food served in the banana leaf. It was an amazing experience to have traditional South-Indian meal in an open area in the lap of nature.

 

 The divine experience

Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala (Tirupati) is really significant to the Hindus from a religious point of view. Every year, the temple attracts tourists and devotees from all over the world.  To SUM-UP! in my personal experience,I experienced a state of bliss after visiting the temple. Darshan experience of barely a few seconds itself was very powerful experience. Tirupati is far better managed than many other Pilgrim Places in India. But there is still scope for improvement for TTD. 

Image source: Pinterest.com

  

Govinda, Govinda!!

 

A short halt in Delhi

While going to Haridwar, I've planned a short halt of 1day at Delhi. Although technically it was not so planned, the real reason behind that our train for Haridwar is going to be departed at midnight & we've reached Delhi in early morning at around 3am. So fortunately we got the whole day to roam around in Delhi. So we kept our baggage at the cloak rooms available at Nizamuddin Railway station & started searching nearby destinations on my phone. So found the nearest one & that was the India gate. We've crossed the over bridge & reached at the backside of Railway station which was full of crowd & beggars. From here we've hired a taxi but we badly stuck in the traffic jam. After 45min we were able to move ahead on the road.

India Gate

The India Gate located on Rajpath, built in 1931 and designed by the architect of New Delhi, Sir Luteyns who also designed the other points of interests nearby such as Parliament, President House and the planned New Delhi. The structure was built as a war memorial for the soldiers from british indian army who had fought in World War 1. It commemorates India's war dead and houses an eternal flame(Amar jawan jyoti). The names of all the soldiers who were martyred are inscribed on the outer walls of the Gate. Recently govt. has constructed a national war memorial spread over large area nearby in memory of all the soldiers from armed forces who martyred in their line of duty. This is a must visit place if you are in Delhi. It's a photogenic historic place.

 

Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President's house) is situated at the other end of the Raj path (with all important ministries housed nearby in North Block and South Block, with the parliament house of Sansad Bhawan not too far away). Surrounding the imposing structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic spot. There is also a small pond nearby where one can enjoy boating as well. In the morning many locals come here for jogging as well. At nightfall India Gate is beautifully lit up, including the surrounding fountains. India Gate is also renowned for the grand Indian Republic Day Parade, hosted here every year on 26 January.

 

Rajghat

Then we went to Rajghat which is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. It’s located not far from the river Yamuna and was originally the name of a historic ghat. There was the ‘Raj Ghat Gate’ of the walled city, opening at Raj Ghat on the Yamuna. Eventually, the memorial area was also called Raj Ghat. It was here where Mahatma Gandhi’s last rites were performed on January 31, 1948, a day after his death. A black marble platform marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation, attracting many tourists. His last words, ‘Hey Ram,’ are inscribed on the marble which is always adorned with flowers. 

 

Qutub Minar

After that we board in the metro for the Qutub minar. One interesting thing that happened during my Delhi tour was the funny falls of my co-travelers that occurred two times. First one occurred here after entering into the campus when my mother was clicking pictures of me & in the background all of a sudden a lady fell down on the ground & her fell was captured in my picture but she was not aware about it. LoL!

So after witnessing this funny incident, we started roaming in that huge covered area. The Qutub Minar is a towering 73 meter high tower built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1193. The tower was built to celebrate Muslim dominance in Delhi after the defeat of Delhi’s last Hindu ruler. This tower is the highest tower in India, complete with five storeys and projecting balconies. The first three storeys of the Qutub Minar are made of red sandstone and the last two are made of marble and sandstone. The construction of the Qutub Minar was started by Qitub-ud-Din Aibak, but he only constructed the basement. The construction of the tower was later taken over by his successor Iltutmish who constructed three more stories. The last two storeys were completed Firoz Shah Tuglak. The different architectural styles from the time of Aibak to Tuglak are clearly visible in the Qutub Minar.

 

Apart from the tower, the Qutub Minar complex comprises of the Quwwat-us-Islam Mosque (the first mosque to be built in India), a 7 metre high iron pillar, the tomb of Iltutmish, Ala’i-Darwaza and the Ala’I Minar. The Qutub Minar makes some great photographs, especially when photographed from unique angles. If you remember the popular song of the veteran actress Waheeda Rehman from the movie Guide "Aaj fir jeene ki tamanna hai", a good portion of that song was shot here only in which you can see the actress running on the top of these monuments.

 

 

There were so many foreign tourists visiting the place. It is the apt place to witness global multiculturalism. Here too something very interesting incident happened with me when i was talking with my mom indicating to the big door situated there in one of the historical buildings & i said "it's so big Darwaza", then a foreigner man standing next to me turned to me, smiled & said "Yes, it's a big Darwaza". He amazed me so i asked him that whether he knows Hindi, then he replied that it's a Persian word & since he hails from Afghanistan so he knows Persian language. That moment i was stunned by knowing the fact that easy mixing of other languages into Hindi/Sanskrit/Urdu has made it so common now that many of us don’t know whether the we are using is originated from which language. So guyz! now keep in mind that "Darwaza (دروازه)" is not a Hindi word.

 

Lotus Temple 

In the evening, we reached to the Kalkaji metro station that falls on the Violet Line route of Delhi Metro, which is a short walk away from the Lotus Temple. The Lotus Temple is a beautiful structure established and dedicated to the Baha’i faith. The magnificent structure of the building is created in the form of a stunning white petal lotus flower. It also ranks amongst the most visited buildings in the entire world. The shrine, which was completed and ready to open for the public in 1986, was designed and conceptualised by Fariborz Sahba, an Iranian architect. One of the most attractive things about the Lotus Temple, other than its structure, is the fact that this temple propagates the oneness of God, the Almighty. Furthermore, it is open to all kinds of people, regardless of their religion, gender, race or even nationality. Additionally, it is one out of the seven Baha’i House of Worship present in the whole world. Since the temple closing timing is 5PM so unfortunately we could not enter into the temple campus but I've managed to click some pictures of it from across the boundary wall.

  

ISKCON Temple

A beautiful garden is located behind the Lotus temple & a narrow footpath crossing through the garden leads you to the famous ISKCON temple. A famous shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna, ISKCON Temple is known around the world for its exquisite architecture, boasting of classical stonework on the outside and amazing artworks in its interiors. 

 

Here you can spend some time amidst the spiritual ambience of the temple, chant prayers & dance. In the temple many of d foreigners along with other devotees were playing several musical instruments & doing Keertan. Here you can purchase the holy books of Hinduism like Bhagwad Geeta & others. On exit, u may have enjoy the mouth watering prasadam of Rabri. 

 

As I've mentioned earlier about the funny falls occurring during my Delhi trip, the 2nd one was happened in the garden when we were going to the ISKCON temple, when one of the fellow traveler walking ahead suddenly slipped & fell down in the muddy area. Seriously it was the hilarious fall. 

Red Fort

Then we took a city bus to reach at our last destination that was the Red fort. Here we were surprised when the bus conductor didn't charge any amount for our tickets, later we got to know that in Delhi city bus ride is free of cost for all the ladies, that's a good thing. So coming back to our next destination, the Red fort is the most iconic monument of Delhi located at Chandni chawk area in old Delhi. ‘At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom…’ This historic speech marked India’s independence from British rule and simultaneously made the Red Fort in Delhi a politically significant monument, which now acts as the setting for the independence day celebrations each year. However, the Red Fort has been a strategically important monument through the ages, due to Delhi being the capital city for a good part of the Mughal rule in India. Mughal emperor Shahjahan laid the foundations of this palace. This massive walled citadel with red sandstone walls took nearly a decade to complete. This fort was the seat of the Mughal empire for around 200 years, until it fell into British hands. The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was coronated here in 1837, during which time it is said that his powers did not extend beyond the boundaries of this palace. 

Chandni Chowk

If you want to see delhi in its true sense, you must visit Chandni Chowk. Though the area is under renovation to give better experience to the visitor these days, but still you can visit many places. You can visit Red fort to see glory of India. If you want to do shopping for marriage, this could be your first landing place. you can find many varieties for both bride and groom. During shopping, you can enjoy variety of Paranthe in Paranthe wali gali and can enjoy Jalebi and Rabri from many shop keepers. There are places like Khari Baoli famous for dry fruits, Nayee Sadak for Books where you can do shopping.You can visit Sheesh Ganj Gurudwara which will give a divine peace. in short, you should add this place in your itinerary. 

Museums & Crematoriums 

Other than this, there are 25-30 museums in Delhi which you can visit if you want to know more details about India's political & social history. During my 1st visit to Delhi, I've visited many of them. Along with this, there are several Crematoriums & Samadhi sthals of some prominent politicians of India which include Jawaharlal Nehru(1st PM): Shanti Van (Garden of Peace) Lal Bahadur Shastri (2nd PM): Vijay Ghat (Victory Platform), Chaudhary Charan Singh (5th PM): Kisan Ghat(Farmer’s Platform), Rajiv Gandhi(6th PM): Veer Bhumi (Land of Brave),  Indira Gandhi(1st lady PM): Shakti Sthal(Place of Power) & Atal Bihari Vajpayee(10th PM): Sadaiv Atal. I've seen all of them during my first visit to Delhi except the last one as it's the most recent one after demise of Shri Vajpayee ji.

City of Mirza Ghalib

In the words of the famous Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib “I asked my soul what is Delhi? She replied the world is the body and Delhi its life”. That is exactly what Delhi is. This stature that the city has attained it attributed to quite a few things ranging from age-old monuments to some of the best shopping arcades. From typically Indian cuisine foods to some of the best continental food in the country; from being the party hub to having still retained its roots and culture; the place has it all.