[SS-Traveller]

There's a temple on the premises of the house, and the friend (though a lot senior to me, but still, a friend extremely close to our hearts) performs all the rituals himself. This was the day the temple was founded, and the scale of preparations was elaborate. We pitched in with our little bit too, and it was an uplifting experience.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

I think it's a cattle egret (Bok in Bengali) in breeding plumage.

[muralisk]

Great pictures and nice write up. The road through the Mango Orchid is really cool.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by muralisk

Great pictures and nice write up. The road through the Mango Orchid is really cool.

Thank you, muralisk.

Originally Posted by Sudipto-S-Team

I think it's a cattle egret (Bok in Bengali) in breeding plumage.

That's interesting. It's very unlike any 'bok' I've come across before, but then my knowledge of birds is abysmal. Thank you so much.

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

but then my knowledge of birds is abysmal.

It can be improved in a couple of weeks max - at least to learn about the common ones around you, provided you buy a book on the subject and join a local bird watching group. Delhi has quite a few and the birding scene there is fairly active.
Meanwhile here is a link on cattle egrets and there they have a picture of a cattle egret in breeding plumage. Yours is a better pic though.

Cattle Egret - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Many birds change their colour and other modifications happen to their feathers during the breeding season and as such they look very different from their normal look during this time.

[SS-Traveller]

We went again to this place after my heart, this time to celebrate Durga Puja.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

We decided to travel off the regular route, and take our time about it. For those who are unaware, the road along the right of the Upper Ganga Canal (with the canal on your left) starts at Muradnagar, meets the NH-58 at Khatauli, carries on across the highway again, and connects again to NH-58 at Manglore. Across the highway again, following the canal, one comes up to Roorkee.

The same route to go, but the road condition was not so pleasant this time. Too many speed-breakers, and seems like folks are getting smarter (I should not have spoken about this route on an open forum ), so too many cars and not enough space to pass. This time the Swift went, and maybe because of its stiffer suspension, maybe because of the new rattles that started up, maybe because there was more traffic and bumps than I cared for, the journey was a tad more tiring than usual.

Interestingly, there was fog on the way - not usual for this time of the year.






Lots of monkeys everywhere




Traffic jam at tunnel before Dehradun




On the way to Herbertpur




In the forests

[SS-Traveller]

What is it about this Durga Puja that draws us like a magnet?

For one, a Durga mandir in the middle of a forest.




The flowers...




The aroma of dhoop-dhuno...




The bhog...




...and of course, Maa Durga.

[sami316]

Hi,

Really well written travelogue. Enjoyed reading it and going through the snaps.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by sami316

Hi,

Really well written travelogue. Enjoyed reading it and going through the snaps.

Thank you, Sami.

There was all the preparation and decoration for the Pujo.






And there was a group of local folk who hosted their own version of the bhajan-kirtan.






Then, a little before the shondhi pujo was to begin, the lights went out.

[SS-Traveller]

This was the most enlightening Durga Pujo we've ever had. With the electricity playing truant, the light from the lamps and torches for company, crickets in the forest generating their own version of music, and the mantras in the stillness of the dark night - nothing makes the spirits soar higher. Heaven on Earth...