[MX6]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Initially even I'd thought that pic was of Sanjay,

Blame it on the mush (which is not there now).


After reading your post, I quickly rechecked the profile pic as well. Yeah. That's the same person in the france log as well.

[sanjaykaul]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Please excuse me for my !

Initially even I'd thought that pic was of Sanjay, but checked with the profile pic to confirm.

Originally Posted by MX6

Oh Man. The person eating the kebab is your uncle? I had to look back at your paris log to recheck. There's a resemblance..
Thought that was you actually and for a moment was happy to see the mush on your face.
So before I cause any further embarassment, let me clear this.
The kid near water - Is he your son?
The lady holding the phone - Is she your wife?

My apologies for such dumb queries.

Haa Haa Haa. My uncle does look like me. His name is "Dr. Ravi Raina - a Mathematics Genius" and is my Mom's youngest brother. He is only few years older than I.

I haven't grown my mush yet but i will grow it back soon (3 or 4 months). It seems the homeo medicine is working well against Alopecia areata.

@MX6, you got it correct this time. The Kid near water is my son and the lady with phone is my wife

[sanjaykaul]

In the Main Chowk of McLead Ganj, we enquired about the possible available hotels. One of the policeman suggested that we check the line where two HPTDC hotels are. Straight we went and settled in Hotel Bagsu (this hotel is in McLeod Ganj and not in Bagsu which is about 4 KM from McLeod Ganj) run by HPTDC. The Tariff for a semi deluxe room was Rs. 1700 + tax.


Because of the last Dhaba break, nobody was interested in having lunch so we kind of settled in room and started lazing in the wonderful sunshine in our room. I must admit, the sunshine of hills has a different charm all together. It generally is warm enough to not to make you sweat. My son “soumil” found his favorite channel POGO and we all started watching “Choota Bheem”. Everybody in our family is hooked to POGO by now because of him. We did not mind it even at a hill station. That’s what I call “acceptance”.

After some time, we called for Tea and Snacks. Checked the possible place we can spend evening at and zeroed in on “Nadi” and “Dal lake”. Imagine, McLeod Ganj has a lake named “Dal”.

Dal Lake is about 3 or 4 KM from McLeod Ganj. It took us some time to realize that there is no lake. The whole water has been drained out and Gov’t is working on some plan to refurbish the lake bed. They will fill the place back with water next year. Infact, it will look like more of a big pond rather than a lake but why should we contest the local sentiments.

It was time to drive to Nadi.


People told me Nadi was a nice place. When I reached there, I realized it was famous for Sunset. I remembered my SunSet Point trip at “Panchmarhi”. Somehow, sunset points that I have been to till now haven’t lived upto my expectations or may be, I am expecting more than what’s logical but hey……… Left the sunset point to a big Guajarati family and started hunting for other locations/sights to capture. Here are few from Nadi.

[lordofgondor]

I'd stayed in Naddi while I was in Dharamsala in May this year, and liked the place a lot. Pretty tranquil, away from the bustle of Macleodganj, yet close enough to take care of those hunger pangs craving the multiple cuisines to be relished in M'Ganj.

I guess the Govt. hasn't found an appropriate water source for the pond, cause it was the same situation back then! BTW, the Sunset Point at the end of Naddi village does provide a great view with the sun setting below the mountains.

[Dragonov]

@ Sanjaykaul, Fantastic narration !! Am sure there never has been a log on Jammu and you surely are the first one to enlighten TeamBHP

Hope you had a good time at Mcleodganj, it surely is a nice place ! Keep it coming..

[sanjaykaul]

It was getting dark and hence time to head back to central market. McLead Ganj looked beautiful in night. We reached back to hotel and planned for early dinner. The HPTDC hotel had a good restaurant but we wanted something light and healthy (less oils and spices). Somehow, the afternoon/evening snacks didn’t leave a good impression. We came out of the hotel and just next saw this.





Peema Thang and her sister run three hotels around the world (McLeadGanj, Paris and one is somewhere in Netherlands) and also work considerably for the Tibetian Cause. They had a lot of literature for free distribution in the restaurant there by spreading the information about the cause. The Guest House and Restaurant in McLeod Ganj is frequented by international visitors. I didn’t get the chance to see rooms so no comments about that. The prices for a semi deluxe room was about Rs 1300 + tax. Anybody going to McLead Ganj can check this property. It is on the “Hotel Bagsu Road”.


At the reception of this hotel, I also learned how wonderfully the formed “Tibetan Women Association” works for the welfare of its people, especially women and children. The recent drives they ran were related to “Specialized studies”, “Environment”, “women’s reproductive and sexual health rights”, “Women’s Leadership Training” to name a few.


It is difficult to main your cultural and genetic identity when in exile. Who would know it better than a Kashmiri Pandit. I believe Tibetans have done a marvelous job.


Discussing with the Front Desk guy at “Peema Thang” hotel and going through the literature, I came to know about many people who have lived harsh but heroic lives and are now struggling to make two ends meet. I read about people who have been imprisoned, have fled, have crossed from Tibet to India on Foot and have now settled in Dharamshala.

Nice Salads in tummy and so much to ponder about, we went back to hotel and slept peacefully. The Place for sure looks peaceful.

[sanjaykaul]

Got up early morning and went for a stroll in the hotel property. It was very refreshing. By the time wife and son got up, I was already drawing plans for the Day. We called for the breakfast and headed towards the Tibetan temple. The temple is at walking distance from Hotel (but we drove). They have a small museum too in the complex. We visited both. Here are some pictures.

A Butterfly


McLeaodGanj – a view


Another View


Tibetan national Martyrs memorial


There is a bookshop too in temple



This is the image of Guru Padma Sambhava who came to Tibet in 8th Century. He helped the then Tibetan king Trisong Deutsen in building the cathedral of Samye by subduing all the enemies of the dharma. Guru Padma Sambhava also gave Tantric Teachings in Tibet.


This is the image of Avalokiteshvara, Bodhistattva of compassion, who is the patron deity of Tibet.


Buddha


The Prayer Hall



Mani Prayer Wheels, filled with thousands of avalokiteshvara mantras “OM MANI PADME HUM”, when turned once, one earns merits equal to the recitation of the mantras filled inside this wheel. It should be turned clockwise.


The Place where one can light butter lamps



The price list for lighting the lamps


Buddha again


Next is a set of pictures in sequence. This old lady (look the last picture in the sequence and guess the age) was praying with changing postures. Somehow, I feel Hindu religion has been one of the very few religions who have missed adding the exercises in prayers. We could have easily added yoga asana in our prayer too (Talk about fitness). She continued with this prayer for more than 30 minutes. Amazing




Attachment 462779














(Done with the the max quota of pics in one post)

[sanjaykaul]

View from temple


My wife tried the sequence too












How would he not try.










Some painting


Panchen Lama Story


Pictures from the Visit to Museum. The images are self explanatory
































I had planned to spend some time in their Library and learn about how they run the Gov’t in exile etc but couldn’t because of holiday. The Library and parliament remain closed on Sunday.

[sanjaykaul]

Lamps Lit, Prayers done, Visit completed, we headed towards today’s next destination “Bagsu Nag” temple. The temple is historic and has a wonderful water body generating considerable amount of water. The picture below will give you the idea bout the capacity of the spring. The water gets collected in a pool where people can be seen swimming and having bath. The water was cold.









After the Darshan, we wet to small tela (hilltop) to view the surroundings.
The waterfall looked majestic and the water flows down the valley in the form of a beautiful stream gave a beautiful look.









Some more pictures clicked, we decided to head towards the waterfall.

The Walk to water Fall



Special bush.You touch the leaves and you have had it. The formic acid will ensure you have good amount of allergy. This was famous weapon of teachers in Kashmir in olden days. (Not too sure if they would be using it, in troubled times)



Let me not get into the details of the waterfall. The pictures and their titles will do the talking. But I have a different subject to talk about (later).


Making of a Monk.





Please, let us…



Majestic Fall, from some distance



Soumil, enjoying his childhood near waterfall



He sure is Happy



And so is the waterfall



Rainbows



One more shot of the Fall



End of the world



Blue water



The splash



And they were building another café for people like us



Clothes are wet already



Mum is trying to talk to him about his clothes



And some people got into the water as well



Why should the wet clothes stop his fun.



Chai at Waterfall while Soumils clothes dry



The Valley



Pany

[sanjaykaul]

While walking to the waterfall, I saw loads of trash lying on the roadsides which could have been completely avoided. The nagar mandal has kept ample number of dustbins that can be reached very easily while one is taking that walkway. I still haven’t been able to comprehend why people wouldn’t make that small effort to reach it. Plastic water bottles, potato chips bags, biscuit wrappers, you name it, and it was there. While at waterfall, my wife started picking the garbage and dumping the same in the dustbins provided and I jumped in to help too. Lots of people there kept watching and some even smiled (Thinking, we were stupid).

And then, while coming back, I saw her…...





This is the living proof of the fact that Human DNA has not degraded completely. There are people who are still worried about my home and are keeping it clean. So what if they are outsiders.

Monica helped the KID (baby goat) with his bush thorns (they get stuck in the hair)





And when she finished with one, the other came in asking for help





They all enjoyed



The walk back



We started back and reached Bagsu Nag by the sun down. We stopped at German Bakery for evening snacks. My Sun wanted chocolate pancake and me and my wife settled for Spring Roles and Tea.









Snacks done, we drove back to McLeod Ganj.



We parked our car in the hotel parking and went to central market for shopping. The lone SBI ATM was down and our ABN AMRO debit cards didn’t work. The only things that worked were credit cards (WHY?). Shopping done, souvenirs purchased (costly stuff), we headed back to Hotel. This would be our just second but last night at McLeod Ganj. Tomorrow morning we will start back towards Jammu. Initially, we had planned to spend another night at Dalhousi but shelved the plan because of noise coming from home front. Remember, the 2 passengers got hijacked from rail station itself.

We started leisurely after having breakfast. On the way to Gaggal, Stopped at a nice forest area being maintained by Army (on the outskirts of Dharamshala). Soumil wanted to check the plane inside. Some pictures from the forest area.

















Now that I was more familiar with road, we covered it faster. We stopped for a Dabha break near Nurpur and continued till Madhopur.

The Old Bridge at Rait



The new bridge (ready) at Rait



The composite picture (Old and new bridge) at Rait



The Old bridge at Chakki



The diversion at Chakki



The new bridge at Chakki (fully ready, probably waiting for some politician to inaugurate)



The Diversion at Chakki





At madhopur, we got stuck into a traffic Jam.

Because of the single lane bridge between Madhopur and Lakhenpur, you have to decently (if one is decent enough) line behind the trucks and wait for them to move. I asked one of the returning 2 wheeler person for the reason of the Jam and he said “There is no Reason”. From the place I was in line behind the waiting trucks, it was almost 2 KM to Tool Post. Got off the vehicle, did a small check of the road ahead, found the opposite lane empty and decided. I reversed a feet, turned my steering a little right, came on the Opposite lane (there is no divider) and passed the stranded trucks (and other small and mid size vehicles) for more than a 1.5 KM without any hindrance. Some other small vehicles followed me. While I was on the last quarter of the bridge, a truck came from other direction. Luckily, there was space to get into the left lane and let him pass. After he moved, I came back into the opposite lane again and drove straight to tool booth. Before tool both, at the end of the bridge, I saw some cops checking truckers one by one, showing them towards a side etc. I paid INR 70 to enter J&K and zipped through the Kathua town.

We calculated that we would be able to survive without food till we reach home in Jammu and hence decided to have a small tea break. We called home that we were having late lunch there and also demanded chicken. Our demand was met and that that served as motivation to remain focused on paddle.

Late afternoon and evening was spent savoring the home made delicacies (including the chicken) twice and answering the numerous questions about the couple of days we had spent away. Our 4 ½ years old son gets into animated mode explaining all details and we all love it.

Next day was spent visiting some relatives (2 of them in first half who had lost a loved one and we visited to pay homage). It is incredible how we humans, according to our own comfort level club all sort of event (sad and happy ones) and cover them all, in one go.