Hey Dad Let’s Talk – 3

12 Feb

Hey Dad – Let’s Talk is a series of activities that allows Dad’s to spend time and bond with their kids. They include a variety of Creative activities from Riddles, Puzzles, Information Tit Bits, Trivia, Quiz, stories etc. Activities that you can discuss, stuff that is interesting and exploratory. Each activity should take 20 – 30 minutes and the best time to spend time with your kids is before you tuck them to Bed.

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This session is all about Lightning – an amazing spectacle of nature that creates both awe and fear. 

What is Lightning ? 

Lightning is a powerful burst of electricity that happens very quickly during a thunderstorm. Lightning is caused by an electrical charge in the atmosphere that is unbalanced. The movement of rain and ice inside a thundercloud creates an electrical charge, with the negative charge (electrons) forming at the bottom of the cloud and the positive charge (protons) forming at the top.Opposites attract so the negative charge at the bottom of the cloud seeks out a positive charge to connect with. Lightning can occur inside clouds, between clouds and from clouds to the ground. When lightning strikes the ground it seeks out the shortest route to something with a positive charge, this might be a tree, a tall building or if they’re very unlucky, a person.

What is Thunder ? 

Thousands of years ago philosophers such as Aristotle believed that thunder was caused by the collision of clouds. But its actually caused due to a different reason. The intense heat from lightning causes the surrounding air to rapidly expand and create a sonic wave that you hear as thunder. The hot air moves up and the cold air gushes in – causing a huge sound that is Thunder.

Lightening striking near Merdeka Square

Interesting facts about Lightning 

  • The Earth has nearly 100 lightning strikes per second – thats 3.6 billion per year ! Lightning strikes usually last around 1 or 2 microseconds. The Earth has about 2,000 active thunderstorms at any point of time. Without thunderstorms, the earth would lose its electric charge in less than 1 hour.
  • Rwanda, Africa is the lightning capital of the world, receiving nearly 2.5 times the amount of lightning as Florida
  • Florida is the Lightning Capital of the U.S. Central Florida, from Tampa to Titusville is “Lightning Alley” in the U.S.. Lightning is the #1 weather killer in Florida – more than all other weather deaths combined.
  • Most lightning strikes occur either at the beginning or end of a storm.
  • The average temperature of lightning is around 20000 °C (36000 °F) – that is a more than twice as hot as the Sun
  • Lightning is only 1 inch in diameter and has been observed over 100 miles long.
  • An average lightning flash has the energy of a 1-kiloton explosion. Lightning voltage can be up to 300 million volts.
  • Since the late 1980s, there have been several attempts to investigate the possibility of harvesting lightning energy. None have been effective. A solution here can solve the world of its energy crisis.
  • Lightning current averages 30,000 amps, but ranges from 10,000 to 200,000 amps – 100 To 1,000 times as strong as a steel welder.
  • Corded telephones are not safe and should not be used during thunderstorms. The usual way that current enters a telephone is through the wire. Cloud-to-ground flashes tend to hit tall objects such as utility poles. When a pole is struck, its current enters a building through the wiring, then to the phone, and then straight to your head. Cell phones and cordless phones are safer, but be sure to stand away from the cordless phone’s base as a strong current can possibly arc a few feet from the base to the handset.
  • Lightning damage to home electronics usually occurs when lightning strikes to nearby utility poles or wires, then enters the building through power, phone, and TV wires. For direct or indirect hits, the only sure way is to pull the power, phone, and cable plugs on sensitive electronics before thunderstorms threaten. Never touch wires during a thunderstorm, even to unplug your equipment. People have been electrocuted while unplugging their electronics during thunderstorms. Better your computer than you!
  • Greek and Roman temples often were erected at sites where lightning struck – They worshipped the gods here in an attempt to appease them.
  • If you are in the mountains and lightning begins to strike, you should quickly get below the treeline and get into a grove of small trees. Make absoulutely sure that you are not standing next to a tall tree when you are in the mountains. If you are standing next to a tall tree, you are more likely to get struck by lightning that you are if you are in a group of small trees.
  • Lightning rods (also called conductors) are metal rods or similar objects that divert lightning safely to the ground, they can often be seen at the top of tall buildings.
  • Most lightning occurs over land rather than oceans, with around 70% of it occurring in the Tropics.
  • Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Because sound travels slower than light you hear the sound of Thunder later. After you see a flash of lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder. (Use the stop watch or count “One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi, Three-Mississippi,” etc.) For every 5 seconds the storm is one mile away.
  • Lightning is usually produced by Cumulo Nimbus clouds that are very tall and dense.
  • Lightning puts 10 million tons of nitrogen into the Earth each year.
  • Lightning can also occur during volcanic eruptions, dust storms, snow storms, forest fires and tornadoes. Check out this amazing video of volcano lightning   Video Link : http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/earth/volcanolightning.html. ( This may not be a clickable link You may have to paste URL separately in your browser)volcanolightning
  • The study of lightning is known as Fulminology and Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning.
  • In Indo-European cultures, the Thunder God is frequently known as the chief or king of the gods, e.g. Indra in Hinduism, Zeus in Greek mythology, and Perun in ancient Slavic religion; or a close relation thereof, e.g. Thor, son of Odin, in Norse mythologyZeus_Jupiter_Greek_God_Art_06_by_GenzoMan

 

  • As Fast as Lightning is a commonly used speech – but the truth is Lightning travels slower than the speed of Light.The bottom tip of a lightning bolt traveling from a cloud to the ground does travel rather quickly, although it travels at much less than the speed of light. A lightning discharge consists of electrons which have been stripped from their molecules flying through the air. They are accelerated by a strong electric field, a consequence of the big voltage difference between the cloud and the ground. They crash into air molecules on their way down and free other electrons, making a tube of ionized air.

    The “leader”, the first stroke of a lightning discharge, actually proceeds in steps – lengthening by about 30 meters at a time, taking about a microsecond (one millionth of a second) to do each step. There is a pause between steps of about 50 microseconds. The whole process may take a few milliseconds (one-thousanths of a second), providing enough time to perceive motion. Most of the charge flows after this leader makes electrical contact with the ground, however. A powerful “return stroke” releases much more energy. That’s not the whole story, however – a lightning flash may have only one return stroke or may have several tens of strokes using the same column of ionized air. It may seem to flicker.

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Hey Dad Let’s Talk – 2

11 Feb

Hey Dad – Let’s Talk is a series of activities that allows Dad’s to spend time and bond with their kids. They include a variety of Creative activities from Riddles, Puzzles, Information Tit Bits, Trivia, Quiz, stories etc. Activities that you can discuss, stuff that is interesting and exploratory. Each activity should take 20 – 30 minutes and the best time to spend time with your kids is before you tuck them to Bed.

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For this session – here are a dozen interesting Trivia questions that are simple riddles where you need to think creatively. The answers are at the end of the questions  – so that these riddles can tickle your intelligence also before you spend time with your kids on them.

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1.  I’m light as a feather, yet the strongest man can’t hold me for more than 5 minutes. What am I ?

2. Your parents have Six Sons including you and each son has one sister. How many people are in the family ?

3. Name a dress that you can never wear

4. A man came to a hotel on a horse. He arrived on Saturday and stayed for one night. He left the hotel on Friday. How is that possible?

5. What are two things you can never eat for Breakfast?

6. What’s Orange and sounds like a Parrot?

7.What is the centre of Gravity?

8. What loses its Head in the Morning and gets it back at Night?

9. What kind of Coat can only be put on when wet?

10.What has 4 fingers and a thumb, but is not living?

11. How many seconds are there in a year?

12. What has 3 feet but cannot walk?

 

Here are the answers to the above questions in chronological order

1. Your Breath

2. Nine – 2 Parents + 6 Boys + 1 Sister

3. AdDRESS

4. The name of the Horse is Friday

5. Lunch & Dinner

6. A Carrot

7. “V” – its the alphabet at the centre of the word Gravity

8. A Pillow

9. A Coat of Paint

10. A Glove

11. Only 12 – One in every month Jan 2 , Feb 2 …..

12. A YARD

 

And if you finished these 12 questions fast and still have some time here is a fun story from the Panchatantra with a nice moral. The moral is significant given the recent cases we have seen in schools where small children have been targeted

Three_Fishes_4bb47ffa0221b

 

Tale of the Three Fishes

Three fishes named Anagatavidhata, Pratyutpannamati and Yadbhavishya lived in a certain pond, along with many other fishes.

One afternoon, some fishermen were passing by the pond. They investigated the pond, and agreed that the pond was full of fishes. Since, they were already returning after catching fishes, and already had a big haul, they decided to come back the next morning.

They discussed, “This pond is full of fishes, and there are many big ones too. We have never caught fishes in this pond. Let us come back tomorrow morning.”

The three fishes were swimming on the surface when they heard the fishermen discuss their plans.

The first fish panicked. He immediately assembled all other fishes and told them what they had heard. He said, “Tomorrow morning, the fishermen will arrive to catch us. I do not want to die like this. So, I will leave with my family at the earliest. I advise all of you to follow me. It will not be wise for anybody to stay here any longer!”

The second fish agreed, “I shall follow you, my friend, for what you say is correct. It will be unwise to remain here anymore!”

But the third fish disagreed. He laughed at the two fishes, and said to the fishes assembled, “See how cowardly these two act! This pond belonged to our forefathers, and it is our home now. For so long, no harm has ever come to the fishes of this pond.”

He continued, “Just because some fishermen were discussing their plans, is no reason for us to panic and leave our home. Those who agree with me, I advise them to stay where we belong and not go to some unknown place.”

He further said, “O Friends, the scriptures state that when the time for one’s death arrives, one is not spared. If death has to come, let us rather die bravely in our home!”

Thus, the fishes of the ponds got divided into two groups. The group that wanted to stay laughed at the other group. However, within the very evening, the families of the first two fishes started their journey to a different pond through a small outlet. They were followed by many who believed them.

The next morning the fishermen arrived as they had planned, and trapped all the fishes that remained in the pond by casting net all over the pond.

Not a single fish was spared, and the fishermen were overjoyed with the big haul of fishes that they had caught.

Moral of the Story :
When you see a danger coming, act immediately.

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Hey Dad Let’s Talk – 1

10 Feb

Hey Dad – Let’s Talk is a series of activities that allows Dad’s to spend time and bond with their kids. They include a variety of Creative activities from Riddles, Puzzles, Information Tit Bits, Trivia, Quiz, stories etc. Activities that you can discuss, stuff that is interesting and exploratory. Each activity should take 20 – 30 minutes and the best time to spend time with your kids is before you tuck them to Bed.

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This edition is Fun with Numbers.

1. Look at the end result and how it goes up and down like a wave

  • 111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

2. Arrange  all the digits from 1 – 9 in ascending order to total up to 100

  • 12 + 3 – 4 + 5 + 67 + 8 + 9 = 100

3.  Here is another set of symmetrical numbers

  • 1 x 8 + 1 = 9
  • 12 x 8 + 2 = 98
  • 123 x 8 + 3 = 987
  • 1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
  • 12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
  • 123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
  • 1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
  • 12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
  • 123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

 

4. The number 142857 is rather special. When you multiply it with 1 to 6 the digits found in the answer stay the same, just in a different order. Check it out:

1 x 142857 = 142857

2 x 142857 = 285714

3 x 142857 = 428571

4 x 142857 = 571428

5 x 142857 = 714285

6 x 142857 = 857142

What happens when you multiply it by 7 ? You get another rather special number:
7 x 142857 = 999999

And it doesn’t stop there:

142 + 857 = 999

14 + 28 + 57 = 99

142857 x 142857 = 20408122449

20408 + 122449 = 142857
 That’s one amazing number!

 

5. Be a magician – Guess The number

Step 1: Think of a number

Step 2: Multiply it by 3

Step 3: Add 6 with the getting result

Step 4: Divide it by 3

Step 5: Subtract it from the first number used

Answer: 2

 

6. Be a magician – Guess The number

Trick 2: Any Number

Step1: Think of any number.

Step2: Double the number.

Step3: Add 9 with result.

Step4: Subtract 3 with the result.

Step5: Divide the result by 2.

Step6: Subtract the number with the number started with.

Answer: 3

 

7. What is unique about 8549176320 ?

Each digit when written in words progressively moves up the alphabet list – Eight is E and Zero is Z.

 

8. How many squares are there on a chess board … ?

Its not 64 – There are a total of 204 squares on a chess board, including all sizes from 1 x 1 up to 8 x 8.

9. There were 100 chocolates in a box. The box was passed down along a row of people. The first person took one chocolate. Each person down the row took one more chocolates than the person before, until the box was empty. What is the largest number of people that could have been in the row?

Solution:

The longest line of people you can have is thirteen, with the last person taking all the remaining chocolates. There are not enough chocolates for a fourteenth person, because they would have to take 14 chocolates (after the previous person had taken 13) and there would be only 9 left.

10. And Finally  the last question for the day – why is 9 called the Indestructible number

9 * 1 = 9

9 * 2 = 18 , 1 + 8 = 9

9 * 3 = 27 , 2 + 7 = 9

9 * 4 = 36 , 3 + 6 = 9

9 * 5 = 45 , 4 + 5 = 9

9 * 6 = 54 , 5 + 4 = 9

9 * 7 = 63 , 6 + 3 = 9

9 * 8 = 72 , 7 + 2 = 9

9 * 9 = 81 , 8 + 1 = 9

9 * 10 = 90 , 9 +0 = 9

Have Fun with your Kids –  and do check back soon for more fun stuff.

 

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Introduction & Meaning – Gayatri Mantra

6 Feb

The Gayatri Mantra is a powerful and easy to chant mantra that has been associated with our land for thousands of years. When chanted regularly and accurately by understanding the meaning it brings clarity to your thought and helps accelerate your spiritual journey.

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Brahmarshi Vishvamitra is credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra. The Puranas mention that only 24 rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of – and thus wielded the whole power of Gayatri Mantra. Vishvamitra is supposed to be the first and Yajnavalkya the last

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The Blog is based on the explanation of The Gayatri Mantra by Sri M in his book “Jewel in the Lotus – Deeper aspects of Hinduism”. There is a detailed explanation by Sri M also on the topic and you can get a DVD of the same. A link to the  introductory talk by Sri M is enclosed below.

Background 

The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most ancient mantras of this country. It is said that whoever sings (or chants) it is protected. It deals with the relationship between man & universe. It is concerned with the process of Self Realisation.

Gayatri Mantra does not say, ‘give me wealth’, the mantra does not say ‘give me health’, it does not say ‘give me this’ or ‘give me that’. Gayatri Mantra says illuminate or stimulate my intelligence

A hymn from the Rigveda, it is addressed to Savitur – the Sun, but its tutelary deity is Gayatri. She is the female counterpart of the Trinity or more appropriately their consorts – Saraswati, Lakshmi & Kali representing learning, wealth and protection. They are individually prayed to for worldly personal boons while Gayatri is invoked to give us the “buddhi” to understand our true nature, knowing which we have everything. The divine light of Savitur helps us free ourselves from bondage so that the power of Gayatri envelops us.

The Gayatri Mantra is unique – its the only mantra which is a combination of a prayer and a mantra – it combines the inherent power of the sound of a mantra with the power of the prayer.

Gayatri-Mata-With-Gayatri-Mantra-Wallpaper

Aum  Bhur Bhuvah Suvah

Tat Savitur Varenyam 

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yonah Prajodayat

Rough literal interpretation 

“We contemplate upon the Originator or Source of everything, that adorable effulgent Divinity, and pray that our intelligence may be illuminated and stimulated, so that we would be enabled to understand the Absolute Truth“

There is one word in this mantra which sets it apart from all other mantras. It is the word “dheemahi“. It means either ” We meditate upon” or “May we meditate upon” – whatever meaning we select, an assertion or a prayer, the important aspect is the plural form of the word. And this has great significance. The plural implies that the prayer is for the benefit for all though the aspirant is seeking the development of spiritual consciousness. It is this transcendence over a desire for narrow personal benefit that imbues the Gayatri Mantra with its great power.

Gayatri Mantra & The Power of Discrimination 

Caught up in our everyday life we need clear and sharp perception to comprehend the deeper significance of our mundane facts and problems. Intellect or reason is often not enough to provide clarity, man suffers from lack of discrimination. The power of Discrimination according to Vedanta is only possible when a faculty higher than intellect is used. That faculty is “Buddhi” – which can be loosely defined as intuition tempered with intellect. And Gayatri is the mode to reach this source of discrimination or “Viveka“

What is Gayatri 

Gayatri is a particular form of Sanskrit Shloka written in what is known as a Gayatri meter. The Gayatri meter consists of 24 syllables (aksharas) evenly distributed in three padas (feet). There are other mantras using the gayatri metre but the Gayatri Mantra by virtue of its universal appeal has appropriated for itself the name of the meter, so that any mention of this meter evokes the words of the mantra.

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Each foot of the Gayatri represents the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas – so its said in the Scriptures that the Gayatri Mantra is the mother of all the Vedas

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Simple and powerful, chanting it 108 times a day takes about 20 minutes. It helps you in getting the rare power to illuminate your intelligence and develop your power of perception and discrimination, enhance your clarity. Its a worth a try , there is nothing to lose but a lot to gain. So try doing it every day after your morning bath, facing the Sun from your balcony or garden and get charged with positive energy. Best time to chant is in the morning.

Introductory Talk on the Gayatri Mantra by Sri M 

http://satsang-foundation.org/videos/videos-talks-by-sri-m-the-gayatri-mantra/

It is important that you chant it in the right tone and metre. The rendition by the Challikere brothers is probably the most accurate that you can get online.

Gayathri Dhyanam – Challekere Brothers, downloadable from iTunes

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What is Gayatri Mantra

6 Feb

Since our childhood we have heard it at home, in temples, in functions, in pujas and now even in ring tones. Many of us chant it every day and once a year there is a specific day when we chant it 1008 times. We are introduced to it at the time of our sacred thread ceremony and maybe they explain the meaning then – but most of us don’t recollect what it means.

Gayatri-Mata-With-Gayatri-Mantra-Wallpaper

I recently read a book by Sri M – Jewel in the Lotus – Deeper aspects of Hinduism, an excellent read that had a chapter devoted to explaining the Gayatri Mantra. It was simple, easy to understand and I wanted to share this with a larger audience. I am summarising key parts from that chapter here – but I would urge you to read the book for deeper insights.

Aum  Bhur Bhuvah Suvah

Tat Savitur Varenyam 

Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi

Dhiyo Yonah Prajodayat

Background 

The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most ancient mantras of this country. It is said that whoever sings (or chants) it is protected. It deals with the relationship between man & universe as well as the Reality between both – it is concerned with the process of Self Realisation.

A hymn from the Rigveda – it is addressed to Savita – the Sun, but its tutelary deity is Gayatri. Gayatri is the female counterpart of the Trinity or more appropriately their consorts – Saraswati, Lakshmi & Kali representing learning, wealth and protection. They are individually prayed to for worldly personal boons while Gayatri is invoked to give us the “buddhi” to understand our true nature, knowing which we have everything. The divine light of Savita helps us free ourselves from bondage so that the power of Gayatri envelops us. The Gayatri Mantra is unique – its the only mantra which is a combination of a prayer and a mantra – it combines the inherent power of the sound of a mantra with the power of the prayer.

Gayatri Mantra & The Power of Discrimination 

Caught up in our everyday life we need clear and sharp perception to comprehend the deeper significance of our mundane facts and problems. Intellect or reason is often not enough to provide clarity, man suffers from lack of discrimination. The power of Discrimination according to Vedanta is only possible when a faculty higher than intellect is used. That faculty is “Buddhi” – which can be loosely defined as intuition tempered with intellect. And Gayatri is the mode to reach this source of discrimination or “Viveka“

What is Gayatri 

Gayatri is a particular form of Sanskrit Shloka written in what is known as a gayatri meter. The Gayatri meter consists of 24 syllables (aksharas) evenly  distributed in three padas (feet). There are other mantras using the gayatri metre but the Gayatri Mantra by virtue of its universal appeal has appropriated for itself the name of the meter, so that any mention of this meter evokes the words of the mantra. Each foot of the Gayatri represents the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas – so its said in the Scriptures that the Gayatri Mantra is the mother of all the Vedas.

Rough literal interpretation 

“We contemplate upon the Originator or Source of everything, that adorable effulgent Divinity, and pray that our intelligence may be illuminated and stimulated, so that we would be enabled to understand the Absolute Truth“

There is one word in this mantra which sets it apart from all other mantras. It is the word “dheemahi“. It means either ” We meditate upon” or ” May we meditate upon” – whatever meaning we select – an assertion or a prayer – the important aspect is the plural form of the word. And this has great significance. The plural implies that the prayer is for the benefit for all though the aspirant is seeking the development of spiritual consciousness. It is this transcendence over a desire for narrow personal benefit that imbues the Gayatri Mantra with its great power.

Serene young woman with hands together in prayer pose in the desert in China, silhouette, sun setting, profile

Simple and powerful , chanting it ten times a day does not take even a few minutes and if it helps you in getting the rare power to illuminate your intelligence and develop your power of perception and discrimination , enhance your clarity – then its worth a try , there is nothing to lose but a lot to gain. So try doing it every day after your morning bath , facing the sun from your balcony or garden and get charged with positive energy

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Khajuraho – Ready Reckoner

5 Feb

A visit to Khajuraho has been on my to do list for long. History and architecture in a beautiful setting can transport you back centuries and that’s exactly what this visit did – it exceeded all my expectations. Getting to Khajuraho is a challenge. Flights are Via Agra or Varanasi, Road journey from any Airport/Big City is a minimum 4 – 5 hrs. The only direct connectivity is a train from Nizamuddin Junction – (12448) that leaves Nizamuddin at 20.10 and reaches Khajuraho at 6.30 AM. The return is at 18.10 reaching Nizamuddin the next day morning at 6 AM. (You also have an option of taking the New Delhi Bhopal Shatabdi to Jhansi, spending a day at Jhansi, Orchha and then driving the 185 km to Khajuraho in 3 – 4 hrs)

 visit to Khajuraho

Khajuraho is home to architectural splendor. Probably the only temples in North and Central India that have survived the 1000 years of Muslim invaders. Built in a span of 100 years between 950 – 1050 AD*, there were 85 temples across a 2 Sq. Km radius. (25 of them survive today – of which 3 are ruins) You can divide them broadly in 3 clusters – The Main Western Cluster, the Eastern Cluster and finally the Southern Cluster. Built in the Nagara architecture style they all look similar and were built by different kings of the Chandella Dynasty (More about Chandella Dynasty in the footnote).

* 900 – 1100 AD appears to be the best time in India for building temples. The great temples at Badami by the Chalukyas. The Tanjore temples by the Cholas, the Sun Temple at Konark, the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram  and the Temples at Khajuraho all seem to have been built around the same time.

 Tanjore temples by the Cholas

The Western Cluster is the UNESCO World Heritage site and this is where you spend most of your time. (2 – 3 hrs) Well maintained, spread over a large area in a compound spanning 12 temples – the two main temples here are the Lakshmana Temple and The Kandariya Mahadev Temple. The Matangeshwara Temple is part of the same cluster but is outside the compound as it’s the only functional temple. This temple has an 18 foot tall Shiva Linga.

Built of sandstone the carvings and the sculpture are exquisite and depict life in its different forms. The walls of the temples are so profusely sculptured that for a minute it looks like a single gracious wall of fine intricate designs. Not an inch of space has been left devoid of sculpture. The eye for detail is amazing. The depiction of strained muscles, cuts on the calf muscle are all unparalleled in any architecture across the world. Beside the erotic sculptures there are court scenes, scenes of battle, scenes of daily life and scenes that advice the citizens. All the sculptures and figures are dynamic and they appear to be in action and movement.

erotic sculptures

All the sculptures can be divided into three categories

  • Image of principal deities – Shiva, Vishnu, Surya and the Jain Tirthankaras
  • Second category is of minor gods and divinities – Apsaras and Surya Sundaris
  • Third category is of “Mithunas” or couples engaged in sexual acts

Across the temples erotic sculptures are prominently visible only in a few – namely the Lakshman, Kandariya Mahadev, Devi Jagadambi, Chitragupta and Vishwanath temple. Some are also found in Chaturbhuja, Vamana and Duladeo temples. These have been a cause of controversy although they are the key brand value that attracts tourists in hordes.

Given the rapid spread of Buddhism and Jainism there was a need to have the common man focus on family life – that’s one school of thought for building these temples, given that the temple was the Centre of day to day life for the common man. The other explanation is that it’s important to complete your desires before you proceed on the path to spiritual consciousness.

Point to note is that even the puritanical (and maybe hypocritical) M.K.Gandhi protested and gave permission to vandals to deface the temple of these sculptures before Sri Rabindranath Tagore wrote to him and was able to stop this rampage. (Reminds me of the Taliban defacing the Bamiyan Buddha Statues in Afghanistan).I sometimes wonder if Gandhi was a saint or a shrewd politician! But thats a separate debate.

 The highlight of the visit to the Western Complex is the Light and Sound show. It starts at 6.30 PM and runs for 45 min. (The Hindi version starts at 7.30 PM) Easy to get tickets priced at Rs 200. I was there on a full moon night with the sky full of stars. The majestic voice of Amitabh Bachan and the vast open greens of the complex brings alive the mesmerising past as the spirit of the master sculpture carries you back to the golden ages of 950 – 1050 AD. The commentary, the light effects and the sound of temple bells, armies marching are surreal. This is a must attend show. (There are other folks Dance shows also organized by MP Government and Private hotels, which I believe are very entertaining)

 Kandariya Mahadev Temple

The Eastern Complex is dedicated to the Jain Tirthankaras. It is smaller, functional and is managed by the Jain community. The artistry and theme remains similar, but there are only a few temples and there is no erotic sculpture visible anywhere. Located a few Km away from the Western cluster – should take you no more than 30 min to cover this.

Lakshmana Temple

The Southern cluster is not inside a compound and most temples here are spread across the villages. Barring a few almost all are in ruins. You can skip this or maybe visit only the Duladeo and the Chatarbhuj temples – these were the last set of temples built by the Chandelles.

If your Train reaches at 6.30 AM – you can reach the hotel by 7, freshen up get started at 9.30 AM and by 12.30 you can cover all the temples and head back to your hotel for lunch and an afternoon siesta before you come back at 5 PM for viewing the W Complex in the sunset and then stay back for the light & sound show.

Few more points to help in your Khajuraho visit

Khajuraho is a small town. Its got a rustic rugged feel. Distances are small and you can reach the hotel, station, Temples in 10 – 15 minutes. Along the temple road most of the hotels are situated – the best are Lalit, Taj Chandella, Radisson and Clarks. I stayed at the Clarks – a nice 100-room property with sprawling lawns. Good service, decent food, Working Wi Fi, Comfortable rooms with Tata Sky. A good 4 star hotel and the rack rate is Rs 6000/- .

  • Lots of places to eat and you can get Veg / Non veg / Italian food – mostly place is frequented by Foreigners. Try the Marwari Agrawal Restaurant for pure Veg Thali and Veg food. Small place like a mess – serves excellent food. Is always packed. I had a great Thali and even packed my Train Dinner from here. (Located Near Harmony Hotel , Jain Temple Road)

Marwari Agrawal Restaurant

Places to visit near Khajuraho include

  1. Panna forest reserve and National Park – a 1 hr. drive (32Km) very bad road – surprised that it’s a National Highway. The Jungle and River Ken are calm and serene – but all you see are spotted Deer’s and Sambars. Its a large reserve spread across 543 Sq Km of dense Teak Jungle
  2. There are 4 Dams and a few waterfalls located at 30 – 45 min driving distance
  3. Ajaygarh Fort – 61 Km from Khajuraho, further ahead of Panna
  4. Jhansi – 158 Km, Good place to see historic forts and learn about Rani Lakshmibai. Shatabadi from Delhi stops at Jhansi.
  5. Rajgarh – 25 Km , Majestic 150 year old Hilltop Palace
  6. Kalanjar fort – 100 Km – a ancient site in Bundelkhand and a venerated seat of Lord Shiva. It was originally a prominent city built by the Gupta’s. in 3 Century AD.
  7. The closest Big city is Satna about 110 Km – Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Varanasi are all 300 – 500 Km away
  8. An overnight Train connects Khajuraho to Varanasi – and Varanasi to Bodh Gaya is not far away. So if you plan a holiday you can do Delhi – Jhansi / Orccha / Khajuraho / Varanasi / Bodh Gaya in 7 – 9 days.
  9. Bandhavgarh one of the best national parks in the country is 250 Km away – 6 to 7 hrs drive. The NH75 is under development and hopefully in next 6 months will be better.

Weather can be extreme – similar to Delhi. Winters are cold and summers are very hot. Best time to visit is between Oct and Feb. This is Bundelkhand the heart of the country. Surrounded by the Vindhyas it is well fed by rivers and has rich dense forests. The terrain is rugged. Still not developed well for tourism.

Myth & History of Khajuraho

The name Khajuraho comes from “Khajoor” or date palms. In 900 AD this place was a garden of date palms. It was well bestowed by nature with river, forests, fertile soil. Chandellas are a part of the Rajput Clan and claim to be descendants of the moon god. Legend has it that the moon god was attracted to a young widow Hemvathi and therein started the clan of the Chandellas. History however records the Chandellas as feudatories of the Pratihara kings. They proclaimed themselves independent when the Pratihara empire weakened. The Chandella dynasty ruled for about 400 years from 900 AD. On of the Chandella rulers Vijaydhara even successfully fought against the invader Mahmud of Ghazni. The Kandariya Mahadev temple was probably built to commemorate this victory. After 1100 AD the Chandella dynasty and Khajuraho declined rapidly and in 1350 when Ibn Battuta reached here it was a sad state far from its days of glory. It was only in 1838 that a British Officer T.S.Burt found Khajuraho and the British started its restoration.

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Rustic Soulitude – by the River

30 Dec

A gurgling river, chirping birds, a himalayan cliff that rises majestically a few thousand feet – and no sign of humanity. Some places cannot be described by words they need poetry. Soulitude by the Riverside is one such place. A place that is black and white – a place you will love and give a perfect 10 and want to come again and again or just say this is not my kind of place. I give it a perfect 10.

A sister property of the Himalayan Soulitude this one is very different. 7 rooms , designed in a rustic and elegant style, it feels like a modern day Ashram for its peace and tranquility but comes with all the modern amenities that one could think of in a  5 star hotel. The best of both worlds.

Located at 4500 feet, you can reach the place only by trekking 2 Km along the river. A beautiful Trek – the hotel sends porters to the pick up point to carry your luggage.

Rustic Soulitude by River side

Its bright and sunny and 30 minutes later you reach the hotel to be welcomed by friendly staff and a bright well lit, well designed hexagonal lobby. Warm and friendly this is also the TV Lounge (TATA Sky) and the reading room. In this remote corner of nature Wi Fi works and the whole place is operated with Generators. Remember you are in the midst of a forest , with the river Kalsi less than 25 feet away.

Hotel with beautiful lobby

The rooms follow the same theme, large , spacious, well lit , facing the river – Rustic but super comfortable and functional with all the amenities you could think of. Bed warmers and heaters and a Kashmir style fireplace keeps the room warm. There is no carpet and central heating and at night the temperature drops, there is a nice cold breeze from the river. So good to be dressed in multiple layers as you head to bed. We stayed on Dec 30 and the temp varied from a high of 20 in the day to almost Zero at midnight.

Best rooms

The other units that comprise this unique resort are the dining room and a Yoga Hut on the river bank. They also have large stretches of kitchen gardens where they grow a wide variety of herbs and vegetables to meet the needs of the kitchen. Food is royal and sumptuous – served in brass plates, Indian, very rich, very filling – ambience is Rajasthani. Every single thing used in the hotel needs to be carried from 2 km afar – so the more you become self dependent the better it is.

Yoga Hut on the river bank

But the jewel in the crown is a trek to PariTal (The lake of the fairies) – a short 20 min trek its along the river and you need to be nimble to cross boulders along the entire stretch. Its a nice trek best done after 10 AM when the first rays of the sun start to wriggle out. You can spot a lot of monkeys climbing the vertical ledges of the cliff and if you are lucky you can see barking deers and maybe a panther or leopard sun basking on a ledge. (We did not see them but yes at night we heard the barking deers)

As you reach Pari Tal you hear the sound of the gushing waterfall beckoning you and the first sight of the Tal is divine.

Emerald green crystal clean water swirling in a large pond, fed by white water rollicking down the slope with a sense of purpose. The chirping sounds of the bird die down in obeisance to the beauty of this spot and as you stand alone you can sense peace, tranquility and joy in every pore of your body. You experience nature at its best. This is the place where you want to come and sit to find answers to life’s problems, this is the place you want to sit hand in hand with your soulmate, not utter a word but yet have a deep connect. This is the place to meditate. To be with yourself. To Recharge. I wish I could have stayed for hours.

Emerald green crystal clean water

This place is unique. Soulitude in Himalayas is marketed well and has become a perfect family getaway. But the DNA of Riverside is very different. This is not a place for noisy kids or large groups. Its a place to come alone or with people very near and dear to you. There is no commercial element here – No Yoga , No massage – just you and nature. I have travelled a lot and I am constantly searching for offbeat locations – but I don’t think there is anything like this anywhere in India. It targets a specific clientele – who will keep coming again and again. Kudos to Manish Chandra the owner for having created this beauty. Its a lot of of passion and investment of time and money to manage a property like this with these high standards.

We had no plans to spend a day here – our booking for 4 nights was at Soulitude in the Himalayas. It was a sudden impulse that I requested for the last night to be spent here and fortunately rooms were available. Planning a family  holiday in the last week of Dec to the foothills of the Himalayas can be stressing – flights / train need to be on time (Fog), kids should not fall sick, nobody should trip and bend an ankle or fall sick, lugging around 5 suitcases with lots of woollens – is all a project in itself. And I am so happy that on the last day of a wonderful holiday I could find my dream location.

Soulitude in Himalayas

And as I was sitting on the rocks with the water lapping my feet I recollect the words of the guide at Mukteshwar and how he defined God (Bhagwan) – Bh for Bhumi (Earth) , Ga for Gagan (Sky) , Va for Vayu (Air) and N for Neer (Water) – our ancestors knew it – elements of Nature and Fire is all it takes for a happy peaceful lives. In the name of development – We just messed it up.

Points to note 

1. Website , http://www.soulitudebytheriverside.com

2. Distance from Kathgodam 60 – 90 min , 35 Km , Tavera costs Rs 1500

3. Summers can be hot – 30 degrees + , winter mornings and nights are very cold, rains heavily in Monsoon

4. Travel light – and wear good trekking footwear

5. With family – best to do 1 day , solo – you decide , at least 3 days I would recommend

6. Distance from Soulitude in Himalayas – 30 Km , 60 Minutes, Its a small detour from the way to Sattal. We left Himalayan Soulitude at 10 , finished our Visit to Sattal and were at the Riverside property by 1.30 in the afternoon

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Himalayan Soulitude in December

29 Dec

Always on the lookout for offbeat locations it was by pure chance that I bookmarked “ Soulitude in the Himalayas” many month back. The minute I visited the website I knew I wanted to go there – and that’s what we did for the Christmas Holidays this year.

On a cold winter day the flight to Delhi landed on time at 20.40 and we were in the Lemon Tree hotel near Anand Vihar station by 10 PM. This is the best place to stay if you have a 615 AM Shatabdi from Anand Vihar Junction to Kathgodam. Delhi was a cold 2-degrees but we made it well in time to the warm comfort of the Shatabdi Executive class. The drive from Lemon Tree to the station is less than a Km – 5 Min . The train was on time and we reached Kathgodam at 11.30 AM. A 45 km drive up the hills and we were in the hotel by 1.15 in time for lunch.

 Himalayan Soulitude

Soulitude in the Himalayas is located at Village Gagar, in Ramgarh Town, Nainital District. Located at 7200 feet – it’s a small homely hotel with 10 rooms nestled along a hill slope with amazing views of the Himalayan peaks (Trishul, Nandai Devi, Panchachauli and Nanda Ghunti….) from every room.

Best rooms in Himalayas

There are 6 rooms in the main building, a cottage with 3 rooms and one Suite. Rooms are designed very aesthetically and are warm, vibrant and welcoming – the type you see and say “ I wish I had a house with rooms like these”. With room names like Blessed, Nirvana, Awakening, Quietude, Peace, Bliss, Joy, Delight & Celebration. Many of the books were on Ramakrishna Paramhansa  – you can sense that the owner and designer have a strong spiritual connect and this hotel is run more out of passion and pride than for making money. Room rates vary from 6 – 12K/ night in peak season and include breakfast.

The kitchen serves delicious food through the day – Indian & Continental- very tasty, very homely. Decent spread that includes Soup, Salad, Multiple dishes, 1 Non veg & Dessert. The service is excellent. (Food is Buffet and room service is limited, meals are priced at Rs 750 / person) The main building has lovely warm places for people to sit down and read books, and chat over a warm fireplace. You can even enjoy your drink (But BYOB). The hotel has Free Wi Fi that Zips and excellent phone connection with 3G.

Best rooms

Hot water is available 24X7 – there is no central heating but they provide heaters in every room. In Dec it can get real cold with night temp close to Zero – so do be prepared with thermals and multiple layers of clothing. Tata Sky connection is available in common places – not all rooms have TV. Nirvana Suite where we stayed had one. Lots of Books and DVD’s – to spend your time in the evenings.

It’s a 6 Acre property on the hill slope and they do have a small garden that the manager told us is  a riot of colors in spring and includes many fruit trees like Apple, Kiwi, Cherry, Almonds, Apricots, Walnuts and Plums. The garden is on a terrace – so limited walking space.

After you have enjoyed the rooms, hospitality and food – there is a lot to be done in this area. Gagar is a small village and not a commercial hotspot like most hill stations. Here is what you can do

 Gagar in Hill stations

Devi Temple Trek (3 1/2 Hrs) A nice trek to the top of a hill that is at 8000 feet. Takes about 75 min to reach , level 2 trek ( Since it had snowed recently there were stretches of ice and slippery black ice). At the top you get an amazing view of the Himalayan Mountains. You also get to meet a Babaji – Yogi Ranganath who stays alone and manages a beautiful Shiva temple. He belongs to the Nath Clan and his abode is very close to the cave where Garg Rishi meditated. The baba was a wonderful person and offered us Ginger Tea. His meditation room with the fire “ Dhuni” made the room warm and spiritual. If you leave at 10 AM you can be back in the hotel at 1.15 for lunch. We loved this trek.

Mukteshwar Trip (5 – 6 Hrs) Its 30 Km away but takes well over an hr along the hill roads. On the way we crossed an apple Orchard – the season is June – July so all we saw now was dried trees in a snow covered mountain.

Mukteshwar Trip

Mukteshwar has some nice views of the mountains and a Shiva temple (some say its 5000 years old) where supposedly the Pandavas came and prayed to deliver them from their sins. Mukteshwar rocks also provide an opportunity for Zip Lining and Rappelling for the courageous. We had lunch at a lovely place called Nirvana – great food, reasonable priced – free Wi Fi, now who would expect that in Mukteshwar when even in Bangalore you don’t get free Wi Fi. ( Nirvana is located about 30 min from Mukteshwar on the way back to Gagar)

 Mukteshwar rocks

Sattal – 7 Lakes ( 3 – 4 hrs , best done on the way back to Shatabdi / Kathgodam) – This located on the way from Gagar to Kathgodam – so it may be a good idea to include this on your way back as Shatabdi leaves only at 3.45 PM. Again a 30 Km drive that takes about 75 Min. A set of 7 lakes named after the characters in the Ramayana – 5 of them are connected. They are crystal clean and the long 1 hr boat ride across them is serene. Fortunately last week of Dec was off-season and we had the beautiful lakes to ourselves. Finish the boat ride and enjoy the Rajmal Chawal / Kadi Chawal Lunch in the small neat stalls – but beware of monkeys – one of them snatched away a pack of chips from my daughter.

7 Lakes in Sattal

 

Other Treks in that locality  – Forest trek 2 Hrs, Mahadevi Verma Cottage Trek – 2 Hrs. Given the season and recent snowfall we stayed away from these as the paths were slippery.

Nainital (6 – 7 Hrs) – The famous hill station of Nainital is located just 30 km away – A 60 – 90 min drive. Like most famous hill stations it is commercial – we stayed away. But if you are interested in a Cable Car ride, Monastery , Shopping ( bakery, namkeen, candles, woollen clothes) , Boat Rides – do check it out. Nainital is also on the way to Corbett so if you are planning a stay at Corbett you will cross Nainital.

Day Trek to Riverside – The folks at Soulitude also recommended a day trek to their other property – Soulitude by the Riverside , an amazing property on the Kalsi river. We stayed there for a night so more of that in a separate blog. I strongly recommend that you spend a day here – but if you are not its a must that you do the day trip, the property is peace and tranquility embodified and the highlight is a lovely pool called the “Pari Tal”

Tea Gardens and “Bell Temple” (2 Hrs) – you can also do a short trip to a local govt Tea garden and visit a Bell temple nearby. Start at 4 PM and end by 6 PM. The tea garden is small – nothing in comparison to what you see in Darjeeling or Conoor. But the ” Bell Temple” is unique – you can hang a bell and pray for your wish to be fulfilled.

Soulitude by the Riverside

Other lakes like Bhimtal, NaukuchiaTal are also short drives of 60 – 90 minutes. (For those from the South – Tal means lake – and all these places are named after the beautiful lakes located there)

We enjoyed our holiday thoroughly and I am sure the lure of the Himalayas will draw us here once again. Maybe in a different season when the flowers bloom or the Apple orchards are brimming with fruits. I am looking forward to that.

Other Important Tips 

  • For booking your car in advance you can contact Nafees ( 9412963653) or Madhusudhan ( 9756930090) – drop from Kathgodam to Soulitude is about Rs 1500 – 2000 depending on Tavera / Innova. Day trips vary from Rs 600 for a few hrs to Rs 1500 for the trip to Mukteshwar. Book cars in advance.
  • Shatabdi reaches Kathgodam at 11.30 AM and leaves at 3.40 PM
  • Roads get shut when it snows – for at least 24 hrs. the road from Soulitude to Mukteshwar sees a lot of Snow in Jan / Feb. From Kathgodam to Soulitude the road is open almost all the time.
  • Locals say that it Snows from Jan – Feb almost 8 – 9 times – Snow in Dec is rare. Although this year it snowed on Dec 15th.
  • A 3 night at Soulitude in Himalayas (Gagar)  and 1 night at Soulitude in Riverside is recommended. Do the Riverside on your way back – its at 4500 feet and a small detour on the way back to Kathgodam from Gagar.
  • 3G connection is available across all the places / roads.
  • Get good walking shoes – all the treks need shoes with grip. Hotel provides trekking sticks.
  • Arm yourself with creams and lotions for dry skin – and also some sun creme , at 7200 / 8000 feet the sun in the day can be harsh on your skin resulting in sun burns
  • In winter the treks and drives start only by 10 – 1030 AM. Days are sunny in dec with bright blue skies. At night you can see a sky studded with stars. Our room had a sky light and it gave an amazing view of the sky from your bed.
  • Even the walk from Nirvana to the main building is a small steep trek and can tire you out initially.
  • We had great family time – but being a group of 2 – 3 like minded families would have added to the fun.
  • http://www.soulitude.in, For all details and booking. Plan your travel well in advance – the place gets sold out months in advance. Payment is 100% advance

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Contradictions, Oxymorons and some thoughts from a jet lagged mind

20 Nov

Thanks to the jet lag – I have been up since 1 AM. So don’t be surprised if this blog entry confuses you. Its going to be a desultory piece talking of Contradictions and Oxymorons and more.

I first got introduced to the word ” Oxymoron” in Class 8 while reading about the sinking of the Titanic. The author beautifully described the morning after the disaster when the first rays of the sun fell on the ice bergs amidst the flotsam and debris of The Titanic as ” Tragic Splendour”

antarctic-sound08

An oxymoron is a compressed paradox: a figure of speech in which seemingly contradictory terms appear side by side. The oxymoron has also been called “the show-off” figure, one that gives voice to life’s inherent conflicts and incongruities. The true beauty of  an oxymoron is that, unless we sit back and really think, we happily accept them as normal English.

Paid Volunteers, Kind Cruelty, Open Secret, Pretty Ugly, Original Copy, Clearly Confused….. are some wonderful examples of Oxymorons. Here is a paragraph I found that is packed with Oxymorons and it does make an interesting  read.

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It was an open secret that the company had used a paid volunteer to test the plastic glasses. Although they were made using liquid gas technology and were an original copy that looked almost exactly like a more expensive brand, the volunteer thought that they were pretty ugly and that it would be simply impossible for the general public to accept them. On hearing this feedback, the company board was clearly confused and there was a deafening silence. This was a minor crisis and the only choice was to drop the product line.

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From Oxymorons lets move to a few other interesting examples of contradictions using colours.

  • A bright clear blue sky symbolises endless possibilities and optimism, and getting the blues plunges you into a world of despair and gloom.
  • Blue also stands for peace and tranquility – wile the deep blue sea is ominous and its depth has hidden mysteries.
  • Its often a that a Green Horn shines in a green field project.
  • A red carpet welcomes you but red tape pushes you into a maze
  • The color Green can symbolise freshness and a verdant atmosphere , at the same time you can be Green with jealousy and negativity.
  • A newly wed glow in her dark red saree and Code Red stands for Violence and death while the Red Cross is the beacon of hope for many.

And as a parting shot a few more interesting contradictions I picked up from a  post on FB today from Ashutosh Kapoor.

  • In a  play / theatre you rush for front row seats , while in the same auditorium you want the rear seats to watch  movie
  • Soap removes oil , but no soap can be made without Oil.

Is life black and white or is it inevitable that you have to manage shades of grey.

There are no right answers , I guess contradictions is a part of life and its all a function of your own perspective.

 

 

 

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Creative Writing – A Project for your Child

7 Nov

The ICSE board had an interesting section on Creative writing. While most exams gave you a topic to write in the class 10 ICSE exam we were given  picture and asked to write about it. It was a wonderful exercise as one could stretch  ones imagination. Right there in a class of 30 you could see the students who had the creative spark early in life – while most captured the essence of the picture directly a few would give flight to their fancy and come up with a very different perspective that was entertaining.

I tried the exercise below with my children and was fascinated with the answers I got. Try it with your child and get them started on a journey of creative thinking.

WHAT IS GOING ON IN HIS MIND 

Write a creative essay in 250 words

Creative Writing Project

The End

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99% of the children will immediately write about the fear in the Man’s mind – the 1% creative guys will talk about what is going on in the Tiger’s mind. If that happens with your child – rejoice you just discovered a very creative kid at home.

 

 

 

 

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