Review of Executive Lounges at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS)
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
11M ago
During my recent trip to Uttarakhand, I was faced with a problem I had never encountered before. We were passing through Delhi, but we had hardly any time in the city. On earlier visits when I have had to change trains/flights at Delhi, I have always arrived in the morning and left again at night, visiting relatives in between. This time, I was arriving in the city at night, and leaving again early in the morning. There was hardly any time to visit people. I would only have a couple of hours with them before I’d have to leave again. For the first time, we considered booking a hotel, but there ..read more
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Pandharpur Yatra 2023
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007. The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs, and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs, and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight ..read more
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The Temple of Neelkanth at Alwar, Rajasthan
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
Deep inside the Sariska Tiger Reserve, a narrow road led us to the foothills of a mountain. There, it abruptly stopped, and we wondered how we were expected to go on. Our driver looked at me accusingly, surely blaming me for getting us all lost, in search of a temple he hadn’t heard of. Just then, a local on a bike appeared, hurtling out of nowhere. Seeing us, apparently lost, he stopped, and we asked for directions. He simply pointed to the mountain, and said the temple was up there. I was aghast, at the thought of climbing the mountain, in the heat. But then he pointed to a rough path ahead ..read more
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My Narendra Bhawan Experience
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
From the outside, it appears to be a Haveli. The traditional architecture, with red sandstone, is seen all over Bikaner. It is only when we step in, that we realise that there is more to Narendra Bhawan than meets the eye! Narendra Bhawan The original structure here was the residence of the last king of Bikaner. Yet, it wasn’t a palace, but his home, where he lived, surrounded by memorabilia from across the world. Narendra Bhawan is built around this central structure, merging seamlessly with an eclectic design, which is a blend of the traditional and the modern. In many ways, N ..read more
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The Elephanta Caves
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
The Elephanta Caves, located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri, about 11 Km off the coast of the Gateway of India, Mumbai, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A visit to these caves, excavated probably in the 6th century CE, is awe-inspiring, and also thought-provoking. Over the years, I have visited the caves a number of times, and also attended a number of talks by experts in the fields of art, history and archaeology on the caves. Together, they help me understand these caves, their art, and the people they were created for, just a little bit better. Every new visit, every new talk, every ..read more
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Book Review: Warlord of Ayodhya - Rebellion , by Shatrujeet Nath
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
Ayodhya is synonymous with Rama, which is why it is a pleasure to read a book about Ayodhya, where there is no Ram. The events of “Warlord of Ayodhya” occur in the city, when Rama is in exile. It is Bharat who is at the centre of this story, an unwilling character forced to play the lead. While he rules the kingdom with his brother’s sandals on the throne’s footrest, and remembers his brother’s words of advice to him, it is his father he seeks to emulate as king. After all, it is his father who has ruled the kingdom all those years. While Rama is the prince, the rightful heir, it is still Das ..read more
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Tanjore and Mysore Paintings at the CSMVS Mumbai
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
A chubby, naked, fair Krishna, holding a butter ball, covered in golden ornaments, Yashoda by his side, an indulgent smile on her face, even as her finger is raised in admonition. Rama and Sita seated on the throne, Lakshmana on one side, Bharata and Shatrughna on the other, surrounded by sages and kings; Rama a distinctive green in colour. These are both popular themes in Tanjore Art. I first saw both these in temples, the Navaneetha Krishna in many homes as well, if not original, at least a recent replica or just a copy. The Ramar Pattabhishekam I have better memories of, having seen it of ..read more
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Ladakh - Planning The Trip
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
Over 2000 Km by road, in around 10 days. Stunning landscapes, wonderful people. That sums up our Ladakh trip. But how did it actually work? How did we make it happen? Read on to find out!  Leh, the capital of Ladakh, is accessible by air and road. Flying into Leh is the easiest, and time-saving option, while the road is the time consuming one, but with the added advantage of driving past some of the most beautiful landscapes in our country. Each option has much to recommend it, and we chose the road for just one reason – altitude sickness. Altitude sickness was one of my biggest concern ..read more
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Discovering Marine Life at Girgaum Chowpatty, Mumbai
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
Mumbai’s beaches. The first word that comes to mind when we think of them, sadly, is ‘filth’. Over the years, we have so got used to seeing our beaches in a mess, that we rarely give a thought to the marine life teeming there. Our eyes were opened to the incredible marine bio-diversity of Girgaum Chowpatty, (more popularly called Chowpatty Beach), when we recently went on a walk with Marine Life of Mumbaiand INatureWatch Foundation. Over the last few weeks, I have racked my mind about what to write about our experience, but I have finally decided to cut out the words, and show you instead, th ..read more
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Experiencing the Wild at Kanha National Park
A Wandering Mind
by Anuradha Shankar
1y ago
Summer is when I travel. This year, our #Summertrip was shorter than usual, and now, back in sweltering Mumbai, my thoughts are still in the gorgeous wilderness of Kanha National Park, where the sun’s heat didn’t bother us. Indeed, on our early morning jaunts into the forest, we found ourselves shivering. While Samhith huddled into the sole jacket he carried, I wrapped myself tighter into my dupattawhich doubled up as a shawl… till the sun came up, of course. And then we basked in its welcome warmth, till it grew too hot, and it was time to leave. A few hours break, and then we were back in t ..read more
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