Darjeeling

A Major part of the drive from  Gangtok to Darjeeling is along the Teesta and provides a opportunity for River rafting. Not for nothing is traveling equated to spiritual experience,. I am sacred of water and river rafting is something I would not imagine to do in my dream, but then had to give in to the wishes of the family and yes it was a life time experience and by the time I reached the shore I wanted more.

Enroute are many such tea gardens

The best  at Darjeeling apart from the train (we could not take this, did not book the tickets early) is Tiger hills. One as to be up at 2.30 AM to reach Tiger hill by 4 AM to catch the first rays of the sun on Kanchenjunga. I have seen some spectacular pictures of sunrise, but this being  a cloudy day this is all we could manage/

The Batista loop, The Small train make a round of this location




Some attraction here - The Japanese Pagoda, the Buddha Temple., The Darjeeling Zoo and the Mountaineering Institute  are all worth a visit

An enterprising Bear

And a watchful Red Panda

Yumthang, Yumesamdong

                                                                                             

                                                                                               It  takes about 6-8 hours journey to reach Lachung-which serves as the base to  Yumthang and Yumesamdong or zero point. The journey can be tiresome but enroute are many spots like  Singhik View point, Seven Sisters Water falls.  It would be wonderful to spend a day at Lachung itself devouring the  beautiful, small village nestled in  the hills.
                                                                                                                                                  

Yumthang is famous for the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary and is to be visited in Spring to witness the bloom of about 24 varieties of Rhododendron, we could though see a couple of varieties.
Its nice to spend some time in the freezing water of the river which joins the Teesta down stream.

 

After spending some time here on the river side - one is given the option to travel  to Yumesamdong or the Zero Point at a distance of 25 Kms. Perched at a height of around 16000 Ft and close to China border, this is would probably top the most magnificent locations, I have seen. Snow clad mountains all around, snow melting into the river- It was an exhilarating experience  

Gangtok, Tsonga Lake

Sometimes the best plans go wary, on our vacation to North East, we planned  many destinations, but  slipped to   spend  time in Gangtok itself. Albeit it was a great delight to walk on the Mall road daily in the late evenings and early morning.  

The Mall Road at  10 PM (above) and 5 AM (below)

Close to Nathula Pass is the Baba Mandir at an elevation of about 13000 feet, this is a simple temple built in honour of an Indian Army Solider.  People make a beeline for Gantolk braving treacherous road, landslides and snow to visit (hats off to India tourists and the BRO who do their best in building road at this heights).      But Alas, we couldn't visit Nathula Pass which is just 3 kms away, but requires special permission, again improper plan.

A lake shaped like India on the map on the way down from the Baba Mandir                                             

Ths Tsonga Lake lies in between the Mandir and Gangtok. A beautiful lake surrounded by hills  

and many Yaks, provide a  a good photo op

We could though manage to make it to Rumtek Monastery. Said to be the largest in Sikkim.

Nagarjunakonda and Ethipothla Falls

NargarjunaKonda-named after the famous Buddhist monk Nargujana is a island situated at  about 130 kms for Hyderabad. Reachable by a launch from the main land (always overloaded, hats off to Indian tourists to undertake journey, I felt the same when I toured Sikkim, The roads in such bad shape add  rain to it- all the same we  go ahead) another one hour journey, but worth every bit of it. This area is is purported to be a big learning center for Buddhist studies and ruled by  Ikshvaku  dynasty.

The construction of the dam submerged the valley along with many of the ancient sites. But then the authorities (ASI) have done a fantastic job in relocating many of the ancient sites to this island. Much Like Abu Simbel in Egypt. The museum  here is a treasure house of artifacts belonging to Hindu, Buddhist and Jain. Some of the Buddhist sculptures thought are out of the world. The along with the many other monument on the island make it a worth wile visit

The photographs clockwise show a ancient cyst burial site , the sacrificial spot where the aAshwamedha Yagana is performed, one of the many remains of the Vihara and a Hindu temple.

This is an interesting pond in the shape of a tortoise called Kurma Chiti the spot where the horse was sacrificed.

The Buddha stands in one of the open viharas as majestic one can imagine

And just a hours drive from this place is the Ethipothla falls-The board here says " the rain water of Nallmallai hill travels underground and emerges here and falls down the gorge....." A nice enjoyable place with the Banjaras dancing as the twilight falls........

And the falls is illuminated

       

Glimpses of Hyderabad

Got to spend some time in Hyderabad and get some lovely pictures
 Taramati Baradari 

The famed Numaish (Exhibition) of Hyderabad happens in December-January every year

The Charminar Ofcourse

The Mecca Masjid just across the Charminar

The Chowmohalla Palace : Possibly not known much-but is a treasure house-got to see a custom built Royce

The  sound and light show at Golconda-A must witness event

Temples of Gadag_Trikuteshwara Temple

The Trikuteshwara Temple complex in the heart of Gadag town is a architectural marvel of the Kalayani Chalukays. No where have I seen such marvelous Pillars. The Complex has the Trikuteshwara temple dedicated to Shiva and (daily workship is on here) the marvelous Saraswathi temple which is maintained by the ASI

The Temple complex

The Saraswathi Temple-each pillar is unique

View of the the famed square pillars so intricately carved and  exquisite I am yet to see anything comparable

The Kalayni Chalukya Imprint seen clearly

Temples of Gadag_Laksmeshwar

About 50 kms for Gadag lies Laksmeshwar-There are many temples, Basidi and a Muslim shrine and Masjid. The most famous and majestic is the Someshwara temple.  The precincts of this temple is as large as a small fort, surrounded by a high walled structure.  The mark of the chalukayas is all over, but I wonder if it is influenced by the Hoysala particularly the shape of sanctun santoruim.

Precincts of the temple-the corridors- A huge well

Uniqueness of this temple is the idol of shiva and parvati riding a bull. On the left of the photographs is a mirror which shows the reflection of Parvati on the bull in a orange dress

The Jumma Masjid built by the Bijapur sultans

Temples of Gadag_LAKKUNDI

Gadag-A district  endowed with many unique temples and architecture which I learn is  called the Gadag architecture or the western chalukyan architecture. I visited quite a few in this district and many more on the anvil. 

The first and the most beautiful are the monuments in Lakkundi. Situated about 12 kms from Gadag, a small town, boasts of many temples-more than 50, only a few have been restored by the ASI and they are truly master pieces. A museum maintained by ASI houses  many sculptures picked up in the vicinity of the town.

The Brama Jinalya

This headless image of a Thirthankara stands etched in time

The Kasi Vishweshwara temple -Probably unique clubbed to it is the Surya Temple. Richly decorated with tales form Mahabharata. Notice the architecture-Unlike the sand stones of Badami, Aihole , probably is the locally available stone and inspired by the north Indian architecture perfected by the earlier Chalukaians.

Classic view of the Surya temple from both sides 

 

The beautiful pillared Nanneshwara Temple seen across the road

This is a beautifully tank Bhavi-never seen a tank this beautiful laid out in the precints of  the mannikeshwara temple.

A delight to sit on the steps and marvel the skills of the  artisans