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On a Khaki Trail..Dharamsala India Miniguide, 2012

2012-01-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

As we went up in Dharamsala on a mountain trek, the sound of the rustling leaves brought back memories of those much forgotten college days, on a khaki trail!

The old corridors of Indraprastha College in Delhi, the beautiful surrounds and the sound of merry giggles and buzzing classes. Summer can hit you high and bring with it the sudden desire to chill out on your wardrobe..Fashion, at that time and till today has for me only meant running after a personalised conception of my interests. Something on the table and on the road which, speaks of you and what you are.

I do not remember which book it was or, what triggered it, but I desired so much, a summer khaki pants with a loose shirt..It was what I wanted to wear going on a jungle safari at the Dudhwa National Park (On the Lucknow/Nepal border). There was so much in the market to buy, brown khaki pants of all sizes and shapes, but not to my liking, the rough almost gandhian cotton touch was not there.

..and then on my holiday my mother throwing out a trunk of old clothes of my father in his Roorkee Univ days, so slim while following his passion for billiard. It was magic..there was the khaki pants and shirt I was looking for, so right to the touch..! The 'Wizard of Oooz', my tailor master from the lanes of Lucknow got it right on me.

I still can get into them today, like I said some things never change..!!

For your own furore in the Himalayas, view the video..

Rustle of the Leaves..Himachal Pradesh,India. from arvind gurung on Vimeo.

The Nostalgia of Home Flavors..!

2012-01-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

Much after we have moved on in our lives, the home we have lived in, is almost like a second skin, in whose memories we often, carry ahead all what we have learnt.

..Cooking at Vidya Niwas, Dharamsala, was only carrying on the tradition of good hospitality and sharing of food and recipes. On Many occasions, I have served the 'roast' on the table and allowed my guests the honor of garnishing and tasting the meal themselves..it has taught me, to understand not only, the flavors which favor the tongue of many global travellers, but also somewhere deep left a desire.

As the days go by, we hope the young, who have visited us and my children, will carry this pleasure forward..hosting and teaching on the table is an exercise of the heart, which can heal you and others with its thanks giving joy..!!

Dalai Lama Dharma Chat..India Miniguide, 2102

2012-01-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

07th January, 2012.." You could do with my warmth, said the Chimney to 'The Chair' !

The laughing Karma at Vidya Niwas, Dharamsala is many times, the underlying enjoyment of our guest's vacations in the Dalai Lama's town. While we always talk of technology and a courageous spirit, which can face the storms of life and move on, towards its goal..it by no means undermines the permanence of human bondage whcih is, sweetened by love, laughter and sharing concerns. An old shawl, ancient in its design, eternity in its memory of my mother who gifted it to me, can still on a cold day warm me up with its love.

India travel will no doubt, bring for each one of you, its own moment of 'nirwana'..however, what will stay for eternity are the human relationships you make on your journey and which we hope, will warm you forever..!!

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India Travel - Spiritually Energizing Holidays in India, Nepal, Bhutan & Tibet.

My Mystic Moments..India Miniguide, 2012

2012-01-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

There are many moments in our life, where our experiences go beyond the mundane, day to day travelogue. India as a country, always evokes images of spiritual mysticism, but in all reality, like any other part of the world, it can at some invisible stroke of night, touch you beyond the dark !

Years ago as a child, when my father was posted in Agra (UP), we had a colonial house completely out of a victorian romance. In the sun porch facing the beautiful sprawled garden, where every old tree had its own history, there was in the corner an old piano..a left behind from the British Raj.

It was also the time, when I was learning classical music, studying in one of the oldest convent schools of India, St. Patrick. There were scenes every day with my music teacher as, my Hindi was nothing to write home about ! My teacher in exasperation, would throw up his arms and ask for the blessing of the muse for me, every time I struck a wrong note !..Then one day late in the night, when I was all alone with my grandfather, we heard the melody of the piano. It seemed very close to Raag 'Behrawi', which was not my favorite, as I always chose the more ambivalent 'Raags'- 'Bahaar n Malhar'. This happened nearly everyday and I was soon scripting to all my friends of a 'haunted house', which chose to educate me in my musical skills.

Then one day,as I was reading in the sun porch, I heard an almost beseeching 'meow' behind me..and lo and behold, there was our house cat sitting on the piano playing with the keys..the mystery was solved but, a mystical moment was etched in my life forever !

The comical mysticism of my childhood has found, place in my website..,Dalai Lama , Dharamsala Travel - Spiritually Energizing Holidays in India, Nepal, Bhutan & Tibet. , as my mystic moments. We hope you can enjoy them as you pen a few of your own.

Sun,Energy &Attitude Dharamsala!

2011-12-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

We often drink in the energy of the Sun...It is a bright sunshine gold exquisite to the touch of our hands! It teaches us to reach out and catch,what cannot be bought in any market.

Even as the cold wind whistling on the roof top of Vidya Niwas, in Dharamsala circled around us,there was a gust of Sun Energy& Attitude in the Surya Namaskar we learned from the Yoga guru.....with much to follow as the days went by...quick on the calender and forever etched in our minds!

18th December 2011 :- Guests sharing diary notes in Vidya Niwas

Healing Bonds 2011

2011-12-15T22:52:00.001-08:00

There are so many bonds which can bind us in so many different ways..Healing, must always be from the Heart, which very often sings its own song. Who can know why when we return tired from work, a steaming kettle on the fire can welcome us..we know not the magic of the stars on a dark night which can set dreams ablaze !

A comforting touch..a loving caress, even a long distance phone call from a near one, can be in itself the whole essence of a Healing Bond..!!

......................... Winter's Spell

2009-11-10T04:27:00.000-08:00

And I arise after the Sun set;
Oh Children of Dawn!
Won't you welcome me, the Maiden of Rest.

The Water stones and the Crystals flow.
The Streams breathe again, the Wind bellows.
The Forest shivers and lets down the White Snow,
The Cherry Blossoms sing as I grace the floor.

And I arise after the Sun set;
Oh Children of Dawn!
Won't you welcome me, Your Maiden's home.

Thorny white bushes where the Hedgehog hides.
The Squirrels are ready to slumber tonight.
The Bird of the dark opens its eyes;
The Fox digs it den, The Moon shines.

And so I arise after the Sun set;
It's my Awakening,
The Winter's spell dribbles on every creature,
My Haven stars its release.

..............................Naintara

My Last Duchess ......

2009-04-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

My Last Duchess written by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue based during the time of Renaissance. It is an amalgamation lined with puns and several other artistic elements which reveal the mindset of the people living during the early 16th century.

Setting of the poem:- The era consisted of the Monarchial rule where the society was limited into the Royal Family and the common folk.
The Noble borns were status oriented and self dignified. The male personalities especially of the Royalty had a very autocratic way of thinking.
They were self-distinguished to such limits that a chauvistic attitude can be seen which is reflected in the personality of the Duke.

The speaker of the poem i.e. Duke of Ferrara is having a conversation with the Envoy of the Count of Tynol. He begins the poem by expressing his admiration regarding the portrait of his deceased wife. He refers to his wife as 'his and the painting as "My Last Duchess" hence revealing his possessive nature. This also reveals the self-dignified, egoistic side of his personality.
Describes the painting to be so beautiful, so craftfully created that it seems as though it were alive, that the duchess herself were real.(a simile used in this line)
It can be seen that he refers to the Duchess as an object of his control, a possession that belongs just to him.

It is believed that the painting was a creation of "Fra Pandolf" who infact is an imaginative character. It was merely in "one" day that he completed the painting.
From this again we see the possessive side of the Duke. He alloted just a day to the painter to study the Duchess.

He asks his visitor to sit down and look carefully at the painting. Many a times people would want to know the reason for that particular expression of the Duchess,
the passionate glaze and the blush of joy on her face. People wanted to know the reason for that look but only few dared to ask and if asked, only from "him"(this again reveals the possessive nature of the Duke, his like for controlling the duchess).

He tells the reason for the blush. According to him it wasn't just because of him that that 'spot of joy' would appear. He makes an assumption here and says that maybe Fra Pandolf made a comment like "Your coat covers your arms" or maybe he complimented the duchess by telling her that no artist could reproduce a replica of the real beauty which lay within her.

Thereafter he expresses the various "misconducts" of the duchess.
He is unable to understand how 'easily impressed and pleased' the duchess would get by trivial compliments.
He says she had a "roving eye", that she had become an infidel.
Anything gifted to her held equal amount of importance and brought equal amount of happiness.
From the expensive gift he gave her to the sunset in the west, both were equally valued by her.
If a worker from the palace broke a cherry branch and gifted that for her, she would become happy. Even riding the donkey brought joy to this woman.
Whenever she would express her gratitude to the men, this conduct seemed approving but only to certain limits. Here we can see the suspicious nature of the Duke.
He didnt trust his duchess and felt that she showed more than just gratitude to those men.

After that he says she never valued the gift he had given to her. His gift of "a nine hundred year old name", the royal title bestowed upon her after she became "his" wife again reveal the domineering,self obsessed, possessive, autocrative mindset of the Duke.
Although he reveals that he wasn't good at expressing his feelings, that conversation was absent in their relationship, he says he would never stoop so low to correct her mistake. He felt it beneath his dignity to point out the Duchess's indecent behavior.
And because his wife never listened or showed any signs of changing herself, "He commands" and all the smiles ceased.. This either means that the Duke gave commands for his wife's assasination or it was through something he said that his wife no longer lived.

At the end of the poem the Duke shows a bronze piece of art consisting of Neptune taming a sea horse.
This is a pun which implies that the Duke saw women as objects who could be controlled. He felt that women were like the sea-horse, possessions upon whom he could play his control upon.....

Capital Punishment....

2009-03-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

Capital Punishment is a violation against justice

Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the killing of a person by judicial process for vengeance and incapacitation.
It is used today and was used in ancient times to punish a variety of offenses mainly murder of an innocent.

The procedure of capital punishment is such that the culpable is placed in jail while the result of his crime is deliberated by the judicial system over a long period of time.Although it is still carried on in many countries mostly Asian it has also been abolished and termed as “An inhuman act of punishment by the law”.
It has created great controversy over the past few years. One side may agree with the idea of convicts & murderers being sentenced to death while others tend to oppose such an idea which tarnishes human morality.

My opinion about capital punishment is this that it is indeed a wrong, bias and painless means of punishing the guilty.

It is the violation of human rights. Capital punishment might be quoted as the universal punishment for a criminal but then again we are not the one to take away life.We are given a life by God and only He has the power and the right to take that away from us.

We forget one main thing though:-
Criminals are not born but made!

An act of crime may not always be intentional. We as human beings tend to act on our emotions. What if a person kills another due to provocation, in the spur of the moment, should such a person receive death sentence. What if he too has a family, is it right to allow revenge and hatred to take such control over us that we see justice as a means of satisfying one’s revenge. If that is so then it is not justice but plain malice.

Justice is based upon the principle of righting a wrong, of improving a person who has done wrong, of taking that 1% chance of making a criminal into a better person. If a man commits 15 murders that too intentional; he will be punished with death sentence. Killing him will definitely not get our loved ones back. This death penalty which we think is so effective will be redemption, means of escape for the crimes this killer has committed.

It is understandable that forgiveness is not easy but revenge won’t bring peace to one’s mind either.
“Love thy neighbor as u love yourself”. Don’t fill up your life with hatred and revenge. Be the better man, the better human being. Making the guilty suffer through years of imprisonment, making him realize his mistake, turning a criminal into a better human being is just.

In those countries where death penalty is legal, the crime level has not decreased. We think killing a man will lessen the no. of murderers out there in the world then we are wrong! It will only lead to more hatred towards humanity which will result in innocents being killed all the more.

As Gandhiji rightfully said “An eye for an eye makes the world blind”

He takes a life, you take his life and this cycle goes on forever until there is no one left. Intentional murderers, psychotic killers, such people cannot be treated through death, keeping them away from the rest of the population, making them work, giving them lessons which are not sugar coated but the plain truth along with real life stories can change the personality of criminals.

One criminal made good can change an entire generation of people. We might not know this but years in prison is torture not comfort for a prisoner.There are prisoners out there who beg for death. To make them suffer, repent over their actions is the best means of justice and not capital punishment.

Take for example freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Raj Guru (India’s true patriots). They were given capital punishment by the British. Their cause was meant for the freedom of their country yet they were punished. Fighting for your country can never be wrong, we achieved freedom that too through nonviolence but we lost 3 noble men. Was it justice? I think not. If capital punishment had not been given to him; he would have lived his life and embraced death at God’s call.

At the end I would like to conclude Life is not an object which you can give or take. Dieing must not be taken as a means of escape from one’s mistakes. Learning and improving is what is important. Like I quoted before “Criminals are not born but made”…. We can make them into better beings.
Only then can justice be served on the people…..

Every friend in life is the most beautiful gift of God

2009-02-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

"Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee what thou art."

I walked along the ocean,
my head bowed low in sorrow,
I hardly handled today,
how do I cope with tomorrow?

The day was like every other;
the pain, the grief inside.
My strength was running out,
I could no longer hide.

The pain was immense that day,
It had never been that bad!
But all of a sudden, out of the blue,
I didn't feel so sad.

Something happened that day,
The weight became like a feather,
It'll never be entirely gone though,
The memories are there forever.

Although I still look back and cry,
I had a friend to confide,
One who means the whole world to me,
One who helped me reach the stronger side.

........Naintara Gurung

2008-11-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

CHEERS TO THE FUTURE:-For all the holy angels on earth
Playing games, without the thought of victory
Or failure, nothing affects your pride
Running about places, taking over field
Your feat of innocence, truth covering words
Often worried, just for basic stuff
Food, water, toys and mum
A few good old caring chums
That’s the most you care about
A life cheerful, mind of purity
Soul divine, playing awhile
Happiness to surround, awhile
Joyous, contended the world for you
Here I stand to hug and wish
A VERY HAPPY CHILDREN’S DAY TO ALL OF YOU

No Title....

2008-10-10T02:27:00.000-07:00

The Last Memoir:-

It was the year of the Dragon according to the Chinese calendar. But I wasn’t a Chinese nor was I Japanese by birth. I had no porcelain white face with slanting tiny eyes.
I was just a 13 year old child who had no knowledge of the world’s hideous facade. I knew not of the shadowy clones who called themselves human beings but performed terrible crimes behind the wall of some piece of construction.

Embraced within the loving arms of my parents; everything to me, to this little girl of age 13 was a rainbow. During that particular year, that time when sins of mankind played their scenes over and over again in some part of the world, the city, disturbing the peace of the nation; even during such chaotic situations I remained immune to everything around me. I saw the world a fantasy land filled with my childhood imagination. It mattered not to me who was good or who was bad; all remained serious to me only for a few seconds and then I would drift to another thought that would suddenly hold my interests.

Now that I come to think of it very few memories rarely come across my mind but that day shall never be erased.
It was confined, trapped, stuck whatever u may call it… It was my only immovable infant reminiscence.

It had been a nice sunny morning, a Sunday ambience flowing along the household.
Everyone was busy being involved in their morning rituals. Mother singing her melodious bhajans, Father reading the newspaper a little too seriously, Cook bustling about the kitchen preparing breakfast, the house maids gossiping in a little corner and the grumpy old gardener scratching his head trying to figure out who ate his flowers.
I remember myself hidden amongst the bushes of our lovely old lawn playing with my little dog Skip.

So lost in my innocent act I failed to notice my parents surrounding me with the gardener tapping his foot impatiently as he looked upon Skip.
“…Was him mam!”
I’ll never forget that gruff voice. My parents looked not too happy…. So what if I let my dog play in the gardens meantime destroying the beautifully planted flowers.
But all was not forgiven. Even though I was allowed to tag along with my parents to the market I wasn’t allowed to marvel the city’s busy market area since according to my mother I had been a naughty girl.
I had to stay inside the car, my face not so very happy then while my parents carried out their errands.
It had just perhaps been to me a few seconds when I felt slow rumbles below me.
I won’t admit but I was fascinated since the quivery movements grew almost as though currents after currents flowed beneath me.

And then it stopped. I was disappointed for my curiosity had not been satisfied….
5 seconds and then came my answer. Like a thousand blasts a huge bomb erupted right in front of my eyes. It was not too very far from the car. People ran about, fear encompassing their forms as death lashed its cruel hand upon the innocent. Blasts after blasts, shockwaves traveling across and the grounds booming with heavy metal the city was in chaos. The cries and screams of loved ones being killed could be heard all over.
I had hidden myself behind the car seat not daring to look ahead. It was like a nightmare walking alive in front of my eyes. I cried inwardly for my mother’s soothing voice, my father’s strong comfort but it seemed in all that confusion nothing was detectable. Everything was shuddering and breaking to pieces…. Thankfully the ear splitting screams slowly as though one was falling asleep died down.

It was at the stillness of the environment that I had the pluck to slip out of the car.
My feet touched the grounds; my eyes had been shut tight. It was too scary to look at.
I had felt my instincts telling me what was ahead was bad, something worse than my mother’s scolding something so horrifically real that it probably had eaten away my parents too.
That thought struck me hard, my parents… I wailed deep inside as a pang of pain shot through me.
I opened my eyes to gasp loudly. The sight was blood curling. It was revoltingly downright monstrous for a child. But I walked for I wanted my mother and my father.
My feet stepped into crimson pools of blood, my tear driven eyes watered more upon seeing the people, people whom I’d seen laughing dead with the ghastly looks upon their faces.

I wanted to run but I just couldn’t. I carried my frightened body further across until I stopped. There in front lay an old man injured, battered beyond words almost as though he had come back from a long battle.
He had a light smile grazing his face. It puzzled me so much so that I ran towards him and sat beside him clutching hold of his bloody hands.
He looked at me with hope in his eyes.
“Thank God I’m leaving this wretched world of sorrows, Live well my child” He had said before his eyes closed shut.
His eyes… They had been the doorway, the opening to a sickening realization of the type of world I actually resided in.
I didn’t understand then for I was a child, but what angered me was what came next.
I waited for help to arrive and when it did it came in huge white vans with red signals bellowing loudly wide across.
I was taken care of by the nurses; my father and mother were merely bruised thank the heavens they were safe.

What I had seen had been nothing easy to watch.

Even today I can see it happening right before my eyes….It isn’t the river’s water which flows in front of me; it is blood which once flowed through the city’s streets.

Today as I write this essay I cannot speak nor feel the pain people might have had to suffer due to the terrorist attacks which recently occurred.
We are yet too young and inexperienced to actually understand the true meaning of life and death. It won’t come that easily. Even as I write this I probably myself am too immature to know what true pain really means. I hope that in this forsaken world people will try to cease the conflicts which arise not just within themselves but within the society. In time I pray that not just the youth but even the elders will see through the mistakes of the past and will try to rebuild a better and safer future for us… The younger generation…..

.....................Naintara Gurung

Everyday' Different...

2008-08-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

See through the looking glass.... You'll find Life' diversities flying...

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
You tell me your blue skies fade to grey
You tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces everytime
And I don't need no carryin' on

Because you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

......................................

You wake up every day,
The sun shines bright,
Crimson rays falling on your window-pane,
A new beginning for you to start,
Have no idea what' gonna take place,
But u get up and head for the road,
Cause u know there' something waiting..
Waiting for you for sure.....

Misunderstandings pave your way,
From one corner to the other you try to walk away,
But still you get caved in,
Those problems ache your heart,
But still in the end you have to face them'vall

You're in the dumps
Feel like over the hedge
Yet still there's a sunshine in your life
It'll illuminate your world with so many signs,
You gotta see through the radiance not glance at it,
Cause it's your way out through harsh perils.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Life is weird.. Life is sad.. Life is funny .. Life has its despairs....
You never know what might happen in the future... Life is unpredictable in every manner... You just have to keep your eyes open, let not the larger things of life whisk you away from the reality , but notice the smaller specks which always hang around your sides...

Life is living... Life is one heck of a puzzle... Just don't try to solve it... It'll settle by itself...

................ Naintara Gurung

Rain.... eternal bliss!

2008-06-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Rain:-

It' a soothing liquid,
It' the essence which washes away your sins,
Its the sheathe for your lonely soul,
Its rain, water showering from the heavens above.

Everywhere in the world rainfall is evident, even if it's in small amounts when it comes it brings about a milieu of serenity .
Harsh rainfall might sound thunderous and very devastating but in my opinion it' the unleashing of Heaven' power upon the earth.

We are not talking scientifically about rain nor is its definition...
Rain here is described as a persona of the human mind. Though people do not see; Rain reflects so many emotions from its actions.

A heavy rainfall is like life' fracas struggling in one's mind, slight drizzling suggests the balance between the heart and the body....
Rain mustn't be taken for granted for it is water after all; Water is one of earth' most valuable resources which in today' world is being consumed at a very fast rate.

Rainfall occurs in different amounts all over the world. Deserts will have less rain while the tropics more.
Dharamsala which lies in the south Asia; extreme north of India receives rainfall in abundance. In this holy land rainfall appears completely at unexpected times. True that rain makes the grounds muddy, dirty and the air is infested with bacteria and viruses but all that if put aside; Rain is the most beautiful sight a person gets to see...

Imagine you're trapped inside your boring old house, all alone but when looking outside the window, upon seeing those crystal droplets falling on your windowpane, the pitter-patter calms one's confused or worried mind...
Doesn't matter if you're alone, you don't feel alone... It's almost like the rain has formed an appearance of it's own and just by listening to it your mind is occupied even though if you're not aware of it.

This is the rain in Dharamsala, it consumes your mind and lifts your spirits. Such is the positive and healing effect of this place that such a thing as rain doesn't feel low aspiring.

You'll be walking down the lanes of Mcleodgunj, your umbrella in hand whilst little children can be seen running towards their homes coming back from school.
Suddenly your umbrella blows away while you're surprised and Yes! starting to get wet.
But it doesn't bother you because the rain is like a balm that seems to relieve your haggard body. You don't care if you get wet, all that you need is hot desi tea from the nearby stalls. The temp. is freezing and you're shivering with the chilled air but then one bite of those steaming hot delicious momo' and you've just had the best day.

Life' simplicities can bring about the most experiencing, cherished and magnificent times you can ever spend. Rain is just a constituent, a catalyst for this long lasting contentment in one' heart and soul!...

Naintara Gurung

A blooming light...

2008-05-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mother's day- Naintara Gurung

I knew not the impulse which had me startled
For the first time as I opened my eyes,
I felt it, I felt my life alter.

Like a fire her warmth enveloped me,
As she embraced me within her heart
I knew then, I had the most loving start.

The time passed by as I grew up,
Never did she leave my side
I would call & she would come.
Through my darkest times and through the bright,
She put a smile upon my face like a sanguine sunrise!

I still remember my first book,
Her soothing voice was what I loved.
She would read me stories and make me laugh,
Even the most serious things seemed far apart.

My first song was one which she had composed,
I can feel my heart swell with pride and love
She was like an everlasting nightingale
So cheerful that I have no words other than praise...

There were times when I would sulk and cry,
She would scold me like an unsettled tide,
I would misunderstand like every teenager,
Then would slam the door and be a loner...

She's doing it for my own good; I realized,
I would calm down and then apologize
She's a rock, my strength
Without her I would be nothing nor have nothing to tell...

She'll always be the first to confide in,
She's my best friend,
No one can take her place
She a great mother I say!

Today is the day special for all mothers
I'll be frank here, My mom's best from all!
I make my mistake' and she would amend them..
She is the mother that I'll love forever....

So here I'm to say those words,
Those three words which hold a grace..
Only for her, Only for my mother..
"I'm saying it mom!, Happy Mother's Day!"

Building the ties....

2008-04-27T05:15:00.000-07:00

Dharamsala is a trendy, cool little town..
What's different is the dressing style that has slowly come to develop in this radical area....
What with the traditional Himachali apparels to the Tibetan urban line, the Indian tang in the midst of the streets of Dharamsala and then there's your strikeouts westernites....

People here shop to rock!..
You will never know when u might come across people with the most unexpected of all dresses.. Hippies will be hanging around the streets of Mcleodgunj, Tibetans will be bargaining their prices, the richie rich people will be shopping madly away and then there'll be us who'll pick up other item s other than clothes like bracelets, Mala's , rings with beautiful stones embedded upon them...

Dharamsala is filled with people strolling along with the most updated and fashionable styles of clothings which can outwit the everyday designs...
Why u ask?... Well it's because the people themselves funk the styles to bring about outstanding results of modernized clothing...

Its comfortable, easily available, not too cheap neither is it too costly...
Looks great, brings out your personality and one more thing...
U are the one who fixes the whole style of the outfit....

Dharamsala has moved to an entire new level when it comes to fashion...
It's nothing that u will see in cat walk shows but let's say everyday lives..
This very fact delights and encourages not only the people here but the foreigners as well...

On most of the occasions you'll find the himachali's all dressed up and ready in their traditional dresses for a marriage ceremony to take place...

The manner in which all the fashion senses blend in together in Dharamsala is what makes it exciting...
Anywhere u go you won't find the same thing but a diverse environment all together..!
The great wall of difference between our cultures, our traditions, the environment in which we reside in can be termed as unique...

Imagine, if like we mix up our clothes, in the same way if we combine our differences then don't u think that would result in a much peaceful world..
I guess you can understand my meaning for writing everything so far...
Like everyone has a double, this very thing has a double meaning...

There's a lesson and a reason behind every article, ever statement, everything which I write... It's in your hands to see it through and understand the meaning.....

....................................................................
Naintara Gurung

Navratri

2008-04-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

Navratri or the Festival of Nine Nights from Ashvin Sud 1 to 9 is devoted to the propitiation of Shakti or Divine Mother. She represents prakriti, counterpart of purusha jointly making possible the creation of the world according to the religious ideology of Goddess worship. Such worships were prevalent in India even before the advent of the Aryans, who adopted it as a religious practice. References in vedas and puranas confirm this opinion. The main temples of mother goddess that are visited by multitude of devotees during Navratri are the shaktipithas, of which there are three in Gujarat. It is believed that Lord Vishnu had to cut the body of Sati into pieces to stop the destruction by Shiva who was perturbed by her death. At fifty-two places these pieces fell, the three in Gujarat being; Ambaji in Banaskantha, Bahucharaji in Chunaval and Kalika on Pavagadh hill in Panchmahals.

This festival is essentially religious in nature. It is celebrated with true devotion in the various temples dedicated to the Mother, or Mataji, as she is familiarly called. In some homes, images of the Mother are worshipped in accordance with accepted practice. This is also true of the temples, which usually have a constant stream of visitors from morning to night.

The most common form of public celebration is the performance of garba or dandia-ras, Gujarat's popular folk-dance, late throughout the nights of these nine days in public squares, open grounds and streets. Females wear ethnic Chania Choli and Males wear Dhoti-Kurta and enjoy garba and dandiya ras (dance) the whole Night. The participants move round in a circle around a mandvi (garbo), a structure to hold earthen lamps filled with water and to house the image or idol of mother goddess.

The day after Navratri i.e. the 10th day after Ashwina, is Dussera which celebrates the victory of lord Rama over Ravana. Ravana is burnt in effigy, often giant dummies of Ravana stuffed with fireworks are shot with arrows until they blow up before a large, applauding audience.

The dance which is also a feature of Navaratri is the dandia-ras or ‘stick’ dance, in which men and women join the dance circle, holding small polished sticks or dandias. As they whirl to the intoxicating rhythm of the dance, men and women strike the dandias together, adding to the joyous atmosphere. So popular are the garba and the dandia-ras that competitions are held to assess the quality of the dancing. Prizes are given to those judged to be the best. The costumes worn for the dances are traditional and alive with colour. The dances usually commence late in the night and continue until early morning, testifying to their great popularity.

The Religious Day for millions...

2008-03-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

Festivals... A day for all... A day on which brotherhood is meant the most..
So many festivals reside in this world today... All belonging to different countries and their particular religions..
Boy am I glad to say people are given the right to celebrate their own individual occasion.. You have to admit the world would be boring if it didn't have a large diversity..
Isn't it exciting and a whole new experience to be part of an occasion you haven't ever been to... Don't you think that it develops a feeling of admiration, greatly increases your crave for worldly experience and most all you have fun!
Well don't know about you but I love all the festivals in the world even if i don't know some of them!

Here I'm again with a whole new page.. Mind you better be a nice person for what you are going to read is very spiritual... Fine I won't scare you my readers...

21st March- A day normal like all others in the scientific sense but if you turn the tables this day holds a very special touch to it.... A day filled with good omens..

21st March is the day on which millions of people will be celebrating two different occasions...

Holi
Good Friday

Isn't this awesome??!!.. It's like all your wishes are coming true...
Let's start with the first festival-

Holi :-

Happy Holi
The trees smile with their sprout
of tender leaves and blooming flowers,
Eternal nature with its transient expression.
Hails spring with ecstasy and joy!
Bewildering shades with so many tinge.
The land of beauty and greatness,
India, witnessing color of happiness and peace.
Nation come alive to enjoy the spirit
A celebration of color- Holi!
An experience of content, harmony and delight.

What is Holi about- It's a festival of colors!
'Just like a rainbow colors the sky,
We the humans color ourselves in harmony'

In this festival main emphasis is laid on the burning of Holika or lighting of Holi. The origin of the traditional lighting of Holi is attributed by some to the burning of demoness es like Holika, Holaka and Putana who troubled little children or to the burning of Madan according to others....

Friends, Family and even strangers together rejoice in this beautiful festival marking each other with different colors... Not only do we have fun but also trust me on this one WE GET A LOT OF TASTY GOODIES!!!!

Good Friday:-

And they dressed Him in purple
And condemned Him to die
Mocked, spat upon, and whipped Him
As Pontius Pilate stood by

And with thorns as a crown
He was then led away
To carry His cross
And show us the way

Falling under the burden
Of its heavy weight
But rising up again
Knowing full-well His fate

And meeting His mother
With anguish untold
As God's plan of Great Love
Proceeds to unfold

Simon helps Jesus
Who seems broken and frail
And Veronica steps forward
To wipe His face with her veil

But He soon falls again
For a second time
Paying a price with His suffering
His love being the crime

Women and children
He meets on His way
Then falls for a third time
This most solemn Friday

Adding further humiliation
To any of His woes
Jesus is then
Stripped of His clothes

And while nailed to the cross
His earthly time here passes
His own life He gave
For the salvation of masses

Good Friday, also called Holy Friday or Great Friday, is the Friday before Easter (Easter always falls on a Sunday). It commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus at Calvary.
Jesus carries his cross to the site of execution, called the place of the Skull, or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and "Calvary" in Latin. There he is crucified along with two criminals...
Jesus agonizes on the cross for three hours while the sun is darkened. With a loud cry, Jesus gives up his spirit. There is an earthquake, tombs break open, and the curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declares, "Truly this was God's Son!"...

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of Jesus. Pilate asks confirmation from the centurion whether Jesus is dead. A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead.

Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus, wraps it in a clean linen shroud, and places it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus also came bringing 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and places them in the linen with the body of Jesus, according to Jewish burial customs.They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb... Then they returned home and rested, because at sunset began the Sabbath......
.................................................................
Naintara Gurung

Where did the snow go???

2008-03-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Only now do I see white stars falling by,
Your very presence igniting my lands,
Spreading your mist across the sky,
I treasure your existance in my hands....

Your heavenly curtain looks so light,
I ask myself, Is it God's paradise?,
My once lonesome feelings start to disappear,
Twilight light shining my way ....

As the sun sparkles upon my face,
I wake from that slumbered state,
Friends, Family and strangers embark
Your magic causes them to stroll together along...

But Wait! Your white veil starts to fade away,
Oh my beauty please don't leave me here...
Trap me inside your sheet, I pray,
Invisible you become with me here awaiting the next year!
.....Naintara Gurung

Here I'm back again with another new chapter to my life....
Everything I write, I do so for a reason...
Snowfall... Beautiful and inspiring... - You pour your gaze upon it and seconds away you're enchanted... Its an abyss of light, not even the darkest of all things or creatures can taint it....
I would love to become part of it... But alas can't!

This very snow is what I want to talk about right now... Where I live this cold persona is what almost everyone dreams to see one day... Well there was a time when we the people of Himachal Pradesh could witness the Godlike snowfall almost everyday...
But as they say!- Not everything happy lasts long...

Now it's nothing but plain old dry lands to cast your gaze upon.. Where did the snow go??? I as a writer ask you the reason... So many answers yet all leading to one main problem- 'Global Warming..'

Does this cursed misfortune have to land itself on Earth? Why not some other planet!
Well its obvious isn't it? You don't find humans on other planets!
Man is such a vile creature... Pride is always what makes us weak and fall hard on the ground... Everything the changes that had been happening to this Earth is because of the careless mistakes that we make..
I won't mention them for I'm sure everyone is aware of those upcoming problems..
All that I can say at this moment is this that I hope one day I'll be able to enjoy playing in the snow without having to worry that something bad is gonna happen!

I ask from my readers... Don't you agree with me?

Himalayan Species.....

2008-02-23T04:12:00.000-08:00

The Himalayas are inhabited by the most mysterious and alluring creatures... Some we have seen while the rest stay hidden away from Humanity.. Since the Himalayas are known to be Majestic Young Fold Mountains; it's explainable as to why they are the perfect place for different species of animals to reside... The snow there might be one of the reasons as to why few creatures are camouflaged... Since the high mountains are almost indomitable, they provide these creatures with protection...
Here are a few pictures of the most rare wild species of animals in the Himalayas...

1.The Himalayan Black Bear
2.The Himalayan Ibex
3.The Himalayan Marmot
4.The Himalayan Snow Leopard
5.The Himalayan Mountain Monkey
6.The Himalayan White Squirrel
7.The Himalayan Wild Fox

....................................
Naintara Gurung

Food's so cool!!!

2008-02-18T06:23:00.000-08:00

A history with a big chemistry.... You ask how and WHAT??!!!...
We're talking about the famous traditional Indian dessert known as- 'Gajar ka Halwa'..Carrot delight...!
Tasty, sweet, hot and tingling in one's mouth, the minute we cook it at home, becomes history within minutes... It's so delicious that you just can't stop wanting more...
It takes time to cook though, various steps, manners, different ingredients involved it really does seem as though you're in between a chemical reaction!

The Secret Recipe:-

Ingredients
3/4 cup ghee , melted
1 kg carrots , peeled and grated
1 1/2 cans evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
100 g khoya
15 almonds , soaked in hot water,peeled and slivered
1/4 cup water
1 pinch saffron , soaked in the water
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
to taste edible silver foil , for garnishing (optional)

Directions
1 Grate khoya and keep aside.
2 Combine carrots and milk in a large heavy based pan.
3 Bring to a boil.
4 Lower the heat and cook the carrots, stirring constantly, until all the milk dries up.
5 Pour ghee into the carrots.
6 Add khoya.
7 Saute for a few minutes.
8 Add sugar.
9 Continue to cook and stir the carrot mixture till it dries.
10 Remove from heat when still moist.
11 Stir in the saffron, cardamom powder and almonds, reserving a few for garnish along with silver foil.
12 Reheat carrot halwa just before serving with a little milk.
13 If not serving immediately, refrigerate carrot halwa and re-heat and serve when desired.
14 Handy hint: If u dont have khoya, use 1 cup whole milk powder mixed with 1 tsp ghee and 1-2 tbsp water to get a dough like consistency.
15This makes 100gms of khoya.

...........................................

Making Gajar ka Halwa is something which is really good.. It feels good you know!
I mean... Take a cold and chilly day.. Everyone's freezing, teeth chattering with the immense drop in temperature.. Now you suddenly come up, your cheeks flushed and your aura filled with warmth and excitement... Pulling out an apron you get set to make an incredibly yummy! filled dish a.k.a- Gajar Ka Halwa!

There was this time when I clearly remember me and my entire family were snuggled up in bed trying to not get frozen... Putting on the television I flicked the channels landing on an animation channel which was displaying cartoons of 'Bugs Bunny'... Munching his carrots like always and starting his introduction with "What's up doc?" I nearly fell from my bed on seeing such a funny cartoon.. Anyone would..
It was then when my mom suggested on making some Gajar Ka Halwa ... The carrots of coarse gave her the idea.. After consecutive hours she finally returned with huge bowls filled with the scrumptious dish... BOY THAT WAS GOOD!- My brother commented after finishing his halwa... Well you can guess what happened!..
My dad who happens to be crazy about the halwa would quietly sneak up and everyday..or night maybe and would eat up all the leftover halwa not even leaving some for any of us.. U can just as well imagine how good it is!..

'Basant Panchami'

2008-02-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

A Day of sharing and giving! My mother always told me the best thing we could do for anybody was 'help them in nurturing the mind.' This festival is dedicated to 'Saraswati' the divine Goddess of Wisdom & Arts. A childhood memory which will always stay in my mind is 'giving your old books to charity', opening a library for the neighbourhood by collecting all the books together, flying kites in harmony...coloring our clothes with saffron dyes..the color of spring !!

Most of all I remember praying to the pen and book which developed in me an eternal respect for the written word.

Basant Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. During this festival children are taught their first words; brahmins are fed; ancestor worship (Pitri-Tarpan) is performed; the god of love, Kamadeva, is worshipped; and most educational institutions organise special prayer for Saraswati. The color yellow also plays an important role in this festival, in that people usually wear yellow garments, Saraswati is worshipped dressed in yellow, and yellow sweetmeats are consumed within the families.
Goddess Saraswati prepared for Vasant Panchami in the streets of Kolkata......

Tibetan New Year

2008-02-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

The celebration of Losar can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist period in Tibet. During the period when Tibetans practiced the Bon religion, every winter a spiritual ceremony was held, in which people offered large quantities of incense to appease the local spirits, deities and protectors.
This religious festival later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival which is believed to have originated during the reign of Pude Gungyal, the ninth King of Tibet. The festival is said to have begun when an old woman named Belma introduced the measurement of time based on the phases of the moon. This festival took place during the flowering of the apricot trees of the Lhokha Yarla Shampo region in autumn, and it may have been the first celebration of what has become the traditional farmers' festival.
It was during this period that the arts of cultivation, irrigation, refining iron from ore and building bridges were first introduced in Tibet. The ceremonies which were instituted to celebrate these new capabilities can be recognized as precursors of the Losar festival. Later when the rudiments of the science of astrology, based on the five elements, were introduced in Tibet, this farmer's festival became what we now call the Losar or New Year's festival.

Rituals

Homes are painted, new clothes are stitched, debts and quarrels are resolved, good food is cooked, and intoxicants are drunk in the run-up to New Year's day. Homes are decorated with flour paintings of the sun and moon, and small lamps illuminate the house at night.

The first few days of festivities are exclusively family affairs, as are the first days of the new year. Later, the festivities roll out onto the streets. Tab-zan, a special bread, features in the family meals.
On the morning of the new year, families rise before dawn, bathe, put on new clothes and fine jewelery. Offerings of barley flour mixed with butter and sugar and yogurt are then made at the family shrine. This represents the hope for a good grain harvest. After a visit to local monasteries, the family settles down to feasting and drinking.

Home Sweet Home !!!!

2008-02-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

A big hello to all my readers out there who just happened to stumble upon this
blog....
It's all about Dharamsala and what all happens here....
Well even though my mother is the administrator of this blog I decided to present to
you what I really feel about my hometown...

My name is Naintara Gurung( that means star of one's eyes).... I was really sleepy in the picture...!
Being a teenager writing has always been my passion just like my mother's..
And what's better then getting inspired by the mountains... We all have different views upon different places... To me Dharamsala has always been more than my hometown... Its a place where I know I belong... No matter what will happen in my future this will be the one place where I can come back and relive my childhood memories..

You might want to know why this place is so special??!!!...
Dharamsala is unique, cool and definitely a very peaceful place. At times when I want to be alone, climbing or trekking up the hill near my house is one of the best experiances one can feel... Once reaching the top the only thing that I can really feel is freedom and peace... I know it might sound very philosophical but in a modernized world where violence and bloodshed is frequent everywhere Dharamsala is not anywhere near it... The culture, surroundings, people everything is just so sweet and paradise sort... I wouldn't trade this place for anything in this world....

All right enough of peace and tranquility... What about the fun and excitement???
I can understand why few people live in the big cities... Music, Movies, Malls and clubs... What more to satisfy us teens... But nope thats not how I think.. Okay I admit I wouldn't mind a mall and a theater but for what really.. Just to get a minute full of pleasure when I can get it almost everyday...

Ask where??!!!-- Mcleodgunj people!
It's so exciting to stroll down the fun and frolic filled streets of this little market... Just by looking into the faces of the foreigners spikes up the fun which I make sure I have... Shopping around this market where stuff is cheap as well as stylish, Tibetan Music playing in the air, the Tibetans busy with their business while I trouble my mother to buy me this and that(I'm a kid hello!)...
What intrigues me the most is the feeling that I get every time I'm shopping with my parents or friends OR- The foreigner friends whom I feel lucky enough to meet since my mother is a travel agent owning a retreat!...

Another factor which adds to my life are my dogs!.. So sweet and always prancing around ultimately destroying my bed, my parent's bed and not forgetting stealing away our socks and my teddy bears... Yes I still have them!..

Now what's there to talk about?!...
Dharamsala maybe small but it is most definitely one of the artistic places I've been to.... I mean where do you see monks laughing away chanting their mantras- "Om Mani Padme Hum".... This place is one heck of a place... That I really guarantee my readers... Its everything one would dream about being in.. No traffic to mess up your heads.. Sunsets and Sunrises to begin as well as end your day with.. TCV kids jumping around happily, playfully, Shopkeepers bargaining their prices with the tourists.. Where else other than Dharamsala... This is how I feel for my hometown...
What in my opinion Dharamsala really means.....
For you I don't know... You'll have to come here first right?!...

Bye for now and kindly leave a few comments.. I would be delighted to find that people actually read this article..!

DALAI LAMA TOUR...

2008-02-03T01:38:00.000-08:00

" In the remoteness of the Himalayas,In the days of yore, The land of Tibet Observed a ban on hunting , on fishing.

On a certain day, month and year,One should observe the ceremony of tree planting.

Thus one fulfills one's universal responsibilities,Serves one's fellow beings, and benefits all ! "

H H The XIVth Dalai Lama.

Start your day at Dawn...!
Our guest from Virginia-USA , Mindy Frost visiting us the second time for a month long vacation in May 2007 with her 13 year old son, Nathaniel was very interested in the Dalai Lama Tour..a Green Day ! While we were familiar with the trek upto the Indru-Nag Snake Temple we had heard from our old mason about the hidden Tea Gardens right on top of the Hill and just above our Mountain retreat..'Vidya Niwas.' We decided we would go up the Temple and return via the Tea garden.

As it was going to be a long day, we got up early dawn and started for the trek with a light breakfast. Apart from our Digi-cameras, we took our organic coffee and lunch packs.We were a party of six, with our 13 year old daughter Naintara and our trek guide Sanjay...Many tourists follow this trail of Indru-Nag Temple and it is very popular !

The beautiful nature walk up the Temple on top of the hill (1200 metres) was a like a natural energizing health guide to us.

On the way we met some Tibetan monks starting their day with morning prayers and debate. There was an air of spirituality in the fresh morning environment of the Himalaya mountains and our Dalai Lama Tour for the day seemed to be truely blessed in Dharamsala !

We reached the hilltop where the Ancient old Snake Temple, Indru-Nag stood magnificiently overlooking the Kangra Valley to the south side and the Mighty Moon Peak on the north side. This ancient snake temple in Chola Village dedicated to the Rain God INDRA, stands witness for centuries for provoking the rains in the Valley - The Kurla and Kurli (The parents of the rain children) are the revered Gods of the 'Gaddi' tribe, descendant of Alexander the Great. This nomadic tribe come to seek the blessings for a good harvest along with many other locals. A Dalai Lama Tour can have many meanings for each one of us. My way of discovering it was in this 'Green Himalaya Trek.'

'The Living Amitabha Buddha'..- The Karmapa

2008-01-31T07:13:00.000-08:00

The Lord Buddha Sakyamuni foretold the coming of the Karmapa in various Sutras and Tantras. From the Samadhiraja Sutra,

"Two thousands years after my passing,The teachings will spread in the land of the Red faced ones,Who will be the disciple of Avalokita.At that time, the bodhisattva Simhananda, known as "Karmapa" will appear.Possesing mastery over samadhi,he will tame beings And establish them in bliss through seeing, hearing, recalling and touching.Endowed with a name beginning with 'Ka' and ending with 'Ma', there will appear an individual who will illimunate the teachings"

Dalai Lama Vision..

Before the boy lama was chosen His Holiness the Dalai Lama had a vision, in which he saw green mountains covered with meadows and two streams where the name 'Karmapa' resounded in the air !

In 1985, a male infant was born into a nomad family in the Lahtok region of Eastern Tibet. In the months prior to his birth, his mother had wonderful dreams during her pregnancy. On the day of his birth a cuckoo landed on the tent on which he was born and a mysterious conch like sound was heard by many in the valley. These are considered auspicious according to Tibetan tradition.

The young nomad was called Apo Gaga. In his early years he did not speak of any connection to the Karmapas. However in 1992 he asked his family to move their location to another valley and told them to expect the arrival of a High Lama. Soon after the High Lama 's followers, of this Buddhist lineage, came to that valley as per his secret instructions in the letter of prediction

The Living Buddha in Dharamsala with Group from Portugal...
Poem of the of the 17th Karmapa...

Poem of the of the 17th Karmapa...

" Coming from the son of the precious Buddha The smiling rays of luminous Dharma. Bring to blossom the lotus garden of the Sangha, the Supreme assembly. May the three realms reveal all their beauty in auspicious Glory. In this New Year may there be Peace and Prosperity on this Earth !! "

A Helping Hand...in Dalai Lama's Abode !

2008-01-31T06:23:00.001-08:00

Compassion into Action in the Town of 14th Dalai Lama ..."There is no better International Language than that of the Human Heart which can cross all International Boundaries !"...

Today's world requires us to realise and develop a sense of universal responsibility and caring. It is obvious that the challenges and issues faced by the global community today require us to cultivate not only the rational mind but also the other faculties of the human spirit; the power of love,compassion and solidarity.

Volunteering in Dalai Lama's home town is a gesture of concern, care, compassion and love. To our minds it is a 'Healing of the Heart'..a soothing balm for all those moments of our lives when we are most vulnerable !

We had been trying to do this page from nearly two weeks and it was depressing for us because everything was going at a snail's pace. Our town was in a frenzy with the rains and Teachings of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama !!..yet it was comforting for us to be with our stray dogs in our Animal Care Center, just doing their little jobs..because we could forget our problems when we mingle with others and feel connected to a bigger world than ours..which is our beautiful Universe !

Our decision to adopt Barnie...our pet Baby Bull who had been left stranded and abandoned from his Herd and Mother, came at a very difficult time of our lives. Surprisingly, Barnie has given to us some of our most 'Happy Moments' when we have felt that our difficulties were very tiny as compared to someone who had 'No Home..!!

Our guests had come to Dharamsala to visit their young student son, who had been staying with the Monks in the Local Monastery helping them and teaching them English. We were intrigued by their obvious pleasure and happiness which showed on their proud faces by just seeing their son...grow up in the ambience of love and compassion..! Surely while some come here for spiritual mentoring with the Monks, there are those who at an early age have learnt much by sharing and volunteering their services in the abode of the Dalai Lama.

There is a Tibetan Nun in Dalai Lama's town in Mcleodganj who goes from House to House every day collecting food for her stray dogs irrespective of rain or snow,...such is the power of Compassion !

In Dharamsala, Angling is a popular activity, however it is done with responsibilty..Fish breeding on a regular basis, Angling for fun where the fish is returned back to the Water by the tourists . There is a strict practice in our region of banning Fishing for two months in a year (June/July) during the breeding season . No sale of fish is allowed in the Market. There are many Holy Lakes where you can earn Karmic credit by feeding the Ancient Fishes !

Thirteen Grandmothers from all over the World gathered together to fulfill a prophecy ringing in their ears, to find ways to revive the traditions, rituals and medicines which could help preserve our 'cultural heritage' and in saving the Earth's environment. The Princess of France Constance De Polignac is the Ambassador of the International Council of Thirteen Indegenous Grandmothers, while the inspirational force are the Dalai Lama's Green Earth Teachings for this Universal Endeavour !

Fountainhead of Neo-Buddhism - Dharamsala !!!

2008-01-31T05:38:00.000-08:00

Namaste Buddha
Opening the doors of your Heart and connecting to the Divine Buddha within you, through the windows of the Mind. The Enlightenment of the Mind is, of various levels and has to be interpreted and discovered through one's own experience and values of life.

The Human mind is as restless as the Wind but through Meditation, when tamed and under control it is the most powerful force in the whole Universe. He who has mastered His own mind is indeed, 'Master of all the three Worlds' - AKASH (Sky), PRITHVI (Earth) and PATAAL (Underworld) as the Mighty Maha Yogi - 'SHIVA'!

In Dharamsala, the abode of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a spiritual center for healing of the soul, mind exercises are taught as a practice, to achieve a balance between the Mind, Body, Spirit and the Human Heart. A person can make better choices by developing a more focused mind, clarity of vision, and higher self esteem related to 'Human dignity'through this Ancient Art of Higher Wisdom !