Last time I wrote a blog about my travel experience, it was so long, even I dint read it after publishing it. And so, I thought, Ill break it up into smaller proportions so you (and more importantly I) can chew them at ease!
Honestly, Ive never been much of a spiritualist. Infact, Ive spent 4-6 years of my adolescent life convincing myself that I was an atheist (atheist is cool, no?). Spirituality and religion are mysteries former best left to mystics and latter best taken away from politicians. But, there was something else I was drawn to. Faith.
I was intrigued by how can we place our life's path, progress and destiny on an entity so withdrawn from our sphere of control?
This is definitely not an answer that I expected to find in just a whirlwind trip to 12 chosen sacred places in some 24 days. But you need to start somewhere. May be I wont find the answer in this life time. Just a tiny perspective may be.
So that was why I chose to travel the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. The dwadasa (12) jyotirlingas in India are shrines dedicated to one of the main Gods of Hindu trinity, who is worshiped in the form of a phallus. (Why we seek to worship the destroyer of the world and not the creator, and why in the form of a phallus are questions that reveal the humility of the Hindu religion. More about them later). These shrines are counted as the holiest of the temples since times immemorial in the Indian system of beliefs.
While faith was the inspiration for my trip, I wanted to have as much fun as I could. Trying out as many road side eateries as I could, getting lost in the galis of the new cities with my ipod, making friends at the chai shop, learning about their lives, discovering precious tidbits of information from the helpful kaka at the corner shop about where to get the best stuff were some of the best moments. At one point, I was wondering why cant we collect all these amazing food stalls, beautiful horizons, astounding man made wonders and above all the huge hearted people and just keep them next to your home and your work place? But then again, there wont be the joy of travelling and discovering I guess!
However, I am documenting my travel in 4 pieces. (According to ease of travel and geographical proximity)
The first one covers Srisailam, Madurai and Rameshwaram.
The second one covers Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashanker and Grushneshwar in Maharashtra.
The third one is about Somnath, Nageshwar and Gir forest.
The fourth one is dedicated to Varanasi.
Lets see how it goes!
Honestly, Ive never been much of a spiritualist. Infact, Ive spent 4-6 years of my adolescent life convincing myself that I was an atheist (atheist is cool, no?). Spirituality and religion are mysteries former best left to mystics and latter best taken away from politicians. But, there was something else I was drawn to. Faith.
I was intrigued by how can we place our life's path, progress and destiny on an entity so withdrawn from our sphere of control?
This is definitely not an answer that I expected to find in just a whirlwind trip to 12 chosen sacred places in some 24 days. But you need to start somewhere. May be I wont find the answer in this life time. Just a tiny perspective may be.
So that was why I chose to travel the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. The dwadasa (12) jyotirlingas in India are shrines dedicated to one of the main Gods of Hindu trinity, who is worshiped in the form of a phallus. (Why we seek to worship the destroyer of the world and not the creator, and why in the form of a phallus are questions that reveal the humility of the Hindu religion. More about them later). These shrines are counted as the holiest of the temples since times immemorial in the Indian system of beliefs.
However, I am documenting my travel in 4 pieces. (According to ease of travel and geographical proximity)
The first one covers Srisailam, Madurai and Rameshwaram.
The second one covers Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashanker and Grushneshwar in Maharashtra.
The third one is about Somnath, Nageshwar and Gir forest.
The fourth one is dedicated to Varanasi.
Lets see how it goes!
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