Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel or budget travel are often used interchangeably with backpacking. A backpacker may wish to unravel the unexplored sites of the world. For people of western world Indian pilgrim sites would serve as an exhilarating and a useful trip. India being a nation of different cultures and having practitioners of various religions offers a good place for all kinds of pilgrims that backpacker may not have perceived of. Many Israelis make nearly religious pilgrimages to India after they serve in the army
There are a variety of Indian temples, mosques and churches the credit goes to the orthodox Indian history. The various places of importance like vaishno Devi temple, Badrinath , Kedarnath, Varanasi, Gaya, Haridwar, Sikh temples at Amritsar, Golgumbaz Gurudwar, golden temple, kajuraho, cave painting at Ajanta and Ellora, Somnath temple at Gujarat, the famous Tajmahal at Agra, the holy church at velankanni the historic temples of Tamilnadu, and Kerala provide the hikers a through gratification of their visit. These site are mainly located near the tropical beaches in Goa and Kerala, the beautiful Himalayan valleys in Himachal Pradesh, breathtaking mountain views in Ladakh, and of course near backpacker centers like Manali or Gokarna, where many travelers end up staying a lot longer than they had originally planned.
As a backpacker hikes through various regions he comes to know about the custom of various people, acclimatize himself to the chill winds of Kashmir and the hot desert of Thar, and the gentle warm weather of the south. As these are areas of high communal sensitivity the backpackers have to be more vigilant on not raising any religious issues. Criticism comes from many sides, including the host countries and other travelers who disagree with the actions of backpackers although the perception of backpackers seems to have improved as backpacking has become more main stream. Even though one of the primary aims of backpacking is to seek the authentic, the majority of backpackers spend most of their time interacting with other backpackers and interactions with locals are of secondary importance.
The factors that traditionally differentiate backpacking from other forms of tourism include use of public transport as a means of travel, preference of youth hostels to traditional hotels, length of the trip vs. conventional vacations, use of a backpack, an interest in meeting the locals as well as seeing the sights, but are not limited only to these. There are many tours that lead groups through the hills. Including backpackers and other travelers, these tours lead hikes safely and know the best locations to camp. Higher-end tours are also available, which can bring travelers to the various festivals across India that are known for their atmosphere. With options for many different kinds of travelers, from budget to luxury, all who are interested can enjoy the natural beauty of India.
There are frequent express trains between all major cities and local buses link up to cover smaller towns not serviced by the rail network. There are six classes of travel all of which are relatively inexpensive so most travelers opt for the second-air conditioned class, which is relatively comfortable and cheaper than first class travel whilst retaining the main benefit of the air conditioning. Getting a ticket can be a hassle, but many routes have foreigner quotas and most stations foreigner .The sheer size of India means that unlike most countries internal flights are something worth thinking about.
One could spend years in the country and still could not see half of its cultural values.
Dear friends I had gone to Mata Vaishno devi Temple on 18th of september.
I am starting from my starting journey.
on 17th spetember I traveled from Bhubaneswar to Delhi By Indigo Air Lines at 7pm which reached at delhi 9 pm.
Me and my friend jitendra both ahd gone to delhi.
Then we took a hotel Room and we stay there for night because next day morning 4 am we had Train to Jammu.
Train name was Swaraj Express.
Then we reached at jammu at 2pm on 18th of september then we took a Taxi from Jammu to KATra.
on the way we Eat soem pakodas and colde drinks.
The ride was very good/horrible and terrific.
just because of the high hill areas.
Then at 6pm we reached at Katra and booked a room for night then we went to get slipd to visit Vaishno Devi Temple..
Then we took rest at hotel and at 2 am in the morning we wen to climb hills with bare foot.
it was totally 12 kilo meter.
I took 6 hours to reach above.
They have facilites of horse ride also one can go by riding horse also and for that they were charging ALSO RrS500.
Then one of our friend who is in Army he met us and took us inside the temple with out asking any one because she said that she is leaving Delhi.
Then we saw temple and Mata.
Then we came back again to the hotel and f from there Delhi and now I am at bhubaneswar
He detached himself from the world and Mool Shankar became swami Dayanand. He started wearing saffron cloths. But the request for spiritual knowledge made restless.
The word offers only hardships to social reformers whether he Gandhi, Socrates, Christ or swami Dayanand. And they in return have given us forgiveness, peace, kindness and welfare. Neither has the world changed its callous attitude nor have the reformers changed their benevolent attitude. They did not bother for physical comforts, material possessions, wealth or glory.
There was a small village `Tankara’ by name in Gujarat and there was a Shiva temple outside it. It was the day of Shiva. A child hardly 14 years old was also persuaded t keep fast. Nothing was to be eaten throughout the day and one was not to sleep at night when Shiva-pooja was performed. It was midnight. All devotes were gradually being overpowered by sleep but the child Mool Shankar did not sleep. What did he see? He saw that a rat came too the Shiva’s idol and began to eat `Prasad’. It set him thinking. Shiva is mahashakti. Then why this weakness is? If he cannot chase away the rat, how will he protect us? He went to his father and demands the answer. His father had no answer to his question. The father went to sleep but the son did not. The father was Amba Shankar and son, as mentioned above, was Mool Shankar.
The question changed the entire course of his life. He began to think about life. After some time his sister died. Swami Dayanand wrote in his autobiography, `` I was standing near her bed against the wall. First time in my life I saw a person dying. I began to think that all human beings would die like this. I will also die like this surely this or that day. Some way should be thought out by which the pain of life and birth can be avoided.’’
His sister died. All began to weep but not Mool Shankar. He was thinking as to how these tears could be got rid of. The matter did not end here. After some days his loving uncle became a victim of cholera and breathed his last.
These were not extraordinary events but they ad extraordinary effect on him. They changed his thinking. His relatives tried to get him married. When he was pressurized, he left his home.
It was 14 Th November, 1860. He went to Mahatma in search of a guru and knocked at door. The voice from inside enquired. ``Who is there?’’ ``Who am I? I have come here to know this.’’ said the disciple. This was the first dialogue between swami Vijranand `Dandi’- the guru and swami Dayanand-the disciple.
When the `Shiksha’ was over, Dayanand brought cloves as a `Dakshina’ for the guru because the latter loved them. But the guru said, ``Dayanand- I do not want cloves as a `Dakshina’. The world today is engulfed in darkness. Traditions, rituals and superstitions dominate everywhere. I want you to spread the light of knowledge. That would be my ``Dakshina’’.
Swami laid great stress on Bramacharya (celibacy) he was himself physically very stout and strong. He was the fonder of Arya Samaj. Arya Samaj was a revolution against the prevailing superstitions, traditions and idolatry, etc. he gave a new direction to society. He formulated ten principles of arya Samaj. These principles are very broad based and not communal in nature. They speak of the nature and power of the Almighty God.
KEDARNATH
Kedarnath and Badrinath are two major holy places, revered by all Hindus. Both of these are located in the Uttarkhand district of UttarPradesh. Here, the temple and the surrounding few shops are open from March to October (summer and autumn season), and remain closed during the winter season from November to February.
Kedarnath is considered to be one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Hence, this place is a must-see for all Shiva devotees.
Here, the main attraction is the horse-ride up to the peak of the hill where the main temple is situated. There are trained horse riders who escort people till the top of the hill. Enthusiastic and energetic persons can trek the whole 18 kms up to the peak while old people or others who cannot go on horse-back can opt for climbing with the help of poles or being carried in a palanquin.
The temple is beautifully architectured and is nestled among the Garhwal Himalayas. Outside the temple is a huge statue of the Nandi bull. The famous Mandakini river which is a tributary of the Alakananda river, which, in turn, is a tributary of the mighty Ganges, can be sighted close by. Another attraction over here is the “Shiva Linga” made of ice. Also a Shiva Lingam with a snake-like hood made from mercury can be sighted at a couple of places.
BADRINATH
Badrinath is a sacred place for all Hindus, especially the Vaishnavites. It is located along the banks of the Alaknanda river and therefore, provides a scenic locale. The place is famous for the temple dedicated to Badrinath or Lord Vishnu. The temple, which is encircled by a beautiful valley, is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century A.D by Guru Adi Sankara Charya.
Also located in the Garhwal Himalayas, the temple is placed between the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges. The scene of the sunrise from behind the mountains forms an additional attraction here. The holy “Ashtakshari Mantram” is supposed to have been handed over to mankind at this spot. Legend has it that Lord Narayana himself has taken the forms of Sishya and Guru (Nar and Narayan) to reveal the mantra.
There are thermal springs inside the temple-named “Tapt Kund”- which are supposed to have medicinal effects. All the devotees take a dip in the springs before entering the sacred shrine.
There is also a separate flat platform, the “Brahma Kapal”, near to the temple premises where people perform religious rites, especially for their deceased forefathers in the belief that the dead souls will easily attain “moksha”.
How to reach?
Kedarnath and Badrinath can be reached from the nearby places of Haridwar, New Delhi Rishikesh or Dehra Dun as there are many buses plying from these cities. Badrinath-Kedarnath pilgrimage tours are organised by many tourist organisations.
प्रसिद्द चम्पेश्वर महादेव मंदिर उड़ीसा के कटक जिले में स्थित है जहाँ के प्राचीन जल कुंड में २०० से अधिक कछुओं का निवास है I चम्पेश्वर ग्राम उडीसा की राजदानी भुबनेश्वर से लग-भाग ११२ किलोमीटर दूर है I ग्राम वासी मंदिर के जल कुंड में निवास कर रहे कछुओं को भगवान विष्णु के प्रथम अवतार 'कुर्म' के रूप मानते हैं जबकि चंपेश्वर के इस मंदिर में शिव पूजा होती है I ग्राम वासिओं ने बड़ी ही सफलता पूर्वक इन विरल कछुओं का संरक्षण किया है जो की सराहना योग्य हैI आज यह मंदिर राज्य सरकार तथा वनविभाग दोनों के आकर्षण का केंद्र बना हुआ है I
इतिहासकारों के अनुसार चम्पेश्वर का यह मंदिर तथा उसका जलकुंड १००० वर्षों से भी अधिक प्राचीन है I स्थानीय लोग जलकुंड के इन कछुओं को भगवान् विष्णु का अवतार मानते हैं I दो विशालकाय कछुए सहज ही पानी से बहार निकल आते हैं जब उन्हें 'कालिया' एवं 'बलिया' के नाम से बुलाया जाता है I ये 'कालिया' एवं 'बलिया' कोई और नहीं बल्कि भगवान् जगन्नाथ तथा उनके बड़े भाई बलभद्र हैं I
जल कुंड में निवास कर रहे ये कछुए आज दूर-दूर से आने वाले लोगों के आकर्षण का मुख्य केंद्र बने हुए हैं I लोग मंदिर में शिव लिंग की पूजा तो करते ही हैं, साथ ही साथ जलकुंड के इन कछुओं की भी पूजा होती है I आस्था से भरे भक्त, मंदिर में शिवजी को चढाया हुआ भोग जल कुंड के कछुओं को खिलते हैं, और मानते हैं की इससे अलौकिक पुण्य की प्राप्ति हिती है I मंदिर प्रशाशन इस बात का सम्पूर्ण ध्यान रखता है की जलकुंड का जल स्वच्छ तथा निर्मल रहे I
इस प्रश्न का उत्तर किसी के पास नहीं है की इन कछुओं की आयु कितनी है और वे मंदिर के इस जलकुंड में कैसे आए I मंदिर के पुजारी लोकनाथ पंडा के अनुसार ग्राम वासिओं में ऐसा विश्वास है कि यदि कोई जलकुंड के इन निरीह कछुओं को हानि पहुँचाता है, तो स्वयं उसके परिवार को जान-माल की हानि पहुँचती है I भक्तों की इश्वर में ऐसी आस्था निःसंदेह ही सराहना के योग्य है I
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