Blogs

Kashi…An Emotion – Part I

Thus says the Kashi Khanda representing the important lingas of Kashi as a Lingatmaka Kashi..Varanasi..Benaras..all names that I have been hearing since childhood. Kashi, the holiest of the holy..sanctified by Ma Ganga H

kashi..an emotion – part II

Spending the last couple years in my new Karmabhoomi, Noida has resulted in me appreciating the sacrifices made by so many of our ancestors to protect Dharma – often making the supreme sacrifice..the North-West frontier

kashi..an emotion – part iii

In my earlier blog, while in the midst of the multitude of people at Vishwanatha, I sensed that it is the people..the people of entire Bharat who never allowed Kashi to become Muhammadabad..it was His blessings, his prom

Kashi..an emotion – part iv

In my earlier blogs, I have mentioned about Vishweshwar, Avimukteshwar, Vishwanath..what are these? Are they the same? Are they different? Is the Kashi Vishwanath that we see today the same as Vishweshwar or is it Avimuk

Vrindavan…the mystic land

If Kashi is all spirituality, then Vrindavan is all mysticism If Kankar kankar mein Shankar in Kashi, then man man mein Radhe Radhe in Vrindavan If Ganga ji has blessed Kashi, then Jamuna ji has made Vrindavan holy If it

Goga Madi…unexpected darshan of Dattatreya in Kasauli

This morning, Nov 3’ 2024, we started to trek from Kasauli towards Kalka along the famous Khushwant Singh Kalka-Kasauli trail…nice weather…sunny…slight chill…banter…leg pulling…singing About a couple km from Kasauli we s

Naga Sadhus…Battle of Gyan Vapi, 1664

Naga Sadhus…probably the most mystical of all communities in Bharat. The image that comes to mind is a bunch of bare-bodied people, smeared with ash, dread locked hair, Rudraksh beads all over their body, carrying a Tris

Naga Sadhus…Battle of Gokul, 1757

Naga Sadhus…probably the most mystical of all communities in Bharat. The image that comes to mind is a bunch of bare-bodied people, smeared with ash, dread locked hair, Rudraksh beads all over their body, carrying a Tris

burari ghat..forgotten history

Last week, I told my daughter that I was planning on visiting Burari (pronounced as Buradi) over the next couple days, her instinctive reaction was ‘Oh, I know the place – it is famous’. I was mighty impressed at her sen

Bareilly…Mahabharata connection

Jhumka gira re, Bareilly ke bazaar mein – so goes the super hit song of the 1960s…the song became such a super hit that 60 years later, today, the name Bareilly is synonymous with the Jhumka https://youtu.be/ETSsIHOnuTY?

Da Ra Bendre…Jogi

Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre…Da Ra Bendre…Ambika Tanaya Datta…Varakavi…Shabda Garudiga (Magician with words) To describe him as a genius would be a massive understatement…his knowledge of literature, philosophy, history

Da Ra Bendre…Gangavatarana (Ilidu Baa Taayi)

Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre…Da Ra Bendre…Ambika Tanaya Datta…Varakavi…Shabda Garudiga (Magician with words) To describe him as a genius would be a massive understatement…his knowledge of literature, philosophy, history

Open Mic Session 1/n – 22Dec’24 – Krishna-Jesus…similarities in their birth

Open Mic Session 2/n – 15Dec’24 – RISHTEY – Mysuru Mallige

Girmit…nourishment for the heart…and the soul

If music is the heart of Hubballi-Dharwad, and literature is the soul…then Girmit is the nourishment for the heart & soul of all its inhabitants What would Hubballi-Dharwad be without Bhimsen Joshi & Gangubai Hangal What

Chandu Borde’s Test…Oct 15, 1964, Dussehra

1964 Oct 15, Dussehra Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai India vs Australia MAK Pataudi vs Bobby Simpson 8 years before I was born, this was the scene of one of the greatest test victories of the Indian cricket team…an unlikely o