Atithi Dehradun

... there by bike lift, Saw SBI ATM 05.20 pm 06.00 pm While searching for staying place, met Mr Mahendra Jain, a devout Jain who said he was alone here and staying in Jambu Dweep 07.00 pm Mr jain took me to his staying place. Being non jain, I was very reluctantly accommodated for one night only in that Dharamshala 08.00 ...

... Hindi written by Shri Rudra Dutt Tripathi, edited by Shri Abhay Sagar Ji at the instance of Shri Ashok Sagar Ji. Also read the inscriptions on their main temple inner walls. At 11.45 am, walked up to Jain Bhojnalaya ― km away at Giri Vihar. Re1 food coupons were for Jains only who could recite their Namonkar Mantra ...

... to do in Rishikesh that we wished we had. We didn't take any yoga classes and we didn't stay in an ashram (Sorry Grego!), but on the last day we made a serious effort to go and see the evening river prayer ceremony that occurs in Swarg Ashram every day. We thought we had found it, but it turned out to be just a regular bathing ghat (stone staircase leading into the river), and we hung out there for half an hour waiting for it to start. You can buy offerings at these ghats ...

... looking than it'd been in Varanasi), a cool breeze embraced us and I realised that for the first time in India I'd stopped sweating. Spirits soared like the birds of prey that flew all around us. At this hour the streets were quiet and almost deserted, but chanting and classical Indian music wafting through the air from the many temples and ashrams. We strolled around for a while - I was happy just to crash out in the first hotel which had a ...

... motorcyclists, avoiding the beggars if I can, then turn left toward the sandy, rock strewn beaches on the northeast side of the bridge. I find a quiet place to sit on a rock with my ankles in the wonderfully cool and refreshing waters at the river's edge. I get up, roll my pant legs up, wade in her, and work up my courage for an ever-so-brief and breathless swim, fully clothed (as all women do) in the icy waters a few feet farther out from shore. Quickly ...

... a convert - it certainly did wonders for my posture and its undboutedly a great way to help you tone and relax....though anyone who thinks that its a doddle just because itīs mostly girls who sign up for yoga - think again! Itīs definitely the Guantannamo Bay route to fitness. So having raised zenned myself out and limbered up my muscles - I thought what a better way to liven things up than go on a white water rafting trip down the Ganges! In the past decade Rishikesh has ...

... with them, I never decline a free lunch. Then one of his mates - another 'politian' came over and I was reliably informed that he was an astrologer and that he'd beable to tell me about myself from my hand. It was free so I didn't mind. He told me 4 things: 1. I came from a weak family background. 2. I had many struggles in my life 3. That I had to struggle through education and to get into education. 4. That my future was bright. He then asked me if what he ...

... They were beautiful but seemed to be complete overkill. I later read that the Buddha statue had been dedicated to the Dalai Lama. As the statue is larger than the Dalai Lama's house one might think the resources would have been better used helping the Tibetan exile community. The misallocation of resources seems to be a human condition for which every society is guilty. I had three hours until my train departed and didn't want to take any chances ...

Friday, May 23rd: Woke up at 5am again (still can't sleep later). Same morning schedule, then went to the Forest Research Institute. It was housed in a huge old building with tall rooms and hard dark wood floors and walls. It was founded in the late 1800s. The not-very-friendly director came in and played a movie about the Institute, and left us with one of his employees without saying more than a word or two to us. So I didn't ...

... we visited Rohru – beautiful mountain city, pretty big (if to consider with other small villages in this area). Had some thali in the market place and show repairing and go further to Rampur. This day also first big rain cought us, so in Rampur (there are several budget hotels and 4-5 better). A new one cheap hotel in the bank of the river was full (rampur is already in the NH22 – the way from Shimla to absolutely closed Chinese ...