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Phool Bangla at Sri Radha Vallabh Temple, Vrindavan Photo Journal

Travel

A Phool Bangla is an expression of love by devotees to the Lord. Literally speaking, a Phool Bangla is a summer house made of flowers. The temple interiors are decorated with flowers. The deities’ dresses and jewellery are made of flowers – jasmines, roses, oleander buds, gerbera, marigold, lotus, and a dash of leaves and other embellishments.
Tags: Vrindavan, Photo-Journal, Uttar-Pradesh, Krishna, Phool-bangla, Radha-Vallabh-temple, temple
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Jim Corbett’s home at Kaladhungi, Himalaya Road Map

Travel

Corbett's winter home at Kaladhungi or Choti Haldwani at the base of the Kumaon foothills is now a well preserved museum. It lies on the way from Haldwani to Ramnagar. Jim Corbett was a naturalist and conservationist. He rose to fame for his skill in hunting maneater tigers and leaopards. He has many books to his credit, including ‘The Maneaters of Kumaon’. Jim Corbett National Park was renamed after him in 1957. He was born on 25 July 1875 in Nainital (Kumaon Himalayas, India).
Tags: Roadmap, Kaladhungi, Ramnagar, Jim-Corbett-National-Park, museum, Uttarakhand, Photo-Journal, Nainital, Kumaoni-cuisine, Kumaon-Himalaya
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Cleaning your mouth, the Ayurvedic way

Ayurveda

During the flowering season in March-April, Neem flowers and new leaves are eaten to preempt illness. This takes care of mouth ulcers as well. Neem is also considered an embodiment of Goddess Kali, Shitala Mata and Lakshmi, the destroyer of disease.
Tags: Flora, Ayurveda, Neem, tree, oral hygiene, herbs
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Gurney House, Jim Corbett’s home at Nainital, Kumaon Himalaya Photo Journal

Travel

Jim Corbett’s home in Nainital, Gurney House is a 10 minute walk up the hillside. The caretaker, Ganesh Joshi showed us around the property, including the private museum that showcases the life and times of Jim Corbett and his sister Maggi Corbett. This house has a different feel from the Jim Corbett Museum at Kaladhungi, just 37 km downhill from Gurney House. from The Naini Retreat (Ayarpatta Slopes, Mallital, Nainital).
Tags: Kumaon-Himalaya, Jim-Corbett, Kaladhungi, museum, Nainital, Roadmap, flora, Uttarakhand, India, flowers, Gurney-House
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Flower Gardens of Nainital in July, Kumaon Himalaya Photo Journal

Relax

The Uttarakhand High Court, Boat Club, Naina Devi temple, parks around Mall Road, Gurney House and The Naini Retreat Hotel were some of the places I found these flowers growing. Hydrangeas, geraniums, dahlias, lilies, roses, margaritas, fuschias, marigold, snapdragons, cosmos, hibiscus and begonias are the ones that I recognized.
Tags: Flora, flowers, gardening, Gurney-House, Jim-Corbett, Nainital, Uttarakhand, North-India, Kumaon-Himalaya
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Vrindavan through the eyes of a Braj Gopi, Amala Saci, Vrindavan Photo Journal

Travel

Every day of the year is a festival in Vrindavan! To name a few Shivratri, Holi, Akshay Teej, Vaishakh Purnima, Rath Yatra, Brahmotsava, Hindola, Utsav, Jhoolan, Guru Purnima, every Ekadashi and Purnima (full moon day), Navratri, Sharad Purnima, Kartik, Tulsi Vivah, Diwali, Makar Sankranti. Festivals last for days, weeks and even a month or more in Vrindavan. Such is the glory of Krishna!
Tags: Vrindavan, Photo-Journal, Krishna, Radha, Phool-Bangla, Radha-Raman-temple, Uttar-Pradesh, India, temple
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Art as therapy – Bangalore does it with daily Rangolis

Relax

It's a privilege to walk down a residential area like Shanthinagar in Bangalore and find the streets decorated with rangolis – as if to welcome you. Art has been integrated as part of the sacred. Rangolis are made to honour and welcome gods. This is daily art therapy!
Tags: Rangoli, Kolam, Bangalore, Art, Therapy, Indian-art, Street-art, Karnataka, Relax,
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Corbett’s Heritage: Himalayan haven

Travel

Dhanu our guide regaled with information and anecdotes from the jungle. He marvelled at the sensitivity and focus of the foreigners when visiting Corbett.
Tags: India, Map, Jim-Corbett-National-Park, Ramnagar, Garjiya-Devi, Kaladhungi, Kumaon-Himalaya, Uttarakhand, fauna, bird-watching,
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Guru Paduka Stotra video and Sanskrit lyrics

Books

अनंत संसार समुद्र तार नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्यां। वैराग्य साम्राज्यद पूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यां॥१॥
Tags: guru, video, गुरु, Sanskrit text, lyrics, bhajan, guru-bhajan, Indian-music, Carnatic-music
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