Sarnath Lion Capital Of Ashoka

Our happiness knew no bounds and our smile was plastered from one ear to another. After all, it was time for another childhood dream to turn to reality- visiting Sarnath. The place that houses the Lion Capital of  Ashoka aka Ashoka Pillar, the iconic National Emblem of India.

Sarnath is considered as one among the 4 holy sites that are related to the life of Buddha. This is where, after attaining enlightenment Buddha gave his first sermon. This event is known as the "the turning of the wheel of the Dharma."

At the end of 12th century, all the buildings and structures were destroyed by Turkish Invaders and the site now shows the ruined state of what was once a thriving school teaching valuable lessons of Life.

According to Hiuen Tsang, the temple at which Buddha used to meditate was 61 meters tall and we can now only see the remains of this temple.

One such ruin that stands tall at 128 feet is the Dharmekh Stupa and it is believed that at this spot the first sermon was conducted by Buddha. On this structure, we spotted intricately carved stones with geometric patterns, leaves, swastika and many others designs.

The Ashoka Pillar is a monolithic sculpture of four lions standing back to back and is entirely made of sandstone. The four lions represent power, courage, confidence and pride. The base of the pillar though still stand in the original place, the Lion Capital is on display in the Archaeological Museum in Sarnath.

Another master piece in this museum is the massive monolithic ten armed Shiva who is also sporting a beard. This sculpture depicts a fierce lord Shiva killing a demon and collecting his blood in an urn as it was believed that every drop of blood from the demon that touches the earth will give birth to another demon. Another striking feature of this fine sculpture is the weapons in Shiva's hands, especially the maze that is made out of human skull. One has to preserve this sculpture in their memory as photography is prohibited inside the museum and safe deposit lockers are made available.

The ruins and the site are maintained very well by ASI. The pathways are very well laid out and are a beautiful sight. These pathways are pretty much used by snakes as well to cross over and hide under one of the many ruins. So do not be surprised if you come across one.

Sarnath would be an ideal day trip from Varanasi as it is only 15 km away.

Strolling Around Varanasi

Travelogue Varanasi

Soul Searching In Varanasi

Varanasi is famous for her Ghats, paan, mighty Ganges, sari and holy pilgrimage sites- Kashi Vishwanath temple and Bhairava temple. The narrow lanes around the ghats of Varanasi made us feel like we were walking through a highly complicated maze. In the most unexpected corners, we saw centuries old temples that seem to have been engulfed by surrounding households and many a gem of eat outs. All lanes seem to look alike and are highly confusing but we never had to worry as smiling locals were always available to give us a detailed route map.

Varanasi, where the mornings begin with praying/salutation to the Sun and the day ends with the most magnanimous Ganga Aarti. This colorful city with its rituals, mantras, vedic chants makes one feel that this is the place to attain salvation. It is amazing to see a single platform offering a glimpse of various stages of Life. While on one side, the pundits are holding the naming ceremony or preparing for the first head shave of a new born, on the other ghat, there are preparations going on to cremate the body of a departed soul.

This place teaches you a lot about Life, Indian rituals and a connect with your spiritual side happens even without your knowledge. No wonder, people come down here once they have taken a call of disowning all worldly pleasures. But this place is not just for aged or religious. It attracts people who are soul searching, want to experience the roots of India, the traditions of Hinduism, the rituals and even those who want to learn more about our history and culture. That for sure is given, there is no way that this place does not leave a ever lasting impression on you.

On the other hand, people here know how to enjoy life as well. Their association with Bhaang, Paan, Lassi, colors and their love for food speaks volumes that you do not need fancy and expensive things to be able to enjoy life.

The best way to experience the beautiful ghats of Varanasi and fall in love with the many monuments is to explore them by foot. We were not really up for the much hyped boat tour as we wanted an up close personal feel of the Ghats. But let us caution you things are not all rosy, there are a few sections of the Ghat that are in absolute pathetic shape with a few stinking a lot due to human waste and garbage strewn around. However, the work around for this is to circumvent around the Ghat.

Ganga Aarti is performed everyday at the Dasaswamedha Ghat, the ritual starts at 7 pm and goes on for an hour. You are so engulfed by the Aarti that you start chanting the mantras along with the pundits and are more in a trance state with the awakening of your spiritual side. Ganga Aarti is performed by 7 pundits who perform synchronized Hindu rituals. In order to get better seats be there by 6:30 pm. The extreme corners of the ghat is the best place to view the aarti. To view the Ganga Aarti you will be offered a seat on a boat for a minimal price however, the view may not be great and will be obstructed as people sit on the platforms right in front of the pandits.

Be careful of your belongings as pickpockets prey on unsuspecting devotees and tourists. After the Aarti you maybe approached by pseudo pandits or babas who in the name of blessings will apply tilak on your forehead and then expect money in return. If you want to click pictures of sadhus or babas kindly ask for permission and pay a small tip.

Overlooking the Panchaganga ghat lies the Alamgiri Mosque. This mosque was built on an ancient Hindu temple destroyed by Aurangazeb. You can still see the walls that stand as remains of the Hindu temple and the mosque domes were built on these same walls. This is one of the most captivating monuments on the Ghats of Varanasi. One can see the minarets and domes from the banks of the Ganges.

Superstition plays a huge part in Hinduism and it is widely believed that if you let the ashes of the deceased soul in Ganga they will attain moksha or freedom from the cycle of re-birth. The Manikarnika Ghat which is one of the cremation ghats is a pretty sensitive and it is advised that you do not click pictures here as it might be insensitive and disrespectful towards the grieving family. 

One of the best ghats of Varanasi is Scindia Ghat, right next to Manikarnika, as we were very excited to see one stunning monument that is tilted as well as submerged in the Ganges. This 150 year old Shiva temple was built by a son for his mother and on the completion of the temple, he claimed he had repaid his debt to his mother for giving him life. However, the temple tilted right after completion and the locals say a debt to one's mother can never be repaid.

Another reason we fell in love with this ghat is for the divine lassi served in a tiny outlet "Blue Lassi Shop" right behind the ghat. We never knew lassi could be this excellent and awesome. Many varieties are offered by this 70 year old shop and we had a tough time choosing from their 5 page long menu. Their top seller seems to be Pomegranate lassi, we tried the 'Kesar Dry Fruit Lassi' and it was out of the world. In order to reach this treasured place they have strewn around bread crumbs in the form of small arrows painted on the walls directing you to the shop. If you want, carry a passport size photo as they have customers pinning up their photos on the walls of their shop with notes of appreciation.

Do watch-out for the Government authorized stores that sell "Bhang." If you are consuming it for the first time, please go in for really small quantity. Another place that caught our attention was Keshav Ruchika Byanjan Resturant aka KRB that serves incredibly good chaat. Do try the aloo tikki chat and pani puri, the place is super hygienic and clean. 

We checked into Hotel Broadway near Harichandra ghat. There are several plus points to stay in this hotel. Though the property is only 500mt from Harichandra ghat and it is not in a narrow lane. This mid range hotel has 24 hr power backup that operates all appliances including AC which is very important as Varanasi experiences frequent power cuts. They have super spacious rooms and lot of amenities including free WiFi. They were also generous enough to let us take a printout free of charge. The best aspect is their Aman restaurant that serves the best food in Varanasi at a very affordable cost.

Photo Blog Varanasi. 

Aurangabad City Of Gates

When we think of Aurangabad, the first thing that comes to our mind are the sister caves Ajanta & Ellora but this beautiful city has its own charming history that makes you fall in love with this place. It had close to 52 gates during medieval times though only a few of them have survived the test of times. This place offers a lot to explore from Temples, Caves, Monuments to Museums, Textiles and Local Cuisines. It is a very pleasant, clean and traveler friendly city, the infrastructure is top notch and it was very appeasing and nice to see quite a few trees occupy sides of the road. To our delight, the footpaths were broad and free of any kind of encroachments.

We commenced our Aurangabad trip by visiting Grineshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the 12 Jyothirlingas, believed to be the last shrine or 12th Linga and is considered sacred among Hindus. The temple tower is made of red stone and the architecture within the temple premises left us awestruck. The carvings, pillars, paintings and statues are the highlight of the temple. Since it is one of the 12 Jyothirlingas, it is highly commercialized and people try to sell you one thing or the other right from the parking lot. Camera and phones are prohibited inside the temple and have to be deposited at a nearby counter.

Bibi Ka Maqbara is a mausoleum built by Aurangzeb's son, Azam Shah, in memory of his mother. This monument is an imitation of  Taj Mahal but fails to ignite the charm, aura and a feel of being lost in time.

The lesser known Aurangabad Caves are only 2 km away from Bibi Ka Maqbara. These caves are on par with the magnificent Ajanta and Ellora caves but do not hog the limelight. It would be a good idea to hire an auto or cab to visit Aurangabad caves as it is in the outskirts of the city and there are no other means of transport. If you want to hire an auto we highly recommend Mr.Krishna (9130194847) a very honest and thorough gentleman who makes sure that the travelers have a good time. He is pretty flexible, patient and informative.

Chatrapati Shivaji Museum tucked away in a small corner of Aurangabad is a must visit not only for history buffs but for everybody to learn more about this fearless warrior. Shivaji is very well known and respected widely for being a fierce warrior, great patriot and true liberal. Under his able leadership, our country flourished and thrived. He never differentiated people based on their caste or creed giving them opportunities depending on their skill set. Under his rule, women enjoyed great rights and were respected and honored. This compact museum lays down the legacy and artifacts from Shivaji's period.

As you enter the museum you are greeted by massive cast iron canons and huge teak wood doors. The museum is classified into different galleries exhibiting exceptionally well preserved armory - swords, pistol, barrels, canons, guns, lead balls, knives, daggers, Madu (deer horn) body armor. Artifacts range from portraits, paintings, oil lamps, candle sticks, religious importance items, extensive mughal era coins from Shivaji's period. spice box, stone and ivory sculptures, jewelry boxes. The best part about the museum is the wide collection of beautiful silver nutcrackers and 1600 AD Paithani Saree and shawl still in mint condition. They have an extensive collection of great manuscripts. The museum is very well maintained and is sparkling clean with each artifact clearly visibly through glass. The museum is closed on Thursdays.

En-route we saw a lot of handloom shops selling the famous Paithani and Himroo sarees. Paithani sarees - A Golden heritage of 2000 years, these pure silk sarees are completely handwoven with great care and fabulous artistic work. Silk from Paithan was traded for gold and precious stones ages ago. Even today, the work is handwoven in pure silk and silver. Himroo is also another traditional weaving art which is a mix of silk and cotton. This art is slowly fading away and efforts are being made by the government and weaving industry to keep this art alive.

Be sure to stop by one of the stores and check out the work. Paithani  silk weaving centre in Lokmat Nagar is the perfect place to shop and also see the weavers in action handcrafting every single saree. Government Of India, Ministry Of Textiles run a training centre for weavers here. The centre has sarees, handwoven exquisite carpets with 900 knots per sq inch, shawls, artifacts and the likes. It would be safe to say you could buy genuine stuff from this outlet.

Ajanta Caves, a World Heritage Monument, is not just known for its magnificent architecture but also for the elaborate mural paintings highlighting the life events of Buddha. Our Exclusive post on Ajanta can be found here.

Ellora Caves stand as a testimony for secularism with 3 different religions coexisting in harmony in the same premises. Apart from that, the mystery surrounding the architecture of these caves and the possibility of receiving help from extra terrestrial beings to finish the mind boggling carvings makes these caves even more intriguing. Our exclusive post on Ellora.

Trip to Aurangabad is not complete if one fails to visit the "Only Crater Lake In India" Lonar.

CIDCO serves as the perfect locality to stay, there are several hotels that fit all budgets and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. To taste authentic Aurangabad biryani we recommend Karim's. Their Chicken biryani is simply amazing, it is a semi dry gravy mixed with rice and quite spicy. The chicken pieces are super tender and finger licking good. Apart from the most amazing biryani,  Karim's outlet comes highly recommended for its delicious Kathi Roll, mouth watering kababs and Kheema Pav. Another excellent biryani eat out would be this tiny place called Zaika, behind Naik college, Cannaught Place.

If you are a vegetarian we recommend 'Pakwan Thali Restaurant' at Jalna road CIDCO, specializing in Rajasthani cuisine. If you crave for Maharashtrian vada pav, Pet Puja outlets serve yummy vada pav.

To enjoy street food  and not count the calories, Cannaught place is an excellent hangout area. It serves best and clean street food. For the sheer variety that this area has to offer, it would for sure serve as a paradise for any foodie. The stalls range from Kebabs, Dum Biryani, Shawarma, Chinese, desi food and of course superb chaat. The best place to have chaat is 'Icy Spicy' behind LIC office. Their pani puri is a must try and of course you wont stop at one plate. They also serve pizzas, sandwiches and the likes. However, their stand out dish has to be their Ice Gola. They serve Ice Gola with 3 or more Golas, each topped with different flavors and is sinful. We also recommend Chatpata chicken kebabs at the Koyla Biryani joint. If you are a sweet pan freak, do try the different varieties of sweet pan at Sai Samart pan house.

While in Aurangabad do try out different varieties of 'Mastani' which is a blend of 3 fruit juices and topped with rich scoops of ice-cream. We ordered the one with extra dry fruits doused in colorful essences.

If you have a couple of hours to kill and wondering what to do, worry not the ProZone mall is a great place to hangout, it offers everything from High-end Jaguars to ice golas. The mall has a good food court with different cuisines to choose from. For adventure and sports enthusiasts there is Decathlon and for the movie buffs there is Satyam Cinemas.

We on the spur decided to watch a Marathi movie and were excited to read the synopsis of the movie Killa and immediately bought the tickets. This beautiful film captures the emotions of a young boy and is very well scripted. No wonder it won the National Award for the best Marathi film.

We stayed at Thrimurti Guesthouse, a budgeted place with clean rooms. The best part about the hotel was the helpful management. Their location is another plus as you have a whole lot of restaurants, shopping markets, CIDCO bus terminal and Mall all at a walk-able distance. To cover longer distances, there is easy access to autos at any point in time.