With the college vacation starting, there were a lot of places in mind. But this time I wanted to explore Kerala. While doing my research and discussing with my friends, we came up with Thrissur. Since it was April, it was also the time of the famous Thrissur Pooram festival, which I wanted to attend, especially since it was the biggest Pooram festival in all of Kerala.

With all the ticketing done, one of our friend suggested that we stay at a homestay, since it would let us take in the real flavour of Thrissur and also witness the Pooram festival as it is celebrated by the people of Thrissur.

Once we reached Thrissur, we felt festivity in the air since the Pooram festival was just two days away. However, we had these two days to explore the city before the festival. And even we did not want to lose time with so many important historic and cultural places to visit.

The first temple that we visited was the Paramekavu Bhagavathy Temple. Here we had to wear the dhoti to enter the temple and thought it felt a bit awkward initially, but we friends thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We were completely amazed by the huge idol of Devi which almost instantly induces a sense of awe. Even at Thiruvambadi Krishna Shrine we had to sport the dhoti. This is a great place for the devotees of Lord Krishna. We had a fun time enjoying the prasad, the elephants and specially the music, which had the true flavour of Kerala.

Our next stop was the Athirappilly Waterfalls. The beauty of the gorgeous waterfall encompassed us and the water acted as an element of rejuvenation.

The next day we visited the archaeological museums, and all the stories that my father had told me as a child were getting alive in front of my eyes. I could relate a great deal of facts with the carvings and paintings. I could see the entire colonial and post-colonial rule in front of my eyes and I couldn’t be happier.

We ended the day with a visit to Kauthukapark. It was an amazing place which is artificially built to show the real beauty of God’s own country. The garden, the animals, the backyards were really beautiful.

The big day of the Thrissur Pooram festival had arrived. We were completely amazed at the huge crowd of people that had gathered at the Vadakumnathan Temple to attend this 36 hours non-stop festival. Legends has it that the Gods and Goddesses of temples in and around Thrissur visit the Vadakumnathan temple on elephants on this day. It was a spectacular sight. The elephant with the Gods and Goddesses were beautifully decorated with bells and umbrellas and they paraded with the enchanting music! The fireworks were the best part and it had so much of uniqueness in it. We just couldn’t get enough of the liveliness celebrated there.

Our trip was not only pleasant, but we also witnessed the true reason as to why Thrissur is called the cultural capital of Kerala.

Amongst all things, it was her and my grandfather’s love story that had interested me the most. She had spun such a magical web around me regarding the charm of this city that when my college friends were planning a trip, I suggested that we visit Haridwar. Tickets were booked and in a short while we landed up there. We had arranged for a homestay at Haridwar and needless to say, the people here were extremely polite and friendly. The first night they introduced us with the local cuisine, which is purely vegetarian and amazingly delicious. The most interesting thing is that at Haridwar, you get a feel of the cultural side of India.

On the first day we visited the Mansa-Devi Temple, and in this process we landed up experiencing the Udan-Khatola Ropeway ride. I remember my grandmother mentioning that it was on this ropeway ride that she had met my grandfather for the first time. So romantic I thought!! The ropeway is one of the most ancient routes to this temple. The ten minutes ride left us amazed with the stunning views from above there. This was an unforgettable experience. We just sat back and enjoyed the breath-taking view of the city.

The Mansa-Devi Temple is located at the top of Bilwa hill and is a must visit place at Haridwar. This temple is dedicated to Mansa Devi, the Goddess of Shakti. If you are adventurous enough you can also try trekking to reach there. The temple provides a breath taking view from above there and the temple although small, is spectacular and beautiful.

The next place on our travel list was Har-ki-pauri. It is a very pious site, where people come to wash off their sins by taking a bath in the holy Ganga. The ambience was of extreme peace and serenity. We came to know about the Hindu legends related to this place, that Lord Shiva & Lord Vishnu had once visited this place. We were mesmerized by the evening Ganga aarti, which is performed to thank Goddess Ganga. We took the boats to travel to the middle of Ganga to view the aarti that is magnificent and lets you feel piousness in your heart.

The last destination which we visited was the Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary. We loved the jungle safari and the ride on the elephants was extremely enjoyable. The jungle safari allowed us to witness the beauty of nature and also provided a closer view of the rare breeds of deer and the Indian Langur. My bird lover friend also had a great time watching the various types of birds.

Our journey ended at a very positive note as even my love story started from this place. On the last day of our trip, my best friend of nine years proposed to me. Well, history repeats itself at Haridwar and this place will always hold a special place in my heart.

Well, a lot was to be explored and I am truly grateful to her for having made me visit such a wonderful place. Full of information and spirituality, the enlightening tour is still alive in my mind and more so because of our amazing home stay. Our hosts treated us like their own guests and it never felt as though we were strangers. The trip to Sanchi was meeting with the old ancestors, who were waiting with a deep longing in their hearts, to enlighten their progenies and introduce them to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The Sanchi Stupa

Standing on a hill, the Stupa was built by the great emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. It bears testimony to the penance of the king who embraced Buddhism along with his wife and son, and thousands of people at this historical spot. The domed edifice stands majestically with four gateways that depict the life of the founder of Buddhism. Home to religious relics, it transports you centuries back in fraction of a minute and you can hear the reverberating chant of the monks, meditating and meandering into the folds of enlightenment.

The Ashoka Pillar

A shining symbol of the Greco Buddhist style architecture, the pillar is a bit dilapidated but its sacred aura still glows. Similar to the pillar at Sarnath, the four lions standing back to back do not have the Dhramchakra on the base but the statue is a powerful reminder to uphold dharma. Representing the national emblem, it ignites and inspires in great measure.

Archaeological Museum

This museum possesses many Buddhist statues, paintings and photos. The collection of sculptures from Ashoka Pillar 10 forms the center piece and there is also Sir John Marshall’s bungalow, located nearby, who played a pivotal role in the restoration of Sanchi. Both the places evoke emotions of pride and gratitude. The marvels of the past encourage one to aspire for lofty goals and also advises to stay grounded. 

The Gupta Temple

Situated on the slope of the Sanchi hill, the temple is an architectural wonders from the Golden Age. Time seems to have made them immortal and you can feel both the religious as well as historical fervor here.

Sanchi stole my soul and serenaded my senses. I loved every second here and thanked Shikha thoroughly for having me accompany her in this revelation of the past.

The pictures and the information were wonderful, of course. But like with most sights while travelling, I honestly didn’t know what I was missing all this while until I actually saw the temple in person. The architecture was so gorgeously intricate and detailed, and the entire set up had sudden chills racing down my spine, even though it was a decidedly a hot and humid day.

Entering through the compound wall of the temple and setting eyes on the temple’s towers was a breathtaking moment for me by every definition. And the carved and sculpted designs of the structure could leave anyone spending hours just happily staring. Further, there was an innate sense of awe that overcame me at the sight, along with an almost metaphysical sensation of peace. It was like the vibes around the place were determined to pull you into its story, the feeling practically hypnotic in a sense. And I happily gave in to the strange and calming pull, allowing my eyes to drink it all in thirstily.

The Legend of Ramanathaswamy Temple – A Tale of Epic Proportions

According to the legend of the temple, the temple is situated on the spot where Lord Rama prayed to Lord Shiva before embarking to Sri Lanka in order to save his wife, Lady Sita. There are two Shiva lingams that reside inside the sanctum. And according to the legend, one of the lingams was formed by Lady Sita’s own hands, and the other was the lingam brought there by Lord Hanuman. As per tradition, I went to see and pray to the lingam brought by Lord Hanuman first before visiting and praying to the other one.

Well, passing through the hallowed corridors actually had me getting a feel from the ancient era, sensing sights and images from the story that made its presence felt but were just out of reach. 

The Ancient Bridge to Sri Lanka

After a trip to the ancient times, it time to witness another legendary place, the Dhanushkodi. It is a 15 km stretch of land and is the southern-most point of the island. Again, according to legends, it is this point from where Lord Rama and his army built the bridge to Sri Lanka.

As the sun started to set on the horizon, I recounted in my head the old tales of the Ramayana I’d heard as a child, completely content where I stood as a day at Rameshwaram had the tale coming to life in front of my eyes. A day well spent indeed.