In search

Dzuluk-Sikkim The Covid 19 pandemic had us locked down in our homes for most of the year. Most of us are raring to travel and so whether you are a biker, a mountain person, a religious or just a regular traveller looking for breathtaking beautiful landscapes then this road trip is a must. This trip has everything for everyone. From the glorious mountain ranges, mystical lakes or the winding roads of Dzuluk to the famed Baba Mandir and the Nathang Valley itself. There are many sunrise points in between and Dzuluk is one of them, so plan your travel wisely if you want to catch the sunrise from these points. To start with, foreigners are not allowed and Indian Nationals need to take permits either from Gangtok or from Ronglee depending on where you are starting your journey from. The permits need to be taken both for J.N. Road and R.N. Road so that's two entry permits. If you are taking your own vehicle then you would need separate permits for that. If you are using a local taxi or tr

The Head of the Buddha My mom told me something that I will never forget. One day, as I was getting ready to go to the monastery she told me "Son, I am happy that you are visiting all the monasteries and temples but only good Dharma won't get you there. Trust your good Karma to get you there always". I think about this quite often. What and where is  this ' there'   that she speaks about ? Is it salvation what the Buddhist's call 'freedom from the cycle of birth or rebirth' or is it a mere journey of bettering ourselves? I love this striking quote from Richard Bach- " Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you. ” The spiritual path, the path of awakening, is full of insights and meanings but they do not belong to one religion or sect. In fact they are universal. Meaning is what changes us and thus changes our lives. Meanings change as our life changes. Static

The Balsam on my window casts a strange shadow, beautiful and mysterious. They are like my dreams more beautiful than the everyday reality of  these waking moments. These waking moments when you remember the people long gone by. People and their stories, their smiles, and tears that make you wonder of the days gone by...but memories keep fading and blurring like the balsam on my window. I sow new seeds of hope each year, watch my flowers bloom and wilt as they disappear back to the earth from which they arose. Time passes by leaving a grey spot in the memory of the seasons that has passed. Memories fade into dreams and dreams unto memories.....

Today it was a foggy and rainy day outside...such a day when  difficult to get out of bed and face the world.  But the begonias on my window cheered me up and promised me better days. She (the begonias) seemed to say that its okay to bloom on a gloomy day to imagine you are flying when the strong wind ruffles your petals And keep your calm until the turmoil settles...

Only change is real, everything else is illusion. Which one is real the caterpillar or the butterfly?

No new year resolutions this time-feels kind of strange and funny at the same time. Here are some photos of the new year taken at Madhuban Park in Siliguri.  A family picnic at the park - it felt peaceful to watch the children play and the ducks swim without any care for the world

Pity that I take so many photographs only to store them on my hard drive. Here's a little attempt to share the beauty on the other end of the lens.  This one is from a trip to Rimbick where we had gone to conduct a farmers training. Initially we were planning a night halt at Sandakphu but the villagers strongly adivised against it as the trek is nearly 6 hours long that too for experienced trekkers. On the other hand the local villagers reach Sandakphu in 4 hours and reach return back in 3 hours or so. Finally we decided to go for a trek towards Jarayo Pokhari (Deer Lake)  on the way to Sandakphu, a two hour trek from Rimbick Bazar, but then again we only made it half way up to the monastery.  The village around the Monastery is called Maney Dara and name of the monastery is Mahendra Samten Monastery which was built around 1917. The main monastery itself is new but the stone structures and relics around it are old and beautiful. A beautiful stupa stands atop the hill