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Such temples, perched on steep mountainsides are not an uncommon sight in the Himalayas. The climb starts much below the level that can be seen in this picture; we were in a moving car and the valley below is not visible from this angle. I am not a religious person, but I can understand the … Continue reading
A few shots of the snow-clad Himalayas.
This unprepossessing little structure was once a source of potable water – a mountain stream was temporarily dammed to create a reservoir of fresh, clean water on the hillside.
Standing in the cool crisp morning mountain air, in an ancient wood temple, the scent of incense heavy around me, the sound of drums and cymbals and trumpets reverberating around, I could see why faith moves people.
Like other religious mythologies around the world, ancient Hindu mythology also had its own version of the Great Flood, and the salvation of humankind through one exceptionally pious man. India had Manu, and the legend goes that Manali was where he finally landed after the floods receded; it ancient name was Manualaya (home of Manu). … Continue reading
Though rampant modern construction has blighted Manali, making of at times a truly ugly spectacle, a few pockets of the old, indigenous architecture remain. I was quite enamored of the overhanging balconies. 🙂
A yak getting its morning bath. Yaks are still used as pack animals in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, although in Manali they are just as popular as children’s rides.
Ghatotkacha (nameed so because he was bald-headed and his heat resembled an upside-down pot), was another character from the Indian epic, the Mahabharat. A son of the second Pandav brother, Bhim and the forest dweller (rakshas) Hadimba, he was incredibly strong and well-nigh unbeatable. He plays a minor role in the epic narrative but it … Continue reading
Hadimba (Hidimba) is a small figure in the Mahabharat, the great INdian epic. She is a rakshas (inhuman, probably a reference to her purported hill tribe origin). She marries one of the heroes of the epic and has a son who goes on to play a small but significant part in the great battle the … Continue reading
This graffiti was a mystery to me when I clicked it, I thought it might be a personal tribute of some sort. That was, until I googled the date and “cycling”; this was the anniversary of the day Albert Hoffman discovered the full effects of LSD, while cycling (hence known as Bicycle Day) in, of … Continue reading
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