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Newasa - Encountering an unique form of Vishnu, and Sant Jnaneshwar

The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...

Alibag article on Spice Flair

It is a small coastal town, dwarfed by its neighbor – the concrete jungle of Mumbai. Yet, Alibag manages to hold its own, with beaches, forts and temples, a wealth of history within a small area. Alibag has, for long, been the favorite destination for Mumbai-ites looking for a short break from their hectic lifestyles. It is, after all, easily accessible from the city – it is barely 30 Km by the sea, and plenty of ferries are available from the Gateway of India. It’s not too far by road either, for the 100 Km journey takes barely 2 hours to cover. I have always preferred the sea route however, enjoying the feel of the sea breeze in my hair, watching the view of the Mumbai skyline fading away, seeing ships from all over the world at the Mumbai harbor, and of course, the chance of spotting sea gulls or even dolphins!



I have been to Alibag twice. My first visit led to an entire series on the beaches, temples and forts which attract us to the coastal town. My second visit was an unplanned one, which happened suddenly, thanks to a cousin's visit. This visit was short, but just as much fun as the first visit. Looks like we can never have enough of Alibag!!! 


Read my complete article on Spiceflair.com to know more about Alibag and its attractions....



Comments

  1. Nice post Anu.

    www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice travel article...I love beaches, particularly in India. There's so much opportunity in there - to eat, sit, enjoy the tranquil waters touch our feet. And ofcourse the crowd!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ina concrete jungle Mumbai has some nice scenic spots--Very interesting -thank you.
    CaptTR ,Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  4. nice post heard its a getaway place from mumbai during weekends

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice photo and Blog about Alibagh

    ReplyDelete

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To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.