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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...
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And so, the year begins!!

2014 is finally here, and it seems to be starting off on the right note. There are some interesting things happening, but you will have to wait to find out what they are. After all, there is nothing as wonderful as surprises, is there? Right now, the good news is that I am off again, on an unexpected trip!! 




This was the first place I visited with my husband, in August 2002, and it marked the beginning of our thirst for travel, especially to out of the way places. This was also where I saw my first Hornbill, and though I didn't realize it then, developed an interest in birdwatching. Yes, folks, I am off to Dandeli, again!

It might have been fun to go back along the same trails with my husband again, more than 11 years later, but it was not to be. Instead, I am going this time with my son, who, needless to say, is thrilled!!! More importantly, this time, I am going there on an invite from Dandeli.com .



Dandeli.com are affiliated with major resorts in and around Dandeli, and are engaged in promoting tourism in the area. They handle all bookings, from hotels/resorts to vehicles and also sightseeing and treks in the area. They very graciously agreed to let me bring Samhith along and since I wasn't  able to make the bus bookings from home, they even arranged those for me. Making all the arrangements through phone and email was a breeze, and now I am looking forward to the experience!!! The perfect start to the new year, wouldn't you agree? 

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Location: Dandeli, Karnataka, India

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