“Ultimate Saree” – the Benarasi Saree!

“Every mother has a dream to gift at least one Benarasi saree to her daughter in marriage,” – Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

Indeed every mother dreams of dressing her daughter in Benarasi Saree, especially in North India and gift her some on her special occasion. I too think of doing so…gifting one on my daughter’s marriage, owing to its cult status – the gorgeous Benarasi Saree, like my mother who gifted me many on my marriage. I love Benarasi Sarees and like to wear on special occasions like marriages, engagements etc. Being from North India, my love for Benarasi sarees is unquestionable.

I recollect my eldest Bua (Father’s Sister – Mrs. Sarojini Chandra) having one beautiful, hand woven, heritage Benarasi Saree in deep Purple colour with Silver Motifs all over (jaal) and intricate border. Bua looked beautiful in that Saree. As a child, I could not tell her then, but today, I regret not asking her for that Saree, I know she would have happily given me and I would have been the proud owner of that heritage piece in silk!

Benarasi Saree is not just a saree, but a prized possession for any women who know its worth. In North India, brides wore Red & Gold Benarsi Saree for Jaimaal and Yellow & Gold for Saptpadi (Pheras) and Benarasi Lehengas for Sangeet etc. So it was Benarasi weave all through. These sarees’ special characteristics are Mughal inspired designs such as intricate intertwining floral and foliate motifs, kalga and bel, a string of upright leaves called jhallar at the outer, edge of border is a characteristic of these sarees. Other features are gold work, compact weaving, figures with small details, metallic visual effects, pallus, jal (a net like a pattern), and mina work.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee, one of the master weavers of India, makes the world of Indian Brides truly spectacular, by the very look of it, you can make out that she is “Sabyasachi Bride”. He has dressed innumerable brides in Benarasi Sarees and Lehenga Chunrees from across the communities, caste and creed. The thread of Benarasi Saree unites all Indian brides who want to dress in their Benarasi Lehenga, irrespective and what if, it is by master creator – Sabyasachi.

And this time as well, with his ‘Banarasi Bride’ collection, he’s done a fabulous job. Intricate designs of rich hues of Banarasi fabric teamed up with elegantly designed blouses made his collection just too good for the eyes to behold! The sea-green Banarasi bridal lehengas and sarees of his that were displayed at the Amazon India Fashion Week won quite a lot of admiration and applause.

Ralph Fitch (1583–91) describes Banaras as a thriving sector of the cotton textile industry. The earliest mention of the brocade and Zari textiles of Banaras is found in the 19th century. With the migration of silk weavers from Gujarat during the famine of 1603, it is likely that silk brocade weaving started in Banaras in the seventeenth century and developed in excellence during the 18th and 19th century. During the Mughal period, around 14th century, the weaving of brocades with intricate designs using gold and silver threads became the speciality of Banaras.

This way we see, Gujarat has Benaras connection!

Now we have the same intricate weave of Benaras brought to you by Surat based Triveni Ethnics, known for their gorgeous and vast collection of sarees. Incidentally, it is worth noting, Benarasi Saree’s pricing is prohibitive sometimes owing to various factors thus making affordability an issue. So if you want to have a collection of Benarasis in your wardrobe on a budget, take your pick from an awesome collection of Triveni’s – Shatika –  Banarsees made in Art Silk collection with beautiful traditional motifs, designs,  and styles in bright colours with Golden Zari borders.

Each saree is complemented with matching woven/brocaded blouse piece. The saree in zari brocade and in bright colours is a brilliant collection to choose from. You can order these online and get your Sarees delivered at your doorsteps.

Some elite ones preferred Zardozi over Benarasi but nothing beyond that. Times changed, so did the Bridal outfits, courtesy Bollywood brides who wore designer Lehengas, experimenting in different shades and trendy embroidery.

Lehengas became heavier by the day, heavier the lehenga, happier the bride.

So if you are planning to visit Banaras (read: Varanasi) , don’t forget to pick a beautiful Benarasi Saree.

 

Gabbar Hill or Gabbar or Gabbargadh near Ambaji Temple, Gujarat!

By whichever name you call it, it’s a place worth paying your obeisance and worth your visit, particularly if you are Mata ke Bhakt!

Gabbar (or Gabbargadh), a small hillock about four km to the west of Ambaji village, is believed to have been the original seat of the goddess, the site of Krishna’s tonsorial ceremony (ritual head-shaving), and the abode of the divine Mahishasur-Mardini.

Read on to know how we reached Gabbar and what our experience was like…

…this is fourth in the series of my Mt. Abu posts!

On the same day of reaching Mt. Abu, we decided to visit famous Ambaji temple in Gujarat, which is around 45 Kms away from Abu Road. The drive in open jeep was quite adventurous in itself, the road passes through hilly terrain and for some patch, and the road was really bad. But visiting Ambaji temple was the main purpose of my visiting Mt. Abu. Excitedly we ventured out…and reached Ambaji temple around 5 PM and aarti at Ambaji temple happens at 7 PM. Please note arti is at 6:30 AM in the morning and 6:30 PM in the evening. Follow timings and reach much before time due to huge crowds for darshan during the arti.

Mannat ke Dhaade in the backdrop

So having good two hours at hand, locals suggested that we visit Gabbar Hill which is some four kms ahead. Without knowing much about the place, we reached there and found it to be quite interesting, especially those pagdiwalas selling Butter-Milk with big dollops of butter floating on it. Tanya enjoyed this chaas very much after which we set out on our journey. We took tickets for rope-way to reach temple and ride was just awesome amidst hills, rocks, trees and clouds. After reaching there we had to climb some more steps to reach the actual temple which made a rare sight. On the flat top of the hill there is a small niche facing the temple of Ambaji, in which a well-protected lamp is kept constantly burning, and can be seen from the main Ambaji temple at night. There are footprints of the Goddess under a pipal tree, which are worshipped.

The place is just divine; you would love to be there, sit there, pray there and could feel the divine presence. There is a jyot prajwalit – 24 hours, which is visible from Ambaji temple in the night. While climbing down, you see some good handicraft stores selling memorabilia’s, which I picked up for my family & friends and then there is a food court below where you can enjoy some fast food and coming further down you can see Navratna Plants which is a rare sight. Overall, we returned happily to our original Ambaji abode – Ambaji temple.

Enjoy the beauty and divinity of Gabbar in photographs which we clicked.

Don’t miss this place while visiting Ambaji.

While climbing up the temple, I saw a huge assortment of stairs which was of around 1000 steps and my heart nearly skipped a beat, thinking what if I had to climb them to visit this place.

Ambaji is in Danta Taluka of Banaskantha district, near the Gujarat-Rajasthan border. The walk from the bus station to the temple is less than one kilometer, under a roofed walkway. Direct buses are available from many places, including Mount Abu, 45 km away, Palanpur, 65 km away, Ahmedabad, and Idar.

 

Jain Temples of Dilwara – Architectural Marvel of the World!

After our brief stay at Nakki Lake, we proceeded for Dilwara Jain temples, which was around 3 Kms away from the place…

…without any specifics in mind, just going by the mention made by Shri Balwant Jain who advised me to visit Dilwara temples while in Mt. Abu.  I have rarely missed his advice!

Couldn’t help my mind going back to school days when there was a chapter in our History book or Social Studies book ( Terms Social Sciences, Humanities were non – existent then) on Dilwara Temples and how much I wanted to visit then, but it had to happen years later…never mind!!

When we started moving towards Temple Gate, it looked to me quite unusual one from the temple perspective, why? Can’t say? But I couldn’t figure out, how far temples were located from the temple gate. Being it a hot day, Tanya insisted some Chaas (Butter-Milk) and she spotted an old woman making it and selling it. She made a rare sight, smiling face, spirited and pleasing to look at. She sits just at the entrance of parking to the temple. Tanyaa promptly hopped off to her and fondly addressed her as Daadi (Grand Mom) and over a sumptuous glass of Chaas they struck a bond. Daadi & Poti had some great conversation…till we settled down to  enter the temple.

As we entered the temple complex, we spotted some stores selling our favourite Rajasthani Costume Jewellery, and we could not resist ourselves buying some earrings, bangles, anklets what not to our heart’s content. Don’t miss out visiting these stores if you are a jewellery buff, you can pick up some great pieces at reasonable prices.

Now was the time to enter the temples. As per the norms, you had to deposit your mobile phones and other gadgets at the gate and I promptly deposited my hand bag as I wanted to freely visit the temples.  Oh Yes, don’t miss reading the entire dos and don’ts put up on the entry gate. We promptly complied with all the dos and don’ts and soon became part of the group which guide of the temple had comprised. I must say the guided tours were excellent, without any cost and we have explained everything very well. Our Group was also quite receptive where people often smiled at each other.

Now was the time to enter the temples and marvel at the architecture created in marbles for the generations to see. We really missed bringing along Tanya’s friend Jeanie who is studying Architecture at J J School of Architecture. Her takeaways would have been certainly different than mine. We were told by the guide that these were made around thousand years ago and marble from Kota was transported on elephants for 14 years.  Guide also showed us Devrani – Jethani Jahorka which took some 9 – Odd years to complete. Lord Mahavir’s Statue is made of Ashta Dhaatu where the major component is Gold weighing several Kgs which is in the main temple.  Architecture is so unique & uniform all over that you just can’t stop admiring all through. We marvel at modern architectures but they are not even a patch on the architecture of Dilwara temples.

I would like to share some specifics about the temples: The Dilwara temples are located about 2½ kilometers from Mount Abu. These Jain Temples were built by Vastapul Tejpal, Jain laymen between the 11th and 13th centuries AD and are world-famous for their stunning use of marble. The five legendary marble temples of Dilwara are a sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains. Some consider them to be one of the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world. The marble temples have an opulent entranceway, the simplicity in architecture reflecting Jain values like honesty and frugality. The temples are in the midst of a range of forested hills. A high wall shrouds the temple complex.

Although the Jains built some beautiful temples at other places in Rajasthan, some believe that none come close to these in terms of architectural perfection. The ornamental detail spreading over the minutely carved ceilings, doorways, pillars, and panels is simply marvelous.

Facilities are available for bathing, which is mandatory before puja is performed for the idols. These facilities use passive solar power to heat up the water for bathing and other things.

There are five temples in all, each with its own unique identity. Each is named after the small village in which it is located. These are:

• Vimal Vasahi, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabha.
• Luna Vasahi, dedicated to the 22nd Jain Tirthankara, Neminatha.
• Pithalhar, dedicated to the first Jain Tirthankara, Rishabha.
• Parshvanath, dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshvanatha.
• Mahavir Swami, dedicated to the last Jain Tirthankara, Mahavira.

Among all the five legendary marble temples of Dilwara, the most famous of those are the Vimal Vasahi and the Luna Vasahi temples.

I have no words and photos to share with you, for these architectural marvel, just see it believe it!

Even after stressing my mind, what I read about the temples in my Social Studies book, I could recollect only the title: Dilwara ke Jain Mandir, & here I was!

Rajasthan Tourism needs to promote Dilwara Temples like no place so that people are benefitted more from their visit to Rajasthan.

 

 

 

 

Honey Moon Point, Mt. Abu, most serene point!

 I liked that place the most & found it to be the best in entire Mt. Abu!

The reason, it is most picturesque point and on a huge height from where entire city looks just awesome!! & me and my daughter had ball of a time there!

Perched at an elevation of 4000 feet, with the backdrop of Nakki Lake and Old Gateway to Mount Abu; Honeymoon point is a must-visit if you wish to catch an exquisite view of the sun setting down the horizon. It has been named so mainly because of the Love Rock that is located here. It is often known as Anadara Point as well. This is an ideal spot if you are looking for a rather serene spot to spend your time at. This area’s untwining vibe and scenic beauty owing to the fact that this is one of the most popular attractions of Mount Abu. Hold hands, enjoy the pleasant weather and treat your eyes to the mesmerizing beauty spread all around you.

Don’t forget to spend some time there, however senior you are while in Mt. Abu!!!

See it to believe it!

I share here some beautiful clicks taken at Honeymoon point.

 

Mt. Abu – An oasis in the desert! – My Travelogue!

Our trip to Mt. Abu materialized on June 21, finally…

…by virtue of plain destiny!

Why am I saying this? It has an interesting story to boot. The tickets (hotel too)  were booked for June 21, 2017, by Aravali Express in April 2017. The dates were chosen by taking into consideration the lean season in office (Read: No Maara Maari), daughter’s summer vacation and most importantly I like to travel in Summer Vacations & Christmas Vacations always.

Enjoying the way to Mt. Abu..

But this year’s vacation came on a sticky wicket as Chief Minister’s Conclave was announced for June 21, bang on the day of my travel. Slightly disappointed about the date, I took it in stride but never mentioned to daughter and husband about the development. I made up my mind to call off the trip, still waited for some time.  After lot of deliberations, series of meetings and pile of communication with CM office…

…in the meanwhile my colleagues Bhagyashree, Reena, Prabha, Monali, Jaya, Lekha, Veena prayed hard and fast that date gets changed and I embark on my trip. Fellow HODs Joseph, Satish Kumar, and Avadhoot Rane showed concern about my trip going kaput because of the program. CEO Sir was the only positive person in the entire episode who pacified me that trip will happen, don’t worry. This way my Mt. Abu trip nearly became an officially close to a National Issue with everyone checking every now and then about the dates.  One fine morning, Satish Kumar broke the news, “Your trip is happening” as the date of CM’s Conclave had been shifted to July 5, 2017. I was relaxed that now the trip may happen, if not for any other reason.

Heartfelt thanks to all my colleagues for giving me this unique trip.

So journey by Aravali Express was quite pleasing with clean coaches, fine AC and courteous TC which reached on time too. I tweeted and thanked Suresh Prabhuji, Railway Minister for encouraging people to travel by train. It’s not for me as love traveling by Bhartiya Rail always!

Giving the busy time I was going through, I could not do desired research on Mt. Abu so everything turned out to be a pleasant surprise. On the second day of our stay in Hotel Royal Heritage, Abu Road, we hired a cab for Mount Abu which is some 30 Kms away on a hilly terrain. The road to the destination was across the hills, which I enjoyed very much and the weather was pleasant and cloudy which added to the beauty of Aravali Ranges which encapsulate the beautiful Mt. Abu. During the drive, I felt Abu was somewhat like Mussoorie but it turned out quite different. No wonder Abu is referred to as ‘an oasis in the desert’ as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests.

Our first port of disembarkation was famous Nakki Lake which is a big tourist draw among the tourists. Clouds were hovering over the entire lake and after some time it started drizzling which added to the beauty of the place. The lake is just fabulous where you can undertake boating and some adventure sports too.  Situated in the Aravali range in Mount Abu, Nakki Lake is a paradise for nature lovers. The lake in itself is about half a mile in length and quarter of a mile in width. Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed in this Holy Lake on 12 February 1948 and Gandhi Ghat was constructed.

There is a park surrounding the lake where people sit, enjoy, do picnic and click pictures (read Selfies too).  The view of the lake is quite amazing and you like being there forever. The lake has famed Toad Rock, located on a height which resembles a Toad ready to jump in the lake and I could see many tourists climbing to get the view of the beautiful hill city. It was like a package…while you visit Nakki Lake with many temples like Raghunath Temple and Maharaja Jaipur Palace on the hills surrounding it and ending your day being at beautiful sunset point which was beautifully captured in the movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.

Your trip to Nakki Lake is not complete without shopping of some handicrafts in the market located down the lake and we loved our picks too from there!

For the uninitiated, Mount Abu is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range in Sirohi district of Rajasthan state in western India, near the border with Gujarat. The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 m (5,650 ft) above sea level. The nearest train station is Abu Road railway station: 28 km away.

Much appreciate our comfortable stay in hotel Royal Heritage and hospitality extended by Dr. Tosher and his team. One cent: Hotel should accept payment by Credit & Debit Cards too!

Keep following blog for more updates on Mt. Abu.

 

 

 

 

Royal Enfield celebrates the spirit of riding with motorcycle enthusiasts as a precursor to Himalayan Odyssey

To celebrate the growing passion of community riding amongst motorcycling enthusiasts and riders, Royal Enfield hosted an event with the riding community at Royal Enfield’s exclusive gear store in Khar, Mumbai recently. The evening witnessed participation by over 30 men and women motorcycle enthusiasts and riders who engaged in conversations around Himalayan Odyssey and community riding overall. The focus of the gathering was also to encourage more people to follow their passion for motorcycling. 

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The motorcyclists spoke about how they are preparing to be on the Himalayan Odyssey. Some of the experienced riders provided some golden tips about riding in the Himalayas to those riders who are visiting that terrain for the first time.  event was a precursor to Royal Enfield’s 14^th edition of Himalayan Odyssey is being held from July 6th to July 23^rd this year.

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Himalayan Odyssey is considered one of the most gratifying motorcycle journeys in the world from Delhi to Khardung-La – the highest motorable road in the world at 18300 feet above sea level. For the 14th edition of Himalayan Odyssey this year, Royal Enfield is taking over 50 participants on the Himalayan Odyssey including men and women.  One of the biggest motorcycle ride of its kind in the world, Himalayan Odyssey will see participants traversing through some of the roughest terrains and highest mountain passes in the world covering a distance of close to 2200 kilometers in 18 days on their Enfield motorcycles.

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The Himalayas have been the mecca for motorcyclists and the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey has been their chosen journey to ride through the mighty mountains. Year on year Royal Enfield riders gather at Delhi to thump all the way to Khardung-La to experience one of the most memorable motorcycling journeys in the world. The ride will witness camaraderie of fans and participants flagging off on Saturday, 8^th July 2017 from India Gate in New Delhi. What is interesting to see is the camaraderie amongst riders from different corners of India and the world that grows stronger with every passing day.

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During the ride, the weather would shift remarkably, from scorching hot to icy cold as riders will make their way to the picturesque regions of the Himalayas, which house within themselves one of the most hostile environments for motorcycling including Narkanda, Sarchu, Jispa and Leh, all the way to Khardung-La. Each turn exposes the riders to a new landscape like no other, eventually getting them surrounded by the overwhelming beauty of the great Himalayan peaks.

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The period between the months of May and August is the ideal time when hundreds of Royal Enfield motorcyclists ride up to the Himalayas. The HO is an opportunity for passionate men and women who seek to look beyond the obvious and venture into the unchartered territories of one of the most challenging terrains in the world. A journey of self-discovery for many, the Himalayan Odyssey has given birth to inspiring stories that become a part of motorcycling folklore.

At a time when our lives have come to be defined by our professional selves, Himalayan Odyssey appeals to the free-spirited motorcycle rider in oneself and quintessential seeker of life beyond concrete jungles. The ride emphasizes on harmony with the terrain while at the same time encouraging one to overcome their personal barriers and realize the potential that lies within them. Over the past 15-20 years, scores of riders have had the pleasure of riding their Royal Enfield motorcycles through the picturesque landscape of Ladakh to Leh and then beyond to Khardung La.

To know more about #HO2017 visit: www.royalenfield.com/ho

Be a part of one of the largest communities of motorcycling enthusiasts; like Royal Enfield on Facebook –https://www.facebook.com/RoyalEnfield

Follow Royal Enfield on Twitter – https://twitter.com/royalenfield

The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the mid-sized motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic bikes. With its new manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield is able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. With more than 50% growth every year for the last 5 years, Royal Enfield is fast becoming a very important player in the global mid-size motorcycle market and is working towards re-inventing this space with motorcycles that are evocative and engaging and great fun to ride.

Royal Enfield also organizes and supports many motorcycling events and rides globally, more prominently the Rider Mania – an annual gathering of Royal Enfield riders from all over the world to the lovely beaches of Goa, and the Himalayan Odyssey, the most arduous motorcycle ride over some of the toughest roads and highest mountain passes in the Himalayas. Royal Enfield also conducts the popular ‘One Ride’ where people around the world ride out on their motorcycles on the first Sunday of April.