Rani_StarDreamer

After a long time I started writing…

As I mentioned earlier,Nostalgia of dreams. Missing something which was never yours.. Its the same old feeling after a dream Journey.

Note: There are many pictures added for better view take a moment to load completely 😊

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As usual, It was all of a sudden. Plan for my Delhi trip is set. Probably we are left with  a week in our hand.I was so excited to reach the city of my dreams -The capital of India. From my childhood was dreaming to see the place in all its glory..

DAY-1

Walking through the crowded streets of chandini chowk , crossing the mighty Gurudwar and  catching busy metros , which we felt super cool in scorching summer of 45+ degrees we reached Red fort.

 

At the very first glance of the fort eye-catcher is our flag flying high in the sky..

My heart and eyes enjoyed the flying colors for a moment and covered rest of the fort clicking few pics .

We then proceeded to eat food at Paranthe Wali gali(Food Street) .Is the legendary series of restaurants serving North Indian parathas(indian bread). The lane is famously known as Paranthe Wali gali.

There we tasted chilli paratha, nimbu paratha , gobhi paratha with a combination of lassi to keep our-self cool and happy😁.(Yummy-Tummy).We tasted authentic rabdi though our tummies are full 🤭

We then visited Lotus temple, a best place to meditate.Though the building looks like a newly constructed one however the vibes in and out bounds the soul to meditate for the peace. We just sat for sometime enjoying the soulful meditation with the chirping of birds…

Then we proceeded to reach Akshardham. The best thing here is no photography which automatically makes easy to enjoy the architecture irrespective of crowd..

At the very first glance this monument and the sunset at this place took my heart away..

I think part of my heart is still left with the flying pigeons at this place.

Ending the day with masala tea and paratha …

Though am not a shopping person markets of Delhi are worth mentioning with colorful dupattas, sarees &  lehangas they shine brightly adding to the glory..

DAY-2

We headed to Mathura and Vrindavan. History says that this is the place where Hindu deity krishna spend his childhood. A place with a magic.We saw devotees dancing and singing praying krishna.. enjoying the moment with full heart …

we were warned continuously by locals about the monkeys around😄.. The streets of The place were narrow and new for us . .With loads of happiness and in a devoted joy we left the place by tasting the best lassi. To mention the streets are filled with the aromatic flavors of milk, lassi and sweets which are believed as favorite to krishna..

they are portraits of Radha and krishna all over the market .Reminding us the beautiful love and heartfelt romance of Radha and krishna. Aww It was so beautiful.Leaving  this place was a  bit difficult task for us.

 

Streets of Mathura-

We reached back to Delhi. we somehow manged to reach the INDIA GATE.India Gate is a memorial to 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the period 1914–21 in the First World War.We witnessed India gate in our pride colors, child in me started jumping with joy.A few months back,I  did a sketch of India Gate in tri-colors .

Its a tears of joy moment for me  and Rastrapathi bhavan in its glorious lights making our day end perfect 😁

DAY-3

yayyyyy .. Traveling to the land of dreams.

A childhood memory started lingering in ma mind- My parents explaining how great the Taj is .. A monument representing love …

In the banks of yamuna river, this beauty is standing tall and strong enhancing the glory our history and mother country.We forgot the sun again. we danced like kids jumping with joy trying to understand the beauty.For a moment when I saw yamuna A question flickered ,”who is basking in the glory of whom”  Two beauties standing together. Praising the lord for giving me a chance to witness this moment..

we moved to see the rest of Agra.We had a pleasant food enjoying the each bite of it as we were very hungry by then😁. we were presented with the special sweet over there petha . If you are in Agra don’t miss to visit Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah called by localites as  baby Taj. This is regarded as draft  of TajMahal. However I started giggling with joy when I saw the beautiful monument . Am giggling again by remembering the moment. The Monument is very cute including the small baby trees in-front of it ..

Though this is different from Taj in many ways what we observed majorly was walls of baby Taj are painted with colors, we clicked many pics here.

Both at TajMahal and baby Taj we have to cover our shoes with covers sold over there which we find very funny . I mean we enjoyed wearing them and posing for the clicks🤭😁.

Then we headed to board a bus to varansi.

DAY-4

A place where Mother Ganga is flowing calling her children to touch her presence once again. overwhelmed by the moment feeling loved entered the place Varanasi.

A motherly feeling is surrounded all around the place ..

By getting ready quickly, we were excited to do the darshan of lord shiva and parvati

Prathama yogi – keeping his words of not bothered or attached to the external luxuries. Blessing his devotees in the simplest way in a simplest place. Kashi or varanasi the eternal city.  The streets of kashi,narrow roads, helpful people make the place more special.The honesty of business people and their team spirit to each other bounded me to praise them..

 

we visited other temples too which we listed earlier hiring an auto .Noted temples in this are kala bhairav and gavalamma known as brother and sister of lord vishweshwara..

I loved the way priest convey prayer to Gavalamma/koudi amma. Gavalamma means gavva is sea shell .Devotees offer gavva to Gavalamma. The priest conveys prayer “Seashell is for you and punya (virtue) for us.Bless us the completion of this kashi yatra”. With this people believe kashi darshana is completed. From ancestors kashi trip is something more auspicious so they believe virtue we gained with this is more precious.

We hired a boat to travel the ghats of kashi and to stop for the Ganga arati which takes place every evening, A spectacular view  to watch ..

The boat man we met was not less than any so called personal excellence gurus..

He shared with us many life changing moments .. his life and day to day routine..

The best ones are

1. Love is something which we carry from the world.Love everyone around you.your family colleagues your friends everyone.Only love stays at last..

2.Don’t marry anyone because you are ready.Marry when you know your existence will be glorified and honored

3.When you visit a place unknowingly you feed multiple families. the auto you travel the boat you hire, food you eat .. everything counts to your virtue and blessing of a family.. Travel for the sake of your happiness and others….

Enjoying the cold breeze touched by the mother Ganga, we stopped at dashashwamedh ghat to witness Ganga arati..

From the boat I saw it as – Am in the safe womb of my mother Ganga and the world is praising and praying for her existence. Its a soulful memory to treasure…

DAY-5

We reached early hours to the temple for attending the mangla arati of vishweshwara.

As we were in our traditional attire we clicked some pics covering the streets of kashi. After taking much needed rest.we headed to sarnath. To mention its very very pleasant.. we were so exhausted when we reached the place, however we returned with happy singing hearts.

The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna…

To my surprise I got a chance to do some plein air at this place..

There kids surrounded me asking multiple questions.Of them best noted was girl Nazia.. She was so excited pleasant soul with a smile so captivating. she continuously appreciated me. she was so happy witnessing someone painting in front of her.

Best to my surprise, kids asked me for autograph😄 .I told them am not that great I just do sketching  for time-pass out of interest .still they were very happy meeting me. we clicked many selfies on demand.I was so so happy at that moment..

isn’t humans are boosted by appreciation?

Am not less.Those pretty kids filled the heart with the admiration appreciation which I can never forget..

Lots of love 😊

We witnessed Ashoka chakra- The Lion capital of Ashoka in the museum of sarnath🇮🇳🇮🇳

Standing tall Buddha and stupa of Jain Many to add the serenity.

we experienced a glance of colorful flowers along with the floating lotus ..

Aww what a day to recollect..

 

DAY-6

Was waiting to woke up early to rush the place of sunrise Ganga arati..

how about a day starting with the sound of shankh(Conch shell).

isn’t a bliss to ears ? .. wow A moment must to witness.

The beautiful Assi Ghat with a combined beauty of arati and sun rise..

its colorful ,mindful and  peaceful..

Observing the colors, my hands started a quick sketch of assighat .A super cool start of a wonderful day..A early morning walk to touch the Ganges and sun rays . A treasured moment for life.

 

I wanna  complete one more dharshan of lord vishweswara making the count to three.

With my rest mode on ..

In the evening I started my journey to ghats of kashi..

Its pleasure walking on the banks of Ganges witnessing each ghat.Speaking with people understanding the moment.Witnessing people taking holy dip in Ganga, kids playing cricket on the narrow lane, with few sitting and enjoying the moment, many involved in their daily business,meditating sadhu’s and a few like me walking with happiness..

I started walking ..

Floating boats, Spectacular Ganges,Old constructions and history made kashi more powerful..

A place so called dream destination for many artists..

Witnessing the Indian culture history and day to day life..

I did a quick plein air at Ramghat. Where kids gathered around me.One of  them was a  little girl suggested me to  focus more on the shape of boat, though I managed to complete.As per her it can be more perfect. when I reciprocated her  with a thank you for the suggestion.She told these lines which made me stunned  “My mom will scold me if I insult elder like this. But you are  very good to accept it as suggestion. Lemme tell you one thing akka(sister) you have a beautiful smile your sketch is so beautiful like you and please remember me” . Really shocked with the maturity of hardly  5 years  kid.

I moved from the place with happiness and adding the smiles kid praised for😁😁

 

Overwhelmed by the glance of manikarnika ghat. A place where death and birth is witnessed to attain moksha. The ghat is named after the ‘Rani Of Jhansi’ who was born here .

 

 

 

Sunset lights deepa’s prayers makes the place blissful.what else for life.I understood why this is a place for the people who want to attain nirvana .

Unexpectedly as a part of my walk I witnessed Ganga arati again.Day ended blissfully..

 

 

Last day of trip

I still have time to catch ma flight so I decided to visit the BHU campus(Banaras university ) and the temple over there.Though the temple is newly constructed its standing peacefully in the campus..

I saw students studying in groups in each corner of the temple.

Reminding me the college days ..😁Mango Lassi at this place was worth to mention😁

 

In a way this Journey and the places added that serenity to my heart which I was in search for..

Every one wants to be loved and to love.

This journey gave me that love and a Better view towards it.

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Thank you and love you INDIA🇮🇳🇮🇳

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Thank you for reading ❤️ ❤️ ❤️