Category: Uttar Pradesh
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Kumbh Mela – a celebration of Sanatan Dharm
The iconic Kumbh Mela was being organized with grandeur at Prayagraj – the confluence of holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Crores of devotees had flocked to the confluence site for the ritual dip in the holy confluence on the eve of what is considered the most significant day in the 45-day religious…
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Meeting the ascetics at Mahakumbh
Kumbh Mela is much more than the bathing rituals, it is a carnival of Santan Dharm. There are religious dialogues, programs, meet and greet events, talks, spiritual learning, and a lot more. As with any carnival, there are few who turn heads and are leading lights of the event. Kumbh Mela 2025 had its own…
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Sneak peek into life at the ghats of Banaras
Ganga is much more than a river, it’s a symbol of India’s ancient culture and heritage. When the earliest men arrived at the Indian subcontinent, they settled along the banks of this river and since then, the Ganga river is inextricably linked to India’s past, present, and future. Empires flourished and perished on its banks,…
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Early morning trip to the Sarnath archaeological site
Sarnath is an excavated ruin where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. Sarnath is situated 10 km from Varanasi and its archeological museum houses the original Ashokan pillar, the national emblem of India.
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Witnessing the spectacular Ganga aarti at the Dashaswamedha Ghat, Varanasi
Along the banks, there are 88 ghats starting with the Raj Ghat in one end and the Assi Ghat in the other, each with its own spiritual significance and sperate identity in the history of this holy land. Among these ghats, the most prominent, colourful, and venerable is the Dashaswamedha Ghat. The spectacular ghat was…
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Manikarnika & Harishchandra: My experience of the cremation ghats in Varanasi
Manikarnika Ghat is among the oldest and most revered ghats of Varanasi. This is one of the two cremation ghats in Varanasi and is believed to be the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated and leads to attainment moksha.
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Prayagraj – History lessons and a spiritual dip at the Sangam
Prayagraj, earlier known as Allahabad is a town in north India situated at the confluence of there revered rivers of Hinduism – the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati.
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Prayagraj – My first impression of the town, its people and culture
That night until late, they kept adding more wood to the fire and stories ket flowing – Yogiji, the Ganges river, the Kumbh Mela, the bitter cold and many more; there was no end to it. One cannot imagine this in Bengaluru not because Bengaluru is not as cold, that’s because people in Bengaluru are…
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Exploring Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned fort of Akbar the Great
Fatehpur Sikri is a desolate fort complex, originally built to serve as the residence and seat of power of the great Mughal emperor Akbar.
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Walking on Krishna’s trail: Mathura and Vrindavan
Mathura & Vrindavan – the two holy places where all his childhood pastimes unfolded, where he left a broken heart in each house yet he resides in each heart, each home; where people call him chor (thief) as well as thakurji (lord)
Jolly Miles 