Latest news with #MahaShivaratri
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Haridwar prepares for Kanwar Mela; 5 crore pilgrims expected
SSP Haridwar Pramendra Dobal has issued directives to begin arrangements. HARIDWAR: The police and administration in Haridwar have begun preparations for the upcoming Kanwar Mela, northern India's largest religious gathering. During the Shravan month, devotees from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab journey to Haridwar to collect sacred Ganga water. SSP Haridwar Pramendra Dobal has issued directives to begin arrangements. The Kanwar Yatra will commence on July 13 and conclude on July 23 during Maha Shivaratri. Officials anticipate around 5 crore pilgrims visiting the holy city during the 12-day Kanwar Yatra this year. The authorities plan to establish additional parking facilities for Dak Kawar. The local administration has also ordered enhanced sanitation measures to address the challenge of preventing open defecation. SSP Dobal told TOI, "Crowd and traffic management is the biggest task for us, as the number of Dak Kawariyas has been increasing continuously for the past few years. I ordered the removal of encroachment from the Kanwar route, and a parking space will be increased too.' The SSP said that last year, more than four crore Kanwariyas visited Haridwar. Haridwar Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar told TOI, "We will install extra public toilets on the Kanwar Yatra route and the entire Kanwar Mela area. Extra sanitation workers will be deployed for the cleanliness drive,' adding that the locals as well as the pilgrims are being encouraged to keep the Ganga and riverbanks clean.
The Advertiser
14-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Living gods, ancient rites: journey through the heartlands of India and Nepal
"No phones. No cameras. No talking." After delivering these terse instructions, the man disappears from the open window. There's a hush of anticipation from those gathered in the courtyard below before a child's face appears, her lips and cheeks scarlet, her eyes winged with black. Some people bow their heads and fold their hands in supplication, others just look up at her, spellbound. Ethereally beautiful with porcelain skin and an elaborate headdress, she regards us solemnly, seeming to rest her eyes on each person by turn. It feels like barely a minute before she steps back from the window and the man pulls the wooden lattice closed. We have just had a brief audience with the Kumari, the living goddess, a 10-year-old child believed by the Hindus to be the reincarnation of the warrior goddess Taleju, while Nepal's Buddhists credit her with being the tantric goddess Vajradevi reborn. Both believe she's capable of healing the sick with her blessing. This is just one of many pinch-me experiences in an action-packed 12-day tour of Kathmandu and India's Golden Triangle. It's my first time on a group tour and at a meet and greet on the first afternoon, I'm relieved to find everyone seems very nice. There's a mix of older couples and friends, a mother and daughter, plus myself and one other solo traveller, 18 of us in total, from Australia, the US, the UK and Singapore, plus Insight Vacations' tour director Virendra and in Nepal, our local guide Milan. After a bicycle rickshaw ride through the crammed laneways of Thamel, where strings of prayer flags flutter overhead and the smell of cooking wafts from street stalls, our drivers skilfully navigating pedestrians, bikes, sidewalk vendors and surprisingly well-cared-for street dogs, our group gets further acquainted at dinner. Baber Mahal is a series of restored courtyards and stables of the former residence of descendants of Nepal's longest-ruling prime minister and is now home to galleries, shops and restaurants like Baithak, where we enjoy a thali and toast the start of our adventure with a shot of fiery local liquor. The following day is the eve of Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's birthday and our first stop, Pashupatinath Temple is already thrumming with crowds. Milan tells us that Nepal celebrates 401 festivals each year and tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of devotees will flock here to honour the god, making campfires along the river and smoking marijuana, the only day it's legal to do so. We walk along the waterway lined with temples and shrines, where people sit cross-legged selling garlands of marigolds and small lotus lamps that buyers light and launch into the river. We are trailed by vendors - extraordinarily beautiful women entreating us to buy their jewellery or woven cloth purses. Sadhus, holy men with painted faces and knotted ropes of hair, sit on a bench, posing for pictures in exchange for rupees. As non-Hindus, we're not allowed into the actual temple, but we stand on the bank of the sluggish Bagmati River watching the action and listening to the resonant rumble of chants and prayers. Life and death are lived in the public eye here and somehow it doesn't feel intrusive or macabre to be observing from a distance the outdoor crematoriums, where families gather to farewell their loved ones who have been wrapped in white sheets and placed on burning wood pyres. Thick plumes of smoke rise and curl around sloped pagoda roofs where monkeys, indifferent to the human dramas being played out below, groom each other or squabble. Our itinerary includes a visit to Boudhanath Stupa - one of the biggest stupas in the world - with two giant eyes painted on its golden tower. Buddhist monks perform "koras" walking around its base, rolling prayer wheels while other devotees prostrate themselves in the courtyard. We call into the Thangka Painting School beside the stupa to watch artists, seated on the floor who paint intricate mandalas used for prayer or meditation, in colours made from ground semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, many taking years to complete. Constructed in the shape of a mandala, Patan, in the Kathmandu Valley, once known as: "Lalitpur, City of Fine Arts", dates from 225 BCE. We wander through the Royal Palace buildings, admiring the intricately carved stone and wood temples and browse the bronze and stone sculptures, woodcarvings and photographs at the Patan Museum. On a hill above the valley, up 360-something steps is Swayambhunath, aka the monkey temple, one of the most venerated Buddhist stupas in the world and - at more than 2600 years old - one of the oldest. In addition to the stupa (and the many entertaining monkeys) are shrines, temples and monasteries and if not for the smog, a beautiful panorama of Kathmandu. One of the most ubiquitous local products, sold in every souvenir shop and hawked by countless street traders, is the singing bowl, used for both meditation and healing. They cost just a few dollars but the real deal, made from seven types of metal, can fetch hundreds, we learn at a singing-bowl centre. Despite some initial scepticism, everyone in the group ends up taking a turn standing in a huge bowl while the owner runs a gong around the rim until it begins to hum, the intense reverberations travelling through our bodies supposedly unblocking chakras, and reducing aches and pains. At Bhaktapur, Nepal's former ancient capital where Bertolucci's Little Buddha was filmed, we wander a square filled with temples with intricately carved facades, multi-storied pagodas and shrines. Some are still in a state of disrepair while others have been rebuilt following the devastating 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur is also famous for its artisans, painters, wood carvers and potters, and in Pottery Square, we watch the latter work in tiny open studios facing the street, spinning wheels with the local dark mud, their wares lined up under the sun to dry. The characteristic brick and wood temples, palaces and pagodas of Kathmandu's Durbar Square, date from the 11th to 17th centuries. Once the homes of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled the city, they've also been rebuilt post-earthquake. After exploring this extraordinary UNESCO site and our audience with the Kumari, at the House of Living Goddess in the south of the square, we amble down "Freak Street", where flower children and musicians such as Jim Morrison and Cat Stevens hung out in the 70s when Kathmandu was an essential stop on the hippie trail. Today, the trail many visitors choose to follow is north to the mountains, to trek or climb. We're not here for either, but on our last night in Nepal, Maya Sherpa, a famous mountaineer and guide who has climbed eight out of 14 of the world's highest peaks, gives a fascinating talk about what it's like to conquer Everest and K2. The closest we get to Nepal's most legendary peaks is the view of the Annapurna Ranges from the plane as we fly across it into India. The city is far greener than I'd imagined, with wide tree-lined avenues. We visit Hindu places of worship and elaborate marble mosques and pay homage to one of India's greatest statesmen, Mahatma Gandhi, at his flower-bedecked memorial. Delhi is also home to the largest wholesale spice market in the world, Khari Baoli, which we explore on foot. We are all connected via an earpiece so can hear Virendra's commentary even if we have to walk the teeming narrow alleyways in single file. Men perch on sacks, smoking, or weave through the crowds with bags on their shoulders, while shoppers pick through knobs of yellow-dusted turmeric and small fiery chillies, pods of cardamom, and rolls of cinnamon bark. Back on the bus, our next stop is the golden-domed Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple, once a Rajput King's home. Its marble gates are inlaid with semi-precious stone and a holy bathing pond attracts the faithful, seeking a cure for their ailments. The temple also has a cavernous space, called the langar hall where people come to eat, sitting on the floor. The mosque feeds everyone for free, regardless of religion, race or financial circumstance - up to 40,000 per day and more on holidays, Virendra tells us. On a tour through the massive kitchens, we watch volunteers stirring pots the size of witches' cauldrons, filled with fragrant lentil dhal, while outsized deep-fry baskets are plunged into hot oil and women chat around a low table while shaping flatbreads. We end the Delhi visit with a trip to Humayun's Tomb, commissioned by Empress Bega Begum for her husband Emperor Mirza in 1572 at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. A massive red sandstone edifice, almost Taj-like in its grandeur and surrounded by Persian-style gardens, it's a reminder of the astonishing wealth this country once boasted. It's a six-hour drive to Jaipur in Rajasthan, but between taking in the passing scenery and chatting with fellow travellers, it passes quickly. I'm surprised at how green this desert state is, but Virendra tells us there's been an unusual amount of rain over the last few years. Jaipur aka the Pink City dates from 1726 with the buildings painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876. Our coach deposits us at Man Sagar Lake, where a snake charmer plays a flute-like "pungi", a hooded cobra swaying in its basket and a sign warns that crocodiles inhabit the water. Built in the middle of the lake, seeming to float on its surface, is the Water Palace, Jal Mahal, a Rajput-style palace built in the 1700s by a maharajah as a hunting lodge. We travel by jeep convoy up the plateau to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing tourists who have chosen to ride elephants up, a practice I'm grateful Insight eschews. The massive 16th-century stronghold constructed from pink and yellow sandstone feels surreal, like an opulent movie set. With a designated meeting place, our group splits up and we wander through ornate gateways, covered in exquisite Islamic-style tiling and into open courtyards. In a colonnaded hall, a bride in a heavily beaded sari is having a pre-wedding photo shoot with her groom. I walk up the fort's ramparts, for the 360-degree view of the shimmering lake and the Aravalli hills. We also visit City Palace, a royal residence constructed in 1732 combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles, then experience some of Jaipur's famous arts - printing and gemstones. At an atelier, we watch lengths of pure Indian cotton being hand-stamped with wooden blocks, before moving to a gem showroom to see precious and semi-precious stones cut and polished and turned into exquisite jewellery. I ask to be shown the most expensive piece and the owner fetches an emerald and diamond ring worth a cool $780,000. It's an early morning start to beat the crowds at the Taj Mahal. It's cool and there's a slight haze that only seems to accentuate the ethereal quality of what is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The white marble shrine was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees or about $1291 million today. Virendra points out where some of the semi-precious stones in the facade have been chipped out and stolen, in spite of the heavy security. The tomb is surprisingly compact inside but is surrounded by a 17-hectare complex, including gardens and a mosque whose two towers have a slight outward lean, purposefully constructed so that in the event of an earthquake, they'll fall away from rather than onto the tomb. After a visit to the imposing 17th-century Agra Fort, there's a choice of activities, either a guided walk through a local village or a visit to Sheroes Hangout. This cafe is run by women who've been the victims of acid attacks, targeted by rejected suitors or as part of a feud against their families. Their stories are horrifying, but despite their trauma, these brave young women face the public daily, with optimism and self-belief. The bill for the simple but excellent food is by donation and there are handicrafts and souvenirs to buy, with sales contributing to supporting the women in their medical recovery, legal pursuit of their attackers and job training. After flying to Varanasi, we have time to freshen up before heading out again. Running through the holiest of Indian cities is the most revered of rivers, the Ganges, said to have the powers of purification. Below a trio of massive praying hand sculptures on the bank, we climb into a wooden boat for a sail down the river as dusk falls, with flowers and diyas - little oil lamps - floating past. There are 84 ghats along the river, buildings with steps down to the water, where each evening, the Ganga Aarti ritual plays out. We tie up alongside other boats to witness the exuberant Hindu spiritual ceremonies, where priests swing multi-tiered oil lamps, accompanied by the crowd's rhythmic chants and ringing bells to honour the river goddess Ganga. It's frenetic and an utterly mesmerising spectacle. Varanasi is as equally important to the Buddhists. Sarnath, about 11 kilometres from the city, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for them, as the place where Buddha himself first preached to his five disciples below a bodhi tree, which still exists today. There's a huge stupa and a large expanse of gardens, but the monasteries, once home to nearly 3000 monks and dating from the 3rd century BCE are ruins, destroyed by Muslim invaders, and over subsequent centuries, further looted. Even the bricks of the Dharmarajika Stupa, believed to have contained the bones of the Buddha, were taken in 1794 to use for construction, the bones thrown into the Ganges, the fate of the gems unknown. Other excavations, in the early 20th century, found artefacts now on display at the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. It's our last evening in India and we share a convivial final group dinner at the hotel, comparing our personal highlights, toasting the end of the trip with a very fine glass of local red and vowing to stay in touch. The writer was a guest of Insight Vacations The Tour: Insight Vacation's Classic India and Nepal tour costs from $6995 per person. From December, the company will also be offering the tour on some dates as a women-only trip with a few different experiences, from $7750. Getting around: Travel is by coach and plane. There are two longish travel days on the coach, but there are frequent rest and lunch stops. Three short flights are also included, two on Air India and one with low-cost carrier IndiGo. Accommodation: All hotels are four or four-and-a-half star, with pools, spas and often extensive gardens. The food: Most meals are included. Those that are not are taken at pre-arranged restaurants as a group or can be taken at the hotel. The verdict: Our tour director was excellent and very knowledgeable, as was our guide in Kathmandu. I'm far less apprehensive about the idea of group travel now and would definitely do it again, particularly to destinations that can be more challenging to navigate solo. "No phones. No cameras. No talking." After delivering these terse instructions, the man disappears from the open window. There's a hush of anticipation from those gathered in the courtyard below before a child's face appears, her lips and cheeks scarlet, her eyes winged with black. Some people bow their heads and fold their hands in supplication, others just look up at her, spellbound. Ethereally beautiful with porcelain skin and an elaborate headdress, she regards us solemnly, seeming to rest her eyes on each person by turn. It feels like barely a minute before she steps back from the window and the man pulls the wooden lattice closed. We have just had a brief audience with the Kumari, the living goddess, a 10-year-old child believed by the Hindus to be the reincarnation of the warrior goddess Taleju, while Nepal's Buddhists credit her with being the tantric goddess Vajradevi reborn. Both believe she's capable of healing the sick with her blessing. This is just one of many pinch-me experiences in an action-packed 12-day tour of Kathmandu and India's Golden Triangle. It's my first time on a group tour and at a meet and greet on the first afternoon, I'm relieved to find everyone seems very nice. There's a mix of older couples and friends, a mother and daughter, plus myself and one other solo traveller, 18 of us in total, from Australia, the US, the UK and Singapore, plus Insight Vacations' tour director Virendra and in Nepal, our local guide Milan. After a bicycle rickshaw ride through the crammed laneways of Thamel, where strings of prayer flags flutter overhead and the smell of cooking wafts from street stalls, our drivers skilfully navigating pedestrians, bikes, sidewalk vendors and surprisingly well-cared-for street dogs, our group gets further acquainted at dinner. Baber Mahal is a series of restored courtyards and stables of the former residence of descendants of Nepal's longest-ruling prime minister and is now home to galleries, shops and restaurants like Baithak, where we enjoy a thali and toast the start of our adventure with a shot of fiery local liquor. The following day is the eve of Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's birthday and our first stop, Pashupatinath Temple is already thrumming with crowds. Milan tells us that Nepal celebrates 401 festivals each year and tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of devotees will flock here to honour the god, making campfires along the river and smoking marijuana, the only day it's legal to do so. We walk along the waterway lined with temples and shrines, where people sit cross-legged selling garlands of marigolds and small lotus lamps that buyers light and launch into the river. We are trailed by vendors - extraordinarily beautiful women entreating us to buy their jewellery or woven cloth purses. Sadhus, holy men with painted faces and knotted ropes of hair, sit on a bench, posing for pictures in exchange for rupees. As non-Hindus, we're not allowed into the actual temple, but we stand on the bank of the sluggish Bagmati River watching the action and listening to the resonant rumble of chants and prayers. Life and death are lived in the public eye here and somehow it doesn't feel intrusive or macabre to be observing from a distance the outdoor crematoriums, where families gather to farewell their loved ones who have been wrapped in white sheets and placed on burning wood pyres. Thick plumes of smoke rise and curl around sloped pagoda roofs where monkeys, indifferent to the human dramas being played out below, groom each other or squabble. Our itinerary includes a visit to Boudhanath Stupa - one of the biggest stupas in the world - with two giant eyes painted on its golden tower. Buddhist monks perform "koras" walking around its base, rolling prayer wheels while other devotees prostrate themselves in the courtyard. We call into the Thangka Painting School beside the stupa to watch artists, seated on the floor who paint intricate mandalas used for prayer or meditation, in colours made from ground semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, many taking years to complete. Constructed in the shape of a mandala, Patan, in the Kathmandu Valley, once known as: "Lalitpur, City of Fine Arts", dates from 225 BCE. We wander through the Royal Palace buildings, admiring the intricately carved stone and wood temples and browse the bronze and stone sculptures, woodcarvings and photographs at the Patan Museum. On a hill above the valley, up 360-something steps is Swayambhunath, aka the monkey temple, one of the most venerated Buddhist stupas in the world and - at more than 2600 years old - one of the oldest. In addition to the stupa (and the many entertaining monkeys) are shrines, temples and monasteries and if not for the smog, a beautiful panorama of Kathmandu. One of the most ubiquitous local products, sold in every souvenir shop and hawked by countless street traders, is the singing bowl, used for both meditation and healing. They cost just a few dollars but the real deal, made from seven types of metal, can fetch hundreds, we learn at a singing-bowl centre. Despite some initial scepticism, everyone in the group ends up taking a turn standing in a huge bowl while the owner runs a gong around the rim until it begins to hum, the intense reverberations travelling through our bodies supposedly unblocking chakras, and reducing aches and pains. At Bhaktapur, Nepal's former ancient capital where Bertolucci's Little Buddha was filmed, we wander a square filled with temples with intricately carved facades, multi-storied pagodas and shrines. Some are still in a state of disrepair while others have been rebuilt following the devastating 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur is also famous for its artisans, painters, wood carvers and potters, and in Pottery Square, we watch the latter work in tiny open studios facing the street, spinning wheels with the local dark mud, their wares lined up under the sun to dry. The characteristic brick and wood temples, palaces and pagodas of Kathmandu's Durbar Square, date from the 11th to 17th centuries. Once the homes of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled the city, they've also been rebuilt post-earthquake. After exploring this extraordinary UNESCO site and our audience with the Kumari, at the House of Living Goddess in the south of the square, we amble down "Freak Street", where flower children and musicians such as Jim Morrison and Cat Stevens hung out in the 70s when Kathmandu was an essential stop on the hippie trail. Today, the trail many visitors choose to follow is north to the mountains, to trek or climb. We're not here for either, but on our last night in Nepal, Maya Sherpa, a famous mountaineer and guide who has climbed eight out of 14 of the world's highest peaks, gives a fascinating talk about what it's like to conquer Everest and K2. The closest we get to Nepal's most legendary peaks is the view of the Annapurna Ranges from the plane as we fly across it into India. The city is far greener than I'd imagined, with wide tree-lined avenues. We visit Hindu places of worship and elaborate marble mosques and pay homage to one of India's greatest statesmen, Mahatma Gandhi, at his flower-bedecked memorial. Delhi is also home to the largest wholesale spice market in the world, Khari Baoli, which we explore on foot. We are all connected via an earpiece so can hear Virendra's commentary even if we have to walk the teeming narrow alleyways in single file. Men perch on sacks, smoking, or weave through the crowds with bags on their shoulders, while shoppers pick through knobs of yellow-dusted turmeric and small fiery chillies, pods of cardamom, and rolls of cinnamon bark. Back on the bus, our next stop is the golden-domed Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple, once a Rajput King's home. Its marble gates are inlaid with semi-precious stone and a holy bathing pond attracts the faithful, seeking a cure for their ailments. The temple also has a cavernous space, called the langar hall where people come to eat, sitting on the floor. The mosque feeds everyone for free, regardless of religion, race or financial circumstance - up to 40,000 per day and more on holidays, Virendra tells us. On a tour through the massive kitchens, we watch volunteers stirring pots the size of witches' cauldrons, filled with fragrant lentil dhal, while outsized deep-fry baskets are plunged into hot oil and women chat around a low table while shaping flatbreads. We end the Delhi visit with a trip to Humayun's Tomb, commissioned by Empress Bega Begum for her husband Emperor Mirza in 1572 at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. A massive red sandstone edifice, almost Taj-like in its grandeur and surrounded by Persian-style gardens, it's a reminder of the astonishing wealth this country once boasted. It's a six-hour drive to Jaipur in Rajasthan, but between taking in the passing scenery and chatting with fellow travellers, it passes quickly. I'm surprised at how green this desert state is, but Virendra tells us there's been an unusual amount of rain over the last few years. Jaipur aka the Pink City dates from 1726 with the buildings painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876. Our coach deposits us at Man Sagar Lake, where a snake charmer plays a flute-like "pungi", a hooded cobra swaying in its basket and a sign warns that crocodiles inhabit the water. Built in the middle of the lake, seeming to float on its surface, is the Water Palace, Jal Mahal, a Rajput-style palace built in the 1700s by a maharajah as a hunting lodge. We travel by jeep convoy up the plateau to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing tourists who have chosen to ride elephants up, a practice I'm grateful Insight eschews. The massive 16th-century stronghold constructed from pink and yellow sandstone feels surreal, like an opulent movie set. With a designated meeting place, our group splits up and we wander through ornate gateways, covered in exquisite Islamic-style tiling and into open courtyards. In a colonnaded hall, a bride in a heavily beaded sari is having a pre-wedding photo shoot with her groom. I walk up the fort's ramparts, for the 360-degree view of the shimmering lake and the Aravalli hills. We also visit City Palace, a royal residence constructed in 1732 combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles, then experience some of Jaipur's famous arts - printing and gemstones. At an atelier, we watch lengths of pure Indian cotton being hand-stamped with wooden blocks, before moving to a gem showroom to see precious and semi-precious stones cut and polished and turned into exquisite jewellery. I ask to be shown the most expensive piece and the owner fetches an emerald and diamond ring worth a cool $780,000. It's an early morning start to beat the crowds at the Taj Mahal. It's cool and there's a slight haze that only seems to accentuate the ethereal quality of what is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The white marble shrine was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees or about $1291 million today. Virendra points out where some of the semi-precious stones in the facade have been chipped out and stolen, in spite of the heavy security. The tomb is surprisingly compact inside but is surrounded by a 17-hectare complex, including gardens and a mosque whose two towers have a slight outward lean, purposefully constructed so that in the event of an earthquake, they'll fall away from rather than onto the tomb. After a visit to the imposing 17th-century Agra Fort, there's a choice of activities, either a guided walk through a local village or a visit to Sheroes Hangout. This cafe is run by women who've been the victims of acid attacks, targeted by rejected suitors or as part of a feud against their families. Their stories are horrifying, but despite their trauma, these brave young women face the public daily, with optimism and self-belief. The bill for the simple but excellent food is by donation and there are handicrafts and souvenirs to buy, with sales contributing to supporting the women in their medical recovery, legal pursuit of their attackers and job training. After flying to Varanasi, we have time to freshen up before heading out again. Running through the holiest of Indian cities is the most revered of rivers, the Ganges, said to have the powers of purification. Below a trio of massive praying hand sculptures on the bank, we climb into a wooden boat for a sail down the river as dusk falls, with flowers and diyas - little oil lamps - floating past. There are 84 ghats along the river, buildings with steps down to the water, where each evening, the Ganga Aarti ritual plays out. We tie up alongside other boats to witness the exuberant Hindu spiritual ceremonies, where priests swing multi-tiered oil lamps, accompanied by the crowd's rhythmic chants and ringing bells to honour the river goddess Ganga. It's frenetic and an utterly mesmerising spectacle. Varanasi is as equally important to the Buddhists. Sarnath, about 11 kilometres from the city, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for them, as the place where Buddha himself first preached to his five disciples below a bodhi tree, which still exists today. There's a huge stupa and a large expanse of gardens, but the monasteries, once home to nearly 3000 monks and dating from the 3rd century BCE are ruins, destroyed by Muslim invaders, and over subsequent centuries, further looted. Even the bricks of the Dharmarajika Stupa, believed to have contained the bones of the Buddha, were taken in 1794 to use for construction, the bones thrown into the Ganges, the fate of the gems unknown. Other excavations, in the early 20th century, found artefacts now on display at the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. It's our last evening in India and we share a convivial final group dinner at the hotel, comparing our personal highlights, toasting the end of the trip with a very fine glass of local red and vowing to stay in touch. The writer was a guest of Insight Vacations The Tour: Insight Vacation's Classic India and Nepal tour costs from $6995 per person. From December, the company will also be offering the tour on some dates as a women-only trip with a few different experiences, from $7750. Getting around: Travel is by coach and plane. There are two longish travel days on the coach, but there are frequent rest and lunch stops. Three short flights are also included, two on Air India and one with low-cost carrier IndiGo. Accommodation: All hotels are four or four-and-a-half star, with pools, spas and often extensive gardens. The food: Most meals are included. Those that are not are taken at pre-arranged restaurants as a group or can be taken at the hotel. The verdict: Our tour director was excellent and very knowledgeable, as was our guide in Kathmandu. I'm far less apprehensive about the idea of group travel now and would definitely do it again, particularly to destinations that can be more challenging to navigate solo. "No phones. No cameras. No talking." After delivering these terse instructions, the man disappears from the open window. There's a hush of anticipation from those gathered in the courtyard below before a child's face appears, her lips and cheeks scarlet, her eyes winged with black. Some people bow their heads and fold their hands in supplication, others just look up at her, spellbound. Ethereally beautiful with porcelain skin and an elaborate headdress, she regards us solemnly, seeming to rest her eyes on each person by turn. It feels like barely a minute before she steps back from the window and the man pulls the wooden lattice closed. We have just had a brief audience with the Kumari, the living goddess, a 10-year-old child believed by the Hindus to be the reincarnation of the warrior goddess Taleju, while Nepal's Buddhists credit her with being the tantric goddess Vajradevi reborn. Both believe she's capable of healing the sick with her blessing. This is just one of many pinch-me experiences in an action-packed 12-day tour of Kathmandu and India's Golden Triangle. It's my first time on a group tour and at a meet and greet on the first afternoon, I'm relieved to find everyone seems very nice. There's a mix of older couples and friends, a mother and daughter, plus myself and one other solo traveller, 18 of us in total, from Australia, the US, the UK and Singapore, plus Insight Vacations' tour director Virendra and in Nepal, our local guide Milan. After a bicycle rickshaw ride through the crammed laneways of Thamel, where strings of prayer flags flutter overhead and the smell of cooking wafts from street stalls, our drivers skilfully navigating pedestrians, bikes, sidewalk vendors and surprisingly well-cared-for street dogs, our group gets further acquainted at dinner. Baber Mahal is a series of restored courtyards and stables of the former residence of descendants of Nepal's longest-ruling prime minister and is now home to galleries, shops and restaurants like Baithak, where we enjoy a thali and toast the start of our adventure with a shot of fiery local liquor. The following day is the eve of Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's birthday and our first stop, Pashupatinath Temple is already thrumming with crowds. Milan tells us that Nepal celebrates 401 festivals each year and tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of devotees will flock here to honour the god, making campfires along the river and smoking marijuana, the only day it's legal to do so. We walk along the waterway lined with temples and shrines, where people sit cross-legged selling garlands of marigolds and small lotus lamps that buyers light and launch into the river. We are trailed by vendors - extraordinarily beautiful women entreating us to buy their jewellery or woven cloth purses. Sadhus, holy men with painted faces and knotted ropes of hair, sit on a bench, posing for pictures in exchange for rupees. As non-Hindus, we're not allowed into the actual temple, but we stand on the bank of the sluggish Bagmati River watching the action and listening to the resonant rumble of chants and prayers. Life and death are lived in the public eye here and somehow it doesn't feel intrusive or macabre to be observing from a distance the outdoor crematoriums, where families gather to farewell their loved ones who have been wrapped in white sheets and placed on burning wood pyres. Thick plumes of smoke rise and curl around sloped pagoda roofs where monkeys, indifferent to the human dramas being played out below, groom each other or squabble. Our itinerary includes a visit to Boudhanath Stupa - one of the biggest stupas in the world - with two giant eyes painted on its golden tower. Buddhist monks perform "koras" walking around its base, rolling prayer wheels while other devotees prostrate themselves in the courtyard. We call into the Thangka Painting School beside the stupa to watch artists, seated on the floor who paint intricate mandalas used for prayer or meditation, in colours made from ground semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, many taking years to complete. Constructed in the shape of a mandala, Patan, in the Kathmandu Valley, once known as: "Lalitpur, City of Fine Arts", dates from 225 BCE. We wander through the Royal Palace buildings, admiring the intricately carved stone and wood temples and browse the bronze and stone sculptures, woodcarvings and photographs at the Patan Museum. On a hill above the valley, up 360-something steps is Swayambhunath, aka the monkey temple, one of the most venerated Buddhist stupas in the world and - at more than 2600 years old - one of the oldest. In addition to the stupa (and the many entertaining monkeys) are shrines, temples and monasteries and if not for the smog, a beautiful panorama of Kathmandu. One of the most ubiquitous local products, sold in every souvenir shop and hawked by countless street traders, is the singing bowl, used for both meditation and healing. They cost just a few dollars but the real deal, made from seven types of metal, can fetch hundreds, we learn at a singing-bowl centre. Despite some initial scepticism, everyone in the group ends up taking a turn standing in a huge bowl while the owner runs a gong around the rim until it begins to hum, the intense reverberations travelling through our bodies supposedly unblocking chakras, and reducing aches and pains. At Bhaktapur, Nepal's former ancient capital where Bertolucci's Little Buddha was filmed, we wander a square filled with temples with intricately carved facades, multi-storied pagodas and shrines. Some are still in a state of disrepair while others have been rebuilt following the devastating 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur is also famous for its artisans, painters, wood carvers and potters, and in Pottery Square, we watch the latter work in tiny open studios facing the street, spinning wheels with the local dark mud, their wares lined up under the sun to dry. The characteristic brick and wood temples, palaces and pagodas of Kathmandu's Durbar Square, date from the 11th to 17th centuries. Once the homes of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled the city, they've also been rebuilt post-earthquake. After exploring this extraordinary UNESCO site and our audience with the Kumari, at the House of Living Goddess in the south of the square, we amble down "Freak Street", where flower children and musicians such as Jim Morrison and Cat Stevens hung out in the 70s when Kathmandu was an essential stop on the hippie trail. Today, the trail many visitors choose to follow is north to the mountains, to trek or climb. We're not here for either, but on our last night in Nepal, Maya Sherpa, a famous mountaineer and guide who has climbed eight out of 14 of the world's highest peaks, gives a fascinating talk about what it's like to conquer Everest and K2. The closest we get to Nepal's most legendary peaks is the view of the Annapurna Ranges from the plane as we fly across it into India. The city is far greener than I'd imagined, with wide tree-lined avenues. We visit Hindu places of worship and elaborate marble mosques and pay homage to one of India's greatest statesmen, Mahatma Gandhi, at his flower-bedecked memorial. Delhi is also home to the largest wholesale spice market in the world, Khari Baoli, which we explore on foot. We are all connected via an earpiece so can hear Virendra's commentary even if we have to walk the teeming narrow alleyways in single file. Men perch on sacks, smoking, or weave through the crowds with bags on their shoulders, while shoppers pick through knobs of yellow-dusted turmeric and small fiery chillies, pods of cardamom, and rolls of cinnamon bark. Back on the bus, our next stop is the golden-domed Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple, once a Rajput King's home. Its marble gates are inlaid with semi-precious stone and a holy bathing pond attracts the faithful, seeking a cure for their ailments. The temple also has a cavernous space, called the langar hall where people come to eat, sitting on the floor. The mosque feeds everyone for free, regardless of religion, race or financial circumstance - up to 40,000 per day and more on holidays, Virendra tells us. On a tour through the massive kitchens, we watch volunteers stirring pots the size of witches' cauldrons, filled with fragrant lentil dhal, while outsized deep-fry baskets are plunged into hot oil and women chat around a low table while shaping flatbreads. We end the Delhi visit with a trip to Humayun's Tomb, commissioned by Empress Bega Begum for her husband Emperor Mirza in 1572 at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. A massive red sandstone edifice, almost Taj-like in its grandeur and surrounded by Persian-style gardens, it's a reminder of the astonishing wealth this country once boasted. It's a six-hour drive to Jaipur in Rajasthan, but between taking in the passing scenery and chatting with fellow travellers, it passes quickly. I'm surprised at how green this desert state is, but Virendra tells us there's been an unusual amount of rain over the last few years. Jaipur aka the Pink City dates from 1726 with the buildings painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876. Our coach deposits us at Man Sagar Lake, where a snake charmer plays a flute-like "pungi", a hooded cobra swaying in its basket and a sign warns that crocodiles inhabit the water. Built in the middle of the lake, seeming to float on its surface, is the Water Palace, Jal Mahal, a Rajput-style palace built in the 1700s by a maharajah as a hunting lodge. We travel by jeep convoy up the plateau to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing tourists who have chosen to ride elephants up, a practice I'm grateful Insight eschews. The massive 16th-century stronghold constructed from pink and yellow sandstone feels surreal, like an opulent movie set. With a designated meeting place, our group splits up and we wander through ornate gateways, covered in exquisite Islamic-style tiling and into open courtyards. In a colonnaded hall, a bride in a heavily beaded sari is having a pre-wedding photo shoot with her groom. I walk up the fort's ramparts, for the 360-degree view of the shimmering lake and the Aravalli hills. We also visit City Palace, a royal residence constructed in 1732 combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles, then experience some of Jaipur's famous arts - printing and gemstones. At an atelier, we watch lengths of pure Indian cotton being hand-stamped with wooden blocks, before moving to a gem showroom to see precious and semi-precious stones cut and polished and turned into exquisite jewellery. I ask to be shown the most expensive piece and the owner fetches an emerald and diamond ring worth a cool $780,000. It's an early morning start to beat the crowds at the Taj Mahal. It's cool and there's a slight haze that only seems to accentuate the ethereal quality of what is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The white marble shrine was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees or about $1291 million today. Virendra points out where some of the semi-precious stones in the facade have been chipped out and stolen, in spite of the heavy security. The tomb is surprisingly compact inside but is surrounded by a 17-hectare complex, including gardens and a mosque whose two towers have a slight outward lean, purposefully constructed so that in the event of an earthquake, they'll fall away from rather than onto the tomb. After a visit to the imposing 17th-century Agra Fort, there's a choice of activities, either a guided walk through a local village or a visit to Sheroes Hangout. This cafe is run by women who've been the victims of acid attacks, targeted by rejected suitors or as part of a feud against their families. Their stories are horrifying, but despite their trauma, these brave young women face the public daily, with optimism and self-belief. The bill for the simple but excellent food is by donation and there are handicrafts and souvenirs to buy, with sales contributing to supporting the women in their medical recovery, legal pursuit of their attackers and job training. After flying to Varanasi, we have time to freshen up before heading out again. Running through the holiest of Indian cities is the most revered of rivers, the Ganges, said to have the powers of purification. Below a trio of massive praying hand sculptures on the bank, we climb into a wooden boat for a sail down the river as dusk falls, with flowers and diyas - little oil lamps - floating past. There are 84 ghats along the river, buildings with steps down to the water, where each evening, the Ganga Aarti ritual plays out. We tie up alongside other boats to witness the exuberant Hindu spiritual ceremonies, where priests swing multi-tiered oil lamps, accompanied by the crowd's rhythmic chants and ringing bells to honour the river goddess Ganga. It's frenetic and an utterly mesmerising spectacle. Varanasi is as equally important to the Buddhists. Sarnath, about 11 kilometres from the city, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for them, as the place where Buddha himself first preached to his five disciples below a bodhi tree, which still exists today. There's a huge stupa and a large expanse of gardens, but the monasteries, once home to nearly 3000 monks and dating from the 3rd century BCE are ruins, destroyed by Muslim invaders, and over subsequent centuries, further looted. Even the bricks of the Dharmarajika Stupa, believed to have contained the bones of the Buddha, were taken in 1794 to use for construction, the bones thrown into the Ganges, the fate of the gems unknown. Other excavations, in the early 20th century, found artefacts now on display at the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. It's our last evening in India and we share a convivial final group dinner at the hotel, comparing our personal highlights, toasting the end of the trip with a very fine glass of local red and vowing to stay in touch. The writer was a guest of Insight Vacations The Tour: Insight Vacation's Classic India and Nepal tour costs from $6995 per person. From December, the company will also be offering the tour on some dates as a women-only trip with a few different experiences, from $7750. Getting around: Travel is by coach and plane. There are two longish travel days on the coach, but there are frequent rest and lunch stops. Three short flights are also included, two on Air India and one with low-cost carrier IndiGo. Accommodation: All hotels are four or four-and-a-half star, with pools, spas and often extensive gardens. The food: Most meals are included. Those that are not are taken at pre-arranged restaurants as a group or can be taken at the hotel. The verdict: Our tour director was excellent and very knowledgeable, as was our guide in Kathmandu. I'm far less apprehensive about the idea of group travel now and would definitely do it again, particularly to destinations that can be more challenging to navigate solo. "No phones. No cameras. No talking." After delivering these terse instructions, the man disappears from the open window. There's a hush of anticipation from those gathered in the courtyard below before a child's face appears, her lips and cheeks scarlet, her eyes winged with black. Some people bow their heads and fold their hands in supplication, others just look up at her, spellbound. Ethereally beautiful with porcelain skin and an elaborate headdress, she regards us solemnly, seeming to rest her eyes on each person by turn. It feels like barely a minute before she steps back from the window and the man pulls the wooden lattice closed. We have just had a brief audience with the Kumari, the living goddess, a 10-year-old child believed by the Hindus to be the reincarnation of the warrior goddess Taleju, while Nepal's Buddhists credit her with being the tantric goddess Vajradevi reborn. Both believe she's capable of healing the sick with her blessing. This is just one of many pinch-me experiences in an action-packed 12-day tour of Kathmandu and India's Golden Triangle. It's my first time on a group tour and at a meet and greet on the first afternoon, I'm relieved to find everyone seems very nice. There's a mix of older couples and friends, a mother and daughter, plus myself and one other solo traveller, 18 of us in total, from Australia, the US, the UK and Singapore, plus Insight Vacations' tour director Virendra and in Nepal, our local guide Milan. After a bicycle rickshaw ride through the crammed laneways of Thamel, where strings of prayer flags flutter overhead and the smell of cooking wafts from street stalls, our drivers skilfully navigating pedestrians, bikes, sidewalk vendors and surprisingly well-cared-for street dogs, our group gets further acquainted at dinner. Baber Mahal is a series of restored courtyards and stables of the former residence of descendants of Nepal's longest-ruling prime minister and is now home to galleries, shops and restaurants like Baithak, where we enjoy a thali and toast the start of our adventure with a shot of fiery local liquor. The following day is the eve of Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's birthday and our first stop, Pashupatinath Temple is already thrumming with crowds. Milan tells us that Nepal celebrates 401 festivals each year and tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of devotees will flock here to honour the god, making campfires along the river and smoking marijuana, the only day it's legal to do so. We walk along the waterway lined with temples and shrines, where people sit cross-legged selling garlands of marigolds and small lotus lamps that buyers light and launch into the river. We are trailed by vendors - extraordinarily beautiful women entreating us to buy their jewellery or woven cloth purses. Sadhus, holy men with painted faces and knotted ropes of hair, sit on a bench, posing for pictures in exchange for rupees. As non-Hindus, we're not allowed into the actual temple, but we stand on the bank of the sluggish Bagmati River watching the action and listening to the resonant rumble of chants and prayers. Life and death are lived in the public eye here and somehow it doesn't feel intrusive or macabre to be observing from a distance the outdoor crematoriums, where families gather to farewell their loved ones who have been wrapped in white sheets and placed on burning wood pyres. Thick plumes of smoke rise and curl around sloped pagoda roofs where monkeys, indifferent to the human dramas being played out below, groom each other or squabble. Our itinerary includes a visit to Boudhanath Stupa - one of the biggest stupas in the world - with two giant eyes painted on its golden tower. Buddhist monks perform "koras" walking around its base, rolling prayer wheels while other devotees prostrate themselves in the courtyard. We call into the Thangka Painting School beside the stupa to watch artists, seated on the floor who paint intricate mandalas used for prayer or meditation, in colours made from ground semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli, many taking years to complete. Constructed in the shape of a mandala, Patan, in the Kathmandu Valley, once known as: "Lalitpur, City of Fine Arts", dates from 225 BCE. We wander through the Royal Palace buildings, admiring the intricately carved stone and wood temples and browse the bronze and stone sculptures, woodcarvings and photographs at the Patan Museum. On a hill above the valley, up 360-something steps is Swayambhunath, aka the monkey temple, one of the most venerated Buddhist stupas in the world and - at more than 2600 years old - one of the oldest. In addition to the stupa (and the many entertaining monkeys) are shrines, temples and monasteries and if not for the smog, a beautiful panorama of Kathmandu. One of the most ubiquitous local products, sold in every souvenir shop and hawked by countless street traders, is the singing bowl, used for both meditation and healing. They cost just a few dollars but the real deal, made from seven types of metal, can fetch hundreds, we learn at a singing-bowl centre. Despite some initial scepticism, everyone in the group ends up taking a turn standing in a huge bowl while the owner runs a gong around the rim until it begins to hum, the intense reverberations travelling through our bodies supposedly unblocking chakras, and reducing aches and pains. At Bhaktapur, Nepal's former ancient capital where Bertolucci's Little Buddha was filmed, we wander a square filled with temples with intricately carved facades, multi-storied pagodas and shrines. Some are still in a state of disrepair while others have been rebuilt following the devastating 2015 earthquake. Bhaktapur is also famous for its artisans, painters, wood carvers and potters, and in Pottery Square, we watch the latter work in tiny open studios facing the street, spinning wheels with the local dark mud, their wares lined up under the sun to dry. The characteristic brick and wood temples, palaces and pagodas of Kathmandu's Durbar Square, date from the 11th to 17th centuries. Once the homes of the Malla and Shah kings who ruled the city, they've also been rebuilt post-earthquake. After exploring this extraordinary UNESCO site and our audience with the Kumari, at the House of Living Goddess in the south of the square, we amble down "Freak Street", where flower children and musicians such as Jim Morrison and Cat Stevens hung out in the 70s when Kathmandu was an essential stop on the hippie trail. Today, the trail many visitors choose to follow is north to the mountains, to trek or climb. We're not here for either, but on our last night in Nepal, Maya Sherpa, a famous mountaineer and guide who has climbed eight out of 14 of the world's highest peaks, gives a fascinating talk about what it's like to conquer Everest and K2. The closest we get to Nepal's most legendary peaks is the view of the Annapurna Ranges from the plane as we fly across it into India. The city is far greener than I'd imagined, with wide tree-lined avenues. We visit Hindu places of worship and elaborate marble mosques and pay homage to one of India's greatest statesmen, Mahatma Gandhi, at his flower-bedecked memorial. Delhi is also home to the largest wholesale spice market in the world, Khari Baoli, which we explore on foot. We are all connected via an earpiece so can hear Virendra's commentary even if we have to walk the teeming narrow alleyways in single file. Men perch on sacks, smoking, or weave through the crowds with bags on their shoulders, while shoppers pick through knobs of yellow-dusted turmeric and small fiery chillies, pods of cardamom, and rolls of cinnamon bark. Back on the bus, our next stop is the golden-domed Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Sikh temple, once a Rajput King's home. Its marble gates are inlaid with semi-precious stone and a holy bathing pond attracts the faithful, seeking a cure for their ailments. The temple also has a cavernous space, called the langar hall where people come to eat, sitting on the floor. The mosque feeds everyone for free, regardless of religion, race or financial circumstance - up to 40,000 per day and more on holidays, Virendra tells us. On a tour through the massive kitchens, we watch volunteers stirring pots the size of witches' cauldrons, filled with fragrant lentil dhal, while outsized deep-fry baskets are plunged into hot oil and women chat around a low table while shaping flatbreads. We end the Delhi visit with a trip to Humayun's Tomb, commissioned by Empress Bega Begum for her husband Emperor Mirza in 1572 at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. A massive red sandstone edifice, almost Taj-like in its grandeur and surrounded by Persian-style gardens, it's a reminder of the astonishing wealth this country once boasted. It's a six-hour drive to Jaipur in Rajasthan, but between taking in the passing scenery and chatting with fellow travellers, it passes quickly. I'm surprised at how green this desert state is, but Virendra tells us there's been an unusual amount of rain over the last few years. Jaipur aka the Pink City dates from 1726 with the buildings painted pink to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876. Our coach deposits us at Man Sagar Lake, where a snake charmer plays a flute-like "pungi", a hooded cobra swaying in its basket and a sign warns that crocodiles inhabit the water. Built in the middle of the lake, seeming to float on its surface, is the Water Palace, Jal Mahal, a Rajput-style palace built in the 1700s by a maharajah as a hunting lodge. We travel by jeep convoy up the plateau to Jaipur's most famous landmark, the Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing tourists who have chosen to ride elephants up, a practice I'm grateful Insight eschews. The massive 16th-century stronghold constructed from pink and yellow sandstone feels surreal, like an opulent movie set. With a designated meeting place, our group splits up and we wander through ornate gateways, covered in exquisite Islamic-style tiling and into open courtyards. In a colonnaded hall, a bride in a heavily beaded sari is having a pre-wedding photo shoot with her groom. I walk up the fort's ramparts, for the 360-degree view of the shimmering lake and the Aravalli hills. We also visit City Palace, a royal residence constructed in 1732 combining elements of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles, then experience some of Jaipur's famous arts - printing and gemstones. At an atelier, we watch lengths of pure Indian cotton being hand-stamped with wooden blocks, before moving to a gem showroom to see precious and semi-precious stones cut and polished and turned into exquisite jewellery. I ask to be shown the most expensive piece and the owner fetches an emerald and diamond ring worth a cool $780,000. It's an early morning start to beat the crowds at the Taj Mahal. It's cool and there's a slight haze that only seems to accentuate the ethereal quality of what is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The white marble shrine was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees or about $1291 million today. Virendra points out where some of the semi-precious stones in the facade have been chipped out and stolen, in spite of the heavy security. The tomb is surprisingly compact inside but is surrounded by a 17-hectare complex, including gardens and a mosque whose two towers have a slight outward lean, purposefully constructed so that in the event of an earthquake, they'll fall away from rather than onto the tomb. After a visit to the imposing 17th-century Agra Fort, there's a choice of activities, either a guided walk through a local village or a visit to Sheroes Hangout. This cafe is run by women who've been the victims of acid attacks, targeted by rejected suitors or as part of a feud against their families. Their stories are horrifying, but despite their trauma, these brave young women face the public daily, with optimism and self-belief. The bill for the simple but excellent food is by donation and there are handicrafts and souvenirs to buy, with sales contributing to supporting the women in their medical recovery, legal pursuit of their attackers and job training. After flying to Varanasi, we have time to freshen up before heading out again. Running through the holiest of Indian cities is the most revered of rivers, the Ganges, said to have the powers of purification. Below a trio of massive praying hand sculptures on the bank, we climb into a wooden boat for a sail down the river as dusk falls, with flowers and diyas - little oil lamps - floating past. There are 84 ghats along the river, buildings with steps down to the water, where each evening, the Ganga Aarti ritual plays out. We tie up alongside other boats to witness the exuberant Hindu spiritual ceremonies, where priests swing multi-tiered oil lamps, accompanied by the crowd's rhythmic chants and ringing bells to honour the river goddess Ganga. It's frenetic and an utterly mesmerising spectacle. Varanasi is as equally important to the Buddhists. Sarnath, about 11 kilometres from the city, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for them, as the place where Buddha himself first preached to his five disciples below a bodhi tree, which still exists today. There's a huge stupa and a large expanse of gardens, but the monasteries, once home to nearly 3000 monks and dating from the 3rd century BCE are ruins, destroyed by Muslim invaders, and over subsequent centuries, further looted. Even the bricks of the Dharmarajika Stupa, believed to have contained the bones of the Buddha, were taken in 1794 to use for construction, the bones thrown into the Ganges, the fate of the gems unknown. Other excavations, in the early 20th century, found artefacts now on display at the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. It's our last evening in India and we share a convivial final group dinner at the hotel, comparing our personal highlights, toasting the end of the trip with a very fine glass of local red and vowing to stay in touch. The writer was a guest of Insight Vacations The Tour: Insight Vacation's Classic India and Nepal tour costs from $6995 per person. From December, the company will also be offering the tour on some dates as a women-only trip with a few different experiences, from $7750. Getting around: Travel is by coach and plane. There are two longish travel days on the coach, but there are frequent rest and lunch stops. Three short flights are also included, two on Air India and one with low-cost carrier IndiGo. Accommodation: All hotels are four or four-and-a-half star, with pools, spas and often extensive gardens. The food: Most meals are included. Those that are not are taken at pre-arranged restaurants as a group or can be taken at the hotel. The verdict: Our tour director was excellent and very knowledgeable, as was our guide in Kathmandu. I'm far less apprehensive about the idea of group travel now and would definitely do it again, particularly to destinations that can be more challenging to navigate solo.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DK Shivakumar's serial visits to temples spark unease in Congress
DK Shivakumar BENGALURU: Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar drew considerable attention prior to Thursday's cabinet meeting in Chamarajanagar as he toured Sri Male Mahadeshwara Hill temple there, blending spirituality with political messaging . The Karnataka Congress president participated in Dandukola Seva during the Hulivahana Mahadeshwara silver chariot procession, offered prayers at Male Mahadeshwara temple and met the pontiff of Saluru Brihanmath, Sri Shantamallikarjuna Swami. Prior to that, he met Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of Suttur Mutt. It was a continuation of a spiritual outreach that began in Jan. Last week, he was at Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, where he offered prayers to Lord Manjunatha. Earlier, he had taken a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and participated in Maha Shivaratri celebrations at Isha Foundation, sharing the stage with Union home minister Amit Shah. That appearance stirred unease within Congress circles. State cooperation minister KN Rajanna had publicly rebuked Shivakumar, suggesting the optics sent "mixed signals". However, Shivakumar has shrugged off criticism, consistently insisting his visits are personal. "I was born a Hindu, and I will die a Hindu. But I respect all religions," he said in Feb after his attendance at events organised by Sadhguru drew much flak. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Defending Shivakumar, his brother and former Congress MP DK Suresh said, "He went as a public figure and not to endorse any ideology." Political analysts say Shivakumar's temple visits may serve multiple purposes but concurred that it must be viewed as a profession of faith. "Shivakumar has always made it a point express his religious beliefs," said Sandeep Shastri, psephologist. "He has done so from the start of his political career. His stand on Kumbh, his engagement with swamis and sadgurus, and shrine visits reflect commitment and faith. One need not read any deeper meaning in it." Prof Harish Ramaswamy, political analyst, echoed the view but acknowledged that the growing visibility is not doing Shivakumar's reputation any harm. "He has been a pious individual from his early years in politics," he said. BJP functionaries, too, have praised his religious engagements. Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Kota Shrinivas Poojary and Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna welcomed his visits, calling them a positive signal from a senior Congress member. But his own partymen are unimpressed. One functionary pointed out the double-edged nature of his temple run, saying: "While it might reinforce BJP's narrative that he is gravitating towards a right-leaning ideology, it could simultaneously alienate sections of our minority support base."
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shivakumar keeps up temple visits, stirs political waters
Bengaluru: Prior to Thursday's cabinet meeting in Chamarajanagar, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar drew considerable attention as he toured Sri Male Mahadeshwara Hill temple in Chamarajanagar, subtly blending spirituality with political messaging . The Karnataka Congress president participated in the Dandukola Seva during the Hulivahana Mahadeshwara silver chariot procession, offered prayers at Male Mahadeshwara temple and met pontiff of Saluru Brihanmath, Sri Shantamallikarjuna Swami. Prior to that, he met Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji of the Suttur Mutt. It was a continuation of a spiritual outreach that began in Jan. Last week, he was at Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, where he offered prayers to Lord Manjunatha. Earlier, he took a holy dip at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and participated in Maha Shivaratri celebrations at Isha Foundation, sharing the stage with Union home minister Amit Shah. That appearance stirred unease within Congress circles. Cooperation minister KN Rajanna even publicly rebuked Shivakumar, suggesting the optics sent "mixed signals". However, Shivakumar has shrugged off the criticism, consistently insisting his visits are personal. "I was born a Hindu, and I will die a Hindu. But I respect all religions," he said in Feb after his attendance at events organised by Sadhguru, who has often voiced opposition to Congress and its leadership, drew much flak. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Defending Shivakumar, his brother and former Congress MP DK Suresh said, "He went as a public figure and not to endorse any ideology." Political analysts say Shivakumar's temple visits may serve multiple purposes but concurred that it must be viewed as a profession of faith. "Shivakumar has always made it a point express his religious beliefs," said Sandeep Shastri, psephologist. "He has done so from the start of his political career. His stand on Kumbh, his engagement with Swamis and Sadgurus, and shrine visits reflect commitment and faith. One need not read any deeper meaning in it." Prof Harish Ramaswamy, political analyst, echoed the view but acknowledged that the growing visibility is not doing Shivakumar's reputation any harm. "He has been a pious individual from his early years in politics," Ramaswamy said. "He kept his temple visits and pujas very personal compared to others who make political capital out of it. However, in the recent past, given the chief ministership issue, it has been highlighted, and things are being connected. His presence at Kumbh Mela, shrines in Tamil Nadu or Isha Foundation has, no doubt, given him visibility and controversy which is to his advantage. So, to give him the benefit of the doubt, I would say it is his faith in gods that might get him the CM seat sooner." BJP functionaries too have praised his religious engagements. Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Kota Shrinivas Poojary and Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna welcomed his visits, calling them a positive signal from a senior Congress member. But his own partymen are unimpressed. One functionary pointed out the double-edged nature of his temple run, saying: "While it might reinforce BJP's narrative that he is gravitating towards a right-leaning ideology, it could simultaneously alienate sections of our minority support base."
The Guardian
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
A regimental goat and a carnival queen: photos of the day
Men wearing traditional costumes and wooden masks take part in the annual carnival parade Photograph: Michaela Stache/AFP/Getty Pilgrims bathe in Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival Photograph: AFPTV/AFP/Getty Jacob Ryan, aka Yikes, puts the finishing touches on an 11-storey mural, part of Flare 2025, a street art festival. Nearly two dozen artists are taking part in the 11-day event Photograph: PJ Heller/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock Fusilier Llewelyn II, the regimental goat, joins a soldier from the Tidworth-based 1st Battalion, the Royal Welsh, as they commemorate St David's Day at Lucknow barracks. The fusiliers parade to honour the patron saint of Wales in a traditional ceremony and receive leeks, a national emblem of Cymru Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty A model wears a carnival costume at the queen's election gala of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival. Costumes can weigh up to 800kg, cost thousands of euros and take up to nine months to create Photograph: Anadolu/Getty A woman smokes a cigar during the 25th Habano festival Photograph: Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA Actors take part in the opening of the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies three-day fair Photograph: Carlos Ortega/EPA A man found guilty of sexual relations with another man under Islamic sharia law is publicly flogged Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty A shop worker arranges figurines of Pope Francis on sale in a souvenir shop Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP A wing surfer glides across the water as a Qantas plane awaits to take off at Sydney international airport Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Migrants wave from a Panamanian authorities bus in the district of Miramar Photograph: Bienvenido Velasco/EPA A devotee dressed as the Hindu deity Kali performs a ritualistic dance in a religious procession during the Maha Shivratri festival Photograph: R Satish Babu/AFP/Getty Relatives greet Palestinian prisoners and detainees in the West Bank after their release from an Israeli prison following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas Photograph: Nasser Nasser/AP Revellers participate in the Paceño carnival, a celebration organised by the indigenous groups of La Paz. The dances and costumes reflect the different groups' various traditions and religions Photograph: Luis Gandarillas/EPA A man sweeps a mosque before the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The beginning of Ramadan is expected to fall on 1 March, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon Photograph: Bilawal Arbab/EPA
