Trip to Trimbakeshwar

Trimbakeshwar is the one of the Jyotirlinga of Load Shiva, It is situated 30 k.m. away from Nashik, Maharashtra.
Last week my parents came from Kolkata to stay with me for 2 weeks, so choose this occasion to visit to Trimbakeshwar with my parents.
There is Tapovan Express which starts from CST at 6.10 a.m daily and reach at Nashik road around 9.45 to 10 a.m. (Fair Rs. 55). There is plenty of auto service to reach Central Bus Stand, you have to pay Rs. 70-80. After reach to CBS, take some food, near bus stand there is a restaurant Raj Mahal, where you get good food.
After taking little tiffin we get into ST bus for Trimbakeshwar, it will take 1-1.15 hr to reach (Fair Rs 20, in Maruti van Rs. 25).
Now for having darshan we had to stand in a queue for around 3-3.30 hr. Even Mondays and in festivals the waiting time may be more long. Do your puja in the temple and come out, then take some light lunch in near by hotels. Remember all veg food will be served.
The river Godavary is called Ganga of South, the origin of the river Godavari is in Trimbakeshwar. Just back of the temple there is a hill called Bamhagiri where the origin of Godavary lies. In 2006 we climb to that hill with my friends in Rishabh and we did a lot of fun, that was rainy seasons and the ambiance was beautiful, the whole hill was full of green and there was lost of fountain. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimbakeshwar


We came back from there in Nashik and took our lunch. After that we went to visit panchavati, where load Rama, Sita Mata, and Lakshman stayed during there vanavas. This place is in the bank of river Godavari.
From CBS auto will ask 30-40 Rs, but if you burgain you can go in 20. There you can take your holy bath, and then go to panchavati. The name panchivati came, because there were 5 banyan(bote) tree, where Load Rama used to stay, even those trees are alive still today. Near to that there is Sita Cave, in side there is idol of Rama, Sita, Laxmana. The Laxman rekha is over there only.
Kala Ram Mandir is a famous spot there, you should see this.
Apart from there is Someshwar a shiva temple little away from there, but due to less time we did not make it in this trip. Although I have seen it before. You should also see the factory of Sula wine, which is the 3rd largest wine producer in the world.

For coming back to Mumbai there are plenty of way to come.

1. Volvo-non AC-Rs 250-200, Volvo AC-Rs. 350
2. ST Buses
3. Cool Cab-upto Dadar, Rs. 350-400
4. Maruti Van-upto Kasara, Rs. 60-80
5. Mail from Nashik Rd. to Mumbai, but after 6 p.m. the next train is around 11 p.m.

We get in to the ST Bus up to Kasara (Rs. 60), and then took local upto Kurla (Rs. 21). Please check the time table before you schedule to Nashik, for economic travel.
After this journey we reach Mumbai at around 10.30 p.m.

Akshardham, Gandhinagar

Next day I started my journey for Amdabad. I have my friend "Pankaj Modi", we were working in Rishabh, i left, but still he is working there. Modhibhai is very much cooperative fellow.
I told him that i am coming to Amdabad to visit Akshardham. He told one of his colleague to attain me and take me in Gandhinagar.
In Amdabad i visited Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi Stayed, It was very nice to see.
I was little short of time, other wise there is plenty of things to see in Sabarmati Ashram.
After visit it i went to Akshardham by two wheeler.
Akshardham temple is in Gandhinagar and it is very nice. The screen play must see. The security is tight.
Just beside the Akshardham temple there is a big Jain Temple is situated, it was also nice, although it is yet to complete.

After visit from Gandhinagar the next destination was Amdabad. The buitiful thing of the Amdabad is, it is very nice city. I loved to be in Amdabad if i get chance.
We enjoyed the Gujarati Thali over there. After that i came back to Mumbai very next day. The Non AC Bus tickit from Amdabad to Mumbai is Rs. 350.

I lost my heart at "Dwarka"

Last week I was in Gujarat. I made a plan early January, because i want to utilize the vacation 24,25,26.
Gujarat is my always favorite place. I like the people, language, food.
I planed for Somnath, Dwarka, Amdabad and Akshardham.

I had a wish to make a darshan at Akhsardham, because the follower of Swaminarayan believe Akhsardham as holy place and must visit. All though i am not a true disciple of Swaminarayan, but to a sum extent i follow them. The laws of the sampraday are very good. Although i think they are the Hindu counter part of Jains, if you see the rules you can come to know.

The time is not going well, because of recession, so to keep my mind cool i made the visit.
(The great loss during this visit that i missed to attain IITB Tech fest 2009)

One of my friend Arnab stays in Rajkot, so i made this my base point.

Started journey on 23.01.09 from Mumbai. There are lots of bus service available for Rajkot, even today bus ticket can be booked through net. Non AC Semi Sleeper is 500/-. Took the bus around 10:30 p.m. and reached at around 12 noon at Rajkot.
I stay in Rajkot and visited Ramakrishna Mission in Rajkor, attained the prayer over there, i wished to visit the Swaminarayan Temple but i could not because of time.

Next day Arnab and i went for Somnath Darshan.
City ST Bus stand-catch bus for Veraval (Rs. 80-90 in Govt. ST bus), it took around 5 hours to reach to Veraval. The journey was good, in between the way we got few places like Junagadh, it is the capital of Junagadh dist. Near Junagad there is GIR Sanctuary-lion sanctuary. We found few Swaminarayan Temple on the way. If some body wishes to visit Palital (the most sacred temple of Jain) then he can take rest in Junagadh and make a plan to Palitana. Palitana is one my target palace to visit.
We went in Somnath temple around 1-30 p.m. From ST bus stand there is plenty of riskaws for Somnath temple.
Somnath Temple: It is said the major Jotirlinga out of 12 Jotirlinga of bagavan Siva. The temple was attacked by Md. Gazani 17 times, and destroyed. But with the help of Sardar Ballavbhai patel others it was given a new shape which we enjoyed. "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somnath"
This is the end of India, because it is situated on the beach of Arabian Ses.

We came back from there after passing 1 hour, and coming back to Rajkot again. we tried to go to Porbandar and stay a night there and if get time then will see the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi. But we did not get any bus to go Porbandar so come back to Rajkot.



Dwarka: Next day I had to travel alone, because Arnad was scheduled to busy some another job. From Rajkot there is very few buses which directly go to Dwarka, better 1st go to Jamnagar, and then Dwarka if you do not get any direct bus. So try to go early in the morning. Better, plan to stay at Dwarka for 1 day.
The Bus fare from Rajkot to Jamnagar is Rs. 55. Time taken 2.30 hrs. Took breakfast in Jamnagar. Gathiya, papri, Khaman, Puri Sak, Sev tomato are the most fast food in all over Saurastra. The language is called Gathiyawari, but understandable.
While going to Dwarka I had a view of Relience Jamnagar Refinery, in night it looks like a big city like Mumbai, even Esser is also big.
From jamnagar to Dwarka it took around 3 hrs. to reach there. Bus fair Rs 85.

Dwarka was extra ordinary. while "Arati" was going on i relay felt that i lost my heart at there. I can not write the feelings i had.
There is another dwarka called Vet Dwarka. It is 30 K.M. away from Dwarka to wards Okha. which is the last point of India, even the aerial distance of Pakistan is not so fer from that place.
It is an i-land, and there are lunches for go to that place. I enjoyed the journey to Vet Dwarka, but the exciting moment was, while crossing the sea by the boot we got plenty of sea birds fly with us and took food like biscuit, snacks, bread from our hand. This was relay wonderful.
On the way you get Tata Chemicals where they manufacture Tata Salt, the name of the place is Mithapur.
I first visited Vet Dwarka, then Dwarka and then come back to Rajkot.
There is an another place called Kaleshwar Shiva, which is also a Jotilinga situated 21 k.m. away from Dwarka, but due to short time i did not make it.
There are few buses from Dwarka for returning to Rajkot or Amdabad.
7.30 p.m. for Amdabad and 9.30 p.m. for Rajkot. Please remember after that there will be no buses for returning to the Rajkot, because the last ST bus is for Jamnagar around 5.00 p.m and for Rajkot it is 4.30 p.m. During this visit I meet one DVC engineer.
After darshan of Srinath Ji, I came back to Rajkot around 2.30 a.m.

Travelled Bangalore

Hi, last month was nice to me, because I went for traveling to Bangalore then had Gujarat Vicharan.
One of my best friend Suman got married to a kannad girl, called Nivedita last month. So to attained their marriage i went to Bangalore.
It was my 1st visit to Bangalore.
The Train journey was bored yarr. Even i enjoyed the bus journey while returning from Bangalore to Mumbai. Even the bus journey took less time to reach.
Suman was my best friend in City College, we passed 3 years in the college, he stayed at Baguihati.

The atmosphere of Bangalore is good, weather is cool than Mumbai.
City roads are not starched like mumbai, but still i liked it.
I visited ISKCON over there, it is fab, and so big, much more bigger that our ISKCON in Juhu.
then for a little time i went RKM, Bangalore. I saw the Mother's Rock there, although i did not went up the rock because of time.