Born of mind

Some of the greatest lessons of life can be learned from the most simple things (if only we pay attention to them..). The lessons, that can take us a long way in the journey of life.

Last week, I had some good time (as good as it can get) with my parents and my sisters. A Puja (in telugu its called “Ammoru Vaaram”) was arranged and that was the reason my sisters had come too. It was a kinda get together we had. I just didn’t feel like coming back from home but I had to. Anywayz, on my way back I had to board a train (which I usually do) and had the opportunity to kill some fair amount of time (an 18 hour long sleeper class train journey can be a grueling experience at times). There is never a dearth of entertainment though when you find some interesting characters traveling. Train journey is not something new to me but this time it was not the same as a series of thoughts struck me. I remembered an essay (The Station by Robert J. Hastings) that I had read sometime back.

When we are traveling by train, we get to see many strangers and I have a habit (good or bad, I don’t know) of observing them. Its not always you get to meet some great people (and that to in a train, rare case) from whom you can learn a thing or two (learn “How to be”). But the other side of the coin has always interested me. I observe people all the time and I sincerely felt that I have learned from them “How NOT to be” (if not “How to be”..). Not just in a train journey but in real life too sometimes people can make you think like – “why the hell are these guys behaving like this” and some situations would make you feel – “why does it happen to me all the time that I am faced with this kind of awkward situations ?”. Irritating they can be at times. Someone rightly said, “The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination”.

Well.. life indeed is like a journey. Throughout the journey, we are faced with various situations (some pleasant and some not so pleasant..) and we just keep waiting for the destination and in the process, we tend to ignore the journey itself. Over the years, I have discovered life is a journey, an adventure, a puzzle. There are many paths to enlightenment, their teachings rich and varied (offering wisdom and “food for thought”) and everything we need for our journey to awakening lies within us. It is here we create the blueprint of our collective existence. Crises from different life changing events and transitions (all unpredictable moments arriving and intruding into our “well groomed lives”) make us wonder why it has arrived bringing with it havoc and confusion. And during these times we often choose to ignore that inner calling. We need to ask ourselves what is it we are summoned to learn ? Are we ready to accept responsibility for our life choices and embark on this soulful journey ? We have learned to be afraid of the feelings inside ourselves. We tend to bury (and ignore) them (perhaps even pretend that they don’t exist..). Life gives us enough opportunities to push past our comfort zone and begin the process of transformation. We have to claim and embrace them.. Else the beginning will never have a beginning.

(continuation from my earlier trip
posts .. )

Ajanta and Ellora are two of the most amazing archaeological sites in India. Although handcrafted caves are scattered throughout India’s western state of Maharashtra, the complexes at Ajanta and Ellora are the most elaborate and varied examples known. I had been to one of them (would love to visit the other one in the future). And I must admit that I was filled with awe when I stepped inside this amazingly beautiful Ellora caves. You can’t help but appreciate the beauty of ancient sculptural art when you visit such places.

Ellora caves has been included (and rightly so..) in the list of World Heritage Monuments. The caves aren’t natural caves, but man-made temples cut into a massive granite hillside and thats the uniqueness of this place. Its been given a lot of importance from archaeological point of view and has been a favorite tourist place for many years (It will continue to be so in the future..) . I do not mind going again and again.. to such place, every part of which has something to offer to our eyes.. (Date visited : 26th Nov 07, Ellora caves)

Useful Information :
Location : Aurangabad district, Maharashtra
Acclaimed as : World Heritage Site
Highlights : Astonishing carvings, sculptures and relief work
How to Reach : One can easily reach caves by hiring private cabs, taking tourist buses or by boarding trains from Mumbai.

These were some of the snaps taken by Manoj during the trip..
All rights (NOT) reserved. Copyleft 2007, bornoutofmymind.blogspot.com

I had been to some of the places in Maharashtra : Nasik, Aurangabad, Trayambakeshwar jyotirlinga temple, Ghrishneshwar jyotilrlinga temple, during the trip to Shiridi along with my parents. One is not supposed to click photographs at the temple premises (I managed to click some pics though) and I think this is the only thing that is followed strictly in these places.. Luckily we didn’t have to spend much time traveling as the places are located nearby.

Date and places visited :
24th Nov 07 – Trayambakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Nasik, Kaalaram temple, Panchavati, Godavari birth place.
25th Nov 07 – Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga, Kaanch ka mandir – The Hanuman temple

Birth Place of Godavari @ Nasik

The Nasik Mukthidhaam temple

Panchavati

Ghrishneshara Jyotirlinga Temple

Kaanch ka Mandir – The Hanuman temple

When I was on my way back to Shiridi from Nasik, casually I happened to ask one of the guys there about the places to be visited near Aurangabad and first thing he told me was about the Mini Taj.. Name sounded very interesting then. Though he said that its a replica of the famous monument, the TAJ @ Agra, I didn’t believe him.. but i was taken by complete surprise when I actually saw it. I never knew before, some ‘thing’ of this kind existed. I don’t know why it has not gained as much of popularity as it should have (btw.. I am not trying to compare it with the Taj.). Historians have been a bit unfair to this particular monument I guess. (Date visited : 25th Nov 07 – Mini Taj)

Some of the snaps taken by Manoj during the trip..