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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bat2007" data-source="post: 6542763" data-attributes="member: 134658"><img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_monastery.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_monastery_2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_indus_river.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />                <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_monastery.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_monastery_2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/alchi_indus_river.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Just outside the monastery, Indus River flows swiftly in a depression  carved by its currents. I walked down to the river bank and spent some  time watching its fast flowing muddy current before making my way back  to Leh in the evening. <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/thiksey_monastery_3.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/thiksey_monastery_2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Lama Sherap was taking care of the du-khang that  day. He was alone in the prayer hall as his companions had gone to the  village to perform some rituals. He was friendly, approachable and  smiled gently every time he spoke. Sitting on the floor close to the  entrance of the hall, he busied himself kneading chunks of tsampa  (barley flour) and preparing torma. He explained me  what torma is and helpfully added that it is for some special prayers  being performed tomorrow. <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/lama_thiksey_monastery.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> years old.’ <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/thiksey_monastery.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/thksey_maitreya_buddha.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> The Maitreya statue is relatively new, inaugurated in 1980 by Dalai  Lama. The monastery itself was founded in early 15th century. Walking up  the crag where a group of haphazardly built buildings of the monastery  are located, it is evident that the institution has grown and expanded  over the years. I climb up the steps leading to the monastery past a  latest addition – a newly built row of chortens. Inside, the du-khang seems to be old enough to be one of the first  buildings built. To each side of its entrance are the colourful murals  of the deities of the four directions, while inside walls are painted  with various forms of Buddha and Yab Yum. At the rear  side of du-khang is a small chapel with metallic statues of Tson-ka-pa  and Manjushri. The paintings on the outer walls have a curious diversion from  tradition. The samsara-chakra has figures wielding guns and wearing  clothes more suited for British and Indian men of the plains a few  hundred years ago. <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/thiksey_monastery_5.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> The stairs next to the du-khang lead to the terrace from where I can  see the barley fields spread along the valley, the river coiling through  the fields and the mountains beyond. In the corner of the terrace is a  small room – a library filled with ancient Tibetan scriptures. As I  descend from the stairs and head out to the valley, it is the smiles of  Lama Sherap and the calm face of Maitreya that stay in my memory, etched  stronger than the photographs I clicked in the monastery.               I took Marudhar express from Varanasi and arrived at Agra next  morning. I checked into one of the hotels in Taj Ganj area which was  just 5-minute walk from Taj Mahal. I had arrived on a Friday, when Taj  Mahal remains closed and Agra was devoid of it’s tourist crowd. But not  to worry, I had another day in Agra when I could take a look at the  world-famous monument.  So I decided to walk around Taj Mahal and rest of the town. The  region around Taj is green and well maintained. In fact it is such a  thick forest that I happened to notice some jungle birds like the Rufous  Treepie and Indian Grey Hornbill. After wandering around for a while, I  decided to take a look at the Agra Fort. <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/agra_fort.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Agra  fort As I arrived at the fort, a guide approached me asking if I needed  his help. I wasn’t keen on a guide, but when he downed his rate to half  of his initial quote of Rs.200, I decided to hire him. It was well worth  getting his services.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/fort_marbles.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Inside  Agra fort As I went around the fort, I could not help but wonder at the plush  lives of the Mughal sultans. Marbles were used at every possible place  and they were carved and finished to a good taste.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/taj_yamuna.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Taj  Mahal and Yamuna, seen from Agra Fort Taj Mahal at distance looked wonderful from the fort, with Yamuna at  the backdrop. The next morning, I woke up early and was at the gates of  Taj as early as six. But there was already a big queue and a lot of  people seemed to be keen to be at Taj during sunrise. As the sun comes  up, Taj appears pink and slowly turns white as the sun moves up.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/taj_mahal.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Taj  Mahal at sunrise I spent nearly two hour walking in and around the Taj. It was  beautiful and worth its name, but somehow I found the marble work at  Agra Fort more intricate and beautiful than the Taj itself.                <a href="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2006/10/taj-mahal.html" target="_blank">TAJ MAHAL</a>  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/agra_fort.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Agra  fort As I arrived at the fort, a guide approached me asking if I needed  his help. I wasn’t keen on a guide, but when he downed his rate to half  of his initial quote of Rs.200, I decided to hire him. It was well worth  getting his services.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/fort_marbles.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Inside  Agra fort As I went around the fort, I could not help but wonder at the plush  lives of the Mughal sultans. Marbles were used at every possible place  and they were carved and finished to a good taste.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/taj_yamuna.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Taj  Mahal and Yamuna, seen from Agra Fort Taj Mahal at distance looked wonderful from the fort, with Yamuna at  the backdrop. The next morning, I woke up early and was at the gates of  Taj as early as six. But there was already a big queue and a lot of  people seemed to be keen to be at Taj during sunrise. As the sun comes  up, Taj appears pink and slowly turns white as the sun moves up.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/taj_mahal.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Taj  Mahal at sunrise I spent nearly two hour walking in and around the Taj. It was  beautiful and worth its name, but somehow I found the marble work at  Agra Fort more intricate and beautiful than the Taj itself. In all the days that I was in Varanasi, I never missed morning and  evening walks on the ghats. I would start from Assi Ghat where I stayed,  and walk up to Dasaswamedh ghat, and sometimes to Manikarnika ghat.  Twice, I took the boat but decided that the walks are more appealing.  Each day there was something new and interesting to see and experience.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/varanasi_ghat.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  view of the ghats from the boat early in the morning Religion and religious practices are the most dominant experiences on  the ghats. No matter what time you are there, you always see someone  indulging in a ritual or the other. It could be as simple as a woman  going round the peepul tree, a holy dip or a sadhu meditating, or a  celebration as complex and elaborate as the Ganga Aarti.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/sadhu_arghya.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  Sadhu makes offering(arghya) to sun god For a keen observer, Varanasi has much more than the religious  extravaganza. In the days that I walked on the ghats, I was amused to  see even Mynahs, pigeons and water buffalos take time to bathe in the  same holy water!  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/water_buffalos.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Water  buffalos having a good time! While the Mynahs hopped in and out of water, buffalos were blissfully  happy to cool off in the river. Mynahs were lucky to be fed by the  pilgrims every now and then. I liked it when they walked very close to  me without any fear.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/bath_myna.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Myna’s  Bath! There were plenty of monkeys too that begged from the pilgrims and  sat in a huddle when they had enough of food. Parakeets dwelling in the  holes in the walls always made ruckus. I saw kingfishers diving into the  black water and emerging out with fish in the beak. Street dogs did  what they always do – fight within each other and bark at strangers.  Some dogs keep trying to steal food from babas. They all make up a small  animal kingdom that is oblivious to the eyes of most people.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/parakeet_varanasi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  parakeet peeks out of it’s hole! The ghats also take the role of a mini-mall. Many items of worship  can be bought at Dasaswamedh ghat. Guesthouses, hotels and restaurants  are frequently seen all along the ghats, but chai shops seem to be  omnipresent.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/chai_shop_varanasi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />One  of the many chai shops And every chai shop came with its share of squatters who never seem  to be in a hurry for anything, and so, never seem to leave. There are  children all around hoping to sell flowers(deep) or asking you to  come and visit the business that their elders are running. Enterprising  as they are, I heard them attempting to speak French and Spanish to  potential customers from across the world!  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/sari_drying.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Woman  drying a sari at the ghat There are washer men washing the clothes while their women spread the  saris to dry on the steps. There are ads on the walls of the ghats  offering every kind of service to the curious tourist, including those  of guesthouses, restaurants, music classes and silk shops.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/family_varanasi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  family resting on the steps And people of course, are always in plenty at any point of time.  Herds of pilgrims are most common. Sometimes priests escort them and  sometimes they are on their own, but almost always in groups. They  indulge in their holy bath and hurry to visit the Kashi Vishwanath  temple, or spend time performing shraddha karma and other  rituals, or just take the famed boat ride on the Ganges.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/women_on_boat.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  group of women enjoying the boat ride <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/jainmunis_varanasi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Jain  Munis walking on the ghat Sometimes they just squat exhausted watching life on the ghats or  waiting for the evening <a href="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2006/09/photo-essay-ganga-aarti-at-dasaswamedh.html" target="_blank">aarti  </a>to commence. Surprising to me, few people who take a dip in the  river seemed to be bothered about the sewer like condition of the water.  Only once did some one talk to me sad-faced. gangaji ka itnaa  pradooshan ho raha hai.. – Mother Ganges is being polluted so  much.., he said, and I nodded in agreement. It is really sad to see  India’s most revered river being one of the most polluted too.  <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/ghat_pilgrims.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Busy  ghats crowded with pilgrims early in the morning The other set of people whom I often bumped into are the tourists.  They come from all over the world, and each of them seems to be  fascinated by Varanasi. They come with many motives. Some come to  understand India, its life and religions. Some people come to learn  music, meditation and Hinduism. Some of them are so fascinated that they  stay on for months. A few people are photographers who come to capture  the life at Varanasi. But most are casual backpackers who have heard so  much about the place and want to check it all out in a short visit.  These trotters are happy to take a boat ride, take a look at the burning  corpses and bathing pilgrims like objects of exhibition, and quickly  zip to their next destination which is typically Agra or Jaipur. <img src="http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/traveller_varanasi.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />A  tourist making notes Despite wandering on the ghats for a week, there was much more to  learn, see and understand about the ghats. I could not explore much of  the network of confusing gallis besides the ghats which are a big  marketplace besides being much more. There was plenty of Varanasi,  including the ghats and the gallis that I wanted to photograph but a  week was not enough. When I left, I left with a wish that I should have  spared more time for Varanasi. And I left with the intent to return.</blockquote>

Verification: Dahaya deken beduwama keeyada?

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