Yep, today is a personal post. I mean, of course, everything I share with you on this travel blog is from my personal experience but this one is different. It’s my birthday blog post! Today, I turn 26 and to commemorate the completion of my quarter life (assuming of course that I live to 100 years), I would like to share with you my 25th year in travel.
I first heard of Varanasi from a co-volunteer during my first week in India. He said that it is a must for him to visit Varanasi, the Hindus’ holy city. Varanasi is said to be the place where Hindus’ would like to die in, if they get the chance. I was told that it is believed that dying in Varanasi or having their remains sunk below or their ashes scattered across the Ganges River will either stop their reincarnation (maybe especially when they expect to rep bad karma in their next life) and/or go straight to heaven. Another reason for Hindu pilgrimage in Varanasi is the belief that you can be cleansed of your sins and cured of your illness once you drink from or bathe at the Ganges River.
Continue reading Evening Puja (Prayer Rituals) at Varanasi—the Hindus’ Holy City
I spent the third day of the new year being awed and mesmerized (not to mention frozen) by the Golden Temple in Amritsar. While Amritsar is not the state capital, hundreds of thousands, possibly hundreds of millions, visit this city at India’s northwestern frontier as it is home to the Harmandir Sahib aka Golden Temple. The Harmandir Sahib is considered “heaven” among the Sikhs, followers of Sikhism. (most of us [especially Pinoy] know them as the people with the turban)
I first came to know of the Golden Temple via an article written by Mamu Rose, a Filipina co-volunteer, who toured the Sikh’s Holy City together with other VSO volunteers. Upon gazing at the picture, I told myself that I, too, shall see the Golden Temple for myself.
It took months before I was finally able to go but I was so glad that I did. Being at Harimandir Sahib, even though I was not a Sikh or a follower of Sikhism (though I like their teachings, the ones I heard of at least), gave me a certain feeling of calm and peace. The Golden Temple, unlike any other places I visited, I felt these even while I was just about to enter the complex premises.
I don’t know but for some reason, I felt like I am really being welcomed. That I am being, uhm, ushered in. Alright, alright. You can say I am being dramatic. But that was really what I felt at the time. And mind you, I haven’t actually gone in the Golden Temple itself yet.
It probably was because of the long line of devotees and “curious” tourists waiting to get their chance to enter the Sikh “heaven” (although I think the entire complex kinda feels like that already) but also, more importantly, because I wanted to understand the essence of the Harimandir Sahib better.
And that moment came later that night when my CouchSurfing kind-of host Sokirt met me at the Harmandir Sahib after the trip to the Wagah (Indo-Pakistan) border. Sokirt is a Sikh, and, I should say, probably as devout as my grand aunt were in the congregation.
How did I say so? Well, when we entered the Golden Temple complex, the first words out of Sokirt’s mouth, was “This is heaven.” And, though I may not share the same views as strongly as he does when it comes to religion, I gotta say, I was sold. I mean, you could hear it in his voice. There was so much faith and belief.
I haven’t met anyone like Sokirt who had that much reverence and awe for his place of worship. Or for the idea of having “heaven on earth”. Not even my late grand aunt. I probably would not convert to Sikhism but really, meeting a Sikh in their holy site and seeing and feeling how much they believe in the teachings of Sikhism, man, that is something that gets through you.
When asked about my favorite places or moments in India, the Golden Temple in Amritsar is definitely always mentioned. Not just because of the beauty of the Harimandir Sahib itself (which was built thrice already after being destroyed due to religious and political conflicts) but of what the temple and the surrounding structures represent. Of course, it might be different for you and me. But if you have the chance, I hope you’d get to visit the Golden Temple and see and feel for yourself how the Sikh’s “heaven” can be a refuge for you as well.
For general travel information on how to get to Amritsar and visit the Harimandir Sahib, please refer to Wikitravel. If you want to learn more about my experience at the Golden Temple and the other places in Amritsar (Langer [free kitchen], Wagah Border, Jalianwallah Bagh), please be patient 
for the rest of the entries or leave me a comment.
In my CouchSurfing profile, I shared that one of the most amazing things I have seen in my entire life is the sunrise at Mt. Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas. Mt. Kangchenjunga is the 3rd highest mountain in the world at 8,586m (28,169ft).
No, I did not climb Mt. Kanchenjunga but I watched the sunrise from the Tiger Hill in Darjeeling, a popular tea estates tourist spot, in West Bengal, northeast India. Darjeeling has an average elevation of 2,050m (6,710ft). Tiger Hill in Ghoom, where you can find the world’s highest railway station, is about 11kms from Darjeeling.
In order to see the sunrise at Kanchenjunga, Julie (my VSO co-vol, friend and travel buddy in India) and I had to wake up at bloody 3:30AM at an “I-don’t-know-how-cold-nut-I’m-freezing” temperature! Being in India for a while by then (October, 7 months in!), we didn’t really expect them to be serious about the pre-arranged shared jeepney to Tiger Hill, the viewing point, to go by 4:00AM! But yes, they did and even called us up before 4 to make sure we were on our way.
With the number of shared jeeps, vans, cars and other vehicles heading that way—there’s like about 200 vehicles at the parking lot and that’s a conservative count—the traffic was really bad especially when it was already nearing Tiger Hill.
Upon alighting, we were told to just go to the ticket booth to pay for the Rs 10 entry fee to the hill’s “viewing deck” area. Since we thought we could rough it out anyway, Juls and I decided not to go for the extra Rs 20- and Rs 30-rupee tickets for the viewing deck that’s inside a taller building.
We joined the multitude of jacket- and sweater-clad (sometimes with bonnets too coz it’s too freaking cold!) of local and foreign tourists first on the right side of the building for an earlier view of the sunrise, you know, ala-Breaking Dawn!
I thought that was it! That we were unlucky to see Mt. Kanchenjunga because it’s too cloudy! But I was wrong! Because, the sun’s rays are to hit Kanchenjunga in the opposite side of the viewing deck. Juls was the one who saw it just when we were about to walk down!
Forgive the photo quality here (click to enlarge; I can give you original resolution ones if you’d request) but I assure you, the white snow-capped mountain peaks of Kanchenjunga turning into varied hues of orange is indeed a sight to behold.
It was an amazing moment for me. Like, really amazing. It’s not everyday that we get the chance to witness a natural beauty, some say a testament of God’s gift to humanity, and be blessed with the feeling of a better day unfolding before our eyes, sharing it with strangers from all walks of life. Sunrise at Mt. Kanchenjunga is amazing, isn’t it?
After the sunrise,I think Juls and I descended from the main viewing deck and found our way to the shared jeepney. Yes, the day has just begun as the Rs 150 tour is good for three points of interest in Darjeeling (Tiger Hill, Ghoom Monastery, and Batasia 360 degree loop), stories of which I will tell in my next posts.
For now, I leave you with memories of my time with Mt. Kanchenjunga and experiencing cloud 9, perhaps figuratively and literally! Happy wandering!
The most iconic monument of Hyderabad in Andra Pradesh (south India), Charminar is said to have been built between 1589 to 1592 BC (dates are not still debatable). It was supposed to be a monument to commemorate the founding of a new capital and the end of a plague. Charminar was commissioned by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the 5th ruler of the Golconda Sultanate. Learn more about Chaminar at Wikipedia.
Beside Charminar is the Mecca Masjid (Makkah Masjid), one of the oldest mosques in India. It is called Mecca Masjid as Qutb Shah ordered the soil from Mecca to be made into bricks that were used in building the Masjid. Learn more about Mecca Masjid at Wikipedia.
Reminder: Women going inside the Charminar are not permitted alone, for some reasons I did not understand, nor explained. My CouchSurfing host Bhavesh for my Hyderabad/Secunderabad trip also was not able to explain. However, a dark secret was shared while we were on top: it’s a suicidal area, much like the famous bridges where people jump! Scary! This is also why visitors were limited to only the “first landing” area of the Charminar, which by the way is about six-floors high! So get ready! (I wasn’t as I was still carrying my weekender pack with additional sarees I just bought!)
The view from the top of Charminar lets you see the other major landmarks of Hyderabad like the High Court and Patel Market (garments and pearls) on one side, Laad Bazaar (bangles market) on another, then the Makkah Masjid area, and a former palace turned into a college and hospital. Hyderabad, actually, is called the City of Palaces, among its other monikers!
The Diarist Wanders 