Travelogue: Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue, Malavli, Maharashtra

 

- Rahul 

Ganesh Puja 2024: Preparation in Pune

 

- Rahul 

Hindu Festivals: Gudi Padwa and Its Rituals

Gudi Padwa celebrates new beginnings for many communities in India. The Indian New Year, unlike its Western counterpart, also commemorates the start of something positive while ushering in auspicious tidings. Gudi Padwa is also celebrated in other parts of India in the form of Telugu New Year (traditionally known as Ugadi), Kannada New Year (Yugadi), Sindhi New Year (Cheti Chand), and Kashmiri New Year (Navreh).

Some of the rituals if carefully followed will not only help in bringing positive energies but will also help in boosting the immune system.

On this day, houses are adorned with the auspicious Swastika, a powerful symbols in Hinduism, with turmeric and vermillion.

Women decorate the entrance doors with rangolis of different patterns and colours. Most rangoli symbols are meant to protect homes from negative energies.

The Gudi Flag is placed on the right side of the main entrance to keep negativity away and bring luck and prosperity.

Usually family members get together to clean the house and prepare for the spring season. Removal of clutter generates positive energies which in turn makes the mind positive and charged. Cleaning the house and premises is also important so that germs and microbes don’t get accumulated and cause illnesses.

A customary oil-bath is a must on this day. Wearing new clothes, especially traditional kurta-pajamas and sarees also form an integral part of the custom. Oil baths are generally medicated oils, which help in boosting the immunity of the body while new clothes signify cleanliness and good hygiene.

A significant ritual is to consume neem leaves, a custom that marks the beginning of the festival. The leaves can be eaten raw or can be prepared as a chutney by grinding it and then mixing jaggery and other seeds with it.

According to Ayurveda, neem is the best way to purify impurities in the blood. It triggers physical stamina to great heights. Neem also helps in boosting the immune system.

Other dishes that are prepared on this day are shrikhand -- a sweet that is consumed with poori; puran poli, chana, and soonth panak (an ingredient helpful in keeping the respiratory tract clear)

Similarly, sweets and different dishes are cooked from seasonal food materials to improve metabolism of the body, whereas spiritual offerings and rituals bring sanctity to the soul.

Gudi Padwa is best celebrated with friends and family.

Article by Dr Raviraj Ahirrao | Source: Rediff

Travelogue: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park near Dange Chowk, Thergaon, Pune

Very near to Dange Chowk, Thergaon, Pune, there used to be a municipal park along with a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Recently this same park has been renovated and upgraded into a theme-based park by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Of late several new parks have been developed by PCMC in the Chinchwad area and it is a good trend. 

You can find it on Google Maps here. 

Here are some of the pictures from the park:

(Above) The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

(Above) The beautiful garden provides shade and a peaceful sitting 

(Above) A giant saffron flag (pataka) can be seen proudly in the sky

(Above) The park has this theme of wall murals depicting the whole life of Shivaji Maharaj; starting from his birth as seen above

(Above) An exhibition in the form of series of wall murals can be seen inside the park

(Above) Another wall mural showing victory of Shivaji in the South India. Do you know that Shiva ji had spread his empire till Tamil Nadu? In 1677 Shiva ji had invaded Madras and you can read about it in the Hindu newspaper here. 

(Above) The skyline of the park is dominated by the Shivaji Maharaj statue

(Above) The beautiful gate to the park; at Dange Chowk, Thergaon

(Above) The flyover at Dange Chowk is also named "Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Udan Pul, Thergaon"

(Above) Wonderful wall murals at the park showing different stages of Shivaji Maharaj's life

The entry to the park is free. Though the park seems to be still developing and a few sections may be added in the future. Kids were seen touching these murals and I saw a kid applying force to check how strong an elephant's trunk was! I stopped him and asked him not to touch it; but in the meanwhile the kid did beak a small bell from the neck of a bullock's statue. Feeling guilty, he picked it up and tried to install it back on the statue without success. I helped him do that but not before hurting my finger a bit. :) I think protective chains need to be installed before these murals so that they can be viewed but still remain safe. Also, it seems there will be a shade built to protect these murals from the rains - as of now these stand in the open sky and hence dust and water can harm those. 

The park is situated at the very busy Dange Chowk and there is no other place so near to the buzzing junction which is so calm and peaceful. Appreciation goes to the municipal corporation and government for making this park a wonderful and inspiring place to visit.

- Rahul Tiwary | April 2019

Travelogue: Garden inside Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital Pune

Visit to a hospital is mostly stressful. But imagine a hospital which has such a beautiful garden inside it that for a moment you forget if you have come to a hospital or to a park! Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital (ABMH), Pune is one such hospital. Just treat yourself with following pictures for example:

- Rahul Tiwary | Pune | Jan 2019

#Travelogue: Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Shiv Temple and Anjani Hanuman Temple, Nashik

On way from Pune to Nashik: National Highway:

Nashik; Station Road area:

Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Shiv Temple: 

A beautiful scene around a beautiful pond near Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Shiv Temple: 

Area around Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Shiv Temple: 

Anjani Hanuman Temple: Birth place of Lord Hanuman Ji: This temple is very near to Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Shiv Temple: 

Scenery around Nashik:

Pictures (C) Rahul Tiwary

Maharashtra Desha: Uddhav Thackeray Photography

On Diwali eve, we found some new roadside vendors joining the festivities in Pune. We noticed an unusual seller: a woman was selling "books" on a table she had put on the roadside. We found that all the books and magazines on sale were in Marathi language. Then I noticed a book by Uddhav Thackeray. The book "Maharashtra Desha" is a collection of Uddhav's aerial photography across the state. When we asked the lady if the book was also available in Hindi or English, she replied, "the person whose book it is, is a Marathi and hence the book is also in Marathi." I liked her pride and attitude. We bought one book and came back home. When we checked the book out, we were awestruck with the brilliant and wonderful photographs published in the book. We could not resist but went back to the lady and bought 2 more books which we have gifted to our parents. Pieces of beautiful Maharashtra and some reason for the lady's pride have traveled to far places now...

The book महाराष्ट्र देशा is divided into sections: (1) Forts, (2) Temples and places of worship, (3) Rivers and Roads/Highways, (4) Landmarks in Mumbai, (5) General photography. 

A few pictures of forts are can be seen here: 

You can also see a Rediff Slideshow on the same book and Uddhav Thackeray's photography: [Link]

Paperback edition of the book costs only Rs 100 and can be found here: http://www.sahyadribooks.org/books/MHDesha.aspx?bid=508

When I tried to find some photographs on the internet, I could find mostly pictures of forts. But the photographs of other sections of the book including the last general photography titled "Adbhut Desha अद्भुत देशा" is so wonderful that unless you see those, you won't be able to guess the beauty. Our parents viewed the pictures and were mesmerized. The photographs not only show the international level photography talent in Uddhav Thackeray but also his thinking and humility. There is a picture of a man washing his buffaloes in a pond, a family traveling in a boat in a river, a farmer with green turban sitting in his fields with specks of greenery, a variety of crops making a mesmerizing visual delight, a group of womenfolks waiving to the photographers while they were sowing rice in the fields, or four boys resting after having hearty swimming... The width and depth of the images are unseen before... Kudos to Uddhav for this book and for his photography... 

With the exceptional quality of photography and the unparalleled coverage of Maharashtra, the book is actually priceless. If you love Maharashtra or want to know more, it is a must buy. 

- Rahul

Flash Mob of Thugs in Pune

A colleague shares an incident which happened recently. While going home from office late at night around 9, he had to pass through a somewhat isolated patch of road, though there were some vehicles passing through. Suddenly a car which was passing by stopped and 3 people came out of it. They stopped him and started shouting at him accusing him of hitting their car and damaging it. In a few moments, a mob of around 20-30 people gathered at the site immediately and everyone started abusing him and asking for money as compensation for the claimed damages done.

The friend notes that the mob had gathered in no time as if it was a planned scheme. Also, the car was new and didn’t have a number plate. There was no single scratch either on the car or on his bike as there was no real hitting which had happened. The friend hailed from North India and this incident happened in Pune in Maharashtra, so there were language issues too. Ultimately he was able to convince them that nothing had happened and anyhow succeeded in rushing away without paying any money to them. This, he believes might not happen with everyone and hence he warns bike riders especially from IT companies, to be aware and vigilant about such flash mobs looting people…

- Rahul

Infosys in Pune - Shining India!

Infosys Campus in Pune, India. Shining India!