Kanchipuram has always been one of the most important religious cities of the world. Housing over a hundred temples, all at least a 1000 years old, it has been a confluence of Shiva, Vishnu and Shakta tracts of Hinduism. The capital of the Pallava dynasties for centuries, the city is sacred to many as one of the most potent centers for spirituality. It is one of the Sapta Puris or Seven Cities (Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kashi, Kanchipuram, Ujjain and Dwarka). These cities are the select places of high spiritual elevation and spiritual masters have time and again been born in these places. On one warm summer afternoon, I visited the matha (an institute of asceticism usually started by a spiritual master) of one such exalted masters, Upanishad Brahmendra.
Continue reading “The little known Matha of Kanchipuram”
Having traveled through the slightly off the beaten path of Northern Spain, I thought it might be useful to pen down some practical information on how to travel through this part of the vast and beautiful country of Spain. I often found more information on the bigger and more popular cities of Spain but found it a little difficult to get easy information on this part. Its my humble attempt to list a few things that might be useful to someone planning to travel here someday!
Seated right along the border of France and Spain and flanked by gorgeous beaches, San Sebastian is a walhalla of fine dining and is a perfect getaway from France or Spain for a long weekend. My last stop along the northern coast of Spain, I took a morning bus from Santander to San Sebastian passing through Bilbao. I could have chosen to spend my time in the bigger Bilbao instead but I was ready for a more intimate and chic affair with San Sebastian.
There is so much to tell about the beaches of Asturias but I guess they are better expressed in pictures as words will certainly fall short. I made a stop in the delightful coastal town of Llanes in Asturias, Spain which is blessed with over thirty beautiful beaches. I explored the rugged coastline around it cycling along its sandy beaches, feeling the breeze of the cold Atlantic ocean on my face and the warmth of the people in my heart, as the ocean raged against the dramatic cliffs in the backdrop of green meadows. I leave a few memories in photos…
On the wee hours of a fine misty morning, I found myself on the way to the Picos de Europa National Park battling the chill of the morning by snuggling into a warm sweater and sipping a coffee to warm myself. In what was supposedly a very warm month in the rest of Spain, the story in Green Spain was another. As my bus ascended the green mountain ranges, the fine curtains of mist were replaced by a light patter of drizzle. Frantically I cleared the moist from the window to not lose sight of the intense hues of the green around me and to catch the first glimpse of the turquoise blue of the lake I was heading to.