The Progress of A Pilgrim- A Journey

  Part 7- Wildlife, Sceneries, The Return  “The forest makes your heart gentle. You become one with it. No place for greed or anger there.” - Pha Pachak As we bade  farewell to the chilly winds, the beloved people of Ooty and the glory of the Blue Mountains and descended towards Bangalore, we flew through Madumalai Forest and Tiger Reserve and Bandipur Wildlife Reserve where we were welcomed by the playful elephants and the majestic peacocks with out spread blue-green tail, dancing with tune of rain drops falling on the grass and trees and the music they made.  But then, a hopping herd of deer welcomed us and in their play, took away my tiresomeness of the long journey. But, wait.... as if that wasn't enough a band of monkeys welcomed me with their joyful chattering.  Yet surrounded by fog and showered with raindrops, it felt magical as if I was in Ancient Ireland with the fae folk.  After this, and a sad farewell to the beloved animals, and a long journey,...

 Part 6: Treks, Temples, Churches, Food & a Farewell  "I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world" - Mary Anne Radmacher When I started going on these trips,  I never knew it would become a habit. And good habits should be inculcated,  nurtured and grown. My trips have helped me see a world where there is joy and happiness in small things, something a corporate minded would seemingly call "useless" or derogate its importance.  But that's where travel comes in. It shows us that as humans,  we're all to an extent suffering but we need to smile and seek as well as find happiness.   My last day began with a visit to the Cathedral and it's adjacent Shrine of The Blessed  Sacrament, where after a quiet reflection and The Holy Rosary,  I visited my favorite South Indian Restaurant,  Ruchi on Garden Road, where I indulged into a treat of Poori masala or Bhatura and mashed potato sabzi. Next, a trip to an...

Day 5: Chai Sutra: The Tea Trail of Ooty "Not all who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien My day began with Rosary and a trek through Elk Hill to visit the legendary Murugan temple housing a colossal statue of Murugan Swamy (Kartikeya), the god of war and bravery and the first born son of Shiva. Surrounded by pines and oaks, this trail took me half an hour's trek and Blessed with some beautiful views. Strong winds and showers of monsoon rain had made the trail not only beautiful but also dangerous but for a adventurer, when has a steep dangerous road stopped men from exploring the unexplored? Having explored Elk Hill and its charming views, I walked through another picturesque trail to The Government Rose Garden which is home to more than 500 different species of roses. Washed and purged by the heavy showers,  these roses danced in the wind as if to an unheard hilly folk song.  Next hopping on to an auto, we travelled to Doddabetta Peak,  the highest  point of Tamil N...

 The Divine Destinations: The Gothic Ecclesiastical Marvels “There are memories that time does not erase… Forever does not make loss forgettable, only bearable.” – Cassandra Clare To adhere to these very true lines, my third day in Ooty took me way back down the 1800s, the glorious part of this erstwhile sleepy hamlet. From a walk  into Old Ooty's Ecclesiastical architectural Marvels to a visit to a contemplative work through Ooty's oldest Cemetery to the best hot chocolate, Moody's and poori chutney in Ooty, Ruchika in Davidsdale. I have always pondered on the past, strangely I find myself fascinated by it. While some dread an Era without technology,  I still enjoy a fine book, a cup of chai or wine, I still prefer letters written  in ink with a fountain pen. I still love architectures that takes me back to a bygone Era.  My first stop as is my custom was a visit to The Cathedral for prayer and quiet reflection after which, walking through misty rainy Davidsdal...