Garhwa fort is located in town Shankargarh, approximately 50 KM south to Allahabad. It was built in year 1750, but it has few remains of structures of Gupta dynasty (240-605 CE).
“I think stones have a lot more experience than any living being, you just need to sit with them and have your ears open to listen the tales.”
A ruin of temple in Garhwa fort
A ruin of temple in Garhwa fort
A ruin of temple in Garhwa fort
I am in my hometown to attend a ceremony organised post death of a relative. He was old and on bed for sometime, died peacefully.
Dr. Sharad drove me to Sangam… there are a lot of stories happening at that place even after Maagh Mela is over. Tried capturing those stories –
A Cucumber seller
A barber shop under a tree
Papaya vendor and makeshift shops in backdrop
Off season struggle and stress, little or no tourists. Difficult months till January 2019
A pilgrim, all the way from Karnataka
A boy with baby Python
Two girls posing as goddess
Managing, organizing and planning, this is what I do the entire year whatever I do, but for our yearly ritual I do not do this at all. Unplanned travel creates a lot of breathing space and gives me time to enjoy the trip rather than worrying about hotel booking or fooding.
We stayed in a good hotel at Shahdol on first night of this trip and after dinning Dr Sharad came up with idea of Visiting holy city of Amarkantak (Amakantak is know for origin of river Narmada) before reaching Kanha our final destination. As nothing was planned and there was no intention to create any plan, we all agreed . Dr Sharad got body massage done and brother BK got my car washed, we took all luxuries before hitting the road at 11:00 AM next morning. Trust me I was not worried about reaching Kanha before evening.
BK on a bike hijacked from kids of some village on the way to Amarkantak 😀
Dr Sharad in light mood
Old temple complex, Amarkantak
A priest heading for evening prayers, Old temple complex, Amarkantak
BK and Dr Sharad, Old temple complex, Amarkantak
Old temple complex, Amarkantak
After Amarkantak, BK took the driving seat and I was given responsibility of checking accommodation in Kanha tiger reserve.
I have a confession to make, ruins give me a delight which a luxury hotel can not give. I love sitting at a corner of such building, imagine and dream its magnificent and glorious past. They have a tale, a riddle, a story hidden inside them. I found myself a explorer and an inspirer to solve that riddle 😛
When I suggest visiting Govindgarh palace and staying in a resort nearby, both brother BK and Sharad resisted. They won when I failed to book a room in the resort nearby, but we took a brief stop on the way to wonder in that ruin. Govindgarh was not in the middle of destination (Kanha tiger reserve), so we decided to move on stayed in Shahdol in the night of 25th December. Posting few photos of our brief stop at that palace.
Front of Govindgarh palace
A chariot use to pulled by elephants
A compound for royal family entertainment
Ruins of Govindgarh palace
Ruins of Govindgarh palace
Ruins of Govindgarh palace
Ruins of Govindgarh palace
Happy new year !
I guess it’s the best way to start the blog, its first post of year after all.
Well, there were 2 long weekends first of x-mas and then new year, took few offs in between and got 10 days of break from 23 Dec 2017 to 1 Jan 2018.
Few years back I came up with thought of giving sometime to myself, to slow down a bit and spend some time with friends, nature, wildlife or whatever I love to do, actually live a different way of life all-together and do whatever I can do to relax and since then it has became a part of my yearly plan, which happens only in winters.
Reached to home town (Allahabad) on 23 Dec. Visited Sangam with brother and my ancestral place with dad on 24 Dec. Finalized my trip with brother BK and Dr. Sharad. Posting few photos taken on 24th.
A Sadhu at Sangam (Allahabad)
My great grandfather was the one who first moved in to my ancestral village from somewhere, got some land which was very cheap or even free that time and started farming. He had 3 sons, my grandfather and his 2 younger brothers, once grown up they built their own houses next to each other, they all had 3 sons, but slowly my fathers generation and my generation started moving out of the village and now not a single person lives there. Those 3 houses are now started turning into ruins. The front of house and the place between house and well is turned into a mini forest. I remember, when we use to visit the village in my childhood, we were not having enough space left to put a Charpai (a portable bed) to sleep, ironically only snakes and scorpions lives in that area now.
Well build by my grandfather and his 2 brothers
Temple build by my grandfather and his 2 brothers
Cluster fig (Hindi: Goolar) tree, we use to spent our summer noon on branches of these tree in childhood
House of our neighbor blacksmith, like all others he has also moved to some city for job
We once had mud-wall house like this one, these are very comfortable in summer and we use to sleep on dry paddy plant to keep our selves warm.
Dusk
I have visited this place many time since childhood and was fascinated by beauty of this place, this is a very large ground next to river Ganga, due to flooding every monsoon no one lives there.
First day in Allahabad and second day of this yearly ritual was dedicated to dad :). Will post about 3rd day later. Keep watching this space….
That story started in the car and continued in tea break …
tale narration (November 2009, MP)
Found another one, shot at 17 m.m. …
Greenwich Park, London (September 2017)
