Road Trip To the Land of Fish : MALVAN

The Road Less Travelled

Hello everyone...

I do a lot of travelling and most of them exploring places unknown... I have been to every known places and all my travel experince are well documented. This trip though I have done in the month of April this year, would like to share with all of you. I have read most of the traveloques on many sites...but none on konkan...and especially MALVAN... Yes.. MALVAN..*THE LAND OF FISHES*

This trip , as usual , was very much UNplanned...  Me, my mom and dad , our car and loads of food...and we set out for a long drive towards Sawantwadi... As we moved on and on... We came across astonishing Sites... Vast areas fully covered by raw mango trees and cashew trees.... 

The Best part about the villages we came across was the warmth these villagers gave us...as if we were their own...which we hardly come across in huge cities... The greenary , the people , their hospitality made us all fall in love with theses villages... 

After a long drive from sawantwadi .... We came across a village called *TULAS* ... A very small village..with hardly few houses... But... the speciality of this village was.... wait.. c it with ur own eyes :

Yes...*TULAS* which is a part of every hindu house.. A variety of them..sculpted very causiously by the people.. Magnificent!!


After a Short halt @TULAS we set out for Vergurla Port... Once upon a time a very active port it was!!


After Vergurla It was the LAND OF FISHES : MALVAN... Malvan, famous for its MALVANI CUISINE which includes the famous MALVANI FISH CURRY.... 


Pure Malvani Cuisine is found @every corner of the small town.. But Pure vegetarians/... You guyz will have a tough time..as.. there are only 2 Food stations who serve PURE VEG malvani cuisine.


A place worth watchin in Malvan is d Sindhudurg Fort. Sindhudurg fort lies on a low island and about a mile from the Malvan’s shore, this fort is said to be a pride of Maratha glory. Today it contains the houses of few people who are descendent. The main shrine of Shivaji, Palm and footprints of great king also preserved here on a dried lime slab in a tower at the entrance of the fort.
There is nothing much to see in the fort as most of the structure has been destroyed. But the fort itself is 

                                       very magnificent architectural structure. We hired a guide for about 

Rs100 who gave us all information. There is a temple inside which is dedicated to Shivaij were his sword has been kept. There is also a Ganapati murti made of sand. (Its worth watching), The view from the fort is very good and one can see Tarkarli, Bhogave beach from it’s top.

Here are some of the pix clicked during the road trip. For more information regarding the place, accomodation, places of interests , foor courts and genuine recommedation , you can always drop in your queries in my mail inbox.
Here's my mail i.d :-
astrochic22@yahoo.in

Sindhudurg Fort

Vengurla Beach

Tarkarli Beach

Malvani Missal Pav

The Rock Garden @Chivla Beach, Malvan

The Malvani CUT PAV :

Vengurla Bander ( PORT)

Stories from VEDANTA

There is a popular criticism nowadays that religion has made India passive , or worse , that it has turned her into a race of cowards. The story of GITA is a fitting reply to that shallow criticism. And the following story of Janaka and Shuka is a fine illustration of non-attached work.

JANAKA and SHUKA :

Vyasa , the great composer of the BRAHMA SUTRAS , a grand study of all the wise sayings scatterd by the ancient sages in the different Upanishads , had a son named Shuka. He taught his son everything he knew, so that by the time the boy was a teenager he had already attained the knowledge of a Brahman.

   One’s own ideas about spiritual truths must at some point be confirmed by the teachings of the wise. This ensures that the spiritual aspirant has indeed reached the highest state. When Shuka was a teenager , his father sent him to visit Janaka , the king of Mithila , who was famous for his wisdom. Alone , Shuka undertook the trek to Mithila to listen to Janaka’s sermons.

   Janaka had an intuition that Shuka was on his way to Mithila , and he made preparations accordingly.

 When Shuka reached the palace of Janaka , the guards barely noticed him ; they offered him a seat but nothing else. And there he sat for 3 days. Though he was the son of a scholarly father, the palace staff showed no interest in him or his credentials.

 But suddenly, after a few days , everything changed. The officials of the kingdom came to give Shuka a grand welcome. They led the lad to a beautifully decorated , well-furnished room. Now the teenager was an honoured guest , and for eight days he lived in splendour. Then the officials came again and escorted him to the court of Janaka.

  But neither the three days of neglect nor the eight days of pomp and circumstance could disturb the serenity of Shuka. For, in his wisdom , he had gone beyond the customs , manners, and fashions of society.

  As Janaka sat on his throne , beautiful girls entertained the ministers and guests with dance and music. It was in tht midst of much merriment that Shuka was presented to the king. Janaka handed him a saucer of milk , full to brim. He asked him to walk around the huge riotous room seven times holding the saucer , taking care not to spill even a drop.

  Obviously the boy was asked to perform a very difficult feat. But Shuka passed the test. His mind remained glued to the saucer of milk inspite of all the voluptuous distractions. He returned to the king with the saucer full. Janaka was highly pleased. He told the boy :

“My child , I am only repeating what you already know and what your father has already told you when I say that you have attained the sublime knowledge of Brahman. You have nothing more to learn.Please go back home.”

......

Those who attain the highest knowledge have this kind of non-attachment. Both Janaka and Shuka exemplified it. Whoever , be he a monk or a house holder , wants to attain the knowledge of the ultimate has to undergo this discipline. But non-attachment does not mean indifference. There must be enthusiasm , and there must be perseverance. Success or failure must not make one elated or dejected. Calmness of Mind should be maintained under all circumstances. Even if we have a little of this renunciation and non-attachment , our life will become more peaceful. Difficulties will come , Bereavements and sorrows may confront us , but they will not overwhelm us. We will have the power to overcome them and remain undisturbed.

Your Territory....

Dear Readers., 

People love to travel, Explore new places.. No doubt..They do travel..to various places.. But it's most of the time that they travel beyond their territory. It isn't bad. But, there are very few..few are those who explore threir very own territory first. Guess what? Exploring the place around you first at times is really amazing!! trust me..It's worth it. 


Goa..Every year, Tourists flock in the state in thousands . For some it's the beach.   For some it's the wine. Most are under the impression that Goa is all about beaches and alcohol. But friends , its not at all true. There's somethin more to goa.. It's serene environment , its nature , its people ( AKA *SUSSEGAD GOENKARS* ) , most of all its beautiful history , its festivities and there's lots more.....




So Friends , If your in Goa..then trust me.. You won't be dissapointed... Explore the place around you... You'll be left amazed and thrilled to hav discovered a heaven in your very own land!! 

Hey,...Up for Some Back Up??

Life is a bright, long star boulevard, 
Where you get good, when you work hard.

But Life is not a fantasy, 
or just a love that's shared between thee'
It's a battlefield of broken goals, 
A purple sky with empty souls.
The city streets with littered trash, 
the wild fire left with ash.

Falling, hurting, 
crying, blurting, 
fearing, slipping, 
failing, tripping.
Lies from fakers, 
burning heart breakers.
Those knocking you down, 
smiling when you frown.

But others tell you keep on going, 
you try so hard though your steps are slowing.
You can't see the future or get a head start, 
So getting back up is the hardest part. 

Confused....

Hungry for something you can't have

ignoring the tell-tale cries of the wind.

Heart beating at maddening pace

searching for already there answers.

No one can feel what you are

inside of that paralyzed smile.

Each step leads you deeper in

to see the cracks cannot be filled. 

Mind Of Soul

dunnoe wt made me make a blog..coz i hav no xperience in bloggin... nor do i hav ne idea whr nd hw 2 strt!!!... probbly im loadd wid so much stuff in my mind dt i jus wntd 2 get it out... neway... glad i accpetd a request 4m my friend 2 start blogging!!... hope dis will surely make me feel good!!..nd if nt feel good bt @least much bettr!!! :D