Category: India

  • Q: As a Solo Cycle Tourer, How Do I Fit In With People Back Home in India?

    Q: As a Solo Cycle Tourer, How Do I Fit In With People Back Home in India?

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Happy are those travel moments when one finds kindred spirits or in this case sant sangathi i.e. the company of fellow spiritual devotees. These are not very often because people are of all different kinds and finding a true sync is tough especially for me.

  • Taking Your Cycle in the Indian Railway Train [Podcast]

    Taking Your Cycle in the Indian Railway Train [Podcast]

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Ideally, I would want to service my cycle properly in a nearby cycle shop or by myself at home and then start off on trips from my doorstep itself. But that will hardly ever happen, especially cause cycling in India is a bit more challenging than I would like. Much easier to fly of to…

  • If Only India Were a Bit Safer: Cycling Bharat

    If Only India Were a Bit Safer: Cycling Bharat

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    I am planning my next full-fledged cycle tour to South East Asia, and I am trying to convince the visa authorities to let me in their country without a return ticket (because I want to cycle 3 countries for 3-4 months, how do I figure out where/when to take a return ticket?!). And I am…

  • Q: I want to stay with the locals in Indian Rural Villages? Is it Possible?

    Q: I want to stay with the locals in Indian Rural Villages? Is it Possible?

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Typically, we urban folks never consider going to a village and living with them (unless it is planned by a group). But if it is something that we truly want to do then it can be done. And I have seen many travellers, even foreigners doing this in a nice, spiritual way. So when I…

  • Unexpected Visit to the Kelva Beach, Konkan Maharashtra [Photos]

    Unexpected Visit to the Kelva Beach, Konkan Maharashtra [Photos]

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    My train from Ahmedabad got stuck at Kelva station on 10th July, 2018 due to incessant Mumbai rains. I spent some of the time watching a waterlogged bridge outside my train window. And the rest of the time I was wondering if one shouldn’t take the opportunity to explore Kelva beach side? Eventually, after 12…

  • Mahudi Jain Temple, Gujarat

    Mahudi Jain Temple, Gujarat

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
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    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    There is something about this temple that calls on our devotion…

  • Life Across A Waterlogged Bridge, Mumbai Monsoons

    Life Across A Waterlogged Bridge, Mumbai Monsoons

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    When I left Ahmedabad (Amdavad) on 9th July in an overnight train for Mumbai, I did suspect that our train would be delayed. Because I had followed the heavy rain situation of the day via Twitter. So, I even told my Mom to have dinner properly as we would be late for breakfast. I was…

  • 10 Ways To Make Your Adiyogi Visit More Memorable

    10 Ways To Make Your Adiyogi Visit More Memorable

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
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    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    The Adiyogi visit is powerful for many devotees. This post is an attempt to help you make it even better…

  • Jain Temples Of Puzhal, Chennai

    Jain Temples Of Puzhal, Chennai

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , , , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Earlier, in April, came the auspicious day of Chaitri Poonam or the Full moon of the Chaitra month for Jains. It is the day the first disciple of Adinath, Pundrik Swami got enlightened. And along with him crores of other swamis. Adinath (or Rushabhnath) is the first Jain tirthankar in this half yuga cycle, so…

  • Day to Day Notes with Kalaripayattu in Kozhikode, Kerala

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Here I am in Kozhikode (pronounced Co-Li-co-Day), Kerala for a week of Kalaripayattu. As with Kalari, this is also my first experience with Kerala – I am staying at my teacher’s (respectfully called Gurakkal) homestay, getting vegetarian Malabar food (without onion and garlic) and everyone typically speaks only Malayalam sometimes with a smattering of Hindi…

  • 21 Mumbai City Photos : Black And White

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    When I am not “on the road”, my base is Mumbai at my parents house. Naturally, when I am there, I wish to explore and uncover interesting stories. This implies heritage walks, chit-chatting with people from different strata of life, clicking photos and so on. ;) And here are some of these Mumbai city photos!…

  • Isha Mahashivratri Celebrations at Adiyogi Coimbatore & Bangalore: A Complete Guide

    Isha Mahashivratri Celebrations at Adiyogi Coimbatore & Bangalore: A Complete Guide

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    A detailed guide to attend the MOST WATCHED live webcast in the world – Isha Mahashivratri Celebrations!

  • Places to Meditate in Salem, Tamil Nadu

    Places to Meditate in Salem, Tamil Nadu

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Places to MEDITATE. This is my favourite activity (or rather no-activity ? ;) ). Go somewhere awesome and sit and meditate or cycle. Kind of the same. Haha. And one podcast I heard from Swami Tyagananda of Ramakrishna Chapter in Boston, said that spiritual seekers notice a sense of familiarity when they do their practices…

  • Jibhi: A Month in the Mountains

    Jibhi: A Month in the Mountains

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    This Himalayan trip was easily one of my best – a week in the astounding desert of Spiti and then over a month in Jibhi – a beautiful, lush green mountain town at 7,000 ft. The idea was simple, leave the metropolis madness called Mumbai behind and be closer to nature. And so it happened.…

  • Wandering In The Himalayas : 50 Days In Spiti, Jibhi and Shimla

    Wandering In The Himalayas : 50 Days In Spiti, Jibhi and Shimla

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    What is it about ‘a month’ of time, that makes it really exciting to spend ‘a month’ in a place? Wandering in the Himalayas for a month had been on my mind since a long time. Now that it has happened, I am thinking of spending a few more months next time around. :D I think a…

  • Reflections: The People Of The Himachal Villages

    Reflections: The People Of The Himachal Villages

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Small friendly gestures, quick laughs, a fleeting romance in the heart or a simple, resonating conversation on the road. Cherished by travellers, these interactions are unexpected and what makes them more special is that they are between complete strangers. You may not know the person’s name, background or any details at all. And yet those…

  • Spiti Valley Travel Guide: Meeting The High Himalayas

    Spiti Valley Travel Guide: Meeting The High Himalayas

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    योगीश्वराय महादेवाय त्रयंबकाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय त्रिकाग्नि कालाय कालाग्नि रुद्राय नीलकण्ठाय मृत्युञ्जयाय सर्वेश्वराय सदाशिवाय महादेवाय नमः महादेवाय नमः महादेवाय नमः I have explored various parts of the Himalayas in India. The chardham in Uttarakhand, gardens and lakes of Kashmir, Buddhist ambience of Sikkim, amazing hospitality of Himachalis – the diversity and mountain environment make a rich experience. I have…

  • Solo Cycle Touring In Different Corners Of The World

    Solo Cycle Touring In Different Corners Of The World

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , , , , , , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    I prefer slow, immersive travel experiences. In the Summer of 2015, I went on my first trip to Europe, and tried out solo cycle touring. It was amazing and I found it very well suited for my tastes. Since then I have been on more cycling adventures in other countries and within India too. Writing…

  • Kalaghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    A few pictures from the Kalaghoda Arts Festival 2017 & a quick note on how to best experience it. These are overall my thoughts about how this festival can be experienced. If you want to go there to take your photographs with the installations then I suggest you do that along with other more immersive…

  • Konark Temple : Abode Of The Sun God, Orissa

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Which is the only god worshipped across the world? Err… Not sure One and only – The Sun!! And that is why this is the greatest temple in the world. Ehhh… Everyone doesn’t worship the sun. Who doesn’t? In Egypt he is known as Ra, in Greece as Apollo, in Rome as Helios, even the Incans…

  • TriMandir – Adalaj, Ahmedabad

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Trimandir on the outskirts of Ahmedabad is a unique temple officially called a “non-sectarian” temple. It has three major deities – Simandhar swami, Shiva and Vishnu. Simandhar swami is from the Jain religion is the main deity of this temple with a large idol (about 14 ft). Along with him there are a number of…

  • Kali Temple of Kolkata, Shakti Peeth

    Kali Temple of Kolkata, Shakti Peeth

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Spent a relaxed 5 days in Kolkata last month. I have been to this city earlier but always with family as my close relatives stay here including my grand mom :) This time I planned to spend time with family AND explore the intriguing Kolkata! One of the first places that I wanted to take…

  • Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra – Behind The Scenes Story

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
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    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    It so happened that I planned my Jagannath Puri trip a week before the Rath Yatra which brings millions of devotees to this sleepy, coastal town in Orissa. If I had planned a week later, I would have really struggled with booking and high costs. To attend a festival like the Rath Yatra – which…

  • Kumbh Mela: Ujjain Simhasth, May 2016, Photos

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in , ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    Quick trip to Ujjain for the Simhasth Kumbh Mela happened in early May. I had traveled to Nashik for my first Kumbh Mela experience in 2015 and I deliberately went on the non-Shahi snan days. I was concerned about the crowds and overall facilities. This time for Ujjain I went impromptu on the 7-8th May…

  • Kaup Beach Lighthouse, Konkan Karnataka

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    by

    Priyanka Dalal
    in ,

    contact me at inspiritualityblog(@)gmail(.)com for personalized pilgrimage planning for a powerful spiritual experience

    One of my first Lighthouse visits was the Kaup Beach Lighthouse near Udupi in Konkan Karnataka. I took a local bus from Udupi going towards Mangalore and got down at the small town. There was this Mariamma temple opposite the bus stand,