tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38644027.post5477338375058303459..comments2023-06-19T23:55:27.189-04:00Comments on Arguing India: India Sans Rants, Stereotypes, Simplicities: Gangotri: The old order and the new and an ode to immortalityUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38644027.post-18505957633490772412008-07-22T13:57:00.000-04:002008-07-22T13:57:00.000-04:00Great piece, Ishani ! Have never been there, but i...Great piece, Ishani ! Have never been there, but it's on my list of "things to do before it's too late !" Would also strongly recommend to our readers a book of splendid text and photographs of that area called "Panch Kedar" by Debal Sen who is an ardent mountain-lover (in addition to being one of Calcutta's leading cardiologists)Kaisar Ahmadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02770134048559200973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38644027.post-3190159546424543422008-07-22T05:11:00.000-04:002008-07-22T05:11:00.000-04:00That was a good read, Ishani. I am a Himalaya buff...That was a good read, Ishani. I am a Himalaya buff myself. The Skandapurana says "In a thousand ages of the gods I cannot tell thee of the glories of the Himalayas"! I should like to go from this world, if God is good to me, the way Puran Dass went in Rudyard Kipling's magnificent story, <I>The Miracle of Puran Bhagat</I>. Keep writing!<BR/>Suvro Chatterjee<BR/>suvro.chatterjee@gmail.comSuvro Chatterjeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38644027.post-56133032744662513972008-05-15T21:45:00.000-04:002008-05-15T21:45:00.000-04:00IshaniThank you very much for sharing this wonderf...Ishani<BR/><BR/>Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful post with me. As kids in Durgapur, we both had wonderful parents – specifically, our fathers. Now as middle-aged folks, we mourn the deaths of our fathers. For me it’s extremely difficult because I live so far away. I always feel guilty. But in some ways, death is so inevitable. After my father’s death – I felt so helpless without my his presence in my life. I am not particularly religious – I don’t believe in reincarnation and all that stuff that constitute the premise of Hinduism. I get my strength from Mahabharta and Karna remains my role model. I try to do what I’m supposed to do – that’s what Krishna told Arjuna in Gita. After my father’s death, I sought solace in philosophy and I found that in Martin Heidegger –he wrote: ”What is necessary for authentic living is resolute confrontation of death”. This is what Hindus do – we extinguish the funeral pyre (Chita) and turn around and move on. That’s what they said in Upinishada: Choroiboti (Move on).<BR/><BR/>I don’t want to mourn the death of my father – I want to celebrate his life. I think that’s what you are trying to do – going to the Himalayas was a very good idea for you. I’m glad that you felt the presence of your father. That’s wonderful. Our departed fathers are always with us – we are their progeny. Life goes on.<BR/><BR/>Your nephew (Bachcha) is a handsome kid. I wish I could take trips like the one that you did. Instead, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Bermuda writing a power point presentation. Sux<BR/><BR/>Anyway my childhood friend – please keep writing –you bring back the wonderful memories of our magical childhood in Durgapur<BR/><BR/>All the bestNew Jersey Rajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763489647934637617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38644027.post-37012766986421644272008-05-12T05:57:00.000-04:002008-05-12T05:57:00.000-04:00Hello Ayesha, This was very exciting to read not t...Hello Ayesha, <BR/><BR/>This was very exciting to read not the least because it sent me hurtling down memory lane of our trek to Har Ki Doon. That trek with you had come at a very complex moment in my life -- my mother had passed away a year ago, I had just moved away from a dear one and I was planning to move back from U.S. -- my adopted home that had given me so much! <BR/>Walking through the varied landscape of gradients and meadows and past the crystal clear waters of the lake(what was it called?), I had wondered about life and its complexities, wondered and agonised. And the answers had come, slowly, in bits and pieces; as you have put it so perfectly, the immortality of the mountains is so overwhelming. It made my riddles seem so inconsequential and reminded me that life itself is the raison detre. <BR/><BR/>That was then; today, as I read your blog I realized that this is another exciting path I can chart for my son, my sporty son who loves the outdoors and little else. This is going to be our journey. So what if I cannot share his disappointments and joys about the Englsih Premier League? He and I can together revel in the Himalayas -- I think we can at least make the trek upto Gaumukh, even if not all the way to Tapovan.He went for a short trek to Mont Blanc last year and was so excited about that!<BR/><BR/>I had so many questions about the trek itself. How long did it take for you to go from Gangotri to Bhojbasa? Its about 7-8 hours, isn't it? What were the camping sites like after Gaumukh? How many days did it take for you? From what point is the first picture in the blog taken? Its breathtaking!<BR/><BR/>keep writing...Debjanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856450820480819716noreply@blogger.com