Roots and Reflections - Exploring Ideas, Experiences and Wisdom

The mountains, lakes, fields, and snow can inspire poets, painters, and thinkers to create beautiful works of art. The drive from Manali on the way to Leh and back through the high terrain of the Lahaul Spiti region in Himachal Pradesh has everything, and this unique drive will provide a new experience for poets and photographers alike. Although winter conditions and hazardous roads are present on parts of this drive, anyone who is passionate about discovering this challenging road will appreciate how breathtaking the view from there is. It is best to carry heavy winter clothing when traveling throughout the year, however, you will first have contact with the unpredictable weather at Solang Valley, which is located only 10 km from Manali. You will go from being on a beautiful sunny day to being engulfed in pitch darkness within minutes after arriving at Solang Valley. The primary stop-over for many travelers on their trip between Pahalgam and Manali is at Marhi, which is home to both a...

Early Dogri Poetry and Royal Patronage under Maharaja Ranvir Singh The earliest examples of Dogri Poetry are found in the work of Rama Datta Bhadwal (Dattu), a poet from the late-18th century who essentially wrote in Braj Bhaskari (language), as well as in the Poetry of Lal Ram Dhan, Ganga Ram Mathara Das and Kanshi Ram (known as Pahari Gandhi), with respect to Dogri Poetry - again, none of which can be considered a systematic Body of Poetry or Prose before the arrival of Dogri as an Official Language, with a Royal Patronage, under Maharaja Ranvir Singh's reign; when Maharaja also ordered that the then-current Dogri script be modified and improved. In fact, the Government issued all official notices and orders in both languages - Dogri and Persian - and Dogri was also used on Revenue Stamps, Postage Stamps, and Currency Notes. Additionally, a number of important works in other languages have been translated into Dogri, with Adam's Mathematical book, Lilakriti, being the first o...

Sheikh Muhammad Sultan: The Qalandar Saint of Hakura Badasgam A 20th century Sufi known as Sheikh Muhammad Sultan used to live in a small village in Anantnag, the Kashmir valley called Hakura Badasgam. He has achieved miraculous status throughout the Kashmir area as well as outside of it as one of its prophets. Baba Sultan is classified as a Qalandar (one of 4 categories of Sufis). The Qalandars lived their lives wholly devoted to God by following Him alone and not following social customs (that is, the accepted rules of society) as a matter of course, except where doing so might violate the Shari'ah (that is, the universal law of God). (The differences in behaviour, dress, and objects carried by Qalandars has been used as an excuse to consider Qalandars to be separate from others.) There exists a considerable amount of literature concerning Qalandars in languages other than English such as Urdu (the principal native language of Pakistan), Persian (the principal native language of ...

Scholars from all parts of the world have taken note, while myriad individuals have also become admirers of Lalleshuri (Lal Ded) of Kashmir for her poetic works referred to as Vaakhs. These works are spontaneity expressed by an awakened Yogi, who produced exceptional works of poetry with a considerable philosophical depth, while at the same time sharing her insights into her own spiritual path with the reader. Many of her poems express her direct spiritual experiences through simple and easy-to-understand formats, as well as giving concise examples of Yoga principles that can be related to in day-to-day life. Lalleshuri provided access to her timeless spiritual wisdom in the language of everyday people through oral speaking; the impact of her oral expression carried on through the ages and was transmitted orally to future generations with virtually no change in the language or meaning of her works. Lalleshuri's Vaakhs are a comprehensive representation of the literary talent of a h...

A Sacred Dogra Heritage Shrine: The shrine of Baba Bhed Devta is a hidden gem and a significant aspect of the cultural traditions of the Dogra people who inhabit the Shivalik Hills and nearby area. Located in the southern part of the Shivalik Hills, the shrine can be found where the holy River Suryaputri (the modern stream Tawi) meets the hill. Baba Bhed Devta or "Baba Bhed Nag" is a Dogra style shrine with many stories and unverified accounts written by people who visit it. The incredible natural setting of the shrine, in addition to its distance from larger towns, gives the shrine a sense of holiness. Baba Bhed Nag became the king of the Jammu dynasty because Vasuki Nag (King of the Serpents), his father, provided him with control of the Jammu kingdom after he was able to redirect the waters of the Tawi River from the Kali Kundi Glacier located in the Kaplash Mountains in Bhaderwah, and it resulted in the many Rajput families with small kingdoms in the Jammu region viewing ...

Background of Bhal Padri: The town of Bhal Padri or as commonly known "Mini Kashmir" has opened its doors to tourists. This beautiful location is an awe-inspiring place to be in the midst of the magnificent scenery of the beautiful Gandoh region within Doda of Jammu and Kashmir. The breathtaking scenery offers visitors many opportunities to experience the spectacular beauty of nature with its many alpine mountains and landscape, scenic hiking trails, postcard views, etc. J&K offers its visitors magnificent scenery consisting of snow-covered mountains, peaceful valleys, and beautiful meadows teeming with Flora and Fauna. Bhal Padri adds an additional added beauty to this wonderful area. Tourists will appreciate the beauty of Bhal Padri and all it has to offer and come away with lifelong memories. The opening of Bhal Padri to tourists has been made possible due to recent developments in road construction, providing better access to visit the "Valley of Flowers". U...