old tiger's Blog

Since somebody asked me to relate about my further travells..
I will do so in short time..I don't remember the correct years..
but it will be about Tsjechie,Poland,Malta,Hungary,Thailand,
Bangladesj,India again,Nepal,U.S.A,Iceland,Senegal,Gambia..
I bet that's all..could be more..
I hope you will all enjoy my adventures..
Tiger

I believe it was in 1980..I witnessed durga puja in Calcutta..
now..just believe me..I've never seen a festival like this one..
me and my wife stayed at my sister in law's place..
she was married to a Bengali dude..nice people..
durga puja is usually held late september or october..
it celebrates the beginning of autum...a new harvest..
every neighbourhood in Calcutta town builds *pandals*
I don't know how they do it..but it's quite remarkeable..
every Indian household does its own *aarti*(puja)
but this one..is so massive..the whole town is vibrating
with festivities..drum music..colours..I can't explain it..
it takes several days..people invite each other for meals...
visit each other's houses..it's a time of joy..
last day...all these bamboo made *pandals* are carried..
in procession towards the Hooghly river..then they are immersed.
while chanting the hymn *Jai Ma Durga* which means..
hail to Mother Durga..Bengali Hindus are very devotional folks..
here is a link with some more detailed information...
http://www.calcuttaweb.com/puja/index.shtml

crazy Tiger

To me sitar music means Ravi Shankar..
he's the ultimate master...
the tabla is also very important in the game..
the sitar master plays with the tablaist..
Allah Rakha masters this perfectly..
I'm gonna find some sitar music links here..
Indian music can go very deep..very spiritual..
this is a VERY nice song from the Moody Blues..
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=TwcizavYNTc&mode=related&search

and here is Anoushka=daughter of Ravi Shankar..
she's a stunning beautiful woman..who can play some sitar..
judge for yourselves..she's giving concerts all over..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HqQoLq5c2c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_0dcF8WE3U&mode=related&search=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_0dcF8WE3U&mode=related&search=

Tiger

I've never made it to Darjeeling..pity really..
Another place i didn't reach is Shantiniketan..
both in West Bengal..Calcutta of course is a
life experience..in Darjeeling there is of course
tea..mountains...and that famous toy train..
runs between New Jalpaiguri/Siliguri to Darjeeling..
I guess it runs twice a day..in either direction..
it's a 7 hour train ride..a great piece of engineering
to build this line..one day..I hope I can travell there..
The whole track is 82 km.long..Ghoom station is on
2.438m altitude..several loops have to be taken..
It's a hill station..so..one can escape the heat..
trekking in the mountains is possible..
the Himalayan mountain range can be seen..
http://www.zubin.com/darjeeling/general.htm

http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r007.html

Well..you all have an image of Indian people..
first thing which comes to the mind..
is a red dot on a woman's head??
or a turban..now..turbans...are Sikh..
I've encountered so many of them..
stayed for free in their gurdwara's..discussed..
their religion..their beliefs..I'm not religious..
I will never be...but Sikhs...and Parsi's..
touched my heart..with their principles..
Sihks believe in *khalsa* and *gurmukh*
khalsa is more like reaching an inner state of mind..
gurmukh..is the status of a teacher..a guru
all Sihks names are Singh..which means *lion*
they practise the 5 K's..
*kesh*=they never cut their hair..
*kangha*=a comb..which symbolises discipline..
hygienic conditions..quite in contrasts with sanyasi
or sadhu's in Hindu religion..
*kara*=a steel bracelet worn on the arm..
symbol of strenght...and self control..
*kachha*=underwear..kind of boxershirt...
symbol of self control..
*kirpan*=a sword..worn by Sikh guards..
or devoted Sikh followers...not a weapon in the real sense...
more a sign of dignity..and a symbol against injustice..
but Sihks..I tell you...are fierce fighters..good warriors..
don't get into a real fight with a true Sikh..
their Golden temlpe in Amritsar..was one of the highlights...
in my trips to India..I've been there twice..
it's simply heartbreaking...and if you like dancing..
the Punjab..is full of bhangra...ask any Punjabi...
and that's not a name for hashisj...
but a dance...where Punjabi's get in trance...
crazy Tiger