Sillery Gaon

Sillery Gaon is a quaint little village in West Bengal. For the past few years this quaint little hamlet has become a sought after tourist destination as it offers a splendid view of Kanchenjunga ranges. During our recent visit to East Sikkim, Sillery Gaon was our first stay spot. Distance of Sillery Gaon from New Jalpaigudi is approximately 100 Kms. It took us about four hours to reach there.We reached there somewhere between 1 to 2 P.M.
Sky was overcast with thick blanket of grey clouds. It was mid-day but evening seemed to be in great rush to engulf us in its embrace. Green, blue, pink paints on wooden balcony of our home stay added cheers to otherwise sombre atmosphere. From the balcony we could see the village rolling down in the valley---- low thatched roofs, wooden cabins, small green patches of fields of the  vegetables, kids playing in the backyards, people working in the fields and the football field at the farthest corner of the village. From our balcony we could see the small red, yellow figures running in the ground and occasional burst of shouts reaching us filled the air with life.
Beyond were layers and layers of clouds merging in the sky overhead, nothing was visible..... no hills, no trees, no villages scattered on the hills beyond the valley. Somewhere there behind the thick tapestry of grey clouds was hiding the majestic range of Kanchenjunga. Clouds faced us smugly like ferocious guards protecting the treasure. Unruffled by the furrow in their brow we stood there, our gazes fixed on the clouds, an expectant flutter in our heart...... will the clouds suddenly roll apart offering us a glimpse of snow covered peaks ! Well, that didn't happen but at one moment shifting clouds unveiled green of a hill and pink radiance simmered briefly on the sky sitting on it's tip. Then the hanging clouds in front of us curled up and the hills beyond could be seen. Gradually specks of lights started shining like far off starry dots. Homes and hearths were getting ready to announce closure of one more day. The way gathering, shifting, floating of clouds changed the scenes within batting of eyelids filled the heart with wonder and amazement.
After evening tea accompanied by crisp pakodas we set out to have a leisurely walk through village. Just before dinner clouds thundered, with an uproar lightening struck and the village plunged into darkness. After the rains stopped we enjoyed our fresh, hot dinner. The group of tourists in the homestay across the lane danced on the tune of popular bollywood numbers coming out of their mobile phones, We retired for night as we planned to be up very early in the morning. Our host Sailang had told us about the view point near the village and we intended to meet Sun there when it stepped into the sky with it's fresh vigour and energy.
Kanchenjunga ranges eluded us in next day morning too. Though it rained in the night in the village area but  may be in the far way lands of peaks and mountains it didn't. As we started walking towards the view point, the village dogs curled up in the middle of lane got up and started walking with us, Infact they walked with us all the way to view point rather they led us to the spot. They sensed where were we heading to. Entire village was under the spell of peaceful slumber. We crossed the village and entered the forest. Smell of anonymous wet vegetation in a dense, silent jungle always creates a magical charm over me. It floats in with breath and gradually spread inside entire of my being. I feel almost weightless and closing my eyes I imagine myself flying back to the eras of dense forests, colorful wild flowers, gurgling streams, butterflies, birds.... the time when our earth was green. During our walk when I stopped in the mid to live the feel and others moved forward, one of the dogs came back to find me. It stood silently by my side as if harmonizing with my mood. How sensitive and loving these creatures are!
Walking through narrow, winding path hemmed by tall stately trees standing on rocks we reached our destination. The clearing with rows of  stately trees on east side while on other side the hills plunged straight way into valley, welcomed us with open arms. The view from that point was mesmerizing. Faraway in the valley, deep down the green waters of Teesta lay quietly as if waiting for first rays sun to tingle it to come out of it's sleep. The green hills, the floating clouds, tiny colourful roofs of homes in the valley and above all the peace, the serenity calmed our taut urban nerves. These are the moments I look forward too....doing nothing, thinking nothing...just being, surrendering to the unknown.
The hills encircling the valley stood in sombre silence ready to present guard of honour to the mighty Sun God and the sun stepped on the vast blue stage slowly, gradually, majestically infusing life in every particle by its magical radiant touch. The golden warmth made the heart tune in with chirping of birds and the songs of love filled the air. We were ready for another day.

     All pictures by..... sunder Iyer.

Nandi at Lepakshi

n Hindu Mythology Shivalinga and Nandi are inseparable. Wherever there is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, an idol of Nandi is sure to be found  inside the temple complex.Nandi at Lepakshi is a bit different in the way that it is outside the temple enclosure, say about five hundred meter away on the road side. But then so is the big majestic Shivalinga in the temple. Infact the main deity of this temple is Veerbhadreshwara, a form of Lord Shiva only and the very artistically carved Nagalinga is  in the open courtyard of the temple outside the sanctum. The Nandi faces this Shivalinga.May be during the time both these were sculpted there were no high buildings in that five hundred meter stretch and Nandi even from that distance was able to continuously gaze his beloved lord and master.
This splendid Nandi bull is of gigantic dimension, approximately 4.5 meter high and about 8 meter long.This monolithic bull is a spectacular example of prodigiously talented artists of the Vijayanagar empire period.The massive Nandi bull like a guard presides over the entrance of Lepakshi town.
The exquisitely carved details of ropes, belts and bells over the body of Nandi are one of the finest example of stone craftsmanship.







For ages it sits elegantly under the open sky rapt in the bhakti of the supreme Lord.






Look at those intrinsically carved details of all the ornaments…and the expression of Nandi Maharaj…I can almost see a delicate smile lingering on His face. Are you able to make out the mythical bird with an elephant in it’s claw, hanging as a locket from the chain? Well, it is said to be an insignia of Vijayanagar kings.






Like me do you too find a Ganesha reflected here?






The green lawns. shady trees and rocks here and there… a perfect setting to set you on pondering mode about our rich cultural heritage…the bygone times….almost tempting you to jump into a time machine and live that era for some time.






The lotus ponds and the rocky terrain stretched around makes it a perfect spot to spend leisurely time.
Nearby this spot is Andhra Government guest house with fooding and lodging facilities.


All the pictures by Sunder Iyer.

Temple at Lepakshi --part 1

We started from Bangalore at about 6 A.M and reached Lepakshi by 8 O’clock.Lepakshi is a small non-decrepit town in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh Veerbhadreshwara temple at Lepakshi  is one of the finest example of  artistry of craftsmen of that era.Grand, massive sculptures, delicate, intricate carvings on stone, ceiling adorned with murals depicting mythological tales…this temple has a lot to offer to leave us spellbound.
Standing below the high raised platform on which the huge splendid Shivlinga is carved, is a humbling experience.Three coils of Naga around Shivlinga led to its seven hooded magnificently carved head stretching over Shivalinga.Craning my neck as I tried to look at the topmost point of the entire sculpture, i had a sudden feeling as if the  canopy of those seven hoods is descending directly from the bright blue morning sky overhead. The Linga transformed into that mythical  pillar of light connecting the earth and the heaven, the  manifestation of limitless Shiva energy. Perhaps it is not just the grace, the magnificence of masterpiece carved by the great artists of yesteryear but all their commitment and devotion which to this day start resonating in our hearts once we stand there silently with our   heads bowed, imbibing the  sacred spirit.The open courtyard bathed in soft morning glow gave the entire scene a haloed touch. Shadows in the covered verandah walking along the courtyard appeared to be harboring many untold stories. Such are the moments when you feel at peace with yourself.




Chiselled on the other side of the huge rock behind the Nagalinga is  Ganesha, calm, quiet and peaceful.I love Ganesha idol in this form – the big belly resting on the ground, the legs denoting the sitting posture and his small vahan mouse in front.  Various symbolical interpretations are available for His body parts and His Vahana but to me He radiates substance, faith, confidence and dignity, He always fills me with a kind of intrinsic joy, a kind of happiness you feel on being comfortable with your own being. And the tiny Vahana– more than anything else it’s our faith that make us traverse through the life.



The Natya Mandapam of Veerbhadreshwara temple at Lepakshi is a sculpted ode to the artistry of carvers and chisellers of sixteenth century Southern India.Impressive sculptures of divine dancers, drummers and other musical instrument players in half-reliefs on the granite pillars are so intense and alive that you almost feel them in actions. The rhythm in shapes, palpable emotions, glorious manifestations impart the stones a dream like feel. Early morning sunlight tip toes the mandapam from one side and the shadows in the pavilion simmer, the dark corners get suffused with golden dust and the bygone era as if awakens…..



















This Natya Mandapam has about seventy pillars and one of these is an architecture wonder beyond comprehension.The hanging pillar– this pillar like all other pillars is attached to the ceiling but does not touch the floor below. Such heavy granite pillar…how can it hang ! Presently it stands a bit dislodged from it’s original position. It is said that during British times certain enthusiastic engineers tried to fathom the secret behind this marvel and in turn, the pillar suffered. However faith of people put it on divine pedestal. It is believed if you pass any cloth underneath it,the wish you sought will be fulfilled.

All pictures by Sunder Iyer

An odyssey to Bedni

Bedni Bugyal is one of the most beautiful alpine meadows located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Bedni and Ali Bugyal are neighbours.At an altitude of about 3500 meters these wide spread meadows on the top of mountains provide magnificent views of Himalayan peaks Trishul and Nanda ghunti.
While walking through the deep woods, trekking towards top in the august company of ages old trees you tune in to your deepest philosophical self. It’s the month of June. The monsoon is yet to set in but some times clouds swirl in the jungles taking you by hand to those mystique lands beyond.The cocktail of wet wild fragrance tug at your sleeves cajoling you to stop for sometime inhaling the existence of unseen . But the moment you reach the top the sheer expanse of rolling lush green meadows as if liberate you off all the baggage. Reaching the destination after a long trek urge you to throw your back pack down and the unhindered green on ground, the blue above invite you to melt in it’s embrace. Such a tiny dot like speck you are up there that you tend to forget yourself and isn’t it the most liberating feeling….being unaware of your own existence. You don’t matter at all. You are set free of all kind of shackles. Standing there at the farthest tip of meadow where it hopped down to deep gorge, valley below, facing the layers of  tree laden hills beyond and sensing the majestic Himalayas behind them, I outstretched my hands and could feel the divine as if absorbing me. Felt so light almost non-existent.
After some time the reverie broke. Voices from tents and ground behind filtered in and I turned towards the tea shoppe. Its strange, new places with unknown people sharing comes easily. There too you strike a chord, instant chord with certain individuals and that’s a beautiful comforting feeling. Vasudhaiv kutumbakam…..While trekking we didn’t feel the chill but on the meadows where the winds danced freely on their nimble feet, we felt a bit cold. Though the scantily clad bamboo tea stall didn’t do much to prevent the winds from entering inside yet sitting beside the earthen furnace soaking in it’s warmth, interacting with different groups provided comforting feeling.
After resting there for sometime we wandered towards Bedini pond. As monsoon has not yet arrived there, the pond didn’t have water.Bedini is an important stop of Nanda Devi Jat Yatra and as local informed us during the Jatra time pilgrims offer Tarpan to their ancestors at the kund.
Behind the Kund sloping green mountains come running down to it while with upwardly stretched hand they hold on to the range of mountains behind them. The gradation of hues from sparkling green to dark green to misty grey and then the mystique white touching the sky is mesmerizing. How magical is natures palette, a soft touch of the golden brush here and there and entire landscape is transformed. We sat there beside the small temple soaking in the silence. Few dots like figures huddled on that slope, a lone tiny one strolling on the ridge of another hill, that twosome at farthest end facing the valley and the far off voices from tents…the world of routine faded away. I felt as if I belong to some other era, some other time.
The day was bright and the evening clear. A bunch of clouds huddled together around Trishul peak were teasing our expectant glances.And then the haloed rays from eternal light house filtered through dispersing the clouds. The cloud glided upwards, rested like a wreath on the tip of peak and slowly floated way , the magnificent snow covered majestic peak stood there solemnly.  The sheer grandeur made us gasp. It was a humbling experience….. Darshana of divine.
That night it rained heavily and in the morning we could meet eye to eye with Trishul Peak once again but how differently the stage was set this time. From the hazy mist of early morning slowly very slowly the peak immersed, the rosy pink blooming from the depth of eternal.
Every time I am far away from the maddening city crowd in commune with silence of nature, I know the experience is beyond the words…..hence I stop here and let you have a feel of place through visuals……..
Now I hand over the stage to Sunder Iyer.……all pics captured by him….
After the trek, on the threshold of Bugyal.Bells at the temple of nature. ..winds toll
them and flowers smile.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
― John Muir,







“Going to the mountains is going home.”
― John Muir

“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”
― John Muir,





clouds have their own stories to tell, own journeys to share





And this last one was clicked by our guide Hira Singh Bisht Garhwali, without a thank you note to him none of our Bedini blog post could be completed.
His contact details…
Hira Singh Bisht Garhwali
Village — Wan
Mobile no.– 07895165848, 09756480219

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A day at Wan

On twelfth of june 2016 when we started from Gwaldam guest house towards Dewal road, we did not have any fixed plan. We reached Gwaldam with a plan to trek upto Bedni  but somehow the feedback we received there discouraged us to venture on the route. We Got an impression that the terrain is too challenging for our age. So on the morning we set out to reach the last point accessible by vehicle on that route, that is Wan. We drove with a leisurely pace stopping in between to click pictures, to listen to the rhythm of silence flowing through the forest of tall, stately pines.
And then we reached Wan. At the turn of the road was this tiny shop. We parked our vehicle there and inquired whether we could get a cup of tea . It’s Jamuna dadi’s tea shoppe. Here we met Hira. Hira takes trekkers – individuals and groups on trek tours to Bedni, Roopkund and beyond. Few minutes of conversation with him and he convinced us to embark upon the trek to Bedni. Somehow or other the way he took upon himself the responsibility of making this trek possible for us made us free of all worries. Jamuna dadi too with her enchanting smile encouraged us . Ultimately it was decided that we shall spend the day in the village and then next morning start our trek.


  Jamuna dadi, the shop owner
This stay at Wan was totally unplanned but perhaps such unexpected changes make traveling very fruitful and enriching. The day we spent in the tiny village was truly rewarding, Sitting there in the tea shop in salubrious surrounding of green hills we met many new people and listened to various travel tales. There was this gentleman who once upon a time worked as porter and had accompanied many foreign nationals to uncharted paths, untraveled roads on high hills, through dense forests and deep valleys. Now with tired limbs and weakened joints he roams and works within village limit only but he still looks with longing and fondness towards the high peaks and sharing the tales of his glorious, tough travels make his eyes shine with luminous joy. He remembers with fondness his past adventures and conquests but not being able to do that now had not made him bitter at all. This calm acceptance of  the inevitable  patterns and changes in way of life is very endearing….a life long lesson. The real travel is just not visiting new places but learning new lessons of life, developing a new eye to various facets of life.




                             Panoramic views of Wan
Hira took us for lunch to his home. His home was in front of tea shoppe, across the road on a slightly higher plane. His mother and wife prepared the food.  Fresh hot dal, vegetables and salad from fields, chapati and rice with home made chooran was tasty and we enjoyed it a lot. During entire day we visited other houses too, had tea in different courtyards and learnt a lot about local customs, traditions, festivals, fairs, Gods and Goddesses.

In conversation with Hira and Yashwant, near the river flowing through the village






out of these three pictures, the first one is the stream of river, whose flow the villagers get diverted to run their indigenous flour mill. Second pic is the outer view of their flour mill ,while the third one is the inside view. such praiseworthy effort on the parts of villagers.

Lady walking towards her field to cut the wheat and in the upper one cutting wheat in the field.



Separating grains from plants. I admired the school, college going girls, who study in nearby bigger places but were at home during summer vacation. They participated equally in  all the agricultural activities.


It was time of harvesting wheat. The women folkfields were busy cutting wheat from fields, separating the grains by beating the dried plants.
Meeting the children and interacting with them was a wonderful experience. Yashwant, Deepak, Pankaj, Yashpal, Pushkar etc were in the age group of nine to fourteen. Few of them studied in schools of some nearby bigger places and were in the village during their summer vacations. Awareness level of the children living in those remote places was amazing, from latest mobile technologies to political scenario of state and country to each and every plant, trees of their area, mythological tales, local rites, rituals each of them was very well versed in all these subjects. Very sweet, affectionate kids were they.

                   enjoying tea and gossiping with women

                              children in their courtyard

Pankaj holds in his hands a plant , he plucked from road side. Children told us that a very tasty curry is made from this plant. They described the entire procedure of cleaning the plant and cooking it.

             Walking towards Ghanti Dhar with children
They showed us their fields in the valley, introduced us to various plants and their utilities. Narrated the tales and facts heard from their grand parents about centuries old Surai trees and  by their description made alive  the crimson clad valley in the season of Buransh blossoming. Excitedly they invited us to revisit their village at that time. Those lovely smiling faces as if reflected radiant Buransh.
While returning from Ghanti dhar we were caught unaware by a sudden spurt of lashing rain. No cover was available. we had not taken our umbrellas with us, children were not worried about themselves but were concerned that we had to start our trek early morning and we didn’t have any change of clothes with us. A little ahead on the side of road we found a bent, hollow tree under which we tried to get shelter. We tried calling the driver of our cab to come and take us but that too did not work as no BSNL coverage and connectivity is available in Wan and nearby areas and we both and our cabby Prem all three of us had BSNL numbers only. With luck we saw two people coming towards us, Kids asked them whether they had a mobile and then they called their mother to send our driver to pick up all of us. Finally huddling together inside the cab we reached the village, where jamuna dadi was ready with black hot tea to greet us. The entire episode was so fun filled. It revived our childhood spirit and enthusiasm. True, the joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, changing horizons. The simple joys are the most nurturing ones.
We spent the night in a small, low ceiling neat room with mud walls, whose door opened to green high  hill beyond the valley. The bed sheet, quilts and blankets were clean and we had a undisturbed sound sleep. Kaloo, the black, bulky dog sat on rooftop entire night as if on guard.

At the door of the room we stayed for night

                              The inside view of room

Next morning we left the place with Hira on our trek to Bedni but we did not leave Wan. We brought it with us. It became a part of us and simultaneously we left something of us there behind. We returned back to our daily city routine but the journey never ended. It keeps rewinding again and again within the deepest and quietest chambers deep down inside us.

                             An overview of Wan village road



All the pictures by Sunder Iyer.
Details of Our guide–
Hira Singh Bisht Garhwali
Village — Wan, Dewal. Chamoli, Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
Phone number — 09756480219[ whats app available on this number], 07895165848.