Rakhee Ghelani

Tag: Buddhism

  • Exploring Bhubaneshwar: Dhauligiri and Ashoka’s Edict

    Exploring Bhubaneshwar: Dhauligiri and Ashoka’s Edict

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    I’ve been very bad at keeping my blog updated this year, busy working, travelling and collecting new stories. But I’m keeping a record of all the incredible things I’ve seen, eaten and done so that I can keep sharing them. Visiting Dhauligiri near Bhubaneshwar is one of those experiences, I visited there a couple of…

  • Discovering New Places To Visit in Bombay: Mazagaon and Khotachiwadi

    Discovering New Places To Visit in Bombay: Mazagaon and Khotachiwadi

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    I seem to spend so much of my time these days either at home working or going to the same places to meet friends, that I’d almost forgotten about the joy of discovering new places to visit in Mumbai. So one surprisingly sunny monsoon afternoon a friend and I decided to do just that. We…

  • The Ancient Capital of Japan : Kyoto

    The Ancient Capital of Japan : Kyoto

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    Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan. With picturesque temples, old cobble-stoned streets and the occasional kimono-clad Geisha wandering down the street, it’s a postcard view of Japan. The temples are certainly a highlight of the city, along with the haunting bamboo grove in Arashiyama and the peaceful public parks. They need no words, the…

  • A Step Back in Time: Yangon

    A Step Back in Time: Yangon

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    Yangon is the capital of Myanmar. Whilst it is a bustling city, it kind of looks and feels a bit like it is 40 years behind the times. It’s hard to put a finger on it exactly. Perhaps it’s the concrete buildings, the lack of internet and phone access or just the way everything is…

  • The Clayton’s Asia: Laos

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    Laos to me is Asia without really being Asia. It doesn’t have the high-tech feel of places like Singapore or Hong Kong, and isn’t an explosion of sights, taste and sound like Thailand or even Vietnam. To me it’s the Clayton’s Asia, or the Asia you have when you don’t have Asia (quoting a very…

  • Paradise Found: Inle Lake

    Paradise Found: Inle Lake

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    Just the mention of Inle Lake makes anyone who has been there sigh as they drift off dreamily remembering this region of Burma. It really is a paradise. What makes Inle Lake so lovely is that it’s relatively untouched. I fear in only a short while it will become just another tourist region, and all…

  • The Road to Mandalay : Burma

    The Road to Mandalay : Burma

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    I took the bus from Bagan to Mandalay, but rather than going on the brand new freeway, we took the scenic route through central Myanmar. While it may have cost me a couple of hours of my life, the journey gave me the time to really appreciate what it’s like to travel in Burma. We…

  • Myanmar Travel : What the Guidebook’s Don’t Tell You

    Myanmar Travel : What the Guidebook’s Don’t Tell You

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    Before travelling to Burma, I dutifully read through my guidebook to ensure I was prepared and listened to my travel agent (I rarely use an agent to book my travel, but I was working so much before I left I didn’t have time to plan my trip so I used an agent to book hotels…

  • Bagan: A Temple Junkie’s Paradise

    Bagan: A Temple Junkie’s Paradise

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    Bagan in Myanmar would have to be one of the most incredible places I have ever visited in the world. I don’t think I can actually do it justice in words or photos either. The ancient city of Bagan originally had about 4,000 pagodas and temples dotted around its countryside. While not all of these…

  • Mumbai: Elephanta Island

    Mumbai: Elephanta Island

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    Whilst I had been to Mumbai 5 times previously, I had never made it to Elephanta Island, but now I have seen them twice in less than a year.  Located off the coast of South Mumbai, this island is famous for its Buddhist and Hindu caves believed to be about 1500 years old. The voyage…

  • I Want Kandy

    I Want Kandy

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    Kandy was a town that we were looking forward to visit, because it has always been fondly remembered by a close Sri Lankan family friend as their favourite place in Sri Lanka.  With all the anticipation, I am happy to say that it certainly didn’t disappoint, even despite the relentless rain. Kandy is slightly elevated…

  • The Ancient Cities of Sri Lanka

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    The Cultural Triangle is one of the most popular tourist trails in Sri Lanka.  I am a bit of a temple junkie, having done so many throughout India over the past 18 months, so I couldn’t resist seeing the famous sites of Sri Lanka.  What I didn’t realise was just how much Buddhist history was in…

  • The Difference Between Sri Lanka and India

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    It had been 18 months since I had been outside of India.  That’s a long time, and to be honest I didn’t think going to Sri Lanka was really going to be a big change from what had become normality to me, after all at some points there is only 30 kilomtres separating Tamil Nadu…

  • The Doors of Ladakh

    The Doors of Ladakh

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    Soma Gompa Temisgang Monastery        

  • A Verdant Escape: Sikkim

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    When I was invited to a conference in Sikkim I jumped at the chance.  Whilst I was excited and interested in the topic to be discussed, travel, I just wanted to experience this place for myself.  I had heard so many things about Sikkim, most people who had described it to me looked longingly as…

  • In the Path of Buddha (Part 2) – Rajgir and Nalanda

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    Rajgir is a small town in Bihar about 2 hours by bus from Bodhgaya.  I was a little apprehensive about going there as Bihar has quite a bad reputation; it is known for being unsafe, particularly for women, lawless with bandits being common place (so I was told), so I was on my closest guard.…

  • In the Path of Buddha – Bodhgaya

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    I left Delhi feeling the need for a bit of calm and zen; not two words that readily come to mind when thinking about India.  Visiting some of the famous Buddhist sites seemed like a good place to start. I still have such beautiful memories of trekking in the Nepalese Himalayas and the calming effect…