Rakhee Ghelani

Tag: Divine

  • 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.…

  • Guruvayur and Thrissur: How do you prove you are Hindu?

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    How do you prove what religion you were raised to someone you just met? A Christian can wear a cross, although anyone could do this relatively easily. A Muslim woman can wear a Hijab, but not all do. A Jewish woman can shave her head and wear a long skirt, although only the orthodox do.…

  • Varanasi: Is there any hope for India?

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    Distressed. Helpless. Filthy. Nauseous. This is how I felt in Varanasi, one of the holiest and most revered places in India. Wandering along the ghats, I observed the rituals. A man placed a cup in the Ganges, pulled it out and drank in the holy water. He looked at peace in the belief that this…

  • Pictorial Post Khajuraho: A Celebration of the Beauty of Women

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    Khajuraho is famous for its World Heritage Site carvings, and specifically for the erotica and kama sutra positions that have been carefully etched into its walls. However for me, this is not what makes Khajuraho’s temples memorable, for me its all about the women. For those of you who want to perve at the kama…

  • Orchha: Celebrating Dussehra Madhya Praddesh Style

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    Navratri is a Hindu festival that means 9 nights and is a celebration of the Goddess Durga as Autumn begins (at least in very simplistic terms). For me growing up in Australia, Navratri was the time of year we gathered together in a school hall with other Gujarati families and did Dandiya Raas.  This is…

  • Pictorial Post: Orchha

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    Orchha is a lovely little town in Madhya Pradesh.  It is tiny, with the main drag comprising only a few shops at a cross-road. At one corner of the town is the Betwa river with crystal clear water flowing alongside centuries old Chhatris (cenotaphs), the opposite corner has a dusty road leading to Jhansi (in…

  • Pictorial Post: Gwalior

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    Gwalior is one of the towns that not many tourists go through.  This makes it a fantastic town to visit.  It is quiet, the locals all go about their business, not too disturbed by the strange looking woman walking around. There are no touts, no other tourists and absolutely no hassles. “What is there to…

  • Haridwar: The Reality of a Holy Land

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    Haridwar is one of the holiest cities in India (for Hindus).  It is where Lord Vishnu dropped “Amrit”, holy nectar, and left his footprint on the banks of the Ganges.  Millions of pilgrims come here each year to bathe at the holy ghat of Har Ki Pauri. As a town, Haridwar left little to be…

  • 5 Things India Does Well

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    Whilst I have moved to India permanently, it has only been two months and I am still a foreigner in this country. For a foreigner India is a land of contradictions, frustrations and challenges.  She is also a country that has so much to offer and teach the Western world. Here are my top 5…

  • Pictorial Post: The Golden Temple of Amritsar

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    I have seen many temples and monuments in my life from various religious denominations, but none come anywhere near the ethereal beauty of Amritsar’s Golden Temple. This temple hosts upwards of 60,000 people a day, yet still remains a place of calm and peace. With the religious chanting and songs piped through the entire complex,…

  • Pictorial Post: Dharamsala

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    Dharamsala is the home place of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet in Exile. It’s a town of contradiction. On one hand it is peaceful and calm.  It must be the only place in India where people apologise if they accidentally bump into you, and don’t try to swindle you out of too much…

  • Raksha Bandhan… My Day

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    This weekend was Raksha Bandhan. It is a festival where a sister ties a Rakhi (which is like a wristband made from coloured thread and beads), around her brother’s wrist.  This is to wish him prosperity. In return, her brother gives her a gift. In Australia, I have always been aware of this festival, primarily…

  • Are women really impure in the eyes of god?

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    In my last post (here) I talked about how the temple is the centre of the community in India.  However I have now found myself banned from entering.  Yes, banned from the temple….. what terrible faux pas did I make to be prohibited from entering the temple? I bled. The most natural thing in the…

  • A life of worship

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    For most hindu’s, daily life revolves around the local temple.  My auntie goes every morning, not specifically to worship, but just to say hello to everyone as they do their daily rituals. Because I am an early riser (well at least in Indian time), I have been going with her each morning for the 15…