.jpg) Number Thirteen Orange
The austere Outback landscape around Lightning Ridge is populated by rugged individuals with a sense of hope and humour. The tourism ‘office’ with its Car Door self-driving tours is clearly in on the joke. The air pulsates with dry heat. The sky and earth vibrate with impossible colours. You are surrounded by rusted equipment, reclaimed tyres, and expensive solar panels; it is impossible to discern what is in use and what has been abandoned. Houses are fashioned from old campers and railway carriages, or lovingly created out of mud bricks and empty beer bottles and cans. These are the ultimate recyclers, but it begs the question: who drank the contents of all those containers?
Lightning Ridge, a small outback Australian town in north-western New South Wales, is like nowhere else. Legend says it was named for a farmer, who – with his dog and several hundred sheep – was killed there during a fierce electrical storm in the 1870s. While sheep (and goat) grazing still occurs on these arid lands, opals were discovered late in the year 1900, changing the landscape forever.
Today, this is still opal mining territory, where you could dig forever in the airless underground and not make much of a living, or you could find a seam of precious black opal and strike it rich. It takes a hardy creativity – and a sense of hope and humour – to live here.
I had two nights stopped in town on the long drive home from Northern Queensland (see: Back Roads in Country Queensland). We were still in the grips of Covid-19 travel bans and lockdowns, and as I was prohibited from travelling overseas, I was ticking off some of the local destinations that had long been on my list.
The already sparsely-populated settlement was as quiet as a ghost town. Transient miners come and go, and like much of the tourism industry at that time, many of the attractions in Lightning Ridge were closed. None of the advertised tours were operating. Restaurants and services were taking turns being open. In addition to Covid restrictions, it was HOT. Although technically autumn, March temperatures routinely reach 42°C (107.6°F). Overnight lows seldom drop below 19°C (66.2°F).
An impromptu visit to the local tourism ‘office’ of volunteers paid off. For gold coins, you can buy maps of the self-driving ‘Car Door Tours’ that use painted car doors scattered on the landscape to guide you through the local sights (see: Lightning Ridge Visitors Guide). A social-distancing bonanza!
Most of these ‘Tours’ are short circuits around town, but the Orange Door Tour is a suggested day trip to the Grawin Opal Fields, about 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Lightning Ridge as the crow flies. In a car, the turn off for the tour is 57 km (35 mi) out of town, and takes you onto some very bumpy and dusty corrugated dirt roads.
But, I’m not precious about the condition of my car, and I’m always up for an interesting drive. Join me in the mining fields of Grawin and Cumborah, and – of course – Lightning Ridge.
.jpg) “Watch Your Head”
After settling into my cabin at a local caravan park, I set off on foot in search of dinner – checking out some local sites along the way. Cooper’s Cottage, built in 1916 on Morilla Street, is a typical miner’s home constructed from whatever could be found lying around. (iPhone12Pro) .jpg) Car in the Carport
My morning walk takes me past another miner’s hut – this one built in 1932. Heritage Cottage has been preserved as a museum by the local Historical Society. Thanks to Covid19, it was closed – but I was able to walk around to admire the outdoor displays. (iPhone12Pro)  Lightning Ridge ‘Rocket’
After breakfast, I set off in my vehicle to find the Orange Car Door tour. On the way to the junction of the Bill O’Brien Way (the local road) and the Castlereagh Highway, I stopped to photograph the Welcome display. This includes a giant opal agitator crafted out of the rear-end of an old cement mixer. These are used to wash the clay in order to reveal any precious gems. Stanley the Giant Emu
My second stop was a few minutes down the highway, where a quirky 18 metre (59 foot) emu stands watch. Volkswagen Beetle Body
Made from more than a tonne of scrap metal, Stanly is the dream-child of local artist John Murray. Golf Course Sign
I was aiming to have lunch at Grawin’s Club in the Scrub, a registered sports club. I was grateful for the quirky signage: I would have been convinced that I’d missed a turn somewhere otherwise! (iPhone12Pro) Welcome to the Club in the Scrub
Like many other local buildings, the club comprised a lot of corrugated iron. To the Men’s Shed
I parked the car, and went for a short walk around the small community. Tip Truck
Opal mining involves moving a lot of dirt. Every operator owns a tipper truck. Equipment
Rubber tyres don’t do well in this environment. Cactus
The climate here is classified as hot and semiarid. Mining Rig
This is a typical small-claim opal mining set-up: a shaft is drilled into the earth and a hoist is used to bucket material up from the ground into a truck. A ventilation shaft comes up out of the depths. Accommodation Setup
Some of the homes look more permanent than others. Solar panels are essential to off-grid living. Home Complex
Water tanks are a necessity, and shade is at a premium. Bedford Truck Meet the Locals
The club was doing a good trade when I stopped in. Glengarry Hilton
Back in the car, I drove past the rough-and-ready airstrip and opal dumps to the neighbouring community of Glengarry, where I pass what was the first pub on the Opal Fields. Mobile Speed Camera Ahead
So much signage is ‘recovered’ that I never knew what was real. In any event, I didn’t get a ticket! (iPhone12Pro) Another Inn
The Grawin opal fields might not have much of a population – but they do have three pubs! I stopped at the Sheepyard Inn for an early afternoon coffee. Wonderful place. Rusty Vehicles
The locality of Sheepyards is still home to some agricultural activity, but opal mining – and tourism – have taken over in importance. Opal Dirt Dumps
Who knows? You could get lucky fossicking in the giant dumps of opal dirt. Another Old Truck The Sheepyard And Community War Memorial
This quiet place is a tribute to the locals who served and fell in conflicts over the years. Tribute to the Veterans
Built by miners, many of whom were themselves Vietnam Veterans, the ironstone boulders and their memorial plaques are a sombre sight. Emus in the Road A Hot Semiarid Landscape Red Door Tour
The next morning before continuing my drive south, I took in a few more local landmarks. With all the mines and museums closed, I was restricted to ‘above ground’ sights. This is the entry to Wallangulla, or Old Town, – where the first opal rush boomed from 1906. Safety First
There are vents and pits everywhere: it pays to watch your step! Bottles and Tins
Some of the homes here are established and extensive, complete with solar hot water and electricity. Collected stone, glass bottles, and aluminum cans make inexpensive building supplies – and great insulators. The Ridge Castle
Next door, Ridge Castle, also built from found materials, operates as a holiday accommodation. Amigo’s Castle
Nearby, owner-built Amigo’s Castle usually offers tours. Private
Not everyone wants visitors! Shaft
The covers on open ventilation shafts are often makeshift. (iPhone12Pro) At Home in the Junk Yard Those beautiful old vehicles will continue to rust, until some imaginative local artist builds them into a sculpture, or a resourceful Ridge resident incorporates them into a home design.
Lightning Ridge is full of innovative and ingenious people, thriving in the harsh conditions around them.
I look forward to visiting again.
Until then!
Photos: 02-04March2021
Posted in Australia,Landscapes,TravelTags: Australia,drive,landscape,mining,Outback,Photo Blog,road trip,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Thiruchirapalli Rock Fort
This dome-shaped cupola, floating high above the Tamil Nadu city of Thiruchirapalli, is typical of South Indian Dravidian temple architecture. Wherever you go in India, you will find colour and crowds, heat and history.
This is particularly true of South India where the humidity rolls in from the surrounding waters, and the distinctive Dravidian Hindu temples punctuate the cities.
Take, for example, the city of Tiruchirappalli (commonly known as Trichy or Tiruchi) in the middle of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. I was only there for a few hours with a small group en route from Thanjavur (see: Cottage Industries, Fine Arts, And A Chola Temple) to Madurai, but we managed to visit two famous temples – and we saw many others.
Our first stop was at Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort, also known as Malaikottai. The 3.8 billion year old rock this historic fort and temple complex perches on is said to be one of the oldest formations in the world: as old as the rocks in Greenland. The cave temple here dates somewhere between 580 and 630 CE, and the subsequent additions range as late as the 18th-century.
A short drive away, across the Kaveri River, the commanding Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam) is the largest temple complex in India. UNESCO has recognised it as the biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world, and has proposed the temple-town complex for World Heritage Listing.
Also known as Periyakovil (Big Temple), Bhooloka Vaikuntam, and Srirangam Tirupati, this temple is mentioned in literature dating between 500 BCE and 300 CE. It has been rebuilt and added to over the years – I have no idea how old most of the various sections I saw were.
By the time we stopped for lunch, my head was full of dates and details that I’ve long-since forgotten. I’ll spare you most of them, and let the pictures speak for themselves.
Rock Fort Temple
Tiruchirappalli’s fort sits far up over the street, on an 83 metre (272 ft) high rock. Street Musicians
Smiling young men with drums play as we walk up the narrow street. Temple in the Street
You are never far from a Hindu temple – the colourful gopuram (monumental entrance tower) of Sri Muthu Marri Amman Temple rises over the street. Steps up to the Rock Fort
It’s a long climb up the 344 steps that are cut into the stone that the Rock Fort sits on. (iPhone12Pro) View over Thiruchirapalli
From the top of the temple, there are wonderful views down over the city.
(iPhone12Pro) Thiruchirapalli Rooftops
Flat-topped multi-story buildings stretch out to the Kaveri River and beyond. Ucchi Pillayar Temple
At the top of the Rock Fort, this 7th Century temple is dedicated to the four-armed, elephant-headed Lord Ganesha. We passed a rather sad looking temple elephant before climbing up to this highest point. Couple on the Stairs
As I gingerly make my way back down the steep stairs, I’m happy to meet a young couple who want their picture made. (iPhone12Pro) Shop Front
Colourful little shops are full of soft drinks, candies, and packets of chips and peanuts. (iPhone12Pro) Saris and Shadows in the Street Icons behind the Gate
Walking back past Sri Muthu Marri Amman Temple, I pause to admire the colourful images of Hindu Gods. Street Musicians
Those drummers are still at it! In the Vegetables
The streets are a marketplace, where life, gossip, and transactions mix. Still Life Found – Bicycle Vegetable Seller
Another corner, another informal market! Chokos in the Vegetable Market
The fruit and vegetables look fresh and crisp – in spite of the heat. Srirangam Rajagopuram from the Street
A short drive away, across the river, we leave our bus to walk to the largest active Hindu temple-complex in the world. At 72 metres (236 feet), the 13-storied entrance gateway looms large. Elephant in the Street
It is hard to know where the temple starts and finishes. Inside the first entrance, we are still in what looks like “the city”. Another South Gate
The temple complex has 21 colourful, sculpted gopurams, and I lost track of how many we walked through. Lord Ranganatha
Inside the main complex, we are surrounded by ornate and colourful depictions of Gods – including this form of Vishnu, for whom the temple is named. Temple Pillars
Carved pillars are everywhere. Roof Detail The Vellai Gopura – The White Tower
This distinctive 9-storey gopura on the east side of the fourth enclosure is almost 44 metres (144 ft) tall. It was painted white in honour of a Devadasi (a female servant of a god) called Vellayi, who sacrificed her life to protect the idol of Namperumal from Sultanate forces who had invaded the temple in 1323. One of the 20 Candy-Coloured Gopuram From the Rooftops
Colour is everywhere. Shrine
Back inside one of the many darkened shrines, pilgrims and faithful make offerings and say prayers. Pilgrims
In Hinduism, red represents honour, love, and prosperity, and is a popular colour for pilgrims to wear. More Gods Temple Door
I love the beautifully carved heavy wooden doors that you find everywhere in Asia. Sesharaya Mandapam (Pillared Hall)
Built some time during the Nayaka rule (1529 to 1736), the north end of this hall features 40 beautifully carved war-like rearing horses with riders on their backs. (iPhone12Pro) White Frills
From inside the Sesharaya Mandapam, we can appreciate the details of the neighbouring Vellai Gopuram. Seated Man
This is a living temple – and people take their quiet time where they can find it. This ancient city truly has rich cultural heritage – too much for me to absorb in one morning!
 The relative quiet back in the bus was a peaceful relief – the chance to attempt to absorb and order some of the seemingly chaotic colour.
That’s India!
Photos: 25January2023
Posted in Architecture,India,Religious PracticeTags: architecture,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,hindu,hinduism,people,Photo Blog,religion,Religious Practice,sculpture,temple,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,worship
Walkway Into The Woods
There is something enchanting about a rainforest! This inland temperate rainforest in the Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Park in Canada’s British Columbia is home to old-growth western red cedars – many over a thousand years of age. I can just imagine Oberon, Titania, and Puck frolicking nearby – hidden by the dense pockets of undergrowth. Sometimes, individuals make a big difference.
In Canada’s British Columbia, the most-recently established Provincial Park helps protect trees that are among the province’s oldest.
About 114 km (71 mi) east of the small industrial city of Prince George, there remains a section of North American inland temperate rainforest. Pockets of humid forest patches survive in what is called the interior wet-belt, sheltered by two mountain ranges: the Columbia Range to the west and the Rockies to the east. This section, now called the Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Park, is believed to be the furthest temperate rainforest from an ocean (800 km / 497 mi) anywhere in the world. It houses old-growth trees, many thought to be well over 1000 years of age.
But, not so long ago, it was under threat from logging.
The Ancient Forest is within the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation who have inhabited the region since time immemorial. Lheidli people would visit the stands from summer fishing camps along the upper Fraser River as well as gather medicinal plants, some of which were thought to be extinct. The impact of residential schooling disrupted the strength of traditional practices, and many of the giants standing here were quietly earmarked for felling.
While conducting research on lichen biodiversity in 2005, Dave Radies – a University of Northern British Columbia graduate student – came across these impressive western red cedar trees, and alerted the relevant communities to the threat that they were under. With a lot of work, money, and collaboration between local hiking groups, the university, the First Nation people, and the Provincial Government, trails were developed to bring visitors to the site in an environmentally friendly manner – so that they might see the majestic cedars for themselves without causing undue further harm. The logging rights were finally cancelled in 2008, and in 2016 the the Provincial Park was established to protect this unique ecosystem.
One of the mighty cedars is called “The Radies Tree” in Dave Radies’ honour.
Earlier the same day, I had taken a short walk to a magnificent waterfall (see: Rearguard Falls), and I couldn’t help but marvel at how different these two neighbouring environments were!
Come for a short walk through some ancient giants:
Into the Ancient Forest
The main walkway into the rainforest is wonderfully accessible. In spite of that, I had the area to myself, and didn’t see another soul. Greenery in a Tree Stump
Everything is damp, and dark, and magical. New growth takes hold in old decay. Small Waterfall
Water trickles down through the fallen logs, tangled roots, and mossy, ferny undergrowth. “The Last Frontier – Life in the Canopy”
There are numerous signs along the walkway with useful and interesting information about the unique ecosystem we are walking through. Look Up!
The canopy is high above us. Western red cedars (Thuja plicata) typically grow to 60 metres (about 200 feet) tall. Moss Bubbles
Far below the canopy, the light is shady and filtered – making it the ideal home for all types of mosses. Ferns at Ground Level
Several types of ferns also thrive in the damp and shady understory: these are long beech ferns (Phegopteris connectilis), which grow in wet boreal and montane forests across Canada. “Guardians of the Rainforest”
These mighty cedars are surrounded by devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus), a plant that bushwalkers do well to avoid: they are covered in wicked spines coated in irritating oils that can penetrate all but the thickest clothing. Natures Artworks : Colours and Patterns in the Bark Nature’s Artworks : Mossy Textures Boardwalk
The elevated boardwalk might have been built for practical accessibility, with its stable and slip resistant surface, and its protected sides – but it still feels enchanted, with the tall, moss-covered trees pressing in close on all sides. Tiered Waters
Rivulets of water work their way down hill. Light in the Leaves
It’s a good thing I didn’t touch these leaves. I thought it was a young maple, but it is more devil’s club! Buttress Root System
Like many rainforest tree species, western red cedars can develop buttress roots. While it was thought that these help protect the massive trees against falling over, is is now believed that they help deliver oxygen to the roots in very wet soils. Fallen
Not all trees survive! Canopy
Those still standing stretch so far into the sky … Tall Trees
… that it is hard to appreciate – or photograph! (iPhone12Pro) Skunk Cabbage – Lysichiton Americanus
In the very wet ground around the waterways, skunk cabbage is growing. Used as a medicinal and an emergency food source, it doesn’t smell as badly when it’s not in bloom. Green and Gold
Gold dust lichens (Chrysothrix) decorate the textured bark of the cedars. These lichens are considered an indicator of good air quality. Bunchberry Dogwood – Cornus Canadensis
I always smile when I come across these pretty little shade-loving ground covers. Bracken Ferns – Pteridium False Solomon’s Seal – Maianthemum Racemosum The Radies Tree: Almost Loved to Death!
This is the base of Radies Tree, thought to be around 1000 years old. As I said earlier, the exposed buttress roots of western red cedars help them with oxygenation. When Radies first saw this tree in 2005, the exposed roots were protected by lichen and moss. By 2015, the feet of the many later visitors had worn the protective covering away, causing potential long-term damage. There is now a makeshift fence around the base, and signs request that people stay on the boardwalk. Natures Artworks – Patterns in Gold It is truly a magical place!
How lucky we are that it has been protected.
Tread Softly!
Photos: 31May2023
Posted in Canada,Nature,TravelTags: British Columbia,Canada,landscape,nature,Photo Blog,Provincial Park,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,walk
Temple Ruins, Olympia
The classic remains of the Ancient Greek Temple of Zeus (470-457 BCE) sit in the dappled light of wild olive-trees that have grown here since time immemorial. Every square inch of Greece has a story to tell.
History imbues the ancient structures and the fallen stones. Even without an education in what was called in the West “The Classics”, the names were all familiar to me from childhood, and I recognised many of the stories. At Olympia, I saw Hera’s alter, where the maidens lit the very first Olympic flame in 776 BCE. Tributes and temples to Zeus and Apollo are everywhere.
Some of the stories are less well-known.
As just one at-first seemingly bizarre example: a statue of Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), Spanish author of the well-known literary classic Don Quixote (1605, 1615), stands on the medieval walls of the old Venetian harbour of Nafpaktos, a Greek town on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth.
Sitting at the entrance to the Corinthian gulf, Nafpaktos and its earlier iterations have always been critically important for mounting defence and collecting taxes. During the Crusades and the Ottoman–Venetian wars, the port changed hands many times. From 1499, the town was part of the Ottoman Empire, and in the 16th century it was used as a naval station by the Ottoman Navy.
This made Europe nervous, so Pope Pius V (1504-1572) formed the Holy League. Naval forces from the Christian European nations launched a naval battle against the Ottoman Empire, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.
A 23-year-old Cervantes was aboard one of those ships. He received three gunshot wounds: one of which caused him to lose the use of his left arm. Thus, Ottoman expansion across the Mediterranean was halted, and Cervantes was dealt his future as a writer not a fighter.
I was travelling on a small group tour. We left Delphi early morning (see: The Sanctuary of Apollo), stopping briefly to admire the beautiful Venetian battlements on Nafpaktos Harbour. We then traversed the elegant Rion Antirion Bridge across the Gulf of Corinth to the fabled Peloponnese Peninsula, where we visited the UNESCO-listed Archaeological Site of Olympia, home of the original Olympic Games.
Come for a tour:
The Venetian Port
The little town of Nafpaktos sits on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth in Western Greece. It boasts a Venetian castle and these well-preserved harbour walls. Miguel de Cervantes
The sculpture here, by Mallorcan sculptor Jaume Mir (1915-2012) shows Cervantes holding up his right arm. His paralyzed left arm hangs by his side. The inscription reads: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), a Spanish soldier, a genius of letters, honor of humanity, wounded heroically at the naval battle of Nafpaktos. Venetian Harbour
The morning sun rises over ancient fortifications and modern coffee shops. Giorgos (Georgios) Anemogiannis (1796-1821) and the Flag
Another statue nearby, this one by Nikola Pavlopoulos and erected in 1966, pays tribute to a hero of the Greek Independence War of 1821. Venetian Harbour – Nafpaktos The Rion Antirion Bridge
Before long, we are back on the road, and about to cross the Rion Antirion Bridge over the Gulf of Corinth. Officially called the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge, the 2380-metre-long (7810 ft; 1.48 mi) structure was completed in 2004. It is the longest fully suspended cable-stayed bridge in the world. (iPhone12Pro) Another Day – Another Museum
It seems every archaeological site has its own museum. Fortunately, all the ones I visited were marvelous, and our guide in the Museum of Olympia was delightful – and very funny. Bronze Miniatures – 6C BCE
The age of some of the artefacts attesting to past civilisations is just staggering! Bull’s Head
Bulls are a common theme across Greece; this Neo-Hittite head apparently dates to the 8th century BCE. West Pediment Temple of Zeus (472-456 BCE)
Painstakingly excavated and put back together, the marble pieces here show the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs in Thessaly. The Apollon of Olympia (ca. 460 BCE)
Considered one of the most important statues in the Severe style or early Classical style, the god Apollo indicates his favour towards the humans (the legendary Lapiths) by facing in their direction. Photograph of a Statue Zeus
The temple once housed a magnificent chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statue of Zeus which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The statue was lost and destroyed before the end of the 6th century CE, and reconstructions are based on descriptions and depictions on metal coins. (iPhone12Pro) Hermes of Olympia (330 BCE)
Discovered in 1877 in the ruins of the Temple of Hera at Olympia, this stunning marble statue of Hermes with the infant Dionysus is traditionally attributed to the renowned sculptor Praxiteles. Marble Statue of Hermes with the Infant Dionysus The Botanical Garden of Olympia
Leaving the museum behind, we walk the short distance through a grove of ancient olives and newly replanted lands that extend to the northern foothills of Kronos Hill. Temple of Hera (590 BCE)
Our first Olympian structure is the partially restored Heraion, which was destroyed by an earthquake in the early 4th century CE. Perfect Pillar
The Temple Of Zeus, built in the second quarter of the fifth century BC, was a classic example of Doric style. Doric Capital
The fluted columns rise up gracefully to a simple capitol. Inside the Sanctuary of Olympia The Crypt
This is the arched passageway the athletes came through to the stadium behind me. The stadium itself is not much to look at, but the stone start and finish lines of the sprint track, and the judges’ seats still survive. In its day, the stadium held 45,000 spectators. Public baths, hostels, a wrestling school, and a gymnasion were nearby. Treasury of Sicyon (470 BCE) Altar of Hera
Back in the Sanctuary, we stand in front of the altar where the Olympic flame has been lit since 1936, using a parabolic mirror to concentrate the rays of the sun. Fallen Doric Columns Flowers on the Judas Tree
The Sanctuary of Zeus has always been known for its olive trees and other greenery; here the Judas trees (Cercis siliquastrum) are starting to bloom. During the original Olympic Games, the flame at the altar burned continuously, symbolising the fire stolen from the Gods by Prometheus.
 Standing on that spot, in the heat of a Grecian sun, it feels like all the intervening years just fall away.
Happy Travels!
Photos: 15September2022
Posted in Greece,History,TravelTags: ancient,Ancient Greece,architecture,Greece,history,landscape,museum,nature,ruins,sculpture,sport,temple,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,worship
Paying Respect to Mother Ganga
This is the Rishikesh I remember! The holy Ganges River races out of the Himalayan Foothills, past fairy tale ashrams and colourful gods on the way to the plains of northern India. (iPhone12Pro) Rishikesh is a magical city of fairy tale ashrams and colourful gods. The city sits at an auspicious place, where the Ganges – one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus – flows out of the Himalaya and towards the plains. For me, the city’s name alone is evocative of sitar music, pastel-coloured Hindu temples, meditation, the Beatles, and most of all: yoga.
Rishikesh is routinely called the “Yoga Capital of the World” (eg: Inside Hook). After my first visit there in 2013, I said to myself – and to you – that I would love to escape into one of the many yoga ashrams for a long course of study. Almost a full ten years later, I finally made it back: not for a long course, but for a week-long yoga ‘retreat’.
The ‘retreat’ was attached to a yoga teacher-training centre, and located in the busy suburb of Tapovan, with its steep, narrow winding streets full of dogs, cows, and small children. It was autumn, and I hadn’t factored in the unseasonable heat when I booked a room with a fan (no air conditioning). Sweltering at night, I listened to the cows coughing in the street, and vehicle horns blaring, as cars and motorcycles tried to find their way past each other. I was into my third day there before I had a single class; the ‘retreat’ turned out to be more of a test of patience than a practice of yoga (see: Waiting for the Ganga Aarti).
But, my week included some fascinating excursions – including my favourite: to the Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia) – and for all the frustrations of dealing with completely disorganised ‘organisers’, I loved it.
Join me:
Rishikesh Street-Scene
Through the window in the reception area of my hotel, I watched the bustling street, and thought to myself that this is not like any ‘retreat’ I’ve experienced! (iPhone12Pro) Garden at my Home for the Week
My simple room came with a fan, which I soon discovered was no match for the unseasonable 35°C (95°F) night-time temperatures!
(iPhone12Pro) Rishikesh Roof Tops
It was no cooler early next morning when I got ready for an excursion into the hills. (iPhone12Pro) Hindu Temple in the Middle of Nowhere
I was told to arrive at 7am, so I did. The bus didn’t leave until 7:30. It wound it’s sickening way up mountain hairpins for almost two hours before we we stopped at Itharna Temple in Gadool, a Shiva temple of some local importance. (iPhone12Pro) Temple Bells
I’m always happy to ring a bell – which announces one’s presence and intent, and focuses the mind – even though half my attention was on the lack of breakfast!
(iPhone12Pro) Gods and Sages In The Trees
Icons, offerings, and ritual fires are always everywhere. (iPhone12Pro) Blessings from a Hindu Priest
I was very pleased that the resident priest was happy to have his picture made after he blessed me with red tilak. Women Working
The temple sits at 1600 m (5249 ft). On the steep hills below, life goes on. (iPhone12Pro) In the Field
I gave up waiting for the promised breakfast to materialize, and bravely pulled out my brand-new cameras and turned them on. Gadool Hills
I had just switched to mirrorless camera bodies, and changed from Canon to Sony systems; everything felt different. I was lucky that anything came out in focus! The Rice Fields of Home
The next morning I was up early for a class that never happened; I found a mat and did my own thing before walking down our long hill in search of some food and spiced tea. (iPhone12Pro) Red and Green
I love the contrast of this woman’s clothing against the field she’s working in; much like the contrast between the busy street I’m on and the virtual countryside below. (iPhone12Pro) Chai Wallah
Once I found a samosa and a masala chai in a clay cup, all was right with the world again! (iPhone12Pro) Nandi at your Service
Before climbing back up the hill for my proper breakfast, I stopped in at a tiny local temple. Vashishtha Gufa Temple
Our mid-morning excursion that day was to a famous meditation cave, a half hour to the east of us. Gate on the Ganges
The temple was built around 1930 to be in proximity with the nearby caves. The rock on the foreshore points the way to the Arundhatī (washed by the rays of sun) Gufa (cave). Lizard – Agama Iguanian
It’s a short, but very rocky, walk to the cave; I pause to admire a small iguana sunning on the cliff wall. Inside a Meditation Cave
It is cool and dark inside the cave, and the energy is conducive to quiet meditation. Arundhati’s Cave – the smaller of the two – has also been called the Jesus Cave after one swami (Papa Ramdas) had visions of Jesus during his meditations here in the 1930s. The Shrine
One story says the sage Vashistha meditated here for “a long time” after the death of his hundred children. Another says this is where he was born. Either way, we paid our respects before leaving. Agama Iguanian – Lizard
Back outside, the lizards have changed colour! Common Mormon Butterflies – Papilio Polytes
Butterflies were everywhere on the sandy edges outside the cave. Indian Cabbage White (Pieris Canidia), Lime Butterfly (Papilio Demoleus), and Common Mormon (Papilio Polytes)
They were wonderful to watch! The Ganges
With the verdant foothills all around, the Ganges keeps flowing … (iPhone12Pro) Vashishtha Cave Temple
… and we work our way back up past the temple. Rescue Animals
As distressing it is to see animals in this condition, it is good to know that Vashishtha Gufa Temple is looking after them now. THIS is the Rishikesh I Remember!
This would be my most treasured moment: yoga on the Ganges ghats across from the thirteen-story concoction that is the Trayambakeshwar Temple. Good Morning, Mother Ganga!
After leading us through our morning Hatha class, our instructor kindly posed for me. (iPhone12Pro) Bathing in the Ganges
Not far from us, people were washing away their sins. I went into the river up to my ankles; I guess I am partially absolved. (iPhone12Pro) Trimurti Gurudatt Ashram
It is as if these buildings on Mother Ganga are made from royal icing sugar! (iPhone12Pro) Morning Practice
While waiting for my last class, this was the scene that met me. I’m a long way from able to do this! (iPhone12Pro) Saints and yogis have been meditating on the banks of Ganges since antiquity. Finally it was my turn! I’m not sure I gained any enlightenment, but I tested my patience, and I had fun.
I’ll have to go back and try again …
Photos: 02-06September2023
Posted in India,TravelTags: architecture,blog,environmental portrait,hindu,hinduism,landscape,Photo Blog,Religious Practice,temple,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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