On the streets of Jaisalmer, I found a Frenchman bearing stark resemblance to Gandhi. He even dressed, walked and talked like him.

Panjab, the land of five rivers, today stands divided across Pakistan and India. Fragmented by religious division, fuelled by paltry politics of the British empire in India, it’s language and culture caught in a downward spiral. History of Panjab, from the perspective of historians of the bygone era, is the...

Borobudur Temple at Yogyakarta is a magnificent architecture from the era when Buddhism flourished in Indonesia. The three tiered temple design represents man’s internal progression from worldly to blissful state of formless, as taught by Buddha.                                                      Kamadhatu represents engagement in worldly desires. It displays intricate stone carvings depicting...

A moment exists In one place , at one time!   Anything we experience, exists only in a moment. Experience emerges from nothing and merges into nothing. We may strive for a meaning but in reality there is none. So just do what you can for the moment.   I...

My article “A voyage – A warrior’s epic crossing” has featured in January 2014 issue of Asian Geographic. Unfortunately, the editor has truncated the story, probably to fit in a centre-fold page. The full length story has earlier featured on my Blog titled “Thirty years – In search of General...

 Life stooped with years of learning, Is no comparison to a glance at nature’s perfection.   Engrossed in the journey of life, mankind remains passionate about advancing it’s learning. We remain fascinated by our accomplishments and egoistic in showcasing them. Yet, a mere glance at the nature and we can...

The Caldera of Mount Bromo is a constant reminder that beauty in nature is not without its other. In this volcanic region lie the stories of death and regeneration, tranquility and disaster. For years, the Tengger Hindu people of Indonesia have lived in the fringe of this volcanic mountain. In...

My article “The Kingdom of Guge – A lost Tibetan Civilization” has appeared in January 2014 issue of Asian Geographic. Little explored by adventurers in the past, Tibet today is strictly controlled by the Chinese government and travel within the region has been restricted ever since the Dalai Lama’s flight...

Nyalam, literally translated as “Gateway to Hell”, is a town in Shigatse prefecture of Tibet, bordering Nepal. Till ten kilometers before Nyalam from Tibet side, at an average height of 12,300 feet above sea level, the plateau is just a flat land with huge snow clad Himalayan mountains rising above...

Yesterday I visited the Chinese temple of Quan Yin (Chinese), also known as Avilokiteshvara (Tibetan) at Bugis in Singapore.   Avilokiteshvara means, “the Goddess who looks upon the world with compassion”.   Quan Yin means “the hearer of the worlds cries”.   Avilokiteshvara is a feminine bohisattva – an enlightened...