Seenan's doves.
Seenan's daughter.
With Vembayam Mami & Rema.
Mala & Rajagopal's home
At Nalanchira temple & tank.
At Nalanchira temple tank.
with Mami in Kazhakkoottam
Checking for water under ground.
Idols cropping up on a field near Swamiji's ashram
Mata Kukkudanandamayi
Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple, opposite to Nithyananda Ashram.
Monkeys @ TVmalai Ashram
Monkeys @ TV Malai Ashram
Raja rajeswari temple in Thiruvannamalai
Monkey at TVMalai ashram
Dakshinamurthy statue on highway to Chennai
Suneel checking the jeep before trekking to Uttarkashi
Getting ready for Ganga puja
Ashram helpers @ Ganga puja
Ganga puja
At ashram gate
Swamini Amma with all the gifts from US & India
Cool balloon plant @ Uttarkashi ashram
Swamiji on his way to Vivekananda School
Having fun with the other swami-s
The DM (District Magistrate) unveiling the statue
The DM putting a garland on the statue of Swami Vivekananda
Swamiji paying respects at the statue of Swami Vivekananda
Swamini Amma @ Vivekananda statue
The DM inaugurating the new English School at Netala.
Kids at the Netala English School
Kids @ Vivekananda statue, Netala, IN
Swamiji on his way back to the ashram from inauguration of Vivekananda English school.
Picnic breakfast @ Gangotri
Inside the cave at Gangotri
Sivananda Cave
Gangotri temple and bath ghats, Ganga...
Shiva statue near Uttarkashi
Ganesh statue near Uttarkashi
Swamiji & I with pakoda-s
Pakoda-s being readied
Kaaliya Mardanam
Ajji & Ajja with Sadhu @ Gangotri
Ajji with Sadhu
Sadhu @ Gangotri
After a visit to the hot springs
Ashram in fog... very very peaceful!
Beautiful flowers at the ashram.
This pujari is from near Netala. He was very helpful. He made the 'breakfast at Ganga' possible. We stayed at his brother's hotel.
Akkamma at Gangotri!
Where is my butter dosa?
Waiting for the Butter Dosa
A western lady purchasing flowers for doing a ritual for her ancestors.
Gowri Kund @ Gangotri. Ganga flows hundreds of feet below us between these rocks.
Oneof the hundreds of "kaavadi" vehicles returning from Gangotri after fetching Ganga water. The two week festival ended on 7/20/09
The 'pul'' between Netala and Siror, shrouded in fog.
Rock between UK and Gangotri. Do you see the face?
Fresh samosa-s for breakfast ... being made for us :) (Mowni, the driver watches the art of making samosa-s!)
The bridge (pul) between Netala and Siror. (UK: notice the surface! It is not plain metal sheets anymore!)
Entrance to the Kutteti Devi temple near Uttar Kashi
Relaxing at the Kutteti Devi temple
Ajja showing how the ATM works.
Siror Pul. Ajja and Ajji going to the Siror Mela.
On our way to Nachiketa Tal.
Leech on Swamiji's leg - On our way to Nachiketa Tal.
Nachiketa Tal.
Ajja and Ajji at Nachiketa Tal.
At Nachiketa Tal. A swami who has been calling this his home sits at the far end.
Sign at the Nachiketa temple.
Looking through the door at Nachiketa temple.
Idol etc. at Nachiketa temple.
Walking back from Nachiketa Tal.
Moss covered tree near Nachiketa Tal
Monkeys near Tree near Nachiketa Tal
Villages near the road, on our way back from Nachiketa Tal.
Ajja and Sanu.
Ajja and Sanu looking at something across the river.
Manoj with some of the workers
Mela starts and the drummers and bugler gets busy!
The villagers take turns lifting the Devata
Devata
The villagers enjoying a chitchat at the mela
The women folk at the mela
More women arriving at the mela, in traditional attaire.
Wondering who all will join her for the dance.
The younger ones had the best time at the mela.
A short break before the climax.
The dancers started out slow ... and then picked up pace.
Women in the foreground with the palanquin and the men right behind them, and the crowd whistling to encourage the dancers...
Young and old alike participated in this wonderful mela dance.
The graceful move of the Siror village women deserves special mention.
The dances concluded and the Devata started on one amazing dance! See the video to believe!!
The drummers had a wild time following the dancers.
At the conclusion of the mela, the one who danced on sharp blades sat down at front of the temple while people looked at him in utter disbelief!
Devata and the drummers also arrive at the front of the temple to conclude the mela. What an amazing experience!!
The ladies of Siror and Netala watching the conclusion of the Mela in heavy downpour.
Ganga/Swami Dayanand Ashram, Rishikesh
Swami Dayanand Ashram, Rishikesh
At Swami Dayanand Ashram, Rishikesh
Toasted corn :)
Toasted corn ... yummm :)
Eating bbq-d corn in Haridwar...
Susheel is too hot!!
Statue at the Daksha/Mahadev temple
Ganga's friend in Haridwar
Haveli - Haridwar
Last day at the ashram in Netala. With swamiji-s and kids.
Kids etc. with the swamiji-s
Ammaji, Swamiji, and Mudita-ji
Vinod, Susheel, Pramod, Dhanpal.
Swamiji cooks Aloo paratta since the shop keeper was busy making those parattas...
Ajji and her friend on the way to Badrinath
MANA: 58; Chamoli: 0! Go Mana!!
Himalayas! :)
Local with a load of grass for her cows...
Badrinath: Neelkanth mountain covered in snow. Narayana mountain on the right.
Badrinath: Temple entrance
in front of the Badrinath temple.
The "Nara" mountain in the background
With Sri Kesavan Namboothiri, Raval of Badrinath temple.
Sign at the village of MANA,near the Tibet border
Badrinath: (Mana) Photo opp at the last tea shop (before the Tibetan border)
Badrinath: Mana: Sign
Drinking tea at the last tea shop in India
Bhim pul (It is believed Bhima had created this bridge by throwing this huge rock across a stream)
Bhim Pul (Bhima bridge)
House in the village near the Tibetan border.
Employees of Hotel Saradeswari who took good care of us during our stay in Badrinath.
Haridwar market
Haridwar market ... samosa
Pickles only!
Haridwar market ... flowers
Haridwar market ... OM shirts
Getting ready for Ganga arti
Balloons!
Ganga Arti
Participating in the Ganga Arti. lamp is lit, and now being released in the water...
Want another paneer samosa?
Big samosa-s with paneer and palak etc. Yummmmm!!
Sweet lassi-s ... mmmmmm!
petti auto in Rishikesh
@ Hardwar Jain temple
Lassi time with Ajja & Ajji: Haridwar
Sweets shop in Haidwar market
Haridwar market ... mala-s
Old timers at Haridwar
Flower vendor at Haridwar
All set for Ganga arti! :)
Swamiji with flowers and lamp
Getting the blessing at the Ganga arti
Lamp is being lit .. at the Ganga arti
In Hyderabad, with Deepthi Akka
Hyderabad - with Radhika & Deepthi
Hyderabad
Hyderabad - with Deepak & Deepthi
Deepthi and Deepu at their pool
Deepu
Shalini, Abhishek & Shruthy
Ajji and Ajja with Prakash, Latha & kids
Abhishek and brother
Ajja and Ajji with Mrs and Mr KVSS Iyer, Bangalore
Flowers everywhere: City Market, Bangalore
Flower vendor at City Market, Bangalore
Fresh, hot spinach pakora at City Market, Bangalore
Flower vendors at City Market, Bangalore
Flowers galore, City Market, Bangalore
All kinds of flowers at City Market, Bangalore
Flowers at City Market, Bangalore
Fruits!
Fruits vendor
Bananas
Lemons!
McDonalds and Dominos in Bangalore
Pond in Jeya's house in Kanhangad
Banana plant @ Jeya's tharavad in Kanhangad
Easwari, Jeya and Supriya
Manoj and Kochi Chikkappa
Jaya & Jeya
At Bare Amma's home.
With Rethi and family
At Ajjavaram temple
At Ajjavaram temple, with the temple priest's family.
At Ajjavaram temple's entrance
House near Ajjavaram temple, on the way to the priest's house.
Near Ajjavaram temple, on the way to the priest's house.
Ramakrishna Mayya with "Kaai Holige"
River next to Madhur temple
Pond next to Madhur temple
Subrahmania Mayya
Gulikan getting ready for his dance/performance
Drummer boy accompanying the Gulikan
The young Mayya-s watching the Gulikan
Gulikan blessing
Gulikan dancing, getting ready to accept the kuruthi
Gulikan with his mask on!
Gulikan, up close and in person!
Gulikan with torches in both hands.
Gulikan with bell and trident
Gulikan talking to the family
Kids viewing the pictures of the Gulikan
Narayanan and family, with Ramakrishnan's kids
Making pathroda (ചേമ്പില പലഹാരം.)
Ganga
Ajji with the kids who are getting ready to go to school
Walk way to the family's temple in Neerchal
Path and flowers near the family's temple in Neerchal.
Temple wall and plants
Prabhavathi and Akka
Narasimhan and Subrahmanian
Prabhavathy and Subrahmanian
Ananthapura temple, near Kasaragod
Garuda idol at Ananthapura
Hanuman idol at Ananthapura
At Ananthapura
Mana and Vishnu
Manjusha on the swings
Ganesh Chathurthy in Kochi
Fun time @ Wellington Island park
Fun time @ Wellington Island park (Akil & Diya)
Fun time @ Wellington Island park/boat jetty
Boat jetty @ Wellington Island park
Diya: Fun time @ Wellington Island park
Raj & Mala: Fun time @ Wellington Island park
Fun time @ Wellington Island park: Vishnu & Co.
Akil & Diya: Fun time @ Wellington Island park
Fun time @ Kochi / Vytila
Lunch @ Anugraha, Vytila
Lunch time
Lunch with the gang
Lunch @ Anugraha
Akil
In the car, to Anugraha, Vytila
In the car
Getting ready for the fun at Anugraha & Wellington Island
