The Beatles Dehradun Connecition.

Beatles Love For Doon

John Lenon (middle) and Paul McCartney with their guitars on and Ringo Starr watching them tune it up in ashram.
PC. thebeatlesinindia.com

Little did Doonites would have imagined, that the worlds biggest Rockstars of all time will tribute a song to their city. All these big and small things about Dehradun is what makes the city a one of its kind.

When one of the most influential group in the world of rock music were too tired of handling the fame and attention of the western media, guess where they decided to visit for mental peace and serenity. India. And that was the first time the western world realized the spiritual powers India holds within itself.

The quartet not only visited India but also composed a humming soulful song dedicated to the city of Dehradun which they visited more than twice in the spring of 1968 while their stay in Rishikesh. The serene mountains on the foothills of Himalaya’s not only fetched them tranquility but also enhanced their creativity by many folds and they ended up composing several songs some of which were even added to their famous “white album”.

The quartet visited India to learn about the art of Transcendental Meditation in order to find inner peace and boost up their creativity, under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in his ashram in Rishikesh, which is now popularly known as the "Beatles ashram". The ‘fab fours’ were much impressed with the beautiful roads beside the mountains and lace especially the culture of the inhabitants. All this mesmerizing experience of Dehradun made them sing an ode to the beautiful city.

The song was never released to many decades and was just mentioned in the documentary called The Beatles Anthology, till recently when it got released on Youtube. The musical treat to the lovers of Dehradun was recorded in the famous Trident Studios, London in march 1969 when all four of them sat together remembering the scenic Indian city and the good old days beneath the Himalayas. The lyrics of the song goes something like this : 

“Dehra Dehra Dun, Dehra Dun Dun 

  Dehra Dehra Dun Dehra Dun Dun...

  Many roads can take you there 

  Many different ways 

  One direction takes you weeks 

  Another takes you days

  Many people on the roads 

  Looking at the sights

  Many others with their troubles

  Looking for their rights

  See them move along the roads

  In search of a life divine 

  Beggars in a gold mine…

  Dehra Dehra Dun, Dehra Dun Dun. ”

The link of the Youtube video is below:

Although it was mostly a group effort but the "Dehradun Song" is said to be sung and composed by George Harrison, the guitarist one of  the quartet. While in India he was spellbound with the art of transcendental meditation and many other customs of Hinduism. He latter became a disciple of Lord Krishna composing Hare Krishna Chanting Mantra in Trident studios after associating with Swami Praphupada, the founder of International Society of Krishna Consciousness widely known as ISKCON. 

Picture of George Harrison in Radha Krishna Temple

PURUKUL

RIVER HIDES IN THE MOUNTAINS 

Purukul Gaon, Rajpur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Picture courtesy: Siddhant kala

It is a place which is known to very few people in the city. The place is very close to Robbers cave (Guchupani).
Purukul got popular firstly among st the youngsters where they could go, hide and drink, make chicken and enjoy. But slowly the villagers started having a problem with outsiders coming to the place as the place was no picnic spot.

The river flowing through the village is the Tons river which is the largest tributary of the river Yamuna. The water of the river is used for drinking and that is the reason the place is not meant for the tourists or for picnic.

But the students make their way out somehow. The police did a regular patrolling and the villagers also got into fights a number of times with the people visiting the place. They even started to take the entry fee/parking fee which was not legal.

At present there is a board which says that this river water is used for drinking and not meant for picnic or washing clothes. Still a few people go against the law.

Abhimanyu Cricket Academy is one of the best Cricket academy in the city is nearby. Many great cricketers have visited the academy.
Kasiga International a renowned boarding school is also in Purukul.

Purukul is famous for the Purukul Youth Development Society. They support underprivileged children with poor financial background. They provide them with free education and guide them towards a better future. They won the India NGO Awards 2016 for running a successful fund raising in the year 2016.

River Stone Cottage is a Bar/Restaurant in the purukul village. The place as a great ambience with the view of the flowing river on the side.
The place was changed a lot after the Kedarnath tragedy of 2016 but people have not stopped visiting the place.

Camera Specifications Used:

• NIKON D 5300
• F-STOP: F/7.1
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/125 SEC
• ISO SPEED: ISO 100
• FOCAL LENGTH: 20 MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.7
• WHITE BALANCE: AUTO
• NO FLASH
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6

The author siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Productions Dehradun. He is passionate about writing and photography. This photo was taken when he reached the place and the rain had just got over.

Connect to the author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

SAHASTRADHARA

A VALLEY, A RIVER AND THE MOUNTAINS

Sahastradhara, Rajpur, Dehradun, Uttrakhand.

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala 

We Bunked schools and tuition to explore the city. And while exploring we came across another heavenly place in the city just few kilometers away from the rush. Trying to hide itself in the blanket of nature from the world.

The beauty of nature cannot be defined. The name Sahastradhara means “Thousand-fold springs". 14 kilometers away from the city this is one of the best picnic spot in the Doon Valley. River Baldi flows through the place. There are number of waterfalls and caves at the bank of the river.

Sahastradhara has number of water pools where water drips from limestone stalactites thus making the water rich in sulfur. The place is also known as sulfur springs which has its own medicinal benefits. The water of the region is fit for vegetation and the terrace farming is majorly adopted.

There is a water park just above the flowing river named Joy Land. It is a small water park with very few swings and some water slides but it still attracts a lot of tourists. The place also has a very old Shiva temple along with the caves of Guru Dronacharya.
Another thing that catches the eye of the tourist is the rope way which is the way to the temple and the Sahatradhara park. It provides a beautiful view of Sahastradhara.

The place has number of food joints where one can have good time with friends and family.
The best time to visit the place is during the summer season from April-July. Anytime of the day is suitable to visit the place.

If you are a localite then avoid the place on the weekends.  In the peak season and on weekends it’s very difficult to reach the place because of the traffic as people from nearby states visit the place in large numbers and it’s difficult to find any car of the local number plate.

Camera Specifications Used:

• NIKON D 5300
• F-STOP: F/4.5
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/1600 SEC
• ISO SPEED: ISO 200
• FOCAL LENGTH: 18 MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.6
• NO FLASH
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Production as a content writer. He is passionate about writing and also photography.

Connect with the author:

E mail: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

MALDEVTA

SUN SETS IN PARADISE

A Natural beauty, Maldevta, Raipur, Dehradun, Uttrakhand.

Picture Courtesy:  Siddhant kala

Maldevta is a beautiful place in the Doon valley. It is another picnic spot where friends, family, groups enjoy the calmness of the surroundings and enjoy the beauty of the nature. River song flows through Maldevta. Being covered by mountains on the sides the water of the river song feels as fresh as a daisy and the water is icy.

Maldevta is far from the city around 10-12 kilometers away. It is the way to Tehri district of Garhwal. The road to Maldevta is very beautiful and almost perfect. On the way to Maldevta is the famous Sports college, pump house and also the shooting range.

It is just few kilometers from Raipur. Raipur has major offices of Ordinance Factory Dehradun and Opto Electronic Factory. Pyrites, Phosphates and chemicals Limited(PPCL) was shut down in the early 2000’s but the name is still famous because of a hidden water fall. The water fall has a height of around 30 fts. and the place is very beautiful. To reach the waterfall is not easy and neither it is safe.

The village where PPCL is known as Thano and it is said that the forest region around the village has wild boars, wild bears which makes the place a little unsafe. This is the reason not many people know about the place nor many visit it. The place has witnessed quite a few accidents’ where people have paid through losing their lives.

There are lots of hidden places on the banks of the river which attract a lot of tourists. Maldevta farms is a farm where tourist camp on the river bank. The food at the place is delicious and nutritious too. The place has professionals to take care of the campaigners.

The best time to visit the place is during the peak of the summer season i.e. April to July. The hot sun and the cold icy water of the song river with a hot cup of tea is I guess the best combination for the summers. It is a must visit place for the tourist coming down to Dehradun else the trip will remain incomplete.

Camera Specifications Used:

• NIKON D 5300
• F-STOP: F/22
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/100 SEC
• ISO SPEED: ISO 100
• FOCAL LENGTH: 18 MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.6
• WHITE BALANCE: AUTO
• NO FLASH
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS 6

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Productions Dehradun. He is passionate about writing and photography. This photo was taken while he was returning back from Maldevta after a wonderful day with his friends.

Connect to the author:

Email: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

Buddha Temple, Dehradoon and Truths About Lord Buddha's Life.

 A Spiritual Escape To Buddhism

103ft statue of Lord Buddha in Buddha temple, Dehradun. PC. The Dehratdun Project

Buddha Temple, Dehradun: A  Buddhist temple built to protect and promote the Tibetan culture, enlightening people to the teachings of Lord Buddha and his life.

So when you visit a giftedly scenic city called Dehradun for the very first time and one thing you just can’t overlook, other than the beautiful mountains and the place’s own distinctive culture, is the strong hold of Tibetan Buddhists in the city and its tourist attractions which makes the city’s culture more diverse and magnificent. 

Buddha Temple in Clement Town is one big proof of the aforementioned fact. A Tibetan Monastery’s look-alike temple was said to be built to protect and promote the Tibetan Culture in the city. The temple has a 103 feet high statue of Lord Buddha which is built in the honour of Dalai Lama, the spiritual head of Tibetan People. Being a best place which provides a peaceful as well as spiritual ambiance in the city, it gets the highest number of foot falls every day compared to city’s other tourist attractions.

A one of the most fascinating thing about the temple is its wall paintings which beautifully shows the life events of Buddha. Hence compels a person to wonder more about Buddha’s life and his teachings.

So let us know some of the amazing facts about Lord Buddha that we generally aren’t aware of.

How Lord Buddha was conceived.

So any idea how Buddha “is believed” to be conceived? Legend says, some ten months before the birth of Buddha, the queen of Shakya, Maya (Buddha’s mother) saw a dream in which a white elephant with six tusks entered her from right side. This is the part where the fine line between myth and reality blurs a little in Buddha’s Life which suggests him being other-worldly and divine.

The white elephant with six tusks. Photo : Golden Statue of Puxian

Lumbini was not his hometown. 

When Queen Maya became pregnant, she had to leave Kapilavastu for her father’s place to give birth as a mandatory Shakya tradition. However she could not complete the journey in time and gave birth to Lord Buddha on the way under a sal tree in Lumbini which is today believed to be the birth place of Buddha in present day Nepal.

Photo : Queen Mayadevi Temple in Lumbini, Birthplace of Lord Buddha

According to the prophecy, Lord Buddha was either destined to be a great ruler or a sage.

Just after the birth of Siddhartha Gautama (Lord Buddha), Asita, a renowned astrologer of that time, visited Buddha’s father, King Sudhodana making a prophecy that Gautama would either become a powerful king or world’s most influential ascetic, if he happens to see the world outside the palace.

Asita shown prophesying infant Buddha's life, painted by Solias Mendis

Buddha after visually encountering some harsh truths of human life decided to abandon his royal life to go on a spiritual quest.

And when the king heard the prophecy, he made all the arrangements so that Buddha doesn’t leave the palace walls and made sure he did not for years. But his destiny had some other plans and he came out to witness a series of encounters of truth called “four sights” which finally compelled him to go on a spiritual quest abandoning royalty and materialism at the mere age of 29. After which he found his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, passed his wisdom to his followers in Sarnath and finally died in Kushinagar.

Picture  describing the "four sights". PC. Blogger

All the teachings and the information we presently know about Buddha was never jotted down for 400 years of his death and was passed through oral tradition.

Till 400 years after Buddha’s death, people did not have anything written about his life events or his teachings. All the information were first summarized and then memorized by his followers and passed to each generation followed through oral tradition. The first text about Buddha was appeared in the Edicts of Ashoka.

 Oral culture in India. PC. martripblog

Was Buddha elder or younger to Mahavira?

Because of the oral tradition of passing information, historians and the scholars have never been accurate to the facts about Buddha’s life. Buddhist tradition believes he lived from 563 BCE to 483 BCE and hence was elder to his contemporary ascetic, and founder of Jainism, Mahavira. But while some major group of present world historians believe he was born approximately between 411 BCE to 400 BCE which suggest he was younger to Mahavira. So who was the elder one? Go ahead and read both of them and compare their wisdom. You’ll eventually get to know. However result can be subjective to person to person.

Photos of Lord Buddha (left) and Mahavira. PC. Quara

Was Lord Buddha raised in India or in present day Nepal before his enlightenment?

The other most debated thing about Buddha’s life is where exactly he grew up. Buddhist tradition says he lived in Kapilavastu for the first 29 years of his life but, the exact site of the ancient Kapilavastu is not known. Either it was Piprahwa in present day Uttar Pradesh which ensures his upbringing in India or, some 20 kms away, it was Tilaurakot in present-day Nepal. So the debates goes on as who will take the credit of Buddha’s baby-sitting.

PC. Livewallpaper

ROBBERS CAVE

FRESHNESS THAT CAN BE FELT

Robbers cave, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

Robbers cave is a natural cave. It is locally known as Gucchupani which is one of the most visited picnic spot during the summers. It is under the tourism department of Uttarakhand and it has a nominal entry fees of rupees 25 which is nothing in terms of what you get from the place.A fort wall is still visible in the caves. Just behind the fort wall is a little risky way towards the mouth of the river. It is not a regular path to go on. It’s risky but it’s fun for those who love adventures. You can stand on the top of the waterfall in the cold freezing water even in the summers.   If you follow the river there are few more picnic spots where you can have fun with  family or friends. To mention some like Bijapur Dam, Purukul. Sahastradhara is another picnic spot just few kilometers away with running fresh water.
There are number of good cafe/restaurants near the river side like the River stone cottage and Orchid. They have a good ambiance and good food too. The flowing Tons river on the side ads on to the beauty. The best time to visit Robbers cave is the morning time between 8 A.M. - 12 P.M. Pleasant morning , less rush, cold water, cool breeze and a hot cup of tea. What else do you need to make your morning perfect.

Camera Specifications Used:

• NIKON D 5300

• F-STOP: F/3.5

• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/25 SEC

• ISO SPEED: ISO 100

• FOCAL LENGTH: 18 MM

• EXPOSURE:  -1 STEP

• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.6

• NO FLASH

• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6

The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication, Manipal University and is a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Production. He is passionate about writing and photography.

Connect with the author:

E-mail: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

MESMERIZING GEORGE EVEREST

UNDISCOVERED BEAUTY

A photographic venture to George Everest, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

In the queen of hills (MUSSOORIE) lies a secret door to heaven that was undiscovered until Colonel Sir George Everest a Surveyor and a geographer from wales reached the place back in 1865.

The Mount Everest was named after him in his honor by the Royal Geographical Society.

Sir George Everest owned a house in the hill which was also his laboratory. The house has a view nothing less than that of heaven. The house was built back in 1832 and is still intact. Currently the house is under the tourism department and there were several talks of turning the house into a museum.

Being a  resident of Dehradun, George Everest is my personal favorite place to go with friends. The place is a perfect destination for the photographers as it is at a height of more than 7000ft. surrounded by beautiful mountains in the north and a beautiful valley of dun on the other side.
George Everest, the beautiful heavenly peak is just 40 kms. away from the Dehradun city. With no difficulty and in almost an hour and a half time you can reach the destination. The roads are well connected throughout with beautiful curves, cool breeze and awesome view on the sides.
The best thing about the way to Mussoorie are the Maggie points, there are more than 100 Maggie points on the way that serves special Maggie ,tea, coffee, bun-Omelette, bun-makhan  and lots more.
It is definitely a travelers paradise and the beauty of the place will surely make you visit again.

Camera Specifications Used:

• NIKON D5300
• F-STOP: F/22
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/100 SEC
• ISO SPEED: ISO 200
• FOCAL LENGTH: 18MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.6
• W/B: AUTO
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS6

 
The author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication from School Of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Currently Siddhant is working as an intern at Liberal Arts Production as a content writer. He is passionate about writing and also photography.

This photo was taken by him when he re-visited the George Everest Peak after a long time with his group of friends.

Connect with the author:

E-mail: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit

RANN OF KUTCH

An Architectural Beauty In The Desert

Salt crystals,White Desert, Rann of Kutch, Bhuj, Gujrat

Picture Courtesy: Siddhant kala

Towards the end of the country lies a white desert. Not a desert covered with snow but with salt. The salt marshy lands extend to Sindh in Pakistan. It is about 7505 km in size and is one of the largest salt deserts in the world. It is in the Kutch district of Gujrat,India.

It was once a vast shallow of the Arabian sea but due to geographical enlistment the connection with the sea broke down and resulted in the vast lake.

It is one of the hottest region of India. Temperature reaches around 50 degree's in summer and during the winters the temperature drop downs to almost 0 degree's.

The peak of the summer season is the worst time to visit the great Rann of Kutch. A festival, The Rann Utsav is a yearly thing which starts in November and lasts till February.
The festival is the best thing that ever happened to Kutch. It is a carnival of music, dance and lots more under the full moon.
The Rann Utsav is the main key for tourism. The handicraft market of the Rann Utsav is famous all over the world.
It not only promotes the business but also promotes the culture of the state. The festival provides opportunity for the tourist to have fun with nature under the full moon. The salt desert shines when the moon comes up. It is also a great place for star gazing.

The beauty of the architecture is that you can have full view of the white desert. Right behind where the salt desert ends is Pakistan. Kutch shares borders with Pakistan because of the international borders, the security is tight. The border security force and the Indian army keep an eye on everything around.

Kutch is no doubt a beautiful place and it is a place where everyone should go at-least once and spend one night under the sky with full moon and uncountable stars.

Camera specifications used:

• Camera: Nikon D 90
• F-STOP: F/13
• EXPOSURE TIME: 1/250 SEC
• ISO SPEED: ISO 160
• FOCAL LENGTH: 22 MM
• MAXIMUM APERTURE: 3.8
• White balance: AUTO
• NO FLASH
• EDITED VIA ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS 6

The Author Siddhant kala is a student of media and communication at School Of Communication, Manipal University and a resident of Dehradun. Siddhant is passionate about writing and photography. Currently he is interning at Liberal arts productions in dehradun. This photo was taken back in January when he went on a trip to Gujarat and attended the Rann Utsav that is where he got to see such a marvelous work of architecture.

Connect with the author:

E-mail: sid19kala21@gmail.com
Instagram: pahadipandit