Anandpur Sahib: Spirit of the Crowd

 Anandpur Sahib is a town centered around a fortress from the 1600s. This fortress is called Keshgarh Sahib, and serves as one of the primary areas of worship for the Sikhs. It is surrounded by a thick jungle that in the past served as a protective thicket for the Sikh Base Camp during times of war. The grounds around the fort were used as training grounds in Gatka (Sikh Martial Art). Since then the purpose of these grounds has remained the same, but a town has grown up around it.

The town itself since then has become centered around the heart of its people. These individuals are primarily the warrior class of the Sikhs called the Nihungs. Nihungs participate in certain other activities that make them unique to other members of the community. They are identifiable by their tall, thick turbans with chain mail and metal Chands tied in. They also carry swords and knives with them at all times, and are more tribal in nature. They are extremely amazing people to be around as they view themselves as eternal servants and protectors to the community.

The importance of visiting this place is magnified by the event called Holi. Holi, or Hola Mohalla is an event that takes place within the city once a year. This event takes place between the end of February and the beginning of March. During the event individuals carry and throw dye powder at each other in a celebration of color. Being a part of this celebration within the city that is the central celebrator of this tradition is something else. The center of the heart of India could be said to live in Anandpur during the time of Holi.

Goa: Retirement Beach Paradise

Goa is a southwestern beach in India boasting the smallest population of any Indian State. Goa is also a primary retirement spot for a large population of European retirees. While lounging on the beach it isn't uncommon to see a heavily tanned European enjoying cheap drinks by the water's edge.
These retirees select Goa due to how far their money can go within India. The required nest egg to live out a life happily in Goa is much lower than that of a country in Europe.

Another draw to these retirees is the Portugese influence from earlier colonies. Many of the resort houses for sale are built in the Portugese fashion. The influence of European colonies furthered the architecture of Goa creating a situation where residents could have access to high quality homes, at standard Indian prices.
The Portugese also left a cultural art house behind in the center of town. This center of Portugese-Goan culture is a great location to visit during any trip to Goa.
The final piece to the Goan puzzle is the nightlife. Patrons start their day on the beach, and end in the seedy confines of a discotheque to the sound of techno. Most of the 5-star resorts within the city have their own clubs or discotheques. This alignment of inexpensive 5 star resorts on the beach with exotic nightlife leaves one without the ability to ask for more.

Amritsari Famous Kulcha: Specialty Food of the North

   

Traditional Kulcha meal with Channas and Yogurt

Welcome to Amritsar, Land of Kulcha. The bread is fresh, the butter melted, the yogurt fresh, and the Channas are perfectly spiced. When traveling to the land of spices, this stop is a must on your list.
Not just any Kulcha station will do in Amritsar. They all boast to be the Amritsari style, but none compare to Amritsari Famous Kulcha on Lawrence Road.
This food is revered not only within the city of Amritsar, but throughout India. Depicted here is a national broadcast within India done on Amritsari Famous Kulcha. This broadcast is in Punjabi, but the general gist is a description of how this Kulcha is different from any other.
Amritsari Famous Kulcha uses their own combination of stuffing within their bread. The stuffing contains paneer (cheese-like substance), as well as cumin seeds, masala, and many other spices. They also brush their bread with fresh butter to provide a flaky exterior.
Around the corner from the Kulcha stand and through an alley is the local dairy. This dairy provides daily fresh yogurt that if bought will be served to you with your meal at the Kulcha stand.
One consideration within this choice of meal is the chance of a stomach bug. The street food of Amritsar may be the best of the selection, but the chance of getting sick is high as well. One trick to preventing this is putting a few drops of Grape Fruit Seed Extract into some sort of sweet fruit juice to hide the bitter taste.
Regardless of the methods needed to prevent getting sick from this delicious food, the experience is worth it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and when in the Land of Kulcha, get while the getting is good.

Hidden Retreat on the Mountains: Hemkund Sahib

When traveling in a foreign land there are two ways to go about it. The first is the to see the same sights that all the tourists see when they come to the country. The second is to go where usually only the citizens of the country itself know about. Hemkund Sahib is clearly a sight of the latter sitting at 15,500 feet in the heart of the Himalaya Mountains.

This journey is quite the hike stretching over a 3 day period. Individuals starting their pilgrimage begin from Gobind Ghat, also called the base camp, and begin early in the morning for a 8-12 hour hike to the halfway point. The next day's hike is a grueling 6 hour hike to the finish that is not especially difficult in terms of the path, but rather the lower oxygen content as you get to literally walk among the clouds.

The last section of the hike is three thousand stairs (tempting I know) and what makes this hard is not the actual stairs, but rather that after each stair you have to rest and regain your breath.

I may be making the journey sound difficult, but it is absolutely worth it in every facet. The experience of being on top of the world among the clouds is something completely unparalleled. This experience is absolutely blissful, and through the hiking many individuals experience a deep meditation and inner peace on their journey.

Hemkund Sahib become a site of pilgrimage due to its freezing lake. The area has been a site for meditation for thousands of years, and holds a tranquil space for all that visit it. The lake at the top of the mountain often has naturally free forming ice on its surface. When the depth was measured it was found to continue all the way down 15,000 feet to sea level.

Overall the experience of this journey is completely immeasurable to any other on the planet. The internal perspective and realization gained from embarking on one of nature's greatest gifts is something I would recommend to any who are able to experience it. 

Sleepy Town Tucked in the Mountains: Rishikesh

Rishikesh shown between peaks, right on the river.

Rishikesh is a mountain retreat nestled near the Himalayan Peaks. A mere 45 minute drive from Hardiwar, accessible by train, this lazy town is a perfect mix of accessibility and distance from urban life.
Rishikesh is know for its many perks. Among these are the presence of the Ganges river flowing through the city, a German Bakery, the ashram of Swami Satchidananda dedicated to yogic retreats, and a wide variety of high quality inexpensive precious stone markets.

The Magic of the Ganges

At these markets high quality lapis lazuli, ruby, and amethyst stones can be found in 14 karat gold rings for a mere $300. Many individuals traveling to this area stop into these shops to buy Malahs (or collections of 27, 54, or 108 beads strung together with fine string) as a tool for prayer.

Besides these precious gems, the best deal in town exists at the German Bakery. Fresh croissants and scones are made by an authentic German chef who has chosen to retire in this sleepy tourist destination.
After eating these delectable desserts, one can take one of many trails down to the bank of the Ganges to bask in the sun while on the river's beach, or even going for an afternoon swim.
Within the portion of the Ganges to which these trails lead there is a rock serving as a challenge to the brave visitor. Swimming out to the middle of the lake a 30-foot rock sits above the water. This rock serves as a rite of passage within Rishikesh, as many of its visitors will climb to the top of the rock, and jump from its peak into the Ganges below.

A sadhu bathing in the Ganges before returning to the yogic community                                                                                                        

Whether or not this test is for you, the city of Rishikesh has peace and serenity in store for you on your travels, and is an essential piece of any journey to India.

Golden Temple of Amritsar

When planning a trip to India it is frequent that you are told to make sure you go to the Taj Mahal in Agra, but rarely do you hear about the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

The temple is a magnificent marble structure coated in gold and precious stones. The temple is surrounded by water on 4 sides with a marble bridge leading to its only entrance.

The prime time to view this magnificent structure is at 3 am. I know, why couldn't it be a reasonable hour, right? The reason behind this obscene hour to be awake is it is the time where Seva occurs.

Seva is an event that occurs every morning at 4 am. The idea of Seva is "selfless service" and at this temple it means that hundreds of local town residents filter in and begin to distribute 5-7 gallon steel buckets. The population then divides up into bucket fillers, bucket carriers, and sweepers.

Arriving during this process is an amazing sight. It isn't uncommon to see a 90 year old grandmother in a full squat sweeping and scrubbing the marble with a broom made out of bundled sticks. The sheer dedication and spirit of service is a miraculous site to behold, and can be just as healing as the legendary waters surrounding the temple are said to be.