Giriraj hill experience during Diwali.

Festive season with family is over-whelming. Happiness increases when you can make someone else happier with your actions, I guess many people believe that. Diwali in Mathura could be so amicable, I never could have known if my parents would not have obligated me to go there. Three vital festivals among others in Hindu community, which I never thought could make me feel so lighten.

Lighting Diyas on Diwali, near the Mansi Ganga river in Govardhan was spectacular. For the first time, I experienced the safe diwali with my family and  without crackers. [But I bet no one in Delhi thought of a safe Diwali, the pollution aftyer Diwali explained a lot about it] Next day, the Giriraj pooja with my Mother felt so sublime. My mother reminding me and my brother about the story of Hindu mythology, When Lord Krishna raised the hill on his little finger to save the people and animals from Lord Indra, took me back in that lifetime. And the day after was the the bhaiya dooj, I love the festival as it makes me feel responsible and being cared for at the same time. In this festival we honor our brothers for taking care of us and swear to protect him from all kinds of endangerment. It sounds a lot like Raksha bandhan but it's quite different. People in Mathura believes that if brother and sister swamp together in the Yamuna river on this special day, Yamraj (hindu mythology believes that after death, Yamraj collects your soul and takes it to hell), cannot take their souls as Yamuna is his sister and he gave her the boon. Govardhan means nourishment of cows. Lord krishna asked his villagers to worship the hill as the hill provides food and shelter not only to the people but also the cows.Lord Krishna walked the cows to the hill everyday to feed them. Govardhan hill parikrama is one of the auspicious things in Mathura. Devotees believe that if they walk around the hill, their devotion towards Lord Krishna increases, almost everyday many devotees walk around the hills. My parents walk around the hill each time they visit Govardhan. There are two parts of the hill. One of the hill is of 8 km long and another is 14 km.

A RIDE TO NANDI HILLS.

Nandi hills are located about 35 km east of Bangalore and about 4500 ft above sea level. The early morning getaway with your siblings on a bike ride is something wondrous. The whoosh of the bike was miraculous.  I can still feel the frosty wind on skin when I think about the hills. The resistance of the glacial wind while walking towards the hills. Sudden change in weather, with scorchy sun trying to bake my skin. The temples on the top of hill were dedicated to Sri Ugra Narasimha & Sri Yoga Narasimha. The temple on the lower hill is dedicated to Sri Bhoga Narasimha. The walk from the entrance gate was quite sublime. On the top of the hill was Tipu Sultan's summer retreat and remains of Tipu's fort.There were alluring tree houses on the top of the hills.The walk down from the hill was on different road on hill rocks, it was exquisite.