The Sikhs have a reputation throughout India as fierce warriors. The guards at the Golden Temple reinforce this perception. Dressed in yellow tunics and often carrying spears, the guards are scattered throughout the temple grounds and the pilgrims hostel. Colors … Continued
Sunset and sunrise cast a dramatic light on the mundane and not-so mundane. Nature’s golden sky or a riot of colors glowing from man-made lights often shape our perception and emotional response to the world around us. The same thing … Continued
Hunger and inequality breed many societal problems. Each culture and religion confronts these issue in different ways, but Sikh altruism resolves to address these issues through a full belly (yours). At the Golden Temple (and other Sikh temples) a kitchen … Continued
Honey-soaked sun rays burnish the burly men with bushy beards and stout bellies as they walk amidst the temple’s golden glow, its 750 kilograms of gold shimmering like a terrestrial sun. As the Sikh religion’s holiest site, Harmandir Sahib (Temple … Continued
Clouds of color fluttered through the air amidst a torrent of excitement. The parade of people marched and danced down the street celebrating Holi, the festival of color that literally and figuratively gilds Rishikesh in a bath of colorful chaos. … Continued
As a center of spirituality, Hindu teachings and wisdom resonate throughout Rishikesh. Gurus and babas line the streets, even on the remotest, loneliest stretches. Most of the town’s roads trace the turquoise Ganges River’s path, the holy river that carries … Continued
There’s no such thing as a lonely street (or bridge) in Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga. Streets are lined with people visiting temples and ashrams and shops at all hours. Even when the tourists, gurus and touts call it a … Continued
The Ganges River’s frothy turquoise rapids divide Rishikesh like a spiritual scalpel separating a sacred heart. Set in India’s Himalayan Foothills, Rishikesh found fame through The Beatles 1968 visit to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of transcendental meditation. While … Continued
Fading walls, chipped and grimy frame India’s sooty streets and Agra, the Taj Mahal’s home, takes no exception. A few hundred yards from the Taj’s glowing perfection, I found the wall. Just a normal wall in India, but on … Continued
Fleeting moments breathe a serenity to an image and turn a quiet whisper into a beautiful harmony. Thoughts?