Protecting Travel and Tourism Industry

A Commentary on the challenges faced and possible solutions for the Travel Industry.

Remembering Professor Sunil Kumar

He was one of the greatest historians who worked on the history of medieval delhi, which served as capital of the Delhi Sultanate (1192-1526 CE) for 300 years.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha - Amazing Thailand

This series is based over my reflections upon visiting Thailand.

The Immortal Kumbh Mela - Mahakumbha of 2013

Believed to be the largest congregation of mankind in the world, read my series of posts to know how it feels like to be amongst a magnitude of people

Shahjahanabad (Const 1648 CE)- The Legacy of Delhi Series (Vol 8)

'Shahjahanabad' is the eighth post in a series of 9 articles on the former capital cities which were built in the historical region of Delhi. Read on to know more..

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Friday, January 30, 2015

National Highway 11A, Rajasthan - Picture of the Week #120

Picture © Rohan A Singh


Friday, January 23, 2015

Dargah of Bu Ali Shah Qalandar, Panipat - POTW #119

Picture © Rohan A Singh

Friday, January 16, 2015

Picture of the Week #118 - Wat Arun (Const 17th Cent CE)


Picture © Rohan A Singh
Wat Arun used to house the famous Emerald Buddha statue until it was shifted to its present location, at the Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok, Thailand

Monday, January 12, 2015

Swami Vivekananda - The Traveler


Swami Vivekananda (Source - Wikipedia)

Swami Vivekananda was a monk and a philosopher. He was born on 12th January 1863 CE (in Calcutta) and today the world is celebrating his 151st Birth Anniversary. Amongst many of his famous deeds, his introduction of Hinduism at the Parliament of World's Religion in Chicago in the year 1893 CE is remembered across the world by many. It was thanks to the hundreds of conventions and lectures addressed by him, in the west, that the Hindu concepts of Yoga, Transcendental Meditation e.t.c. were embraced warmly by the people of the west. He founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission, both named after his guru.

Vivekananda Rock in Tamil Nadu, located 50 metres off the mainland of India, is the spot where Swami Vivekananda meditated in the winter of 1892 and attained enlightenment. A memorial, seen in the pic, stands to commemorate that incident.

The reason why he features in Path Rarely Taken - The Travel Blog is because he, as a wandering monk traveled across the lengths and breadths of India (from Ayodhya to Ernakulam, from Srinagar to Kanyakumari, from Lahore to Sri Lanka and across America and England) for five years from 1888 CE to 1893 CE to understand the religious and (the prevalent) social norms of those times and to give lectures. He didn't travel because he had some business to do, he traveled because he wanted to 'see' unlike others who travel to see only what they want to see; a salient feature of a true traveler !

An illuminated Vivekananda Memorial, on Vivekananda Rock at nighttime.  

He travelled by foot and by the means of railway (with just a couple of books, a staff and his water pot along with him) and even though the purpose of his travels were religious in nature (just like Hiuen Tsang and Fa Hien) he had an open mind, an open heart, the curiosity to know, the intelligence to understand and the wisdom of not judging anyone. These qualities, I personally believe, are present in only those people who are true travelers by heart !

Path Rarely Taken - The Travel Blog pays respect to his eminence, Swami Vivekananda (a true traveler), on his 151st Birth Anniversary !
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Friday, January 9, 2015

Picture of the Week #117 - Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Tamil Nadu


Picture © Rommel A Singh


January 12th 1863 was Swami Vivekananda's (born Narendra Nath Dutta) birthday and this year the world will celebrate the 151st birth anniversary of this iconic Philosopher who introduced Hinduism to the modern world ! Located off the coast of Tamil Nadu, India; Vivekananda Rock is located at the tri-junction of Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Palk Strait. Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment after meditating on this rock, in the year 1892 CE. Accompanying Vivekananda Rock out in the Ocean is another rocky outcrop upon which stands a giant statue of the great Indian poet Thiruvalluvar.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Picture of the Week #116 - Phra Mondop, Bangkok


Picture © Rohan A Singh