Our Testimonials By Satisfied Pilgrims !!!

Founder Of Raghukul Holidays - Amit Kulkarni

Read along what a few of our customers have to say about us and our services :- 

• The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is the most memorable trip of my lifetime.  The Parikrama of the Kailash Parvat though difficult was truly a heavenly experience for me.  The services rendered by Raghukul Holidays made it possible for me to undertake the yatra without any problem.

• The Mount Kailash yatra is indeed a journey of a lifetime.  The visit to the abode of the Gods and getting immersed in the heavenly surroundings is a divine blessing. I thoroughly enjoyed each moment of the trip. The credit for this goes to the wonderful staff of Raghukul Holidays.

• My Kailash Manasarovar Yatra with Raghukul Holidays has been the most pleasurable and divine experience. Despite the severity of the weather conditions, the team leader lifted up our spirits and kept us moving on with his humour and enthusiasm.

• My trip to Kailash Manasarovar has been an enjoyable experience for me and my wife.  I express my gratitude to Raghukul holidays for organizing a wonderful trip.

• It has indeed been an enthralling and unforgettable tour.  The experience of having the holy dip in the Lake Manasarovar and the Mount Kailash yatra is beyond words. I thank Raghukul holidays for making this journey a rewarding one.

• It was a great experience to visit the place of mysticism and mystery- Kailash Manasarovar. The service rendered by the staff of Raghukul holidays and the Sherpas make us to look forward to more such wonderful and adventurous trips. I wish people visit this heavenly place of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar through Raghukul holidays.

• I am really fortunate to have taken the trip to Kailash Manasarovar. The entire place is so ethereal and I felt blessed to get submerged in its tranquillity. Raghukul Holidays gave equal importance to all the yatris and they are doing a great job by organizing such wonderful tours.

• When I embarked in the journey of my life time I thought it would be a daunting task with the unfriendly weather conditions and the difficult terrain, my experience of the tip was exactly the opposite. My sincere thanks to Raghukul Holidays for enabling me to complete this journey with ease and comfort.

• I lost myself in the mystical surrounding of the Kailash Manasarovar. I was in a state of elation while taking a dip in the holy Lake Manasarovar. I recommend people to take this trip with Raghukul holidays as it is completely worthwhile.

• I am blessed to be ordained to take up the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and thank Raghukul holidays to make every bit of my journey absolutely great.  Parikrama of the abode of the Gods is a divine experience.

• I am fortunate to have taken the opportunity of visiting a great place of reverence. Raghukul holidays made it an exciting spiritual experience.

• I can list many features of the trip which are very memorable. The comfortable accommodations and fun filled journey combined with the professionalism of the staff of Raghukul holidays is greatly appreciated. I will definitely return to take another journey soon with them.

We hope that in future you will give us the opportunity to serve you in your pilgrimage. 

Read More

History and Significance of Amarnath yatra !!!

Amarnath

Thousands of Hindu pilgrims set on a daunting and challenging pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave. This is a Hindu Shrine which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Pilgrims throng here to have a glimpse of the ice linga. There are two more ice formations representing Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati. It is one of the holiest shrines highly revered by Hindus and is located in Jammu and Kashmir. Raghukul Holidays one of the pioneers in pilgrimage trip planning organizes trips to this holy shrine and makes the yatra a wonderful and memorable experience. To know the history and significance of the holy shrine is very important before visiting it.

• In ‘Rajtarangini’ which is the History of Kashmir, Kalhan has written that it is believed that the Amarnath cave has been visited by pilgrims for thousand years before Christ.

•    According to the Puranas, Brighu Muni had visited the cave and had the first darshan. He had revived the valley of Kashmir which had got submerged underwater and when the water had drained, he had the first glimpse of the Lord. 

•     There are references that show that the legendary king Aryaraja used to worship this Linga formed of ice.

•     In the 11^th century Queen Suryamathi gifted tridents or trishuls, banalingas and other emblems that are considered to be sacred to this Holy Shrine.

•    According to the Hindu Legend, it is here that Lord Shiva explained to his consort Parvati the secret of life and eternity. Goddess Parvati was very insistent to know the secret of immortality. Lord Shiva was not willing to but after many attempts of persuasion, he had to give in. He said that anyone who listens to the story will become immortal. He searched for a place where no living thing resided. It was the Amarnath cave which the Lord chose. It is believed that he removed the bhibuti and chandan or sandalwood from his forehead and the place where he did it has come to be known as Chandanwari. At the banks of the river Nil Ganga he asked Nandi (ox) to stay and not to allow any creature to enter the cave. This place was called ‘Bailgam’ in ancient days and later it came to be known as Pahalgam. The glacial lake on which Shiva kept his snake is called Sheshnag Lake. The Mahagunush Top is the place where he made his son Ganesha seat. Droplets of water that fell from the shaking of his deadlocks formed five streams and it came to be known as ‘Panchtarani’. During the course of his story narration i.e. the Amarnath, Maa Parvati slept, but, two pigeons were listening to the story and hearing their cooing sound Lord Shiva mistook that Goddess Parvati was listening and continued the narration. This made the two pigeons immortal. It is believed that the pigeons are visible even today in the cave.

•    Another story states that King Nagaraj approached Rishi Kashyap to help him deal with the Asuras who were troubling him. The Rishi prayed to Lord Shiva who gave him a ‘Chhadi Mubarak’ or ‘Silver Stick’ and directed them to come to the holy cave where He will bless the devotees. Since then the Yatra is done by the devotees who accompany a monk with the Chhadi Mubarak on the full moon day of Raksha Bandhan during the month of Saawan(August) to perform rituals and puja every year.

For thousands of years the cave was not visited due to external invasions and natural calamities. The Holy cave was discovered in the 15^th century by a Muslim shepherd Buta Mallik. He was once given a sack of coal by a sage and after opening he found the sack full of gold. In order to express his gratitude he followed the sage and on reaching the cave he chanced upon the ‘Ice Lingam’. He showed the route to the other sages and thus the Amarnath Yatra commenced. One-fourth of the offerings given to the temple are shared with the descendents of Mallik who also perform the evening Aarthi here.

Raghukul holidays has made the dream come true of many pilgrims by making the visit to the abode of Lord Bholenath a great experience.

                            ---------------------x-------------------

Please feel free to post your comments below.

About Author :- Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays.

Read More

Facts About Muktinath ...

Muktinath Temple

Mukthinath is a holy place which is mutually respected and supported by the Buddhists and the Hindus. It is situated at an altitude of 3710 metres in the Mukthinath Valley. It is located in the Mustang district of Nepal, in the Annapurna Circuit at the foot of the Thorong La Mountain pass. This pace can be ideally visited from March to June as the weather condition is most favourable during this period.

There are many special attributes which has made it a revered place for many devotes all over the world.

•  This place is also called ‘Mukti Kshetra’ by the Hindus meaning a ‘place of Moksha’ or ‘place of liberation’.

• The Mukthinath temple is the 105^th Divya Desam among the 108 Divya Desams.

• The Mukthinath temple is most sacred for the Hindu Vaishnavas and is one among their eight most sacred shrines.

• The outer courtyard or prakaram has 108 bull faces through which water is poured out.

• The 108 pipes surrounding the temple complex has sacred water flowing denoting the water of sacred Pushkarini. It is believed that the water flows from all the 108 Divya Desams which includes Tirumala, Vaikunta and Srirangam. Despite the freezing conditions, the devotees blissfully take their bath in this sacred place.

• It is also considered to a Shakti Peetha which is the holy abode of Goddess Parvati. In Mukthinath the ‘Shakti’ is known by the name ‘Gandaki Chandi’ and the ‘Bhairava’ is addressed as ‘Chakrapani’.

• Before the origin of Buddhists, this place was known Thiru Saligrama Sila. It was called so because the place consists of the Saligrama Sila which according to Hindus is considered as the natural available form of Sriman Narayana or Vishnu.

• Downstream, the waterway that flows is the place of origin or source of all the Shaligramas or Silas. The riverbed of the holy river Kali Gandaki or Salagrami entirely consists of these sacred stones. To establish a Vishnu temple in any part of the world, the shaligrams are essential.

• The revered Satguru of Sabij Yoga Sir Swaminarayan at the end of 18^th century also did severe penance here for two and a half month. He achieved the proficiency of the highest degree in ‘Nishkamvrat’.

• Recently the pontiff of the venerated Srivaishanava centre in Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu, created a milestone in this revered place. He has installed the sacred idols of Ramanjua (the foremost Vaishnava Acharya), Manavala Mamunigal(Hindu religious leader) and Andal (Sri Gotha Devi).

• The greatest attribute of this place is that it represents the presence of all the five elements air, sky, earth, fire and water in their distinctive form. It is quite astonishing to see trees growing at such an unusual and high altitude. This is the very reason and for many other unseen reasons, both the Hindu yogis as well as the Buddhist yogis come to Mukthinath for doing meditation.

• The Tibetan Buddhist Nuns take care of the Mukthinath Temple.

• It is called ‘Chumig Gyatsa’ by the Buddhists which mean ‘Hundred Waters’. It is also believed to be the abode of the Sky Dancers, Dakinis.

• It is one of the 24 revered Tantric places for the Buddhists.

This place is believed to be a manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara who is most revered in the Mahayana Buddhism. Only the blessed and the gifted are fortunate this holy place and get the Holy blessings of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.

                                      ---------------x--------------

Please feel free to post your comments below.

About Author :- Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays.

Read More

Rakshas Tal - The Lake of the Demon !!!

Rakshas Tal

The yearning to be at their master’s feet makes people do unimaginable things. It did that to the might Dravidian Demon King Lankapati Ravana.

It all started when the headstrong, Egoistic Ravana’s mother fell ill and wanted to be near the lord of Mt Kailasa. Not wanting to disturb his ailing mother, the demon king tried to uproot the mountain with the Lord and his consort and take them away to his kingdom in Lanka. From available materials including stone depictions, it becomes obvious that Devi Parvati was scared and clung to the Lord. Shiva, the calm one, as always, kept calm but was not quiet. He pushed Mt Kailash into the ground with his toe and managed to trap the demon king there. 

Realization dawned in Ravana after eons of lying under the mountain that he had met his match if not his Lord. Thus enlightened, he sought the Lord’s blessings through sever penance for which he formed this beautiful though enigmatic waterbody people call “Rakshas Taal”. On the banks of this lake this Managyani (yes, the ten head signify this and not that he was a deformity!) did everything possible to please the god including cutting one of his heads every day till the Lord finally relented!

How could the Lord not relent in the face of such relentless penance! Not only did the Lord give his disciple “darshan”, he also gave him a part of him, his lingum to place in the latter’s kingdom to signify the Lord’s presence.

That was as far as folk-lore goes. Reality too is just as colorful. Covering an expanse of 70 square kilometers at an altitude of 4,752 metres (15,591 ft), Lake Rakshastal or La Nga Co lies to the west of Lake Manasarovar and Mt. Kailash. In dimension, it is slightly smaller than its more know neighnour.

The difference though does not end at size. In stark contrast to the lively Manasarovar which is a fresh water lake, Rakshas Taal’s water is brackish. Marine life or life otherwise, is thus not comparable to Manasarovar. Rakshas Tal then has an eerie, silent beauty to it with a beautiful and majectic deep blue hue. 

Once part of the adjoining Manasarovar lake which may have been an inland sea, plate tectonics played the role in separating it with only small channel called Ganga Chhu connecting them. This happened when the earth mass of Gondwanaland rammed into the Eurasian Plate to the norh millions of years back.

Some interesting facts about this lake. Firstly, despite the water being brakish, it is the source of one of the most important rivers in India, Satluj. Secondly, Manasarovar despite its pre-eminent position does not receive any water directly from Mt Kailash, Rakshas Tal does. There is an interesting myth behind the 2nd phenomenon. Apparently, Mt Kailash is the abode of not only of Lord Shiva or Mahadev but also of Kuber, the God of Wealth and prosperity, who not many know, is the half-brother of non other than Lankeshwara, King Ravana. Well, even to the Gods, blood certainly is being thicker than devotion!

Given that most people visit Manasarovar out of piety and devotion, not many find this sister lake with a colorful story interesting enough. But that may be changing as the profile of people visiting this part of the world is also changing.

From Pune if you intend doing the Kailash Manasarovar yatra 2014, there are more than one option though it is advisable to use seasoned travel assistance like Raghukul Holidays to take you to not only for the Kailash Parikrama but also take you to lesser know though no less significant places en route. After all, experience does help!

                                                -------------------x--------------------

Please feel free to post your comments below.

About Author :- Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays.

Read More

My Experience of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Mt. Kailash

The journey to Kailash MansarovarYatra was indeed a journey of a life time. I am truly blessed to be ordained by the Almighty to take up this wonderful yatra.  

The best time to visit Mount Kailash Manasarovar is during the period between May to November. It is a very ideal time and I had the opportunity to enjoy the most exciting spiritual experience.  The place is so tranquil and peaceful that I was able to meditate in its midst. Kailash Parvat or the Gangs Rinpoche (Tibetan name) lies near Lake Manasarovar and Lake Rakshastal.  This snow peaked abode of Lord Shiva looks like a precious jewel or crystal.  It is also the source of many Holy rivers like Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra or Tsangpo, Sutlej and Karnali.

On Way To Kailash

I was able to feel the radiation of spiritual energy and could achieve a sense of inner-peace. The KailashParikrama or circumambulating on foot and prostrating full-length are a holy ritual which brings good fortune. A single set of parikrama around the Kailash Mountain washes away our sins of a lifetime. 108 such parikramas will help in achieving Nirvana or Moksha.  The entire parikrama is a three-day trek covering 53Kms.  Just ahead of the Dolma pass is Gouri Kund which comprises of five small kunds and is the essence of all the Vedas. The Kund comprises of emerald green water and it is believed that Goddess Parvati bathed here. I took few sip of the holy water which is believed to free a human being from sins committed in a hundred lives. Oblations are also offered to your ancestors by taking a ceremonial bath in this lake. It was truly a heavenly experience for me to do the Parikrama. 

Lake Mansarovor

The Lake Manasarovar is a feast to the eyes. Lord Brahma the Swayambu created this lake which is considered in the Hindu Mythology to be the source of all creations. The word Manas means ‘mind of Lord Brahma’. It is the highest fresh water body in the world.  I truly lost my heart in this enthralling place. Entering this water in which it is believed that the Gods gave a bath to Queen Maya before Lord Buddha was born is an experience beyond words. I could feel the freezing water energize my body. I was in a state of elation while having a holy bath in this lake and calling out ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. Another ethereal sight is during the Brahmamuhurtha i.e., around 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. It is believed that Gods come to have a dip. We could see a few figures coming down to Manas and then disappear. Then lots of stars began to appear which is truly phenomenal. 

I feel that the Mount Kailash Yatra is a most rewarding thing that can ever happen. The whole mystery of mankind and the mysticism gets unfolded in this sacred place. I am indeed fortunate to have stepped foot in this holy place where Gods and spiritual philosophers have submerged in a trance of bliss.

                                  -----------------x------------------

Please feel free to submit your commnets below.

About Author :- Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays.

Read More

How is the Nightlife in Lhasa ???

Flavor of Tibetan Night Life  

Lhasa with its 3000 hours of unadulterated, unpolluted sunshine has just as beautiful a nightlife!

Meaning the "Place of the Gods", it is the capital of TAR, an acronym for Tibet Autonomous Region, which is the southern-most part of the People's Republic of China,. It is in the same region as the revered Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.  When you intend to go for mount kailash yatra from Nepal, most seasoned tour operators, would take you to Lhasa as a part of the circuit. Well, that is like hitting two birds with one stone!

Situated at a height of 3490 meters between the co-ordinates 29°39′N 91°07′E, it is one of the highest cities in the world. Winter climates dip to a low of −1.6 °C (29.1 °F) in January and are in addition, dry. Summers are mild in comparison to most of India at 16.0 °C (60.8 °F). Nights are a cool 4.0 °C. It rains mainly from July to September with most of the rains coming at night leaving Lhasa beautiful, clean and sunny during the daytime. Lhasa is thus best visited between March to October.Day or night, Lhasa is thus the perfect place to do the one thing most folks enjoy. Sight seeing!

Spirituality is what Lhasa is all about. Day time sees one being spiritual visiting the Potala Palace, Jokang Temple, Barkhor Street and the monasteries. Night time ring in the the spirits from the bottle! Also called tipple.

It is better to err on the side of caution and go through seasoned tour operators when you intend to visit Lhasa and time soon. Raghukul Holidays of Pune mention that it is not cakewalk to visit Lhasa given the Chinese penchant for secrecy and it should be left to their likes to arrange for your visit, stay and local transport.

Its spiritual side not-withstanding, the ruling government of today has to an extent opened up the isolationist mind-set with a good mix of theaters, performers, bars and restaurants. Despite these, it is still low-key when compared to established world cities with things like live performances, sitting around a table with friends or strolls through night markets making the trip memorable. 

Tianhai Night Market with its Restaurants and street vendors is a place where one goes to for food post sundown. Varied cuisines from all parts of China be it Sinkiang Noodle with Sauce, Lanzhou Ramen, Sichuan Hotpot, Mutton Da Pai Dang to name a few, line the street. 

If you are game for some local cultural performances there are some like “The Crazy Yak Troupe” which introduce you to Tibetan singing and dancing. They entertain at a couple of venue in Lhasa, including the Crazy Yak Restaurant and the Shangri La Restaurant. The show starts with a short performance on the various aspects of the Tibetan Opera, carrying on with a drinking song where everyone is encouraged to take part and culminates in a sketch symbolizing nomads subduing and domestication wild yaks. A pantomime yak comes on stage and appears to be wild before being restrained and he then walks round kissing members of the audience. The show finishes with the nomad riding the yak. 

Bars in Lhasa are attractive for their unique exotic flavors be it western, oriental, local or an exotic crazy mix.

Some of the place worth a visit are:

Bars & Tea Houses

5238

48 North Duosenge Road, Chengguan District

Tel: 0891-6815222

Jianghu Bar

Facing Ya Hotel (100 East Beijing Road)

Tel: 0891-6348158

Yangjinma Bar

In Danjielin Bar-street, Danjielin Road, Chengguan District (near Jokhang Temple)

U.N.D.C Coffee

The east side of the Potala Palace in East Kang'ang Road

Tel: 0891-6360971

Lhasa Spinn Café

The east of the crossing for East Beijng Road and North Qingnian Road

Tel: 0891-6361163

U.B.C Coffee

Middle Beijng Road, Chengguan District

Try the Tibetian Butter Tea here!

Tibetan Family Feast

Try the Tibetian Butter Tea and Steamed stuffed buns made of potatoes and barley wine.

75 East Area, Tuanjie Xin Village, Chengguan District

Tel: 0891-6332886

Take some time out of your busy schedule and give this beautiful city a visit that it deserves. So, Safe Journey & Happy Holidaying !!!

SOURCES :-

1) Wikipedia 

2)  TripAdvisor

                                                ------------------x------------------

Please feel free to leave your comments below.

About Author : Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays

Read More

What are the tourist attractions in Lhasa ?

Potala Palace - Lhasa City

Lhasa, literally meaning "Place of the Gods", in its earliest form it was likely a place surrounded by a wall or enclosure suggesting that it may have been a hunting preserve within the royal residence on Marpori Hill.

It is the Capital city of TAR, an acronym for Tibet Autonomous Region, part of the People's Republic of China, our “Friendly” neighbor to the north and also in the same region as the revered Mt. Kailash-Mansarovar.

Situated at a height of 3490 meters between the co-ordinates 29°39′N 91°07′E, it is one of the highest cities in the world with a cool, semi-arid climate with frosty winters and mild summers. Being in a valley helps protect from the elements such as intense cold, heat and strong winds. It is also called the “sunlit city” which enjoys nearly 3,000 hours of sunlight annually! almost the same as most Indian cities, minus the killing heat and moisture! The coldest month is January with an average temperature of −1.6 °C (29.1 °F) and the warmest month is June with a daily average of 16.0 °C (60.8 °F).  It rains mainly from July to September with most of the rains coming at night leaving Lhasa beautiful, clean and sunny during the daytime. The best time to visit Lhasa is thus between March to October.

This then is the perfect setting for the one activity enjoyed by most- sightseeing!! and Lhasa offers a lot – though of a different kind. One has to have a strong spiritual leaning to enjoy it. Despite its strife-torn, chequered past, the Chinese dispensation has seen to it that its spiritual essence best displayed in its temples, relics and life on the streets is not lost to commercialization. Given the complexity involved, one would be advised to go through seasoned tour operators. In Pune, Raghukul Holidays is one such entity.

Some of the more known tourist landmarks are:

Ø The Nietang Buddha: In downtown Lhasa on the way to the Gongkar Airport, this is one place meant for the snapshots and shutterbugs what with the Buddha being up close!

Ø Potala Palace: You could not miss this, even when you are not in TAR. Synonymous with Tibet, the Potala Palace features in every article mentioning Tibet. Situated on the Red Hill of central Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the world’s highest ancient palace reaching 3,767.19m (12,359.55ft) at the highest point. Part of the Qing Dynasty’s accomplishmen(1644B.C. - 1911B.C.) and the continuous expanding work since the 17th century, it is composed of 2 parts, the Red Palace as the center and the White Palace as two wings.

Ø Jokang Temple: Included in UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace complex, the Jokhang Temple located in Central Lhasa covers an area of approximately 25,000 square meters ie. about six acres. Legend has it that King Songtsem Gampo, the 33rd king of Tibet successively married Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal and Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty. The two wives arrived here with a statue of Jowo Sakyamuni each. To house the Buddha brought by Princess Wen Cheng, the King constructed the Little Jokhang. Jealous of her, Princess Burikuti asked Gampo to build a Jokhang for her as well. Therefore, in 647 the giant complex was built. The original complex included only eight shrines. After multiple renovations, over centuries, the complex grew to the scale seen today.

Ø Barkhor Street: It is the present form of the area surrounding the Jokhang Temple. It houses shops selling things like prayer wheels, long-sleeve 'chuba' (the Tibetan people's traditional clothes), Tibetan knives and religious artifacts. Some even sell the 'Thangka', the Tibetan scroll painting which in itself is a unique art form with varied themes like religion, history, and customs. A must-visit for die-hard pilgrims who throng it from dawn to dusk either walking or moving prone to the ground, in a clockwise direction, it still retains the intense spirituality of the original Lhasa.

The three main monasteries in Lhasa are also not to be missed. They are Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery. So, take some time out of your busy schedule and visit this wonder of nature. Happy Holidaying !!!

SOURCES :-

1) Wikipedia

2) TravelChinaGuide

                                                ------------------x------------------

Please feel free to leave your comments below.

About Author : Amit Kulkarni is the founder of Raghukul Holidays

Read More