Journeys and Jottings
Issue 44 - Practising Gratitude, top 5 blogs of 2022 and a travel round up
“December has the clarity, the simplicity, and the silence you need for the best fresh start of your life.” Vivian Swift
It’s that time of the year again when you unwind and pause, introspect and retrospect, realign your priorities, let go of anything and everything that doesn’t serve you anymore, and just move on with new intentions and resolutions. I often see December more as a soft beginning to the new year. The silence helps me to see things more clearly as I look at both - the year that is fading away and the dawn of a new year with a sharp lens and a new filter. Personally, for me, this year has been more of a transition as I moved from a dark phase to a much better, well-lit path filled with positive energy.
Welcome to the last issue of 2022 and I will be seeing you again in the next year. It’s the season of holidays and even as travel plans are being made by everyone, I am focussed more on finishing my assignments and starting the new year on a clean slate So the last fortnight of the year will be spent writing and blogging and reminiscing.
Cheers to travel - Roads Taken in 2022
I travelled mainly in India this year and am grateful for every journey. From cultural immersions to tribal tales, wildlife haunts to spiritual destinations - 2022 has been rather eclectic. I met fascinating people and listened to their inspiring stories. I practised slow and mindful travel where possible, focussing more on real, rural, responsible, and sustainable travel. Wellness became an important aspect of my journey and I also went on a luxury cruise. I have been to farm stays and pet-friendly resorts where my pets - Raju and Aishu had a great time. Sustainable and responsible travel has however been my focus.
Personal, professional, solo, media trips - there has been a mixed bag. Most of my journeys became rather a metaphor for my own internal journey, giving me a sense of direction and adding a new perspective. I have never had FOMO and I have always believed that there are many roads to traverse and everyone has a journey that is rather unique and special. Very often I think destinations beckon me and I am grateful to have had choices. I chose trips that added meaning to my life or where I could add value.
Three trips to the Heart of India to Madhya Pradesh including a wildlife experience in the jungles of Pench and Tadoba in Maharashtra were some of the key highlights. The mountains of Uttarakhand, the beaches of Karnataka, the artistic landscape of Kerala, the cool climes of Nilgiris, and the spiritual realm of Varanasi - these were some of the destinations that I had visited. I had three short international journeys - Mauritius, Srilanka, and Spain and I was just happy to step outside the shores of India, especially to Europe.
Normally I don’t count the destinations - I just remember the indelible stories and the incredible experiences. But after a parched season of two years of no travels, every single journey counts - even if it’s to the local weekend getaway. So thank you travel gods.
Thank you 2022 - Gratitude is my mantra
I have been practising gratitude for a while now and 2022 has been extremely kind to me. It’s almost like every incident, journey, and conversation that I had this year was planted serendipitously on my path to make me learn and unlearn something. I felt like the universe connected with me through these experiences and it changed something inexplicably inside me. That said, I am also grateful for all the travels and experiences and for the good health as well.
Start a gratitude journal to practise consciously and mindfully.
Write three things every day that you are grateful for. A flower that has bloomed after a long time, a conversation with an old friend, or just some healthy me time. Be specific and personal. Gratitude can be a mix of small and big things.
Meditate for five minutes every day remembering the grateful moments. What have you received today and who or what are you thankful for? Leave a note in your journal thanking them, even if you have sent a personal note of appreciation.
Avoid platitudes and feel the gratitude in your heart as you write. Tell people personally if possible how much you appreciate them. Internalize the feeling. Don’t be superficial and just do listicles.
Remind yourself that life is an endless circle of the good and the bad moments and be thankful for the good ones so that they serve as a reminder when you are going through the bad phase. Savour the same as you write it down and visualise the calm. Carry the positive and grateful energy in your mind.
Don’t forget to thank yourself.
Top five blogs from 2022
To be fair I am still writing and will be blogging till the end of the year ( Have a lot of backlogs that have piled up ) But if I have to pick five of my favourite posts that I have penned this year, then it would be these
Mystical Chogan where exorcism is still practised in India
It was a hot and dry afternoon but the cold silence made me shiver a bit. My eyes were glued to the walls dipped in hues of teal and turquoise that added to the frigid atmosphere. As I walked in through a small portal painted in shades of blue, I could see a towering iron ladder with a white flag on top fluttering in the air. I realized there were no deities, mantras or prayers, or priests in this mystical temple. However, the soaring ladder is believed to be the home of the Goddesses, mainly Kali and it is called a stairway to heaven by the local tribes in Madhya Pradesh. I was in a remote village called Chougan, also called Chaugan or Chogan in Madhya Pradesh, located near Mandla, in a temple that was filled with demonic and divine forces, a place where the supernatural and the spiritual worlds merged.
How did Sultan Bathery get its name ?
It was the name that intrigued me. Sulthan Bathery seemed more like a nickname and I wondered if there was a story here. I had stumbled upon the town when I was driving from Mysore towards Wayanad almost two decades ago and the thought had lingered since then. So years later, when I was staying in the gorgeous Lux Unlock Deja View Villa which is located barely 20 km from Sultan Bathery in Wayanad, I decided to explore the town to know a little bit about its history. The first destination was the ancient Jain temple Sulthan Bathery.
Responsible Tourism Initiatives of Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Sitting on a rustic charpai in a remote village called Ladpura Khas and surrounded by a bevy of women clad in shades of baby pink sarees, we were swept away by the bonhomie and the warm, genial hospitality. It was a riot of colours as the entire village was out here to greet us. A group of women regaled us with local Bundelkhand folk songs, playing the tabla in full gusto as I lost myself in the garrulous conversations interspersed with loud laughter. Sisters-in-law, Rekha, and Kamla had recently opened their doors to tourists in a verdant idyllic setting and their homestay, named after them had already charmed us.
Ladpura Khas may not be your typical tourist destination but the nondescript hamlet is now emerging as the poster child of rural tourism in Madhya Pradesh having been nominated by UNWTO as Best Tourism Village. And our quest was to discover more such Ladpuras, hidden gems, tucked away in remote and rural Madhya Pradesh, which narrated a story of communities coming together, with support from the tourism board, to own and promote responsible tourism in Madhya Pradesh.
4.Kandy Esala Perahera - a traditional spectacle
Our entire trip to Kandy was to experience the larger-than-life pageant of the Kandy Esala Perahera and as I saw the pageant unfold in front of our eyes, I understood why the Tooth Relic is worshipped as a form of Living Buddha himself. The Perahera is an offering made to the Sacred Relic and the temple itself is a microcosm of the mystical traditions and rituals that surround the relic. It was a flamboyant, dramatic, breathtaking, highly energetic, traditionally evocative pageant with dance, music, drama, and elephants, celebrated by the Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy as an annual spiritual ritual.
Flavours of Mauritius - Indian cuisine
There is something familiar and yet exotic about the flavours in Mauritius and I am not just talking about the sights and sounds. The island country is a mixed pot of influences - from Indian to Chinese, Continental to Creole and the culinary traditions mirror these multi-ethnic communities who have made Mauritius their home. The Mauritius Indian cuisine is unique in its taste and has its own recipes. This is where falooda becomes alouda, paratha becomes farata and aachar becomes achard. From street food to fine dining, every dish has a backstory to it that goes back to the era of immigrants and indented labourers, who had come here from India many years ago. If you are looking for some Indian-inspired dishes and snacks and wondering what to eat in Mauritius, then here are some dishes that you must try in the island country.
Feedback, please
I do hope that you enjoyed reading this issue. Looking forward to your feedback as always. I would particularly like to know if you have any other suggestions regarding the travel content.
We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media.
Blog - www.lakshmisharath.com
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Loved reading this issue as you beautifully summed up your travels and thoughts on travels.
I do not travel much, but lately I have also started seeing the trip from a very sustainable perspective where every detail new to me is like a hidden treasure which I want to unravel.
Love your journeys and jottings.
Thanks for reminding me 'Gratitude'. I'd love to follow the suggestion. Wish you a very happy New Year!