Ganesh ghol Temple.
This temple is located in the hills near Shil Fata, MIDC, approx 17 km from my hometown Dombivli (Mumbai suburb). You need to park the bikes at the base and hike to the temple.
Hit the road
Walking to the temple
Shree Ganeshaya Namah
Babes
Bridge over Diva – Panvel Railway line
Today morning’s little bicycle trip with G and R to Shiva Temple in Ambernath (approx 20 km away) started a little late, but was enjoyable!
The road leading to Barvi dam, flanked on two sides by water pipelines, is full of ups and downs. Tiny hamlets dot the region.
Aum Suryaya namah
Aum Namah Shivay
We reached the Shiva Temple in about eighty minutes. As seen in the picture, at the moment the temple is being renovated. I hope they don’t paint it in gaudy oil based colors.
The temple is pretty old. Here is some information:
This exquisite temple was got built by Chittaraja—a king of the Silhara dynasty—in the late 11th century. An inscription above the north-facing door of the temple states Saka 982 (1060 AD) as the date of construction.
and we couldn’t help pity the sorry state of maintenance…
An Archaeological Survey of India board at the site states that the Ambarnath temple is “perhaps the oldest shrine dedicated to Shiva in the coastal parts of Maharashtra.” However, continued worship at the temple is affecting its beauty. Devotees still burn incense in the alcoves and pour milk over the Nandi idol. Some restraint on their part might allow their great grandchildren also to see the temple in its full glory.
– Read further (Sunday Tribune – Spectrum – Travel)
After some tea and vada-pav, we headed back thru a rustic path.
(This photo reminds me of high school mathematics – “Parallel lines meet at infinity”)
Three machines.
Update (03-Jul-06):
Santosh Iyer from Dallas TX writes:
I happened to bump into Avijit today morning. He was asking me directions. At that point i was perplexed as to who would be asking directions in US riding a bicycle. But having a conversation with him, it dawned on me who i was standing with and talking to.He is no less than a celebrity. That day i spent two more hrs with him talking about his experiences while riding throughout the world.He is an immense source of inspiration to anyone and everyone. The odds of meeting such a person in your entire life is amlost nill
Update (12-Apr-06):
Ram from OR writes:
He just gave a talk at HP Corvallis,OR. He is really amazing. He is very pleasant and modest. May God be with him!
Update (11-Apr-06):
Craig from Salem writes:
He’s in Salem Oregon tonight, planning to be in Corvallis before noon tomorrow. My friend is trying to organize a lunch for him tomorrow.
Update (28-Mar-06):
Alfonso from Kent writes:
I just had dinner with him in the city of Kent, Wa. A little before midnight we celebrated his 1st anniversary on the road (March, 28th)… Really nice person, inspiring and calmed, very focused. He leaves Seattle tomorrow morning (the 29th) on his way to Portland after cheking in at the Seattle Police Station at 8:00am as requirement by Record Guinness to keep track of his journey.
Swati Sircar adds:
FYI – He just left Seattle on his way to Portland.
Original story:
This guy takes it to the most extreme level. Avijit Chakraborty, 35 year old cyclist from Kolkata has so far traveled 38 countries covering 36,000 km in last 10 months. His target is to travel through 62 countries and cover over 64,000 km in a span of two years and enter the Guinness Book of Records.
He travels approximately 150 km each day and mostly sleeps at police stations, places of worship or his own tent.
Chakraborty had earlier completed a world tour covering 54 countries and 65,000 km on bicycle and later entered the Guinness World Record for crossing the Arctic Circle twice on bicycle in the year 1998.
He is carrying the message of pollution free environment and delivers lectures in schools and gatherings on the way. He meets students, government representatives and common members of the public.
All the best to Avijit.
“Every night when I am thinking I cannot do this, then I meet people and I get inspiration to go farther,”
References: Hindustan Times, Mumbai, Feb 10 | Routard.com (French) | The Rapid city journal | Sify | London Free Press | Biddenham (image)
Thanks to my friend Giri’s rejuvenated interest in cycling and his enthusiastic plans to travel to nearby places, the dormant cycling monster in me awoke today. We left at 5:30 am – Giri was on his chic new sports bike BSA Mach Racer, and I was on my mature (wouldn’t call it old) Hamilton. He was enthusiastic about a trip to Haji Malang (Malangad), a good 18 km away – which amused me slightly because I was riding a bike after ages and was not sure of my stamina.
We returned in 4 hours – successfully. It was a refreshing but a very exhausting trip. Weather was pleasant – and being a Sunday, it is a “free” day today. No worries.
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Since you are reading this, I’d suggest you could also read travelogue about my bicycle expedition from Goa to Mumbai.
Here is the link
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