We are planning to visit the Shakti Peethas in #HimachalPradesh and then a short, relaxing, laid back stay somewhere in the mountains!
While exploring, I came across this beautiful place McLeod Ganj.
As always, I got distracted and started researching history of this name -
It is named after Sir Donald Freill McLeod who fell in love with this place. Ganj means neighborhood in Farsi.
More about McLeod: He was such a great Christian that a native gentleman gave him a “compliment” that “If all Christians were like Sir Donald McLeod, there would be no
Hindus or Mahommedans.”
He devoted his life to civilize the heathens of India, who were in idolatrous darkness!
He understood the importance of India to the English with her great wealth, and created awareness of the need of increasing missionary activities in India so that it is possible for a handful ppl to rule India, whose ppl can do little by themselves.
He ensured that the Government does not depart from its secular character.
Grants of money in aid of “secular education” carried in schools established and conducted by Christian missionaries, might be made by Govt without any risks of giving rise to “evils”.
While he encouraged mingling with the natives and educating them in the robust mental habits, and imbued with enlightened views of the West, which inevitably they will imbibe, he alluded to allowing but little, if any, real share in management of their own social and municipal
affairs, which they feel is a great indignity and injustice. But this was a blessing to them as they could do very little by themselves.
Point is - I still haven’t decided where to vacation in Himachal because I read this horrible person’s biography after whom we still have… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Another name we should change in Himachal is Dalhousie!
1/ In 1948, 7-year-old Mallikarjun Kharge's world was set ablaze. The Razakars, loyal to the Nizam of Hyderabad, torched his family’s home in Varawatti village. His mother and sister died in the flames. Kharge narrowly escaped, carrying wounds deeper than physical scars.
2/ The Razakars represented a violent, sectarian ideology, willing to destroy anyone opposing their oppressive regime. Their terror scorched not just homes but entire communities, forcing them to confront a dark, hateful ideology.
3/ Yet today, Kharge seems to have forgotten this painful history. The man who should embody his family’s sacrifice now aligns with ideologies eerily reminiscent of the very forces that left his loved ones in ashes.
1/ Once during the 1940s or 50s, someone interviewed Kanchi Acharya Chandrashekhar Saraswati. They used a tape recorder for the interview. Observing this, the great thinker Maha Periyar asked: “Does anyone know about the world’s oldest tape recorder?”
2/ Periyar then asked another intriguing question: “How did the Vishnu Sahasranama reach us?”
3/ Someone replied, “It was through Bhishma Pitamaha.” Everyone agreed. Periyar followed up: “When Bhishma recited the Vishnu Sahasranama on the battlefield, who recorded it?”
1/ After independence, Bharat had a chance to reclaim its identity. To root itself in its ancient wisdom and knowledge systems. But that opportunity was stolen. Bharat’s education was deliberately corrupted – not by foreign colonizers, but by leaders raised in a foreign mindset, with no sense of our culture or values.
2/ Look at Israel. In 1948, it revived Hebrew, a language that had been practically dead for 2000 years, and turned it into a powerhouse of knowledge. Today, Hebrew is essential for fields like cybersecurity and agriculture. Israel preserved its heritage while advancing as a modern nation.
3/ India could have created a true “New Bharat” – a decolonized, proud, and culturally connected Bharat. But instead, the education system was handed to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. A man with no roots in Bharat's ancient wisdom. A man raised and educated in an entirely foreign tradition.
The Yamas and Niyamas are foundational principles within Sanatana Dharma, designed to cultivate discipline, character, and spiritual readiness. Together, they structure the path toward self-realization and balance in life.
Yamas (Ethical Restraints)
1.Ahimsa (Non-violence) – Practicing compassion and avoiding harm to all living beings in thoughts, words, and actions.
2.Satya (Truthfulness) – Embracing honesty, ensuring that one’s words and deeds align with truth.
1/ Dear Mothers,
As we step into motherhood, we're enveloped by an unwavering concern for our children's safety, happiness, & future. It becomes our mission to protect, nurture, & guide them. In today's world, ensuring their safety demands more than love & care.
2/ Politics isn’t just about elections; it shapes society, influencing education, the food our kids eat, & even their beliefs. Ideologies like gender studies can confuse children about identity, leaving them vulnerable to narratives that make them question their values.
3/ Certain type of education often push children away from family & community values, promoting individualism & isolating them from the wisdom in their roots. As mothers, we must demand from schools what we want our children to learn. We need to know who creates their content & values.
8 Mysterious Villages in India
Bhangarh, Rajasthan
The curse of Bhangarh is said to be one of the reasons behind the fort’s deserted state. According to legend, Bhangarh Fort is cursed by a hermit named Guru Balu Nath. The spot where the fort has been built once served as the meditation spot of the sage, and when the king pleaded with him that he wanted to build a fort here, the sage agreed on one condition that the fort’s shadow should not touch him. The king persuaded him that the fort’s shadow would not touch him at his place, which sadly did not happen, and the curse of the hermit followed, which led to the entire village being destroyed.
Kuldhara, Rajasthan
In 1825, Kuldhara vanished overnight. Its people left behind a chilling curse: no one shall ever live here. The reason? A lecherous ruler Salim Singh's sinister demand for a village girl. Now, an eerie silence reigns, broken only by ghostly apparitions at dusk.
Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu
Destroyed by a cyclone in 1964, Dhanushkodi became a ghost town. Locals speak of the 1800 souls who perished, their cries still carried by the ocean breeze. The ruins tell tales of lost travelers, their shadows wandering amidst the debris.