A Journey To Discover Life

The Mahabharata, one of the greatest epics of Hindu mythology, not only recounts tales of valour, destiny, and dharma but also reveals intricate relationships between siblings whose lives shaped the moral and political fabric of the narrative. The bonds between brothers and sisters in the epic are diverse: marked by affection, rivalry, loyalty, and sacrifice. These relationships, though complex, embody the human emotions that transcend divine lineage and royal blood. Satyavati and Her Lineage Satyavati and her brother Matsya were born from a miraculous union between a Cursed Nymph in the form of a fish, Adrika and the King Uparichara Vasu, whose semen the fish had consumed when it fell in the river. They were discovered by their adoptive father, King Dusharaj, the ruler of the fishermen, and thus came to be known as  Matsya Santan , meaning “children of the fish.” When the king found out about the twins, he claimed the male child as his heir and gave the girl, Satyavati, to the fis...

 Satyavati: She was the adopted daughter of a Fisherman, rejected by her King's father. She dreamed of running the kingdom because she was born a princess and had her rights denied. She was the mother of the extremely talented Krishna  Daipayan , whom she rejected as he came on the path of her dreams. She mesmerised the emperor with her beauty. She made  Devabrata  into  Bheeshma . The king died soon. Her arrogance led to the fall of her spoiled sons, and yet she desired more. She brought up her grandchildren with desires that later led to  Adharma . She was  Satyavati ,  Princess of Matsya, Queen of Hastinapur. Yajnaseni: She was born to be used as a tool of revenge; she knew it and had no say. Her  Swayambhar  was a flaw, as only he could win the archery contest. She was his winner's prize. He shared her with his brothers because his mother said so. She was the direct reason behind the greatest  Dharma Yudh . She was disrespected ...

After the golden expanse of Jaisalmer, we packed our bags and climbed aboard a Rajasthan State bus headed to Jodhpur, a journey that peels back layer after layer of western India’s cultural tapestry. The first thing to know: Jodhpur’s bus stand is a lively whirl of colour, tuk-tuks, and bargain-seeking travellers. We hadn’t pre-booked, but autos were plentiful, their drivers keen to ferry us to the cluster of hotels near the station. Those, we found, aren’t ideally convenient to the rails, yes, but removed from the lively heart of Jodhpur. So we set off for the bustling markets, where we finally landed a room amid the pulse of Rajasthani life. Jodhpur’s hotels lean to the pricier side, and “luxury” can be a stretch. The demand is high, so choices are limited, and many properties are better described as practical rather than plush. Still, the upside of market-side lodgings is obvious: step outside, and you’re enveloped in a riot of colours and textures. Seasonal bazaar stalls overflow ...

This is a part of the 15-day trip we took to Rajasthan in October 2013 via the Howrah- Bikaner Jodhpur Express. Arriving in Bikaner early in the morning, we quickly learned that this compact town comes alive mostly around its bus stops and markets. If you're a traveller, these are also the most convenient places to stay, since the rest of Bikaner tends to quiet down after dark. Thankfully, local buses and autos make visiting the palaces and museums easy. Exploring Bikaner's Royal Heritage Our first stop was the town’s excellent Central Museum. While many palaces display duplicates, the real treasures, from daily royal possessions to gifts from across India, weapons, armour, and more, are all preserved here. Among the highlights were dazzling collections of Mughal coins and remarkably well-preserved relics from the Indus Valley Civilisation. Next, the magnificent Junagarh Fort beckoned. Built in 1488 AD by Rao Bikaji, son of Jodhpur’s founder Rao Jodhaji, its story is as la...

The   Princess of Matsya   was now the bride of the   Prince of Indraprastha . They were leaving her Paternal home at  Viratnagar   and going to  Dwarka,   where the Prince grew up in his maternal home. Her actual Sasural was Hastinapur, where his mother had been, but the upcoming war between her husband's clan forced them to go to   Dwarka.   It was a day-long journey. From   Bairat in Rajasthan  to   Dwarka in Gujarat.   They stopped midway in the forests to give the charioteers and horses rest. When she started the journey, she was sharing a chariot with her mothers-in-law , Panchali  and   Subhadra.   Her husband was upfront with his father. The chariots were in line, the new bride's one in the middle of the long procession. She was in conversation with the ladies. " So, did Abhimanyu talk to you or was he this shy?"  Asked  Panchali , noticing the young bride trying to catch a glimpse of the g...

The River Of The Rig Veda: The mythical river Sarasvati is an unsolved mystery. Sarasvati means a river full of ponds or lakes. This indicates its course might have been through many such lakes or swamps. There are many references to this river in the Rig Veda as the " Seventh River of the Aryavarta" and " The mother of floods", indicating it was an important river in the land, probably large and perennial and caused floods. Many excavated villages and cities along present-day parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat indicate the basin of the Sarasvati River. It is described in the Yajur Vedas as the one where the five rivers meet, and in the Brahmanas, there are indications of the disappearance of its lower course and how its large flow decreases.  The  Mahabharata  describes the ultimate drying up of the river before the ushering in of the  Kali Yuga . Many Puranas describe the civilisation lying between  the Ganga  and the  Saraswati .  ...