Stories from the living heritage of Bharatkhaande

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Kalinga Heritage

Gosani Yatra, Puri — 900 year old Living Tradition & the Valour of Naga Sadhus

October 22, 2026 3 min read

22 Oct # Ekadashi # Gosani Yatra # 900 year old Living Tradition # Intangible Cultural Heritage #Odisha # Celebrating the Valour of Naga Sadhus # Dashnami Sampradaya. The opulent Gosani, towering Divine Mother images and fearsome Nagas of Puri gather before Shri Jagannath Temple on Sharad Shukla Ekadashi.

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Kashi Khanda

Lolark Kund — Chamunda Mata, One of the Ashta Matrikas of Kashi

October 16, 2026 1 min read

Chamunda Mata one of the Ashta Matrika's of Kashi @Lolarka Kundam - Assi Ghat, Banaras. The Lolarka Kunda remains to be one of the majestic sightings of Kashi Khanda. Will be covering it in details post Navratri.

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Kashi Khanda

Assi Ghat Varanasi

October 9, 2026 1 min read

Somewhere in Banaras # Naaga Worship # Parsha Devata # Skanda Puran # Kashi Khanda

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Kashi Khanda

Kangan Haveli, Kashi — Raja Man Singh's 1575 CE Haveli Behind Bindu Madhav Temple

October 2026 3 min read

That Maha Ashtami morning during the Chaitra Navratra was nothing less than miraculous — we were pulled inside the Kangan Haveli by the order of Raja Shri Ram, seated where Raja Man Singh Kacchwa once consecrated his sacred space just behind the legendary Bindu Madhav Temple. Built in 1575 CE from the sale proceeds of a single Kangan of Man Singh's chief consort, mother of Kunwar Jagat Singh, the 550 year old Haveli survived a severe 19th century earthquake and offers the only complete view of Ardha Chandra Kashi — Banaras as the crescent atop Mahadev's matted hair.

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Kashi Khanda

Maa Bhuvaneshwari Temple, Ramnagar — A Mahavidya Shrine Inundated with Puranic Sculptures

October 2026 4 min read

Maa Bhuvaneshwari (the fourth of the ten Mahavidyas) is revered within the Ramnagar Fort complex across the Ganges — a temple inundated through its door jambs, shikhara, pillars, deul & pida jangha with intricately carved sculptures from the Mahakavvyas, Devi Mahatmya, Bhagwatam and many other Puranic corpus. Built in the 18th century by the royal family of Kashi, the Fort grounds serve as a major hub for ancient Devi worship — housing a revered Durga Temple, the Chinnamastika Temple (another Mahavidya) and a temple dedicated to Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman. A must-visit during the month-long Ram Lila festival.

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Kashi Khanda

Ma Anandamoyee Ghat & Ashram (Imli Ghat) — A Blissful Parikrama in Banaras

October 2026 2 min read

An infinitely blissful & serene visit and parikrama of the Ma Anandamoyee Ghat & Ashram also known as Imli Ghat located on the Kedareshwar Khanda of Banaras. The overflowing water mass coupled with the submerged ghats till the last steps calms down your inner being by default. At the extremely powerful Chandi Mandap where once seated Neem Karoli Baba at the behest of Ma Anandamoyee, hearing to the history of how the ashram came up & the archaelogical findings during excavation was truly music to my ears. The pair of Swayambhu Shiva Lingams kept at the altar of Ma Annapoorna, is a bliss to have a darshan on a quiet evening on the banks of Maa Ganga.

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Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report

Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report — From Colonial Prison to Independence Museum

October 2026 6 min read

The Alipore Central Correctional Home — a 116-year-old national historic landmark (Estd. 1906) on the Grade I list of Kolkata's heritage sites, spread over 15.2 acres and abutting Tolly's Nullah — once held Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Chittaranjan Das, Dinesh Gupta and Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. After the inmates were shifted to Baruipur in 2019, the campus has been transformed into a world-class Independence Museum — with the Gallows area honouring the hanged, the Hospital Building housing exhibits of Netaji, Rishi Aurobindo, Dinesh Gupta and the Women Martyrs of Bengal, and a Light & Sound Show depicting the lives and struggles of the freedom fighters.

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Kashi Khanda

Bangali Tola

October 1, 2026 1 min read

This huge bust of Shiva is preserved at the Tilbhandeshwar Temple. It's massive & looking at this surviving desecrated piece, one can estimate that full length Vigraha to be no less than 8 ft. Possibly from the Kushan era that is estimated looking at the Lingam.

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IIAS Shimla Conference

Shimla Kali Bari — The 1845 Shrine of Maa Shyamala from Whom Shimla Derives Its Name

October 2026 5 min read

A visit to the famous & heritage Shimla Kali Bari, made possible by the gracious support of the organising team of the Seminar on "Indian History & De Colonization" at The Indian Institute of Advanced Study — led by Dr. Pravat Ranjan, Dr. Brijesh Shukla & Dr. Tanima Kumari. From Swami Vivekananda to Ma Anandamoyee, countless legendary figures of Bengal have visited this shrine. Built in 1845 CE on Bantony Hill, dedicated to Goddess Shyamala — from whose name Shimla derives its name — with a unique blue-coloured wooden image in the inner sanctum.

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Bengal Heritage

Thanthaniya Kalibari — A 300-Year-Old Shakti Peetha of Bengal & the Kuru Bhumi Legacy

October 2026 6 min read

A return to the iconic 300-year-old Thanthaniya Kalibari after two decades — inspired by the recent visit of our Pujya PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji. Beyond the darshan, the real discovery was the Chief Priest — a most erudite scholar whose understanding of Bharat, the Bramhavarta & Bramharshidesa, the Bharata Tribes and the Kuru Bhumi / Kuru Panchal legacy left me stunned. A temple whose legacy flows through the hands of Paramhansa Shri Ramakrishna, and a heritage circuit that must be developed for the spread of Bharat's Shakti Tattwa.

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Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga at Neelachal — Mahavatar Babaji, Paramhansa Yogananda & "And God Opened His Umbrella"

October 2026 6 min read

For the last two decades I knew about the existence of this sacred space but was not aware of its name & location. I remain eternally grateful to a practising Kriya Yogi Guru, who lead me to this historical & most sacred space — blessed by the footprints & most benign "Kripa" of the Four Great Masters of Kriya Yoga — Mahavatar Babaji, Shri Yukteshwar Giri, Lahiri Mahashay & Paramhansa Yogananda — Author of the best-selling "Autobiography of a Yogi".

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Panchasakha

Satalahadi Muuth — Atibadi Jagannath Das, the Panchasakha & Odisha's Bhakti Movement

October 2026 6 min read

Nestled in one corner of Swargadwar on the sea front at Kalinga Sagar, the Satalahadi Muuth is the legendary Atibadi Jagannath Das Muutth. The Bhajan Kutiya of the seer who composed the Odiya Bhagwat with the blessings of Shri Chaitanya, and the name Sata Lahadi — Seven Waves — recalls how the Mahodadhi itself stepped back to give him sacred space for meditation.

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Kurukshetra

Dharma Kshetra Kurukshetra — Part XII — Arjuna's Arsenal

October 2026 14 min read

Astra vs Shastra — while a Shastra is man-made, an Astra is invoked through mantras on Nada Brahma. Prepared over 12 years of exile and first unleashed at the Virat Yudh, Arjuna's arsenal — with the Gandiva as its backbone — contained 25+ divine weapons. From the Adityastra to the supreme Pashupatastra and the Vaishnavastra, here is the full account of Dhananjaya's celestial armoury.

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Military History

The Naga Sadhus Against the Invaders — Rajendra Giri & the Battle of Gokul (1757 CE)

October 2026 10 min read

Led by Rajendra Giri Gosain & his disciple Himmat Bahadur Anup Giri Gossain, the Dasnami Naga Sadhus rose in defence of Dharma — first against the Islamic invaders, then against the British East India Company (the Sannyasi Rebellion). In 1757 CE at Gokul, they met the Afghan army of Ahmad Shah Durrani and Sardar Jahan Khan with a fury that sent them back in humiliation — saving the holy town and the thousands of refugees behind them.

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Military History

My Romance with the Bhils — Punja Bhil, Maha Rana Pratap & the Aravalli Resistance

October 2026 5 min read

The Bhils were the pillar of Maha Rana Pratap's blitzkrieg against the Mughals after Haldighati. Led by the forgotten Bhil leader and master archer Punja Bhil, their war machinery — the Bhil bow and arrow — wrote the resistance of the Aravallis, a century before Shivaji's commando manoeuvres in the Shaydri. A firsthand account of examining a Bhil bow and arrow set, prototype of what was used 500 years ago.

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Kalinga Heritage

The Legend of Sri Neelamadhav — The Primeval Lord at Kantilo

October 2026 10 min read

The origin of Shri Jagannath is shrouded in mystery — but few know his connection back to Lord Neelmadhav & Sri Krishna's demise at the end of Dwapar Yug. When Arjun could not cremate the naval portion of Sri Krishna, it floated across the sea to the east coast, where the tribal king Sabar Raj Bishwabasu found it and placed it in a Tiger Cave atop Kantilo — today the Bramhadri hilltop overlooking the Mahanadi.

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Archaeology

Shankaracharya Mutth of Bodh Gaya — The 64 Yogini Panel That Pushes Back History

October 2026 5 min read Video

Excavated for the first time in 1872 CE by Alexander Cunningham, the Shankaracharya Mutth of Bodh Gaya yielded a partial panel of 64 Yoginis, now fitted on the walls of its main altar. If contemporaneous with the Mutth's founding — possibly 7th Century BCE — this find fundamentally challenges and pushes back the dating of the 64 Yogini cult.

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Kashi Khanda

Shri Panchakroshi Temple — The Miniature Compass of Kashi's 88-km Panchakroshi Parikrama

October 2026 4 min read

Just beyond the ghat-lined heart of Varanasi, the Panchakroshi Temple marks the vast circle of cosmic pilgrimage that defines the soul of the city. It houses miniature reliefs representing 108 sacred sites and 12 Jyotirlingas, allowing devotees to gain the spiritual merit of the 88-km Panchakroshi Yatra without walking the entire route. Rooted in the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana, the path was said to have been trodden by Lord Rama and the Pandavas. The patron deity Dvadasheshvara carries twelve miniatures of the Jyotirlingams — the central one of Vishveshvara in stone, the rest in crystal on a yoni platform — turning Varanasi into a microcosm of India.

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Kurukshetra

Tapkeshwar Mahadev & Ashwatthama — The Cursed Rudra Avatar

October 2026 7 min read

Tapkeshwar Temple in Dehradun is a natural cave temple where water drips continuously on the Shivalinga. But hidden within its history is the first residence and Taposthali of Guru Dronacharya — and the birthplace of Ashwatthama, the Rudra avatar, one of the Eight Chiranjivis, born with a gem on his forehead and destined to live as an immortal. This is the story of the cursed warrior who invoked the Narayanastra and nearly destroyed the Pandavas.

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Freedom Struggle

The BRIL Virtual Museum — Digitalising Bengal's Revolution for India's Liberation

October 2026 4 min read

The BRIL (Bengal Revolution for India's Liberation) Virtual Museum is a digital educational initiative dedicated to honoring India's revolutionary freedom fighters, with a primary focus on Bengal's central role in the freedom struggle. Conceptualized and created by the Young Historian & Heritage Warrior Shri Boddhisatya Tarafdar, the museum preserves many unknown facts of India's freedom struggle across thematic galleries — Vande Mataram, Swadeshi, Anushilan-Jugantar, Khudiram, Bagha Jatin, Rashbehari, Netaji Subhas and Kaalapaani.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

Ramakrishna Mutth (Balaram Mandir) — Kolkata's Second Citadel of the Divine Mother

October 2026 6 min read

The Ramakrishna Mutth at Balaram Mandir, Kolkata — the residential home of Sri Balaram Basu, where Sri Ramakrishna stayed over a hundred times, where his holy relics were first worshipped, and where Swami Vivekananda organized the historic meeting of May 1, 1897. Today it houses the intact Chariot of Shri Jagannath pulled by Sri Ramakrishna himself.

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Kashi Khanda

German Bakery, Narad Ghat

September 22, 2026 2 min read

As per Kashi Khanda of Skanda Puran, whosoever takes a dip at the Narad Kund & worships Narad Keshav will gain eternal knowledge & wisdom like Maharshi Narad. The Temple was closed when we reached but the mesmerizing murals catches ones eyes without any iota of doubt.

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Kashi Khanda

Amrit Rao Peshwa Haveli, Raja Ghat — A Peshwa Legacy on the Banks of Maa Ganga

September 21, 2026 4 min read

As an INTACH Member, was extremely fortunate to have a detailed look at the ongoing conservation of the Amrit Rao Peshwa Haveli at Raja Ghat — visiting the private temples, ghat, and the Kula Devata Lakshmi Narayan & Kuladevi Mata Annapoorna shrines. Offering Abhishekam to Bhagwan Shankar as Amritesvara inside the attached temple complex was deeply immersive. The Haveli, historically associated with the Peshwas of Pune, was rebuilt by Amrut Rao Peshwa during his exile — between 1780 CE and 1807 CE — using solid stone slabs, and the complex houses the Amriteshvara, Vinayakeshvara, Narayaneshvara and Gangeshvara temples.

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Kashi Khanda

Rani Laxmi Bai Janmsthal, Kashi — Where Manu Once Played

September 12, 2026 2 min read

Where once dwelled the child Manu who rose to conquer General Hugh Rose to free Bharat Mata. Following her death in battle near Gwalior on June 18, 1858, Rose is widely credited in historical accounts with paying her a stark tribute, noting that "here lay the woman who was the only man among the rebels," reflecting his immense respect for her unyielding courage on the battlefield. Absolute honour & blessings to be able to visit the Birth place & where once lived & played Manu in the Ghats of Kashi.

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Kashi Khanda

Tulsi Bhavan & Tulsi Ghat, Banaras — In the Footsteps of Goswami Tulsidas

September 2026 3 min read

An infinitely serene, calm & immersive experience in visiting & interacting with the Sevayats of Tulsi Bhavan & Tulsi Ghat - Banaras. As the entire country emerges into The chant of Sitaram Sitaram by virtue of Hanuman Ansh, took this opportunity to explore & understand the site which saw Tulsidas composing those immortal Chaupais & Hanuman Chalisha. Walking up through those stairs of the ghats where once walked this great saint of Bhakti era, having a darshan of his established & invoked Raghuveer, passing through those allays used by him was no less than an meditative absorption of the supreme Shri Ram Tattwah. This sacred space continues to act as a repository of his relics, manuscripts, built heritage & the metaphorical rhythm of divinity experienced through Kirtans & recitations of Sundar Kand & Hanuman Chalisha.

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Sheoraphuli Raj Parivaar Diary

Holding a Rajput Sword from the Raja Man Singh (ManaSimha) Era & a Mughal Sword from the Emperor Jahangir's Timeline

August 28, 2026 1 min read

Holding a Rajput Sword from the Raja Man Singh (ManaSimha) era & a Mughal sword from the Emperor Jahangir's timeline. Couldn't thank you enough Shri Souro Ghosh Varman for his benevolence to share their Martial antiques from the family repository.

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Sheoraphuli Raj Parivaar Diary

Nimai Teertha Ghat & Rani Rashmoni Ghat, Sheoraphuli — An Onam Darshan on the Banks of Ma Gange

August 26, 2026 2 min read

Where once dwelled & danced in ecstasy Shri Krishna Chaitanya Bharati & Rani Rashmoni. Celebrated Onam through darshan of the two most historic & revered Ghats under Baidyabati Municipality in Sheoraphuli through the Banks of Ma Gange. The Nimai Teertha Ghat bears testimony to the arrival of Shri Chaitanya for his onward journey to Neelachal Dham — falling in the route of the legendary Old Jagannath Sadak. The Rani Rashmoni Ghat is a silent testament to Ma Nistarini who pulled out Rani Rashmoni from her Bajra & ensured she follows her up to the Devalay — leading to the creation of Dakshineshwar & Ma Bhavatarini.

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Sheoraphuli Raj Parivaar Diary

Nistarini Kali Devalay — 199 Years on the Banks of Maa Ganga at Sheoraphuli

August 2026 5 min read

A walking journal through the 199-year-old Nistarini Kali Devalay (Estd. 1827), founded by Raja Harishchandra Roy of the Sheoraphuli Royal Family — a temple whose sacred landscape witnessed the Kumari Mahadevi's darshan to Rani Rashmoni and the divine seed of Dakshineshwar, and where the Pala-Sena era Kosthipathor icons continue to bless devotees.

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Kashi Khanda

Banaras Mohalla Shiva — A Mediaeval Devalay Rises Among His Devotees

June 24, 2026 1 min read

The residents of the area have picked up this image & made a temporary shed in their mohalla for its worship. One of the many wonders of Banarasi Rang that I witnessed while walking through its legendary lanes & bylanes. Possibly from the rubbles of a nearby early mediaeval Devalay the God has risen to seek his rightful place amongst his devotees.

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Kashi Khanda

Adi Keshav Ghat & Rajghat Fort, Varanasi — The First of the 16 Keshav Temples of Kashi Khanda

June 1, 2026 5 min read

At the supremely serene & calm Adi Keshav Ghat & temple betterly known as the Padodaka Teertha, which saw the arrival of Shri Vishnu & Mata Lakshmi in Kashi, their arrival mark as per the advice of Mahadev, narrated & commemorated in the Kashi Khanda of Skanda Purana. The first of the 16 Keshav Temples of Kashi Khanda, the Adi Keshav Ghat & Rajghat Fort area had seen massive destruction & genocide committed by Qutub-uddin-Aibak in 1194CE. The site assumes its importance with its association with King Divodasa, whose penance drew the 64 Yoginis, the Ganas, Devatas & even Shri Vinayak to settle in Kashi. The Maratha architecture attributed to the Scindias houses 04 key deities under one roof: Adikeshava, Gyanakeshava, Panchdevata, and Sangameshwara.

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Kashi Khanda

The Tarasundari Temple — The Three Key Deities

Jun 2026 1 min read

The three key deities of The Tarasundari Temple.

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Kashi Khanda

Ma Anandamayee Ashram, Kashi — Serene, Peaceful, Tranquility & Turning Inwards

May 25, 2026 1 min read

Serene, peaceful, tranquility & turning inwards are the feelings as you stand inside the Ma Anandamayee Ashram in Kashi. History, heritage & spirituality a blend of all three gives this ashram so much of serendipity. The Mother even through the prism of these images keeps smiling on her Children.

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Kashi Khanda

Kashi Panch Kroshi Parikrama — Kardameshwar Mahadev

May 22, 2026 1 min read

The Originating point of the Kashi Panch Kroshi parikrama & one of the oldest sites of Kashi - possibly of Gupta era & which has been further enriched & sanctified by Rani Bhabani of Natore is a treasure trove of Archaeology, Epigraphy & Hindu Iconography coupled with its serene environment gifted by the Rani. One of the most remarkable findings of my Banaras trip was the tremendous foot print of Rani Bhabani, that I took note of accross all the three Khandas possibly only next to the Marathas — not to forget Maharaja Man Singh Kacchhwwa of Jaipur.

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Kashi Khanda

Kashi Adi Vishweshwar Temple — The Earliest Swambhu Jyotirlinga Site of Kashi

May 20, 2026 2 min read

One of the earliest sites of Kashi Jyotirlinga (Swambhu), whose mention is found in Kashi Khanda as well, is the Kashi Adi Vishewashwar Temple. This sacred space which was razed to the ground by Qutub-uddin-Aibak — General of Shamsuddin Muhammed Ghori (Delhi Sultanate) — speaks volumes when you look at the relics from early 12th century (1194CE) shrine that are still preserved. Centuries later Razia Sultana built the Bibi Razia masjid just besides this sacred space. The current structure as it stands today was rebuilt by Rajmata param pujjyya Ahilya Bai Holkar.

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Kashi Khanda

Deep Inside Bangali Tola — One of the Gems of Kashi (Kali Temple of Shri Kamalakanta)

May 18, 2026 1 min read

Deep inside the Bangali Tola rests one of the gems of Kashi. The Image extracted & consecrated by the legendary Bengali Seer Shri Kamalakanta. This Kali temple also hosts an underground cellar parts of which are closed by Nagabandhanam & consisting of images possibly 1500 years or more. Self was literally pulled in from the street through a chance meeting with one of their descendants now in charge & was given a blessed & surreal darshan.

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Kashi Khanda

The Legend of Tara Sundari & the Gallant Fight of Rani Bhavani

May 2026 3 min read

And finally on the night of Ashtami I reached that temple which I have been desiring to visit for the last decade or more. The Tarasundari Temple (often referred to as Tara Pith or Tara Bari) in Varanasi's Bengali Tola area was established in 1753 CE, by the legendary Bengali queen, Rani Bhabani of Natore — a prominent center for Shakti and Tantra worship that doubles as a memorial to her eldest daughter, Tarasundari.

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Kashi Khanda

Parama Shiva Lingam at Kedar Ghat — A Pranam on the Appearance Day of Adi Shankaracharya

April 21, 2026 1 min read

On the appearance Day of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya my pranam to the Parama Shiva Lingam consecrated by him @Kedar Ghat in Banaras attached to the Gouri Kedareshwar Temple of Kedar Khand located inside Bangali Tola kedar ghat

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Kashi Khanda

The Darbhanga Royal Palace & Fort — Now the Brij Rama Palace on the Ganga

April 19, 2026 1 min read

The Darbhanga Royal Palace & Fort is now popularly known & renamed as the Brij Rama Palace, a five star property. Also famous for Satyajit Rays "Joy Baba Felunath" the site was used to shoot for multiple scenes in the movie revolving around the characters of the imposter "Machli Baba" & the villain "Maganlal Meghraj" played by the legendary Utpal Dutt. The panoramic view of Ma Ganga from the top of this Ghat is truly serene & soul stirring especially in the evenings.

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Kashi Khanda

Rajghat Archaeological Site, Banaras — ASI's Excavation of an 8th Century BCE City

April 16, 2026 1 min read

Archaeological Survey of India is doing a splendid job in very nicely maintaining the Rajghat Archaeological site in Banaras besides the Adi Keshav Ghat. The habitation which has the imprints of a sprawling city in the area was discovered during the excavations by the Britishers when railways were getting inroads into Banaras. Dating back to 08th Century BCE the finds as on date has confirmed existence & usage of the site & its neighbouring areas till early 18th Century CE.

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Kashi Khanda

Survey of the Bindu Madhav Temple / Alamgir Mosque — Panchganga Ghat, Banaras

April 7, 2026 2 min read

Where once resided the opulent Bindu Madhav Temple — one of the five Madhav Vigrahas as mentioned in Kashi Khand & demolished by Alamgir Aurangazeb in 1673 CE, in his third wave of attacks on Banaras — the Mosque stands today as a testimony to its glorious past & grandeur, reverbating the Poetry on Stone that it was. The historicity & sacred landscape that it is, remains a mystery even today.

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Kashi Khanda

The Kali Bari at the Ghat — Where Pradosh Mitter & Manik Babu Shot "Joy Baba Felunath" (1978)

April 6, 2026 1 min read

The two things which lit up my heart instantly in childish joy was The Kali Bari at the Ghat....wherever Bengalis settle a Kalibari(estd. 1829CE), will come up & written in the old Bengali script & offcourse I was also searching for the Lodge where Mr Pradosh Mitter & Manik Babu had stayed & shot (first picture) "Joy Baba Phelunath" - 1978.

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Kashi Khanda

A Heritage Banarasiya Baithaak — Absorbing the Bana Huya Raas of Kashi Khand

April 4, 2026 1 min read

A Heritage Banarasiya Baithaak, that I found attached to the facade of an improvised small hut, with an antiquity of no less than 200 years, sat down, absorbed the Rasa of Bana Huya Raas of Kashi Khand. Yes the Banarasiya Paan was the only thing missing in this combination on a lighter note.

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Kashi Khanda

A Shashralingam in a Bengali Home Temple — Banaras Bangali Tola

April 3, 2026 1 min read

A Shashralingam in a Bengali home temple amidst the narrow lanes & by lanes of Banaras Bangali Tola area. The area is a treasure trove to say the least & screams of the enormous contributions by the Bengali middle class & Zamindars to Banaras & it's esoteric heritage is something that's completely forgotten today.

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Kashi Khanda

Balaji Temple at Scindia Ghat — The Engineering Marvel of the Scindias, Where Bismillah Khan Once Prayed

April 1, 2026 2 min read

Where once prayed Shrimant Peshwa Baji Rao Ballahar during his Northern India biltzkeriz in 1735 CE. The Balaji who appeared to Ustad Bismillah Khan Saab & blessed him to become the legend he was. A Temple & Haveli that came up under the aegis of the legendary Ranoji Shinde father to the great Military genius Mahadji Shinde & Janokji Shinde — further preserved by Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar — and home to one of the four Yantric Lingams present in Banaras.

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Kashi Khanda

When the RKM Failed — Shri Paramhansa Ramakrishna's Banaras House in Bangali Tola

March 31, 2026 1 min read

In Bharat Heritage dies a thousand deaths. This is the house in Bangali Tola where Shri Paramhansa Ramakrishna stayed in Banaras. The building is kind of lost & will be razed soon. It has such a rich history but yet for unknown reasons the Belur RKM HQ decided to ignore the takeover of this property in a sacred space like Banaras.

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Kashi Khanda

Shri Jagannath Shrine, Assi Ghat — One of the Largest Shri Narasimha Vigrahas of Bharat (10 ft)

March 30, 2026 1 min read

The 19th Century shrine of Shri Jagannath located in Assi Ghat was quite a revelation. Built by the businessmen brothers Vishamwbhar Ram & Beni Ram in 1802CE, the shrine is home to one of the largest Shri Narasimha Vigraha of Bharat. With a towering height of 10ft, the radiance & opulence of Shri Narasimha in his "Anugraha" form makes you speechless. One of the five forms of Shri Narasimha that are found in Kashi Khand, this shrine is not to be missed while visiting Banaras.

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Kashi Khanda

Lakshmi Nivas, Varanasi — Ma Sarada's 1912 Stay & the Dutta Family Legacy

March 28, 2026 2 min read

A simple Linkedin message that was connected to the higher realms, under the divine guidance of Ma Sarada & Paramhansa Shri Ramakrishna. Grateful, blessed & was a pure bliss to attend the Annapurna Pooja conducted by the Dutta's of Bagbazar, whose ancestral home at Banaras turned into a temple when Ma Sarada stayed there for 75 days in 1912CE & initiated the process of setting up the Ramakrishna Mission Advaita Ashram & Mission per say. Not just Ma Sarada but Shri M the compiler of the Gospels of Shri Ramakrishna had also stayed with the Dutta's for a reasonable time.

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Kashi Khanda

Shri Ram Navami ki Shubkamnaaye — Sant Swami Samarth Ramdas Temple, Pakka Mahal, Scindia Ghat

March 27, 2026 1 min read

Shri Ram Navami ki Shubkamnaaye from Kashi Khand. History & Bhakti movement rises at its peak when you sit quietly at the lotus feet of Shri Ram & The Guru of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - Sant Swami Samarth Ramdas in the temple commissioned by him in 17th Century, nestled in the bylanes of Scindia Ghat - Pakka Mahal

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Kashi Khanda

At the Relic Temple of Swami Vivekananda — Advaita Ashram, Luxa, Varanasi

March 24, 2026 1 min read

At the relic temple of Swami Vivekananda # Advaita Ashram # Luxa # Varanasi # The City of Lav Kush

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Bilaspur Expedition

Ratanpur Mahamaya Mandir, Bilaspur — Lost in the Beauty of Kalachuri Art & Architecture

March 23, 2026 1 min read

Lost in the beauty of Kalachuri Art & Architecture in the heartland of the Kalachuris of Ratanpur once a formidable force in ancient Malwa & rallying up to Kalinga, but again didn't find it's due place in the Indian History books. More to come.

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Bilaspur Expedition

Mahamaya Mandir, Raipur — The 11th Century Kalachuri Brick Temple That Demands Attention

March 20, 2026 2 min read

Of the many temples currently preserved inside the Mahamaya Temple complex in Raipur, this absolutely worn-out brick temple caught my attention. Preserved by the Chhattisgarh State Archaeology, it shows every sign of total degradation in terms of conservation. Its architecture closely resembles the Bengal Chala & Ratna style in its brick patterns and binding agents — the Kalachuris were masters of brick art, and this 11th century structure needs far more attention given its miniature form. A Shiva temple whose Vrishabh is now missing; the ruins are currently used as ramparts and for managing drainage arrangements — a sight not new to me during my surveys.

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Bilaspur Expedition

Rono Pa — The Big Foot of Bengal & the Lost Art of Guerrilla Warfare

March 13, 2026 5 min read

" Rono Pa" or the "The Big Foot" as its colloquial usage signifies, has played a significant role in the history of India, specially in the war against the British or used for military expeditions or even by the legendary dacoits of Bengal who had put up a stiff resistance...

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Bhojpur Temple

Bhojpur Temple — Om Namah Parvati Pataye Har Har Mahadev

March 8, 2026 1 min read

Shubhkamnaye to all on the occasion of Maha Shiv Ratri. Mahadev🔱🚩

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Bilaspur Expedition

International Conference at GGV Bilaspur — Rethinking Traditions & the Shahi Jata of Puri

March 3, 2026 4 min read

The Central theme of the two day International conference at Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya Bilaspur held in collaboration with Iccs Bharat was based on Rethinking Traditions - Shifting perspectives in Cultural Interpretation. Out of the 10 plenary sessions held, the plenary session 8 focussed on the Theme of Reality, Textuality & Hermeneutics thereby diving into the Oral Epistemologies, Textual authority & Mean Making in Ancient Traditions.

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Bilaspur Expedition

Atha Shri Bilaspur Kaatha — Mahamaya Shaktipeeth & the International Seminar

March 2, 2026 3 min read

Amlaka Ekadashi Darshan at the Shaktipeeth of Mahamaya in Ratanpur - Chattisgarh - Bilaspur & Kaal Bhairav Temple, setting up the momentum to a very critical seminar from a strategic perspective which was held between 27 Feb - 28 Feb at the Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur - C.G.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

February 4, 2026 2 min read

A heritage walk through the historic Bagbazar Corridor and the Balaram Mandir / Muuth.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

Girish Bhawan, Bagbazar — The House of Girish Chandra Ghosh, Father of Bengali Theater

January 11, 2026 3 min read

Soaked in History — Girish Bhawan, the house of the "Father of Bengali Theater", Girish Chandra Ghosh (1844–1912), noted thespian, dramatist, musician, poet, play-writer, novelist, theater director and actor. An atheist before he met Sri Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, his life changed after Ramakrishna came into his life and he became a disciple. It was on 25th February 1885 CE that Shri Ramakrishna with his entourage first set foot into this house of Girish Babu enroute to watching the drama "Vrishketu" — followed by two more visits on 11th March & 24th April in the same year.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

Basu Bati, Baghbazar — The Mansion Where Tagore's Rally Ended & the Swadeshi Movement Began (1876)

January 5, 2026 8 min read

Take the narrow lane just off Baghbazaar Street and you'll see this huge mansion behind thick foliage — Basu Bati at 65/2 Baghbazaar Street, built in 1876 by Mahendra Lal Basu of the family descended from Dasrath Basu, the first to bear the surname. Its architecture — a blend of Bengali and Islamic influences by architect Nilmani Mitra, the first Bengali with a civil engineering degree — was an act of rebellion against the British. Tagore's 1905 anti-Partition rally ended here; a mass rakhi-tying ceremony between Hindus and Muslims took place in its thakurdalan; Surendranath Banerjee launched the Swadeshi Movement here; and the first khadi exhibition of Bengal was held here in 1906. The Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, once came to watch Girish Ghosh's play. Now locked under court orders — it deserves to be resurrected as a National Heritage.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk

Jogeshwari Mutth — The Pancha Ratna Ma Annapurna Temple of Bagbazar (1910 CE)

December 17, 2025 3 min read

A Pancha Ratna Temple of Bengal school of temple architecture & an opulent Ma Annapurna Temple (never seen anything similar or such a blissful image anywhere), blew off the carpet under me. Is this my Kolkata, was my question. Also known as the Jogeshwari Mutth, the temple has been the seat of many sacred footfalls starting from the Ma Sarada, Shri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Tagore, SN Banerjee, Rishi Aurobindo & many more Bengal revolutionaries as well.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

Neelkanth Mahadev — The 250-Year-Old Shiva Temple on Bagbazar Main Road

December 11, 2025 1 min read

A 250 year old Shiva Temple right on the main road. Small but the sacredness & antiquity speaks everything. Possibly visited by Swami Vivekananda, Shri Ramakrishna, Maa Sarada, Rishi Aurobindo & many more luminaries of Bengal. The Shiva Lingam is popularly known as Neelkanth Mahadev 🔱🚩

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

The Three Musketeers — The Teertha Where Rishi Aurobindo & Sister Nivedita Planned the Freedom Struggle

December 10, 2025 1 min read

The three musketeers at the Teertha where Rishi Aurobindo & Sister Nivedita used to plan out many details of the Indian Freedom struggle. Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

Mahakali Temple, Bagbazar — The Living Devi of Tantric Energy

December 9, 2025 3 min read

Another marvel of the Bagbazar Corridor is the Mahakali Temple. While oral traditions recount the tales of the Head Priest some 350 years back securing the divine manifestation of the Devi, some of the local sources predate the temple by 200 years before the Dakhineshwar Temple. Had landed up when the Sandhya Arati was in process & the environment was absolutely surreal. Had a beautiful darshan from Nat Mandir.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

Mahamaya — The 10th Century Pala Era Mahishashurmardini of Bagbazar

December 5, 2025 4 min read

At the lotus feet of Mahamaya # The 10th Century Pala Era # Mahisashurmardini # A monolithic image of the Divine feminine Adi Shakti sculpted out of Black Touch Stone (Kosti Pathor) which was unearthed in Odisha around 500 years back following a divine instruction of Mahamaya to one of the forefathers of the family to recover her from beneath the house of a Minority community fisherman next to the Mahanadi coastline.

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Bagbazar Corridor Heritage Walk - Reliving the Glorious Past of B

The Legendary Maratha Ditch (1742–1744 CE) — Standing on the Erstwhile Fortification of Calcutta

December 2, 2025 2 min read

An electrifying feeling to say the least, standing on the 3 miles long, the erstwhile legendary Maratha Ditch (Canal), that was dug up as a fortification against the Maratha light Cavalry charges between 1742CE to 1744CE, to save Calcutta from the Waves of "Bargi" attack lead by Bhaskar Pandit or Bhaskar Ram under the leadership of Raghuji Bhonsle of Nagpur.

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Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report

The Condemned Cell — Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report

November 28, 2025 2 min read

Shri Aurobindo had very wittingly described his cell conditions which laid bare the living conditions extended to the revolutionaries to break their will & soul by the Brits. My research had taught me those extremely harsh conditions well in advance, which I tried to live through, during those couple of hours. However this Cell was very bloody indeed as it was the "Condemned" cell - the one where all those who were to be hanged were kept. The environment was very heavy & my ears & soul were reverbating with the cry of " Bande Mataram."

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Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report

The Gallows That Swallowed Legends — Alipore Jail Museum Visit Report

November 23, 2025 2 min read

A Deeply immersive Sunday morning spent around the gallows that swallowed the legends like Kanailal Dutta, Biren Dutta Gupta, Satyendra Nath Bose & many more. These supreme sacrifices by those 20 odd year old Young turks which shaped our freedom, needs to be visited again & again. As my eyes welled up & the somber environment which was further catapulted by the immortal song "Aekbar Bidai De Ma Ghureh Ashi" the British Gallows, at the erstwhile Alipore Central Jail speaks of the tons & tons of sacrifices that echoes through various wards, Barracks & condemned chambers.

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Bhojpur Temple

The Langurs of Bhojpur — The Enigma of Raja Bhoj

September 10, 2025 2 min read

Bhojpur # The Enigma of Raja Bhoj — The "Langurs of Bhojpur" are substantially bigger than their contemporaries found in other parts of India with whom I have crossed paths. They are as naughty as the simians of Braj & aggressive. Some of them could stand tall upto 4 ft on their legs & reflect great strength in their stature. The sardar was missing & I was told that he is the biggest ape around with a fearful face & a very large stature. Don't underestimate them just by looking at the snaps.

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Bhojpur Temple

Mata Bhavani Cave Temple — Bhojpur # The Enigma of Raja Bhoj

September 9, 2025 3 min read

The Natural Cave temple of Mata Bhavani (Parvati Mata Temple) on the outskirts of Bhojpur & located bang opposite to the Bhojeshwar Mahadev temple, in the midst of a valley & a jungle with the streaming Betwa river cutting through the valley (Ghati) amidst torrential rains was nothing less than an Ashram or Tapobhumi from where it's hard to come back. The Temple is currently under the aegis of the Juna Akhada & managed by a Naga Sadhu of the "Giri Clan" being a part of the Dashnami Sampradaya.

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Maha Kumbh Diary

Mothers — The First Guru of a Child

March 15, 2025 2 min read

158 years back Swamiji Vivekanda emphasized on the importance & positioning of Women & mother's in particular in the Hindu society. Right from the Vedic times not only they have charted their way out but also their presence through various modes of deliverance has left a lasting impact on the societies & families. But somewhere with continual invasions on the mainland & society, Mother's lost their position in the Hindu society. Swamiji stressed on the fact that Mother's are the first Guru of a child & this poignant moment reminded me of the age old truth once again. It is the mother who leads the child on the route to Dharma or to destruction.

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Maha Kumbh Diary

Vaishnav Akhada — Prem Bhav at the Maha Kumbh

February 13, 2025 2 min read

He was filled with absolute prem bhav & so much of kindness that, going into his energy circle was so humbling. Mostly could cover many of the Vaishnav & Sikh Akhadas, but couldn't reach the Shaivite Akhadas. The Sun was blazing on that day. An absolute blissful time spent with him to remind me of the supreme consciousness that one experiences through complete surrender. Met him in one of those Vaishnav Akhadas & he had come from Braj Mandal only.

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Temples & Caves

Shesh Shaiya — The 35-Foot Reclining Vishnu of Bandhavgarh

November 2020 5 min read

Hidden half-way up the Bandhavgarh hill inside the Tala zone lies Shesh Shaiya — a single sandstone rock-carved statue of Lord Vishnu, the seven-hooded serpent king Sheshnaag and a Shiva linga, carved in the 10th century under the Kalchuri ruler Yuvrajdev by his minister Gollak. From the leg of the reclining Vishnu flows the evergreen Charanganga river — a perennial water source, a tiger water hole, and one of the most remarkable rock-cut masterpieces of central India.

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Temples & Caves

The Kiradu Temples of Barmer — A Cursed Town in the Thar

November 2020 5 min read

Kiradu, originally Kiratakupa, is a group of ruined Hindu temples in the Barmer district of Rajasthan — the best-preserved being the Someshvara temple dedicated to Shiva, built in the 11-12th century by vassals of the Chaulukya (Solanki) monarchs. An 1178 CE inscription records repairs to a temple damaged by the Turushkas (Ghurids of Muhammad of Ghor). Legend says the town was deserted because of a sage's curse — and a stone statue on its outskirts is said to be the potter's wife who turned to look back.

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