 Don Sebastian - Dejavu | All Comments |
Comments | |
| 5th June 2009 kumar krish | Wild life Habitat - From: Chasing elephants from their home All we can do to help the wild life tell every one to visit any Sanctury and attend any study programme,And know What's d situation of the incredible and Beautiful animals in the wild. It's too late " ACT IMMEDIATLY" PLEASE LOVE THEM. And don't support the poachers .ie Don't buy any wilod animal meat. PLease remember--- WHEN BUYING WILL STOPS KILLING CAN TOO |
| 22nd May 2009 Arun Ram | - From: Where destiny is decided Don takes us on a trip down the rustic pathways of the travelling Tamil political drama. Where politicians see -- and sow -- loyalty in penury; where a chorus of claims make cacophony; where rhetoric and realpolitik resuscitate political fortunes. Stick your neck out of the caravan as it trundles along Sivaganga, "the overgrown village ruled by street cows," and you can smell the bovines-- and the bullshit the politicians throw at the voter. |
| 5th March 2009 malavika | great work - From: Men who would be gods great work done by the writer. congrats. |
| 7th January 2009 Rohini | Sniff... - From: Where everyone knows everyone Enikkum pokanam... |
| 2nd November 2008 Thomas TC | Chanced upon this blog - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage I came here during an internet search of Agasthyavanam. I wanted a blog, of people who made it, & how they arranged the travel. I'm planning to visit by either jul/aug. I would like to know how you managed to get the passes to go inside. Will the forest officials allow us to trek inside for days? What are things one should be careful of? Which is the best place to arrange stay? I have similar interest of going into the forests. Visited only few such as: Bandipur, Thenmala, Aanakhayam, Ilaveezha poonchira, etc. If you could highlight on that I would really appreciate. The blog is excellent. Quite informative. And the narrative is superb. I could feel it as I read the words. You have such wonderful style. Best wishes on all your trips. |
| 4th October 2008 Roy Mammen | A short good eye opener!! - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage Hi there, I know Gijo, who pointed me to the blog! Read it with great vigor and enthusiasm. There are several means to realize ones insignificance. Human ego is the other side of the problem! Karmic rituals was a good eye opener! Inclined to think that a good balance of Karma and Dharma probably is the right way to enlightenment. In our daily lives, small obstacles or mental blocks frustrate us. No wonder Agasthya never came back to the Vindhyas, he should have been enticed by the Himalayas. It was a humbling experience to read this blog, a short eye opener to the vast expanses of the universe and nature. |
| 24th September 2008 sarah | dejavu - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage your writings are really superb. Carry on the good work..:) |
| 16th September 2008 Rohini | What writing - From: The temple of lust trembling tableaux... Meditation in impossible circumstances and extreme positions pleases the gods,.... God hasn’t appeared, but fish have. ... Just loved these usages. |
| 9th September 2008 Brijesh | Bomdila - From: The temple of lust So good to read yr blog. I lived there for 10 years. It was so nostalgic.. I am planning to visit again may be in Dec almost after 15 years. |
| 6th August 2008 Dejavu | Yak? Dzomo? - From: Lamas and momos, yaks and rakshi Those creatures were indeed different from the 'Y for Yak' pictures on the schoolbooks. But the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which runs the farm, calls them yaks. Thought they differed in shape as altitude goes up, like rakshi which becomes powerful on the highland shantis. |
| 1st August 2008 varali | - From: Lamas and momos, yaks and rakshi That is not a yak, it is a dzomo: yak cattle hybrid. They have several of those in Arunachal, down to 4 generations with different names for each! |
| 16th July 2008 jimguru | G'day and thanks - From: The temple of lust Just discovered your blogs...thanks for refreshing some memories for me....sounds like I was wise not to travel these areas in monsoon time! It's always nice to read another perpsective on places you've journeyed to |
| 11th July 2008 Dejavu | Just amused - From: Lamas and momos, yaks and rakshi And I thought I was being too judgemental where I had no reason to be. |
| 11th July 2008 Rajiv | Defying teleos all the way - From: Lamas and momos, yaks and rakshi Hi traveler, I liked the way you present your travel experience in an indifferent manner; it's anti-teleology, non-judgmental. Do you really experience anything? reader. |
| 8th July 2008 Srikanth | A small dose of Rock. - From: Rock-less in Shillong, rain-less in Cherrapunjee Well man..... 'Living Next Door to Alice' was playing at the musical fountain in that park where we had our stroll at dusk. So i wudnt say we were totaly devoid of Rock. |
| 8th July 2008 Srikanth | I still have a chance. - From: Rock-less in Shillong, rain-less in Cherrapunjee "The nearest possibility is to marry a Khasi girl and buy a house in her name, Indira advises. Too late." Still dont apply to me! Sooo..... |
| 5th July 2008 Dejavu | Happiness - From: A few thousand gods going up a hill I too felt that the moment defined the pilgrimage, especially on a hill which would bar the girl once she is 10 years old. Doesn't the picture speaks for itself? |
| 23rd June 2008 Majnu | Waiting - From: Across the river, into the night Waiting for your new travelogue. |
| 11th June 2008 Manasa | Awesome! - From: A few thousand gods going up a hill Eye catching ,interesting and the most wonderful part is the foto "something called happiness" but u have not mentioned that moment in the content.....y is it so? |
| 3rd June 2008 Nazeeb | Remarkable! - From: Across the river, into the night Remarkable! And the statement: Sreekanths substitute was standing on the concrete bench really pictures those funny moments. |
| 27th May 2008 Sreekanth | Variety ambience. - From: No full stops in India Yeh.. getting to light the cigarette did take lot of effort. Nyways time to check out the high seas in a Fishing Boat. Game? |
| 10th April 2008 George T Malayil | mappilassery - From: At war in waterworld The house described here in my uncles house |
| 6th April 2008 Dejavu | - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage Thanks for all the feedback, friends. When you travel in India, myths are as real as stones. I see the legends through the people I meet on the road and try to write it as journalistically as possible. I have been condemned by my secular friends for "eulogising fairy tales". But there is no escape from lores for a traveller. I am not qualified to comment on the karmic cycle, but I could feel the energy on the hill. I have a yet-to-be-developed theory on the gods on the hills. They demand persistence and patience. The hike makes us, perspiring and panting like dogs, equal. (Not to forget the rich men opting for the easy route on cars or dolis or donkeys.) When ego is subsided, energy is released. Heart, lungs and every muscle vibes with energy. Mind is clear. Then the out-of-the-world experience the elevation provides. And...maybe its bullshit. But just a fleeting thought. |
| 23rd March 2008 Anonymous | On Mythology, and Rishis... - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage You may choose to call it Mythology, as one might see the Bible (orig. from Biblos = book, in greek), or the Koran, or any such set of stories. However, I beg to differ on a couple of points. A Rishi is distinctly different from a human being. Rishis are able to manifest physically like humans, and even look and feel like them, but are essentially beings unchained to a body. Agasthya Rishi had certain karmic purposes, and settling down in the South of the Sub-Continent was one of them. The pictures speak a thousand words. Kerala still retains the essence of its purity from another age - in spite of 'modern' life polluting the very creation of this essence. Nice pics, great trip. You're on your way, fellows!! |
| 23rd March 2008 Metal Raj | Great piece - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage Excellent write-up and some great photos. |
| 16th March 2008 Dejavu | Pact - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage Of course. But we still remain three. Sunil seems to have fallen in love with the base camp. "I will come up to the base camp and wait for you there next time," he says. |
| 14th March 2008 anonymous | - From: In the footsteps of a healer-sage A narration so authentic that i relived the whole trek. Well never knew u three made a pact. Buddy 3 is an odd number lets make it 4, Count me in as long as health permits. |
| 7th February 2008 Biju | - From: A few thousand gods going up a hill Sir, you have arrived in these real life accounts! May you walk several more miles barefoot on untrodden paths and allow us to savour the pain! |
| 13th December 2007 Savitha | - From: On board Bhavani Island loved the line "The shore knows all about the route from the memoirs of the river" |
| 13th December 2007 Savitha | aana - From: Chasing elephants from their home amazing! :) |
| 5th December 2007 Dejavu | - From: A few thousand gods going up a hill Have read that. Must say that was inspiring. But even he seems to be too professional (heard some inside information in Muthanga about his celebrated 'Bus to Kuta' article a couple of years ago.) a rural reporter. |
| 5th December 2007 Abhilash | - From: A few thousand gods going up a hill why dont u read Everybody Loves a Good Drought |
| 31st July 2007 Savitha | - From: At war in waterworld Much nostalgia happened :) |
| 23rd July 2007 Marutham | Great pics! - From: At war in waterworld Hello :) That was indeed a great post. Am sure you have had really worth mentioning time. Pictures are as always great- gives the feel of the event! Cheers, Marutham. http://paddyfieldprincess.blogspot.com/ |
| 22nd July 2007 Rohini | Ooooh - From: At war in waterworld Ooooh... Lovely piece Don. Felt like I too was standing there witnessing the event :D |
| 4th July 2007 Dejavu | Tragedy - From: Seven hills and a divine republic Those were the days when I roamed around with little idea on cameras, forget digital ones. As a novice, I clicked several beautiful frames, but realized later that I had not loaded film properly! |
| 13th June 2007 Sandy | - From: Seven hills and a divine republic Again, I enjoy it. But, where is the pictures? |
| 6th June 2007 Dejavu | Pilgrim's pace - From: Boundless faith, timeless city Ghats are steps running down to the river. Together they make a long walkway along the river. The names are painted on the ghats by the fame seekers. And the purifier does not clean the entire river, it purifies water for the townsfolk to drink. If you want to follow the rituals with textbook rigour, there are always dozens of professionals to help you. Dont worry, they will find you. But, anything that doesn't pollute the river is an offering, if you subscribe to the theory that nature, in all its manifestations, is the deity to be worshipped. |
| 28th May 2007 Sandy | - From: Boundless faith, timeless city I love this story, so romantic and make me feel a pilgrim myself - walk along the river bank, hear all noise of the crowd, yet feel the peace. I can’t decide which part I like the most : about the oarsman, about people who come to die, or about Varuna & Asi, or maybe the promise that Varanasi will be busy till the end of time. I wonder, how each ghat looks like. Is it plain step or carved, do each ghat’s name is printed officially or we have to rely on oarsman’s info ? How big is the ghat? Also, I can’t imagine the design of water purifier plant which can purify a 100 feet deep river water. And the color of purified water, is it really blue? Not green or brown? Wow. For the offering, what should we bring : always milk or else? It should be poured into the river or can we place it at the shore? Well, hopefully I can find out by myself when I visit Varanasi someday.... |
| 23rd May 2007 Rakhi | u r on the way - From: A heaven named hell Now I am sure u will reach your destination. yes Don, u r running on the correct track. Go ahead. good luck. |
| 21st May 2007 Dejavu | Chicken-hearted - From: A heaven named hell Are bats birds? But the place is named after them and they are strictly nocturnal. To look for birds? I am yet to finish my autobiography, dear. Even our guide hasn't ventured to the deeper levels. |
| 16th May 2007 Savitha | Hell of Birds - From: A heaven named hell Lovely piece. But in the hell of birds, didn't you spot any birds? Or aren't there any anymore? Or did you forget to look? By the way, about five years ago I stayed at the Thirunelli inspection bungalow, and the closest we came to a trek was a rather tame walk through the wilderness, down the hill and up another, to the temple :) |
| 14th May 2007 Dejavu | Itching feet - From: A heaven named hell It's a pity that rain spoiled our next big plan. By the time Agasthyakoodam opens for us, we will again be sloths. |
| 14th May 2007 Irshad | Journey to hell - From: A heaven named hell Don .. u painted the experience with words . |
| 14th May 2007 Dejavu | Journey as destination - From: A heaven named hell Hi Anil, you r right. i dont look for a culmination. but pakshipathalam was too much for my trembling feet. in fact i saw very little of it despite all the trek. even my guide said he would be lost if we ventured further. and its nice to know that the place is not changing despite all the plastic articles we spotted on the way. |
| 14th May 2007 Anil | Looking back - From: A heaven named hell Hi Pretty good piece on Pakshipathalam. Though I gather you subscribe to the notion that the journey is as interesting as where one is going, wish you had said a bit more about the destination. I went there about 15 years ago (late 1992) and the trek was more or less the way you described it. Looks like nothing much has changed. Good. Keep going! |
| 9th December 2006 Rakhi | - From: Twelve years of solitude Don go ahead with your travels. Iam sure u can give this world something valuable.. memorable... You can do what You want to be..... |
| 9th December 2006 Rakhi | - From: Dance of the desert Don u really done a good work. Felt like me also was there with u.. Get publish it man... |
| 26th November 2006 Sreekala Menon | good journal - From: Men who would be gods This was a very informati article and I came to know many things which i didn't know about "Theyyam". This truly desrves some applause. |
| 25th November 2006 Pradeep | Surprise - From: Dance of the desert Don, this is a side of yours I didn't know. It's my fault: I didn't bother to find out at a time when you were only a nudging distance away. I enjoyed reading this travelogue; a reportage deftly scripted, exotic sights delightfully framed. |
