Dr Rebello's account of his summer vacation trip.

[Guest guest]

REBELLO REPORT ON SUMMER VACATION by Dr. Leo Rebello From Thursday, 4th May to Tuesday, 16th May, 2006, the Rebello family was in Parwanoo, Pinjore Gardens, Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Rohtang Pass (15000 feet above), Solang Valley, Naddar Castle and Roerich Museum, Manikaran (sulphur springs, boiling hot), McLeodganj (Dalai Lama's headquarters in exile), Dharamshala, Khajjiar (mini Switzerland), Chamba Valley (where we lectured to 60 women health workers while passing by), Dalhousie and Amritsar (Golden temple, Jalianwala Bagh martyr's memorial and Wagah Border). The evening parade at Wagah Border between India and Pakistan was more a circus than an exercise to bridge the gap between people of common ancestry. We did skiing, glissading, tyrolene traverse (river crossing), white water rafting, go-carting race, pony and yak rides and travelled in the comfort of a

chauffeur driven Toyota Qualis exclusively for us. Between Bombay and Delhi we flew on Air India night flights four times in one month. All flights were delayed from half an hour to two hours. After five days in Bombay to oversee building repairs, to attend to some patients who kept on ringing me on the mobile and to clear pending work, from Sunday 21st May to Tuesday 30th May, we were away in Jammu and Kashmir - a troubled state under siege. There are over 8 lakh Indian armymen, equal number of CRPF personnel and the local police trying to maintain law and order. As the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. These

authorities are high handed and the local police are highly corrupt (asking bakshish at every check point like beggars). We visited Patni Top, an excellent picnic spot on the way to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam (in Kashmir) and Katra, Vaishnodevi and Jammu (in Jammu) and contributed to the local economy by buying carpets, jackets, topis, shawls, sherwanis and salwars. We missed Leh and Ladakh for want of time. If we had not returned to Bombay, we could have visited that part too. J & K state, which enjoys special protection under article 370 of the Constitution of India, is divided into Jammu (predominantly Hindus), Kashmir (90% Muslims) and Leh and Ladakh (Buddhists). Barring few hiccoughs like curfews (due to PM Manmohan Singh's unnecessary and unfruitful visit), traffic police corruption and security madness (like not even allowing medicines at Vaishnodevi or checking at 10 different points by making everyone get down from ponies), Kashmir was at its Nature's best. Too many horse rides though have made the bottoms sore !!! I agree with poet Mohd. Alama Iqbal, who sang Sare Jehan Se Achcha Hindustan Hamara. Indeed, India is the best country in the world in every respect. From cave temples in Pir Khoo, where we saw a closed entrance to a 450 km long tunnel to Amarnath (now closed -- by whom and why is not known) to the Majestic beauty of icecaped Himalayas, the mighty rivers, glaciers and wooden

bridges, refreshing water to quench thirst, exotic food, and peace-loving and friendly people of this region makes me wonder who keeps the terrorism going and why? I join in chorus of the Kashmiri people -- return our heaven to us. As the illiterate pony fellow articulated, "Both India and Pakistan must sign an agreement to protect us and return us our God-given heaven". Not for nothing that even Jesus Christ came to rest his head here. There exists a tomb of Jesus Christ in Rozabal, where the legend has it that he died at the ripe age of 120. We visited the place (hardly 3 kms away from Dal Lake) not known to many, thanks to my interest in the subject. For details read Dr. Fida Hassnain's book The Fifth Gospel. Dr. Hassnain, 83, is known to me and I talked to

him briefly from my hotel room in Srinagar on 25th May, after 18 long years. "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

[Guest guest]

Well done, Dr. Rebello. Another good news from my

side. I have been invited by Aastha Channel to be in

London in July for helping them in online translation

of Swami Ramdevji's lessons on Yog Science for the

English speaking people in UK and other countries who

are expected to attend Swamiji's Yoga camp in UK.

I am proceeding to Kurukshetra, two hours drive from

Delhi to meet Swamiji where his camp is just starting.

The medical benefits of such camps have been

tremendous so far and thousands of people are getting

benefited in many ways like reduction of body weight

even upto 10 kilos (22 lbs) or more within a week's

camp. Many other incurable diseases are also getting

cured through Yoga and Pranayams.

It would be wonderful for those in UK and other EU

countries to see Yoga and Ayurveda working wonders

even where the so-called modern medicine fails.

Hope to keep you informed.

 

S. M. Acharya <smacharya

 

--- Jagannath Chatterjee <jagchat01 wrote:

 

> REBELLO REPORT ON SUMMER VACATION

> by Dr. Leo Rebello

>

>

> From Thursday, 4th May to Tuesday, 16th May,

> 2006, the Rebello family was in Parwanoo, Pinjore

> Gardens, Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Rohtang Pass (15000

> feet above), Solang Valley, Naddar Castle and

> Roerich Museum, Manikaran (sulphur springs, boiling

> hot), McLeodganj (Dalai Lama's headquarters in

> exile), Dharamshala, Khajjiar (mini Switzerland),

> Chamba Valley (where we lectured to 60 women health

> workers while passing by), Dalhousie and Amritsar

> (Golden temple, Jalianwala Bagh martyr's memorial

> and Wagah Border). The evening parade at Wagah

> Border between India and Pakistan was more a circus

> than an exercise to bridge the gap between people of

> common ancestry.

>

> We did skiing, glissading, tyrolene traverse

> (river crossing), white water rafting, go-carting

> race, pony and yak rides and travelled

> in the comfort of a chauffeur driven Toyota Qualis

> exclusively for us. Between Bombay and Delhi we flew

> on Air India night flights four times in one month.

> All flights were delayed from half an hour to two

> hours.

>

> After five days in Bombay to oversee building

> repairs, to attend to some patients who kept on

> ringing me on the mobile and to clear pending work,

> from Sunday 21st May to Tuesday 30th May, we were

> away in Jammu and Kashmir - a troubled state under

> siege. There are over 8 lakh Indian armymen, equal

> number of CRPF personnel and the local police trying

> to maintain law and order. As the saying goes, too

> many cooks spoil the broth. These authorities are

> high handed and the local police are highly corrupt

> (asking bakshish at every check point like beggars).

>

> We visited Patni Top, an excellent picnic spot on

> the way to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam (in

> Kashmir) and Katra, Vaishnodevi and Jammu (in Jammu)

> and contributed to the local economy by buying

> carpets, jackets, topis, shawls, sherwanis and

> salwars. We missed Leh and Ladakh for want of time.

> If we had not returned to Bombay, we could have

> visited that part too.

>

> J & K state, which enjoys special protection under

> article 370 of the Constitution of India, is divided

> into Jammu (predominantly Hindus), Kashmir (90%

> Muslims) and Leh and Ladakh (Buddhists).

>

> Barring few hiccoughs like curfews (due to PM

> Manmohan Singh's unnecessary and unfruitful visit),

> traffic police corruption and security madness (like

> not even allowing medicines at Vaishnodevi or

> checking at 10 different points by making everyone

> get down from ponies), Kashmir was at its Nature's

> best. Too many horse rides though have made the

> bottoms sore !!!

>

> I agree with poet Mohd. Alama Iqbal, who sang Sare

> Jehan Se Achcha Hindustan Hamara. Indeed, India is

> the best country in the world in every respect. From

> cave temples in Pir Khoo, where we saw a closed

> entrance to a 450 km long tunnel to Amarnath (now

> closed -- by whom and why is not known) to the

> Majestic beauty of icecaped Himalayas, the mighty

> rivers, glaciers and wooden bridges, refreshing

> water to quench thirst, exotic food, and

> peace-loving and friendly people of this region

> makes me wonder who keeps the terrorism going and

> why?

>

> I join in chorus of the Kashmiri people -- return

> our heaven to us. As the illiterate pony fellow

> articulated, " Both India and Pakistan must sign an

> agreement to protect us and return us our God-given

> heaven " . Not for nothing that even Jesus Christ came

> to rest his head here. There exists a tomb of Jesus

> Christ in Rozabal, where the legend has it that he

> died at the ripe age of 120. We visited the place

> (hardly 3 kms away from Dal Lake) not known to many,

> thanks to my interest in the subject. For details

> read Dr. Fida Hassnain's book The Fifth Gospel. Dr.

> Hassnain, 83, is known to me and I talked to him

> briefly from my hotel room in Srinagar on 25th May,

> after 18 long years.

>

>

>

> " Our ideal is not the spirituality that

> withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the

> power of the spirit. " - Aurobindo.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam

> protection around

>