Indra Chopra's Page

The mystique of the Dhofar region or of Salalah is not its salubrious climate or its architecture but the sacred scent, one of the gifts given to Baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men. This aromatic incense, or frankincense, was the source of the wealth and riches of Dhofar and Arabia and was exported by caravan routes and ships as far as China, India, and Egypt to be used for temple rituals, cremating the dead and for medicinal purposes.



It…

The shivering semi-covered bodies in the freeze moment of instant 'moksha' captured the essence of the magnanimous waters of the 'Sangam', the confluence of the three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. The moksha seekers or pilgrims were emulating the Devas (gods) who had outsmarted the Asuras (demons) for the eternal nectar of life which the demons had won. The gods, not willing to concede defeat, managed to pilfer the kumbh (pitcher) and in process four drops fell on…

Zhoujiajiao

On a trip to Shanghai in the summer of 2009 we discovered Zhoujiajiao by chance. Our original choice was Suzhou, a water town famous for its silk and embroidery but it would have meant cutting short on other attractions and we had just 36 hours in Shanghai. When the person at the bus ticket counter at Shanghai Indoor Stadium suggested Zhujiajiao, we were teeny bit sceptical but still boarded the Government tourist bus leaving in 20…

Continuing Canada Vignettes: 2

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a serendipitous Victorian village/ town on south side of Lake Ontario attracting romantics and nature lovers from across the borders and from within Canada.  

It was a clear day in early-March, though still…