Travelling ethically on a land mass as vast as the Indian subcontinent has been made so much easier with the recent creation of the Green Circuit (the greencircuit.net). Five local tour operators in India and Nepal, all specialists in deep-rooted community-based responsible-tourism initiatives, have collaborated to provide a wide range of natural and cultural heritage trips. From the Blue Yonder, in Kerala (theblue yonder.com), to Social Tours, in Nepal (socialtours.com), experiences vary greatly, including a yak safari into the trans-Himalayan deserts, monitoring elephant-migration corridors in eastern Himalaya and learning traditional drumming with villagers living along Kerala’s River Nila.

More: Irishtimes.com

Today. the 19th of May, 2009, Ruskin Bond's 75th Birthday was celebrated in Mussoorie, by M/s. Cambridge Book Depot, The Mall, Mussoorie. Don't worry, even I couldn't make it to the Book store, owned by an old friend of mine, Sunil Arora, due to bad weather and untimely rain!!

~ Pamposh Panwar

[Ruskin Bond, a prolific writer is a celebrated resident of Mussoorie, India. I just finished reading his book ‘Funny Side Up’, published by Rupa.

His book ‘A Garland of Memories’ was my introduction to him when I was 11. I love his writing style even now. A child’s paradise!

~ Anisha Sharma]

१६.
मन मोहनलाल बड़ो छलिया, सखि वारू की भीति उठावत है ।
कर तोरत है नभ की कलियाँ, चट बन्द के फन्द लगावत है ॥
जहँ पौंन न जाय सकै, मुरली धुनि की तहँ दूती पठावत है ।
कहूँ चोर कहूँ दधि दानी बनैं, कहूँ साह लली बनि आवत है ॥

This sawaiya verse says:

Krishna is very naughty.… He sends the music of his flute as a messenger to places wherever even the breeze has no access!

More sawaiya verses…

१५.
काहे को वैद बुलावत हो, मोहि रोग लगाय के नारि गहो रे ।
हे मधुहा मधुरी मुसकान निहारे बिना, कहो कैसो जियो रे ॥
चन्दन लाय कपूर मिलाय, गुलाब छिपाय दुराय धरो रे ।
और इलाज कछू न बनै, ब्रजराज मिलैं सो इलाज करो रे ॥

This sawaiya verse from Vraj says:

Why do you call a physician to take care of my illness? How can I live without seeing the sweet smile of Krishna? You are taking trouble to mix herbs for medicine; sandalwood, rose and camphor… No treatment other than the meeting of Krishna will help me recover.

More sawaiya verses…

१३.
आपकी ओर की चाहैं लिखी, लिखि जात कथा उत मोहन ओर की ।
प्यारी दया करि वेगि मिलो, सहिजात व्यथा नहि मैंनमरोर की ॥
आपुहिं बाँचत अंग लगाबति, है किन आनी चिठी चितचोर की ।
राधिका मौन रही धरि ध्यान सो, है गई मूरति नन्दकिसोर की ॥

More sawaiya verses…

१२.
एक सखी घर सो निकसी, मानो चंदहि देन चली उपमा सी ।
कोऊ कहै यह काहू की नगरि, कोऊ कहै यह काहू की दासी ॥
मारग बीच मिले नंदनंदन, दै दई कूक मचाय के हाँसी ।
घूँघट को पट खैंच लियो, तब दोज की हो गई पूरनमासी ॥

This sawaiya verse from Vrindavan says: A young lady came out of her home. She was dazzling like the moon. People wondered who she was? Nandnandan Krishna saw her pass and quickly upturned the veil from her face. The face that was earlier showing like a sliver of the new moon, was now fully visible, a gorgeous full moon…

More sawaiya verses…

६.
वसुधा के सुधा जग की सुखमा, मुनि मानस मंजु राधिका के ।
सुख कन्द सदाँ दुख द्वन्द दरें, सुर सिद्धन सिद्धि समाधिका के ॥
छवि छैल ‘छबीले’ रँगीले लसै, ब्रजवासिन कारज साधिका के ।
नन्दनन्दन वन्दत आनन्दसों, पद पंकज वन्दत राधिका के ॥

A Bhakti poet named Chabeele has written these sawaiya verses in praise of Sri Krishna and Radhika. The poet praises Krishna as the elixir of this earth, the joy of the world, the one who lives in hearts and minds of pure souls (Munis), and one is Radha’s treasure. Krishna, who is attractive and helps the people of Braj accomplish their potential. Chabeele says, “Joyously, I worship Krishna, who in turn adores Radhika.”

More Sawaiya verses