It had been a long time since we had gone on a trip abroad .
After our return from Cambodia Indonesia Trip in March 2013 , by the year end both Priti & I were getting " trip sickness " . When the suffering became acute and the bug of wander lust finally bit us we decided on a Kesari trip of Sri Lanka of 7 days / 6 hotel nights starting from Mumbai at 0130 hours on 13 January 2014 and ending at 0430 hours at Mumbai on 20 January 2014 .
Pradip & co were asking us to visit them for some time now and as we also had not visited Mumbai for some time decided to combine visit to Pradip & Shrikant along with Sri Lanka trip . So we planned to departure for Mumbai on 06 January 2014 stay for 6 days with Pradip .
Shrish & Jaya Tatwawadi had told us to inform them if we plan any trip so we told them about our plans . They decided to join . As Tats were in Mumbai ,We went & booked the trip for both of us on 23 October 2013 by paying ₹ 100,000/- as advance for both of us . As all our friend circle , Mangal Behere , also knew of our plan , She convinced Pradip and also booked the trip.
Final payments were by Tats & Self on 19 December 2013. Final Trip cost , per head , worked out as follows :
In ₹ ; 34990 - 10000 (discount ) = ₹ 24,990/-
In $ ; 560 ( On payment day
exchange @63.75=₹35744 ) = ₹ 35,744/-
Taxes ₹ 1827/-
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Total Cost per head ₹ 61,861/ --700 (Sr Ctz discount) = 61,161?-
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After our return from Cambodia Indonesia Trip in March 2013 , by the year end both Priti & I were getting " trip sickness " . When the suffering became acute and the bug of wander lust finally bit us we decided on a Kesari trip of Sri Lanka of 7 days / 6 hotel nights starting from Mumbai at 0130 hours on 13 January 2014 and ending at 0430 hours at Mumbai on 20 January 2014 .
Pradip & co were asking us to visit them for some time now and as we also had not visited Mumbai for some time decided to combine visit to Pradip & Shrikant along with Sri Lanka trip . So we planned to departure for Mumbai on 06 January 2014 stay for 6 days with Pradip .
Shrish & Jaya Tatwawadi had told us to inform them if we plan any trip so we told them about our plans . They decided to join . As Tats were in Mumbai ,We went & booked the trip for both of us on 23 October 2013 by paying ₹ 100,000/- as advance for both of us . As all our friend circle , Mangal Behere , also knew of our plan , She convinced Pradip and also booked the trip.
Final payments were by Tats & Self on 19 December 2013. Final Trip cost , per head , worked out as follows :
In ₹ ; 34990 - 10000 (discount ) = ₹ 24,990/-
In $ ; 560 ( On payment day
exchange @63.75=₹35744 ) = ₹ 35,744/-
Taxes ₹ 1827/-
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Total Cost per head ₹ 61,861/ --700 (Sr Ctz discount) = 61,161?-
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Mumbai.
We travelled by Vidharbha Express on 06 January 2014 . This time got down at Thane . Getting a Taxi proved problematic as we never reached proper taxi stand but were intercepted by taxi & Auto fellows .
Advice to first timers at Thane station is that do not take an Auto as autos of Thane are not allowed in Greater Mumbai limits .
Also insists & settle that the coolie takes you to the proper taxi stand .
Stay at Pradip's place was all that we expected and thoroughly enjoyed . Also a night spent with Dada & Shrikant gave pleasure to all .
On 09 January Pradip took us to see the Pagoda .
Pagoda.
Global vipassana Pagoda and Meditation Center
In Mumbai it is commonly referred to as " The Pagoda " but the correct
correct nomenclature is " Global vipassana Pagoda and Meditation Center ".
(for the convenience of writing " Pagoda " is used here ) .
The Pagoda is located on Gorai Creek in the North-West of Mumbai approximately 25 KMs from Pradip's house and took us about an hour by car. It is very close to Essel World Amusement Part in fact the first parking lot one come across are those of the Essel World before parking confirm that Pagoda is still ahead ! The first glimpse of the pagoda is much before one reaches this parking lot.
The first glimpse of the Pagoda while still about 3-4 kilometers away .
Some information about the Pagoda courtesy wiki .
The Global Vipassana Pagoda is a Meditation Hall near Gorai, North-west of Mumbai,India. The Pagoda was inaugurated by Pratibha Patil, then President of India on 8 February 2009 It is built on donated land on a peninsula between Gorai creek and the Arabian Sea. The pagoda is to serve as a monument of peace and harmony.
The center of the Global Vipassana Pagoda contains the world's largest stone dome built without any supporting pillars. The height of the dome is approximately 29 metres, while the height of the building is 96.12 meters, External diameter of the largest section of the dome is 97.46m and the shorter sections is 94.82m. Internal diameter of the dome is 85.15m.The inside of the pagoda is hollow and serves as a very large meditation hall with an area covering more than 6000 m2(65,000 ft2). The massive inner dome seats over 8000 people enabling them to practice the non-sectarian Vipassana meditation . More interested people can find full details here.
Some Photos of Pagoda and allied buildings
.
The Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara or Kelaniya Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, seven miles from Colombo. Buddhists believe the temple to have been hallowed during the third and final visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment. Its history would thus go back to before 500 BCE.The Mahawansa records that the original Stupa at Kelaniya enshrined a gem-studded throne on which the Buddha sat and preached. The temple flourished during the Kotte era but much of its land was confiscated during the Portuguese empire. Under the Dutch empire, however, there were new gifts of land and under the patronage of King Kirthi Sri Rajasingha the temple was rebuilt. It was refurbished in the first half of the 20th century with the help of Helena Wijewardana. The temple is also famous for its image of the reclining Buddha and paintings which depict important events in the life of the Buddha, in the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, also incidents from the Jataka tales. An 18-foot stone statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has been erected at the temple.
Kelaniya Temple Complex more photos.
Independence Memorial Hall (also Independence Commemoration Hall) is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the establishment of Dominion of Ceylon on February 4, 1948. It is located at the Independence Square (formerly Torrington Square) in the Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo. It also houses the Independence Memorial Museum.The monument was built at the location where the formal ceremony marking the start of self-rule, with the opening of the first parliament by the HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester occurred at a special podium February 4, 1948.Located at the head of the monument is the statue of the first prime minister of the country Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake "The Father of the Nation". Most of the annual National Independence Day celebrations have been held here. Apart from a monument it served as the ceremonial assembly hall for the Senate of Ceylon and the House of Representatives of Ceylon until the parliament was moved to the new parliament complex. Currently it is the venue for religious events and annual national day celebrations.
