Espíritu Libre: Maheshwar...land of the Holkars.

"For thirty years her reign of peace,

The land in blessing did increase;

And she was blessed by every tongue,

By stern and gentle, old and young.

Yea, even the children at their mothers feet

Are taught such homely rhyming to repeat

"In latter days from Brahma came,

To rule our land, a noble Dame,

Kind was her heart, and bright her fame,

And Ahilya was her honoured name."

- Joanna Baillie (1849)

The majestic Fort of Maheshwar ..the residence of Rani Ahilya Devi on the banks of pious river Narmada

Shimmering sun...waiting to set...

Candid...In conversation

Lightly, O lightly we bear her along,
She sways like a flower in the wind of our song;

~ Palanquin Bearers by Sarojini Naidu

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.

Faith brings you to the home of Gods

The majestic fort..from the inside

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.
~ Mother Teresa

The Homecoming

The Ghats of Maheshwar

For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.
-T. S. Eliot
(Waiting for the Sun to Set..at the ghats)

Sunset at Narmada...reflecting peace n tranquility

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
~ Rabindranath Tagore

Evening Aarti ceremony

Blessings from Narmada...

illuminated silhouettes of the worshipers...

May the wish come true..

Priest in preparation...

Reflection in Narmada River

Faith or Trust

The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this. ~Mark Twain
( Making of the traditional Handloom Maheshwari Saree)

Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors but are shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to God and flows towards Him.