Pebbles from Mount Zao:
Last year (Nov, 2011) when I
took my parents and my close relatives to Risikesh, Haridwar, my mother and my
aunts started picking up round pebbles from the banks of the Ganges. When I
asked, why they are taking those as it is going to make their baggage heavy,
there was no answers. But I could witness a rare charm in their face. It was something
special for them, which is going to be as a spiritual memoir of their visit to
the sacred place.
Mount Zao
During my recent official
visit to Japan, I had a rare opportunity visit to Mt. Zao and see the mysterious
lake of Okahama. On 25th of August, 2012, my Japanese colleagues took us (team
from India) in a complementary sightseeing trip, to Iwate, Miyagi &
Yamagata prefectures. They choose three beautiful spots for site seeing one was
Chusonji (a Buddhist monastery), Gemibige a beautiful Gourge & Mount Zao, a
complex volcano in the border of Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures.
Its Me
From our hotel in Tendo
city, our Japanese friends picked up at 8.00 am and took us to Chusonji in a
breathtaking 225 km drive through the Yamagata Ranges of Mountains. My eyes
were fixed out of the car's window -
Pine trees, Maple trees, landscapes and highway tunnels, and many things, that mere words can never describe.
The Samurai Temple
Our 1st Destination was, Chusonji, an UNSECO world
heritage site, and a very old Buddhist monastery.
It was place of Japanese Heritage and culture. It was our luck that, we could access the only English guide
in the place who took us to a wonderful one hour tour of the place and explained
all of my queries. He told about the guarding dragons at the entrance, one with
open mouth and the other with close, symbolizing the starting and ending of any
work, creation, life and as well syllable. It was indeed a sweet and small
travel to the history of Japan. I was almost in a state of relating all the
things to our Indian culture some or other ways.
It is always thrilling when, some one is there to share the exprience. And I had my colleagues from India, Mr. Kamraj & Mr. Ravi. Both being senior by age and exprience, indeed enjoyed, for having me in their group. It was equally exciting when Mr. Kamraj used to speak in same line as I did when see somthing incredible. Our frequncy of thoughts mached so much at Mt Zao, we were just out of words, to tell each other what we felt then to see the nature's beauty. But Mr. Ravi, was bit different, and had his own way of expression, and likes describe eveything at the end itself.
The Okahma Lake - Crater lake of Mt. Zao
Mount Zao, a volcanic mountain that has last erupted in 18th century,
walls between Miyagi & Yamagata prefecture. The Okahama Lake, the Crater
Lake was the most beautiful site of the Mount. The lake is called as mysterious
lake as the water body of the lake changes its colour, depending on the
temperature & Humidity of the atmosphere. I started collecting pebbles from
the mountain to keep as memoir as my mother did when we visited Haridwar. I
carried the same sentiments along with the rock as she carried then.
Collecting The pebbles
I am thankful to our
Japanese colleagues, who have spent their valuable Sunday with us and gave us a
great memory to carry on throughout our life.
Team from India:
Mr. Kamraj, Mr. Ravi and
myself.
Japanese colleagues:
Mr Yokoo, Mr. So & Mr. Takeda
To See more of Japan, What I couldn't see myself Click on the following link
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