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355. Divya Desam Travelogues – Muktinath, Nepal

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Muktinath is an ancient Vishnu temple located in Mustang, Nepal. The temple of Muktinath, known as 'the lord of liberation', is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists whom they worship as an abode of Hindu deity Vishnu and Buddhist deity Avalokiteśvara respectively. The term Muktinath is derived from the Sanskrit word “Mukti” and “Nath” where Mukti refers to “Salvation or Moksha” while Nath stands for “God”. Located in the Muktinath valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass, it is one of the world's highest temples at an altitude of 3,800 meters. The temple is given a status of one of the 108 (105th) Divya Desams of Hinduism and the only Divya Desam located outside India. It is also one of the 51 Shakti pithas, associated with the head of goddess Sati. The temple complex is known as Mukti Kshetra, which literally means "the place of liberation (moksha)" and is one of the Char Dham in Nepal. Source – Vedicfeed and Wikipedia. For Buddhists, Muktinath is an a

354. 22 Divya Desam Visitations

The trip was planned almost a month back and I had booked the train tickets accordingly.  There was a stay at Kancheepuram for one night.  We thought we would book the room during the week of the trip.  In case there are any delays, we might spend up forfeiting the advance for the room 😊 !  Since we were going to use Kavitha’s car for the trip, we did not have to book any other transport vehicle in advance.  My uncle, Kavitha’s father too was supposed to come with us for the trip, but later he dropped out.  We were all looking forward to the trip 😊 ! We started our trip on 14 th October from Hyderabad.  Just a day before, my mother’s cousin sent a message saying there was going to be heavy rains in Chennai on 16 th and the government had issued a red alert.  On 15 th too there was an orange alert.  On 14 th just as we started from home to the railway station, heavy rains started pelting in Hyderabad.  We thought we will continue the trip and then decide once we reach Chennai. 

353. Divya Desam Explorations

Divya Desam Temples are the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Aazhvars (saints). “Divya” means “divine” and “Desam” indicates “place” (temple). Of the 108 temples, 105 are in India, one is in Nepal, and last two are outside the Earthly realms. The last two are Thirupalkaddal and Paramapadam. Tirupalkaddal is the ocean of milk and Paramapadam is the Srivaikuntam where lord Narayana presides. The Divya Desams are revered by the 12 Aazhvars in the Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses. While most Divya Desams follow Thenkalai mode of worship, some follow Vadakalai too among others.   Sourced from www.templepurohit.com The idols of Lord Vishnu here can be found in the following 3 positions: - Kidantha Thirukkolam (Sleeping Position) – 27 Divya Desams Veetrirundha Thirukkolam (Sitting Position) – 21 Divya Desams Nindra Thirukkolam (Standing Position) – 60 Divya Desams In these 108 Divya Desams, the Lord Vishnu can be seen facing one of the fo

352. Web-series Reviews – 170

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More web-series reviews… A Nearly Normal Family – Came out in 2023. Swedish series. The Sandell family is a normal family consisting of the priest Adam, the lawyer Ulrika and their 19-year-old daughter Stella. They live a seemingly perfect life in a polished residential suburb outside of Lund. One day, everything changes when Stella ends up in custody, accused of murder. Her devastated parents don't know what to do. What has happened? They want to help Stella at any cost, but do they really know their daughter? Or each other? A review from IMDB... Very psychological and strong. A lot of tension and suspense! In a few minutes many things happen, so some episodes are unnecessarily prolonged, but didn't bother me. The series is more from the family's point of view in my opinion, because the parts of judicial system here are not realistic. I have seen many Scandinavian series and in this one some forms and the rights

351. Web-series Reviews – 169

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More web-series reviews… The Trial (Il Processo) – Came out in 2019. Italian series. A group of characters is implicated in the brutal murder of Angelica, a 17 yo girl involved into something bigger than her: the prosecutor Elena Guerra, who discovers to be indissolubly close to the victim; Ruggero Barone rampant lawyer who considers this trial the chance of a lifetime; Linda Monaco, the only defendant, who insists claiming her innocence. They all walk on a razor's edge searching for the truth, waiting for a verdict, which will establish, in a way or another, a new course for their lives. A review from IMDB... This Italian noir is crafted with the utmost finesse. Set against the palatial Renaissance backdrop of Mantova-a city still relatively untouched by tourists-Il Processo takes us on a ride through the Italian judiciary system without bogging us down in bureaucracy, detail and Amanda Knox. A refreshing change from Neo

350. Web-series Reviews – 168

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More web-series reviews… 3 Body Problem – Came in 2024.  During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, a young astrophysicist considered a political dissident is employed at a secret military radio station. Forty years later, a number of scientists all over the world start taking their own life. A nanotechnology expert starts having visions of an ominous countdown. The key to the mystery might lie in a strange VR game that uses advanced technology. A review from IMDB... A group of scientists discover a phenomena that threatens humanity itself, a sequence of events that were put into action some forty years ago in China. There's so much hype surrounding this series right now, it's one of those shows everyone is talking about, but I've been here before, this unlike many however is worthy of the hype. I have read the book (albeit some years back,) and was worried how on Earth they'd adapt it, such a complex story, bu

349. Web-series Reviews – 167

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More web-series reviews… The Mire – 3 seasons from 2018 to 2024.  The 1980s in Poland - the very center of a bleak landscape between martial law and the Round Table. In a small, forgotten city somewhere in the south-west of Poland, there is a brutal double murder: a young prostitute and a local communist activist. At the same time, teenagers also commit suicide. Witold Wanycz (Andrzej Seweryn), an experienced, slightly bitter journalist, is to write about the murder in the local newspaper. At the same time, a young editor is employed in the same editorial office: Piotr Zarzycki (Dawid Ogrodnik) - son of a high-ranking party activist. He begins his own journalistic investigation. The more involved in the case, the deeper sinks into the title royst - the swamp, from which it is difficult to get out. A review from IMDB... The first season of this Polish series opens in the mid-1980s with the discovery of two bodies in the forest n