Post card from Ranchi ( Bihar) 1981

Sun rise in Ranchi
 

Ranchi was once a hill station during the times of the British Raj, with the reputation as a health resort. However those days have been and gone and my visit for two days to Ranchi with a family was simply to see the sun rise in one of a number of hills on the edge of the town.

It was a beautiful weekend, in the hills away from the dusty town life. At crack of dawn, the mighty sun rose as it had been doing so for millions of years and it did not let me down with it's beauty on the day I was there to witness it's appearance.

On the day of my arrival in Ranchi, I also found out that it was the day when millions of Hindus worship the Lord Shiva Lingam, a phallic ( penis) symbol. Did I know the reason for worshipping a phallic symbol? No, came my answer and then one of my host told me the story about Shiva's Lingam and why I kept seeing it in many Hindu homes!!

( There are lots of different explanations  and I do not want to repeat what I heard and to find out which story you, the reader wants to believe, Google the word Lingam!! )

Time I moved on to my nest port of call......