Jodhpur and the amazing blues....

Being a place of princely palaces, magnificent forts as well as age old temples, this city of Rajasthan is among the famous tourist destinations in the state as well as India. If you like historical places and forts and temples, Jodhpur will surely not disappoint you. As you would walk the narrow lanes of Jodhpur, all you get to see are lovely colorful shops with typical rajasthani stuffs, that would make you pause and take a look at them. 

A day is enough to explore Jodhpur, if you have properly chalked out plans. Reach Jodhpur early morning around 5, check in to some hotel near the fort. There are several decent cheap hotel, with rooms starting from Rs.400. Take your time to fresh'n up, and head out for breakfast in any of the roof-top cafes, that comes on the way to the Fort. I would suggest Namaste Cafe, with serves delicious English Breakfast, and also gives the most beautiful view of the majestic fort on one side, and the painted blue city on the other side. 

Take an auto and reach the fort, it will drop you at the fort gate. Built in 1459, Mehrangarh Fort indeed gives you an idea of Rajput taste. Folk music will welcome you inside the fort. If you are looking for some adventure in a historical place, then Zip tour is a must for you. This amazing aerial adventure will give you the most stunning views of the fort, and its not much expensive. (Rs.1500 for Indians, and Rs.1800 for foreigners). It will take nearly 2 and a half hours to see the fort, and the museum inside.

Next is the Mandor Gardens, and the Rajput temple inside. 

Jodhpur has some really good restaurants, so for lunch you can choose either traditional rajasthani food, or continental cuisine. I would suggest you to try eating at On The Rocks if you are a meat-lover! And if you don't mind spending, the hertige hotels are ofcourse there to offer you the best :)

After lunch, you can do a quick visit to Umaid Bhavan. And then the Clock Tower, which is in the main market, so some shopping will complete your trip. Am sure you would like to take back souvenirs, though you would have made some lovely memories to remember your Jodhpur trip.

And take a late night bus, And may head towards Jaisalmer...

Read More

Kolkata Rath Yatra 2015 - A Photo walk though the colorful festive celebration

Let me take you to a Photo walk of the Rath Yatra recently held in Kolkata from 18th-26th July 2015.
Organized by Iskcon Kolkata.

A Photo walk by Ankur Animesh Surin (Photo Credits)

"Ratha" in Odia means chariot and "jatra" means journey.

Ratha Yatra or Chariot Festival is a festival that involves moving deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana on a chariot.

 The festival originated in Puri, Odisha.

The festival thus refers to the annual journey of the divinity in the form of idols to the "Mausima Deula" (aunt's place).

Like every year Iskcon Kolkata had organized Rathayātrā 2015.

Lord Jagannāth, Lord Baladeva and Lady Subhadra had enthrone three beautifully decorated huge chariots.

Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and from different parts of the world flock in the city of Kolkata to witnessed the festival.

 It is a blessing to get the chance to pull ropes of the divine chariots.

The grand procession generally stays for 9 days. Ulta Rathayātrā, return journey of the Lord, takes place on the 9th day.

This amazing Photo Walk is an effort of our very own and talented photographer Ankur Animesh Surin. :)

About Ankur Animesh Surin:
 A rolling stone (with jagged edges), stumbling across domains as (essentially similar yet) varied as poetry, prose and photography, out to tell stories in whichever way possible.

Read More

5 Reasons Why Arunachal Pradesh Should Be Your Next Destination

Well no one really needs a reason to travel, but if you have been waiting for inspiration to seize you here is the nudge that you needed. You NEED to travel to 

Arunachal Pradesh, in India’s North-east and here is why:

1.   Tawang Monastery – India’s largest monastery.

First and foremost, the main attraction for Arunachal Pradesh is tucked away in its North-west, at the Tawang Valley. Also known as the Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, it is the second largest monastery in the world after the Potala Palace in Lhasa (Tibet), it is actually very close to the Tibetan (now, Chinese) Border.

The Tawang Town being quaint and picture perfect in itself, is also the gateway to the Sino-Indian Border.

2.   Se-La (Pass) – 13,700 ft. 101 Lakes.

Imagine a perpetually snow-covered expanse of bare land and partially frozen Sela Lake at an altitude of 13,700 ft; Imagine fiercely fluttering Buddhist flags greeting you through an exquisite gate laden with Buddhist symbolisms- it’s heavenly. The entire Sela region is said to have a total of 101 Lakes.

3.   Sangatsar Lake – also popularly known as the Madhuri Lake.

This lake was formed after an earthquake in the 1973 and since then is considered sacred by some Buddhist tribes of the region. With the mountains ascending steeply on two of its sides, the eerie dead trees breaking through the surface of the lake and Buddhist prayer flags festooned all over the place, it is an enchanting sight to behold. On the way to this lake the rugged road passes by innumerable lakes, each as captivating as the other.

4.  Bum-La (Pass) – the Sino Indian Border

One of the most off-beat passes in the world, it is heavily covered in snow throughout the year and connects India and China in this region. Access to this pass is regulated by the Army though and is sometimes not easy to get. But, definitely more than worth the trouble.

5.   The Journey, of course.

Tawang War Memorial

The town of Bhalukpong with the Kameng River,  the Nameri National Park, the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary, the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, the towns of Dirang with the Dirang Dzong and Monpa Villages, the town of Bomdilla, Jaswantgarh, the Nyukmadung War Memorial, Nuranang Falls, innumerable army camps,  the Tawang War Memorial, all strewn throughout the journey hold promises of a life altering experience.

Nuranang Falls

6.   (Bonus)  Kaziranga National Park

On your way back from Arunachal Pradesh, an over-night stop at the Kaziranga National Park seems almost mandatory. After the winding high-altitute roads of Arunachal Pradesh and the ruggedness of the terrain in general, a leisurely day at Kaziranga with Rhinoceroses within arm’s length is highly recommended.

 

Arunachal Pradesh, yet to exploit its potential as a place of tourism, is still in its virginal state. The roads bordered by the wild blooms of purple flowers at some area, lost in the shade of dense trees in others and even just chucks of snow covered rough rocks in between is nature’s magic and mystery entwined together in its truest form.

Note: This article is only on the North-Western region of Arunachal Pradesh. 

Read More

Backpacking at Sunderbans

Its actually unbelievable that there's such a lovely place, just a few hours away from the chaos and cacophony of city life. I have been hearing about this place for quite sometime from my friend, but it was only when I reached there, I realized how it actually feels like to be at nature's lap...

And a road-trip is always fun, when you have crazy friends accompanying you. There were four of us, and my friend, (who owns the Eco-village) kept telling us thrilling stories about the forests and the Royal Bengal tigers and so on and so forth. We set out from Kolkata on a Friday evening, and it took us some 3 hours to reach Godkhali, where we had to leave our car, and take a boat to Gosaba. I got to taste the real essence of rural Bengal for the first time, when the boat had cycles, goats, buckets full of fish and those smelly fishing nets, along with men who somehow tried to accommodate themselves. However, the ride was beautiful. We got down at Gosaba, from where Rajesh's (my friend) boat was supposed to take us to the Eco-village. 

There was a random change in the plan, and we decided to go for a night safari before landing up on the island. The eerie silence of the place, the boat moving through the narrow creeks into the jungle, and the stories shared by the boat-men literally gave me goosebumps! 

Finally, around 10.30pm, we reached the Eco-village, and it was absolutely picture perfect, even better than what I had actually thought of. The village folks had cooked dinner for us, simple yet delicious.  

The darkness of the place had a charm of its own, with little hurricanes adding a mystic effect to the whole environment. We sat on the banks, and as I stared at the sky, I was mesmerized by the glitters, which I miss being an urban-dweller. 

We had little mud-cottages to stay which were very comfortable to sleep in, and the next morning, it was the rooster's call waking us up. A break from the alarm-tone of the cellphone seemed extremely soothing to the ears. 

After breakfast, me and my friends went for a walk, to explore the muddy lanes, barefoot !! It's so nice to move around like the villagers do, and they also greeted us so warmly. We had fish and rice for lunch, and then we left for a boat ride. I was thrilled to go back to the forests, with the hope of getting a glance of the Royal Bengal tigers, but sadly, no luck! But the ride, nevertheless, was amazingly blissful. I got to see some beautiful birds, which filled the forest with their soothing chirps... There was water all around, and slowly, we headed towards the forests we got denser as we moved further. 

In the evening, the local folks arranged for some music, with harmonium and tabla, which spiced up everyone's mood. Elmar, the fanciest boat I've ever seen, had a small bar as well, to offer us drinks. And a little more craziness, when we jumped off the boat for a mud-walk on the banks, which my friend claimed to be a natural pedicure!

We had dinner, and planned to sleep inside the boat, which seemed like a cradle as I laid down, and looking up, i saw the moon shinning with all its glamour, making the water silvery and shinning. I remembered a poem which I read long back when I was in school, "Silver" by Walter-De-La-Mere, which said, 

"Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon..."

The next day, after breakfast, we started our journey back home. I mostly prefer to bring back souvenirs from wherever I go, and this time, all that I brought back were memories of beautiful moments, trapped within me, that would last forever. 

If you are in Calcutta, and want a break from the loud urban life, and take a plunge into serenity and relax on nature's lap, then I would definitely suggest you to go to this place, and breathe in freshness...

Happy Travelling !!!

For further guidance on Sunderbans trip, and an awesome village-life experience, get in touch with: TOUR DE SUNDERBANS.

4, Tottee Lane, Near Sudder Street

Kolkata (Calcutta), India.

+91-9836-177-140 (Rajesh's Number)

P.S- To Snigdha, Jay, Rajesh, and ofcourse Kasia, who helped me knit the wonderful memories :)

Read More

Kausani :Into the arms of Valleys and Mountains.

Kausani is famously known as the ‘Switzerland of India’ and no wonder why it is called so. It is famous for its picturesque views, Dazzling Sunrise and enchanting places around it. One can just never come over the pleasure which the Himalayas give you, It is just amazing!

Kausani is a small town which falls at the foothills of High mountains and is hugely covered by the dense pine forests and valleys all over. It is largely inhibited by Kumaoni people.
Kausani is blessed with immense natural beauty.

Places to visit

Tea garden: One of the must visit places for every traveler in Kausani is its Tea Garden. Giria Uttaranchal Tea Estate is the famous Tea Garden spread over 208 Hectares of land. It envisages varieties of export quality tea leaves all around it.

Baijnath temple: One of most sought for tourist spot is the Baijnath Temple which is located at a distance of 16 kms from the town. This Lord Shiva temple has a historic and religious significance and it was constructed by the rulers of Katyuri dynasty in the 12th century. This place is also declared as ASI site by the Government.  

Pinakeshwar temple: This Shiva temple is situated in the mountains and is almost at the height of 29           00 mts. above the sea level. You reach this place by trekking for around 5 hours. Pinakeshwar Temple is surrounded by such picturesque view that it gives you immense pleasure to just sit and watch. 

Shawl factory: the best thing which you can possibly buy at this place are the woolen items which are made here locally. You can actually have the opportunity to witness how the artists work on their wooden machines to make the wonderful patterns on the shawl and other woolen items. The shawl factory has been recently opened for the visitors to promote the Kumaoni art and culture. Though the place is very small but it is interesting to witness the local art. You can do some buying at the factory itself and get some really good quality stuff here, but these guys don’t bargain much.  

AnashaktiAshram: Anashakti Ashram is also known as the famous Gandhi Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed for almost two weeks in the year 1929 and wrote his commentary on AnasaktiYog. Ashram is situated at just 10minutes drive up the mountain from the town. This place is definitely a treat to all the Gandhi fans as this place exhibits many rare pictures of the great works of Mahatma. It is like a story of Mahatma Gandhi told through Photographs. This place has been now concerted into a study and research centre. But still, there’s a lot more to this place. This place has the most amazing sun rise point and is probably the best place to see the sparkling Sun coming out behind the Himalayas. You just cannot miss to be here early morning and witness the ice capped golden peaks of the incredible Himalayas, which is just breathtaking to look at. It is advised to have a pair of binoculars with you for such sightseeing.    

Where you can stay: 

You can easily get a place to stay here. It has a number of decent hotels which are not too expensive. My advice, whichever hotel you choose to stay in, make sure it has clear sight of the wonderful Himalayan ranges and green valleys from your room. It’s a must !

How to reach:

Kausani can be reached directly from Haldwani or Kathgodam for which you have to take a bus or a train from Delhi. Since I travelled in a bus, so I tell you, bus is okayishfor a 7 hour journey and will cost you around 600-700 bucks. Once you reach Haldwani/Kathgodam, you can easily get a bolero or tavera on sharing basis which will cost you around 250 to 450 bucks per head and will drop you directly to the mall road, Kausani. But for those who suffer from motion sickness, it is advisable to book a car from Haldwani, for a more comforting and enjoyable journey for which a Maruti 800 or an Alto would take around 2000-2500 bucks but remember the amounts hugely depend upon on your bargaining skills too. 

Don't Miss: 

Trek: one of the few other things which you just cannot miss here is the trek. Since you don’t have to plan a lot about how to go to different places around kausani, as almost any of the hotel where you happen to be staying provides you with a car/jeep facility to see the places around for some money ideally 600-700 buck a day, so you can easily plan a visit to the Rudradhari falls and Caves. It is one of the top most visited places by tourists. Once you reach the base, you hire a guide for a mere 150-200 bucks who takes you to the falls and adjacent to the falls is the cave which is the Lord Shiva’s Someshwar temple. This place has an amazing natural attraction. You reach this place by trekking for around 45 minutes which is a simple yet interesting trek.  Once you reach Rudradhari, you can continue your trek to reach Pinakeshwar temple which is at the height of 2900 mts. This is one amazing trek full of trills and wonder. This is 4 hours of conscious trekking and if you keep fueling up your body then you can continue the trek beyond this point too !

Also don't miss out  nature walk, bird watching and star gazing.

Author's Advice:  For all those who booze, it is extremely advisable to carry your own booze from Delhi because you don’t get it in the town. However, it is not difficult to manage it in black though it will cost you double!

 And it is a very romantic place to go with your partner but going with your best buddies is a different treat altogether. 

P.S: Special Thanks to our guest author Rajat Singh Yadav for this amazing piece of writing along with the wonderful Photographs. :)

About Rajat:
My name is Rajat Singh Yadav. My profession is Law but I have a sense of travelling. I believe travelling 100 kms gives you far more experiences than reading 1000 books. So my message- Go Travel !


Tagged: #Kausani #Uttarkhand #Kumaon #Kumaoni #Uttaranchal 

Read More