I have visited two very important places this year intimately connected to Indian Independence; the cellular jail in Port Blair and the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. Needless to say both left me with a deep sense of grief laced with…
10 Must Do’s on a Rishikesh Trip
I first visited Rishikesh as a 6 year old and have vague memories of playing by a river throwing stones and crossing a narrow hanging bridge in measured steps. Whenever I browsed through those black and white photographs in the family…
Journey to Badrinath along Alaknanda River and the Pancha Prayag
The journey from Haridwar to Badrinath and Mana is one of the best mountain drives in India. This 320 kms stretch of winding mountain road which is NH58 traces the journey of Alaknanda River for nearly 200 kms until its confluence…
Photo Story of Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh
After about a week of traveling in the Himalayas we reached Rishikesh. We had missed the Ganga Aarti in Haridwar on our way up and we wanted to witness the Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh. In Rishikesh it is conducted in…
10 Pictures that will Inspire a Haridwar Trip
There is much more to Haridwar or Hardwar beyond the ancient holy religious city. It is one of the 7 holy cities for Hindus as mentioned in the ancient Puranic texts. I had a brief stop over on the way…
Lost Temples of Kashmir~Architectural Excellence Ruined with Time
I am one of the lucky ones to have made multiple trips to Kashmir in the last few years. With all the news of strife, terror and hostility; needless to say I have experienced the best of Kashmiri hospitality during…
10 Must Do’s in Port Blair the Gateway to Andamans
Port Blair is the gateway to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The first thing that strikes about Port Blair is the clean roads, dust bins located at frequent intervals on road sides and a very conscious civic administration engaged in…
Inside Asia’s Oldest Saw Mill in Chatham, Andaman
My neighbors in Kolkata had this small folding table in their home which caught my fascination as a child. That shining piece of sturdy wood was their prized possession which was made in Chatham and gifted to them. I would…
A Short Hike up Kangra Fort and Brush with History
Kangra Fort is perhaps the oldest Fort in India perched up on the hills between the gushing Manjhi and Ban Ganga Rivers. While the exact date of construction is not known it is assumed to be built by the Katoch…
Chandratal Lake in a Day; Stopover between Kaza and Manali
When I was planning a trip to Spiti, I was wondering whether to include Chandratal (Chandra Taal). I was quite convinced that I would trek there someday on my way to Kanamo Peak or to Hampta Pass. After some deliberation,…