When I first read about Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh a couple of years ago, I was simply fascinated. Maybe it had something to do with me voraciously reading about spirituality and Sat-Chit-Ananda those days. The name struck a chord; Chit –…
Great Living Chola Temples – Solo Travel Guide
I have always been in awe of the Chola Empire. I credit this admiration to my high school history teacher who weaved stories around art and architecture of years gone by and she ensured all of us fell in love…
10 Things to do around Bhuj , Kutch
Bhuj is the gateway to Great Rann of Kutch. Most people head directly to Rann of Kutch with a short lunch stop over in Bhuj. We came in from Dholavira, 5000 year old Indus Valley Civilization site some time in…
Prag Mahal in Bhuj ~ A Photo Essay
Prag Mahal was built in the 19th century in Bhuj. The construction of this Italian Gothic style palace was commissioned in 1865 by Rao Pragmalji II the ruler of Jadeja Kutch clan at that time. It was finally completed during…
Land’s End ~ Koteshwar , Narayan Sarovar & Mata No Madh
During our road trip in Gujarat we drove until Land’s End the western tip of India that merges into Arabian Sea. We visited Koteshwar, Narayan Sarovar, Lakhpat Fort and Mata No Madh traveling about 350 kms during the day. Koteshwar:…
Waste to Creation ~ Rock Garden Chandigarh
These days there is a lot of buzz around re-use and recycle to manage our waste and Save the Planet. Nearly 60 years ago in 1957 a young goverment employee Nek Chand had started this endeavor in Chandigarh to create…
Poetry in Terracotta – Guptipara Temples
I have grown in Kolkata but hardly experienced much beyond the city. Recently, I made a quick trip to Kalna after drawing inspiration from a favourite poem penned by Rabindra Nath Tagore. After a little bit of research, I included…
Dehradun In a Day
Nestled in the Doon Valley between the Ganga and the Yamuna lies Dehradun. A couple of centuries ago (17th) the eldest son of the 7th Sikh Guru camped (Dehra) in the Doon valley which led to its name. Dehradun the capital…
Lepakshi- Where Stones Speak Volumes
I was scouting for a short trip out of Bangalore when Lepakshi caught my attention. I always associated it with the Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts emporium but never realized it was a 2.5 hour ride away from Bangalore. Lepakshi derives its name from…
Walking through Paradise, Rupin Pass Trek
Rupin Pass Trek is an amazing journey through the lower Himalayan ranges (Shivalik) tracing the source of the River Rupin. It begins with a gentle walk through forests and villages and thereafter gets exciting with rocky trails, flowery meadows, edge of…