The fort and Scindia Palace of Gwalior

Gwalior the middle kingdom named after Sage Gwalipa is one of the best holiday destinations in Madhya Pradesh. This is the land where sharp swords matched rugged forts and ruthless ambition tested death giving birth to magnificent rock carvings, temples, palaces and forts making it a perfect weekend destination from Delhi.

The Gwalior fort is 300ft above the ground. The Kachhwahas and Tomars contributed most to its culture and architecture, whereas early Mohammedans, and later the Mughals, used the fort as a state prison. There were three main entrances to the fort of which the east and the west entrances are now accessible. The eastern entrance is guarded by the Urwahi Gate, and the western by six gates built in different periods by different kings all situated on the 2500 ft long ramp leading to the fort. Then there is the Urwahi rock which is falling on two sides of the valley which is home to 22 Jain rock sculptures while walking on the ramp of the fort on the left side. Inside the fort the most impressive structure is the Man Singh Palace. Inside is the dancing hall surrounded by a balcony and a courtyard besides many rooms and staircases leading to underground passages. The southern part of the fort has the inlay work of marching ducks, crocodiles holding lotus, and parrots and tigers. Behind Man Mandir lies the Vikram Palace named after Man Singh’s son. Besides these two palaces there are 5 more palaces three of which were built by Hindu rulers and two by Mughals. The Jahangir Palace has the tank where Rajput queens committed jauhar following the invasion of the fort in 1232. Of the remaining Hindu palaces Gujari Mahal built by Raja Man Singh for his Gujjar love Mrignayani is now a state archaeological museum. It has a collection of decorative pillars, princely sculptures. The fort also includes two temples the Saas Bahu complex and the Teli ka Mandir. The Saas Bahu temples follow the 10^th century North Indian temple dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. The Teli ka Mandir is an 80ft hotchpotch structure with a massive shikara.

Inside the city there is the Mausoleum of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus built during Akbar’s rule is what I liked. It is built on a square plan with hexagonal towers and flanked on four sides with dedicated stone lattices. He is said to be the saint who is said to have confessed that God had accorded him superiority over Prophet Muhammad. The grave of Tansen is a rectangular platform with a pillared gallery is standing near by. Then there is the famous tamarind tree that is said to have sweetened his voice is dead however in its place grows a younger tree that is regularly plucked by visitors wishing to repeat the miracle. Then there is the Jama Masjid nextto Gujari Mahal.

And then there is the Scindia legacy with the Jai Vilas Palace built at a cost of Rs 19 lakhs during the reign of Jiyagi Rao. The palace is three storey high and is decorated with Tuscan, Italian columns. It also has a museum displaying the famous silver dining train used to ferry champagne bottles around the table.

Find Driving Directions from Delhi to Gwalior here

Thanedar hill station near to Delhi

Thanedar is in Himachal Pradesh, weekend getaway from Delhi also known as the apple Dom. Distance from Delhi to Thanedar is 421km. It is full of apple trees in the entire region. Arya Samaj Mandir is an uphill climb built by Stokes in typical pahari style; this stone temple stands in the middle of apple orchids. It was here that Stokes planted the first apple seed. Samuel stokes is a byword in this region. He planted trees in Kotgarh next door continue the reap a rich harvest even 100 years later. Harmony House, the stokes family house is located here on Barobag Hill. The rhododendron flower better known as rhodo in this part of the country, can be plucked of f a branch, washed an eaten raw. There are many Himcu shops in town who sell rhodo squash.

Samuel Stokes was an American missionary who headed to these hills in 1904 and transformed the village. It wasn’t the only missionary who found his way here. The presence of the Anglican Church in Kotgarh is today marked by a quaint wooden St Mary’s Church. The structure build in some 1800 is still a dazzling stained glass window and an array of cedar sculpted pews. And adjoining it is the Gorton Mission School started in 1843 according to the locals here.

The Tani Jubber Lake is 4km from Thanedar. You can take a car till the road ends and then climb 10 minutes. And as one push through the branches and bramble, the road clears and the ground beneath your feet becomes flat. The placid lake lies between the snows peaked mountains in the back ground. There is a local temple on one side of the lake which is not open to outsiders. In June, a fair is held at the lake at which local artisans and craftsmen display their waves.

Thanedar is also known as the fruit bowl of India. Thanedar, a good nearby getaway from Shimla is just 79 kms drive from Shimla.

Find driving directions from Delhi to Thanedar here.

Senator Pine & Peak hotel

The only resort hotel in Pahalgam, Hotel Pine N Peak provides with impressive views of the "Valley of Shepherds"- Pahalgam. Ideally located on the splendid Rajwas Plateau, adjacent to the Pahalgam Golf Course and away from the chaos of the market, the resort provides you the right ambience for a memorable holiday in Pahalgam

The hotel has 75 centrally-heated rooms, each equipped with an attached bath and shower, colour TV with-in-house movies, telephone, channel music and radio, room Service & Laundry Service, recreation Center including Billiards, card Room and other indoor games. It has the best Restaurants, Bar and Lounge and an outdoor Barbeque. The Health Club, complete with a gymnasium, sauna and heated mini pool will soon be fully operational. Trekking, mountain climbing, golf and angling can also be arranged.

Lolaab Restaurant: The restaurant is named after one of Kashmir's most picturesque valleys. The valley abounds in wild life and flora. The theme of this beautiful valley has been incorporated into the restaurant which overlooks the heated pool and offers a panoramic view of the pine-studded landscape. The Kashmiri ambience is evident in the 'gubbas' on the ceiling which create a warm and a cozy atmosphere. The restaurant serves Pan-Indian including local Kashmiri cuisine, supplemented by Continental creations.

Saahil Coffee Shop: The lobby level coffee lounge is ideal to while away your time in comfort while you can nibble on exotic Kashmiri snacks and enjoy the famous Kashmiri beverage - KAHWA. Saahil has an informal atmosphere created by a traditional central fireplace and a high ceiling with exposed beams. Like Lolaab, Saahil too gives you a panoramic view of the mountains Only resort five star hotel in Pahalgam adjacent to the golf course with all modern amenities and facilities like Conference Room, billiards, snooker, health club and indoor games.

Gulistaan : The Garden Restaurant. In addition to the usual snacks, Gulistaan offers barbecue specialties. Tables are laid out in the open at discreet distances, so that you can enjoy the most delectable barbecue meals, in privacy, under the warm afternoon sun or beneath the canopy of star-studded night.

Kalakho in Rajasthan

Kalakho is in Rajasthan and 298km from Delhi, a perfect weekend destination. Its green with the golden fields and the monsoon lake, is a perfect little retreat with luxurious comfort. This woodsy part of the Aravalli hills is the perfect place for the bird watchers. There are old forts, hills and of course the desert and where we took the desert safari which was breathtaking.

We drive straight past the busy Sikandra crossroads and on the village of Gular, then we took a right to Abhaneri. Here the 8^th century baoli is enormous was built by Raja Chand, a Nikumbha Rajput of the Chamana Dynasty, it was close to 65 ft deep. We took 3500 narrow and steep steps to reach the water. Today the step well is under the Archaeological survey of India, who have expertly managed to make this age old monument look like a thing of the future with their heavy metal frames.

And just across the well was the Harshata Mata temple dedicated to Parvati. It was built in 7^th century in Mahameru style and its carvings was similar to the carvings of Khajuraho temple.

Anjuna Beach the party hub in Goa

Anjuna is a huge beach in Goa as it has South, Middle and the North Anjuna beach. It has many hotels, bars and restaurants. Its flea market began in 1970’s as a place where hippies sell their possessions when they were either broke or leaving for home. However they were banned for several years after the local church ran a campaign against it, it was started again by the Anjuna panchayat as the Anjuna weekly market and is now held on Wednesdays over the several acres of coconut plantations at the southern edge of the beach. The market starts around at noon and people begin to leave after sunset. The best way to avoid traffic for the market is to communicate through boat and in the morning you can also spot a dolphin. The market is full of clothes, accessories, cheese, food outlets etc.

With all those rock in the sea, water sports in Anjuna are limited to its southern end. Paraiso de Goa is a swinging trance bar that open’s till wee hours. It is set on a hillock next to the beach and has a fabulous view. One can enjoy the nightlife here especially the New Year and Christmas eves.

Travel Direction from Mumbai to Goa

The Haveli Hari Ganga

It is a destination in itself in Haridwar. In between the madding crowd the guest are taken into the rickshaw to reach the haveli from the crowded market of Haridwar. I would have missed the entrance if the rickshaw guy would not have stopped. The Haveli belongs to the Pilibhit royals and now is a property in their Lesiure hotels chain. The interiors are soothing with all the white walls and beautiful paintings. The hotel has spa. Yoga,bhajan session, evening aarti etc. Then there are few posters of films that feature the Ganga and Ram teri ganga mailli.

They serve only vegetarian food and a limited secion of continental. At dinner there was pasta to my surprise as one cannot find fast food in Haridwar. Its dining area is beautiful as it is in the open area along with Ganga river running on its right side. My dad said just one thing “ It’s the same Ganga, but somehow it seems so much cleaner.

Travel Direction from Delhi to Haridwar

Mysore, close to Bangalore

Mysore was the ancient capital of Tipu sultan kingdom. It is the best heritage city in Karnataka and a weekend getaway from Bangalore. It has the splendorous palaces, and is also famous for its silk. I started from Mysore Palace also known as Ornate which is the focal point of the city and the home of the Wodeyars; it was designed by the English architect Henry Irwin. This palace is made on the ashes of the old wooden palace which caught fire during the marriage of princess. The Durbar Hall with its sculpted pillars, the Kaalyana Mantapa, the jewel encrusted Golden throne which is displayed only during the Dussehra celebrations and the Golden Howdah which is an elephant seat are amongst the palace’s other treasures. It has a residential museum which is run by the royal family of Wodeyar. It has the collection of royal family silver ware, chandeliers, furniture, crystal, royal trousseaux and many things. Ornate as the palace when 97000 electric bulbs light up once it looks like royal purple attire. I had to take off my shoes to enter the palace but at the entrance gate there is stand in the right side where I had to pay for the safety of my shoes.

I also visited the Jaganmohan Palace which Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar built in 1861 as an alternative retreat for the royal family. The palace now has been turned into Jayachamarajendra art Gallery which displays the fabulous paintings of Mysore and Tanjore style sculptures and musical instruments.

Then there is the chamundi Hill which guards the city also has a temple on its top. It has 1000 steps and half way up is a 16 ft monolith of a Nandi bull, Lord Shiva’s mount. While I was coming back from the Hill I passed the Mysore race club which had a deviation to the left and onto Maharana Pratap singh Road in Nazarband is famed for its Go Carting track. So I tried some of the bowling in bowling alley and my brother tried the go carting thing.

Next day we saw the one of the grandest and tallest churches in India; it was a beautiful Gothic structure with twin spires and is near the five lights circle. Then the Folklore Museum which is housed in the majestic and sprawling Mysore University Campus called Manasa Gangotri, the museum is an excellent store of Mysore art. A visit to the museum is incomplete without a stroll on the Kukkarahalli Lake Bund. I also watched the Lingambudhi Lake which is a home to many species of bird.

Because of my taxi driver I came to know about an amusement park on the outskirts of Mysore located in 20 acres of land GRS Fantasy Park and has a restaurant serving the veg food. I bought many types of incense in sandalwood, few silk sarees for my mom from its Devaraja Market

Travel Directions from: Bangalore to Mysore

Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur

I went to Jodhpur to attend my friend’s wedding last weekend. The city is small in radius of 15km only but then there is the famous Mehrangarh Fort and the Umeid Palace. After attending her wedding I visited the fort. It was in old Jodhpur so it took only 15 minutes from my hotel to reach the place in the afternoon as it closed around 5 in the evening. The fort was amazingly beautiful on the top of a hill the fort can be seen from the city as well. I took the lift facility in the fort as because of so much of dancing in the wedding I was not in a mood to walk. The lift stopped at the peak of the fort form where I could see the entire city. And from there the museum of the fort also started with first showing the famous baggies in which the king family used to travel and they were all different from each other as there was one which I liked the most of peacock head and the carriage having the lion in build in the front of the baggie. The next room showed the antique clocks used by again the king family. I still remember there was one globe clock which had stopped working since some 18’s. Then I saw the arms and the swords of the king, the bedroom, the clothes, the dining area, the meeting area. After the museum is over there comes the shops of the museums from where I got my self a mirror and few things for my family. When I came out there were two girls wearing the particular rajasthani dress in black who were dancing and 2 guys playing flute and singing the folk song. There were tanks kept on the border of the fort. And then came the temple of their kul Devi which is very famous in Marwari’s. The fort in short is must watch, its architecture and the build is very beautiful and cannot be find anywhere according to me.

Driving Directions from Delhi to Jodhpur

Nagaur, close to Jodhpur getaway

It is a one street town in Rajasthan on the highway between Jodhpur and Bikaner. Well everybody has seen it on the Pepsi and Coke ads on TV. It had all vegetable stalls and a Gandhi chowk, poster commercials and village boys swaggering as if they it for living. Tourism hasn’t reached here. But it was because of one man Naguar was blipped on map, amar singh. Amar singh Rathore was the hot tempered most interesting men in Indian History. Locals say that he was a 17^th century Salman Khan but with a shirt on.

Naguar was a stop on the medieval trade routes, and hence the Rajputs and Mughals knely contested control over it. It has the Ahchitragarh fort which after the demise of amar Singh went to the Mughals and thereafter it came under the British. After independence, the fort went into decline as the government neither looked after it nor protected it from vandalism. However it is now looked after by Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Trust. It is built on a slightly hilly elevation, and once you get there you will park by the entrance to Hadi Rani’s Palace and enter the section of the Zenani Deodi, which was the women’s wing at that time. There are many ghostly remains of gardens, water bodies and fountains inside the fort. To another side is the Diwan I Khas, the hall of private audience, wher an elaborate system for trapping fresh breeze, as well as channeled water through a network of shallow canals, must have added to the comforts of the apartments. Most of their floral paintings have survived. And the most interesting part in the chambar is the hammams, where the ruler bathed in water tanks with pied hot and cold water. The Maharaja gaddi was kept before a water pool with a fountain, more to Mughal style than the Rajputs. Ahchitragarh and the pillared pavilion called the Baradari overlooks a pool which was a bathing section for the queens.

The next stop was the Kaanch Ka Mandir. It has large eyed marble tirthankaras their images multiplied a thousand times in the bits of colored glass covering the walls, pillars and ceilings. It is amazingly beautiful in the evening. Bansiwale ka Mandir nearby has a series of huge courtyards. Inside are the idols of Krishna and Radha, whose attire is changed for a jhanki, which takes place a number of times during a day. Khwaha Hamiduddin ka Dargah also known as Tarkin ka Dargah is a mosque with an elaborately carved entrance. Inside I was surrounded with graves, and right in front are two domed structures that are clearly modern. It is behind then you will find the original domed stone cenotaph of Hamiduddin. To one side there is Dharamsahala with 1 locked room

Naguar is also known for its cattle and one of the largest cattle fair is held here.

Find Driving Directions from Delhi to Jodhpur here ….

Pondicherry as a destination

We were told to rome in Pondicherry by foot as it is a small white town. I thought I would be able to see all the Parisian style street side cafes as charm of Pondicherry lies in the incredibility leisurely approach to life, food and commerce. My walk begin at the southern end of Goubert salai also known as Beach Road or French Quarter took me past most of the Pondicherry sights like Place de la Republique where Ghandhiji statue has replaced dupleix’s, the lighthouse, the French War Memorial, the statue of Joan of Arc, the Church of our Lady of the Angels, the Pondicherry museum and the Government gardens. In the Tamil Quarter the sights included Sacred Heart Cathedral on south Bolevard and the Manakkula Vinayakar Temple behind the Raj Niwas. My guided heritage walk was organized by Intach was approximately for 4 hours and it cost me only Rs 650. Also they were offering a guided heritage tour on cycle which is the popular mode of transport here but we prefer to walk as we wanted to enjoy the nature, weather, the leisurely life everything.

The Aurbindo Ashram is the most enduring legacy of the French where they believe in the Mother. The building of ashram is on the rue de la Marine, where I visited the samadhis of Aurbindo and the Mother; I also bought 2 books from the Publications department. The Matrimandir at ashram has a golden dome on the top and little path made in red sandstone.

Then there are 3 of the town’s 17-18^th centaury churches which according to me were outstanding. On Rue Dumas is the Church of t he Capuchins, also known as Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges, modeled on the Basilica in Lourdes. The next was the Church of our Lady of Immaculate Conception on Mission street and the loveliest to me was the Sacred Heart Cathedral on South Bolevard with its finest stained glass panels.

The Pondicherry Museum has huge rooms, high ceilings and wide windows which is worth a visit. It displays Cholas bronze, beads and coins from the Roman era excavations at Arikamedu, old Pondicherrian vehicles like pousse pousse and artifacts from Dupleix’s time.

I also went to the Cluny embroidery centre which was opposite to my hotel de L’Orient at 46, Rue Romain Rolland is the missionary outfit that provides vocational training to local women who sit in a beautiful mansion and turn out exquisite embroidery.

Well as shopping goes I preferred to enjoy it in night. Shopping in Pondicherry is excellent for pottery, handmade paper products, candles, incense sticks. The jams and pickles made in La boutique d’ auroville was advised by the hotel Manager to purchase. I bought many of them for my friends and family. Well Pondicherry is full of French culture but the French quarter is amazingly pretty the beautiful artistic buildings the culture the markets I wish I could visit again and rome in the late evenings on a cycle and enjoy the ride.

Find Driving directions from Chennai to Pondicherry here

Pernem, northern tip of Goa

Pernem at the northern tip of Goa has the imperious Tiracol fort on the northern bank of the Arondem River. Tiracol is just a short 4 km drive into Tiracol from Redi, the last town on the Maharashtra Konkan. Maharashtra ends with a sea fort, a sacred temple and a glorious, secluded beach. I saw the Portuguese heritage welcoming here. From these living chapters of history, Tiracol unveils significant aspects of India’s past, including the turning points like the 15^th of August in 1954 when Goan revolutionaries came to this fort to raise the Indian flag. As we entered the religion at fort Tiracol, which contains a 100 yr old Chapel of St Anthony and a 400 yr old Church of the Holy Trinity.

I could see the beach from the Tiracol fort which lies on the opposite bank of the Arondem, or Tiracol Estuary. Many people were swimming here upon crossing the river on ferry as it is the 3 mile long Querim beach. The beach is remote and beautiful, with just a handful of cold drinks stalls near the ferry point. Dozens of birds inhabit the mangroves along the estuary.

About 12 km further down from Querim are the tree lined Kalacha and Arambol beaches. Arambol’s white beach is lined with palm trees all over and is a great beach to hang out. It boasts a fresh water lagoon right on the shore, just north of Kalacha. We had a bathe here to get rid of the sting of sea salt water. The hippies have discovered this fishing settlement and turned up in large numbers to bask by the lagoon in their bikinis and swim suites. We also took a stroll through the Arambol village, a 10 minutes walk up from the beach, following the road from Arambol Pizzeria that’s lined with beer barrs, fish shacks and restaurants.

And just south of Arambol beach are the unspoilt sands of Mandrem, lined with canoes. The tiny twin beaches of Asvem and Junas at Mandrem, shaded by hills from a corridor along which people were trekking to Arambol along the sand and the cliffs.

Find Driving Directions from Mumbai to Goa (Tiracol) here

Canacona hidden goa

It is a destination in hidden Goa. Palolem and Agonda beaches and the more deserted Cabo de Rama fort remain the only places in Canacona well on the travel map. In between there are vast unmapped stretches of sand where the only feri sold is home made and the only thing to eat is the simplest fish curry and rice. Then there was a Cotigao wildlife sanctuary in the basin of the Talpona River, in the east of Canacona. We had to book our own transportation to reach all the points in Canacona and quepem.

We went to Chaudi market and tried to had cola but nobody knew about it as these beaches known to backpackers from abroad who have cultivated their own demand and supply chain from the villages are kept hush so that the Indian tourist do not disturb the gora reverie.

Quepem’s Zorint Beach is almost always deserted and further south to Canaguinim the best known of Quepem’s beaches, we stayed in Canaguinim Village where villagers rent out rooms.

Ahead of tiny Nuvem beach raises the cliff of Cabo de Rama, from the top of which saw great views of Quepem and Salcette to the north and the white sand beaches of Canacona to the south. The Cape was named for Lord Ram, who stayed here during his trek towards Lanka.

For fried fish by the sea and feri on tap Agonda and Palolem beaches are the best. We trek down to Agonda Beach past st. Anne church in Agonda village, there are hotels and restaurants. We walk down to the Patnem beach from clomb for some quietness.

The temples of Quepem and Canacona had some most of the pristine locations in forest on the hills here.

And the best thing in the entire journey was the sight of dolphins in Cotigao which is the Goa’s second largest wildlife sanctuary.

Find Driving directions to Goa here

Gajner Palce turned into heritage hotel

Gajner is a tiny oasis in the Thar Desert, near Bikaner, filled with blackbuck, chinkara, neelgai and fox. It was once the private hunting reserve of the maharajas of Bikaner. Gajner palace is a flamingo pink sandstone palace with jharokhas, jaalis and was designed by a British knight. It was all Rajput from outside but the interiors were all English to my surprise.

From the palace courtyard we watched a stream of blackbuck and chinkara and were roaming at the lake side. At the edge of the palace is a small little Dargah of a pir, it is said if we tie a small talisam around his mazaar and pray passionately then his prays will come true one day. Every September there is a fair in this Dargah and many devotees offer their chadar.

In the evening Gajner looks pretty and the sound of drums and prayers in the twin temple of Ganesh and Shiva in the outer palace courtyard are all over the place. The priest was a young boy who with one movement, divests himself of T shirt and jeans and then fills into sacred thread and spotless dhoti. The sound of the aarti spills over the lake like a tide and the first stars glimmer.

HRH chain took over the Gajner palace and they restore and repair the place into exactly what it used to be. The hotel is pretty good heritage hotel with their rajasthani cuisine which was delicious. The best time to go to Gajner is from September to March

Find Driving Directions from Delhi to Bikaner here.

Kuchaman fort

Kuchaman fort is built atop on a steep hill in Rajasthan, and was built by the Gurjar Prathihara dynasty near to the Sambhar Salt Lake from where they used to do the salt trading, and if I believe the locals here they did it for around 200 years, till they lost their dynasty to the Chauhans, what a history man. A Weekend Getaway from Jaipur, the fort itself is now a luxury hotel and when one is working in a travel industry you get opportunities to visit these types of places.

The Kuchaman ramparts are having 32 bastions and 10 getaways also enclosed is a complex web of underground passages, hideouts and dungeons. So when we got bored in the conference and were free we went to explore the fort.

The Meena Mahal had paintings all over it on the life and times of the Rathore poet saint Meerabai, who married the son of Rajput. Ranjit singh has built this Mahal along with a temple within the Mahal which comprises of lok devtas, and the gurus of the masses. The temples were interesting as I found out that the idol in Maa Kaali Mandir was around 1200 years old and was brought to Kuchaman all the way from Karnataka by the Rathores. The other temple Krishna Mandir is also older around 2000 years I suppose.

The formal chambers of Sabha Prakash had polished walls with semi precious stones inlayed in the wall and then the court room called the Sunheri Burj because of its frescoes of birds and animals framed lavishly in gold.

There are two swimming pools in the fort, one was Jal Mahal which was an underground pool, and when I saw it suddenly those Turkish hammams visualized in my mind which was made for the queens.

The last was the Sheesh Mahal in the fort where the Maharaja used to play the chess in the courtyard outside using the real man as pawns. And then there was the Meena Bazaar where the royal family used to shop.

The Kuchaman fort hotel took us for 4 hours sight seeing which included all these Mahals and temples including the old market area. They had also organized a trip to the Sambhar Salt Lake. We were there only for 2 days otherwise we would have also gone to the Tal Chhapar Sanctuary for blackbuck which was only 100kms from Kuchaman.

Find Driving Directions from Delhi to Jaipur here..

Ranikhet, a perfect getaway of Himalayas

Ranikhet is in Uttaranchal and a perfect hill station to visit. Ranikhet is a very silent and beautiful weekend getaway from Delhi. It is 58 km away from Nainital. Its story goes like this; many years ago, a beautiful Kumaoni queen Rani Padmini fell so deeply in love with the green glades and meadows of a tiny hill paradise that her king, Raja Sukherdev, built her grand palace there and named the place Ranikhet, or queen’s meadow. My dad have always talked about Ranikhet as a paradise on earth, but today when I see it I understand why dad liked Ranikhet and still now wants to visit it. As I approached to Ranikhet my eyes were watching the best views of all to the left, the ancient, snow clad Himalayas. I wanted to relax under a pleasant sun and gaze leisurely at the beautiful Himalayas with sipping my cup of tea.

There are government orchards at Chaubatia, 10km to the south of Ranikhet. We went with a picnic basket and buy some seasonal fruits from the orchids. Then there was Bhalu Dam which supplies water to the Ranikhet and is also famous for fishing.

From the bus stop there is an Army Golf course at Upat which offers golfing at high attitudes. Also there is an old temple dedicated to goddess Kali from where the town of Kalika gets its name lies just a kilometer away from Upat.

Another 13km down the Almora road this village had many beautiful picnic spots. We wanted to take a walk in the forest so we strolled down Ranikhet from behind the Army Holiday home to the AMU guest house. We liked the walk from the Mall towards this same guest house as we saw many old British bungalows here.

Then a little path took us towards the Kumaon Regimental Centre. The KRC Museum displayed memories of wars that the regiment had fought.

I picked up some woolen fabrics and few small things from the Mall. Ranikhet comprises of two main areas of tourist interests; the Mall and the Sadar Bazzar. The Sadar is full of hotels and guest houses, the crowded ones and the Mall is peaceful place.

Find Driving Direction from Delhi to Ranikhet here..

Varanasi a religious destination

Varanasi one of the city of pandits in orange chaddars and wooden sandals, a city where a smoky haze of funerals, and according to Hindu mythology it is supposed to be the first city on earth, I have no clue why they have named it so, will find out in Google today.

Visit the ghats on the Ganga and the old city. Both are linked through series of steps. Dasashwamedh ghat one of the ghats of Kashi is considered to be Varanasi’s holiest spot. Here I found the sight of the sun rising over the Ganga beautiful. We took a boat from Dasashwamedh Ghat to the nearby Manikarnika Ghat, one of Varanasi’s two burning ghats, as it is permanently lined with funerals pyres and bodies in shrouds awaiting the final rites.

Well there are many ghats so we hired a boat and started at ASI Ghat, where we saw the confluence of ASI and Ganga rivers also close by was one of the Varanasi’s oldest ghats named after Sant tulsidas and near the great sage’s home. Then we stopped next at Darbhanga Ghat which was built by the royal family of Bihar. We found out one of the four jantar mantars and the massive sundial at the Man Mandir ghat which was built by Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur. My friend who was a local here took us to eat the piping hot jalebis and kachoris at Vishwanath Gali where I also found maximum amount of foreigners looking for the Hare Ram Hare Krishna T shirts. And at the end of the gali is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. I loved the aarti at the Dasashwamedh ghat which is conducted every evening. It was amazingly beautiful watching the diyas and flower all over the ghat.

I brought some silk brocades for my mother as she asked me to bring some for her because she the love the Varanasi saris.

Find driving direction from Lucknow to Varanasi here..

Kanha, the best national park in Asia

Kanha is in Madhya Pradesh and is situated 165km away from Jabalpur. It is known as the best national park in Asia. It is one of the perfect weekend destination in India. The area covered by this wildlife sanctuary is 940 sq km and is home to tiger, leopard, hyena, buffalo and more than 200 avian species can be seen. One of the rarest found animals barasingha can be seen here. The trees here are bamboo and sal group all around the park.
Every person enjoys the nature walks here and the Bamni Dadar also known as sunset point is one of the most beautiful parts of the park from where a spectacular sunset can be seen. There are many animals which can be spotted here like Sambar, Barking Deer, Guar and many. Having species from Chital, chinkara, Indian Hare to squirrel, wolf, the beauty of the place and picturesque environment attracts most of the nature lovers. Kanha has more than 200 species of birds and the water birds can be seen near the park. It remains open from November to June.
Situated in the heart of Kanha National Park, Tuli resort is a wonderful place to visit. Set up in 22 acres of lush green land, it is situated near the Ganghar River in the western region of Kanha’s buffer zone. The resort is designed to match the rural beauty of India and welcomes all its visitors with majestic ambience and offers all modern amenities.

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Jubbal a weekend getaway

Jubbal is a princely state which is in the east of Shimla and near the valley of the Pabbal River. It has the newest refurbished palace turned heritage property. It is in the midst of a rural outpost hidden from the world. It is the place for apple orchids on the slope and the river nearby. And then there is the temple of Durga and Shiva.
This Fairy tale palace is perched in a little hollow amid the hills, and it looks like ginger bread enough to eat and is remarkable for the enormous masses of deodar timber used in its construction. The modern wing, where guests are put up was built in the 1930’s older section dates back centuries. The timber frame proved perilous when a fire in the 1960’s destroyed a large part of the original structure, but its being slowly restored. The modern wing is however well preserved. The elaborate wooden ceilings are stunning. It also has all the ancient weapons, ranging from cannons and swords to muskets and shields. It has just started giving out rooms to tourists.

Then there is Hatkoti were there are few temples and is named after the goddess Hatkeshwari also one of the Lord Shiva’s names. The Pabbal River is a perennial river arising in the Chansal Range just south of Kinnaur and is born of snow and spring fed lake called Chander Nahan or Chandar Naun. There are various smaller streams joining it on its short journey to Hatkoti where it meets the rivulet Bishkulti and the Rai Nala.
The cuisine here is Indian and to its way if you stop at Chhaila you will get the excellent snack of fish, caught fresh from the river and batter fried whole on the spot.
This place is still to wander and especially the Jubbal Palace which has been recently open to the tourists.

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Kasauli, weekend getaway

There is nothing practically to do in Kasauli, just to lie down, trudge the surrounding hills, comfortable walks in the nature. It is a perfect weekend destination from Delhi people. It has not been exploited as Shimla; it still lives with its charm. Stroll down through Upper to Lower Mall and around the Sanatorium. We followed the upper mall and wandered up to the Monkey Point near the Air Force base. The 4 km hike to the Shri Baba Nath Temple on the top is a bit stiff. People praying for the blessing of children visit the shrine. We didn’t have such issues so we enjoyed the splendid vistas from this vantage point. Across the forested hills and deep ravines is the sleepy town of Dagshai. We also catch the sparkle of the Sutluj River curving lazily along the plains in the far distance views of the snow clad Dhauladhar Range and in the north east, the choor Chandni Peak.

We went for a picnic in the virgin Woodlands; it was for the town’s British residents over 50 years ago. We were able to view the humming birds, flycatchers, minuets and many, one of my friends got lucky and spot a deer and hyena too loping through the undergrowth. But we were not able to see them. The locals told us that there are leopards too.
The overall stay was just to relax and chill out with friends. Everything was naturist. And like all the hill station malls it also sell things like Kullu caps and some wooden work things.

Find driving directions from Delhi to Kasauli here.

Uchagoan a weekend destination from Delhi

Along with my office group I went to Uchagoan weekend getaway from Delhi which is a heritage property and a fort, situated near Garhmukteshwar. We started early morning on Saturday and reached there in 2 ½ hours from Noida Mor. The place was beautiful in between a small village. The fort did not have the impressive gate but it was huge. Entering the fort there was the horse stable wit beautiful horse eating their meals. But to me it was not a fort; it was a Zamindar’s huge haveli which has been converted into a hotel. The main building was painted in white with large doom on its terrace. The place was relaxing with friends and we went to attend a workshop so our trainers were waiting for us. After having the breakfast which was good, we went to the conference room for the brain storming sessions. We came across so many things which we in our lives require to achieve few goals. In between the workshop we enjoyed the long conversations with the friends on its beautiful grounds, badminton, billiards, and the amazing room which have all types of lions head engraved into the wall. The ambience was quite and peaceful.

The dining area was full of paintings and cannons, swords in all sizes. Our rooms were spacious but did not have TV inside, who cares when the place is awesome and one is enjoying the chatting with friends on tea, playing caroms and other games. Uchagoan only lacks swimming pool otherwise it is the nearest cheapest and quite place around Delhi.

There were small gardens between the rooms area, with terrace having different types of chairs. And we were able to see the different species of birds. In short the place was good, the food was good with little spices and fresh and homely made. The service was good. Next time I would love to go with my family for a weekend break. Next day was Sunday so had to come back with the beautiful scenic view on the roads with Ganga canal along the road for 15km the experience in all was good.

Find driving directions from Delhi to Garhmukteshwar here.

Chilika Lake weekend getaway from Kolkata

It is the largest brackish water lagoon in the heart of the coastal Orissa. Chilika Lake has also become one of the weekend destinations from Kolkata. It extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the north to Ramba Malud in Ganjan district in South, separated from the Bay of Bengal. Well I came to know that Chilika is recognized as one of the most important wetlands in the world because it is also home to a phenomenal variety of birds. The lake and its islands teem with nesting birds like flamingos; pelicans also include migratory birds flying great distances from Iran, Central Asia and Siberia.

Then the Nalabana Island is covering about 16km in the lagoon area is a bird sanctuary. It is a paradise for bird watchers as the 9kms sanctuary attracts around 4lacs waterfowls of different species. Another major attraction at Chilika is Irrawady dolphins which are often spotted off Satpada Island. It is bounded by the lagoon on three sides offers an excellent view and attracts the visitors to its entire 30km stretch of sand bar. Boats arranged by OTDC are available for both the islands. The lake also supports the local fisherman in earning their living from Chikila’s prawn, mackerel and crabs. However the plying of mechanized boats, the increasing of different fishing nets and gears has threatened the species of the Chilika lagoon, the Irrawady dolphin.

There is a Kalijai temple which is standing on the one of the tiny rocky island which is considered to be the abode of the Goddess Kalijai, Shiva’s consort Durga, is a pilgrimage spot. Every year at Makar Sakranti pilgrims flock at the site to leave votive offerings in the cave where the deity is enshrined. Then there is a temple dedicated to Lord Varuna, the God of sea, in the tiny island of Baru Nakuda near Magarmukh is revered.

Then in the small village of Manikpatna there is a temple of Bhabakundesvar Shiva and an old mosque. At the entrance of the mosque is the piece of architecture as the door is made of the jaws of whale.

Brahmaputra is a place of scenic beauty in between the sea and the lake where a site to watch small deer is called Baliharina. Then there is Birds Island, a haven for resident and migratory birds. The Malud and Parikud are colorful islands within the lake. The Beacon Island is 3km from Rambha is an architectural marvel and conical pillar and a small room constructed on a submerged mass of rock near Ghantasila Hill. The Breakfast Island and Honeymoon Island presents very dark blue water to visitors, who come here to relax.

People can stay at Satpada, Barkul and Rambha, there are OTDC rooms available.

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Vrindavan the religious weekend getaway

Since childhood I am visiting Vrindavan, and never got bored of the place. It is a perfect weekend destination from Delhi. Many people visit Vrindavan on Saturday and Sunday. Most of the time, I too have visited Vrindavan in weekends. The place is crowded. There are cows, people walking all over the road with murmuring Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. There are locals, tourists, foreigners all singing the same tune. On the Delhi Mathura road turn left when you enter Mathura and Vrindavan the city of Lord Krishna comes. And the most beautiful and I must say the neatest temple of Vrindavan welcomes you Iskcon Temple which is maintained by a trust and the place where you can find maximum amount of foreigners’ devotee of Lord Krishna. The entire temple is in white marbles and the priest here also wear white dhotis. In the morning whenever I have visited I have always enjoyed the Arti. Every priest dances along with playing different music instruments like flute, dhol and many more. The Radha Krishna Murti is amazingly beautiful here. After praying we always go to the next stop which Bakabihari Mandir. The most important part here is all the temples exclusive of 2 or 3 temples get close at 1200pm and reopens in the evening around 4.00pm so every devotee here is in the rush to visit the famous temples before 12, which is the basic reason of rush and crowd in every temple.

Bakabihari Temple is the famous and the oldest of the temples. The sweets shops welcome you in front of the gate of the temple. There is not a big gate; it’s a small path entering inside the temple. This temple is famous for the statue of Bakabihari which is one of the avatar of Lord Krishna. There is a curtain in front of the statue, as it is said that Lord Krishna comes here once in a day, so after every 5minutes they place the curtain open and then close so that the devotees can also offer their prayer. This is the temple where priest takes lots of money for doing some rituals for the devotees. Which personally I don’t like, I still remember once a priest made us so angry as he was forcing us to give him some donation for doing a particular kind of ritual so that we can be happy. It was ridiculous. This temple gets lakhs of donations through its devotees.

Then offering our prayers it’s the time for Mathura’s famous kachori. We always enjoy the kachori whenever we visit Vrindavan. My favorite temple is the one where the raslila takes place in the night. It’s a park and in between the park is the small temple. It is said that Lord Krishna daily in the night along with Radha dance and perform Raslila in the ground. So nobody is allowed to stay inside the temple or the park after 8pm. Infact there are stories that few people who have tried to stay here in the night where not to be found the next day.

We have also visited the ghat where Lord Krishna has stolen the clothes of Gopi’s and hanged them on the tree. It’s in the place Imli Tala, and the ghat is the Yamuna Ghat. The tree is standing there proudly where Lord Krishna had put the Gopi’s clothes.

There are so many places in Vrindavan which are not known, only 3 places are famous and so all the devotees come and pay their offerings here. However we once stayed for 4 days in our Guruji’s temple and he took us to the tour of Vrindavan, and I must say I was the lucky one to see the places which are not famous and people are not aware about. Places like the river from where Lord Krishna’s father brought him in the basket from Mathura to Gokul, Mera’s temple, the place where Lord Krishna used to do Ras Lila and play with his friends known as Gokuls, the Govardhan Parvat, The fort where Lord Krishna’s parents were captured and he took birth and many to go. I think every person should visit these places rather of giving donations to the places where the priest are greedy, donate here.

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