Why Tibet? The Potala Palace of the Dalai Lama has always been a source of great fascination for me. In fact, all of Tibet, the Forbidden Land. The fact that it was a land that very few were allowed in (especially Europeans were prohibited entry!) was the base of its allure. This was compounded by a series...
The Indian epic, Ramayana, details the travels and travails of Lord Rama and his journey in Sri Lanka- The Ramayana Trail for you to explore The Ramayana is a poem, a story, an epic… It is also a Dharma Shastra – a demo of righteous living. It is a very old creation. It is still much-loved...
Where being polite is a way of life, cross talking is a strict NO-NO, where people address each other adding a “san” to the name, where speaking loudly in public doesn’t happen, where being late is not an option… Sounds too good to be true? Well, this happens in Japan… Intrigued? There is more! So how many...
Blush pink candy floss trees stand to greet you as you stroll through Japan during spring transporting you to a fairy land. It’s the time for Cherry Blossom or Sakura Spring in Japan is every photographer’s, artistes or for that matter every one’s dream. The images clicked during Cherry Blossom look like postcard images. Seems too...
If you want to experience the soul of a city, always ensure you stay in central part of the old town. You may not get fancy and luxurious stays – but then being a part of the boisterous city and assimilating the flow throughout the day is the agenda and NOT the luxury of your...
Every tour operator would suggest a day trip to Lumbini to ‘sight-see’ the grand stupas / monasteries of different countries around the Maya devi temple. Lo! Your tick on the checklist for Lumbini is done. That’s such a tragedy! If you yearn to absorb the history of Buddha and walk in the footsteps of time, there...
The birthplace of Lord Buddha!! Thought not a ‘touristy’ location with fancy structures or the grandeur of nature – was very excited to go there! The history of a location and the fact that you are standing in the very place where history and legends were made – transports one to a different age and...
This for me was a trip which was about looking at Nepal beyond the obvious, beyond the mountains and the trekking and the natural beauty. Going Beyonder in Nepal. Kathmandu has its sights, Pokhara its beauty, but I had done all these in my previous trip-the ancient Pashupathinath temple, the Bhooda Neelkanth with its...
One of the must-see places of Nepal, Chitwan is a big draw with its luxury lodges and Jungle safaris! Chitwan – meaning ‘Heart of the jungle’, it is famous for its one-horned Rhinos and the Royal Bengal Tiger (though sightings are very quite rare). I was looking forward to the day long forest walks – one...
This was my fifth visit to Sri Lanka. On all my earlier visits, I had been wowed by the sea, the mountains, the food and the people- not necessarily in that order. So when I was to travel to the island for a couple of weeks, I wasn’t exactly jumping in excitement. But the next...
