The Floating Church of Shettihalli
I have traveled a few times to Belur and Halebid in Hassan famous for its UNESCO heritage temples. I was however not aware of the Shettihalli Rosary Church - a 160 year old church until I read upon it.
Athi Varadaraja Perumal Temple – What lies beneath?
The Athi Varadar festival shot into prominence last year (2019) with people from all over India flocking to the holy city of Kanchipuram. This festival is celebrated at Athi Varadaraja Perumal temple. The Athi Varadaraja Perumal temple was built by the Chola's in 1053. Basically Athi means 'Fig' and Varadaraja means 'King who bestows boons', hence...
Mayong-the Black Magic capital of India
Abracadabra….heard of a place , where probably this is a rhyme ? Well, not exactly the same words , but the tradition of sorcery and magic is passed on from generation to generation ? A village where fortune tellers claim to predict a person’s future using seashells and broken glass pieces! Welcome to Mayong-the Black...
Kolukkumalai – Highest Tea Estate in the World
Kolukkumalai! The highest tea estate in the world at more than 7000 feet above sea-level. Some of the best teas of the world with a very distinctive flavor… Plus, the panoramic views of the rugged mountains and plains around it as a bonus… And its in India, less than 40 kms from the bustling hill-station of...
Bull Surfing in Kerala
Bull surfing is an old and obscure cultural practice. This underlines the man-animal relationship. It is a part of the Maramadi Festival in Kerala, South India Surfing is all about the sea, water, pristine nature and a single person’s effort to control and ride the waves, right? Yes, but not always. Think muddy paddy fields, oxen and...
Skeleton Lake of Roop Kund in India – where Myths, Mythology and Nature conspire to hold and reveal a gruesome secret
Skeleton Lake of Roop Kund in India – where Myths, Mythology and Nature conspire to hold and reveal a gruesome secret
The Skeleton Lake
Roopkund (also known as Rudra Kund, Mystery Lake or Skeleton Lake) is a high-altitude (about 5000 meters above sea-level). It is a glacial lake in Uttarakhand in northern India, at the base of...
Ellora caves – UNESCO heritage site, Maharashtra India
The Ellora (also known as Elura or Elapura) Caves are one of the largest rock-cut monastery cave complexes in the world. There are around 100 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves at the site, of which 34 are open to public. They are locally known as Verul Leni This complex of monolithic temples in India narrates a...
Ajanta Caves – UNESCO heritage , India
.Ajanta caves are a group of 30 rock cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from 2nd century BC to 480 AD. These caves are situated in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, 100 kilometres away from the Aurangabad city centre. Many medieval era travellers from China like Faxian have mentioned Ajanta caves in their memoir. It also features in...
Kidepo – Stunning landscapes, remote wilderness
Hidden away in a lost valley in the extreme northeast of Uganda, Kidepo National Park has the most stunning scenery of any protected area in Uganda. Kidepo (1,442 sq kms) lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya, in the Karamoja region, some 700km from Kampala. A rugged savannah grassland, Kidepo...
Mt Elgon National Park – an unforgettable walk in a tropical rain forest
I have had the privilege of walking through pristine rain forests only a few times in my life and each time I have enjoyed the proximity to raw pure nature! A short 6 hour hike through Mt Elgon National park in North East Uganda was one such unforgettable experience.