Kashmir, romancing the paradise This couplet from Amir Khusrau says it all about Kashmir. Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this” So what does a paradise look like ? Meadows, valleys, mountain peaks, lakes and flower gardens ! Did you...
Chopta is called the mini-Switzerland of India for a reason. This is a small region of green meadows at a height of about 2500 meters above sea level. In the midst of an evergreen forest that is part of the Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary. In the middle of the Himalayas. Surrounded by snow-clad mountains. The views...
Mountain romance in Sikkim You can’t stop falling in love with this place. Green, clean, steep valleys, snow-capped mountains, Rhododendron forests colourful monasteries and friendly locals! Welcome to Sikkim-a mountainous escape from the routine. Did you know that Sikkim was an independent country until 1975, when it got merged with India? Is Sikkim a romantic destination? Let’s look...
Coorg is a popular hill station in the southern state of Karnataka. This place is famous for its coffee and coffee plantations. Coorg accounts for 40% of the country's coffee produce. Called as the 'Scotland of India', this place has a little bit of everything. This includes lush green landscapes, waterfalls, mountains, flora and fauna....
Have you read this Hindi poem “Satpura ke ghane jungle neend mein doobe hue se (the dense forests of Satpura are in deep sleep)” ? This used to be a part of our Hindi text book in high school. For us then, Satpura used to be a proxy for anything which is profound or can’t...
Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise of 572 islands , forming an archipelago at the juncture of Bay of Bengal and Andaman sea. Currently only 37 islands are inhabited. Pristine beaches, marine life, great underwater sports option, an intriguing ancient settlement , Andaman islands will tick all the boxes for an ideal vacation. Did you know...
Romantic Plantation stay. In the midst of nature. My prescription for either kindling a fledgling romance or making the fire stronger in an existing romance. Why a plantation stay for romance? Why do I say so? Let me try and explain… As logically and rationally as possible for a completely irrational emotion called love… 😊 After all,...
Shatrunjaya Hill is one of the holiest of places for the 'Swetambara' Jains. The others being Girnar, Mt. Abu and Chandragiri. This hill is located at Palitana town in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. It is a hill where most of the tirthankaras also called jina's attained nirvana. Atop Shatrunjaya Hill, one gets a great view...
Varanasi and the onion! Strange connection huh? The reason I say that is because you can keep peeling off layers of this city, like an onion. To reveal a whole new city. Just like the onion. It is a city that lives in layers. Peeling off one by one. Like the seven veils of Salome....
As I kid I remember playing table tennis with my friends (Balaji and Govinda) who were twins. It was quite baffling and irritating to face an identical opponent after defeating one of them. To make it worse, apart from looking similar they wore the same outfit which added to the confusion. I have grown up watching...
