Antarctica and its Seals – Beyonder
Antarctica & its seals have much in common - both are full of mystery and as alluring as forbidding. The seals of Antarctica are as much a draw for the curious traveler as the penguins. Let’s look at some of them…
Weddell seals
They reach a length of about 12 feet and a weight of 600 kg....
Why I want to travel to the Virunga in Congo?
"Congo" – the movie, is a chilling story about the discovery of a lost city guarded by blood thirsty gorillas. Unfortunately, this movie also furthered the myth of ‘dangerous’ gorillas. However, the movie rekindled the mystical fascination I had for the jungles of Central Africa. It all started with Phantom (comics) and the mythical state...
The Tribes of Kenya – Beyond the Maasai?
A friend once spoke to me about his fascination with the tribes of Kenya – he talked only about the Maasai. I realised that he was under the impression that the Maasai is all there is to Kenya / Tanzania. Having been to Kenya and having understood the diversity of the culture and tribes of...
Dussehra celebration in India- one essence and many forms
Dussehra - victory of Good over Evil !
Dussehra celebration is about victory of good over evil ! While this is the essence the festival takes different forms in different parts of the country. Isn’t it amazing that there are more than 12 different types of Dussehra celebrations in India? What remains the same is of...
Palakkad – The Extraordinary under the façade of the Ordinary
Palakkad, Kerala, my Home-town
Palakkad (or Palghat as it was called earlier) is a small town in Kerala state of Southern India. It is a non-descript town with no pretensions to grandeur or historical significance. Naturally beautiful and simple, it boasts of a quiet, simple, laid-back life. It is my home town. And I love it. My...
11 Interesting facts about Auroville – The City of Dawn
Pondicherry or Puducherry is popular for its beaches and pretty french colonies. Not far away from Puducherry is the experimental community of Auroville. People from all over the world live here in harmony. This township thus is a perfect example of human unity. Mira Alfassa - the spiritual companion of Sri Aurobindo founded Auroville in...
Fontainhas – Asia’s Largest Latin Quarter
I am sure all of us have heard about Goa and been there at least once if not numerous times! Not only is Goa popular for its beaches, party like atmosphere but also for its Latin Quarter. Fontainhas in Panjim, Goa houses the largest Latin Quarter in Asia ! UNESCO declared Fontainhas as a Heritage...
The Fascinating Golden Temple of Amritsar
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the most sacred place for Sikhism in India. Located in the state of Punjab, this Sikh temple or Gurudwara welcomes people from all religions and faith. Called Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, this temple (Gurudwara) has a sacred water tank - Amrit Sarovar that surrounds it. Interestingly the city...
Nosy Be – a tropical island paradise in Madagascar
Dreamy beaches, remote isolated islands, deep blue skies, opalescent waters, tropical wilds, cocoa plantations – enough to tempt you to visit the Nosy Be archipelago in the North of Madagascar? There are paradisiacal islands all over the Indian Ocean; but what makes Nosy be special is the combination of exquisite nature and civilization (meaning people)....