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 Ankarana National Park is located in the northern part of Madagascar, about 108 kms south of Antsirananan (Diego Suarez). Created in 1956, Ankarana National park covers an area of 1825 sq km. Ankarana is home to a spectacularly eroded limestone fortress of sharp ridges (the Tsingy), patches of dense tropical jungle, deciduous forest, deep...
The romance here is akin to that first sip of tea in the morning. And if it is Darjeeling tea, it will be a pick me up moment for you. I think the place has a lot to do with the Darjeeling tea ! The town is located in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas. The...
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...
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...
