Dev Prayag-confluence of bhagirathi and alaknanda
Dev Prayag is the place where the most sacred of rivers for Hindus, the Holy Ganga or Ganges originates.
ganga aarti IN haridwar-connect to the divine
Experiencing Haridwar There is something mesmerising about Haridwar. And no, it is not the idea of washing away my sins in the holy water of Ganges (more about it later!) or to explore the several ancient temples which the place is famous for. It is the enchanting atmosphere created by the Ganga Aarti, a ritual amongst Hindus for worshipping Ma Ganga or Mother Ganga as she is known, which attracts me to this Gateway to the Gods or Haridwar as…
Lai Chi Kok park- a peaceful retreat in Hong Kong
A lot of people know Hong Kong as the financial capital of the world. The skyscraper city. Vibrant and happening. What many people don’t know it that there are many green spots in the city which are literally the lungs of the city. One such beautiful public park is the Lai Chi Kok Park (荔枝角公園) with many recreational facilities and the beautifully planned Lingnan Chinese Garden.
vaishno devi-THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE ABODE OF THE GODDESS
Why Vaishnodevi? So I am not religious. Not the temple hopping types (okay, an occasional hopper). Not in the truest sense of the word. And still there are places I believe in. I would go visit them in a heartbeat. For their energy, the peace you get when you are there, a feeling of connection with a power which cannot be described in words. Vaishno Devi for me is one such place. I had always wanted to visit the Shrine…
best food of kanpur-“tried and tasted”
This one was long due. Kanpur has earned many worthy as well as notorious monikers. However, what many people don’t know is that this Industrial city on the banks of the river Ganges, is also known to be a foodie’s paradise. While growing up, a hard core non-vegetarian Bengali like me also used to look forward even to the vegetarian offerings because of the sheer taste of the food, be it the street food or fine dining. Not to say…
beautiful alleppey-the venice of the east
Do you know that India has a place which is known as the ‘Venice of the East’. I am in the Venice of the East or Alleppey or Alappuzha as it is also known. And I am here to experience what Kerala or ‘God’s Own Country’ is famous for. The Backwaters experience. A lot of my travel choices have been influenced by the movies or video songs I have seen. I first saw the stunning backwaters of Kerala in a…
top 5 things to do in kochi
It has been a two hour journey from Alleppey and we have just a day to explore Kochi, since there is an afternoon flight to catch to Mumbai the next day. We have already decided to explore old Kochi or the Fort Kochi area which is the like the cultural hub of Kochi with an amalgamation of the local culture with colonial culture of the Portuguese, Dutch and later the British. Read on to know more about how to see…
LONAVALA – your ultimate guide to AN OASIs near the chaos
My first visit to the small and beautiful hill station of Lonavala, in the Indian State of Maharashtra, was in 2004 when I went with a group of friends. We went on motor bikes, the approximately 85 Kilometres journey from Mumbai a breeze. Whatever little tiredness I had, vanished the moment I set my sight on the beautiful vistas all around, with hills lush with greenery, water drops glistening on the leaves and natural waterfalls formed due to the rains….
MUMBAI – The LOVE AFFAIR CONTINUES
A love affair which began 16 years back and shows no sign of abating. Bombay, Mumbai or Aamchi Mumbai, by whatever name you call it, remains the City of Dreams for so many and for me. On one side is the glitz and glamour of the rich and the famous and Bollywood (India’s movie industry) and on the other side is the seedy underbelly fed by gangsters and mafia. It is fascinating to be a part of the dichotomy of…
Exploring Angkor Wat AND BEYOND-the ultimate Guide to cambodia
I had always wanted to visit the temple of Angkor Wat after watching a documentary –The Lost City of the God Kings: Angkor Wat which I saw sometime in the year 2005. The documentary throws light on the Angkor civilisation that flourished in Cambodia between the 9th and 14th centuries. I was thoroughly intrigued by this largest religious monument of the world, a Hindu temple of Vishnu in Angkor Wat. Then I forgot all about it until I watched the…