Varanasi is a city like no other and being one of the oldest places on earth it has an interesting mix of spirituality, food, culture and heritage. I have visited Varanasi a few times to know that the vibe here is like no other. Writing this 72 hour guide was a good experience as I… Read More Travel Guide to Varanasi
The erstwhile haunt of dacoits and a location that has inspired several Bollywood flicks, Chambal is a smorgasbord of experiences that includes wildlife, heritage and spirituality. As our car whizzed past the deep ravines of Chambal, the group I was travelling with had one question for our driver all centered around the infamous dacoits of… Read More Chambal Diaries
Kumbh Kaleidoscope A visit to the Kumbh Mela is a sensory experience like no other and is an absolutely must do at least once in a lifetime. “Kumbh Mele Mein Bichadgaye’ that loosely translates to ‘getting lost in the Kumbh mela’ is a metaphor that we have all grown up with thanks to Bollywood’s most… Read More Kumbh Kaleidoscope
It is that time of the year when the largest congregation of humanity is seen at one place – yes the Kumbh Mela is underway at Prayagraj until the 4th of March. A sea of tents greets me as I drive past a flyover on the outskirts of Prayagraj (the new name of Allahabad) as… Read More Kumbh Mela 2019 Prayagraj
While time and apathy have chipped away the relics from the history books, some places still bear the mark of India’s freedom struggle. Come August and there is a palpable sense of patriotism in the country. Perhaps it is the fact that Independence Day is in this month. After all it is a small tribute… Read More Independence Day Special – Places to see in India
“Varanasi” is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together” ~ Mark Twain Varanasi also called Beneras and Kashi (the city of lights) has a spiritual history connected with Hinduism that dates back over 3000 years and is rightly referred to one… Read More Varanasi – A Travelogue
Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh is a potpourri of old and new where traditions and modernity mingle in a way that you have a unique experience of the past in these modern times. As I drew open the curtains of the window in my hotel room, I was amazed at the sight that… Read More Lucknow Diaries
Bearing With Bears On a recent trip to Agra, I discovered that there is so much more than the iconic Taj Mahal when I visited the Wildlife SOS centre on the outskirts of the city. Wildlife SOS was established in 1995 by Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani with the holistic belief that providing sustainable alternative… Read More SOS Wildlife – Sloth Bear Conservation
The last couple of weeks were hectic as I was travelling up North. Interestingly I went to Varanasi (or Beneras or Kashi) for the second time as part of the UP Travel Writer’s Conclave 2016 (in its second year). I also went to an art fair Chitrashaala where I met among other artists Sailesh Sanghvi who… Read More Varanasi Vignettes