india travel
!ncredibly India – Off Wheels
I didn’t want to write this initially. I honestly have no idea how to summarize a month of India and what I saw in a single post. And I really don’t want to bore you guys into reading a never ending essay either. So, I figured let’s just go by the traditional way. Allow the pictures to speak for themselves. Although they might not exactly convey my feelings, for some photographs were just badly pictured. Sorry about that guys, no matter how much technology improves, batteries have a life and they tend to die often.
Even then, I had no choice but to break it into two posts. This is the first of the two where I spent about 10 days in South India observing and participating in things. It’s titled “Off Wheels” simply because the second post is all about my train journeys around India. Anyways, let’s focus on this part of the journey first, shall we?
Here we go…
An Indian Wedding
It started off with my participation in an Indian wedding. It was my cousin’s. What was supposed to be my watch- and- be -impressed with Indian weddings, ended up being on-stage with my cousin. Not quite what I had in mind.
One would think, least I did, that wearing jewelry would invite looks. Man, I invited quite a few stares for not wearing any. Indian aunts and grannies offered to part with their chains so that “my neck wouldn’t appear bare”. I’m sorry what?
Did I mention Indian weddings can actually last a week?
I was told that my cousin’s three day affair was actually short. Good Lord!
Then again, I am glad it was a huge event else I will never have been able to witness an Indian wedding first hand. By the way, not all Indian weddings take place the same way. Well obviously given the number of states and the diversity of India.
The one I attended followed the Telugu customs. Specifically the Naidus. During the climax of the wedding, the part where the groom ties the sacred thread; was performed with a cloth between the groom and bride. Interesting aye. I was told about its significance, but as time went the information dissipated from my memory. Oops!
Did you know there were pre and post wedding events?
I didn’t. I hardly ever attend weddings. And the ones I have attended, ended within three hours or less. Not this one. One of the post wedding events was a visit to a remote temple in the heart of a South Indian village.
Both the names of the temple and the village were quite a mouthful. But that’s not the point. The temple was built for a deity or otherwise known as a guardian-deity. Can you actually say that? I just coined the term, I’m not sure if it exists. Anyways, the fact that the deity’s responsibilities is the well being of the people, the temple lies in the out skirts of a village. Makes sense innit.
The groom’s family are closely affiliated with the temple hence they tend to visit the temple, after every successful occasion, as a way of saying thank you to the deity.
Besides weddings, Indians celebrate everything. I’m not kidding. There was an ear piercing ceremony for a young kid and they even shaved his head.
The parents didn’t cut his hair since birth; all for this day: To shave his head bald and get his ears pierced. And between all of these, stuff a banana in his mouth hoping that would distract him. Ok…
The lady on the left was the official “ear-piercer”.
She was not using the pierce gun but a freaking needle! One that she would heat before piercing (read: hurting) the 3 year old’s ears. I swear she was aggressive but many would disagree with me. Sighs!
More Temples
What’s a trip to India if you haven’t seen enough temples right?
At every step of the way, at every corner street stood a temple. Be it one with its towering height, and intricate designs or a simple hut with a deity sitting inside. The numbers were baffling. The bigger, grander temples were the most intriguing. With its cool interior despite the sweltering heat outside, and the history behind its architecture was just pure amazement.
Govindaa! Go-vin-daa!
Venky requires a post of his own, but remember how I didn’t wanna bore you guys to death with my long winded-ness? Hey, I hear you say, as if this post was any shorter but seriously I have summarized it to the best of my ability. Sobs.
Venky is a rich God. People donate their wealth to this deity. I was glad the money was put to good use, for the accommodation provided and the surrounding areas and areas within the temple were kept relatively clean. Infrastructures to aid devotees were well constructed too.
That was when I noticed these see through walls within the temple: the men behind the walls were counting cash! Loads of them! It was pouring cash in this part of India. Will someone please enlighten the poor souls begging on the streets about this place please!
It was literally raining money and… hair, due to devotees shaving their heads for one or another religious reason related to Venky. Meeting Venky was a tedious task. I had to shove and push people. Shout Govinda and later push through the crowds before me. It appeared as if people were shouting “Govinda” to get the adrenaline running before they exert their strength on the dude infront. Wonder how Venky feels about this? Sorry Govinda.
What I also realized, after I mastered the art of being Indian was that I hardly made eye contact with Venky. The entire union with throngs of other Indians between me and Venky, around me and Venky, lasted less than 2 minutes.
After the main viewing, which was twice, thanks to a certain privilege endowed by cousin’s father-in-law, we proceeded for a particular Unjal Utsav. What happens here is that Venky is brought in a chariot, and later transferred to a swing in a room filled with mirrors. The priest slowly pushes the swing creating a momentum for it. The scene is, devotees get to see Venky while he is relaxing with his two spouses on the swing. The comedian in this scene was this other priest at the entrance of the room going “Govinda Cepu! Govinda Cepu” at all who entered.
I mean why? Dude! Venky is resting. I don’t wanna go all Govinda on him now.
Oh well…
(To be continued…)
Thanedar – A virgin destination
Hello friends , I am back again with an edition of JITC and though I was supposed to take you to Ooty , the unbearable mercury level made me take a detour down the memory lane to cool climes of Thanedar.
Thanedar is still an unpolluted, unknown destination and visited as a part of the Shimla, Kufri, Narkanda package as it is just few kilometres away from Shimla and Kufri in Himachal. Shimla serves as an important centre point for visiting its beautiful satellite hamlets like Mashobra , Kufri, Thanedar etc.Unless and until you have a relaxed itinerary, with an urge to explore the unknown there are chances that you might miss them.
We chanced upon Thanedar by chance on a snowy day when we were caught in snow and had halted at Kufri, while on our way to Rampur. Yes that is the route to Thanedar-A Small well maintained road, off shooting from the Shimla Rampur Highway, leads to Thanedar.
An inviting archway beckoning on to the road and glimpses of the snow bound landscape peeping in from among the fir and deodar trees reminding of Narnia, was a major temptation to venture out there forgetting our destination completely.
Here I have attempted to bring before you views of and from Thanedar that I had, through my pictures but as I say always, Thanedar is much more than this and the best way to enjoy its beauty is by being there yourself.
Though Thanedar is an all season destination my advice is to visit it in winter to have a glimpse of the magical snow clad landscape as it is quite different from other snow bound destination of Manali, or Auli, Gulmarg.
It is 94 Km from Shimla,which is just a three hour drive from Shimla (You can drive up to Thanedar or hire a cab from Shimla to Thanedar) and if you want to drive up there directly from Delhi- the route to take is NH 1 then at Indri near Kurukshetra take the state highway 7 to reach Ladwa- Yamuna nagar- Sadaura-Nahaan –Rajgarh –Kotkhal- and finally Thanedar
Always be careful while driving on a snowy day as snow makes the road very slippery resulting in skidding.
Thanedar is more famous for the apple orchards and this is where the first apple seeds were planted in India by Samuel Stokes. You can always sample the local apple products – jams, pickle, wine etc.
The Tani Juber lake nearby is a quite a popular destination for a day picnic.
Accommodation is not a problem there. You can put up in Shimla or Kufri as a base or if you want the real mountain wilderness experience then you can try the comfortable Banjara camps in Thanedar itself. Either of the two has its advantages.
Thanedar is more of a peaceful leisure destination rather than the conventional activity filled tourist destinations. You can go trekking, leisurely forest walks or sit by the roadside, in a meadow enjoying a book and a picnic lunch.
Many a times I have been asked by my blogger friends and some readers that why in spite of JITC being one of my favorite, I do not experiment in it as I do in other categories. Well frankly speaking, nature is something very sacred to me. Every trip or holiday is a pilgrimage for me. Be it The Himalayas – where I feel so close to God , or the sensation of total freedom in the sand dunes of Rajasthan, the sea in Goa enticing me to explore the unknown, rain soaked Kerala- pure and fresh, the barren solitude of Spiti where you feel so humble- Everything that I have experienced makes me fall in love with my country called India over and over again ( in spite of its shortcomings) And when I am in awe over something or in love , I don’t mess with it.
But I am adding a new feature here today- And that is an anecdote of a travel related incident of mine, which you may find interesting and also helpful as a travel tip as they say experience is the best teacher. So let me narrate an incident that had happened on our way to Manali from Delhi.
We usually prefer to self drive or rather my husband prefers to self drive whenever we travel to the hills (err my driving is slightly shaky. People start shaking in fright if I drive the car) we had uneventfully crossed Chandigarh and had passed Bilaspur too, from where the uphill ride starts. A little farther from Bilaspur, we decided to stop at a café to have tea. It was then 3 ‘o clock in the afternoon and as we were debarking snap went my hubby’s specs. He was wearing the shades then, leaving his specs by the side of the seat and somebody sat on it breaking it neatly into two right at the middle, the part which sits on the bridge of the nose. And unfortunately I had forgotten to pack a pair of spare.
Dusks set in early in the mountains and that meant he could not continue wearing the shades after an hour or so. After quite a voluble “pass the blame game” we decided to go for damage control. In the mountains it’s a fact that facilities are not available at the snap of the finger. The nearest optician was supposed to be in Mandi which was 69 kms away. All the quarrel and tea and snacks (oh no we were not the ones to give up on tea for a pair of specs comes what may) cost us an hour… So? Well so desperate situations required desperate measures. uh no! he did not attempt a lasik eye operation there, but worse. There was a hardware shop in the vicinity and he got some m-seal from there and made a reasonable sized laddoo from it and stuck the two lenses with their “stumps” in it and put it on. So you can imagine the sight! The big lump of m-seal sat on his nose like a huge beetle and the lens sat on his eyes crookedly, but still it served its purpose. The sight was totally funny but I dared not laugh aloud and had a very hard time controlling my laughter which was threatening to burst out at the sight of that scowling man with a beetle sized m seal over his nose from which the lenses shot out. Damn! I could not even shoot a picture of him. And he drove with his “customized” eye-wear and me gagging my mouth somehow we finally purchased a pair of specs and thankfully normalcy was restored.
Moral of the story- If you wear specs then always keep a spare during your travel and yes M seal is really handy in ways even we don’t realize. Well that was that and now lets proceed on to the pictures.
Bring the mouse to the bottom portion of the slide-show for the details on the picture as well as the control keys for slide-show
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Pasighat travelogue
Pasighat is the oldest town (established in 1911) of the extreme eastern state of the country- Arunachal Pradesh. Situated at the banks of river Siang, this is a fairly small town surrounded with lush green beauty of Himalayan Mountains. The town is not exactly in the mountains… it is actually at the foothills hence the weather is pleasant here both in summer and winter.
How do I reach?
Hmm… interesting question. The nearest airports are at North Lakhimpur (Assam) and Dibrugarh (Assam). But you have many options…
A 16 hour bus journey directly from Guwahati to Pasighat.
An 18 hour train journey from Rangia (Assam) to Murkongselek (Assam). Murkongselek is 35 km from Pasighat and you get plenty of local transport from Murkongselek to Pasighat.
Take a flight to North Lakhimpur (250 km from Pasighat) and from there you get bus and hired taxi services.
There are also Helicopter flights from Dibrugarh and Itanagar to Pasighat.
The Last but the most enjoyable option(my vote!) is to take a flight to Dibrugarh and then a ferry ride upstream on river Brahmputra from Dibrugarh to Oriam ghat or majherbadi ghat and then you get local conveyance from any of the ghats.
NOTE1: The train journey is the most hopelessly boring option of all… that’d be last in my options list.
NOTE 2: You need an inner line permit (ILP) to enter the state Arunachal Pradesh- they are checked at the check points located on Assam- Arunachal border on every road (yeah, cry irony all you want, but you need a permit to roam around in your own country). You can get an ILP made from the Liaison offices situated in Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, North Lakhimpur and Jorhat.
Where do I stay?
This is a tricky one. Because tourism is not an industry here, the hotels in Pasighat are pretty ordinary. So if you’d want a little more luxury, your only option is the govt. guest house- Siang Guest House. I’ve read on some websites that accommodation is available on three places- Siang Guest House, Circuit House and Inspection Bungalow. Don’t get misguided by this fact- all the three are the one and same (Ha Ha!). The booking for the room at Siang Guest House is done at DC office.
Ok tell me some more…
You can visit almost any time in the year except for the rainy season and I can assure you that the weather will be among the best in the country. The Rainy season is a problem because it rains extremely heavy… it rains continuously sometimes even for a month in this season. Well, even if you plan to visit Pasighat in Rainy season, you won’t be able to make it till here because all the routes are flooded at that time.
As I said earlier, tourism is not established as an industry here. So much that you may not even get a guide to show you around. This may be a drawback of this place but this also is its USP. You get to enjoy the beauty in its Virgin form- unaltered by the inherent hazards of tourism industry like environmental destruction. Also you see what you like… not what the selectively permeable spectacles of a guide show you.
The place is full of scenic beauty… Go to river Siang or its countless supporting streams any time of day and you get a photographer’s paradise. Arunachal Pradesh is known for its sunrise which is the first sunrise of whole country everyday so make sure you get up early enough to catch it (nearly 4:45 am in summers and 5:30 am in winters). If you are into wildlife, you can visit Daying Ering wildlife sanctuary. The Sanctuary provides domicile for a variety of animal species like leopard, civet cat, leopard cat, sambar, barking deer, Wild boar, Porcupine, Stripped squirrel, Jackal, Python. The sanctuary is also home to a number of endangered birds like the Indian skimmer and spot-billed Pelican. It also hosts quite a few migratory birds.
You can also see the hanging bridge- made up of bamboo it is a marvel of tribal engineering. You can also go to Pangin to see the point where river Siom meets river Siang presenting a spectacular sight. If you have come here in winter, you can also visit Rangin- a place famous for its orange farms.
If you like adventure sports, Pasighat is the place to be. The River Siang is ideally suited for rafting, fishing and angling. Trekking also another very good option to explore that the natural beauty that this place beholds and also to get a closer look at the tribal lifestyle. If you are more of an indoor person, you might as well stay in the guest house- enjoying the brilliant climate, sipping the famous Assam tea and romancing with books .
Since tourism is yet to find its niche as an industry here, visiting Pasighat will provide you a fresh experience- different from your typical hill station. The calm and serene beauty of this place provides a perfect refuge for an escape from helter –skelter, run here- run there life style. The added bonus of this place is that because it is situated in the foothills, the climate here is gentle and the weather remains pleasant even in winters implicating, you can even visit and enjoy the place in winters.
Below are my humble attempts to capture the natural beauty of this place.
PS: Due acknowledgements to Mani Padma who motivated me enough to write a travelogue, which, I never thought I could write
Bring the mouse to the bottom portion of the slideshow for the details on the picture as well as the control keys for slideshow
Gaga over Goa!
Ok this isn’t about Lady Gaga! But its my about my jewel Goa of the crown called India.
Yes friends ,I am back again to take you from the heights of Spiti to the depths of the Arabian Sea in Goa, but first of all I would like to say that – Since Mani couldn’t be every where God created Jayati (I know its a corny line but couldn’t think of anything better) So Friends please welcome Jayati as my co author for JITC from hence on.
Goa as per statistics is one of the most frequented tourist spot both by the domestic crowd and the International tourists and if you google search it there is no dearth of information on this beautiful Coastal state with its beautiful beaches, quaint culture and lovely countryside
What I have attempted is to present before you a kaleidoscope of myriad images of Goa with some very personal observations
And as I always say, Goa is of course much more than these!
The location of Goa is obvious to all. Its in the western coast in between Maharashtra in the north and Karnataka in the south.(of course You know it, but it seems I am supposed to say it) Reaching Goa is not at all a problem too as it is covered by airways, roadways and railways,
Nor is finding accommodation as the place is bustling with hotels, resorts and villas of all ranges. Unless you have any special preferences you can always find decent accommodation even after landing there
If you are looking for a decent economical accommodation with a great view of the beach from your hotel window then head for the tourism hotel in Colva beach. Believe me the above combination of decent, economical room with a view is hard to find
Getting around Goa is no problem at all, as you are spoilt with variety of choices like –Taxis, Motorcycle Taxis (cool isn’t it guys? You get paid for taking a gal around in a bike, but of course it is your choice, whether to charge or not to charge) ferries, buses etc. But the best option I think is renting out a bike and exploring around on your own.
Exploring Goa properly requires three days minimum- North Goa , South Goa and Panjim and Old Goa not to mention hanging out in the hippest night clubs in the evenings and a river cruise in the Mandovi River.
The terrain ranges in between an altitude of sea level to 1022 m of the ghats and so are the varieties in the places of interest. Beaches, countryside, architecture, market, water falls, temples, churches night life – everything.
Beaches of North Goa and South Goa are distinctly different; in fact each has a unique charm of its own. It is said that beaches of south goa has white sands.
Some of the uniquely famous places are Basilica of Bom Jesus, the flea market in Anjuna beach, Dudh Sagar Waterfalls, Donna Paula, Fort Aguada the old house are some of the examples.
The best time to visit Goa is in winters when you can laze around in the sun or indulge in water sports. The famous carnival is also held during the winters.But if you like to stay away from the crowd and enjoy the rains and the green country side then monsoons is the time for you. Just take rain gear with you.Do not forget to take a moonlight walk in the beach. The beach looks ethereally beautiful at night.(especially if you are planning to propose anybody)
One of the hippest night spot is Mambos in Baga beach. You will see a good crowd; find the coolest music and a great choice of drinks.
For shopping point of view, Goa is famous for Feni(an alcoholic drink) and Cashew nuts and shells as mementoes. Its better to stick to these articles only.
Every place on earth has its sleazy characters so is in Goa but that would not make me declare it as an unsafe place because I have seen strangers help us out even at night 2am when we had an accident without expecting anything in return.
The only point is that just relax but remain cautious and nothing untoward should happen. A small warning- Don’t go for freebies and offers from strangers in the roadside
I may be wrong in some of my observations as I am writing all from memory and will be glad if anybody points it out. Of course Goa is much much more than these but these are just some of my personal remarks as you will see no dearth of information regarding Goa
At the end, I would like to sign off with just this small request- please don’t drink and drive. Thanks.
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Kinnaur – Kosmic Konnexions
Kinnaur Cosmic Connections
Hi friends! Here I am, back again with you to unfold a visual narration and the destination is Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. My Jewel in the crown for this month.
Kinnaur a slightly remote region in Himachal Pradesh is a district comprising parts of the Dhauladhar, Greater Himalayas and Zanskar ranges and the valleys of river Sutlej, Baspa and Spiti.
The mountains – lofty and stark and the valleys boasting a beauty which is quite ethereal.
Though the district is a vast one with many beautiful towns , I will concentrate on the three major tourist attraction of Kinnaur – Kalpa, Chitkool and the Sangla Valley.
As I always say internet is a vast source of information and you will obtain many detailed note of its history, geography and Biosphere. So I will include only my personal tidbits which I think you might not find easily and those which are first hand verified.
First of all foreigners need to obtain permit to travel to kinnaur which can be acquired from Shimla.
The district headquarter of Kinnaur by the way is Rekong Peo, 235 Km from Shimla.
The altitude in most of the places is 2000m plus.
The nearest Airport is in Shimla so the only way to travel there (barring aside choppers) is by Road-Shimla-Rampur-Powari-Recong Peo. Sangla valley and Chitkool are situated near by. You can also travel in from Manali Kaza (Spiti).If you do that I salute You. The highway from Shimla runs along the river Sutlej
The best period to travel is in April- May and September. The winters are subzero and the late summers may impede your progress with rainfall and landslide
But the highway is maintained throughout the year by BRO and you may find construction when you go there
Kalpa and Rekong Peo- They are the two most important towns of Kinnaur and beautiful to boast too
A word of caution- if you plan to travel to the interiors fill up your tank as petrol pumps are few. Only in Powari and Rekong Peo.
The region has a rich cultural history and there you will find temples and monasteries with interesting architecture.
From Kalpa the peak Kinner Kailash can be seen not to be confused with Mt Kailash. But Kinner Kailash also has a religious significance as it is supposed Mythically to be the winter abode of Lord Shiva. The parikrama or trek to Kinner Kailash is famous. The local people say that you can see a Shivling on top of Kinner Kailash from Kalpa or Rekong Peo but may be it was a case of the elephant and six blind men I am not sure of what I saw.
Kalpa and Rekong Peo has no dearth of accommodation and HPTDC has a beautiful property situated in Kalpa. As mentioned earlier reservation into it is no problem due to the facility of internet booking
Sangla valey and Chitkool are a bit off way from Rekong peo and Kalpa but still assessable and the trip made in a day itself if you make your base in Kalpa or Rekong Peo.
Sangla Valley is a beautiful valley situated at an whopping altitude of 2621 m by the bankk of Baspa River. In fact beautiful is a understatement
Chitkool is a frontier village and the last and the highest village in the Baspa Valley.
The drive to Chitkool is a scenic one though slightly rocky.
Now for some general infos-
- You need sturdy and new tyres for Kinnaur.
- You may not get a vast choice in your menu so you might stock up some food of your choice.
- Clothing should be heavy woolens
- Net and phone connection might be a problem
And now if you please you may continue with the slideshow which is a mere representation of Kinnaur through my eyes. But as I always say- Kinnaur is much more than these.
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