photologue

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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Hi! I am back with the next JITC for you and though our jewel is a tiny one – all of 25 sq km compared to Delhi’s 1484sq km, it is quite strategically located. The hill station, at 1220 m altitude, in the Aravallis, the only one in Rajasthan is more of an oasis and has been quite popular with the tourists from Rajasthan and Gujarat. But rather than being famous as a conventional hill station it is more famous for the Dilwara Jain temples and in recent years as a headquarter of Brahmakumari’s spiritual centre. Not to mention the World Spiritual University and of course Ekta Kapoor made it famous in her daily soap Kasamh Se

Reaching Mt Abu is no problem as it is really well connected , with butter smooth roads nor is the accommodation, with havelis turned into hotel or conventional hotels and guesthouses

As I always say, there is no lack of information of this small town, as you will always get enough both from hearsay and the net, I will just attempt to bring before you  my own personal observations ( which you can say tips)

As it is a small area, it can be covered in just a day and half , so you can club it with your trip to Udaipur, the beautiful lake city just 185 kms away

The roads are simply lovely and if you are a learner (learning to drive) then the roads are best for some smooth practice.

If you are a nature person, then don’t get fooled by the Hill station tag. It is beautiful in its own way, an oasis among the sandy rugged landscape, but it is not a hill station with alpine forests and winding  twisting climbing roads

The Guru Shikhar Peak is the highest peak.

Don’t be tempted by the road conditions and attempt to drive in at night as there are unconfirmed reports of robbery in the highway leading up to Mt Abu.

Dilwara temples from 11th -13th century are its primary attraction, but photography is not allowed inside.

Other than that of course, there is the hot favorite for strolling, boating and shopping – Nakki jheel or lake. It’s a point you will not miss nor can miss it.

There are other tourist points like the sunset point, the Achalgarh fort, the famous Trevor’s Tank, Adhar Devi temple and many more.

You will find the strange rock formations lining the road  , an interesting sight ( some of which you will find in the slide show)

While there don’t forget to try the Dal Bati chorma – a local dish- the trademark Rajasthani dish in fact- quite unique.

Shopping for Rajasthani block print cloths and lehenga choli is a must. They are rightly priced and affordable- one that will bring a smile to the women of your family.

You can go for camel riding and have a feel of being in the Desert State.

What I found quaint was the hand carts type of thingy near the Nakki Jheel used to transport to and fro the market and up to your hotel. You can ride in one just for the experience.

Being in Mt Abu is an experience in itself, which cannot be measured in words. Here I have attempted to portray Mt. Abu through the images that struck me, while there! Other wise Mt Abu is of course much more than these.

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With the summers scorching up everything on sight, I have decided to give the power of thought, visual stimulation and tele-transportation a chance to beat the heat and provide some relief to us mere mortals. Hence this summer I will be portraying as my next four jewels of the crown (that is India), four hill stations- Binsar, Uttarakhand in the north, Mount Abu. Rajasthan in the west, Ooty Tamil nadu in the south and Shillong, Meghalaya in the far east to soothe your visual senses.

So lets start with Binsar , one of the most photogenic places I have ever seen, in Uttarakhand near Almora and Nainital. Other than the Binsar Sanctuary and a Shiva temple it has not been highlighted for any other notables, but its best USP is  the scenery - The range. The vistas. The hues. The ever present mist. No doubt Uttarakhand is known as Devabhoomi or the land of the gods.

As all the major Hill stations of the Kuman region are clustered within manageable distances (Nainital, Bhimtal, Almora, Ranikhet , Kasauni) from Binsar, a trip to Binsar can be fitted with ease , in the itinerary from your conventional destination. However my advice would be to let go of convention, and instead make Binsar your base and take a complete tour of Kumaon.

To reach Binsar, you have to pass through Almora town while to reach Almora you have many options. You can drive in from Ramnagar Nainital, or you can drive in from Kathgodam, Bhimtal side assuming that you are coming from Delhi. Either way, the roads are smooth, maintained and the scenery superb so you can always enjoy a great drive.

Accommodation is not a problem in Almora which is just 22 kms away from Almora. But staying in Binsar is a better option , with one of the best option being Club Mahindra Resorts if you like to loll in the lap of luxury( In fact a tip- Attend a presentation of the club mahindra holidays.You can always avail their holiday plans and if not then there is always the free gift voucher to have a taste of their hospitality in their resorts).

If you prefer economical yet comfortable accommodation then you can always opt for the KMVN guest houses.

But again if you would like to experience the wild then you can stay at Khalli Estate inside the sanctuary. Though the sanctuary is supposed to house leopards, bears, boars,deers, birds, consider yourself lucky if you can spot any one of these, for all we could see were butterflies after hours of waiting and watching. Well if the animals disappoint you then you can always try trekking.

Binsar is not the usual shop and sightsee destination though one can always proceed  for a day trip to nearby, Almora, Nainital, Bhimtal, Ranikhet- the conventional tourist hotspots. But if you love the views of snow clad peaks with the green valley, rustling brook, alpine meadows or bugyal then Binsar is the place to be or you can head towards Bageswar, Baijnath. Baijnath also has a temple complex which you might like to visit though. Interestingly Uttaranchal tourism website mentions Binsar as a place that attracts writers!

The roads are beautifully maintained in and around. They have also mobile emergency units and the vans can be seen patrolling on the roads.

A word of caution – Do not visit Uttaranchal during holi though.

I have tried to bring to you the essence and beauty of Binsar and its adjacent area through these few snapshots. (The shots were taken by an amateur with a sony handy cam but if it still captivates you then all the credit goes to the Creator, The Almighty.)

Internet is a store house of information, available at the click of a mouse and so you will find no dearth of information on Binsar near Nainital. Through this images I am just attempting to bring forward to you the breathtaking beauty of Binsar… but of course Binsar is much more than these and should be experienced in person at least once.

Hope you have an engaging time with the slide show.

Promising to come back soon with Mount Abu in the next.

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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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Hello friends. Here I am back again to unfold yet another pictorial travelogue and the jewel for you is Spiti, in Himachal pradesh. Barren, desolate, stark landscapes situated at a formidable altitude , breathtaking(quite literally )but beautiful place

Mystical Spiti shot into limelight with the John Abraham and Udita Goswami starrer movie Paap

Rudyard Kipling described Spiti in his book as “At last they entered a world within a world, a valley of leagues where the high hills were fashioned of the mere rubble and refuse from off the knees of the mountains-surely the Gods live here- this place is no place for men.”

Capturing spiti in words is as difficult reaching it, Spiti being one of the most remote and sparsely populated region, but its beauty is also as unique and as unconventional as its location.

Spiti along with Lahaul form the northernmost district of Himachal Pradesh ,sharing its international boundary with Tibet.

•Spiti valley is quite vast around 150 sq km even if it is remote and covering Spiti in a conventional holiday fashion was a bit daunting for us due to our time and travel constraints. So though our target was kaza the most important town of Spiti and the district headquarter, we had to turn back from Tabo, another significant spot of Spiti

•Hence In today’s write up I will be sharing tidbits from my own adventure in Spiti as travel tips

There are two ports of entry to Spiti-one-NH22 from shimla-rampur-powari-pooh-Khab-Nako-sumdo

•The other is through Manali-kunzum la- koksar-kaza

•NH22 is being maintained throughout by the BRO this being an important arterial road.The other highway remains closed for 7 months in winter

•And of course I haven’t heard of crossing over from the Tibetan side yet .

The last petrol pump before Kaza is Powari, so it is better to tank up fuel and if possible take an extra gallon. The vehicle should be in tip top condition with sturdy new tyres if possible. A four wheel drive could be a better option. Repair shops are almost non existent, or for that matter even human population

Since you will be traveling at altitudes more than 3000 m, it is necessary that you stopover at Sangla or Sarahan to acclimatize. It is said by the locals that the blessing of Goddess Bhimakali in Sarahan is beneficial for proceeding on wards to Spiti

Foreigners require online permit at the checkpoint in Pooh to proceed onwards. Don’t confuse this as the entry point to Spiti just as we did because you have a long way to go before reaching Sumdo which is the gateway to Spiti.

Night driving is to be avoided at any cost. First –the road is on the rougher side and second –you will miss the awesome sights

if you like a royal spread as your dinner or lunch, then you will be disappointed as Spiti has very little to offer as a menu due to obvious reasons. The PWD guesthouse keeper at Sumdo was ready to let us the whole three bedroom house at Rs 200 but not at all willing to sell even one potato from his veggie basket. So get the idea?

Beware of rain and storm in Spiti as the Mountains are all gravelly and sandy so one strong puff of wind and ….all fall down.

All along the road at regular intervals and in villages you will see prayer flags fluttering . A sign of the Buddhist influence.

The Tabo Gompa founded in AD 996 is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On the way to Spiti, you can visit the Nako lake, which of course is a part of Kinnaur.Covering the distance from Kalpa to Tabo in a day is possible if you make an early start and don’t encounter any roadblocks.

Accommodation is available in Tabo, not the luxury ones, but basic and warm, and of course cheap

If you are afraid of heights and if the stark moonscape like terrain does not sound appealing to you then Spiti isn’t your cup of tea.

Through these photos I have attempted to bring before you a little part of Spiti to you, but as I always say, Spiti, of course is much more than these.

As some references I have taken the aid of Koko Singh’s Driving Holidays in the Himalayas.

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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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Its winter and to top it, its the festive season so I have picked one of my favorites as the Jewel in the crown , the crown being India, for this issue. I hope you like it. Its Manali in HP, India.

When I googled Manali, the results showed was-1910000. Huge isn’t it? So there, you wont find any lack of information in the net but that doesn’t mean that I will not feed in any detail. Of course I will , but these will be my very personal tips, tips that I had accumulated after visiting and observing Manali 6 times in 4 years.

I won’t go into a detailed description of its beauty and spoil the magic with my words, rather let the photos speak.

So lets get on to our journey to one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Reaching Manali is the easiest and the road to Manali boasts of amazing vistas. So how do we reach Manali. Ok easy way out is to take the flight to Bhuntur, Kullu from Delhi, but you will miss out on the beautiful scenic drive. The roads are in good condition, you can drive yourself as we did. … even at night, NO bendy mind blowing gravity defying curves . And you have so many picks to take from. Like?

You can take the conventional route via Chandigarh- Bilaspur- Sundernagar- Mandi –Aut- Kullu or you can experiment for some adventure through Shimla-Naldehra-Tattapaani. Extreme adventure- then go for the drive in from Leh, Ladakh or try the Buddhist circuit of Shimla Rampur –Kinnaur-Kaza(Spiti) –Lahaul-( Details about Lahaul Spiti in my coming posts). Unconventional one- then try through the Jalori Pass.If Religious then visit – Viashno Devi or Dharamshala and proceed on to Manali through Kangra-Mandi, So the options – there are many. You can go by train. The nearest station can be either Joginder Nagar or Pathankot but again from there you have to ascend up by a car or bus, So better to take a vehicle from Chandigarh or Delhi itself.

Best Season. You can go to Manali in any season you want. If you like snow then go in the winters. Want to try the river rafting and stuff then go during spring or Autumn. Apple Orchards? – Late monsoons. The roads will cooperate with you through out the year. Winters are cold but you can take your kids without any hesitation. That’s the reason I submitted a copy of the snap of the Baby seated comfortably in the Snow in Rohtang Pass, The altitude BTW there is quite high.

Hotel Reservations, bus reservations. Yes everything can be booked previously through the internet. Even a bus if you want, through the Himachal Pradesh tourism website. Their Hotels are run professionally – better than the other State Govt. run hotels and you get quite a range. I mean 2 budget hotels. 4 deluxe hotels and I premium hotel- All economical-efficient and Govt. run. (psst! They have bars too). Of course you have the private ones too, like Club Mahindra. Holiday Inn etc etc. I had read a news item that HP govt. was offering a discount of 10% in Hotel Reservation for Parents of girl child, but I am yet to check that.

Activities:

You will be spoilt for choice.

• There is a strong possibility of finding snow in Rohtang Pass. Just 50 kms from Manali and a popular destination. You can go for snow tubing, skiing. Tobogganing. There are snow mobiles/bikes for a ride.
• You can go for Parasailing, Zorbing, in Solang valley –another popular Hotspot
• Hot Air Balloon, River Crossing, Rappelling or simply go for a hike.
• During the hotter months you can go for river rafting in Kullu.
• By the way, the Maggi though expensive is most delicious in Rohtang Pass
• In the evenings you can go shopping for handicrafts, pubbing, discotheque, or plain Bird Watching of the other Kind. An advice – they may offer you Chingu- a blanket made from Shahtoos- Don’t buy it , its fraud. Buy only if they give you a hefty discount

Sightseeing places:

If you like temples or architecture, then you have Hadimba temple, Valmiki temple and the Gurudwara at Manikaran. The Langar food or prasad in Manikaran is simply tasty, but you have to follow some rules in Manikaran as it’s a Gurudwara- nothing scary, just cover your head and ask a sevak or directions, If you want then I can fill in the rest but that is if you want, You can visit Naggar Castle- Now a premium hotel for its architecture .

Then as mentioned there is Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, Kullu Valley. You can easily avail the tours from your Tourism Hotels or hire a cab. They also rent out snow suits. If you don’t have the proper attire and there is snow, better to hire it. The last time I had taken was at 100 Rs per piece. Or if not snow suits take boots at least. BTW if any body has vertigo or motion sickness better stock up on domperidone and cinnarizine before proceeding onto Rohtang Pass

So that’s all I can remember at present. And Now you can proceed on to the visual treat. Just remember .one trip is not enough for Manali. Manali is much more than these photographs which are just random shots of Manali as I see it.

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Hi friends I am back again with yet another in My JITC series (though a bit delayed) and the Jewel being portrayed from our Dear Crown India is Guwahati from North East India- Housing the political capital of Assam Dispur,

It is well connected by air, railways and roadways. it’s a picturesque city situated between the eastern flanks of the Himalayas and gateway to the seven Northeastern states of India. Besides being the Biggest City in Assam and a vital tourist point ,it is an attraction on its own

It is a perfect blend of the Old and the new , of the occult and the modern. A city on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, abundant in natural beauty with its pristine sand banks, verdant countryside and blue hills

Though its full tourism potential was not developed earlier due to insurgency, now everyone has woken up – from the grass root level to the upper echelons of the administration ( The GOI has announced special LTC schemes), so I think its time we gave the people of Assam a chance to show us their hospitality.

I have tried to bring to you the essence of Guwahati in these few random snapshots but as always I will only say that Guwahati is much more than these.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank my friend Dr.Jayati Nath who has captured Guwahati in her photo lens and allowed me to share it with the world

Here is a slideshow of Guwahati :

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