Thar - spectacular desert vistas

Some come for the spectacular desert vistas, others for the unique cuisine, still others for a wealth of textiles and artefacts. It’s a (rare) connoisseur who comes just to appreciate the splendidly individual architecture of the region — Jaipur with its pink glaze, Jaisalmer with its golden stone and Jodhpur with its blue-washed homes. The desertscape, with its gateway at Jodhpur, is a blend of browns, creams and reds; sand and sandstone. The small towns of Osiyan, Phalodi and Khichan are about 135 km from Jodhpur. Osiyan comes first at 65 km, literally in the middle of nowhere, at the edge of the Thar. It is said that 2,500 years ago, Osiyan...

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A Trip to Ladakh Village

When we were planning our trip to Ladakh, what drew us to the idea of doing a homestay was the simple yet powerful concept behind it. The Snow Leopard Conservancy encourages and trains local families to welcome tourists into their houses for a very nominal fee. The money thus collected serves as an additional income for the local people. This additional income not only increases the communities’ stake in protecting wildlife, but also offsets the losses that these villagers incur due to livestock depredation by snow leopards.Completely sold on a homestay, we managed to combine it with our two-day trek in the Rumbak Valley. Although a relatively...

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Kashmir Beauty, Srinagar travel

When I landed at Srinagar airport, I expected to find the place crawling with security personnel considering it is known to be a sensitive zone and have a tense environment. But much to my delight I was totally wrong. It was bustling with tourists and extremely helpful ground staff. The crisp air and golden sunshine outside was exhilarating. Wide roads, open grounds with towering trees meet my eye as I drive along the Dal Lake en route to the hotel. Rows of houseboats anchored on the lake beckon visitors as also the beautifully decorated shikaras (boats) with their brilliant coloured seats. The distant mountains surrounding the valley are perfectly...

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Charm of Agra

Just when the sun god decided to give north India some respite from his onslaught, I decided to visit the mecca of romance and see the Taj for myself. I guess somewhere I was hoping that maybe the late Shah Jahan’s romantic act would inspire my husband into building a small home for me but alas! Agra, located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, is about 200 km from Delhi and offers a plethora of travel options. While it takes less than an hour to reach Agra by air (from Delhi), travelling on the popular Shatabdi train is perhaps the most convenient, inexpensive and fascinating way to reach the destination. And thus my journey aboard the comfy...

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Yercaud - An Unusual holiday

Most of the tourists is that they are always looking for something to do. A holiday, to them, is like an expedition. They arm themselves with maps and brochures, survey the geography, imbibe the history, and return with a suitcase full of souvenirs and undeveloped film rolls. There are the adventure tourists who’re always climbing rocks, rafting rivers, and trekking like there’s no tomorrow. Little wonder, then, that if you recommend Yercaud to a vacationer, he’ll reply: “Oh, but there’s nothing to do, there.”Nothing to do. Isn’t that the point? If you’re looking for the biggest, the tallest, the greatest, the oldest, don’t go to Yercaud. If...

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Royal tracks of India

They say they’re going to put us on a train. They’re going to give us wine glasses and panoramic windows to peer through together. And controls to fix our room temperature. And lush beds to go with lush countryside. And cushions of every variety so we can mix and match them for comfort, or toss them aside and admire the mosaic on their cover. We’d better. They’re going to charge us a bomb.Today, the Orient Express, “the train against which all other luxury trains are measured” according to Vanity Fair, has reached its destinational metaphor. The Indian government’s permission to private companies to charter trains and organise extravagant tours...

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Mystic Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar is a beautiful hill station situated in the Western Ghats. It is at a altitude of 1353m above the sea level, so very cold during summer. This was the capital of Bombay Province during British rule. Mahabaleshwar is easily approachable from Mumbai, it is at a distance of 285 km from Mumbai.Mahabaleshwar has many beautiful places. These are called points, one can hire private taxis to go there. These points can be covered in one day. Some of the popular points are Arthur’s Seat, Tiger’s Spring, Wilson point, Sunset point which is also popularly known as Bombay point.Sunset point is very popular and there is lot of rush at this spot...

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Spice of Goa

A HOLIDAY is often incomplete without the thrill of shopping, so why not shop in Goa even if it is touted as a prime HOLIDAY destination, vibrant with its selling schemes. Rather than being cocooned in five-star sterility, it’s fun and comfortable to stay at one of Goa’s innumerable small homely hotels. Here one gets to speak to friendly staff, and the owner, who are so enlightening on local things, and help in arranging for safe transport to hire to visit spots of interest. After all, life’s not just about Goa’s beaches or sunbathing. One wants to experience a slice of local life.The best way to do this is visit the thronging Mapusa market (pronounced...

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Eco tourism, Thenmala

WE have stopped for a cup of tea. Or rather, our driver and attendant are having tea at a wayside tea-stall; we stopped because we saw something interesting happening near the tea-stall. Two men were pouring out a yoghurt-like liquid into pans, traysize pale yellow sheets, had been hung out to dry on a line. They were rubber tappers, and the liquid and the sheets were latex — the sap of the rubber tree. We are in the damp foothills of the Western Ghats and rubber plantations spread like dark forests all around.We are back at our table beside the picture window. Trucks and cars swoosh past us occasionally, otherwise we are cocooned in the subliminal...

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Enchanting Ghats of Haridwar

Probably right behind Varanasi in “holiness”, many polgrims come to haridwar to witness “the footstep of Vishnu”, chain links line the ghats because the currents in this part of the river are so strong, it is easy to be swept away.The town itself is a holy place and is crammed with pilgrims who come to bathe in the ganges and float lit candles down the river as a means of offering. Intrestingly, although Haridwar is hot in summer, but the ganges water is always icy cold.The river is fed by melting glaciers and snow peaks. That doesnt stop multitudes from turning up on any given day to bathe in the waters. Truly Haridwar is a city that signifies...

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A Cool Chug

The Holiday can begin even before you reach your destination. Just take a train that offers basic facilities and pretty views … Enjoy!KALKA TO SHIMLA (by Shivalik Deluxe Express)If you have the luxary of time and are looking to relax and take in some natural beauty, step into this train. It chugs its way up to Shimla in 4 hours 45 minutes. Views of Himachal’s green peaks and valleys are complemented by the opulence of its interiors.It boasts of wall-to-wall carpets, wide glass windows, reversible cushioned chairs, a music system and microphones for communication with the guard.Starts from Kalka at 5:30 am daily.Fare: Rs 350 (Approx) one way.MUMBAI...

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