India
India, is one big country and for a foreigner it is very hard to navigate through the diverse cultures, languages, food and terrains. The diversity which India represents is unique and found nowhere else in the world. Places to visit in India are present throughout the country. From the high Himalayas to the long peninsular coastline. India is a country which has both a hot desert and a cold desert. It has forests, mangroves, vibrant cities and colourful villages. English is widely spoken and understood in the country. Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi and Kolkata are some of its interesting cities. Food in India is spicy.
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Sampling Japanese-Peruvian Cuisine in Juhu, Mumbai
With the pandemic, much has changed, including my hope of visiting the Latin American continent any time soon. So, when I come across Crisol, an affordable restaurant in Mumbai that is serving Peruvian cuisine, I am elated. On surfing through its menu, I discover Crisol serves Japanese-Peruvian. Later, I see a few more restaurants in Mumbai serving Japenese-Peruvian. “Why can’t they just serve Peruvian?” I think to myself. I realize there is a story here. I also notice one ingredient that is common throughout the menu, “leche de tigre.” Equipped with elementary knowledge of Spanish, I know that it means ‘tiger’s milk’. Now of course that can’t be literal! The…
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Royal Opera House of Mumbai: A visit to remember
With greedy eyes I have often seen the Royal Opera House of Mumbai from outside and wondered how it would be like from the inside. On one summer evening, I decide to go inside. I reach the Opera House to watch the famous play ‘A Streetcar named Desire’ written by Tennessee Williams. I have booked my tickets from Book My Show and reserved a seat in the Dress Circle. The history behind the Royal Opera House The idea of constructing the Opera House was headed by Maurice Bandmann, an American who was popular in the art scene of British Calcutta and Jehangir Framji Karaka, a Parsi businessman. The Opera House,…
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Andaman Islands: 7 days itinerary
Turquoise blue waters, pristine white beaches and amazing scuba and snorkelling spots – these are the images that spring to mind when you think of the Andaman Islands. Located in the east of Bay of Bengal and to the west of Andaman Sea is an archipelago of 572 islands known as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Only a few of them are inhabited. They are divided into three districts namely Nicobar, South Andaman, and Middle and North Andaman. Tourists are permitted to only visit the latter two. South Andaman is the most touristy region of the archipelago. The islands were populated with indigenous peoples. However, they are a minority these…
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Not so notorious Bhendi Bazaar
There is an exotic notoriety about Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai, once home to the famous dons of Bombay — people like Dawood Ibrahim. In this light, the Dongri-Bhendi Bazaar area has come up in conversations many times during my previous Bombay walks. And of course, Bollywood has enforced this stereotype as well. So, when I saw the Little Iran walk organized by Khaki Tours, I couldn’t wait to sign up for it! It is March, summer is just setting in. Even in the heat and chaos, about 15 of us have gathered in a chock-a-block road headed by the leader, the Khaki expert, who has curated this walk. He sets…
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Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri itinerary for 5 days
Ooty or Udagamandalam (2240 metres) is a popular hill station in Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu state of India. Around 20 kilometres south-east of Ooty is Coonoor(1850 metres). Kotagiri(1950 metres) is to the east of Ooty and to the north-east of Coonoor. Essentially, these three places form a triangle. You can visit this area completely while stationing yourself in Ooty, however, this itinerary will cover night stays at all these hill-stations. The Nilgiri district is named after the Nilgiri mountain range that exists here. Most of these places are parts of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nilgiris used to be a densely forested…
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Matharpacady village in Mumbai: A grade III heritage precinct
In the heart of Mumbai, there is silence. Old houses with large porches border the bylanes. Wooden columns grace their balconies. Some of these houses still flaunt slate roofs. Potted plants are perched in every niche and corner, adding greenery. In the sleepy neighbourhood of Matharpacady, life is not just lived but relished. Matharpacady’s space in the history of Bombay Mumbai used to be an archipelago of seven marshy islands—Colaba, Little Colaba, Bombay, Worli, Mahim, Parel and Mazgaon. The cluster of islands were ruled by various indigenous kings before being transferred to the Portuguese. The interest of the Portuguese in India was spices and religion. They wanted to spread Christianity…
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A daytrip from Kolkata: Exploring Belpahari
“Dulung river is just by the temple, take that path,” says our driver as we trudge along a dirt road lined by old growth trees on both sides. We are on an impromptu daytrip to Belpahari, an area in the Jhargram district of West Bengal in India. The region is endowed with acres of forests, gentle hills, lakes, and waterfalls. Belpahari was the nerve-centre of Maoist guerrilla fighters for a long time. Lately peace has been restored. Ecologically, Belpahari is a part of Chotanagpur Plateau region. It is sparsely populated and agriculture is the mainstay here. Inhabitants here often face water crises. At one point, the people here, who are…
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Walk in the Dockyard area of Mazgaon, Mumbai
On the harbour railway line in Mumbai, Dockyard Road is a station that serves the neighbourhood of Mazgaon. We have crossed this station numerous times without giving it a second thought. On this day, we alight here and it is the first time we actively see and think about Mazgaon. Once we get out of the station, we realise the railway station is perched on a hill! We walk to Our Lady of the Rosary Church. We are here for the Discover Dockyard walk offered by Khaki Tours. The history of Mumbai Originally Mumbai was an archipelago of 7 marshy islands—Colaba, Little Colaba, Bombay, Worli, Mahim, Parel and Mazgaon. It…
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A Shorewalk at the coast of Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai
On a Friday morning we reach the gates of Haji Ali Dargah, a mosque located on an islet off the neighbourhood of Worli. The mosque is connected with the coast by a causeway. The path is accessible only during low tide. The rocky coast around the mosque is home to marine flora and fauna. The coast shines in all its glory during low tides when the water recedes. It is low tide now and we are here to discover the treasures hidden inside the niches and crevices of the boulders. Tides and Intertidal zones The experts from Marine Life of Mumbai have arranged this guided shorewalk free of cost. Before…
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An Indonesian food festival in Mumbai
The embassy of Indonesia in Mumbai is in Altamount Road in the Cumballa Hill area. The embassy arranges an Indonesian bazaar once in every 3-4 months for a day from 10.30 AM to around 5PM. In the yard of the embassy Indonesian craft items and food are sold from temporary stalls. Extremely interested in the food, we show up at one such bazaar in the month of March. The foodie vibe at the embassy of Indonesia in Mumbai The market can be attended by everyone but we are shocked that there is no frisking or even ID card checking at the entrance gates. We reach at 2 PM and by…
