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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6 Secrets of Kerala – Things to do and best places to visit in Kerala
Unearth the less known parts and experiences of Kerala. It involves the peaceful stretch of backwaters, the once in 12 years flower bloom of neelakurinji and the homemade chocolates!
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Fanaspada, Kharghar Waterfall – Two wildlings chasing wilderness in a city
In the monsoon of 2017, Kharghar, a locality near Mumbai in India pleased us in many ways. The Kharghar waterfall area has a role to play in it. Our first attempt of getting close to the most popular waterfall in Kharghar failed. So the second time, we attempted getting close to the second most popular waterfall in Kharghar. Husband had been here once before in 2016, so he was very confident it would be a success this time. I know there are people who live in Kharghar yet they have no idea about the existence of this seasonal cascade. Pandavkada, the most popular one is famous owing to its location.…
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Kharghar Hills in Monsoon – Tale of two Bengalis with tummy full of Biryani on a hilltop in the lashing rain
Kharghar is a part of Navi Mumbai, India. Those in Mumbai may frown a bit when I drop the ‘Navi’ and call Kharghar just a part of Mumbai, but for everyone else, it doesn’t matter much. The Kharghar hills wear a coat of green in monsoon. A local train on harbour line from CST (ChattrapatiShivaji Terminus) station of Mumbai takes around one hour and fifteen minutes to reach Kharghar. Technically, it is a valley surrounded by hills; hills with cute heights, not the high ones. The golf course and the Central Park opposite to each other are the lungs of this suburb. The south to north running hills along the…
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Chowmahalla Palace – A date with palatial Hyderabad
Our self designed walking tour in Hyderabad brought us to the Chowmahalla Palace. In the erstwhile era, Hyderabad was ruled by the nizams. Chowmahalla Palace served as the seat of the nizam rule. ‘Chow’ means four and ‘mahal’ means palace; no wonder there are four palaces in the compound of Chowmahalla Palace. Its architecture was inspired by the palace of the Shah of Iran. There is a very interesting story behind the rise, fall and ‘fight back’ history of the palace. I wonder how a movie has still not been made on it. Like many of the royal families in India, the Asaf Jahi dynasty’s surviving heir, or the owner…
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Bari Village, Maharashtra: Experiencing the three ‘H’- Hut, Hospitality and Homestay
In 2016 the husband went on his life’s first trek. It was Kalsubai, the highest point in Maharashtra, India. When he showed me the humble photos clicked on his cellphone, the first thing I remember asking him was the name of the base village. “Bari village,” he replied. He went on a ‘pre-arranged group trek’ with a gang of around 40 trekkers. The downside of going on group tours is that you miss out on the one-to-one conversations with locals. Locals rarely approach a large group of travellers for casual chat without any self interest. Things are different when you are vulnerable. So on August 2017, me and the husband…
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Olfactory and Visual Feasts on the Streets of Hyderabad: Laad Bazar and Pathhargatti
I recalled a faint memory of a man trying out different perfumes in a market of one of the Indian towns. The man was on TV. I don’t remember the channel, may be Discovery or National Geographic. The city was Hyderabad, the place was Laad bazar. Years later, when I got a chance to visit Hyderabad, I made sure I didn’t miss discovering the unique aromas of the city. Travelling in the old city of Hyderabad is not an easy task for a person foreign to the mechanics of the city. Firstly, the streets and alleys are no short of a maze. Secondly, transport is snail slow. Trains are not…
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When Maharashtra Blooms: Kas Pathar Satara, Deccan India’s Valley of Flowers
“Hey, so what are you planning as your next destination?” asked our friend. “Did you say plan? Oh I am a great planner. But, the universe seems to dislike the planned version of me,” I replied. In 2013 I was trying to plan a hiking trip to the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand. Two months prior to its execution, India saw one of its worst natural calamities. Multiday cloudbursts in Uttarakhand killed thousands of people, animals, and destroyed roads and trails. In 2016, from the Facebook group Globetrotting Girls India, I got to know about Kas Pathar, another valley, or more accurately, plateau, of flowers near Satara city of Maharashtra.…
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Food in Hyderabad, The Old City: A Foodie’s Delight
For a culinary enthusiast, Hyderabad is a treasure trove. Food in Hyderabad is not just for your tongue but for your all five senses. Influenced by the Mughals, Persians and the Telugu culture, Hyderabad evolved with a unique taste of its own. The best part about Hyderabadi food is that it satisfies the stomach without burning the pocket. Here is a quick list of seven ‘must-have’ food when in Hyderabad! Biryani – Of course no-one can imagine leaving Hyderabad without trying the famous Hyderabadi Biryani. The recipe of the yellow tinged long grained rice was passed on to India by the Mughals who ruled over the Indian subcontinent hundreds of…
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24 hours in Hyderabad : A one day itinerary for Hyderabad city tour
Hyderabad, the capital city of the newly formed state of Telengana in India is aptly known as the ‘City of Nawabs’. 24 hours is a mere nothing to explore the luxurious footprints that the Nawabs have left. But, as the world is getting more and more developed, the schedules are becoming busier. In the rat race of climbing up that professional ladder, often people are just left with 24-hours ‘free’. If you find yourself in Hyderabad with ‘free’ 24 hours and an urge to know the city better, then read up the following list for a one day Hyderabad city tour! Please note Hyderabad has been subjected to terrorism many…
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Kalavantin Durg Trek : The Unplanned Day Trek in The Sahayadris
We never venture out without doing proper research. Our love for research is so great that we may equate the happiness we get out of it with the happiness while doing the actual travel. But, our experience on the Kalavantin Durg trek was different. It was spontaneous, and we had very little idea of what to expect! Where is Kalavantin Durg? Panvel is a suburb of Mumbai, India. It is well connected with Mumbai through local trains. The trail to Kalavantin Durg starts from a village named Thakurwadi. Thakurwadi is about 45 minutes away from Panvel. Auto-rickshaws from Panvel railway station charge near about INR 300 for a one way…
