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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Sonajhuri — Part 3: When I Had The Entire Place To Myself
The crowd which had gathered for the ‘Shanibarer Haat’ had completely vanished the next day, i.e, a Sunday. My last night in Sonajhuri was already a history and currently I was spending the ‘last day’. I always tend to suffer from incredible bouts of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). The previous night before falling asleep I had promised to myself that next day I would wake up early in the morning at 6AM and go for a long walk to the nearby village and meet the villagers. The medicines I took to cure my painful shingles definitely worked against my plan. At 8 AM I found myself sleepily shouting at…
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Sonajhuri — Part 2 : The Musical ‘Bauls’ And The Weekly Fair
The train reached Bolpur station in West Bengal, India just in time for breakfast. Our Sonajhuri trip officially started. The weather was comfortably cold. The entire gang pounced on the first tea seller we came across. As for me — nothing wrong with tea — just that I feel irritated holding anything hot in my hand. Tea is generally served in minuscule cups in the roadside shacks of India. I am constantly weary the liquid may just spill over and burn my hands. Well then again, I am also one of those who feel scared of putting a switch on or off. In my mind I have gotten electrocuted a…
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Sonajhuri — Part 1: The Shingles, The Plan and The Mad Drive To The Station
Generally people cringe and cry when they suffer from a painful disease, particularly diseases which may leave a scar. My case was different. Before consulting the doctor I had googled my symptoms and the Almighty Internet had made me believe I would die within a month. So, when I was diagnosed with the Herpes Zoster (Shingles) – a curable disease, it didn’t bother me much. I was extremely happy to know it wasn’t life threatening and I would be alive. Suddenly I was a minor ‘celebrity’ and each single member of my extended family either visited me multiple times or called on the phone to know my health condition. Though…
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Kausani Sightseeing — Exploring Kumaon
The bus had been honking for quite some time now. I am in the northern fringes of India and the big plan of this day was to travel from Chaukori to Kausani and then indulge in Kausani sightseeing. I hopped aboard and the vehicle started rolling down the hills. It crossed the farms, villages, huts, shacks and finally stopped in the town of Bageshwar for a break. Bagnath Temple The locals gave me the direction to the temple. The alley leading up to it was congested with shops selling various products like handicrafts, utensils, clay pots, stationery, sweets and snacks. But the more dominant items were flowers, incense, conch shells…
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Nainital Sightseeing on foot — The Lives and Lifestyle
It was supposed to be a day dedicated to Nainital sightseeing on foot. From the roof I watched the sparkling green water of the Himalayan lake of Nainital in India. The next sight where I settled my eyes on was the exquisite minarets of the Jama Masjid. It is impossible not to praise the beauty of this mosque. The hotel I stayed in was perched atop a steep incline emerging out of an alley near the Nainital Stadium. Due to the steepness of the hotel’s location, watching the town from its roof was like observing from a watchtower. The Sun was shining bright when I climbed down the steep alley…
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Almora Places to Visit on Foot — A Walk Down It’s Lanes
In the Kumaon circuit of India, Almora is more or less overshadowed by the presence of its ‘big brother’ destinations. The travelers are more engaged composing poetry in Munsiyari or sailing the yachts in Nainital. This is my second visit in the Kumaon belt and in my first one I too had developed such a ‘nothing special’ concept of Almora. It changed this time. I rediscovered Almora. A walk down its lanes revealed Almora : places to visit and things to eat. The tedious train journey from Kolkata to Lalkuan followed by the short bus ride to Nainital for overnight stay before setting off the next day to reach Almora had…
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Munsiyari Uttarakhand — My Love Affair With The Himalayas
My travelogue on Munsiyari, Uttarakhand
