India Travelogue by Voyages World

Kumbhalgarh - More than a Gigantic Fort

noreply@blogger.com (Voyages World) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:11:00 +0000

The massive yet beautiful fort of Kumbhalgarh

This weekend was amazing; India won the Cricket World Cup, which I also enjoyed along with a visit to an interesting place Kumbhalgarh, located in the heart of Aravali mountain range in Rajasthan. The place is world famous for its gigantic fort of ‘Kumbhalgarh’ from which the place got its name. However I visited the place to explore more of its surroundings, which offers interesting hiking/walking experience in the wild along with beautiful insight of tribal lifestyle of Rajasthan.

I started early from Jaipur to reach Kumbhalgarh in time, as my first walking experience was scheduled for the day. The drive was comfortable on a well paved road and turned further more interesting once we left the highway, roughly 30 kilometers before Kumbhalgarh as we passed through small villages, green fields and periphery of wildlife sanctuary.

Beautiful jungle landscape

The journey started from the ruins of an ancient temple from where I started walking towards another temple located in a narrow gorge between two hills, walking on a well paved path. I continued walking on gentle pace, enjoying semiarid forests, low-lying ridges, water channels and witnessing the tribal lifestyles of Rajasthan. By lunch time I reached Ranakpur and after enjoying my meal, I visited the world-famous intricately carved white marble Jain temple of Ranakpur with 1444 pillars— no two are alike. (14 kilometers, 6-7 hours hiking).

Leopard Paw spotted during walk

Second day was also full of adventure as we start trekking through Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, a dense forest in the most rugged region of the Aravali Hills. The 380-square-mile park is home to Panthers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Wild Boars, Barking Deers, Antelopes and hundreds of beautiful bird species like the Golden Oriole, Grey Horn Bills, White Breasted kingfishers, Long Tailed brown Magpie and Plum Headed Parakeet.

I was only able to spot pug marks of Panthers, Leopards and Sloth Bear but was not lucky to see any of them L, however different variety of birds and beautiful forest made my day. We also saw carcass of Sambhar on the way, which was presumably killed by a panther as told by my traveling companion (a local villager who accompanied me for this leg of trek).

Later we reached forest rest house situated by the lake, where we took a small break & saw different kind of birds along with a massive reptile at the shore of lake. The walk continued upto the ancient Jain temple of Muchala Mahavir, passing through villages of Grasiya Tribes and homes. (16 kilometers 7 hours hiking), which was the last point of this walking tour.

It's an amazing hiking experience and can be clubbed with your Rajasthan trip. For more details do contact us on info@voyagesworld.com or visit www.voyagesworld.com .

Holi-The Festival of Colors!!

noreply@blogger.com (Voyages World) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:13:00 +0000

Holi the festival of colors became more colorful and full of beautiful memories as I got a chance to witness two interesting celebrations of this festival i.e. The Elephant Festival at Jaipur on the eve of Holi and witnessing Lathmar Holi of Barsana in Uttar Pradesh.

(Picture Title: Royal Guards leading the Grande Elephant Parade, during Elephant Festival)

The Elephant festival is organized in Jaipur every year on the eve of Holi and is equally famous among the westerners as well as locals. The festival begins with grand parade by caparisoned elephants followed by decorated horses, camels and folk artists. A highly enjoyable experience! Once the parade is over the festival turns into a riot of colors, as everybody gathers in the center of the ground around the decorated elephants while folk artists dance on traditional songs. The real fun starts when the mahouts sitting on elephants start splashing colors and flowers on everybody and making the atmosphere colorful. Different competitions are also organized during the festival between locals and westners; however the tug- of-war is the best.

Few days prior to the Elephant Festival in Jaipur I also happened to be part of one more colorful event i.e. Lathmar Holi of Barsana, a small town in Uttar Pradesh. Here right from the morning till the evening the day remains full of events. It is difficult to make out who is a local or who is from outside the town as everybody is seen in the festive mood. Right from the morning till the evening, one can see many different small-small groups dancing, singing and putting colors on each other. These groups (locally known as tolis) move from one lane to another lane, dance on traditional tunes and finally this day long colorful event culminates with the ages old and even more colorful tradition where the ladies of the Barsana village dress up beautifully come out in the chowks (open area just outside the houses) to play Lath-mar holi with the men of Nandgaon.

‘Holi’ is the most popular festival of the common man in Indian sub-continent. The festival permeates through all sections & class of society including the remote tribal pockets as well as elite Bollywood celebrities. This is a festival of playing with colors and symbolizes brotherhood cutting across differences. The festival signifies several things together like a good crop, happy matrimonial alliances, strange rare customs and mythological episodes.

This was amazing experience with colors which is worth a visit and hard to be narrated. If more details required do contact us on info@voyagesworld.com or visit www.voyagesworld.com .

Images from Elephant festival

Images from Barsana, Lathmar Holi

Amritsar

noreply@blogger.com (Voyages World) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:24:00 +0000

The train chugs in slowly into the Amritsar railway station, which was slightly calm as we arrived at midnight. Everybody seems to be ready to help you and auto people ready to accommodate to your hotels or guest house. We also took an auto and reached our hotel for overnight stay.

Morning we skipped our breakfast at hotel and visited a small street side dhabha famously known as

‘Chungi Ki Kulche’ and it could not be better than this; delicious Kulcha’s stuffed with potatoes (Paranthas) with hot Chole (Chickpea curry) and green chilies.

After enjoying our breakfast, we visited Jallianwala Bagh, which is converted into a memorial to commemorate the peaceful freedom protesters who were murdered on April 13, 1919 by General Dyer of British Raj. The place fills you with patriotism for your country and also provides you the details of inhuman behavior of Raj.

Later we walked to Golden Temple, which is the holiest & the most important shrine for Sikhs; who visit it in huge hordes on daily basis. The place provides solace to one’s mind and body, from the first step you take inside after washing your feet. The temple is gold plated and located on an artificial island lake, which is highlighted by hundreds of lights along with the faith of millions of followers from different religions including Sikhs.

The Swarna Mandir also runs community kitchen ‘langar’, where we had our dinner late in the day with other devotees, who were there everywhere; enjoying the meal, serving, cleaning, preparing and maintaining the unbelievable event. It was massive but still was very clean, hygienic and delicious also.

We also visited Wagah Border on second day evening, which is located at a distance of 30 kilometers from Amritsar on INDO-PAK border and witness the theatrical ceremony that takes place every evening at sunset, when India and Pakistan bring down their national flags. Locals and tourists visit this place in huge number and cheer their soldiers with open heart and lungs.

We explored the markets and old city of Amritsar which is dotted with many beautiful gurudwaras, old houses and havelis along with shops selling different in its narrow lanes.

We also tried our appetite at few of famous places but liked more of new ones like; Puri Chole of Khanaiya, Lassi of Ahuja and Gopi (with peda) in Old market along with Gulabjamun of Sharma Di Hatti and laddu & Pini of Bansal.

The Harmandir Sahib Temple, famously know as Golden Temple

Decorated palanquin at morning Trumpets played during first

procession at Golden temple prayers at Golden Temple early morning

Dal is being prepared at Langar Kids playing and trying their

'Community kitchen' hands with wheat flour at Langar

at Golden Temple ‘Community Kitchen’ at

Golden Temple

Jallianwala Bagh, The Memorial

Retreat ceremony at Wagha Border located on Indo-Pak Border