Life Needs A Holiday....

TraveLibro - A Traveller's Delight!

2016-07-10T00:54:00.001+05:30

To Move, To Breathe, To Fly, To Float,

To Gain all while you Give,

To Roam the roads of land remote,

To Travel is To Live!

(Quote By Hans Christian Anderson)

How much ever we enjoy our travels, it's a known fact that a lot of efforts go into planning a trip. Researching about a place, building itinerary, hotel bookings and so much more. I am someone who thoroughly enjoys every aspect of trip planning. But I have a lot of friends who feel all this is a pain.

So for all the people who love planning trips and the one’s who don’t, TraveLibro is here to amaze you. TraveLibro is a recently launched Portal & App that deals with all aspects of Holiday Planning. It lets you Explore, Plan, Book, Share & Document your trips at one place. I have been using the portal for quite some time now and I must say it’s truly a traveler's delight.

Here is my Profile Link- http://travelibro.com/neha-sharma-10729/travel-feed?f=1#

Sharing Top 5 reasons why I can’t get over TraveLibro –

1. User Interface

Love the color scheme of the portal. It's vibrant and soothing. The website has simple navigation and an easy interface. It's segregated into 4 major categories namely Explore, Plan, Book, Agent , Capture & Cherish!

2. Logo

The cutest thing is their Logo. It's a suitcase with an open trolley handle. I am guessing it's an indication that you are ready to commence on a journey. Pretty thoughtful! Ain't it?

3. Document Itinerary

Each time I decide to document my itineraries, I digress to travelogues. TraveLibro lets me document my itineraries with ease by providing fixed formats. It includes important information like the Cities travelled, Budget, Duration of trip. There is also a section to add the 'Must Do's' in a city.
Furthermore, you can categorize your trip as Adventure, Backpacking, Budget, Religious, Luxury etc.

Documenting Itineraries is like maintaining a travel scrapbook.

4. On The Go Journeys

This feature which is exclusively available on the App lets you create a Travel timeline of your journey. One can update their status, upload pictures, share check ins and much more.
There is also a feature to capture and share your journeys along with other friends who are on TraveLibro through a shared timeline.

5. Travel Agents & Bookings:

TraveLibro also has a section where you can search and book Flights, Homestays, Hotels, Care Hire and Parking.

When you travel abroad a lot of times a local travel agent can be a better option. They know the country well and can coordinate much better on ground. But searching a genuine agent online can be difficult.
TraveLibro can be your savior at such times. It connects you with numerous trusted travel agents across the globe who help you plan your holidays.

So doesn't TraveLibro look like a promising travel social network? It's an amazing digital scrap book where you can document your travels.

Don't waste any more time, quickly download the app and follow me to know all about my previous, present and upcoming trips.

TraveLibro App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ascra.app.travellibro&hl=en
TraveLibro Portal: http://travelibro.com/

Bhutan Beyond Mountains And Monasteries

2016-05-27T12:45:00.003+05:30

When I informed my dear ones that I was going on a trip to Bhutan, many of them questioned my decision; some reasoned Bhutan was not an interesting place to travel , some asserted there were only monasteries to see there, some suggested I should go to Ladakh instead. While a few baffled at my choice, just asked ‘Why?’

My only reply to all of them was – ‘You will know when I get back!’

I am back and my answer lies in this post. Bhutan is definitely a lot more than its Mountains and Monasteries. Sharing a list of things to look forward to when you are in Bhutan:

Treks and Trails

From a day to month long, Bhutan has all kinds of treks for adventure lovers.

The most clichéd but certainly not overrated, is the Taktsang Monastery Trek. It is popularly known as the Tiger's Nest. It is literally perched on a cliff and is one of the most important Buddhist sites. It is believed that Yeshe Tsogval who was a follower of Guru Rinpoche, transformed herself into a tigress and carried Guru Rinpoche on her back from Tibet to Taktsang. Here is one of the nine caves where he meditated.

Tiger's Nest

Another popular trek of Bhutan is the Druk Path trek, which is about 6 days long. This trek not only greets you with beautiful landscapes but also introduces you to some ancient Lhakhangs and Dzongs.

For people who find trekking arduous, you could soak in nature while walking on the breathtaking trails of Bhutan.

At an elevation of 3000 meters, Phobjika Glacial Valley is surrounded by huge mountains on all sides. This is a short (4 kms) but beautiful trail. During winters, black necked cranes migrate to Phobjika from Tibet, and the monastery in Gangtey holds a special festival to celebrate their arrival.

Phobjika Valley

Camping

Bhutan is blessed with natural beauty. Owing to its forest reserves, which are about 70%, it becomes a wonderful place to camp.

We camped under the star lit sky, by the river stream, in the forests of Gasa. There was no network connectivity in the forest which was the best thing about the camp. This disconnect from the virtual world helped me establish a wonderful connect with myself.

Camping @Gasa

Food

Bhutan will surprise you by the sumptuous food it offers. Rice is their staple food and is part of all their meals. The most surprising thing about Bhutanese Cuisine was they don’t use Chilies as spices but as vegetables. Their signature dish with chilies is called Ema Datshi.

Architecture

Most people get busy absorbing Bhutan’s natural beauty and forget to notice the distinctive architecture of Bhutan. Dzongs(fortresses), Lhakangs (temples), Goenpas (monasteries), Chortens (stupas), Suspension Bridges are all diverse architectural beauties of Bhutan.

Punakha Dzong

Whether a Dzong or a house it has the same architectural form, same building materials and similar aesthetic compositions. Most Bhutanese buildings are square shaped built with rammed earth or stone between timber frames.

Memorial Chorten, Thimpu

Generally, a Bhutanese house is multi storied. The ground floor is used for cattle. First floor is used for storing grains. Second floor is used as a living space. Roofs are raised with open space to allow wind to go through. A noticeable and interesting thing in Bhutanese houses is the phallus painted on the outer walls. This is done in order to chase away demons and bring fertility and prosperity to their homes.

Dochula Pass

Tshechu

Tshechu is the biggest festival of Bhutan, which is held on the tenth day of the lunar month in dzongs of each district. Participating in this festival is the best way to experience the culture of Bhutan. The Bhutanese men and women attend this festival dressed in their traditional attire. In this festival, mask dances and other traditional Bhutanese dances are performed. These events have deep religious and mythological significance.

Mask Dances in Tshechu

The Bhutanese believe that everyone must attend a Tshechu and witness the mask dances at least once in order to receive blessings and wash away their sins.

Clown

Mask Dances in Tshechu

Hot Stone Bath

You will miss out on something really awesome if you go to Bhutan and not try Datsho, the traditional Hot Stone Bath. I rate it as one of the finest experiences of Bhutan.

In this therapy river stones are heated and put in a wooden tub filled with water. Sometimes medicinal herbs are added to the water before it is ready for the soak.

It is believed that the heat of the water, the minerals released from the rock, and the local herbs all combine to produce medicinal benefits for joint pains, hypertension, stomach disorders and arthritis.

Shopping

Bhutan is a delight for shoppers, with amazing artifacts and handicrafts to shop for. As souvenirs one could buy fridge magnets, postcards, prayer wheels, carved masks and prayer flags.

It’s very rare that you visit Bhutan and not return with a Thangka Painting. These paintings that originated in Nepal, are found everywhere in Bhutan today.

If you love crockery then you should purchase the handmade wooden bowls called Dappas. Although they are sold throughout the country, they are a specialty of Trashi Yangtse region in Bhutan. These bowls fit collectively and are used to store food inside them.

Another essential product to be shopped in Bhutan is the Lemongrass Oil / Spray which is the only organic product that Bhutan exports.

Souvenirs

Happiness

While all other countries of the world measure their progress by GDP, Bhutan measures its progress by Gross National Happiness.

I had my doubts when I read Bhutan is the happiest country in Asia. But it took me just a 10 days trip to realize that Bhutan is truly a country of happy, shiny people! Their clothes, their houses, their bank accounts don’t define their happiness. They don’t need reasons to be happy. Happiness comes naturally to them. It was on this trip that I truly understood that ‘Happiness is a state of mind’.

Gawa rang gi zon go zo; choem rang gi choen go choel

This popular Bhutanese proverb means, Whatever joy you seek, it can be achieved by yourself; whatever misery you seek, it can be found by yourself. (It is a state of mind)

Take a trip to Bhutan and who knows , the happiness of this country might pass onto your life.

PS: The above list is compiled taking references from my recent trip to Bhutan with Ease India Travel and Dragon Villa Tours. You can get information on their next trip to Bhutan by visiting their website http://www.easeindiatravel.com/

A Vegetarian In Bhutan

2016-04-23T14:52:00.001+05:30

Vegetarians have reservations when it comes to travelling abroad. But being a Vegetarian shouldn’t stop you from living your travel dreams. No doubt it gets a bit difficult in some countries but it’s never impossible to find food that has no meat, no fish and no egg.

Bhutan was a pleasant surprise for me, this country’s local food has a plethora of vegetarian options. While it isn’t difficult to find an Indian restaurant in Bhutan, I’d suggest one should rather try their local cuisine.

Presenting you, the TEN Food Items every Vegetarian must relish when in Bhutan:

1. Po Cha or Suja

Suja is butter tea, which is prepared by boiling tea leaves in water and yak or cow butter is then churned into the black tea.

Butter makes the consistency thick and gives it a soup like taste.

In a Bhutanese household, Suja is served with puffed rice or millets.

Suja

2. Jaju

Jaju is dried Algae(river weed) Soup. It tastes and looks like butter milk.

Jaju

3. Eue Chum or Red Rice

Red Rice is a variant of brown rice but has a nutty taste. It’s a semi-milled rice. Hence, it takes lesser time to cook than the unmilled brown rice. After cooking process, it becomes soft and a little sticky. This rice is savored with curries like Ema Datshi.

Red Rice

4. Ema Datshi

Ema Datshi is the signature dish of Bhutan.There is a popular saying that if you have been to Bhutan and not tasted Ema Datshi then you have not experienced Bhutan at all.

In Dzongkha (local language of Bhutan), ‘Ema’ means Chilli and ‘Datshi’ means Cheese. As the name suggests, it is a dish prepared with Chilli and Cheese. This makes it quite hot and spicy.

Surprisingly, in Bhutan, Chilies are not just used as a seasoning but as vegetables.

Red Rice, Ema Datshi, Kewa Datshi and Suja

5. Kewa Datshi

In Dzongkha (the local language of Bhutan), ‘Kewa’ means Potato and ‘Datshi’ means Cheese. Kewa Datshi is a preparation made with potato, cheese and chilli.
However, unlike Ema Datshi, Kewa Datshi is less spicy.

6. Ezze

Ezze is a hot sauce made up of roasted and minced red chilies, onion and tomatoes.

Ezze

7. Fried Turnip Leaves

Turnip is a root vegetable quite commonly used in Bhutanese cooking. This crispy fried version of turnip leaves is one of my favorite Bhutanese dish.

Fried Turnip Leaves

8. Butter cheese curry

This is basically a curry prepared out of cheese, which is eaten with sticky rice.

Butter Cheese Curry

9. Khuli

Khuli is the local name for Buckwheat Pancakes. Buckwheat is grown in those parts of Bhutan where rice can’t be grown.

Khuli

10. Doma

This list would have been incomplete without the mention of Doma. It is not really a dish but a food item specific to Bhutan.

Doma is similar to the Paan we have in India, except that your mouth stinks after having it.

Doma is an areca nut (commonly referred to as betel nut) wrapped in a betel leaf having a dash of lime. It instantly produces a lot of warmth in the body.

Most Bhutanese people have stained teeth, which is a result of continuous chewing of Doma.

Who says Vegetarian food isn’t interesting? I am sure you started to drool after reading this post. :P

PS: The above list is compiled taking references from my recent trip to Bhutan with Ease India Travel and Dragon Villa Tours. You can get information on their next trip to Bhutan by visiting their website - http://www.easeindiatravel.com/

Postcards From Gudi Padwa Shobha Yatra 2016

2016-04-14T11:34:00.000+05:30

Gudi Padwa is a Maharashtrian Festival that marks the beginning of Hindu New Year. It is believed that on this very day Lord Brahma created the Universe. Therefore for Hindus, this day carries special importance.

Gudi Padwa is celebrated as Ugadi by the people of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

As part of the festive celebrations in Maharashtra, grand processions called Shobha Yatras are held.

I witnessed one such magnificent procession in a western suburb of Mumbai. Sharing a few postcards from the procession.

The Praying Monk

2015-05-11T08:34:00.002+05:30

Pray. Coz you're never too lost to be saved.

Tata Nano GenX Drive - A Drive To Remember

2015-05-08T23:02:00.001+05:30

A week back Indiblogger announced this amazing event sponsored by Tata Motors where 24 bloggers from Mumbai and Pune would be selected to take the GenX Nano easy shift AMT around Pune city to complete challenges. Needless to say I was darn excited. Firstly because it was a drive and secondly because this drive was in Pune. I have spent some beautiful years of my life in Pune. Undoubtedly this city holds a special place in my heart.

Without further ado I registered and keeping my fingers crossed awaited their reply. A day later I got a call that I was selected. There was nothing communicated about the event except that it would be a lot of fun! It surely was..

Although I was enthusiastic about this drive it took me a helluva self motivation to turn up for this event that required me to sacrifice my precious Sunday sleep. The drive en route Pune was a nostalgic one; it brought back memories of college times.

Tata Nano's lined up for flag off

Mumbai Bloggers

When we reached Pune it was 10.15 am. Our stop was this huge property of Tata Motors called 'Tata Lake House'. After a hearty breakfast we had Mr Sachin Singh giving us a walk through of the all new yet to be launched Tata GenX Nano. Following which we were given a brief description about the drive and were divided into 8 teams. Each team was given a Nano and challenges were thrown at us by people from all over the world. The aim was to complete maximum number of such challenges.

Tata Lake House

I , Divsi, Srinidhi and Magali were clubbed in one team named 'F'. Srinidhi and I took turns driving the Nano. We were given a trial round where a Nano expert explained us the operations of this AMT(Automated Manual Transmission) car. As soon as all teams got familiarized with GenX Nano the drive was flagged off!

Team F ( From Left to Right->Srini, Divsi, Me and Magali)

Ten minutes of driving and I had fallen in love with this cute thing! It was very easy to drive and maneuver. I didn't have to bother about changing the gears every now and then. After so many years, I was truly enjoying the drive. To add to this enjoyment, there were interesting challenges thrown at us. One such challenge was to break into a flash mob in middle of a road. Another hilarious one was to record a video where all team members chanted Jai Mata Di. :P

Me in awe with the GenX Nano

Before I proceed further, here is my summarized feedback of Tata Nano GenX after the drive.

Pros :
1. The design is cute , vibrant. It is available in plethora of colors.
2. At a price like this getting an Automatic Gear is undoubtedly a great deal.
3. There is comparatively better leg room, head room and elbow room than the previous Nano
4. This Nano has a special mode for heavy traffic called the 'Creep Mode'. It lets the car crawl when break and accelerator both are kept released.
5. It has a provision to switch to Manual mode as well.
6. The boot space is increased.
7. The fuel tank is increased to 24 litres in Gen X Nano.

Cons:
1. The battery is placed just beneath the driver seat. Its so out of the place!
2. The start sound of car was similar to a bike's kick start. This sound was very irritating.
3. The speedometer is at the center. It becomes inconvenient and so unnatural to turn your head to left each time you need to check your speed.

Lunch was arranged at Mezza 9, Hinjewadi. After the scrumptious lunch we headed back to the Lake House where there was an interesting line up of events!

A special track was designed where each team enjoyed a couple of laps testing the claims made by product design team during the presentation. One of the claims was Nano GenX has the smallest turning radius of 4m for easy maneuverability. Indeed it has! Also the steering proved to have an active return function as declared in the presentation.

Here is the picture of the track:

Track

We were now back to the morning venue where Varun the founder of Taal Inc was waiting to treat us to his enthralling drumming performance. After which, we participated in a drum circle where we all played the djembe.

Varun performing

Oh what a lovely evening it was. Sunset by the lake, Music and Cupcakes!

The event concluded by a group selfie and numerous goodies being distributed to the bloggers. How I wish we were given a Tata Nano GenX to drive back home. ..... :P

Seems like the Tata Nano GenX has bewitched me completely! Go Test Drive it on its launch date i.e. 19th May, I am sure you will like it too!

Photo Walk: Juhu Beach

2015-04-14T22:13:00.003+05:30

I spent this Sunday evening on the overly crowded Juhu Beach, capturing beautiful moments in my lens.

Presenting some clicks from the photo walk........

A young boy watching a group of men playing Kabbadi

Portrait of a Kulfi Seller

Hawker

Bubbles

The portrait of this kid is my personal favorite. This cute boy was baffled and amused as a hawker in vicinity blew bubbles with the colorful soap water.....

The innocence and curiosity in his eyes just melted my heart!

Siblings playing in sand

A father building sand castle with his daughter. Reminded me of my childhood!

Father Daughter Love

Sky was equally fascinating.... Hundreds of colorful balloons bedecked the sky.

Finally the evening came to a beautiful end as the sun set leaving the sky crimson.....

Sunset

The beautiful world of Dream Catchers...

2015-04-13T11:51:00.001+05:30

There are beautiful concepts and beliefs that exist in different parts of the world. Travelling and technology have shrunk the world so much that many such traditions are now known to us. One such tradition which originates from the Native Americans is Dream Catcher.

It is a handmade object made using a willow hoop, on which a loose web is woven. The dream catcher is then decorated with sacred items such as feathers and beads.

These dream catchers are said to emit positive vibes. It is believed that dream catchers have the ability to catch all of a person’s dreams. The bad ones get tangled in the dream catcher and perish with the first streak of dawn. However, the good dreams gently slip through the outer holes, sliding down the soft feathers to the person sleeping below.

In olden days, they were woven by the grandparents for newborn children and hung above their beds to give infants peaceful, beautiful dreams.

Fascinated by this concept, I browsed the internet for hand wooven dream catchers in Mumbai. After a little research, I came across an amazing e-shop called 'dreamcatchers_india' on Instagram. I loved their designs and instantly placed an order for two dream catchers. A bigger one for my bedroom and a relatively smaller one for my office cubicle.

The Dream Catchers arrived within a week. Also, they were more beautiful than I expected. The colors were just perfectly complimenting each other. I could strongly feel the love and compassion with which they were weaved.

Sharing the pictures below:

Dream Catcher for my bedroom

Dream Catcher for my cubicle

Chromatic, Vibrant and Ravishing!

Didn't you fall in love with them ?

Aren't you excited to buy one for yourself or your loved ones?

I am sure you are!

To order or view more of their designs, check their Facebook page here. Their Instagram Id is dreamcatchers_india.

So Dream on guys ........ Coz everything starts with a Dream!

Postcards from Mahabalipuram: Krishna's Butter Ball

2015-04-07T17:00:00.000+05:30

Mahabalipuram, situated around 60kms from Chennai was a major seaport during the time of Pallava dynasty. Ancient traders sailed to various countries of South East Asia from this seaport.

Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its brilliant rock-cut monolithic rathas and temples built during by the Pallava's.

One such highlight is Krishna's Butterball.

It is a giant natural rock perched on a hillside. The structure is recalcitrant to the laws of physics.

This is one of my favorite clicks from Mahabalipuram. What do you have to say?

Krishna's Butter Ball

Beaches Of Kutch

2015-03-14T16:44:00.001+05:30

Mandvi Beach:

Mandvi City which was once a major port and summer capital of Kutch is well known for its beach and beautiful Vijay Vilas Palace. The grandeur of the palace left me speechless. At some distance from the palace is the Mandvi Beach which is buzzing with tourists all time of the year. It's a lively beach with numerous food stalls, hawkers and entertainers. You could enjoy a camel ride or simply take a stroll on the beach. The only drawback of the beach is its very unclean.

Vijay Vilas Palace


View from the terrace of palace

I love Camel rides and never leave a chance to enjoy one.

Camel ride @Mandvi Beach

Sunset

Nonfunctional wind mills on the beach

Pingleshwar Beach:

Hidden in a corner of Kutch lies a beautiful Shiv temple called the Pingleshwar Temple. Just a few kilometers from here is a quaint and serene beach called Pingleshwar. Relatively less popular than Mandvi Beach it has a low tourist footfall. It's not that commercialized. There aren't many hawkers or food stalls around. It's is a place where you could sit an enjoy a beautiful sunset with a loved one.

Pingleshwar is evenloped by these huge wind mills. These windmills make the drive to Pingleshwar even more enchanting.

Sky Watch............Kanpur

2015-03-14T12:16:00.001+05:30

Captured this beautiful sky of Kanpur when the sun was ready to set.........

Rishikesh- A Tryst with Nature

2015-03-07T11:57:00.001+05:30

It was 7pm when we reached Rishikesh. Our camp site - Silver Sands, was still about 23kms upstream from Lakshman Jhula. Albeit it being a Sunday getting out of Delhi had taken us almost 3 hours. The only halt we took was for Lunch at Khatauli. A damn tiring journey it had been and all I wanted was a bed to crash on.

When we finally reached our camp site it was pitch dark and the only sound I could hear was that of gushing Ganges. We followed our guides as they brisk walked on a path downhill with solar lamps in their hands. 'So they weren't joking, it's seriously a no electricity camp !', I told myself in self pity... I quickly glanced at my phone, about 30% of charging remained. I immediately switched it off.

After walking half a kilometer downhill, we reached the camp site. It was lightly lit with a few solar lamps. There were 3 big tents in the centre and about a handful of tents on the right. "Those 3 tents are the dining tents", declared our river guide.

We were asked to assemble in the Dining tent where a brief description was given about the place. Jitu one of the River guides introduced himself and his team. He stated that this camp was an Eco friendly camp and hence very different from the myriad adventure camps in Rishikesh. Although there was no electricity in the camp, there were various indoor and outdoor games for entertainment.

Post the briefing dinner was served. The food was healthy , hygienic yet tasty. Sleeping tents were on one side of the camp. The tents were pitched adjacent to the river Ganga. They were just big enough to accommodate 2 comfortable, clean beds and a side table.

White sand glittered in moon light and the sky was full of stars. Just besides the camp site, Ganga flowed softly and silently. The sight looked so serene so tranquil so placid that the romantic in me could have asked for nothing more. The beauty of the place had just began to sink in when my body started succumbing to the falling temperature and I decided to call it a day. Who said Rishikesh was pleasant in November? Gosh!I was literally Freezing.

That night as I squeezed inside my cozy blanket, I could hear the Ganga flowing softly. It felt as if she was singing lullaby and putting me off to sleep. I had always dreamt of getting away from the hustle bustle of Mumbai city; Living an unadulterated life, in the lap of mother nature. Here I was finally living my dream.

It was 6.30 am when I heard the birds chirping. I excitedly unzipped the tent's door to see how beautiful Rishikesh looked in natural light. It was more mesmerizing than I ever imagined it to be. It was a huge campsite enveloped with mountains on all sides. Apart from the 6 tents on our side there were 30 more tents on the other side. There was also an old man made foot bridge at a walkable distance from there.

Sleeping Tents

Beautiful Stone Lining on the river side

Dining Tents

The next two days we had exciting rafting sessions (23kms in total), covering all possible major rapids like Three Blind Mice, Crossfire, Return to Centre, Roller Coaster, Tee Off, Golf Course and Club House.

At the end of second rafting session we were taught to body surf i.e. float in water. I am a water phobic and I still can't imagine how I managed doing that!

Rafting Group (Image Courtesy- Archana)

In the evening we crossed the famous Lakshman Jhula and visited the Parmarth Ashram to enjoy the evening ganga aarti.

Lakshman Jhula

On the way back to camp I decided to savor my taste buds to the tangy sweet potato chaat.

Chaat Stall

Rishikesh, the holy town of India has something to offer to everyone. To me it gave a few days where I could disconnect with the world and reconnect with myself. To me it reminded that sometimes you need to pause life just to set it moving.....

~~~There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more ~~~Lord Byron

Pondy Diary - Promenade Beach

2015-03-05T11:38:00.001+05:30

There are some places where you feel like spending a lifetime. Pondicherry is that place to me!

I had taken this picture one beautiful morning while cycling on the Promenade Beach.


Promenade Beach, Pondicherry

Hindustan ka Dil dekho- Jabalpur

2014-12-29T11:35:00.002+05:30

The advertisements by Madhya Pradesh Tourism had set my expectations soaring high of Hindustan's Dil (that is what they refer to MP in their commercials). I planned a short family trip to MP in June'14. This trip started off with Bandhavgarh then Amarkantak and our last destination was Jabalpur.

Jabalpur is a small but beautiful city of Madhya Pradesh. The halt in Jabalpur was for just a day. As there were very specific places I wanted to see like Bhedaghat, Dhuandhar Waterfall and Chausat Yogini Temple. All of these are very close to each other and about 25kms from Jabalpur City. After a scrumptious South Indian meal at Indian Coffee House, we headed to our first destination Chausat Yogini Temple.

Chausat Yogini Temple, located on a hillock is one of the oldest heritage sites in India. The temple was built in the 10th Century by Kalachuri Dynasty. The temple is abode of Maa Durga and the Chausat Yoginis. Chausat means 64 and Yogini is a female attendant of Maa Durga. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. The view that the temple offers is mesmerizing! This place is filled with a lot of positivity. The peace and calmness felt there , I hadn't experienced it in a long time.

Shiv Parvati idol

Marblerocks, Bhedaghat:

River Narmada has carved beautiful formations out of the huge marble rocks in Bhedaghat which stretch for approx 3kms. To enjoy these formations you should take a boat ride. However, boating remains closed during monsoons.

Marble Rocks

As the sun began to set, the sky turned into a beautiful coral shade....

Sunset @MarbleRocks

Dhuandhar Waterfall:

At one end of Bhedaghat, where Marble Rocks end, is Dhuandhar Waterfall. It's again a beautiful spot. However, it's overly crowded and the place has become more of a picnic spot. Tourists have polluted it to a great extent by throwing leftovers, empty cans, plastic bottles into the water and around. I was extremely disappointed at the sight.

Dhuandhar Waterfall

There are a lot of hawkers in Bhedaghat selling different marble souvenirs. My personal favorite were the Name Souvenirs.

Marble Souvenirs

There are various other places of attraction in and around Jabalpur like Madan Mahal Fort, Rani Durgavati Museum and Bargi Dam. But I strongly feel before inviting the nation to explore MP, the State Govt should take charge and improve the cleanliness, condition of roads and state of MPTDC Hotels. No doubt Madhya Pradesh is oozing with natural beauty but if such carelessness of tourists and ignorance of government continues, it might soon turn into a trash bag.

Chenchpur Waterfall

2014-12-21T12:27:00.000+05:30

While planing my trip to Bandhavgarh, I was searching for places I could see, activities we could do in and around the place. It was then that I came to know, just 60kms from Bandhavgarh was a picnic spot called Chenchpur Waterfalls.

It was a pleasant morning and with our packed breakfasts we headed to the spot in an open jeep. The drive en route the spot was a refreshing one with hardly any vehicles on road. The cool breeze was lightly brushing our faces.

An hour later, the driver cut through the main road and took the kaccha raasta into the forest. Fifteen minutes and we were still zip zapping inside the forest.

Irritated I asked the driver, "Where is the waterfall? Did we get lost?"

He replied, "Madam just 5 more minutes"

And in exactly 5 minutes he stopped the jeep in front of an open space. Overlooking this space, amidst the asymmetrical pieces of rocks was a huge waterfall.

Red Beetle

First sight of the waterfall and I was awestruck! Surrounded by lush green forests on all sides, the pristine water was flowing in middle. I didn't realize how magnificent it was until I got closer. There was hardly anyone in its vicinity. It seemed like a hidden treasure.

We had just began trekking to the waterfall slowly, trying to balance ourselves over the slippery rocks when mom noticed that dad was already far ahead of us. Nature somehow brings the best out of this man. As we reached half way he had almost reached the waterfall. He now wanted to descend to its base and take a fresh water bath. The waterfall was approx 40ft high and water was gushing at its best speed. Mom was in no mood to take chances and she ordered him to get back. Like a gentleman he obeyed his wife and came back after posing for a few clicks. :)

Mom realizes dad was on his own trekk! :P

Dad and Me

After enjoying the breathtaking view of waterfall we ate our breakfast and headed back to Bandhavgarh all excited for our next safari.

A Wild Encounter: Bandhavgarh

2014-10-11T10:30:00.002+05:30

My dad is a wild life enthusiast, an ardent fan of channels like Discovery and Animal Planet. Undoubtedly, I have inherited the same likings. I have grown up watching wild life shows starring Steve Irwin and Bear Grylls.

A place which had been for long on my mind was Bandhavgarh National Park! This national park located in Madhya Pradesh is believed to have highest tiger density in India.

Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in the year 1968 having an area of 105km square. It is believed that Bandhavgarh hillock was gifted by Lord Ram to his brother Lakshman with the expectation to keep a watch on Lanka. Hence the name Bandhavgarh i.e. Brother's Fort.

It has four main zones: Tala, Magadhi, Khitauli and Panpatta. Panpatta is not open for safari's. Tala is the premium Zone and the rest two are non premium one's. The best time to visit Bandhavgarh is between Feburary to early June. The park remains closed between July to September. The nearest airport is Jabalpur and nearest railway stations are Jabalpur & Katni.

I reached Bandhavgarh on the morning of 17th June 2014. After an extensive research and a lot of contemplation I had booked my 3 Nights 4 Days stay in TigerGarh Resort. This resort overlooks the boundary of the National Park and is very close to the Tala Zone gate. For once there was a place which tremendously outdid my expectations.

Mr Gagan, a wild life enthusiast and nature lover owns and runs the place. There are close to 14 cottages in the Resort. Each cottages is called a den and named after a Bandhavgarh tiger. He has done the place meticulously keeping in mind the smallest of all things. The place is truly rustic and wild. But at the same time comfort isn't compromised! The interiors are well decorated and every small little thing in the resort accentuates the village theme.

Gagan has a great team to his backing. Both, the house keeping and kitchen staff are well groomed, trained and efficient. They are humble, polite and available at the drop of a hat. There is a separate dining area which is equally beautiful in design. Each meal is hygienic, lavish and scrumptious. Moreover, everyday you are treated to a new menu. Ranging from Continental to Italian and Indian to Chinese.

Deluxe Rooms

Day1 (17th June 2014):

The resplendent sun greeted us on our arrival. With our high energies and overflowing excitement we geared up for our tryst with tiger. We treated ourselves to a hearty breakfast and explored the resort a little. Post lunch as we started to get ready, we got face to face with our worst nightmare ever... Rains! Tiger sightings become difficult when it rains. Water is available everywhere hence tigers prefer relaxing in their dens.

Our evening safari starts at 4pm . By the time we started, rains were almost gone. Just a little drizzling continued. As the jeep went deeper and deeper into the forest. We kept feeling the tiger would appear suddenly out of the grasses. But it never did.

All we could spot were the Sambhar and Spotted Deers. Our spirits weren't tamed by the day's experience. We were still happy that we enjoyed a rainy ride into the Jungle. We were hopeful of sighting tiger in the next day's early morning safari.

Sambhar Deer

Day2 (18th June):

Day2 began with an early morning safari to the premium zone: Tala. The morning safari's are from 5am to 9.30am. We woke up not to the alarm ringing but to the sounds of rain and thunder storm. This was our second and last safari booked. We were determined to trace the wild cat.
By the time we were ready to leave, rains had completely stopped. My dad pointed that this was the perfect weather to spot a bear.

My dad's word actually came true and deep into the forest we descried a bear. The guide pointed that bear sightings were rarest of rear. We were all the more elated. The Bear was just a feet away, digging the ground searching for termites.

Bear searching for termites

Ahead in our safari we espyied Bisons, Wild boars, Monitor Lizards, Peacocks, Vulture and a few other birds.

Wild Bison

Open Space @ Tala Zone

Even though we didn't see the tiger I was happy we spotted a bear which was something no safari anywhere guaranted.

Tiger's Message brought a smile on my face.

Day3 (19th June)

Day 3 began with a morning picnic to the beautiful Chenchpur Waterfall. My gut feeling was we would surely spot a tiger today. Haven't you heard of the saying: Third Time Lucky! However, the problem was we didn't have a safari booked for that day.

In Bandhavgarh the safari's are limited and pre-booked months in advance. Few Safari's for each day are reserved for VIP's. Half an hour before the safari, the reserved safaris if unused are given to the people public on first come first basis.

We checked at the counter an hour prior to the evening Safari. There were safaris available for the Magadhi Zone. Without giving it another thought we purchased the tickets. As the safari began, our eyes scanned the forest as far as we could.

"This is serious business. Lets Focus" demanded the guide. He further added, "Tiger ko track karne main hi toh asli mazaa hai". The guide took our jeep to every possible spot trying to trace the wild cat.

It was already 6pm and we had nearly covered the entire permissible region of forest. We started to move towards the main gate. We were sulking but the guide said we shouldn't give up til the last minute. Just then, a few kms before the gate, far in the open fields, camouflaged by the tall dried grass, the majestic Tiger was walking. He walked pass the entire length of the boundary and disappeared in the forest again!

We started moving ahead and just about 2 kms from the gate we saw a jeep halted and the people looking into the fields. Voila! Another tiger hiding behind the grasses. He popped his head up checked us out. Hearing the commotion he decided to be there for some more time until we were gone..

The park was to close down in next 5 mins, so we didn't bother him much. I couldn't capture them in my lens. The first one was too far and the second one didn't give me much time. But at the end it didn't matter if they were far or close. It didn't matter if I was able to capture them or not. I was relieved we we weren't going home disappointed. We had managed two tiger sightings!

Bandhavgarh was an out an out amazing experience. The jungle has an extensive species of animals, plants and birds. Each zone of the forest has a different terrain. Although its a lesser popular park, it is rich in beauty, wildness and diversity.

Do visit for a truly Wild Experience!

Sky Watch.......Bandhavgarh

2014-09-28T15:59:00.002+05:30

For hours I can keep gazing at the sky. Wondering what is it, so intriguing and mystical about it! When the sun transcends it's light, on to the clouds, the sky changes it's color dramatically. As if God is painting the sky crimson using the various colors from his palette.

I captured these pictures while enjoying an evening village walk in Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh.

Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly.

~ Van Morrison ~

Alluring Kashmir.......Part2

2014-09-26T01:46:00.000+05:30

Read the previous part here: Alluring Kashmir-Part1

Well , in this part, I would let the pictures do most of the talking. Some jaw dropping scenic places of Kashmir coming up in this post.

Pahalgham

Pahalgham the shepherd's valley is approximately 77kms from Srinagar. On the way you could see the Saffron fields and visit the Awantipura Temple. You could also treat yourselves to the Kashmiri Kahwa by stopping over at a dhabha. Kahwa is basically a tea prepared by boiling green tea leaves with Saffron strands , Cinnamon bark and Cardamom in water. This aromatic drink leaves you completely refreshed.

Awantipura Ruins

Pahalgham, one of the picturesque towns in Kashmir, is the favourite place for shooting of bollywood movies. There are various spots here like the Chandanwari, Baisaran, Aaru and Beetab Valley. If you have less time you should atleast visit the Baisaran valley which is also called Mini Switzerland. You could hire a pony to take you there or trekk enjoying the pine trees and snowclad mountains around.

On the way to Baisaran, you would meet locals willing to let you pose with their white rabbits and sheep in return for some money. I got myself a picture clicked with a cute rabbit.

Gulmarg

Gulmarg is the Skiing destination of India having a two stage Gondala ride. As the Gondola (cable chair) moves up, you leave behind the greener pastures and get closer to the whiter, snow covered regions of Himalayas. Everywhere your eyes go, there is just snow, snow and only snow. As if vanilla ice cream was spread unevenly over chocolate brownie! :P

Stage 1 of Gondola is very crowded. There are various activities for tourists like skiing, snowboarding, sledging etc. Amidst this crowd and hurry to try out all activities, you might forget enjoying the view. If at all you manage sneaking some time to look around you would realize the place is so beautiful that for a moment you forget you are in India. I couldn't do the 2nd stage but I have read it offers a breath taking view and is relatively less crowded than the stage 1.

Sonmarg

Sonmarg meaning the 'Meadow of Gold' is a hill station at distance of 87kms from Srinagar. I stayed in Hotel Snowland which was surrounded by huge magnificent mountains on all sides and Nallah Sindh flowing in its backyard.

In Sonmarg there is an exciting trekk to Thajiwas Glacier... However, I gave it a miss. I didn't want to end my trip with another over crowded tourist spot. Instead I started walking towards the adjacent hills. Attempting to let the beauty of Kashmir sink in. As the sun prepared to set, I trekked to the nearby hills enjoying some blissful moments alone.

The dried trees still add to the beauty of the place.

Horses grazing on hill top, Sonmarg

The back side view from Hotel Snowland, Sonmarg

There are myriad things that will again draw me to Kashmir. But undoubtedly the peaceful, serene & untouched beauty of Sonmarg has won over my heart. :)

Alluring Kashmir.....Part1

2014-09-12T17:16:00.000+05:30

My heart skipped a beat as I switched on the television set. Kashmir, the Switzerland of India, was hit by unprecedented floods. I felt extremely helpless seeing that the place which gave me an experience of a lifetime was struggling hard to survive. Almost 400 villages in the Kashmir valley were submerged in water.

Today, as I write this post Indian Army has managed rescuing 1,34,000 people so far. Relief material is being passed on to every village in need. The entire nation owes a debt of gratitude to the army men.

My brain flash backs; Exactly to the time when I was smitten by the beauty and mesmerizing aura of Kashmir. Kashmir exhaled love, warmth and peace in its every particle. Every minute I had spent there got etched in my memory. Every nook and corner of Kashmir is like a canvas beautifully painted by GOD.

The most common tourist places in Kashmir are Srinagar, Pahalgham, Gulmarg & Sonmarg. Each one equally vibrant, aesthetic and mesmerizing. Srinagar is the center point of the four.

I travelled to Kashmir this year, in the month of May on an all women group tour. Generally it doesn't rain in May but this time it did. Well, I wouldn't lie, it did became a spoiler. But overall the trip was just close to perfect

Srinagar, the summer capital of JnK is known for its Dal Lake and Mughal Gardens like Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh,Cheshmashahi and Pari Mahal. One would need atleast 2 days to enjoy Srinagar. Adi Shankracharya Temple is one of the ancient temples of India situated on the mountain top. Delight your eyes to the breath taking view of Dal Lake from the Temple. Pari Mahal meaning fairy's abode is a beautifully build garden on the ruins of a Budhist monastery. It is a 7 terraced garden overlooking the Srinagar city and some parts of Dal Lake.


Nishat Bagh

Pari Mahal

Living on a House Boat is a lavish and must not miss experience. The House boats are finely designed with Deoder wood which doesn't decompose in water. There are close to 4000 house boats on the Dal Lake. The House boats are anchored in the water. They might tilt a little here and there but it's altogether a different experience to live on water. Each house boat has 3-4 rooms along with a common room having a dining area.

Dal Lake, Srinagar

House Boats

The house boat owners have their boats just behind the tourist houseboats. They are very warm and welcoming people. On the house boat we were served home cooked hygienic but extremely delicious food. The food was a mix of Kashmiri and Punjabi Dishes. They use a small boat called as Shikara to commute in water. You could shop for amazing paper mache articles and jewellery on the floating market while enjoying the Shikara ride. However, for authentic Pashmina Shawls and Kashmiri embroidered suits you should go to some government recognized shop.

Old Man selling vegetables on his Shikara

There is an uncanny thing I came to know about the people of Srinagar while I was chatting with the house boat owner. The kashmiri's like the house boat owners and staff , who stay on water are the water community and the one's from the land are the land community. The water people don't marry the land people and similarly the land people don't marry anyone from the water community. The water community spends almost their entire life on water. Their weddings as well happen on a Shikara. They shop, live and do business on Water. Ain't is amazing!

Women rowing on the Dal Lake

Coming to my favourite part of travelling, Local Food!

Ahdoos

When in Srinagar don't miss to savour your taste buds with Kashmiri food in Ahdoos. Adhoos is one of the oldest and finest restaurants serving authentic Kashmiri Wazwan. If you are a vegetarian like me don't be disheartened. There are some amazing dishes you could try like Kashmiri Dum Aaloo and Kamal Kakdi. Kamal Kakdi is a vegetable prepared using lotus stem in curd curry. In desserts try out the Kashmiri Phirni. Its is basically a rice pudding. I just couldn't resist having another bowl of it! It had the perfect sweetness and right flavouring of kesar and cardamom.

Kashmiri Phirni

You have a lot to see in Srinagar. But I would say, hold on , capture the beauty of Dal Lake as much as you can. I indeed lost my heart to its calmness. :)

Sunset @Dal Lake

Me ..@Dal Lake

UniverCell Sync - Evolving the Smart Phone Shopping Experience

2014-08-31T23:19:00.001+05:30

Are you someone who hates hoping from one shop to another in search of the best gadget at the best price? Are you someone who believes that there is always something missing in one store that you might find in the other? Are you someone who can't trust online websites how much ever u wish to?

Then UniverCell is the store for you! UniverCell delivers a quintessential experience in purchasing smart phones.

A week back UniverCell invited bloggers from Mumbai, Banglore and Chennai to visit their stores. I was not very hopeful about the store but all changed as I neared the end of my visit.

I visited the Mumbai store located in Colaba. They have close to 10 outlets in Mumbai and about 40 outlets in the South of India. As I entered the store, the first thing that caught my attention was their subtle yet powerful interiors. The color scheme is a mix of white, blue and sea green which has a very soothing effect. It makes sure your mind is at peace when you shop.

Secondly, the store concentrates on only cellphones, tablets and related accessories. Now, when the focus is on one thing you are unlikely to miss out any good stuff. UniverCell has a wider collection of mobile phones in comparison to the other stores like Croma, Ezone & Vijay Sales . The store is segregated into various zones on the basis of the features offered by mobiles. Like the Music Zone has all music phones, Work Zone has phones who's primary focus is work. There is another zone for the kiddos. There is also a section at the start which has all recently launched phones on display. These classifications make it easier to narrow the search as per requirements.

The one thing that turned me into the store's fan was the 1 year free repair they offered with the purchase. Generally the phone companies cover the software failures. So, if your phone undergoes any physical damage you need to shell out a lot of money to get it fixed. UniverCell covers any darn problem related to your phone within the first year of purchase. Moreover, they have a home pick and drop for your phone! Thus saving you from the hassles of paying incessant visits to their stores. Doesn't it sound great!

The store gives young, energetic and vibrant vibes. I had a wonderful experience at the store. Given my debacle with current phone, I was anyways planning to buy a new one. I guess now I know where to go! There can be no better place than UniverCell.

Kashmir - The Epitome Of Beauty

2014-06-26T09:47:00.002+05:30

In Kashmir every moment is worth capturing.....

This one was clicked on my way to Sonmarg from Srinagar.

The dilema of concluding.... If he is the one?

2014-06-25T14:00:00.000+05:30

It was one of those lazy monotonous afternoons where I did not have anything much to do and Internet had come to my rescue. I was doing the usual internet surfing, when I found this article: http://www.scoopwhoop.com/inothernews/he-is-the-one-2/. It points to some 15 signs that could help you in concluding if he is the one. Surprisingly, I did go though the article although the title sounded cliched. Accept it or not, Love still intrigues most of us. You might be how many ever relationships old you can never play a safe bet on anyone. With Love every experience is a new one.

It is always easier for me to tell what I do not want than explaining what I want. It is easier to point out what might definitely not work for me than pointing what would definitely work. As I pondered over the pointers in the article, each point on the list seemed important and a must have but when combined, the list looked unrealistic. Come on! it is too much to ask for in today's time.

When I try to match the qualities with the eligible guys I know, I come to the conclusion that finding those 15 points in one guy is next to impossible. Mr X might have always treated me equal and never put me down but he has never stood up for me! Mr Y might remember the little things about me but he loses his cool too often. Mr Z goes out of his way to make me feel special but never understands if something is bothering me.

Gosh! when GOD could make almost perfect girls like me, why could he not make for us some almost perfect guys... :P

Anyways, coming back to finding if he is the one. I have derived a method to conclude. I know it might sound funny but really do not under estimate its power. What you need to do is sit with a pen and paper. On the paper mark two columns Good and Bad.

Start listing his good & bad things under the respective columns. Also, depending on its importance give each quality certain points. (High Priority=100 points; Medium Priority=50; Low Priority=10)

So for good qualities if a certain quality is important to you give 100 points and if certain good quality is not that important to you give lower points either 50 or 10.

Similarly for bad qualities if a quality he possesses is something you strongly do not wish for in a life partner than put higher points against that and for bad qualities you could do away with put lower points.

At the end total up the good and bad columns. For the right guy the grand total of 'Good' should always be as high as possible and the grand total of 'Bad' should always be as low as possible.

If the grand total of 'Bad' column is much higher than the 'Good' column than it is an outright NO for the guy.

If the grand total of 'Bad' column is almost equal to the 'Good' column than it is a gamble.

If the grand total of 'Bad' column is much lesser than the 'Good' column than it is a YES for the guy.

Analysis for an imaginary person 'X'

I am someone who is very practical and uses her head even in matters of heart. But truly speaking one cannot be this calculative in matters of heart. Hence, don't let your decision be the outcome of any analysis. Use them just as methods to summarize. Remember Mr Right is just a Right decision away!

~~Love isn't finding the perfect person, it's seeing an imperfect person perfectly~~

Tale of another Chance!

2014-05-18T00:18:00.000+05:30

Have you ever seen a football match where a player scores a goal and the goalkeeper of the opponent team asks for another chance to save it? Have you ever seen a tiger pouncing on its prey and on a whim, giving it another chance to live? Have you ever seen a batsman getting bowled and getting another chance to play?

Second Chances are very rare and limited to a few things in life!

We have heard stories where people lying on their death bed's have wished for another chance to live life, do things differently, follow their hearts or sometimes even unfollow their hearts .

I was almost in a situation where little by little I was drowning myself in something I knew I would never be able to come out of. It is then that a lot of desires came floating up. Some I had shied for long, some unfamiliar, some which were buried deep and some known but always unacknowledged! With so many undone things and a life ahead which had no scope to incorporate them; I felt helpless. But the unpredictbility of life hit me hard. Just when I had lost all hopes, Life gave me a Second Chance!

Second chances are always special because only a lucky few get it, to undo the mistakes of past, to fulfill the unsurfaced desires, to carve out life differently. One shouldn't let that chance go in vain.

As someone rightly said, "GOD didnt give you the strength to get back on your feet so that u can run back to the same thing that knocked u down."

I am making sure that I break all stereotypes to live my life the way I want to! I am not succumbing to the thoughts of others. I am not stopping myself from doing something, just because others might not like it. I am no more the docile girl who can be influenced and sweet talked to do things people's way. I have started implementing the lessons learnt.

Just don't miss that second chance by hoping that someone would take the necessary actions on your behalf. Be proactive and utilize your second chance to the fullest.

If in the past you weren't able to fulfill your dreams, don't worry. Every tomorrow is a second chance. If you want to travel the world, do it! If you want to spend your life with someone, confess it to them! If you want a better job, start the search! If you hate your work, Quit! If you want to apologize to someone, be brave! If you want to thank someone, be humble!

If you want to do something, do it today! Life is too short to cry over yesterday and contemplate about tomorrow.

~~~~May be it's not always about trying to fix something broken. May be it's about starting over and creating something better!~~~~~

Wah TAJ !

2014-05-01T12:02:00.000+05:30

Since childhood we have memorized that Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world. Watching the magnificent monument on television, in books and newspapers , I had always wondered if it would exhale the same exuberance when I see it with naked eye.

Filled with excitement I reached Agra. First look at Taj and I instantly fell short of words. What a perfect blend of beauty and architecture! Each angle and dimension was just perfect. Symmetric, beautiful and marvelous!

Taj Mahal literally means 'Crown Palace'. As known to all, it was built by the mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved third wife, Mumtaz. It is the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. It was built using Red Sandstones and pristine white Marbles.

For the inlay and carvings, rare Gemstones like Gold stone, Magnet stone and Semi Precious stones like Turquoise, Onyx, Coral were used.

I was enchanted and mesmerized by its beauty. To me, it is undoubtedly an Epitome of Love!

A must must see master piece!

Smile....

2014-05-01T00:24:00.001+05:30

While we try to teach kids all about life, the kids teach us what life is all about!

I met these kids in a village called Gokul in Uttar Pradesh.

Look at them.

Unlike us, they don't need reasons to smile; they need reasons to fight!