Places to visit before you die...

It's Snowing in Parsippany, NJ

2010-12-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

It was a cloudy Sunday and I was literally staring at the sky waiting for the snow! The Weather Channel announced that it would snow heavily on 26th Dec in the entire East Coast. Not only that! It was going to be the first snowfall of this winter in New Jersey. And the wait was not in vain. It started snowing at 11 in the morning and continued till 7 next morning. It was a heavy snowfall with snow storms and heavy blizzards. The news channels were continuously telling not to go out in this bad weather unless there is an emergency. In the 20 hours of snowfall, it became 25 inches of snow.

The next morning we went out to save the car, but what we saw outside was a terrible scene. It was almost impossible to step out of the door. The snow in our doorway was knee high. First we tried to clear the doorway with a shovel and then slowly stepped out. The car parking area was in a terrible condition. The car was totally under the snow and it was really hard recognize which car was ours :). We gradually started clearing the snow from over the car and it took around an hour to make the car look like a car.

Then I looked around and it was all white everywhere. I thought why not make a snowman? I began to create one with a small ball of snow and then my husband also gave me a hand. We created a little snowman near our doorway and I was so excited :). Snow is not that bad. It is fun if you love it. But yes you must be careful so that you don't catch a cold.

A Trip to the Colorful Smokey Mountains

2010-12-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

It was Fall and we were spending our last few days in North Carolina. Some of our friends said let’s go for a last trip together, who knows when we meet again! So, we decided to go to the beautiful Smokey Mountains. The Great Smokey Mountains National Park lies in the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The mountain range is a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and it is the most beautiful and cherished National Park in the entire United States. So, staying in North Carolina and being so close to the National Park was really a privilege for us.

We started our journey at around 8 in the morning. Generally, it takes roughly 5 hours from Raleigh to the Smokey Mountains. However, we took two breaks for having our breakfast and lunch. The journey was itself amazing as we watched the colorful trees all around. It was first time I was in the US during Fall. I was literally amazed to see the wonderful colors of the trees. I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

We reached Smokey at around 4 pm and the sun was still bright. We didn’t get much time for that day to explore the place, but tried our best. We found a nice trail and started walking. It was cold and we enjoyed the speedy walk that warmed our bodies. In the course of our walk, we saw a river flowing through huge boulders. Maybe that was an extension of a waterfall. It was so scenic that we decided to spend a little time over there. We sat down on the boulders and enjoyed the view for a while.

Then we continued our walk through the trail and took some snaps of the amazingly beautiful colors around wherever we got a chance. All the trees around us were as if transformed into some spectacular works of art. The green leaves had magically become yellow, orange, red pink and so many wonderful colors. I had already fallen in love with Smokey and the colors of Fall will never fade away from my heart.

It was getting dark and we came back to our car. Then we went to the downtown of Smokey which is a very busy place with all the attractions and shopping malls. It was the Halloween weekend and people were walking through the roadside in their weird costumes. Starting from kids to older people, everybody had turned into something horrible. Some were dressed like ghosts and some were skeletons and so on. Then we went for a rope-way ride called Sky Ride. It was a nice experience riding to a peak of the mountains. The view from the top was amazing. We could see the entire mountain range from there and the whole city.

At around 8 pm we had our dinner at a restaurant and after that walked for a while and enjoyed the Halloween views, before we went to our hotel. The next morning we started early so that we can enjoy morning beauty of the Smokey Mountains. We had our breakfast and started driving. We stopped in various view points to enjoy the spectacular view of the mountain range and took as many photographs as we could. During the way back to home, we stopped so many times at different points and enjoyed the scenic beauty of the place to our heart’s content.

The Church

2010-12-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

It's been a long time since I shared my journeys and travel stories. I was kind of a little distracted with lot of things happening in my life. Today when I was reading my travel stories, it was total different experience. I felt like I was reading some stranger's writing :)

I should let you people know that I have just moved to New Jersey from North Carolina and it's again a chapter for me. I don't know anyone and any places here. The first few days I was busy unpacking and placing things in the right places in out new apartment. So, that period is over now. I don't know driving yet and you can well imagine my situation :(

Today, I decided to go out anyway and walk a little around the area I live. I went out after having lunch and started walking with no destination! As I crossed the doors of the nearby apartments, I thought maybe I will see someone and I will say hi, but in this cold weather everybody was inside home. They didn't know someone is out for saying "hi" to them ;)

I continued walking and went out of out apartment complex. I was on the road, walking alone in the cold. But let me tell you, I liked it. Just beside our complex, there is a church. I saw this church a few times from our car (hubby can drive). The sign in front of the church said "Welcome to All". So, I though of walking in and visiting the church. I saw no cars in the parking space. I thought may be the church is closed today. I tried to open the doors, but it didn't open. When I was just about to return, I thought of trying a last time. I pulled the door hardly and this time it opened.

I was so happy to enter the church. But it was empty. Nobody was inside the church. My footsteps were the only sound inside the church. I walked slowly and looked around. There was a kids' room all decorated with kids' crafts and drawings. The church was fully decorated with Christmas Trees all around and Santas. There was also a table full of plates, dishes and spoons ready to be served. I sat on one of the praying benches and prayed. I was enjoying the pin-drop silence. It was so soothing and so very relaxing. Then I came out and decided to go there again.

Shelly Lake Trail – Raleigh

2010-08-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

If you like to spend some peaceful time fishing, boating, biking, sunning or walking with your partner in a picturesque place beside a lake, you should come to Shelley Lake Trail in Raleigh, NC. Shelley Lake is a perfect location for such leisure activities. I went there once with my husband just to see what the place is and now we are a regular visitor of Shelley Lake. The Greenway Trail System is really amazing.

Shelley Lake is a place where you can perform a lot of activities and also enjoy the lush green trees all around. The lake itself covers around 53 acres of land and the part surrounding the lake is also huge. Whenever you go to the trail, you will see many people engaged in different activities. Some people are walking or may be running with a headphone. Some are busy fishing with their children and family. Some are just relaxing in the open fresh air and having a great time. The open fields are always inviting you to play soccer or football. Picnic tables are also there so that you can have a party with your friends and family in the lap of nature.

Along with the recreational activities, you can also enjoy visiting the Sertoma Art Center in the Shelley Lake area. The art center provides classes on writing, painting, pottery and photography techniques. The lake park is open from sunrise till sunset and it has no entry fee. You can visit the park whenever you wish and spend some quality time. Don’t forget to bring your camera as you would definitely like to take some snaps of the scenic surrounding in Shelley Lake.

Fireworks at Niagara Falls

2010-07-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

Every Friday and Saturday, you would get to see these amazing fireworks at Niagara Falls. The fireworks takes place towards the Canadian sky at 10 o' clock and for about 10 minutes. If you go to visit Niagara Falls, try not to miss this wonderful experience.

Falls Dam Lake – Raleigh

2010-07-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

It was a regular weekend and we were searching for a new place to visit in Raleigh. Since we are new to this area, we always do this kind of research during weekends and try to discover the beauty of Raleigh. So this time we came across a place called Falls Dam Lake in Raleigh. The place is also known as Falls Dam Tailrace Fishing Area.

It took only about 12 minutes to reach the Falls Dam Lake. However, it was already 5.30 pm and the main gate for car entry was closed. We came to know from a security officer that it is closed at 5.30 everyday. So, if you don’t want walking through the long trail to reach the Falls Lake want to use your car till that point, you must reach well before the above mentioned timing.

However, we had to walk the trail and we eventually liked walking down the path surrounded with tall trees in both sides. Finally we got a view of the dam and started speeding up to reach the point. It was a lovely sight and very peaceful. The water was cold and we sat down over the rocks at the banks, spreading our legs into to the water. The water was crystal clear and the stones inside it were clearly visible. A few people were enjoying fishing at the sight. There were a few personal speed boats too wandering in the river.

We sat there and enjoyed the calm atmosphere for about 1 and a half hour and then started for home. We loved the place very much and decided to go again a little early so that we can stay a little longer.

Niagara Falls at Night

2010-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

After enjoying the terrible beauty of Niagara through the tours of “Cave of the Winds” and “Maid of the Mist, there is still something very gorgeous waiting for you. Yes of course it the falls, but in the darkness of night. Niagara Falls reveals a stunningly beautiful look at night.

It was our second night at Niagara State Park and we decided not to miss the chance to have a look at the falls at that hour. The previous day, we were too tired to go there. So, we had hour dinner at around 9 pm at a Chinese restaurant after waiting in a long queue. And then went directly to the falls view point. The crowd of people was also growing towards that point as Niagara Falls looked heavenly in various colors of light. Lights are thrown from the Canadian Falls side towards the American Falls and vice versa. That way both the American Falls and the Canadian Falls look amazing and very colorful every night.

It was around 10 pm when the fireworks started in the sky towards the Canadian side. Every Friday and Saturday during the summer months, you will get to see these fireworks at night. For about 10 minutes the wonderful fireworks continued. We took several snaps of the fireworks and also the unending falls. We then wandered a little in the state park area and slowly returned to our hotel carrying the glimpses of the memorable night in our heart.

Niagara Falls: Maid of the Mist

2010-07-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

The roaring was still lingering in our ears the next day while we went for the other exciting tour called “Maid of the Mist”. It was another very long queue, however, this time we were very early to avoid the rush. This time they provided blue raincoats. We waited for our boat would take us close to the falls, inside the mist. After waiting for a while, the boat arrived with another bunch of visitors and unloaded them. We could see the excitement in their eyes.

Finally, our boat started for the short journey. As we advanced towards the American Falls, we could see the cloudy mist of the water and more than one rainbow surrounding us. It was really a marvelous sight. When you look at the enormous water falls before you, it seems as if you have come to some prehistoric era. All the stories you have heard of glaciers and the formation of the Niagara Falls come to your mind and you become literally thrilled.

People in the boat were busy taking snaps of the gigantic view of the falls. As we proceeded the mist grew heavier and made it impossible for us to open our eyes. Gradually we reached close to the Canadian Falls and it was a much bigger fall in size. The boat takes you to the Canadian Falls side and then returns to the point where it loaded you. It is more or less, half an hour journey and full of excitement. Even if you are all covered with the blue raincoat, it is certain that you would be wet in the mist and that’s the most exciting part.

Niagara Falls: Cave of the Winds

2010-07-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

After standing in the long queue, it was finally time to enter the Cave of the Winds. We were then guided through an elevator that took us several feet below where the American Falls were actually touching the River Niagara. We had to walk through a cave like passage where we could start feeling the cold in the air.

We came out of the passage and before us was the gigantic view of the American Falls. From that point of the place, starts a staircase that takes you to the very front of the falls. We started walking through the staircase covered in the yellow raincoats. We took several snaps of the beautiful falls and still felt this is not enough. However, after few steps, the mist of the water was so heavy that we couldn’t open the camera anymore. And it’s then when I realized what it was standing before me.

A beautiful rainbow was created in the mist and everyone was so thrilled at the horribly attractive sight. The mist was growing heavier as we advanced upward and it was almost impossible to keep our eyes open. When we reached the very top, called “Hurricane Deck”, it seemed liked the enormous falls were falling directly on me and I am nothing before it. The small glances that we could hardly get at that deck and still framed in our heart and will never become faded. The sound of the water falls and the view together made the tour a memorable day in our life.

Visiting Niagara Falls: Introduction

2010-07-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Visiting Niagara Falls is no doubt the dream of every human being. However, dreams don’t always come true for each and everyone. I must admit that I am one of those lucky persons who could make their dream a reality and stand before the enormous beauty of the Niagara Falls.

It was a long weekend and we had planned our trip well in advance. From Raleigh, we had to take two flights to reach the Buffalo city in New York. After reaching the Buffalo airport, we took the bus that goes directly to the Falls view point. The bus goes just by the hotel that we booked there. So it was a very smooth journey. We reached the hotel at around 3 in the afternoon. We didn’t waste a little time and went out at around 3.30 just after refreshing ourselves.

The entire Niagara Falls State Park area is very beautiful and scenic in itself and well maintained. We took the bridge to the Goat Island and reached the American Falls Information Centre, where we had to buy tickets for the “Cave of the Winds” tour. We were given yellow raincoats and shoes for the tour. We had no practical idea what was waiting for us. The queue of “Cave of the Winds” was very long and we had to stand there for about 2 hours or more. However, the time only increased our curiosity.

We had heard that there were two types of tours to the Niagara Falls and these are the “Cave of the Winds” tour and the “Maid of the Mist” tour. So, we had decided to cover the first one in the very first day we reach there, so that we will have the entire next day for the other tour and some more excursions around the place.

And finally, our waiting in the queue came to an end!

Calcutta (Kolkata) - The City of Joy

2010-05-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Calcutta or kolkata is my home town and I love the place very much. I have collected some great pictures of the city that belong to the period when India was under the British rule. I hope you will enjoy the great collection and love my beautiful city. And of course, it is my voice that you hear in the Bengali song :o). The song says that I love my language (Bengali) a lot.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area - Raleigh

2010-05-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Among the very few recreation parks and things to do in Raleigh, the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is the one you cannot afford to miss. When the harsh winter has waved its hand and the warmth of summer is ahead of you, Jordan Lake is the place to be with your family and friends.

We visited Jordan Lake at the beginning of May. The weather was lovely with the sun all around and a serene breeze every now and then. We reached Jordan Lake at around 12.30. You have to pay $6 per vehicle to enter the Lake area. The place was crowded with people of different age groups. We stood there for a while and enjoyed the view. We suddenly realized that we have found the place we were looking for.

Jordan Lake is the perfect place for spending your day with family and friends and having a picnic. There is no restaurant inside the lake area. So either you have to carry food from home or you can also use the grills and barbecue ovens to cook your own food. There are in total 47 picnic tables and most of them have grills. We had no idea about this so we didn’t bring any food from home. So we went back to a nearby restaurant and bought some food. If the entry ticket is with you, you can move in and out as many times as you wish.

Then we chose a bench in the shadow of a tree and settled ourselves. It was already lunch time, so we finished the food and got ready for a splash in the artificial beach created on the lake side. We changed our dresses in the changing room and plunged in the lake. The area looks just like a sea beach. People were enjoying the water and the kids were playing with balls in the lake. The view was really beautiful. We also enjoyed the warm water for sometime. After taking a few snaps in the water, we came back from the water and arranged a sheet on the sand. We lay down under the sun and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

There is also a Bald Eagle observation platform in this Jordan Lake area. It is located at the north end of this lake. The lake covers an area of 13,900 acre approximately. The Bald Eagle observation is a beautiful place where you can watch different kinds of wonderful birds around the lake.

We were so much happy to be there that we have already planned to visit Jordan Lake again. This time we would definitely bring food from home or arrange a barbecue in the picnic tables. The lake is open 24X7 and there is parking area for persons with disabilities as well.

Introduction to Shimla Trip

2010-03-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

I visited Shimla in 2008 and the memory of the hill station will always be with me. I visited Shimla with my family with a travel agency. Our journey to Shimla was scheduled via Chandigarh. We reached Chandigarh at around 2 am and it was total dark outside the railway station. From Chandigarh they had arrangements of 1 big bus and a small car. Luckily enough we got the car as our serial number was towards the end of the list. We became very happy to get our own car where we can sit comfortably.

We started from Chandigarh very soon and traveled the whole night. In the morning the enchanting view of the hilly roads captured our attention and we became overwhelmed. The zigzag roads and the huge hills beside the road were just amazing. We reached our hotel at around 10 in the morning. As you enter the city you know that you are inside the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. The hotel was wonderful with all luxury and facilities. The hotel room seemed to be the heaven to us after a long tiring journey.

After taking bath, food and some rest, we went out of the hotel to explore the surrounding area. The hotel manager told us to go to the Shimla Mall Road first and gave us the direction. The roads in Shimla are very beautiful with those curves and railings. We walked for sometime and reached the Mall Road in about 20 minutes. The Mall Road of Shimla is very colorful and lively surrounded with various stalls and restaurants. This shopping street of Shimla is the heart of the city where people meet and spend some time with each other.The Ridge is also near the Mall Road. The Ridge is known for the Christ Church.

Puri - Where the River Meets Ocean

2010-03-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

It was our last day in Puri and we thought about exploring the beach a little more. We had heard about an estuary that lies only a few minutes away from the Swarga Dwar beach where we stayed. So, we boarded a local rickshaw van and he took us to the place. It was almost a mile away from our hotel. The road that leads to the estuary point still bears the scars of the fatal Tsunami that came in 2004. The entire road is half broken.

We reached the point after 20 minutes or so. The beach here was totally different from the one in front of our hotel. This Puri beach was a desolated one, where usually very few people come. May be not that famous among the tourists, but the place was really wonderful with all its seashells spread around. We discovered that the beach was full of crabs and their holes. However, it’s really hard to watch the crabs from close as they flee very fast, when you step near.

After walking for sometime, we found reached the point where the ocean meets the river. It was an amazing place. The huge ocean and the small river were actually meeting there creating the most beautiful view I have ever seen. I literally stepped into the river and walked inside it. I could even see the riverbed through the crystal clear water of the river. The river was so shallow and just before it was the vastness of the ocean. How can the two be together so close and still maintaining their own beauty! We sat there for a while enjoying the dichotomy of the view and snapped a few pictures. Then we returned from the place, taking with us a pure magic of nature.

Puri Beach Market

2010-03-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

The beach of Puri knows no time. Be it in the morning, afternoon, evening or late at night, the beach is always full of crowd. You will even get the chance to experience camel riding and horse riding at the Puri beach. Small children go on selling varieties of food preparations and other handmade cosmetic jewelries. Don’t forget to carry some newspaper because you would need it at the beach if you want to sit. Once you sit there, time flies like magic and you end up spending hours at the seashore watching the endless phenomena of the tides that come and disappear.

At the very advent of evening, the beach starts getting decked up with all its lights and a number of shops. All this shops sell sea objects like, seashells, various home décors made of seashells, peals, pearl jewelries and many such beautiful things. You can bargain a lot and get things really cheap at this beach market. You actually cannot resist yourself from buying at least one piece of memento from here. Different types of fruit shops also give their stalls. The beach market is very lively and colorful. It attracts a huge number of tourist everyday. The atmosphere is so full of life that you would like to spend as much time as possible at the beach.

Beauty of the Puri Beach!

2010-02-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

The first time, when we came to the Puri beach, we were properly dressed with all our equipments (shoes, camera, wrist watches, mobile phones, hand bags etc.) and we though we would just enjoy the beach view and come back to the hotel for lunch. However, we had not realized the charm of the beach yet, I guess.

As we reached the seashore, we saw many people swimming and bathing in the heavy tides of the ocean. Lots of professional photographers were wandering in the beach to click a few snaps for the people.

It was around 10.30 in the morning and the tides started getting bigger and bigger. It became so irresistible after a moment that we couldn’t stand anymore. We just had to touch the sea and we were inside it in a moment. The tides came over us and we started jumping high to save our watches, mobiles in the pockets and the camera at hand. Just imagine how stupid we were to carry all those stuff with us while going to the beach!!

Then we came out and put the things aside in the beach and plunged in the sea again. It was an amazing feeling jumping with the tides of ocean and still eager to get wet in the salty water. We had great fun for about 2 hours and then literally pulled ourselves out, coz we were already very hungry.

Guess what we lost… my watch stopped ticking anymore, the camera got a spot in its lens and one of our mobiles lost its life!!! ;)

Puri Trip - Introduction

2010-02-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

Puri is known for its most picturesque sea beach in India and also for its Jagannath Temple. In the state of Orissa, Puri is a very old city of India, located at the coast of Bay of Bengal. The Puri beach offers a wonderful view of the ocean. The fascinating fact about the Puri Beach is that one can enjoy the unique view of sunset as well as sunrise in this beach.

During my stay in West Bengal (India), I had s chance to visit Puri with my husband. We stayed there for three days and enjoyed every aspect of the city. As we reached Puri station by train, a number of rickshaw vans were waiting outside. We boarded one and headed towards our hotel ‘Seagull’ that we had booked in advance. We had images of Puri in our mind, but the view we got as we entered the beach road, was unimaginable. The enormous open sea was just in front of us, welcoming us to the biggest beach resort of India. We fell in love with Puri at the very first sight.

The beach road was so much lively carried innumerable hotels and resorts at one side. We could easily find the Seagull hotel and went directly to our room to be refreshed a bit. We took bath and changed our dress. quickly. It was 10 in the morning. We took out breakfast and went to the beach to enjoy the ocean view. We just had to cross the road and we were already in the beach. The hotel was so close to the beach!

The Five Lakes of Udaipur

2010-02-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

Surrounded with a number of picturesque lakes, the city of Udaipur is also known as the “City of Lakes”. The five lakes of Udaipur amidst the setting of beautiful mountain ranges make the city a perfect vacation spot for the tourists. Udaipur is famous for its abundance of natural beauty and various types of water courses. The five lakes of Udaipur include Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, Jaisamand Lake and Rajsamand Lake.

Lake Pichola:

The Lake Pichola got its name from its builder, Pichhu Banjara who built the lake in 1362 AD. Maharana Lakha was the ruler of Udaipur during that time. Lying at the heart of the city, the beautiful Lake Pichola is the oldest lake in Udaipur and also claims to be the largest of its kind in the city. The length of Lake Pichola is 3 miles and the width is 2 miles. The lake is almost 30 feet deep. However, initially the lake was not that large. During the reign of Maharana Udai Singh, he liked the lake and the backdrop of Aravali hills and then he enlarged the lake. He also constructed a stone dam near the area called Badipol in its shore. There are a number of islands within the Lake Pichola and which carry some famous palaces and temples of Udaipur. Some of temples include the Jag Niwas Temple in the Jag Island, Mohan Mandir, Jag Mandir etc. The City Palace of Udaipur is also located at bank of Lake Palace.

Fateh Sagar Lake:

The Fateh Sagar Lake is situated in the northern side of Lake Pichola. Built in 1678 by Maharana Jai Singh, the Fateh Sagar Lake holds three islands in its confine. Nehru Park is one of these islands and it is a popular tourist spot in Udaipur known for its garden and the zoo. There is also a restaurant in the island. Located beside the Moti Magri Hill, the view of the Fateh Sagar Lake is just wonderful. Though the lake was built bu Maharana Jai Singh, the lake is named after Maharana Fateh Singh as he enlarged the lake during his reign.

Among the other two islands of Fateh Sagar Lake, one has become a public park popular for its numerous water fountains. The last island has now become a popular solar observatory. Boat riding is a very famous activity in the Fateh Sagar Lake. Pedal boats as well as motor boats are available here.

Udai Sagar Lake:

Among the four lakes in Udaiour, Udai Sagar Lake is one and the other three include Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola and Jaisamand Lake. Located around 13 kilometers towards the east of Udaipur, the Udai Sagar Lake was built sometime between 1559 and 1565 by Maharana Udai Singh. The picturesque view of the Udai Sagar Lake continues to attract thousands of tourists towards its banks.

Jaisamand Lake:

The Jaisamand Lake of Udaipur is also popular by the Dhebar Lake. Built in 1685 AD by Maharana Jai Singh, the Dhebar Lake is located around 52 kilometers towards the south-east of Udaipur city. The Jaisamand Lake covers an area of around 36 square kilometers and is considered as one of the largest lakes in not only India, but also in the entire Asia. Surrounded by a scenic forest, the view of Jaisamand or Dhebar Lake is definitely a treat to the eyes. The surrounding forest once used to be the hunting forest for the Maharanas of Mewar. However, in 1957, the forest has been converted into a game sanctuary for the tourists.

Rajsamand Lake:

Included among the five famous lakes of Udaipur, Rajsamand Lake was built by Maharana Raj Singh and was named after him. The lake was constructed in 1660 AD at a distance of around 66 kilometers towards the north of Udaipur city. The lake was built as a dam of the Gomti River. The southern bank of the Rajsamand Lake is made of white marble and it looks awesome while shining in the sun. One must enjoy the serene beauty of the Rajsamand Lake while traveling in Udaipur.

Udaipur Travel

2010-02-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Udaipur was our last destination in this Rajasthan trip. After staying 2 days in Mount Abu, we started for Udaipur. It took around 6 hours to reach Udaipur from Mount Abu. Udaipur is also known as the ‘City of Lakes’ as the city is surrounded by several lakes. Some very famous among them include Lake Pichola, Udai Sagar, Fateh Sagar Lake and Swarup Sagar etc. Not only lakes but many palaces are also there in the city reminding us the Rajput era.

Udaipur City Palace:

Udaipur City Palace is one of the most famous palaces in the city. It is not a single palace but a palace complex carrying several palaces. The City Palace was built in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh. The palace complex is situated on the hill top on the east side of the Lake Pichola. Known for its Mughal and Rajasthani architecture the City Palace of Udaipur gives you a view of the surrounding beautiful lakes and palaces of Udaipur. Inside the palace complex you will find several palaces like Sheesh Mahal, Dilkhush Mahal, Moti Mahal, Chini Mahal, Krishna Vilas and so n.

Saheliyon ki Badi:

Saheliyon ki Badi (Garden of Girl Friends) is a very famous tourist attraction in Udaipur. This was the royal garden where all the royal ladies of Rajput family used to come spend hours with their friends. The garden is situated on the banks of Fatehsagar. The beautiful courtyards, water fountains in the pools, and a huge number of flower trees mark the place with grandeur. Because of the lovely fountains and their musical dance moves are the reasons that this place is also popularly known as Garden of Fountains. The courtyards of Saheliyon ki Badi are surrounded with four elephants made out of white marble. The elephant sculptures are really amazing. There are long lawns bordered by colorful flowers look really wonderful and take you to the time of royal princesses.

Lake Palace:

The Lake Palace is one of the most famous luxury heritage hotels in Rajasthan, India. As the name itself describes its location, Lake Palace is located on the Jag Niwas Island in Lake Pichola in Udaipur. The Lake Pichola was built in between 1743 and 1746. It was a royal summer palace for the Rajput families.

Sunset Point in Mount Abu

2010-02-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

Sunset Point is a very peaceful tourist spot in Mount Abu. It is located in the south-west corner of the Nakki Lake and famous for the soothing atmosphere. After an exhausting journey, this place gives you peace and that is why the Sunset Point is so much popular among the tourists.

You can go for the horse ride to reach the point. Many of them are available in the road. Souvenir shops and food stalls are there in the road to the sunset point. The spot is designed very well with railings. From this hill top the setting sun looks absolutely stunning and you can’t miss watching sunset while in Mount Abu. The sunset point is surrounded by trees and beautiful red flowers making the spot appropriate for photography.

Boating at Nakki Lake - Video

2010-02-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

Sharing a few moments of our boat ride at Nakki Lake in Mount Abu. The surrounding Aravalli hills and the beautiful birds on the lake made the spot perfect for spending a few romantic hours with your partner.

Dilwara Jain Temples in Mount Abu

2010-02-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

Besides being the only hill resort in Rajasthan, Mount Abu is also famous for its Marvelous Jain temples. The Jain temples are not only famous as Jain pilgrimages, but they are also known for extraordinary architecture and marble carvings. When we reached Dilwara temples, it didn’t look so fascinating from outside. However, the interior of the temples were just unimaginably beautiful. The intricate carvings in the pillars and ceilings of the temples are unparallel in beauty.

The Dilwara temples were constructed in between 11th and 13th century AD. Believe it or not, these extremely marvelous marble carvings were done at a point of time, when there was no transport and no specific roads to this 1200 meters high remote hill station called Mount Abu. Elephants were the only source of transport that carried huge marble stones in their back to this region. When you see the amazing handwork at the walls of the temples, all these stories start echoing in your mind and make you feel more excited.

There are total 5 temples inside the Dilwara Temples and these temples are dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras (Jain Saints). These temples are Shri Mahaveer Swami Temple, Shri ParshavNath Temple, Shri AdiNath Temple, Shri NemiNathJi Temple and Shri Rishabdaoji Temple. Photography is not allowed inside the temples. But you will never repent this fact because it’s worth watching the wonderful architecture with your eyes and capturing the beauty in your heart.

Nakki Lake in Mount Abu

2010-02-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

We went to explore the beautiful Nakki Lake first. Situated at a height of 1200 meters above the sea level, the Nakki Lake is considered as a holy lake in Mount Abu and also worshiped by local people. The mythology behind the lake is really interesting, which says that the Hindu Gods and Goddesses came here and dugged the lake with their nails (nakh in hindi). There lies the origin of the name ‘Nakki Lake’.

Photography at Nakki Lake:

The only artificial lake in India, Nakki Lake lies in the heart of the Mount Abu city and is easily approachable from most of the hotels and restaurants. When we reached the lake, we thought that it is the perfect place for spending a few peaceful hours with your beloved. The atmosphere of Nakki Lake was truly beautiful. I was so excited to see the studios offering local Rajasthani costumes for taking photographs. Of course I tried one Rajasthani dress and took some photographs. It was so much fun.

Boating at Nakki Lake:

Then we enjoyed boating for an hour in the holy lake surrounded by the mountain. It felt nice while boating in the lake enjoying the picturesque view of the hilly surroundings and beautiful cranes, swans and many other birds.

Mount Abu - Hill Station in Rajasthan

2010-02-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

Mount Abu is perhaps most beautiful place in Rajasthan holding the only hill of the state. We reached Mount Abu at around 5.30 in the evening and even in the month of March, we felt a little cold there. We already had our booking in the Hilton Hotel in Mount Abu and we decided to take some rest after a long journey of 7 hours that day. The Hilton Hotel was superbly beautiful with all the luxury. We took our dinner in the room and planned about our next day in the lap of hill. Taking our breakfast at around 8 in the morning, we started our day at Mount Abu. The weather was really charming and may that’s why Mount Abu was once the summer resort for the Rajput families.

History:

The city of Mount Abu carries with it a mythological history that is very popular even among the tourists. According to the legend, this holy place was a favorite of all the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Vashishth, a great Hindu saint used live in this place and once his cow named Nandini got trapped in a deep canyon. Vashishth prayed to Lord Shiva (Hindu God) and asked him for help. At this Shiva sent the holy stream named Saraswati to help Nandini. Saraswati then filled the ravine so that Nandini could float up and save herself. Vashish was then determined that this deep ravine should be filled up permanently so that no such thing can happen again. With the help Arbud (a powerful snake), the saint took this favor from Himalaya and filled the chasm permanently. From then, the place was called ‘Mount Arbud’, which has now become Mount Abu.

Attractions:

The main attractions in Mount Abu include Nakki Lake, Delwara Jain Temple, Gaumukh Temple, Sunset Point, Adhar Devi Temple and so on.

Walk in the Thar desert

2010-02-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

We were resting at the top of a sand dune. It was very windy and we were waiting for the sunset. I thought of walking a bit in the desert while my hubby was still sitting and chatting with the camel owner. I took this video while walking. Let me know if you like it.