Must See India
Ganesha, Gangtok, Ganges & more...
1. Festive mood: Ganesh Chaturthi
We picked Lakshmi's short and sweet right up,capturing the vivid colors and festive frenzy! In her words..
Frenzied drum beats as towering Ganeshas are paraded in autos ,crowds beating the rains and shopping for their puja paraphernalia,chaos wearing the cloak of a celebration - this is Ganesh Chaturthi,according to me the most frenzied festival.
Talking about her walk down Malleshwaram, which is the hub of all the action much like Jayanagar in the south of
And this is just the beginning as the loud pandals, the processions and the immersions are yet to happen. Today however Bangaloreans forgot the slush and the rains and flooded the market, looking for their Gowri and Ganesha.I was in Malleswaram, where the action happens.
2. Terrakotta temples: Bishnupur
From gods to idol carvings of a different kind, Anuradha's travels talk about the Terrakotta temples of Bishnupur. An unexplored little town, she goes on to say
Bishnupur is home to many terracotta temples spread across the town, peeping out at every nook and corner and sometimes standing tall in vast plains, some by the numerous small lakes that punctuate the town and some amongst the town, a part of its daily life by way of play ground for children and meeting places for adults.
Her attention to details and quest for information, stands testimony to the intricate details mentioned in her write up, quiet like the intricacy of the carvings themselves. Like this one
3. Sikkim: The land of Bhaichung Bhutia
From idols we move on to a state with a different kind of idolizing, a land very much a part of our borders but feels like a land unknown. A well weaved in experience penned down by Charukesi is my next read. Her words, her way
In the time I spend in Sikkim , India Goa . It is Baichung Bhutia who smiles from posters and hoardings all over the market, kicking a careless ball and seeking votes for the reality dance competition he was once part of; from Soccer King to Dancing King, they proclaim.
As she travels across the state thinking about how different people here are from the rest of the country, she throws light on facts from election stats to the royal family rule in the state.Moving on she cant help but admire the beauty and landscape around her. She describes them...
The next evening, I am strolling on MG Road India Kanchenjunga , the venerable protector deity is an invisible presence in the far distance, revealing itself only in the post-monsoon winter months.
A blend of experiences her own and the locals, shopping and luring landscapes; she wraps up with details for all those planning to take the high road to
I wrap up this weeks top picks high up in the hills, 3 km away from the popular pilgrimage point - Badrinath, is the little hill town of Mana; believed to be the last village of India before the Tibet border. Aravind keeps it short, with pictures lining the blog, he describes this little hamlet
The village is also closely related to several Mahabharata events. It is at this place where Pandavas crossed over to heaven. While Yudishitira reached heaven alive, others died on their way. And there are Temples
Mentions about Bhimpul, he says
An important place is “Bhimpul”, a natural rock bridge where Saraswati River
And one of the most interesting ones to catch my attention was this
Next to Bhimpul is a shop which claims as the “Last shop of India
Palaces, boats, temples & more: Travelers take their pick!
As i scout around different blogs i see a pattern,some hitting the popular spots and others visiting the the unknown amidst the known! These are the ones that catch my attention.1. Mandu - Jahaz Mahal
My first stop was at Celina's visit to Mandu. Her journey through the Jahaz Mahal- The Ship Palace, her opening lines set the rhythm for the entire write up and i must see it is poetic and picturesque in my mind. Her imagination of a typical Mughal setting
It is a starlit sky. The dancers, musicians, the other artists and entertainers are dressed i n their finest best. Lanterns are lit and decorated all over the palace grounds. Music fills up the open halls of the Jahaz Mahal.
As she takes a walk along the beautiful gardens of the Royal Enclave of Mandu, in which the Jahaz Mahal is housed, she notices the origin of its name, she says
I see the Palace perched on a narrow strip of land flanked on either side by the lakes, Munj Talao and the Kapur Talao giving it the appearance of a ship anchored in water.
Extracts of Noor Jahan's words, splendid pictures taken from different spots in the palace and description of the intricate architecture form a perfectly seasoned article!2. Alleppey - Snake Boat Race
As i continue browsing, mentally i'm already planning a trip to this wonderful palace i just read about and my attention is drawn by sleek snake boats with precision paddles all aligned and racing ahead!
An experience expressed as it unfolded Charukesi writes about her experience at the Alleppey Snake Boat Race held recently.A photography workshop and then off to capture the race behind her lens, her words weave a picture in your head, like this one
An experience expressed as it unfolded Charukesi writes about her experience at the Alleppey Snake Boat Race held recently.A photography workshop and then off to capture the race behind her lens, her words weave a picture in your head, like this one
Most of the times, we had no clue about what was going on – was it the pre-heats or the heats? Did this team not pass us just now? Where are the women rowers in their pretty blue blouses and sparkling white saris?
The race after a while looked pretty much the same i guess, so Charukesi decided to capture the mood of the people around and got some great shots of the people around. With some great shots of the race in full swing and the spectators mood captured she signs off on her weekend, and so do we as we move on to our next traveler of the week!From blogs mostly about individual travels, this ones about the more common office team outing. Reading this blog takes me back to my office outing and as Ajey points out rightly, the best part of the team you work in can be common interests shared, just like mine in my first job!
3. Kuppalli Hills
3. Kuppalli Hills
Excited to discover the Kuppalli Hills, these youngsters head out and this is what he says
The trek was very nice with light drizzles. Once at the summit, we relaxed watching the awesome view. Clouds covered the view below, but with one blow of wind the clouds, like a curtain in a drama, uncovered and then covered back the view.A straightforward blog about experiences described just like we would speak in everyday life, its indeed easygoing, like in this piece
After relaxing there for a while, we returned back to the Bus, had lunch at theerthhalli and then drove back to the lodge. Rest of the evening, we relaxed chatting and laughing..
With trekking, relaxing and getting some good shots of the hills they ended their weekend trip and headed back to their mundane office cubicles, and i browsed through further before i bumped upon my last read of the day!
