Cherrapunjee

Cherrapunjee, is a small town located on the southern edge of Khasi Hills, a dissected plateau at an altitude of about 4,823 feet (1,484 m) above mean sea level. It is the headquarters of Sohra Civil Sub-Division and falls in East Khasi Hills District of the Indian State of Meghalaya (one of the seven states in North East India with Assam to its North and sharing an international border with Bangladesh to its South). It is the place for all those who love to be with nature.


Cherrapunjee is also famous for its beautiful and infinite variety of flowers. Sitting on the top of a mountain with a bonfire is just one of the normal days in Cherrapunjee. A night will take you on a journey of stars where life is not just usual; it's a feeling of being extraordinary. One such is the sight of the world's only living root bridge while trekking on the hills of Cherrapunjee.


One of the wettest parts in the world, Cherrapunjee receives nearly 98 percent of rainfall in eight months from March to October (nominal or no rainfall is recorded in other months, when rain is thanks to depressions in the Bay of Bengal). The deep gorges around Cherrapunjee help funnel and converge the low-flying rain-bearing clouds. The upward propelled rain clouds rapidly cool as they reach higher altitudes, condense and deluge the town. Major part of the rainfall recorded can be attributed to the orographic features of the Khasi Hills here.
At Cherrapunjee, June sees an average of 2,561.6 mm and July 3,168.9 mm. It rained 8,204.7 mm in July 1974 and in July 2004 it was 5014.6 mm, resulting in floods in downstream Bangladesh. The months of June and July put together account for 47.7% of the total annual rainfall here.

Bengaluru - The Green Electronic City

Welcome to the pub city of India! Bangalore is worth visiting a million times! The popular attractions and the restaurants here will keep you spell bound.

Bangaluru, formerly Banglore is a city of dreams.  An ideal tourist destination if you are on the lookout for some soul searching in the company of nature at its very best. This turns out to be quite an irony travelling to Bangaluru is by bus, though it can sometimes be stressful, thereby not recommended for the elderly tourists. Travel by air is generally for the business executives, although tourists who are willing to pill up their wallet strings will be able to save time, reaching Bangaluru from Chennai in less than an hour. Considering that today Bangaluru is said to be the technological capital of India. This blend of naturistic beauty and technology attributes to Bangaluru’s development from a mediocre city to one of the country’s top cosmopolitan city.

The Legend

Located in the state of Karnataka, Bangaluru was assigned the state capital status by the British in 1831 taking the reins from the royal kingdom of Mysore. The name Bangaluru originated from the word “Bende-kal-ooru”, in the native language-Kannada, which means ‘City of boiled beans'.

Reaching There

Situated at a distance of around 340 kilometers from the nearest metropolitan- Chennai, the easiest and most economical way to travel to Bangaluru from Chennai is by train. With more than a dozen trains plying between the two cities, it is very convenient for tourists who prefer a peaceful journey across a picturesque countryside. An alternative way of reaching Bangaluru is by bus, although it sometimes turns out to be quite stressful, not suitable for elderly tourists. Air travel, saves loads of time barely taking 40 minutes from Chennai and around 5 hours from the capital of India- Delhi.

Best Time to Visit

Bangaluru is renowned for its pleasant climate throughout the year. The best time to experience the beauty of this majestic city is between July and October, when the monsoons bathe the city in all its glory. One can never get enough of Bangaluru, but 3 days is all it takes to fall in love with the green city.

Popular Attractions

The first day of your stay in Bangalore can be utilised in visiting the Lalbagh gardens, Cubbon Park and the Shivajirao Park, if you come from a busy-life city and need some much earned rest. Scrumptious and good breakfast is available in fast food outlets called ‘darshinis’ across Bangaluru. A quick visit to the Vidhana soudha, the legislative house with a unique Dravidian architecture, the Bangalore palace, Tipu Sultan’s summer retreat palace and the State museum which holds some of the antiques belonging to the great Kings of the princely state will take up most of your time on the second day. Bangaluru does not disappoint, if you are a spiritual person. The famous ISKCON temple is a modern temple built to promote Vedic literature. Visit the ISKCON temple and the Shiva temple in the evening when both these temples look majestic. Shiva temple inside the city enchants you with its calming atmosphere and the presence of a huge statue of the deity provides a heavenly influence. Third day can be a bit relaxing by visiting the bull temple at Basavanagudi, renowned among the locals as a temple which symbolises strength and courage. Amusement parks like Wonder La always attract children and provide your money’s worth of entertainment.

Staying There

Cost of living in Bangaluru is pretty high but you will be able to find decent, affordable hotels in Majestic, which houses the Bus depot, Railway station and the domestic airport, making it easily accessible. Some of these guest houses or hotels may also be able to provide you with food and other affordable luxuries. Bangaluru, not being an adventurous destination, along with the perfect climate gives you the opportunity to get a soothing and relaxing night. If you wish to have a night life, Bangaluru is THE place to be in, with discos and Dj clubs all across the city.

Food

The foodie in you will always appreciate the exotic taste of Karnataka dishes. Coconut forms the main ingredient and you will find the aroma of fresh ground coconut in almost all the dishes. Southern specialities like ‘Idly’, ‘Dosa’ (Lentil pancakes) and ‘Vada’.

Shopping

You can never leave Bangaluru unless you have shopped and if you are looking for mall’s there can’t be one better than the Forum mall in Koramangala. Malleswaram, Brigade road and Commercial Street are good platform shopping destinations. A perfect souvenir to remember your trip to Bangaluru would be a sandalwood idol.

Travelling around Bangaluru may be a bit tedious, as Bangaluru is notorious for its jam-packed traffic. Cabs are available all around the city and auto-rickshaws are convenient and affordable.

As they say in kannada – “Bangaluru banni, enjoy madi” (Come and enjoy)!