While I’ve always held a fascination with natural beauty on my journeys, religious sites proved to be a necessary accompaniment. A visit to them also provides important insight into our history and the perceived thought process of India – at large. It was the difficult time of July’s curfew in Kashmir and I had somehow…
Cloud Watching at Bairagarh enroute Saach Pass
Normally the weather gets milder once you are in the region of 1500m to 2000m in the Himalayas, even if it is summer. That was not to be on that particular day, the morning that had began with a sharp drizzle in Pathankot progressed to a balmy day in Churah valley at Bhanjraru. When I…
Kashmir Great Lakes Trek, in Pictures
At first I set about writing a travelogue; but then quickly realised I could do that later and instead share the photographs which had created quite a storm on social media, particularly instagram. All the captions are heartfelt memories 🙂 When I went on this trek, in July-August 2016 I was a bit skeptical especially…
Top Memories of Nainital
It sure must have been a good omen when I reached Kathgodam in the wee hours of the morning. After all I was aiming to spend a long summer exploring all parts of Kumaon. The station was spic and span and the green mountains in the distance seemed happy to receive me. As soon as I walked…
The Fairytale Villages of Sangla Valley, Kinnaur
Having heard so much about the beauty of the Baspa river and Sangla Valley, I had made sure to venture this side on my first trip to Spiti, back in 2011 or 2012 and again in the subsequent years. After having visited Ladakh & Spiti in the winters, I think 2017 will be the year…
Walking around the Famed Meadows of Sonamarg & Thajiwas Glacier
The heart was finally calm after the locals had given fate a twist by deciding to make me stay in their home. I was in Sitkari village (pronounced Sitkadi) and an entire gamut of emotions was going through my head. Kids were running around causing much needed happiness while my brain was still in shock…
A Backpacking Guide to Meghalaya
I explored a few parts of North East India in February; my journey started from Guwahati and continued around parts of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. In money terms, I spent on an average 800 Rupees per day including all expenses. Out of these I thought Meghalaya was really easy to navigate and being in close proximity to…
A Stroll in Bhangarh’s Gorgeous Ruins
I was on an assignment to cover a few remote regions of Rajasthan and the chance of travelling in my own style made me accept it gleefully. A drive through bumpy roads flanked by lush green wheat fields on both sides brought me to Bhangarh. The morning had been very foggy and cold, and I…
A Roadtrip Without a Plan: Destination No. 1 Khajjiar
The train had pulled into Pathankot station and I wasn’t very sure where to go next. Day 1: Khajjiar : The ‘Mini Switzerland’ (Oh no, not again!) It was the 23rd of December and Delhi was in a festive mood. We bought some cookies, plum cakes and a few bottles of wine to be safely packed for celebrating Christmas and…
A Detailed Travel Guide for Trekking to Kheerganga
While checking photographs from my trip to Kheerganga (Khirganga), I was also reminded of the lack of proper information about the trek on the internet and travel blogs. Here is an attempt at making a step-by-step guide on trekking to Kheerganga (Khirganga) on your own. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments below : Thanks 🙂 ____________________________________________________________________________________________…
Failures on the Road – Chapter 1
It’s time to get real. Travel is not a bed of roses (well, not for me anyway); I am not looking for comfort on the road, but for experiences – which may differ in variety and can range from staying with a nomadic tribe to trekking on rough paths to see a spectacular view. In…
Photo Story from Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
The villagers of Majuli were brilliant with the suggestion of the shortcut of reaching North Lakhimpur in Assam. It was essential for me to get to North Lakhimpur to procure a permit for travel in Arunachal Pradesh and somehow find a shared taxi (sumo) for making my way to Ziro Valley. I was lucky to be…
