Mussoorie Tourism: Heaven for Holidaymakers

The best part about ‘birthday’ is that it is the first day of another 365 day journey around the sun. ‘I had a blast on my birthday this year with my friends’ doesn’t mark any story to tell, obviously. But I specially planned a Tour to Mussoorie with some of my friends just to celebrate my birthday, is certainly an experience to share. So, the story starts with our arrival in Mussoorie – the Queen of Hills in north India. Marvelous beauty at an altitude of 2000 meters, cool and pleasant climate conditions, vast carpet of greenery, rich variety of flora and fauna, and breathtaking snow capped mountains!

Mussoorie Tourism: Heaven for Holidaymakers

While enjoying our morning breakfast in the hotel, the manager told us that the best thing about Mussoorie is that it serves as a gateway to Gangotri and Yamunotri, two sacred destinations known to be the origin of rivers Ganga and Yamuna respectively. We started our exploration with the perennial Kempty waterfall. We found it actually very crowded, therefore we visited a more secluded place by climbing the steps lined along the flow of the stream, and find ourselves in a rocky enclosure formed naturally by the stream. After spending a couple of hours there, we headed for the Happy Valley that houses the IAS Academy, Tibetan temples and the Municipal Gardens. The municipal garden there proved to be a wonderful location to us for photography. Also known as Company Bagh, the garden attains an impression of old colonial gardens and has a wide green carpet of neat and clean lawns & a fountain in the center.

We stopped for a quick bite at a nearby restaurant and then visited the Gun Hill. A guide there told us that this hill dates back to the pre-independence period when a canon was fired from here every afternoon to help people know the time and adjust their watches. The hill is so significant to the entire town because it accommodates the entire water reservoir. We got back by a ropeway ride which offered awesome views of the entire valley. Later, we visited Jwala Devi Temple (atop the Benog Hills) closer to the Benog Wildlife Sanctuary – after all it was my birthday!! We enjoyed the views of the valley adorned with colorful flowers and gushing streams from the temple.

Next day, our first halt was four kilometer long Camel’s Back Road. This natural layout of rocks actually looks like the camel’s hump back. It served as a perfect spot for our morning walk. We also paid a short visit to the Christ Church, which was built in 1836 as per the Gothic design. The events in the life of Jesus Christ, which are depicted in the glass windows of the church, are also quite admirable. We also wanted to visit Lal Tibba – the highest point in Mussoorie, but access to the hill is restricted because of Indian Military operations. Therefore, we headed towards The Mall, the heart of Mussoorie. The area is dotted with video game parlors, skating rinks and other attractions. We also picked a few skating rinks on rent at Rs. 80 per hour and spent a couple of hours in skating. We did not get the opportunity to visit Cloud’s End, the end of Mussoorie. But we refreshed our senses at the Jharipani Falls, located 6 km downhill from Mussoorie. This way, our trip was full of fun and frill and we had a great time amidst the pure and unpolluted environment of Mussoorie.

Tour to Sarnath: Gem among Religious Tours to India

Sarnath, a small Buddhist place in the wonder state of Uttar Pradesh, came into limelight with a UNESCO project a few days back. The project was funded by Japan and it declared Sarnath as ‘the biggest Buddhist settlement in all of Central India’. Quite fascinating!! Every news channel & newspaper was full of stuff like ‘eight structures identified’, ‘14 more monasteries revealed’, ‘23 stupas found’ etc. Luckily, two friends of mine organized a short trip to Sarnath on the occasion of Buddha Purnima (last week of April). The journey from Delhi to Varanasi was smooth and relaxing, but reaching Sarnath from Varanasi (only 10 km) proved to be really hectic and tiring because of a big fair to celebrate the day of the Buddha's birth, nirvana and death.

Tour to Sarnath

Next morning, we hired a Toyota Qualis and started our exploration. Our first halt was Dhamekh Stupa, the largest in the region. Built around 500 AD, this remarkable structure is cylindrical in shape with 28 m diameter and 43.6 m height. While listening to a guide who was leading a Spanish group, we came to know that it marks the spot where Lord Buddha proclaimed his faith in front of his first five followers. All three of us were surprised to see the architectural beauty of the Stupa, which lays in its fine floral carvings of Gupta origin and Buddhist inscriptions dating back to 6^th century.

While having lunch at a restaurant, the driver told us that Emperor Ashoka visited Sarnath around 234 BC and spread Lord Buddha's message of love and compassion throughout his vast empire. He also constructed a stupa here, named Chaukhandi Stupa. We visited the site, which is a lofty mound of brick work. Its square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower.

In the evening, we also paid short visits to the Archaeological Museum and Chinese & Tibetan Temples. The best part with the Archeological Museum is that it houses the superb Lion capital of the Ashoka Pillar, which has been adopted as the National Emblem of India. Most of the structures were built between the 3^rd century BC and the 11^th century AD. Still Sarnath boasts of having the most expansive ruins among the places related to Lord Buddha.

Darjeeling Tourism: The Best Of Sightseeing & Adventure

It wasn't easy. I've experienced sleepless nights. Coffee was my only companion in silent nights when I was going through a number of Indian tour guides searching for a quiet, relaxing and lazy destination. Finally, I noticed a small town – Darjeeling – at the foot of Himalayas, filled with clean fresh mountain air and offering marvellous views of snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks. Around 6 km away, before reaching Darjeeling, I stopped at Ghoom – a renowned place dominated by the famous Yiga Choeling Monastery. As I entered the monastery, I found 15 images of the Maitreya Buddha, ancient palm leaves and paper manuscripts in Tibetan language.

Darjeeling Tourism

After having a quick bite at a roadside dhaba, I visited the Museum of Natural History that showcases a wonderful collection of Himalayan animals, reptiles, birds and insects. On my way to the city centre, I also paid short visits to Aloobari and Bhutia Busty monasteries. These holy Buddhist places not only showcase the rarest of antique articles and manuscripts but also depict an excellent architectural pattern. My hotel was quite close to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park that is the only center in India for the breeding of snow leopard.

The next morning, I started my exploration with the Mountaineering Museum (run by the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, which trains mountaineers). I also wanted to experience the thrill of mountaineering, for which the museum authority provided me with all the equipments and clothes along with a trained assistant. Sanjog, my assistant, told me that it is the first place in India where Dr. Hooker organized trekking in the 1840s. I also enjoyed breathtaking views of Everest and Kanchenjunga peaks from high altitudes.

My next destination was the Observatory Hill, which is attached to strong religious faiths for the Hindus. The renowned Mahakal temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a holy Hindu site here. Post lunch, I headed towards the market, where I found all the shops loaded with good quality woolens and other Tibetan crafts like carpets, wood and leather work. My driver took me to the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center for the best of souvenirs, which is frequented for ethnic Tibetan artifacts.

At the end, I also enjoyed a journey in the Toy Train of Darjeeling. Started in September 1881, the train was declared a World Heritage icon in 1999 by UNESCO on the recommendation of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. That short journey left a long-lasting memory to me.

Honeymoon On Goa Beaches: Simply The Best !!

Finally, my long awaited dream came true and I tied a knot with my childhood lover. I always had a wish to visit some exciting destinations with her. As we were planning for a romantic honeymoon trip, she insisted me to explore Goa beaches. She, being an adventure enthusiast, loves to go for water sports while I am a lazy spirit and love to spend days in seclusion. And we came to a conclusion that a trip to Goa is full of attractions for all kinds of tourists with varying moods. I contacted Monika, a friend of mine who works with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. (a reputed India tour operator company), and asked her to plan a honeymoon tour to Goa for me.

Honeymoon On Goa Beaches

On arriving Goa, both of us were amazed to see the perfect blend of sea, sand, sun, surf and sea-food. The land abounds with scenic beauty all around and this makes it one of the picture perfect destinations in India. Roaring sea waves in Goa ensure a special bond between couples. The best part with this hot and happening place is that its 105 km long coastline is endowed with lovely beaches. Moreover one can avail the best of luxury services and facilities at various hotels and beach resorts in Goa. I also booked a cozy room in a beach resort near the Anjuna Beach in north Goa.

We started our exploration with north Goa and its capital Panaji/Panjim. I spend one entire day visiting the ancient Portuguese churches, monuments, gardens and statues. The next day was dedicated to all kinds of water sports, for which we visited Anjuna, Baga, Arambol, Dona Paula and the Calangute Beach. My beautiful wife enjoyed parasailing, water-scootering, wind-surfing, scuba diving, water skiing & angling, and I accompanied her in almost all the sports. In the evening, we spent some quality time on the white sands feeling the touch of cool air with some lip-smacking sea-food delicacies.

Now was the turn to explore south Goa. We visited attractive Portuguese-style villages, the cultural city of Margao and the picturesque beaches like Bogmalo, Colva, Agonda and Palolem. We spent romantic evening there while strolling hand in hand down the beaches, dancing by the fireside at midnight, and singing old songs to the beautiful notes of strumming guitar. We celebrated our newly found companionship in the trance parties till the wee hours in the night. At the end, Goa is simply the best to enjoy a memorable honeymoon. Whether you want to spend relaxing vacations together or want to have fun as a couple – Goa beaches are incomparable !!

Varanasi: The Cultural Centre of India

Varanasi: Cultural Centre of India

Banarasi Silk Sarees and Banarasi Paan have always been fascinating elements in Bollywood movies. And luckily I got a chance to visit Varanasi – the city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries. In school, I had read that the holy city not only boasts of being the oldest city of the world but is also one of the Shakti Peethas and the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India. After arriving in the city, I rushed towards my hotel. I could hear pleasant prayers and chantings as it was quite close to the popular Dasaswamedh ghat.

I enjoyed bathing in the holy river Ganges at the ghat and explored the nearby sites and famous temples while boating there. After enjoying the boat ride for an hour, I had awesome jalebis (a traditional sweet) and spicy kachoris at a roadside shop. Meanwhile, the shopkeeper told me that it is believed that those who die and are cremated here get an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births. I could see many people singing alongside the ghat. The abode of Lord Shiva is more than 3000 years old.

After that, I hired a taxi ad headed towards the Buddhism pilgrimage Sarnath. Located at a distance of 10 km, this is the place where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon 'Maha- Dharma-Chakra Pravartan' (in Buddhist terminology – 'turned the wheel of the law') after his enlightenment. The ruins of the brick temple representing the Mula – gandha kuti, ruins of stupas and monasteries are the major attractions here. I also paid short visit to the Dhamekh Stupa, which is adorned with delicate floral carvings in the lower part. My driver insisted me to visit the ancient Chaukhandi Stupa and Mahabodhi Society's Mulgandha Kuti Vihar Temple as well. But we were running short of time, therefore I decided to go back to Varanasi.

I stopped for a quick bite at a restaurant and then headed towards the other popular ghats. Someone told me that Varanasi has a rich collection of over 81 ghats, but I paid short visits to the prominent ones like the Assi, Manikarnika, Tulsi and Panch Ganga ghats. Another fascinating element in Varanasi is the 18th century Durga Temple. My last halt in Varanasi was the market area, which was loaded with good quality Banarasi Carpets, Silk Sarees and several other things. Although the trip was short but perfectly enjoyable. I could feel the positive spiritual vibes in the atmosphere.

Jim Corbett National Park: Unlimited Adventure & Thrill

Jim Corbett National Park

The roar of tigers is a fascinating element for almost all the wildlife lovers. Wildlife is one such factors that maintains an impressive collection of memories through years. The thrill, rarest of fauna, amazing creatures, colourful avifauna species and the best of divine nature – all the elements are simply incomparable. It was chilly cold in the first week of January in Delhi. I did my research on all the nearby wildlife destinations, and planned for a short weekend vacation to the Jim Corbett National Park. It was 0500 hrs of that foggy Saturday morning when I reached Ramnagar by train (240 km). I hired a taxi to Jim Corbett, and in next 20 minutes, I was at a cozy forest rent house situated amidst dense greens.

In winters, the morning safari starts at 0730 hrs, so I had a couple of hours to get freshed. On my breakfast table, I met a Russian tourist named Brook. Despite of being a foreigner, he knew a lot about the place. Brook told me that Jim Corbett not only boasts of being the oldest National Park of India, which was established in 1936, but also being the First Tiger Reserve in India. Quite impressive !! We decided to share the Jeep Safari in the park together.

The driver told us that we had three hours to explore the thrilling dense greens. The Jim Corbett tourism guide says that it is a home to more than 575 Species of Birds, 25 Species of Reptiles, 50 Species of Mammals and 7 Species of Amphibians. I found the park quite rich in vegetation also. From tall sal trees to shisham, khair, bakli, chir, gurail and bamboo trees, the park is blessed with over 110 species of trees and 51 species of shrubs.

Jeep Safari is undoubtedly the best way to feel the intense jungle but unluckily I did not spot any tiger there. The driver told us that animals like chital, sambar, chinkara, pada, muntjac, monkeys, dholes (wild dogs), jackals and ghorals (mountain goats) also inhabit the Park. And I spotted a few of them alongside the Ramganga river. We also saw a huge herd of elephants comprising tuskers, females and calves. As we were trying to capture them in our cameras, the driver told us not to get out of the jeep as this could be the most dangerous encounter in the wild. The reason behind is that elephants are very possessive of their young and do not hesitate to charge at intruding human beings.

I was tempted to go swimming in the Ramganga river as well, but I dropped the idea because of the crocodiles that are always hungry for humans flesh. My short tour to Jim Corbett National Park was actually action packed. All the activities there were a delight for my memories.

Goa – A destination One Can Talk Endlessly About!

Golden Goa Beaches

The word 'beach' is inseparable from the adventure-filled destination 'Goa'. In fact, it would be apt to say that 'life is a beach' in Goa. Famed the world over, the beaches of this overwhelming destination offer everything one can ask for. Right from the pleasant environment to the scenic beauty, water sports, interesting cuisine, a variety of accommodation options and shopping opportunities, it offers all.

Drunk on beaches, s to choose I reached Goa to let myself loose in its charismatic aura. The most difficult part of my journey wafrom a host of beach options in Goa, where every beach has its own unique charm and beauty. To being with, I planned to visit North Goa first as I have heard that it is a paradise when it comes to beaches. It attracts maximum tourists from both India and abroad.

I flew down to the Dabolim Airport at Vasco da Gama with my heart brimming with joy. After resting for a while at the hotel, I was all set for my adventurous journey. My first halt was the arresting Arambol Beach. At this beach, the waves, the palm trees, the salubrious environment, the scenic beauty, all seem to be in perfect harmony with nature. I felt everything was 'embracing' there. The ambiance was peaceful and inviting and this is something we all crave for.

Exotic Goa Life

I enjoyed taking dips into the sea but I was very careful as I knew that this beach is not safe for swimming. I also opted for a dolphin-spotting trip and was rewarded with glimpses of dolphins. I captured the breathtaking views of the beach in my camera. Those moments were truly golden.

Arambol beach was lined with shacks and a few stalls selling sarong and a variety of other shopping items. I bought a few things and that too on a heavy discount. After this I climbed the Waghcolomb Hill, which offers fascinating views of the beach.

At night I went to the Loekie Cafe, located on the road to the beach, to experience the nightlife of Goa. After flaunting my pelvic and pectoral at the jam session, I came back to the hotel with wonderful thoughts of the beach bouncing around in my mind. Believe me they are still bouncing around in my mind.