The palace of winds or the Hawa Mahal is one of the most recognized landmarks of Jaipur. It was interesting to see how much appreciation and recognition I received with that one picture of Hawa Mahal shared in my post on Best Places to stay in Jaipur. What was even more surprising – I discovered … Read more
I have always said this – “If you want to understand the local culture of a place, you must visit the local markets”. I absolutely insist on this for Karaikudi and the Chettinad region. In fact, let me rephrase this – “If you want to find the treasures that were a part of the opulent … Read more
You have experienced the colorful Chettinad culture through the various mansions of Karaikudi. How about, a quick trip to the various Karaikudi temples while in the region. Trust me when I say that these are a must-visit even for the atheists for they present a different facet of the culture of Chettinad. The temples of … Read more
You have not seen the pink city properly if you have not visited the Amer Fort Jaipur. In fact, a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the key things to do in Jaipur. Just outside the city, Amer Fort or Amber fort used to the powerhouse of the rulers before Jaipur … Read more
Ever heard of a Terracotta Horse Temple? Maybe you know them as the Ayyanar Temples? No? Well, I hadn’t either till I stumbled upon one near Karaikudi. After visiting this one (the local name being Andavar Solai Temple), I am looking forward to visiting more of the Ayyanar Temples of Tamil Nadu. If you are … Read more
Enthralled by my last post on the mansions of Chettinad? Well – it is now time to get blown by the exquisite Kanadukathan Palace of Chettinad. This one is a blog exclusive for it is not every day that you get special permission to this Maharaja’s palace of Chettinad. In fact, it took me a … Read more
“I stood there like a Liliput while the Giants hovered over me. There was nothing scary about them. In fact, they were just beautiful.” These giants that I am talking about exist. They are tall and magnificent. Except that they are not human. They are the towering pillars of the monumental Thirumalai Nayakar Palace in … Read more
[lmt-post-modified-info] If Patan Durbar Square deserved a second visit, then Bhaktapur Durbar Square definitely merited one. After all, it is the largest of all the Durbar Squares in Nepal and I did leave a lot unseen during my epic Indo-Nepal road trip. The 2nd time was a complete day dedicated to the points of interest … Read more
What are the names that come to your mind when I say places to visit in Thanjavur? Is it is just the Thanjavur Temple? Well, that is the first and the most important Tanjore attraction but the 2nd one on this list is likely to be the Thanjavur Palace. My first brush with the Thanjavur … Read more
[lmt-post-modified-info] The first time I visited Patan Durbar Square was during my Epic Indo-Nepal road trip. The Nepal part of my trip took me through the famous Pashupatinath temple, the Swayambhunath Stupa, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and allowed me to experience the delights of the Nepal culture and cuisines with you. However, the visit to Nepal Patan … Read more
Setting up Little Lhasa in Dharamshala involved more than just finding a home and building Buddhist temples and monasteries like the Gyuto Monastery. It meant finding employment, establishing schools and most importantly preserving the heritage roots. Over time, the Tibetan community settled in with all these amenities – some adapted to the existing Indian way … Read more
One of the things that travel has made me realize is that a destination is memorable owing to its people. It is they who bring alive a place. Their life and stories add vibrance to that place. Ultimately, they make it so desirable that you want to visit it again and again. For me, Kerala … Read more