Exploring Shravanabelagola: The Ultimate Guide
The clock was about to strike 5 PM. Our car ran like the wind, as we stole glances at our watch. As if, that would stop time in its track! Earlier that day, we got so immersed in the riveting beauty of Belur and Halebidu’s temples that we completely lost track of time ourselves. It […]
Badami: The Ultimate Guide to the Chalukyan Capital
Today, Badami is an ordinary, squalid town. At first sight, it won’t impress you. Grungy, chock-a-block roads, lanes, and by-lanes crammed with dingy slums, and rowdy market areas – Badami hardly resembles its once dominant status as the prosperous capital of the Early Chalukyas. For understanding Badami’s centuries-old history and heritage, you need to head […]
Aihole: How To Discover An Ancient Temple Town
At first glance, Aihole appears to be a rather nondescript village. Dusty roads, dry summers, curious glances, cows ruminating nonchalantly on the roadside, corn drying right on the main roads – it exhibits features common to every other village of northern Karnataka. And yet, Aihole is so much more, with a rich history dating back […]
Pattadakal: Why You Need to Visit this Historical Site
Today, Pattadakal is a run-of-the-mill village in northern Karnataka, much akin to its neighbor, Aihole. But, if you travel back in time to the 7th century, you will discover Pattadakal as a splendid town, glistening with magnificent temples. Not only this, it was here that the coronation of the Early Chalukyan rulers used to take place. […]
Zanskar Valley: How to Plan a Perfect 10-day Trip
An old saying in Zanskar goes, “The land is so barren and the passes so high that only our fiercest enemies or our best friends would want to visit us.” The distant land of Zanskar is surrounded by the mighty Greater Himalayan range and its lofty peaks that go as high as 17,000 ft. The […]
Suru Valley: A Travel Guide to off-beat Ladakh.
The otherwise monochromatic landscape of Ladakh is poradically dotted with a few river valleys. These green valleys stand out against the cold desert landscape of Ladakh, like an oasis in the Thar. Among the handful of river valleys of Ladakh, the Suru Valley stands out for its pristine scenery. By mostly remaining outside the radar […]
Zanskar Valley: 18 Things to Remember Before Planning a Trip Here.
Remember the cliché fairy tale phrase of “land far, far away”? Zanskar Valley, believed to be one of the remotest places in India, fittingly fits into this fabled adage. The faraway land of Zanskar is surrounded by the mighty Himalayas and crisscrossed by the feisty Zanskar river and its tributaries. The valley is further sprinkled with […]
Bateshwar Group of Temples: India’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle
Madhya Pradesh is incredible partly for its infinite archaeological treasures. The entire landscape of this central Indian state is teeming with archaeological artifacts, some of which even date to pre-historic times. One such intriguing discovery is the Bateshwar Group of Temples in Morena. The temple complex, situated amidst the once infamous Chambal ravines, was previously […]
Garhi Padavali: Exploring a Hidden Gem of Bundelkhand
Time and again, we come across a monument in an average Indian village which makes us ponder about the wonder that was India. The day trip to the archaeological triumvirate of Morena was no different. Even the cloudy sky provided the perfect set-up for exploring the bewildering sites of Morena. We trod through the ruins […]
Khajuraho: A Complete Guide
At first glance, Khajuraho appears as an idyllic Indian village, surrounded by low-lying hills and lush agricultural fields. A closer inspection gradually raises the curtain and reveals the magic of Khajuraho. Khajuraho is the storehouse of magnificent temples built by the Chandelas in the 9th and 10th centuries. It went by the name of Kharjuravahaka (‘kharjura’ means […]