Jaipur Elephant Festival- A Unique Way of Experiencing Bygone Royal Era

Elephant Festival, Jaipur

For centuries Rajasthan has fascinated the tourists with its royal palaces,fortified forts, enchanting wildlife, golden sand dunes and unique and colorful fairs and festivals. Its charm is simply irresistible. This time I was here to enjoy the famous Elephant Festival which is a melange of royal history and sheer entertainment. It is organized by Rajasthan Tourism board during Holi, the festival of colors. What a unique festival!

As I reached the ground where the festival was being celebrated I was enchanted at the sight of fascinating elephants who were decked up from head to toe. Adorned to perfection, glittering like gold, numerous elephants walking the ramp (venue) in royal grace was a sight to behold.

Have you ever heard of beauty pageant of elephants? You can enjoy it in Jaipur. The most interesting event of the elephant festival was the beauty pageant of female elephants. All the contestants were beautifully adorned with jewelery, velvets and were also majestically painted. It was really difficult to guess the winner as all of them were looking gorgeous.

Other interesting events were the procession of elephants, camels and horses; elephant race; elephant-polo match, tug of war, elephant race and folk dance and music performances by skilled artists. The excitement level among audience was at its peak during the elephant race. I also enjoyed it to the hilt. In the end I mounted the elephant and played Holi. I was feeling royal. It was such a fantastic experience.

Elephant festival is a unique and wonderful event which majestically takes tourists to the glorious times of raja-maharajas when elephant was synonymous with royalty. My journey to the bygone era of raja-maharajas through this elephant festival was a great experience which I will remember forever.

Kovallam Beah Tour

Someone has rightly said “Man cannot discover new oceans

Kovalam Beaches

unless  he has courage to lose sight of the shore”. I could feel the significance of this quote when I was on a sea shore facing the vast sea. Though the lashing waves are known for their thrill but sometimes they can also be inspirational, which I realised during my recent visit to the Kovalam Beach in Kerala. With a desire to break free from the monotony of my mechanical life and to rejuvenate my senses I stepped into this enchanting land, which is one of the most famous tourist destinations of India.

The Kovalam beach is located 16 km away from Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala. Earlier it was a sleepy town but with the discovery of the fabulous beaches it gained popularity as a famous tourist destination. The Beach comprises of three crescent shaped beaches separated by Rocky Mountains.

The largest among all the three beaches is called ‘Light House Beach’ which has a 35 metre high lighthouse located over Kurumkal hillock. The second largest one is ‘Hawah Beach’ which was once known for topless bathing and paragliding. It was the first beach in India where topless bathing was allowed. Top free bathing and parading is banned now, except in the private coves which is owned by resorts. The third is the Samudra Beach located in the northern part and famous among the local fishermen. The beauty of this beach lies in a perfect fusion of sun, sand and sea. I visited all the three beaches and realized that each had its own unique charm.

The term Kovalam means ‘a grove of coconut trees’ and the coconut trees along the beaches give the town a ravishing look. This place is bestowed with the magical charm of nature which can be decoded in various ways by tourists depending on their individual perceptions. The beach offers many facilities for excitement and amusement ranging from nerve pulsating sports activities to rejuvenating ayurvedic therapies.

The beauty of this place is so engrossing that I was completely lost in it. The soaring sea waves whispered numerous thoughts and children playing near the shore transported me to my childhood days when I had nothing to worry about. Standing at the beach I felt as if the mesmerizing waves had washed off the monotony of my daily life. I was feeling light and in harmony with nature.

Nature can be a great source of inspiration but it depends on how you perceive it. The unfathomable waves taught me a lesson of courage and consistent efforts and beauty scattered around made me realize that life is beautiful. The beauty of nature rejuvenated me and unleashed my webbed thoughts in a simple manner. The inspiration that I draw from the sea is a souvenir of this short trip which will always be a source of courage to my heart.

Taj Mahal: Designed Like Giants & Finished Like Jewelers

Tajmahal

What could be more exciting than visiting the emblem of love during a long weekend on Christmas? I had three chilly days in my pocket in the last week of December and without giving a second thought I packed my bags for the wonder city Agra. After a short drive of three hours, I arrived at the land of most precious architectural heritage of India. Without wasting much time, I booked in a room in a hotel and headed for the picturesque Taj Mahal.

What a marvelous piece of Mughal architecture! Built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his loving wife Mumtaz Mahal, the monument in pure white marble retains its age old glory. One issue that made me a bit disappointed was the pale yellow layer formed over the entire structure because of polluted environment. Agra, being a renowned industrial area houses numerous factories and industries. The emission of chemicals and polluted smoke from these factories is solely responsible for it. Leaving that aside, the Taj is undoubtedly the most irresistible spot in India.

Its superb architecture alongside the banks of Yamuna River, landscaped gardens, 313 square feet marble platform, and semi precious stones inlaid into the marble in beautiful patterns – altogether claim to make it one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

My photography session was soaring high in front of its timeless beauty. I am pretty sure that it would have served as an inspiration to countless poets, painters, writers and photographers. Visiting the divine graves of Emperor Shah Jahan and Empress Mumtaj Mahal was again a remarkable experience. On asking why it is considered as one of the seven wonders, a guide told me that there are two reasons behind it. The first is related to its base, which is made of a special wood. This wooden base has a unique quality that it becomes tougher and tougher when comes in the contact of water. Water contact is very obvious for the Tah Mahal as it is built on the River Yamuna. And second is, the structure’s roof has a very small unspotted hole, through which water droplets fall on the graves of the king and the queen, every time when it rains. These amazing facts made my trip to Taj Mahal more exciting.

I know it is impossible for me to make another such Taj for my beloved. But the monument was so impressive that I decided to make a small replica of the Taj Mahal for my beloved in my own home.

Rhinos of Kaziranga: Landscape Architects

The last programme I watched on National Geographic was all about

Rhinos of Kaziranga

one-horned Rhinos, which inhabit the Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in north east India, in large numbers. The episode showcased the beauty of Kaziranga so brilliantly that I could not control level of excitement for that. One of my friend works with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). Luckily, when I told him about my desire to visit the place and asked him to make some arrangement for the same, I came to know that he was also going to Kaziranga National Park on a one month trip to look after the waning population of one-horned rhinos. I didn’t even give any second thought and packed my bag for the most exciting jungle safari of my life.

It was the first week of November when we arrived at Furkating Railway Station, which lies at 75 km from Kaziranga. Our group of 15 boys & girls was booked in GL’s Resort – located at the foothills of Burapahar, in Golaghat District of Assam. Kaziranga is a title of a remarkable success story of conservation of the One Horned India Rhinoceros and other wild lives in the north east India. The resort’s manager provided us with some promotional text on Kaziranga Wildlife, which says that the 429.93 sq. km. long stretch of Kaziranga National Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940 and inscribed in the World Heritage Site List in 1985.

We were very close to the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River, which flourishes all vegetation in the region. We spent our evening at leisure, but did not sleep because of our rising excitement. The very next morning we all were at the entrance of the National Park with our cameras, food items and water bottles. The area was covered with tall thickets of elephant grass that makes it the ideal habitat for the Indian One-Horned Rhino. While enjoying our Jeep Safari in Kaziranga National Park, we spotted the great one horned Indian Rhino, elephants, Indian bison, swamp deer (barasingha) and hog deer. Watching these rare animals so closely was an unmatched experience.

Kaziranga Wildlife Travel Guide says that the dense greens also provide home to Sloth Bears, Tigers, Leopard Cats, Jungle Cats, Otters, Hog Badgers, Capped Langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Buffalo, Pythons, Monitor Lizards etc. But we did not find any of them. We had some authentic Chinese, South Indian, North Indian and Assamese delicacies at a restaurant outside the park. There we met a survey team of WWF (World Wildlife Federation) who was working in India and Nepal to conserve this species.

After lunch we again started our safari. This time we spotted several lazy rhinos in tall grassland and riverine forests. We also clicked some at bathing areas, and some grazing on grasses, leaves, aquatic plants & fruits. I returned back after a short two-day trip but with some remarkable memories in my camera. Kaziranga National Park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by a human presence.

Kashmir Houseboats: My Fantasy of Living on Water Came True

I was always jealous of my friends who, after returning back from their tours to Kashmir, share the marvelous experiences of staying in houseboats. The reason behind my jealousy was that I have been to Kashmir a couple of years back and couldn’t explore the divine beauty of the place at its fullest, as it was a corporate trip. I spent several nights thinking about the incomparable feel when you relax under the vast open sky during your stay in luxurious houseboats. Lucky was how I felt when I got a marriage invitation from a friend of mine who resides in Kashmir only. Without even giving a second thought, I applied for a week’s leave in my office and booked my air tickets.

As I arrived at this paradise on earth, I came to know that my friend had arranged for a bachelor’s party with very limited friends of him on a luxurious Firdous houseboat. Firdous is basically a huge houseboat with three double bedrooms. That was a sophisticated bachelor’s party with a few imported drinks. Facing the impressive Himalayas and offering the amusing sounds of rolling waters, the houseboat offered us a sail to the entire Dal Lake. This was the first time when I had such a closer view of the stunning beauty of enchanting flora at Kashmir amidst high peaks. Our houseboat had well decorated bedrooms with attached bathrooms, common eating-place and a balcony. The interiors were decorated in typical Kashmiri style with vibrant colors and art. The wooden furniture, carpets and everything was simply out of the mark.

It was similar to a fully furnished house with proper living rooms, drawing and dining rooms, carved wooden furniture, and beautifully decorated interiors. We were provided with an assistant and a cook, who prepared a variety in Chinese, Continental and authentic Kashmiri dishes for us. The assistant told me that tourists have a wide variety of houseboats in Kashmir that range from Firdous to Kushal & Clermont Too (two double bedrooms), and Nishat & Kushdil (one double bedroom, especially for honeymooners).

Next morning, the assistant took us for shikara rides, i.e. wandering in the lake, during which we all enjoyed sunbathing on the top-deck. I admit the fact that houseboats in Jammu & Kashmir serve as the best medium to offer you a holiday in the lap of nature. Along with the traditional living of the local villagers, I also saw houseboats as old as 50 years in Dal Lake. My friend told me that the credit for introducing houseboat cruises to Kashmir goes to the British residents.

During my last trip to Kashmir, I visited natural landscapes, exotic mountain valleys, picturesque villages and many other attractions. But I admit that my trip was not worth without enjoying my stay in Kashmir houseboat. Call it the ‘Venice of the east’ or the ‘houseboat capital of India’ – Kashmir provided me with an opportunity to rediscover myself and enjoy the royal treats that made my visit a lifetime experience.

Nubra Valley: A Nirvana for Nature Lovers

Nubra Valley

On my trip to Jammu & Kashmir, I visited all the gem destinations like Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Patnitop etc. And when I was planning for my next trip while going through Jammu Kashmir travel guide, I got a birthday party invitation from one of my friends. The guy, Saqib, is addicted to travel and is a true wanderer in every perspective. He told me that he was leaving for Nubra Valley (150 km north of Leh) the next day with his 2-3 friends from Delhi. Now my responsibility was to arrange for a cottage in Nubra Valley. Crazy!! Isn’t it? But as I arrived the place, I appreciated Saqib’s idea.

It was the first week of August and luckily the Nubra Valley crossing was open to tourists. The entire valley lies at a lower elevation than Leh, and this makes it very fertile so that kinds of grains and fruits can be cultivated there. Our cottage was at Diskit, the administrative center of the Nubra Valley that lies on the other side of the Khardong La. We carried plenty of water along with us to be on a safer side in case of headache or nausea.

Huge prayer-flag topped peaks in the backdrop and snow all around together form a breathtaking experience. On the eve of Saqib’s birthday, we enjoyed authentic Ladakhi meal served sitting around the massive black stove in the kitchen of our cottage, which is the most important room in any Ladakhi house.

Next day, after a small celebration, we started our exploration with Panamik, the last settlement before the Tibetan border. The hot springs on the outskirts of Panamik add to the beauty of the place. Though this sensitive border area is completely controlled by the Indian Army, but offers the best natural beauty in the entire region. While getting back to the cottage in the evening, we visited the 250 year old Ensa Gompa. The monastery, nestling on top of a rock, is accessible after a six-hour walk involving the river at Hargam. It was quite tiring but the architectural beauty, antique collections, extraordinary Buddhist murals and rock engravings at the monastery refreshed our senses.

We also enjoyed the true joy of camping near the Nubra River in night while having our dinner. That short one day trip was undoubtedly one of the best tours of my life.

Patnitop Tourism: Amalgamation of Beauty, Adventure & Relaxation

Patnitop Tour

I do not exactly remember since when the interest towards adventure sports developed in me, but I started considering adventure an important element of my life since my late 20s. Snowboard surfing was one such sport that was untouched and I neither got opportunity nor a good company to try out this fascinating activity. Recently, I switched over my job and in the short interval of one week prior to join my new office, I planned a trip to Patnitop in Jammu & Kashmir. It was the mid of January and Patnitop lived up to my expectations by offering the snowy slopes of the Alps.

I arrived Jammu Tawi Railway Station and hired a taxi to Patnitop, which lies in the Shivalik Belt of the Himalayas, in Udhampur District on NH 1A. At first go, I was welcomed by the picturesque river Chenab. Dara, my driver, told me that the place was earlier called ‘Patan da Talab’, meaning ‘Pond of the Princess’. The native people believe that it was reserved as the bathing area for princesses. The sports enthusiast in me was eager to go for snowboard surfing, skiing and trekking.

Next morning, I first visited the holy temple of Sudh Mahadev and enjoyed the peaceful & relaxing ambiance there. I could see all the beautiful plateau and dense forests covered with a thick layer of snow at a height of 2024 m. Countless tourists were busy in skiing, paragliding, camping, walking and trekking. I also enjoyed my favourite sports under the guidance of experts there. After having lunch at a dhaba, I headed for the market. There I got to see only a few handicraft shops/stalls selling good quality Kashmiri handicraft items and traditional specialties like namdas (embroidered wool carpets), pherans (embroidered long shirts) and woolens.

I dedicated next entire day to trekking on Sundarani-Jungal Gali-Jasarkote-Sanasar route in Jangal Gali area. The entire area was surrounded by chinar gardens and saffron fields. Despite of being tired, I enjoyed my trip. I could feel the closeness with nature which you hardly see in urban areas.

Sonmarg: Incomparable Refreshing Nature

When it comes to the perfect refreshment, I vote for snow clad peaks, enchanting valleys, the best of thrilling adventures and the divine beauty of mother nature. While looking for all these fascinating elements, I decided to plan a trip to Sonmarg in the picturesque state of Kashmir. As I arrived the beautiful land of ‘Golden Meadow’ at an altitude of 2740 m in the first week of December, I was welcomed by snow-covered mountains, dense forests full of sycamore and alpine flowers, silver birch, fir and pine, and the Sindh River.

As I started my sightseeing trip, Kailash, my driver told me that the hill station is known as ‘Gateway to Ladakh’. I first visited the Thajiwas range and found it covered with pine, fir and birch trees. I could see a number of tourists enjoying in their camps. A Spanish group invited me for a short trip to the nearby waterfalls and the superb Thajiwas glacier. That is what I call ‘refreshing’. I enjoyed like never before.

Nilagrad River, 6 km from Sonamarg, is frequented for its reddish water. Kailash told me that the river has curative power of many diseases. But we could not reach there as the route gets risky in winters. While enjoying a cup of tea at a roadside dhaba, some local people told me that Sonmarg witnesses heavy crowd in July – August, as countless devotees undertake the holy yatra to Amarnath cave from here only. My next destination was the Nichnai Pass where I enjoyed spectacular views of the Kishensar, Vishensar and Gangabal lakes. These were simply amazing. I captured their divine beauty in my camera. It was getting dark in the evening, therefore I returned back to my hotel.

Next morning, Kailash took me to Yushmarg (on the slopes of the Pir Panjal range), Tulmul (for the shrine of Khir Bhawani), Krishnasar Lake, and Zojila Pass. After the sightseeing of all such nearby places, I got back to Sonmarg to enjoy some adventure sports. Kailash asked me if I wanted to go for trekking to Thajiwas Glacier or Pahalgam. But I did not have enough time for that. Therefore, he provided me with assistance for sledging (at frozen glaciers), angling and alpine skiing. A few places are frequented for white water rafting as well, but due to bad weather nobody was going for rafting. In short, the trip was awesome. It was the best refreshment of my life.

Pahalgam Tourism: Beauty Clubbed With Adventure

After enjoying the best of skiing and trekking tour in Gulmarg,

Lidder River, Pehalgam

I wanted to explore some more of the divine state of Jammu and Kashmir. I also needed a cozy place to stay. Therefore I headed towards the valley of shepherds ‘Pahalgam‘. Situated at the convergence of the Lidder Lake and the Sheshnag Lake, Pahalgam is undoubtedly a spectacular hill station at an altitude of about 2,130 m. While driving towards this beautiful place, I also came to know that apart from being counted amongst the premier resorts of the Kashmir valley, Pahalgam also comprises of a part of the only saffron growing areas of Asia.

As I arrived Pahalgam, I booked a spacious and warm room in a budget hotel. The staff there told me that the best part with Pahalgam is that it is also associated with the holy yatra of the Amarnath cave. Chandanwari, located 16 km from this town, serves as the starting point of the yatra, which is organized every year in the month of Sawan (July to August). Being an adventure enthusiast, I planned to start with recreational activities.

Due to heavy flow of Lidder River, I could not enjoy white water rafting. But the weather was pleasant for horse riding, sledging at the frozen glaciers, alpine skiing and fishing at Lidder River. It was now time to go for trekking. The popular Pahalgam-Sonamarg Trek seems to be a bit difficult, therefore I decided to go for Chandanwari and Kolahoi Glacier. Another popular trek route is Sheshnag Lake but it was blocked for last one week due to heavy snowfall. My driver told me that Sheshnag Lake, located at a distance of 27 km from Pahalgam, is a greenish blue lake that is covered with ice till June.

Post lunch I decided to explore the natural attractions of the entire Anantnag District. I was about 96 km from Srinagar. I had already visited the famous snow bridge of Chandanwari during my trekking course. I started with Baisaran (5 km) and enjoyed the picturesque view of the snow clad mountains and pine forests that surround the entire meadow. My driver insisted me to visit Aru (11 km) and Lidderwat (22km) also. But as I was running short of time, I decided to get back to my hotel. In the meanwhile, we stopped for a while at the market area from where I bought a few good quality woolen clothes at reasonable prices.

Gulmarg Tourism: Relish yourself With Skiing & Trekking

Recently, Gulmarg made headlines in one of the leading

Gulmarg

newspapers where it was spotted as one of the potential locations for 2010 Winter Commonwealth games. One of my friends told me that Gulmarg, in Kashmir, is a place that serves as the hub of activity from November to March. Being an adventure enthusiast, I decided to visit the same as my next holiday destination. I packed my bags and headed towards Srinagar, which is at a distance of about 53 km from Gulmarg. While driving towards Gulmarg, Tahir, my driver told me that this land of prestine beauty was named by Sultan Yusuf Shah because of the countless colourful flowers meadows present here. Tahir first took me to a hotel where I had some snacks. I decided to start off with skiing. Gulmarg is a place with ample opportunities for the amateurs as well. One can easily find all the equipments and training facilities in Gulmarg for skiing, tobo-ganning, ski-bobbing and paragliding along with a T-bar lift, a chair lift and ski-lifts. Luckily I got the skis and sticks, snow boots, woolen socks, mufflers, windproof jackets, goggles and caps on rent at a reasonable price. It is the best Ski resort in the country and maintains the high-quality service. Tahir also told me that it also holds a position as one of the highest lift served Ski resorts in the world. As I wanted to try out heli-skiing, a helicopter took me to the chosen peak from where I could choose my own descent route. It was great fun. I noticed that sledges and snow cycles are also quite popular here during winters. Another best part about Gulmarg is that it serves as the highest natural golf course of the world, situated at an altitude of 2890 m. The place also

offers countless trekking opportunities. Apharwat Lake, which is frozen until mid-June and even after that, provides wonderful trek routes to tourists. More adventurous trekkers can climb straight up the boulder-strewn slope of the ridge and descend on the other side to the path, which obviously is a thrilling exercise. From Gulmarg, a pony track leads upwards to Khilanmarg, Kongdori and Seven Springs. It takes a couple of hours by pony, and slightly longer on foot. While at Khilanmarg, I could enjoy the unparalleled views of the great Himalayan range. What I enjoyed most after skiing was the horse ride alongside the Alpather Lake. While returning to my hotel, I paid a short visit to the holy shrine of Baba Reshi, a Muslim mystic saint. I found the the meadow of flowers amazingly beautiful. After all these were the favorites of Emperor Jehangir who collected 21 different varieties of wild flowers from here.