Christmas Gateways!!!

It's that time of the year again!!! Schools,colleges and offices are about to be shut down for the biggest holiday season in the world.It is a great time to bring out that backpack and hit the road!!!  Now like every year the most famous and popular  destinations in the country will be choc-a-bloc with both domestic and international travelers.Flight and hotel fares touches the sky and still getting   a room or seat in the plane becomes a matter of sheer luck! So i decided to bring out some fab destinations in the country which are breath taking yet will not cost a hole in your pocket or keep you worrying about vacancies on train/plane.

1.B.R Hills(1400 m abv s.level)
Located in  south eastern part of Karnataka,near Tamil Nadu border this hill range is known for its exotic flora and fauna. It is in fact a  protected wildlife sanctuary protected under law. The BR hills links the eastern ghats with the western ghats hence allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau. 
Flora and Fauna 
B.R Hills is know for its exotic flora and fauna. Recent studies have revealed there are more than 17 tigers in the sanctuary along with leopards,wild dogs and sloth bear.Elephants are common and widespread throughout the region, so are sambal.chitar and barking deer.More than 254 species of birds are spotted in this locality including the White-winged Tit.

People 
The region has been habited by soliga tribe an ethnic semi-nomad tribe hundreds of years. Coffee was introduced in the region by an Scotsman during the British raj and the region is still known for coffee plantation along with famous Chicmagulur.

Must Do


Jungle safaris in jeeps and on elephant back are a must in this resort. When out on safaris in the forest, one could spot a herd of elephants or a langur, panthers, tigers, sambar deer, sloth bears, bison, wild boar, barking deer, porcupine and more.
Bird watching is another important activity here . You might spot birds like the large Indian parakeet, racket-tailed drongo, hill Myna, crested serpent eagle, chestnut-bellied nuthatch among 225 species already mentioned.
You could also go for long walks and trekking.



Festivities

The most famous festival in the region is the Annual car festival held in the month of April,which brings in thousands of pilgrims from the region and is quite a spectacle.


How to Reach
It is 226 km by road from Bangalore via Mysore and Chamarajanagar.
Frequent buses and trains are available to Mysore. From Mysore, it is 85 km by road via Chamarajanagar, Nallur and Navodaya School. It is suggested that you take a taxi from Mysore or directly from Bangalore.


Accommodation


As the place is not a typical tourist spot hence accommodation facility are limited. The best bet is Jungle Lodge and Resort a Govt enterprise resort which is located in the heart of the sanctuary.Accommodation are in the form of tents and there is no electricity post 10 pm,when hurricane lamps are lit at the camp bringing an amazing transformation to the place.


Important Advice :

• Language is an issue here, so carry a Kannada-English phrasebook. This is available all over the footpaths of Bangalore and costs about Rs 30.
• Carry some dry snacks that you prefer just incase you suddenly feel the need for some junk food.
• A wide-angle camera is a good idea
• comfortable and rough clothes for those rugged safaris
• Best season to visit: Its open throughout the year, but the best time to sight the wildlife is during the month of November uptill January. For people who love to see that lush green forests then the time would be between the months of July and october.

                                                        Spectacular views of the hills

                                                             Brown owl

                                                        Jungle Lodge huts in the sanctuary

                                A Leopard Spotted in the forest (photo:K.Verma)

                                      Sunrise

Shivsamudram falls!!!

Shivsamudram is a place of  a majestic waterfall forming a spectacular sight for nature lovers!!!Situated approx 130 Kms from Bangalore City, its a perfect place for day trip for that weekend you wanted to spent doing something memorable.Here the sparkling waterfall flows through the sylvan forest  of Karnataka and plunges 320 m into a gorge forming clouds of mist.It may also be noted as the first place of hydro-electricity generation plant which was commissioned in 1902. The best time to visit is between June-September when the water looks full and the view is at its grandest. There are limited accommodation facility available on site. Only one resort existed during my time of visit( can't recall the name) and it looked good from outside.

mist of water

on the way

Gokarna -the new Goa

Hey readers!!!
Finally managed got some time to write.This is all about Gokarna a fantastic beach retreat which has come into prominence in last 5-7 years. Located in North Karnataka near Goa border this small religious town has transformed into a hippy idyllic gateway from the rush and commercialization of Goa . Thanks to its fantastic beaches and cheap accommodation on the beach it has become a frequently visited place for Israeli, European backpackers specially the gap year students and people who competed compulsory military service in their country. So lets get all the info needed on how to reach this tropical paradise

HOW TO REACH
Gokarna is located approx 453 kms from Bangalore,240 kms from Mangalore and about 200 kms south from Panaji(goa).
Regular buses are available from Bangalore(Karnataka), Pune(Maharasthra)run by both Govt Bus companies and Pvt companies.Train is available on Mumbai to Managalore route so please
Note: No train directly from Bangalore).
For online bus reservation to Gokarna from various indian cities please check the following sites:,,

Beaches

Gokarna is known for its fantastic beaches full of coconut trees idyllic for swim and hang out.

The main four beaches of gokarna are :
1.Om Beach
2.Kudle Beach
3.Half moon beach
4.Paradise Beach

Om beach is named so because of its 'OM" shaped coast designed by rocks.It happens to be the most popular of the four beaches
Om being the most popular of the all four beaches has better accommodation facilities compared to other beaches. Accommodation ranges from basic hut with outside toilet to small cottages.Price ranges from 100 per person to 600 per person depending on the type and season.
Namaste cafe on this beach is the most well known and reliable place for accommodation on the beach. It has a pretty good in house restaurant serving Indian and continental cuisines at reasonable prices.

Kudle Beach

kudle is the neighboring beach to Om and is accessible only by trekking.

Paradise Beach
Paradise beach as the name suggests is a beautiful beach accessible only by boat or a long trek over the hills. Its an ideal beach for people who wants to get a tan discreetly or some private space all for themselves.Temporary accommodation on this beach from Nov-March :cafe Paradise

Half Moon Beach
Half Moon beach like Om is named so because of its half moon shaped coast and like paradise beach its too is inaccessible by road. There is No accommodation facility in this beach and any beach cafe is also temporary and may be set in for high season only.

Eat& Drink
Expect fresh fish from the sea at your palate every evening while you see the sun set and trance music being played at the back.Food is little steep at the beaches compared to in town but there is more option on the beach in terms of variety and quality.
Alcohol is not widely available but its easy to grab a beer on the beach to compliment your prawn masala and promphet fry!!!

                                                               Kudle Beach          
                                                    

                                                              Om Beach  

                                                        
                                                      Paradise Beach

Visite à Pondichéry

FRENCH FLAVOR IN INDIA:PONDICHERRY

History!!!
Pondicherry is an union territory comprising of four isolated small places called mahe,karaikal,yanam and the biggest pondicherry.While rest of India was ruled by the British Raj,Pondicherry managed to retain its French rule till the year of 1954 when it joined rest of India. Pondicherry is very distinct in its French favour even after 50 years of Independence. It has distinct white town and black town each with its own distinct features. It has the unique bi-lingual status where French is a official language along with Tamil.
French street names( Rue de xxx) and an excellent sea promenade it is quite a place worth visiting!!!!

Places to visit!!!
AUROVILLE:
Auroville is also called the city of dawn. This city is still being built. Work on it started in 1968 under the guidance of Sri Ma, the companion of Sri Aurobindo, the great spiritual leader and freedom fighter. The city is a unique venture. It strives to be a model city where people from all communities from around the world will forget their differences and live in harmony as part of the same community. At present the city spreads over 50 square kilometers and is inhabited by about 1700 people, though the capacity is of 50000 people. A circular cover of green surrounds Auroville. The center of the township is marked by the Matri Mandir (temple of the Mother). It serves as the spiritual center of the town. The chief feature of the structure is a 30 meter high globe. The town of Auroville is divided into industrial, residential, cultural, and international zones. Two areas are marked as Green area and Peace area. Auroville is one of the highlights of tourism in Puducherry.


Located on the outskirts this place should be visitied by all religious or not!!

LE CAFE':
This iconic cafe/restaurant has existed on the pondicherry promenade for more than five decades now.Opens early at 4.00 am, its an excellent spot for relishing on that fresh tea and croissant with the Sun rise to all its glory!!!!

PARADISE BEACH:
Located 10 kms out-skirt of the main town ,this is a pristine beach accessible only by boat!!! The 15 min boat ride will take you to this strip of golden sand where one can take bath in sea!!!

Notre Dame de:
Located on Mission Street, this cathedral, which bears a strong resemblance to a church in France, was built in 1791 in the place of a former church. The imposing façade presents paired Doric columns below and ionic above. In front of the church is a statue of Our Lady with the infant Jesus in her arms. The interior design consists of eight barrel vaults and a central dome pierced with eight circular openings.

French War Memorial:
The French War Memorial on Goubert Avenue is solemn reminder of those brave soldiers who laid down their lives, for their country during the First World War. Every year on the 14th July (Bastille Day) the memorial is beautifully illuminated and homage is paid to those brave martyrs.

Goan sunsets!!!!!!

GOA!!!

This three lettered state (smallest in India) is iconic for its beaches,parties and the beautiful people around.From Vagator in North to Palolem in south this little former portugese colony offers heaven!!!! There are already numerous blogs and website scrutinizing every beach,cafe,shacks in goa so i am not going to indulge in the same thing.Some photos clicked by me with my then new Nikon Digital camera.

India:A paradise like no other despite all odds

India.....a multi-cultural diverse nation where things change drastically every hundred kilometers.Despite being an impoverished nation battling with poverty,overpopulation and corruption her natural beauty is second to none.Mother nature gifted this country with some unearthly places. It is truly a incredible place!!!!
The following photos stand testimony to that fact:

places shown in pics are

1.lakshwadeep islands,

2.ladakh lake,j&k

3.backwater house boat,Kerala

4.The Taj mahal

5.Thar desert,Rajasthan

This are only few of the numerous magnicifent and diverse places existing on this country's borders. There are thousand other little known destinations which guranteed to leave one breatheless!!!!

INDIA IN A SENTENCE!!!!

The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

malgudi days revisited!!!

R.k narayan's masterpiece malgudi days was a delight both in written form and when it was televised in early 90s. As a child i loved malgudi days and if memory serves me right, malgudi days was a rage amongst kids in that era.As a child i would often visualize myself in the magical wonderland called malgudi town.

Many years later i had the opportunity of visiting the nondescript village called Agumbe nestled in the sides of Western ghat in the state of karnataka. Agumbe was the setting of our fictional Malgudi town. An overnight journey in bus from bangalore, Agumbe lies in the district of Shimoga and is a stoppage en route to manipal and udupi(important coastal towns).
Agumbe is one of the cleanest and friendliest villages i have visited till date.The small village is incredibly clean and wealthy.Located on the foothills of majestic western ghat hills the view is almost surreal.
Due to its location Agumbe is an excellent spot for trekking,jungle walk and hiking.
On arrival we started looking for our place of accommodation and surprise surprise this is no ordinary lodge or home stay....but the 200 year old mansion of erstwhile village landlord where many episodes of malgudi days where videotaped !!!!
The current owner of the place is an elderly lady called Kasturi Akka(she is on google) who allowed us to stay on the 1st floor of the building ( a huge room) with direct views of the jungle and hills) for a mere Rs 200 ( we were SIX guys!!!!)

Not wasting much time we freshed up and made our way for the hills.

The main entrance to the jungle that leads to our destination is approx 4 kms from the main village.We took an auto along with a local boy .We had our backpacks filled with water bottles,knife,and first aid medicine along with an extra pair of clothes.
Initially i did not understand the density of the forest but slowly as we entered and moved ahead on our trail along the distinct path cutting across the jungle....suddenly i had this overwhelming feeling of being cut off from civilization and being completely on our own.As the forest got denser we realized it has become darker as well. As we continued walking on our path we came across peculiar design of tree bark and trunk.Being a business management student i didn't had much idea about their scientific names or family( i just managed to pass in biology back in school!!) however i couldn't help appreciating mother nature's gifts.
Agumbe is known as "capital of king cobra" and to be perfectly honest i am not too comfortable about serpents and would always keep my eyes open so that i don't run into them.After walking for about three kms on ground surface we realized we are ascending and now the real tough part comes in. However it worked out easier than i expected.It was not horrifyingly stiff and being surrounded by trees shrubs we always had something to hang on.However certain parts were incredibly muddy and slippery and made us pay extra attention so we don't slip.
We encountered some beautiful flora and fauna on our way(flowers,butterflies etc) which only added more value to our expedition.
Destination was reached after 4 hours of walking and trekking and we were suitably reawarded with the majestic view of the valley with the distant waterfall.
The long exercise through the forest had literally made us weak in our knees.
Picture clicked and adequate rest for an hour we decided to head back.This time we decided on an alternative route decided by our young guide who said this one is much more adventurous .Indeed this time around the it was steeper making the descend much tougher for us. Normally descending requires more skill and balance than ascend and making things worst were our tired feets. After the complete descend and walking for a kilometer or so we came across waterfall.The scenic beauty was out-of this world.
Tired we coudn't wait to strip off and refresh ourself.
Body batteries fully recharged we once again headed our way back to our base.After another 2km walk we were finally out of the main forest area. Now we realized we have to walk another 6 kms on the paved road as the auto that took us there has long vanished and we were left with no other option.
So here we go again!!! Dragging ourself for the last six kms we finally managed to
arrive at agumbe!!!
This was an trip which was worth much more than the penny spent or challenges we faced.It was an experience!!!!

great indian train journey

GREAT INDIAN TRAIN JOURNEY

-Sumantra Chowdhury

In India, a country of billion people we have people of different

backdrop , culture and race.

A great meeting place for all this is the Indian railways……since time immemorial or lets say last 150 years, this larger than life organisation…India’s biggest employer has been able to bind the nation together in its journey across India’s terrain.

Its an amazing experience to witness the transformation of the landscape through the tainted glass of two tier coach. Its also not only the landscape its also about the different language signboards, weather and people which has to be witnessed and felt.

Indian railways may be no match for high speed TGV of Europe of bullet train of Japan but it has its unparallel distinct charm which is uniquely Indian and cannot be observed anywhere else. Small things like the different hawkers sellers who board the train to sell all kind of abstract things from mobile chargers to cheap appetizers…making the journey colourful and refreshing for a traveller.

However the best part of an Indian train journey is the friendship you make with your co-passengers which is very meaningful without any string attached. A companion for the solitary journey whom you probably won’t meet again in your lifetime. The bond that is made in that quick time is priceless.

You may never know how a co-passenger whom you ideally meet on your journey can change life forever…ideally for the better. A lesson can be learnt and new things can be appreciated from new retrospective ways. The cliché attached with our cosmopolitan city life can be shrugged off for few hours and observe the quaint lifestyle in pastoral settings.