The tale of travel in India for most Indians begins with a train journey. It is the beginning of an adventure, of a romantic escapade or return to grandma’s home after a year’s wait. Like blood vessels, Indian rails criss-cross across the nation carrying people, post and parcels from point A to B. But it would be a sheer understatement to call the railways just mode of transport in this country. For many the train journey is as important as the destination itself sometimes even more.

The Indian Railways has many variations. There are the express trains that connect cities and also the mountain rails travelling on their serpentine tracks. There are the locals that make life easier for big city dwellers and also the passenger trains that have more stops that the compulsory pauses between the words of a telegraph message. All in all the distinct services cover the needs of the entire nation and make train travel an adventure in itself.

Here is a peak into the many adventures that might be revealed in some of the Indian train journeys.

The Locals

The Local trains and metros running in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the public domains where people greet strangers everyday on their way to work and share each other’s life history. For some it is that sacred part of the day when they are compelled to do nothing better than read a book, glance through the newspaper, say their prayers or contemplate in advance the day’s proceedings. The hubbub surrounding them dispels like the white noise giving precious moments of introspection in a hurried life.

For some multitasking working women the local train is also time to shell peas, cut okras or snap the beans for the evening meal. It is a social gathering where the lady sitting next to you does not need to be requested to help you with the peas or hold your daughter’s torn school uniform while you get busy mending the damage.

The local train journeys have their share of drama and action too. Irrespective of class, gender or age people consider it their fundamental right to grab an empty seat as soon as it is available. And this action not just requires physical agility but also verbal ability to nullify other’s claim to the prized seat through various gestures and high decibel utterances. For the mute spectators, some sitting some standing, it is a ritualistic event that changes faces but entertains every day.

The Express

These are the leading actors of the Indian railways. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Maharashtra to Nagaland the countrywide network of express trains is magnanimous. And considering they have to carry the weight of the second most populated country in the world, it is only just to have the world’s second largest railway network for the masses.

Most Indian households make quite elaborate plans when they have to board one of the express trains for a journey. There is the meticulous packing and the detailed food preparation. It is just to say that food is one of the reasons why Indians like traveling in trains so much. It gives an opportunity to munch on the local specialties at every stop via the station food and also relish the packed up meals made lovingly by your wife or mom at home. Some families even have specific journey meals that are especially prepared every time there is a train travel.

Your social skills are put to practice best in these trains. Many Indians believe that the reason why you are sharing your compartment with various other strangers who are travelling to the same destination is because somewhere you are connected and this connection can be sealed best by sharing meals and conversations. The moment you board a train and identify your seat, there will be people staring at you blatantly and asking the first of the series of questions to come, “Till where you are going?” The answer will help them understand many things instantly. Whether you will be a good company till the city they are also travelling to. Whether you will ask them to exchange their lower birth seat with them or whether they can propose the same thing to you. Whether you will make a good friend and be in touch even after the end of the journey. Whether your wife would share the secret of her glowing skin with their wife and much such contemplation.

Many a business deals, public debates, spiritualistic revelations and chance romantic rendezvous have been staged during these train journeys and continue to be the heart and soul of these travels every day. When your co-passenger opens the bundles of home-made goodies for you or when you exchange business cards with a man who was a stranger not an hour ago, you know that the infectious Indian rail travel bug has bitten you too.

The Luxury

Luxury trains are few plying on the Indian tracks but what lacks in quantity surely compensates with quality. The pride of Indian Luxury trains is unquestionably The Palace on Wheels that travels mostly through royal Rajasthan and promises a week long journey that is equally lavish. The Deccan Odyssey, Golden Chariot, Royal Orient are few others that pamper you in style while travelling amidst the beautiful Indian landscape, sometimes through deserts, sometimes through ravine or sometimes past the scenic sea.

Local presence is somewhat less in luxury trains because of the very reason that they are luxury coaches, reserved for the elite and the ones who can afford the royal pampering. But the journey is a good experience for those who want to experience the Indian railways minus the crowd.

Whether it is the luxury trains, the locals or the multi destination choo-chooing express trains, the train journeys in India will always leave you with an experience that you can fathom in India alone.

Image Credit

Flickr creativecommons by James Cridland, Ben Sutherland and Christian Haugen

The problem with big world cities like Mumbai is people here are always in want of the sun, free space and the green they so ruefully cut out of their lives to build their industries and urban homes. That is why every small or big opportunity they can get to reconnect with the natural world, they do so with open arms. And thankfully, around Mumbai there are still a handful of places left that have preserved the crisp, fresh smelling scents the way nature intended them to be.

Karnala is one such destination – a weekend getaway from Mumbai rather than a proper holiday spot. It does not have that many nature trails where you can get lost in or that much history buried in its depths which need hours to excavate. But it does have the marvelous distinction of being just an hour away from Mumbai and far far away from maddening crowds, obnoxious odors and soulless skyscrapers.

It is more like a conserved patch of ecosystem miraculously saved from human infestation, thriving on the outskirts of the mega city and giving its dwellers a chance to recognize and feel the glory of nature.

Karnala is situated South of Mumbai about 10 Km from the New Mumbai suburb Panvel. It does present a visible jolt initially to see a beautiful canopy of green so close to the city. As soon as you leave Panvel, in fact, the air starts to feel fresher and soon chirping birds, frolicking squirrels, butterflies, even monkeys are seen swinging from tree to tree and welcoming you to their secret den.

Karnala Bird Santuary

Karnala is a protected habitat and it is thanks to the many birds found here and its distinction of being a bird sanctuary that it has still been able to retain its natural charm. The sanctuary itself is nothing to be intimated about and provides a fantastic way to encourage kids and adults to become acquainted with plants and birds. Although the sanctuary is bisected quite harshly by the Mumbai-Goa highway, it is still a permanent home to around 150 species of birds and 40 more of the migratory kind. The best time to visit this place for bird watching is after October till February, but if you are just happy seeing a bird or two and walking in their neighborhood, you are welcome to do so all the year round.

Mountain Hike

A view that is as stunning as the spread of lush greenery around here is the Karnala Peak. It is crested by a thumb-shaped pinnacle, which is actually a volcanic plug. Many come to Karnala with dreams to conquer this very peak. If you intend to do so too, start as early as possible to save yourself from the afternoon sun.

The slope is not a challenge for the fit. You can quite easily reach the Karnala fort in an hour. This fort is mostly in ruins but has a small temple you can visit. Take time to listen and you are sure to be drawn into the the conversation of screeching langur monkeys or the twittering birds. At the base of the pinnacle awaits the stunning view of the Sahyadri Mountain ranges and the Mumbai harbor.

Thumbs- up

While the mountain trek could be for everyone, the thumbs-up pinnacle should only be reserved for expert climbers. At one side the crest is a straight rock face, but at the other end  there is scope for climbing if you have the necessary gear and the proficiency. But it is achievable and the sheer delight that comes from accomplishing such a feat is reason enough to do it.

Bed and Breakfast

The place has a couple of decent resorts and eating joints. You can also always carry your lunch with you for a picnic meal amidst the shade of the many trees. Do ensure though that you leave the place as clean and green as it was earlier. 

A good idea is to reach the sanctuary in the early hours of the morning, trek, scale the pinnacle, watch birds, eat your packed snack or meal and return by evening. The 12 hours or so that you spend here, might just be the rejuvenating escape you needed to battle it out for the next busy week.

Image Credit Elroy Serrao, Ravi Vaidyanathan & Rajkumar 1220 via wikimedia commons

When we first came to Chennai, several people told us that a visit to Dakshinachitra would be an apt introduction to the art and life of southern Indian states and would help us ‘north Indians’ feel inducted. Time flew by, months passed and finally one Sunday morning we decided to head to the road to Dakshinachitra.

As a definition, “Dakshinachitra” literally means ‘picture of the south’ and every effort has been put in by the makers of this unique exhibition to make it just that. It is a showcase of the art, craft, lifestyle and homes of traditional south Indians.

The southern states of India, namely Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are more often than not clustered together as one group of homogenous species. But if you intent to look beyond the coconut, rice, palm trees, curly hair and burly figures, there arises a distinct flavour and soul of each region and each state. It is this essence of the different southern states of India that Dakshinachitra brings forth. Here too the states are clustered together but they assemble keeping their diversities alive.

Entering the Wonderland

The entrance to Dakshinachitra is like entering a typical south Indian home. There are the archetypal chocolate brown pillars, the thatched roof and the door that effectively restricts the view and thus the imagination of what we may find inside. And unquestionably the inside is well worth hiding because just like Alice’s wonderland once you enter through the door, the world you see is totally different from the world you left behind.

It all begins with the craft shop, the library, the exhibition hall and the restaurant. And while these delights are tempting, it is a wise decision to visit them on the way back so as to give more time to other things in the premises spread over 10 acres of land.

Dakshinachitra is divided into different sections according to the different southern states. There is the Tamil Nadu section, the Kerala section, the Karnataka and the Andhra Pradesh section all connected via maze of brick roads lined with palms trees and other green foliage. These provide shade as well as paint the view of a vivid and green Indian countryside.

Houses and Crafts

Each section has houses, not the miniature version or models, but the actual lived-in ones dating back to 18^th and 19^th century India. You can enter them, visit the different rooms, see the utensils that the residents used, the place they said their prayers, their favourite chair and favourite window to the world. These homes are also a glimpse of the social status of the people living in it and their trade. So while the agriculturist and the merchant of Tamil Nadu have sprawling mansions, the potter’s house or the basket weaver’s mud house represent their lowly means of income and spaces they have in their homes to accommodate their trade and their families.

To give the houses more of a lived in feel and involve the visitors, there are different artisans sitting at strategic points all over the premises. Some can teach you how to make a pot, some show and help you weave a basket out of dried palm leaves, some teach block printing while some others let you buy authentic musical instruments like the Rustic ektara – the Indian crude version of the violin with a single string.

To break the monotonous pattern there are also puppet shows, glass blowing demo, and folk dance classes for the enthusiastic ones. These activities apart from entertaining also are a way to show kids and teach them something of the rich Indian heritage.

Takeaways

As mentioned earlier, Dakshinachitra has a craft shop that is worth a visit because there lies many miracles of Indian handicraft and handloom. From handbags to sarees, upholstery to jewelry, books to book marks, you will find plenty of items stored here that could bring back pleasant memories of the visit. While the trinkets like beautiful carved keyrings, earrings and pens could be grabbed in plenty, there are also some stunning antiques, showpieces and gems that would attract the real collectors of art.

Puppet of Lord Krishna

Apart from this craft shop, there are also the stalls given to different artisans from various parts of the country. These have craftsman from Manipur selling pottery and weavers from Rajasthan selling their colourful garments. There are potters from Bengal displaying the famous terracotta pots and curios and also people of Kashmir showcasing woodwork of the heavenly land of the north in this distant southern land.  

You really do not need a pocket full of money to take some of these artefacts, just ample space in your handbags and suitcases to carry all these delicate artware back home.

Our Experience

What we found in Dakshinachitra is the essence of India that is fast losing itself in the crowd of malls and pizzas. It is a superb weekend gateway when you don’t want to go far and yet leave behind all your everyday troubles. It is an excellent teacher for those of the younger generation who can touch, feel and experience art, craft and architecture that are hundreds of years old and carry forward the beacon a little longer.  It is also a means of livelihood for all the artists who are becoming as endangered as the crafts they make. It is aptly a picture of South India for a tourist who cannot make it to all the southern states but still can feel their individual charm here.

When to go

Dakshinachitra is open all through the year daily from 10.00 am till 6.00 pm except Tuesdays. There are also guest houses within the premises that can be reserved in advance to enhance your experience of a South Indian holiday.

To know more visit Dakshinachitra 

Image Credit sowri, sudhamshu , poobesh via cc/Flickr

Biomes, Eden Project

We’ve been meaning to visit the Eden Project ever since they opened it in 2001. Of course, we knew people who had been there before us, and their descriptions varied from ‘Well, it’s a lot of plants…’ to a lot of high-flown, incomprehensible environmental buzzwords.

But, it’s hard to say what the Project is about in simple English; it’s best to make a visit, and try to work it out for yourself.

The Project started in 1998, as a worked-out, 60-metre-deep china clay pit; probably the most sterile man-made landscape that could be produced. It revolves around three ‘Biomes’. The sides and floor of the former quarry are one of them, the ‘Outdoor Biome’, where plants are grown that can tolerate the Cornish climate.

Inside a biome

The enclosed biomes, within which the climate is controlled, are huge, bubble-shaped structures made of gigantic hexagonal pieces of transparent plastic, in the same way as an insect’s eye, or a honeycomb.

It might be thought that the Eden Project experience could be the same as visiting the tropical house at the zoo, or a hothouse at the Botanical Gardens. It’s true to a certain extent … but the enclosed biomes have been accurately described as the biggest greenhouses in the world!

Although few of the plants shown are really rare, the displays show them off in as nearly a natural surrounding as possible, and explain what they’re used for, and their place in the scheme of things.

All these things come from plants

There are two enclosed biomes, the Humid Tropics biome and the Warm Temperate biome. And, an important building is the Education Centre, for a large part of the Projects work is teaching about the products that come from plants and, even more importantly, how to preserve them as a sustainable resource for future generations.

It's not only about plants!

Since sustainability is one of the Project’s watchwords, they have, naturally, to ‘practice what they preach’, and make as little impact as possible on the local environment. They try to employ people from nearby, and use material from local sources where practicable. And, they try to recycle as much of their rubbish as they can.

High up on the rim stands the reception area where you buy your entrance ticket. Some people think the price is a little excessive, but some of what you pay goes towards the Eden Project’s conservation programmes worldwide.

And, if you’re a UK taxpayer, you can give even more without it costing you anything, because, by some system, our Wicked Tax Baron will refund the taxes they have to pay on your ticket.

You get down to the floor of the pit in one of two ways. You can walk down the zigzag path, through the gardens of the Outdoor Biome. Or, you can ride the Land Train, which will take a dedicated track through the same gardens.

You’ll find representatives of any plants the mild Cornish climate will support. Tea bushes, hemp trees and the ingredients of beer are shown here … and, if you thought that a certain product ‘doesn’t grow on trees’…. you’re probably wrong!

Maybe you’ll have something to eat or drink in the restaurant between the enclosed biomes. If you leave anything, the chances are high that it’ll be recycled. There are no fewer than five bins into which waste can be sorted.

If you visit again, you’ll probably find the Eden Project completely different, especially the outdoor biome, for the displays change with the seasons. If you’re intending a further visit within twelve months, you might consider paying a little extra above your original ticket price for a ‘Passport’, which entitles you to unlimited free entry for a year.

Or, to receive a quarterly magazine, invitations to talks and workshops, and special entry deals at other gardens and museums, you could become a ‘Friend’.

When it’s time to leave, the way out, as at most attractions, leads through the souvenir shop. While many attractive items are on sale, maybe you won’t need a souvenir. You’ll never forget the Eden Project … and you’ll probably want to return at another time of the year.

www.edenproject.com.

Statue in the reception area

The long cotton cloths were wrapped nicely around our heads, covering it and providing a safe resting place for the belt of the plucking basket. Stepping down, into the green carpet like hedges, we began what many around us were already busy doing. Plucking the tender leaves and a bud from the tip of the tea shrub and safely flinging it behind into the depths of the basket. But while my sister-in-law and I merely posed for the cameras, many of our co-workers were already emptying their baskets and with rhythmic dexterity nipping the buds in hundreds to start the journey of the leaf from here to one day becoming a tantalizing cup of a Nilgiri Tea straight from the tea gardens of Ooty.

My sister-in-law and me, busy plucking tea leaves

‘A little England on the rounded tops of the Nilgiri hills’ is how Amitav Ghosh described Ooty in one of his novels. Needless to say this hill town in Tamil Nadu, India delighted the British for many years as a reminiscent of their land in this eastern part of the world.

What the British though found really hard to master was the name of this hill town of southern India. ‘Udhagamandalam’ seemed quite a mouth full as did the later versions of ‘Ootacamund’ or ‘Whadacamund’. After much deliberation and discussions with the Todas, the original land owners of this place, finally the simple and succinct name Ooty was used to describe the beautiful centre point of the Nilgiri ranges.

Today, though Ooty is the name everyone utters when in search for a cool, mist- laden picturesque location with its tea and spice covered hills. Be it the weekend traveller from Bangalore, the dwellers of North India like us who mark a trip to Ooty along with a visit to other southern jewels or the tourist from overseas, keen to see every façade of India, its temples, traffic, and the hill stations dotted along the country map blessed with pleasant climate and made famous by the British since the colonial times. As a result the Ooty of today is less of a priviledged paradise and more of a crowd puller in the true sense of the phrase.

But despite the crowd, Ooty has not lost its touch to soothe your senses the moment you catch a glimpse of this town. And if it is the mountain train journey you choose to reach this destination, the transition from the smog to fog is even more rapid. This train chugs along the ratchet and pinion track giving quick glimpses of the series of piquant mountains or the ghostly pines lining the mist laden roads. It travels the curvaceous mountains, sometimes revealing the deep ravines and sometimes the limitless tea gardens. And when you finally arrive at Ooty, it is then that you realise that the train journey was not a short lived fantasy but a precinct to what is to come.

Courtesy prakhar via cc/Flickr

The town has preserved the colonial era in patches especially in the churches spread around the place and a few old homes. But what is perhaps the most visible reminder of the bygone era is the Ooty lake which was constructed by John Sullivan the first collector of the town in 1824. It is today the entertainment focal point with its boat rides, pony rides and other activities.

For those looking for more adventure than sitting by the lake side, just 10 km away from the main town is the Dodda Betta or Big Mountain,the highest peak of the Nilgiri ranges. It provides glimpse of the unmatched vistas of the nilgiri at a strategic point that joins the eastern and western ghats of India.

Ooty also has some natural wonders of the man-made kind. One of them being the botanical garden, a well laid out exhibition of myriad plants and flowers. The main attraction here is a fossilised tree trunk that is supposed to be 20 million years old. If you are visiting in winter, the rose garden too is something of an experience with scent of multicoloured roses wafting in the air and a spectrum of 1000 and more varieties of the world’s favourite flower in display in all of 10 acres of land.

Seen at the Botanical Garden, Courtesy Swami Stream via cc/Flickr

At other times of the year though, it is not roses but the aroma of tea that may automatically lead you to one of the tea estates spread across the town. Like true connoisseurs of this aromatic beverage you can participate in the ceremony of tea-tasting or you can simply opt to hop in a little patch under the pine trees and pose for a photograph to show off in the urban world probably with a cuppa.

The shops around the town sell the priciest of Nilgiri tea and also aromatic oils, spices and essences. There are also numerous hand made chocolate flavours to pick from as soveiniers or simple treats to enjoy on your way back.

Tea, trees and visual treats, that’s Ooty for you – the queen of hill stations.

New Delhi, the national capital of India, is a city that is centuries old and yet can astonish you with the modern luxuries and conveniences it has to offer. It is a city that has buried in its many folds, legends, parables and architectural splendour of different dynasties who have at some point of time lived and enriched the place with their cultural heritage. It is also a city that lives as much in the present as it does in the past. While some parts of the city might tell you a story of the 12th century some are as contemporary and modern as any other 21^st century town.

 It is a city that you can see in parts and come back with totally different experiences in each. In fact, from a traveller’s point of view the immense contrast between the old and the new facet of Delhi is surprising and both well worth exploring.

Here are some places worth a visit in Delhi which truthfully are just a fistful of gems in a vast treasure trove,

Red Fort. Courtesy wseltzer via cc/Flickr

1. Red Fort – This imperial citadel gets its name from the red sandstone battlement surrounding it and is in many ways the symbol of India’s nationhood. Build by the Mughal emperors who were one of the strongest dynasties to rule much of India for many years, the Fort was the first place where the Indian national flag was hoisted when India gained independence in 1947. It might be a good idea to watch the sound and light show held inside the premises every evening to get a glimpse of the bygone era.
2. Jama Masjid – It is a marvellous treasure of the old city. The grand mosque, the largest in India, three imposing black and white marble domes and twin minarets framing its central arch. A climb to the top of the southern tower will reward you with stunning view of the rooftops of old Delhi.
3. Qutub Minar – This five storeyed victory tower is the tallest minaret in the world. Believed to be started by Qutubuddin Aibak, the tower was completed by Iltumish to announce the advent of the Muslim sultans in 1206. The entire minaret site has many other fascinating monuments true to the Tughluq architectural style.
   

   Lotus Temple. Courtesy Vandelizer via cc/Flickr

4. Lotus Temple – The Bahai house of worship is more of a modern creation popularly known as the lotus temple because of its arresting shape of unfurling petals of a lotus. It is an apt representation of Bahai faith that views all humanity as one single race. Keeping with the philosophy, people of all faith are invited to meditate and pray in the peaceful temple auditorium.
5. India Gate – It is a massive red sandstone arch which was built to commemorate the British and Indian soldiers who died in world war I. With time it has become a representation of all martyrs who died defending the nation and an eternal flame burns here in the memory of the soldiers who died in India-Pakistan war of 1971. The gate marks the eastern end of Rajpath, used for parades and banked with ornamental fountains, canals and gardens on either side.
6. Janpath – The main shopping centres of the city are in and around the area of janpath and Connaught place. Here state emporiums and cottage industries provide textile, jewellery and souvenirs at fixed prices. But roam the streets of janpath and you can find many a treasured treat tucked in the small shops selling handicrafts from India and Tibet. Bargaining is key to get some good buys.
7. Lodhi Gardens –A favourite haunt for joggers, yoga gurus, political bigwigs and picnicking families, this picturesque garden is the green lung of Delhi. The lawns and flowerbeds are laid around the imposing 15 century tomb of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties and quiet a serene getaway from the bustling city.
   

   Humayun's Tomb. courtesy chopr via cc/Flickr

8. Humayun’s Tomb – The tomb of the second Mughal emperor Humayun is the inspiration behind the incomparable Taj Mahal. Because of this important significance it is interesting to see this site and observe the similar dome structure, fine trellis work and the tomb chamber made of marble.
9. Jantar Mantar – Sawai jai Singh the king of Jaipur was a keen astronomer and he built this observatory in 1724 to calculate planetary positions and alignments accurately. What makes the place stunning is the precision with which at that age and time these  mud instruments were built. UNESCO has recently added the Jantar Mantar at Jaipur into its list of world heritage sites and if not Jaipur, you can definitely see it at Delhi.
10. National Museum – Five millennia of Indian history can be explored at the national museum. It has a collection of nearly 200,000 Indian art and also a collection of Indus valley relics and treasures from the silk route of central Asia.

It is said Delhi is the city of people with large hearts, a connotation derived from its name pronounced as ‘dilli’ in Hindi language ‘dil’ meaning heart. In this city you might meet your share of people who would follow you like a shadow coaxing you to try their taxi services, food joint or even tail you to every place you visit as self proclaimed guides. But you might also find few of those citizens who smile whatever be the circumstances, who give without questioning and who make you feel right at home in a foreign land. It is then that you would have truly seen the city of Delhi and will fondly remember it as ‘dilli’ – rightly, the city of people with large hearts.

An image of India for many, conjures up images of ascetics in bare minimum with locks of hair towering above their head like a coiled serpent and a trident or a metal casket in their hands. Needless to say, such saints are in plenty in this birthplace of Hindu religion and though the India showcased to the world today is vary of this image, it is still an undeniable and ingrained part of this country, just as much as the smart professionals who are revolutionising the IT sector of the world with their proven genius.

While modern India is self confident and optimistic and every inch the replica of any other western country, the mammoth cultural heritage of a thousand years or more, cannot be forgotten either. Look a little beyond the showy malls or past the concrete expressways and you can still witness the India of the nineteenth, eighteenth or seventeenth century co-existing with the modern globe.

Some cities are especially a rewarding experience for those in search of the India of fables and fakirs and one such destination is Haridwar. Known as ‘The Gateway to the Gods’ this city has remained for the past thousands of years the focal point of devout Hindus who want to exit the vicious circle of life and death to attain nirvana. And that all important status has been given to Haridwar by its glorious past and the holy river Ganga.

Courtesy mckaysavage via cc/Flickr

Haridwar is the first city where River Ganga enters the plains. Leaving her carefree playfulness behind, Ganga descends from mountains and through valleys to transform into the feisty incarnation of power and composure. She is the secret gateway to heaven, the holy excelsior on Earth that can erase the sins of a thousand births in one drop and take your soul straight to heaven. For Hindus, there is no greater desire than to be soaked in the mystical power of Ganga and it is for this reason that many spend a lifetime wishing to come once to Haridwar and wash away their sins on the banks of the holy river.

Legend says that Haridwar is one of the 4 places in India where a drop of immortality nectar (amrit) fell from the skies when it was retrieved by the churning of the oceans by Gods and demons. That raised the status of Haridwar to a pious strata from where it has never descended. Rather every 12 years the status is all the more glorified when almost 15 million people participate in the Kumbh Mela drowning their sorrows and sins in the biggest communal bath ever witnessed in the world.

Haridwar is also one of the most ancient cities of the world. Archaeological discoveries have shown rare artefacts between 1200 B.C. and 1700 B.C.buried in the depth of this sacred land. It finds its mention in ancient scriptures as Gangadwar, Kapila, and Mayapuri. Indeed from the time when Lord Budhha traversed these paths to the Britishers who came to colonise India, the city has witnessed the rise and fall of many emporers and empires.

Courtesy gbSk via cc/Flickr

Har-ki-Pauri – The main ghat on the river Ganga where devotees gather to bathe and pray. Evening time is especially a treat with floapting lamps covering the entire area with an ethereal glow.

Maya devi Temple – Temple in honor of the presiding Godess of Haridwar after whom it is also known as Maypuri.

Mansa Devi Temple – Atop a hill that can be reached by a cable car. The view from here is breathtaking.

Gurukul Kangri University – A centre of vedic knowledge where teaching by gurus is in traditional oral style.

Riverside bazaars – Mostly selling items related to their religious significance and thronging with small eateries.

For travellers coming from beyond the shores of India, Haridwar is a place to decipher Hinduism. To watch closely how confessions are made not to a priest, but immersed in the vastness of a sacred river that ironically is becoming blacker by the day carrying the burden of so many sins.

Courtesy NID chick via cc/Flickr

The priests chanting hymns, little urchins pulling your shirt to buy a rupees worth flower basket or the brass pitchers filled with the sacred water, the mystical hermits who can tell all about your past births and present gastrointestinal problems in one breath, the thousand and one burning incense sticks camouflaging the smells of wilting flowers, burning pyres and waste, and the flood of human mass all converging to the ghats to find their passageway to salvation, in all these cacophany of sounds,you might just find the answers.The ravaging waters of the cold, torrential Ganga might just be able to dissolve your idea of what it is to be a human being. The cleansing of the body and the soul among a strange gathering might just help you look at life from an Indian’s point of view.

As described Sri Aurbindo once, “This physical world which for us is so real and absolute and unique, seems to them (Indians) but one way of living among many others, In short, a small, chaotic, agitated and rather painful frontier on the margin of immense continents which lie behind the unexplored. “

The Haridwar experience might just help you understand yourself a little better.

Travellers always have this fascination of  taking back a memorabilia from the city they are visiting as a glorious testimony of the journey to an unknown land. While each city has its array of emporiums and curio shops addressing this very need of travellers, it is another matter and an adventure in itself to skew through the unfamiliar surroundings, bargain with the locals and finally take home a souvenir that has somehow more value attached to it because of the preceding hunt.

In Ahmedabad, the vibrant city of Gujarat, India, this discovery may happen in a street market at Law Garden. While pockets become lighter and bags in the hands grow heavier, the eyes continue to be dazzled by the great traditional shopping fiesta offered from one corner of this busy street to the other.

Law garden is called so because of the Law College in the vicinity and it is indeed a peaceful garden in the heart of the city with plenty of play area, lush green lawns, and shaded green avenues for families to spend some relaxing moments all around. But what many come here for is not the peace and tranquillity offered inside the garden gates but the hullabaloo of activities present around it.

Shopper's Paradise. Courtesy Sudhamshu via cc/Flickr

The entire boundary wall of the garden has been utilised by enterprising gujaratis to open up their tea stalls, snack shacks, gaming shops, children rides, soda shops and to the uttermost delight of many traditional apparel hunters, hundreds of shop selling authentic Gujarati costumes and jewellery.  

It seems it is festival time 365 days a year on this side of the garden that plays host to these shops. The shimmering dresses and the glittering jewellery displayed temptingly all across the street coax every passerby to give a second glance and even stop for some impulse buy.

What you can find here

  Those who have visited the states of Gujarat or Rajasthan in India may have been greeted quite often with the sight of local women wearing a voluminous long skirt called the ghagra or the lehenga with a matching top and an unstitched cloth called odni or duppatta covering their head. It is the traditional wear of this part of India made hugely popular by bollywood movies and the great Indian weddings. What you can find in the law garden street shops is exactly the same apparels and ornaments coming straight from the creators of these items. Choices are plenty and before you splurge on the first design that you find, it is wise to traverse the length of the road and shortlist the best of the best.

The Vibrant Ghagra-Choli, Courtesy sudhamshu via cc/Flickr

Here is a list of the things you can get here,

Chaniya choli or ghagra choli – The Indian version of the skirt and top these are the most common of the items in display at every shop and interestingly with the most varied designs. Owing to the creative abilities of the creator each pair of ghagra and choli is a customised work of art. Although certain design elements prevail like the use of flower motifs, mirror work, stars and colored glasses, the ultimate costume is unique in its own respect and it is hard to find two pairs the exact replica of each other. If one notices there are regional difference too in the design patterns. While the more intricate thread work is visible in the Kutchi patterns, the other gujarati designs are adorned more with mirror and glass work. But regardless of their birth place, all are hand stitched and exquisite.

Kurta Tops – Ahmedabad is known to be a very fashion conscious city and there are many who have blended western influences with ethnic Indian wear giving rise to a new breed of garments called the kurta tops that can be worn with an Indian salwar or the ubiquitous blue jeans. The amazing design choices for this particular kind of tops is endless in the law garden shops and with the price range, any sane shopper may wish to take everything home!

Angarakha/Kurta Dhoti – Men may not feel left out after all, because there are plenty of shops selling traditional Gujarati wear for men too. The typical angarakha a frock style loose kurta for men is hugely popular garment choice during the festival season from September to November when the entire country celebrates Navaratri and Diwali. It is especially worn by men performing garba dance. There are special vivid colored, small sized costumes for kids too that can make your little boy the centre of attention of any party.

Silver Jewellery – As you keep buying your dresses it is easy to accessorize them then and there with some shops selling exclusively easy- to- wear silver jewellery. Most of course are not made of the precious metal and thus priced exceedingly low. From small studs, to drop earrings to complete set of a neck piece, matching earrings and bangles you can find almost any design complimenting your buy. The best part is, the shop owners are the creators themselves and if you ask for it, you can get a particular design of your choice with matching coloured stones, made to order in minutes!

Jewels galore , courtesy mckaysavage via cc/Flickr (This particular photo is of a shop in Rishikesh but the merchandise and display is very similar to the ornament shops in Law Garden, Ahmedabad)

Bed sheets/Cushion & Bolster covers – There is no easier way to make India come alive in your home than with these amazingly beautiful hand stitched bed sheets and bed covers. The colours are as dynamic as the country itself and patterns showcase the traditional Indian love for elements of nature and wildlife. There are again plenty of designs, shapes and sizes to choose from. For those who want a special something to adorn there walls there are also many wall hangings that you can get here. Peacocks, lotuses, creepers and the lovable Indian God Ganesha, the artisans have much in store for the connoisseurs of wall art. 

Stationary – Folders, visiting card holders and pen stands get a visibly new meaning around these street shops. The designs are simple and more essentially hundred percent eco-friendly made of cloth and hardboard. They not only make good souvenirs to gift friends back home, but also can be great to portray your love for the eco-friendly goods the chic way.

Hand bags – Cloth hand bags never cease to go out of fashion and that is why here too you can see unlimited shapes and sizes of bags that can be used anywhere, from carrying college notebooks to loose change or to just ethnically accessorise a party dress.

Handy tips

• Bargain, bargain and bargain. The rule of thumb at these street shops is to give less than half of what is asked for. Do stick to your price once you have quoted it and you would surely reap the rewards of buying much more than you expected at the same price.
• Take a local with you. It is best to have a local as an aid if you are here for the first time as the shop owners are quick to recognise an outsiders especially if you come from another country. Apart from the ease in conversation, the local friend may also save you from the job of bargaining.
• When buying any apparel, whether a chaniya choli or a top, make sure that the shop owner unpacks and shows the complete set to you. There are sometimes stitching errors that go unnoticed if you do not check before you buy.
• Always dryclean the first wash as the colors run and may spoil the entire dress if not washed carefully.

To know more about Ahmedabad, visit Gujarat Tourism

So you want to avoid crowds, get in out of the summer heat, and not have to travel too far? Check out this round up of secret gems around Delaware. (And pstt—none costs more than $10 for adults, and 4 are free admission!)

1. Air Mobility Command Museum

Photo courtesy AMCM.

I visited the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Museum with my father (a pilot), and my daughters, who were then 18 months and 4. All of us had a great time, and had the place practically to ourselves. We could touch, examine, and climb into helicopters, small planes, and huge planes.

And because the hangar where the museum is housed sits just south of the Dover Air Force Base’s airstrip, you can see planes taking off and landing while you eat a picnic outside.

If You Go: Free admission and parking. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. 1301 Heritage Rd., Dover Air Force Base, DE 19902-5301. (302) 677-5938 or http://amcmuseum.org/index.html.

2. Delaware Folk Art Museum

Photo courtesy of the Delaware Folk Art Collection.

Nestled in Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, the Delaware Folk Art Museum is housed in the Blue Ball Barn. Originally a dairy barn built by A. I. DuPont, the barn has been certified eco-friendly (LEED) and reconstructed beautifully to showcase more than 120 folk art pieces. After you tour the exhibit (self-guided, with interactive touchscreens throughout), the kids can run around the 27,000 square foot playground at the park.

If You Go: Admission included with annual Delaware State Park Pass, or pay the park entrance fee. Open daily from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 1914 West Park Drive, Wilmington, DE 19803. Phone: (302) 761-6952 or http://www.destateparks.com/attractions/folk-art-collection/index.asp.

3. Delaware Sports Museum

Image courtesy of the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.

Our state’s sports hall of fame was founded in 1976, but didn’t have an actual home until 1993. Now housed at the Delaware BlueRocks’ Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, the Delaware Sports Museum has inducted more than 240 athletes, coaches, journalists, administrators and officials representing 27 different sports.

If You Go: Admission: Adults, $4, Seniors (over 50), $3, Ages 13-19, $2, 12 and under, free. Open Tuesday through Saturday, Noon-5 p.m. 801 Shipyard Dr., Wilmington, DE 19801-5154. Phone: (302) 425-3263 or www.desports.org.

4. DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum

The Museum’s Director, Dale Clifton, Jr. fulfilled his dream of finding a real historic maritime artifact, and since then, has continued his search with the goal of educating others about our maritime history. Entrance to the DiscoverSea is free (donations are accepted). More than 10,000 objects are always on display, with other holdings on loan to other museums around the world. From china that sunk with the Titanic to Spanish coins, an undamaged sand hourglass from the early 1800s to weapons salvaged from deep below the sea’s waves, the DiscoverSea Museum is a virtual treasure trove.

If You Go: Admission: free, donations accepted. June, July, and August, Open daily 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 708 Ocean Highway, Fenwick Island, DE 19944. Phone: 302) 539-9366 or www.discoversea.com.

5. Historic Houses of Odessa

I’m always somewhat surprised when people travel to Williamsburg for historic houses, when Odessa is so much closer. And less expensive.

Historic Odessa was known as Cantwell’s Bridge back in the mid-18^th century, and it still looks much as it did back in the 1700s. Five houses make up the core of the Main Street, Odessa: the Corbit-Sharp House (c.1774); Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769); Collins-Sharp House (c. 1700); Brick Hotel (c. 1822); and Odessa Bank (c.1853). Tours are highly hands-on, and include playing colonial games, “shopping” at a general store, and telling time with a pocket watch.

If You Go: Admission: Adults $10.00; Groups, Seniors, Students $8.00, Children under 5 are free. Open March through December, Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (last tour is at 3 p.m.). Main Street, Odessa, DE 19730. Phone: 302.378.4119 or www.historicodessa.org.

6. Iron Hill Museum

Photo courtesy of Iron Hill Museum.

In what used to be a one room school house, the Iron Hill Museum houses a plethora of artifacts from northern Delaware, including rocks and minerals (including iron, the plentiful element from which the hill got its name), artifacts from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans, fossils from when Delaware was under an ancient sea, and much more.

If You Go: Admission: 7 and up: $2, seniors and children under 6: free. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., Saturday Noon-4 p.m. 1355 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, DE 19702. Phone: 302-368-5703 or http://www.ironhill-museum.org/

7. University of Delaware Mineralogical Museum

Photo courtesy UD Mineralogical Museum.

More than 6,000 awesome rocks and minerals await visitors at University of Delaware’s Mineralogical Museum. Sparkling crystals, metallic copper, and exotic formations of rainbow tinted growths from all over the world make up this collection.

If You Go: Admission: Free. Summer hours vary, so check the website or call 302-831-8037 for current hours. Located in Penny Hall, Academy Street, Newark, DE 19716.  http://www.udel.edu/museums/exhibitions/2009/mineralogical.html

8. Elsie Williams Doll Collection

Delaware Technical and Community College in Georgetown is the only college campus to have a collection of domestic and international dolls—more than 600, from countries as varied as Cuba and Germany. The dolls, valued at more than $100,000, are dressed in beautiful, detailed clothing, and come in all sizes and styles.

If You Go: Admission: Free. Open during library hours. Stephen J. Betze Library, Owens Campus of Delaware Technical & Community College, Route 18/404/Seashore Highway, Georgetown, Delaware, 19947. Phone: 302-856-9033, http://www.treasuresofthesea.org/other.html#doll.

The Dead Sea

When we visited Jordan, we ate lunch in what was then one of the lowest restaurants on earth. But, it wasn’t low in the sense of being cheap, or because not very nice people eat there. Jordan’s Dead Sea Spa hotel is 400 metres below sea level, which is as low as you can get on the surface of the Earth.

However, since our visit, another hotel and restaurant has been built, even closer to the sea shore, which beats the Dead Sea Spa’s record.

The price of the lunch included use of the hotel’s private beach and facilities.

We were driving from Amman, the country’s capital to the ancient rock city of Petra, and had options of taking the main road, or that running along the banks of the Dead Sea. It was an easy choice, really!

The Dead Sea is an inland sea, surrounded by land on all sides. The River Jordan flows into it, as do several others. But, nothing flows out, because water can not flow uphill. It just evaporates away in the sun, leaving the water many times saltier than the oceans are. Most visitors like to bathe in the waters of the Dead Sea, because there is so much salt in it that it’s impossible to sink.

Floating in the Dead Sea

It makes it difficult to swim in, but easy to float. Many people like to be photographed floating in the sea, reading their favourite magazine. There are no fish, and very little can grow on its shores. That is why it is called the Dead Sea. We were warned we must be very careful not to swallow any water because it is poisonous. I got a little splash on my lips, and certainly would not want a mouthful!

It stung a little bit, too, where I nicked myself shaving that morning … but that nick healed in record time.Some doctors recommend bathing in the Dead Sea because the waters are said to be able to cure some skin complaints. We bought a packet of Dead Sea salt to take home and put in the bath

Salt Crystals

A lot of people like to take the ‘mud treatment’, and say that does feel good; whether it actually does you good, I am not qualified to say. Most of the beaches have a ‘mud man’ but he was not around. So, we applied the mud ourselves. You can not mistake it; it is the stuff that feels like wet talcum powder.

If you feel like a hot tub after swimming in the salt or mud, there are naturally heated hot springs and pools, and even a hot waterfall not far away. The showers at the hotel were closer, but not so much fun.

We were told that the lowest point on earth is getting lower. Jordan is a desert country, and needs a lot of water for the farmers’crops. They take the water they need from the rivers that flow into the Dead Sea. When we went on our way again, we saw a new dam being built on the Moujib River, which is one of the best known for its spectacular wadi; the narrow canyon cut through the rocks.

This means that the level of the sea is dropping. Even the Jordan River itself, with water taken from it by the Lebanese and Israelis before it even enters Jordan, is almost stagnant, and contributes little. Scientists say that, if something is not done soon … they suggested building a canal from the Red Sea … the Dead Sea will be completely dried up in about 50 years.