Ghumakkar Insights – Let’s Go Birding!

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As you will make your inventory of these 20-30 birds you will learn a lot about birding. Then wherever you travel- from Himalayas to the Sea, from desert to the forests, cities or villages, just get out of your hotel in early morning and take a small walk to look for local birds. There is always some nature walk-easy to moderate to difficult- near most of the places. Many places keep a check list/photo list of birds found in and around. For example, Anil Farm House in Gujarat had a Board pinned up at the reception showing the birds which prompted us to take morning and evening walks along the river to look out for birds, although it was not a birding trip. Similarly we spotted Eurasian jay while trekking at Chaukori, while Asian paradise Flycatcher was spotted while boating in Saattal. As you start birding your eyes and ears become adept at observing birds wherever you are. Then of course there are specific birding sites and sanctuaries where an organized birding trip can be very rewarding.

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рдпрдореБрдиреЛрддреНрд░реА рдореЗрдВ рдЧреНрд▓реЗрд╢рд┐рдпрд░

рдпрдореБрдиреЛрддреНрд░реА рдореЗрдВ рдЧреНрд▓реЗрд╢рд┐рдпрд░

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рдпрдореБрдиреЛрддреНрд░реА рдореЗрдВ рдЙрд╕ рд╢рд╛рдо рдХреЗрд╡рд▓ рдореИрдВ рд╣реА рдЕрдХреЗрд▓рд╛ рдкрд░реНрдпрдЯрдХ рдерд╛, рд╕рдореБрджреНрд░ рддрд▓ рд╕реЗ 3200 рдореАрдЯрд░ рд╕реЗ рднреА рдКрдкрд░ред рдореЗрд░реЗ рдЕрд▓рд╛рд╡рд╛ рд╡рд╣рд╛рдВ рдХреБрдЫ рдорд░рдореНрдордд рдХрд╛ рдХрд╛рдо рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдордЬрджреВрд░, рдПрдХ рдЪреМрдХреАрджрд╛рд░ рдФрд░ рдПрдХ рдорд╣рд╛рд░рд╛рдЬ рдЬреА рдереЗредрдорд╣рд╛рд░рд╛рдЬ рдЬреА рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рджреЛ-рддреАрди рдЪреЗрд▓реЗ-рдЪрдкрд╛рдЯреЗ рднреА рдереЗред рдореИрдиреЗ рд░рд╛рдд рдореЗрдВ рдард╣рд░рдиреЗ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдпреЗ рдЪреМрдХреАрджрд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рдпрд╣рд╛рдВ рдЬреБрдЧрд╛рдб рдХрд░ рд▓рд┐рдпрд╛ред рдЪреМрдХреАрджрд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рджреЛ рдЬрдиреЗ рдФрд░ рднреА рд░рд╣рддреЗ рдереЗ, рдПрдХ рдЙрд╕рдХрд╛ рд▓рдбрдХрд╛ рдФрд░ рдПрдХ рдиреЗрдкрд╛рд▓реА рдордЬрджреВрд░ред

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Ranthambore

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Ranthambore tiger reserve was organizing its annual animal census in the nation park and was looking for volunteers. Initially we thought that it would be just like a jeep safari in Jim Corbett National Park and would be fun to count the wild animals for a national level census.

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Somnath Attractions / рд╕реЛрдордирд╛рде рднреНрд░рдордг———-рдПрдХ рдЕрд▓реМрдХрд┐рдХ рдПрд╣рд╕рд╛рд╕

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рд╕рд╛рдерд┐рдпреЛрдВ, рдЗрд╕ рд╢реНрд░рдВрдЦрд▓рд╛ рдХреА рдкрд┐рдЫрд▓реА рдХрдбрд╝реА рдореЗрдВ рдЖрдкрдиреЗ рдкрдврд╝рд╛ рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧреЛрдВ рдиреЗ рдХрд┐рд╕ рддрд░рд╣ рд╕реЛрдордирд╛рде рдЬрд╛рдиреЗ рдХреА рдпреЛрдЬрдирд╛ рдмрдирд╛рдИ, рдХреИрд╕рд╛ рд░рд╣рд╛ рд╣рдорд╛рд░рд╛ рдЙрдЬреНрдЬреИрди рд╕реЗ…

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Jaipur : Kite Festival and Forts

Jaipur : Kite Festival and Forts

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There was a famous kite master of Jaipur; Babu Khan. He must be some kind of previous champion because he was alone getting 50% attention of media and tourists and also flying the longest chain of kites.

Then started the cultural and dance program. Without any effort one can easily notice the way people of Rajasthan dress themselves, especially the ladies. It was extremely colorful coupled with bangles and ornaments.

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Srirangapatna – Mysore Trip Part 1

Srirangapatna – Mysore Trip Part 1

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Mysore, known as the cultural capital of Karnataka, is a must-visit if you come up-to Bangalore for even a week. As for Srirangapatna, made famous by Tippu Sultan and more so by the TV series “the Sword of Tipu Sultan” aired on Doordarshan :), it lies on the way to Mysore from Bangalore. So, visits from in-laws and my parents resulted in two trips to Srirangapatna and Mysore. Here is my travelogue based on the two visits – first part about Srirangapatna and second part on Mysore.

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Rediscovering Mussoorie

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Being the nature loverтАЩs that we are, we first went for a walk on CamelтАЩs Back road. CamelтАЩs Back road is a long winding road frequented by nature lovers who visit this place for their morning and evening walks. Unlike the Mall road, this was a much better place. It was calm and the views of the Himalayas were breathtaking. As the skies were clear, the snow-capped peaks could be seen clearly. Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are some of the peaks that are visible from CamelтАЩs Back road.

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AN ANNUAL DATE WITH OOTY

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We stuck to our usual route of ┬аTiruppur-Mettupalayam-Kotagiri route for the onward journey to Ooty ┬аand the Ooty-Coonoor-Mettupalayam-Tiruppur route for the return journey. The Kotagiri route has very little traffic, even in peak season and hence a much more enjoyable drive.

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рдЦрдЬреБрд░рд╛рд╣реЛ, рд░рд╛рдиреЗрд╣ реЮреЙрд▓реНрд╕ рдФрд░ рдкрд╛рдВрдбрд╡ реЮреЙрд▓реНрд╕ тАУ рдорд╛рдирд╡ рдирд┐рд░реНрдорд┐рдд рдЪрдорддреНрдХрд╛рд░ рдФрд░ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдХреГрддрд┐рдХ рдЪрдорддреНрдХрд╛рд░ рдХрд╛ рдЕрдиреВрдард╛ рд╕рдВрдЧрдо рднрд╛рдЧ – 2

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рднрд╛рдЧ рдПрдХ рджреВрд╕рд░рд╛ рджрд┐рди рдЕрдЧрд▓реЗ рджрд┐рди рдирд╛рд╢реНрддреЗ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рдЪреЗрдХ рдЖрдЙрдЯ рдХрд░ рдХреЗ рдХрд░реАрдм 10:30 рдмрдЬреЗ рд╣рдо рд▓реЛрдЧ рдирд┐рдХрд▓реЗред рд░рд╛рдиреЗрд╣ рдлрд╝реЙрд▓реНрд╕ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдПред рд░рд╛рдиреЗрд╣…

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рджреЗрд▓реНрд▓реА – рдХреЛрдЯреНрджреНрд╡рд╛рд░ рд╕рдбрд╝рдХ рд╡рд┐рд╡рд░рдг – рдордВрджрд┐рд░ рджрд░реНрд╢рди – рдирджреА рдХреЗ рдХрд┐рдирд╛рд░реЗ рдкрд┐рдХрдирд┐рдХ – рд╕реБрд▓реНрддрд╛рдирд╛ рдбрд╛рдХреВ рдХрд╛ рдХрд┐рд▓рд╛ – рдЧрдврд╝ рдореБрдХреНрддреЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░

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рдпрд╣ рд╕рдЪрд┐рддреНрд░ рд▓реЗрдЦ рдЖрдкрдХреЛ рд▓реЗ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗрдЧрд╛ рдХреЛрдЯрджреНрд╡рд╛рд░, рдмрд┐рдЬрдиреМрд░ рдЧрдВрдЧрд╛ рдмреИрд░рд╛рдЬ рд╣реЛрддреЗ рд╣реБрдП, рдФрд░ рджреЗрд▓реНрд▓реА рд╡рд╛рдкрд╕ рд▓рд╛рдпреЗрдЧрд╛ рдЧрдврд╝ рдореБрдХреНрддреЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░ рдХреЗ рдмреИрд░рд╛рдЬ рд╣реЛрддреЗ рд╣реБрдП! рд╕рд╛рде рдореЗрдВ рдЖрдк рдЬрд╛рдиреЗрдВрдЧреЗ рдирдЬреАрдмрд╛рдмрд╛рдж рдХреЗ рд╕реБрд▓реНрддрд╛рдирд╛ рдбрд╛рдХреВ рдХреЗ рдХрд┐рд▓реЗ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ рднреА!

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Khajuraho : Exotic and Unbelievable

Khajuraho : Exotic and Unbelievable

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It is hard to think that why these marvel of architectures are build here in complete isolation? There is nothing of significant interest or beauty to recommend Khajuraho as a building site and also there is no big population so some big fort nearby. Whatever be the answer the truth is that this isolated location helped preserve it from the vandalism of Muslim invaders. Due to the threat of Afghan invaders, Chandela kings forsook Khajuraho for their forts. Also all the religious activities were abandoned so that this should be kept away from the eyes of invaders. With the passing time forest covered this entire region.

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Vishal Rathod in a t├кte-├а-t├кte with Ghumakkar

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I am fairly prepared for going through this kind of stuff, and often multiple times and having learnt through trial-and-error, I believe that if you hang-in long enough, you would get through. In this particular case, I could sense the perseverance. I had my doubts but I kept my belief intact. More weeks went by and Vishal, the alert among you would have made this out, and myself continued to find our ways together, stitching stories and getting better with every new day. We hanged on (or hung on, whatever) and it is been less than a year and I am so proud to share with all of you (one more time) that Vishal is our ‘Ghumakkar Featured Author for April 2012’. I had the opportunity to talk to him early this month and here is the conversation we had with Vishal over phone and email, where we discussed spirituality, travel, NASA and much more.

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