Kolkata to Delhi drive : Part 2

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Another early travel on day 4, this time the destination was Sultanpur, where I did my MCA from Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology (UP Technical University). I always had an idea that Allahabad -> Sultanpur distance although only 99KM, the road is not good, so it will take minimum 4-5 hours.

So we started around 4-4:30, however we found the road to be much improved. NH96 was much improved now. While driving almost around 2 hours, I thought I would be reaching the college way to early, however, took a wrong highway to Amethi somewhere. So I had to take another 35 KM drive back to Sultanpur and was at college by around 7:30. I showed my parents the campus, went to the mess and immediately all of them recognized me, offered breakfast for free.

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From the Editor – Arre, Bura na Maano Yaar

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There is a lot of curiosity for the colors and they quite envy us for being able to play with colors and water and for a while go back to our childhoods. To cater to these curious foreign tourists, festivals such as Holy Cow Festival where foreign tousists can enjoy getting smeared with non-toxic Gulaal and bhang-flavoured lassis.

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Temple trails of Karnataka – Part 1: SUBRAMANYA & DHARMASTALA

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The famous temple route of South Western Karnataka is Mangalore- Subhramanya-Dharmastala-Hornadu-Sringeri-Kollur-Udupi-back to Mangalore.Murdeshwar beach temple can be included too if one has more time.

Kukke Subramanya temple is one of the most revered pilgrimage destinations in Karnataka. Here Lord Subramanya is worshipped as the lord of all serpents. The devotees enter the courtyard of the temple from the main entrance at the back and walk around to go before the deity.

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Kolkata to Delhi drive : Part 1

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Journey from Kolkata to Delhi through the awesome Durgapur Expressway, was something I had dreamt of since the time I went to Kolkata back in August 2007. I had my plans sorted out that I will be working in Kolkata not more than 2-3 years and then when I return back to Delhi, I will do that by road. It was January 1st week, when I got an offer in hand for a job back in Delhi, and I immediately had in mind, itтАЩs now or never.

We were all set to start on the 4th of February 2011 for Delhi from Kolkata by road in my most loveable Santro.

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A Little peace and quietтАж

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If one is resides in any of the blooming cities in India, one would realize the importance of peace and quiet. Whether it is the constant buzzing of the phone or of the doorbell, there is hardly any time in oneтАЩs existence which is peaceful and quiet.

I am a frequent traveler but my travels are generally part of the business tourism category, always rushing from the hotel to the conference Center and back. It is generally a day or two that I get to spend in the city that I am in. But this time I was hell bent to get a decent holiday even if I had to drive close to 600 KM for it.
A small village, by the name of Chafi is the Center stage of this travel. It is close to 10 km from Bhimtal, which is close to Kathgodam, the nearest rail head and also the pretty much, the starting point of Real Mountains, the Himalayas.

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Araku valley

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Araku is a picturesque tribal settlement in the Eastern Ghats, about 120 km to the north of the port city of Visakhapatnam a.k.a. Vizag, which also happens to be my hometown. For me, the drive is an end in itself, a mind-blowing experience as one navigates through umpteen hair-pin bends on a steep mountain road which snakes its way up the Eastern Ghats to an altitude of some 1200 metres above sea level. This is one of those road trips on which one does not feel like driving fast but prefer to gently cruise along the serpentine path, inhaling the pristine air and feasting on the visual candy being proffered so generously by Mother Nature.

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рдмрджреНрд░реАрдирд╛рде -Mana, the last village!

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Badrinath is at a height of 11,204 feet above msl. It is around 530 Kms from Delhi and the route is Delhi – Haridwar – Rishikesh -Devprayag-Rudraprayag – Karanprayag-Chamoli -Joshimath – Badrinath. Badrinath route opens in first week of May and is closed for winters after Deepawali.
If going by own vehicle, one has to reach upto Karanprayag or Nandprayag and take a night’s halt. If there are two drivers, one can easily reach upto Joshimathh and stay there, saving one day.
For train journey, the last station is Rishikesh, from where hired taxis, chartered buses, route buses and jeeps are easily available for Badri Nath.

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Leaving Munsyari – The long drawn route

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So with full gusto, I rev-ed the engine and started back amid beautiful landscapes, away from the thoughtful and calm gaze of Panchachuli, the peak which was in the back yard of our stay. The journey from Munsyari to Birthi was spent gazing at mountains, standing tall and quite, looking at the occasional habitat along side the road with Pahadi folk wearing black topis, half jacket over long shirts and pajamas and throwing infectious smiles as they go through with their daily chores. Because of rains, the road was not in its prime so we were a tad cautious; but there was an natural desire to drive a little faster and be able to reach Sattal, which as per our friends from Pahad was not a realistic goal.

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рд╕реБрд╣рд╛рдирд╛ рд╕рдлрд╝рд░ рдФрд░ рдЖрдк

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рдореИрдВрдиреЗ рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рдкрд░ рд░реВрдЪрд┐ рд▓реЗрдирд╛ рдЕрднреА рдХреБрдЫ рд╕рдордп рдкрд╣рд▓реЗ рд╣реА рд╢реБрд░реВ рдХрд┐рдпрд╛ рд╣реИ рдЕрддрдГ рдЖрдк рд▓реЛрдЧ рдореБрдЭреЗ рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХреА рдирдпреА рд╕рджрд╕реНрдп рдХрд╣ рд╕рдХрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ. рдореЗрд░реЗ рд╣рд╕рдмреЗрдВрдб рд╢реНрд░реА рдореБрдХреЗрд╢ рднрд╛рд▓рд╕реЗ рдЗрд╕ рдЕрдВрддрд░рдЬрд╛рд▓ (рд╡реЗрдмрд╕рд╛рдЗрдЯ ) рд╕реЗ рдкрд╣рд▓реЗ рд╕реЗ рд╣реА рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╡реГрддреНрддрд╛рдиреНрдд рд▓реЗрдЦрдХ рдХреЗ рд░реВрдк рдореЗрдВ рдЬреБреЬреЗ рд╣реИрдВ рдПрд╡рдВ рдЙрдирдХреА рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рдбреЛрдЯ рдХреЙрдо рдХреЗ рдкреНрд░рддрд┐ рдкреНрд░реЗрдо рддрдерд╛ рдирд┐рд╖реНрдард╛ рджреЗрдЦрдХрд░ рдореИрдВ рднреА рдзреАрд░реЗ рдзреАрд░реЗ рдЗрд╕ рд╕рдореНрдорд╛рдирдЬрдирдХ рдордВрдЪ рд╕реЗ рдЬреБрдбрд╝ рдЧрдИ рддрдерд╛ рдЕрдм рддреЛ рдпрд╣ рд╕реНрдерд┐рддрд┐ рд╣реИ рдХреА рдкреВрдЬрд╛ рдкрд╛рда рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рдж рджреИрдирд┐рдХ рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпреЛрдВ рдХреА рд╢реБрд░реБрдЖрдд рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рд╣реА рд╣реЛрддреА рд╣реИ. рдЕрдЧрд░ рдореИрдВ рдпрд╣ рдХрд╣реВрдБ рдХреА рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝ рд╣рдорд╛рд░реЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХрд╛ рдПрдХ рдЪрд╣реЗрддрд╛ рд╕рджрд╕реНрдп рд╣реИ рддреЛ рдХреЛрдИ рдЕрддрд┐рд╢реНрдпреЛрдХреНрддрд┐ рдирд╣реАрдВ рд╣реЛрдЧреА.

рдореИрдВ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдкрд░рд┐рд╡рд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рд╡рд░реНрд╖ рдореЗрдВ рдПрдХ рдпрд╛ рдПрдХ рд╕реЗ рдЕрдзрд┐рдХ рдмрд╛рд░ (рдореБрдЦреНрдпрддрдГ рдзрд╛рд░реНрдорд┐рдХ рд╕реНрдерд╛рди рдкрд░) рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝реА рдХрд░ рд╣реА рд▓реЗрддреА рд╣реВрдБ, рдЗрди рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛рдУрдВ рдореЗрдВ рд╣рдореЗрдВ рдмрд╣реБрдд рд╕реЗ рдЦрдЯреНрдЯреЗ рдореАрдареЗ рдЕрдиреБрднрд╡ рд╣реЛрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ рддрдерд╛ рд╣рд░ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╣рдореЗрдВ рдХреБрдЫ рдирдпрд╛ рд╕рд┐рдЦрд╛ рдЬрд╛рддреА рд╣реИ, рдЕрдкрдиреА рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛рдУрдВ рдХреЗ рдЗрдиреНрд╣реА рдЦрдЯреНрдЯреЗ рдореАрдареЗ рдЕрдиреБрднрд╡реЛрдВ рд╕реЗ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдкреНрдд рдХреБрдЫ рдорд╣рддреНрд╡рдкреВрд░реНрдг рдмрд┐рдиреНрджреБрдУрдВ рдХреЛ рдХрд▓рдордмрджреНрдз рдХрд░рдХреЗ рдЖрдЬ рдореЗрдВ рдЖрдкрд▓реЛрдЧреЛрдВ рдХреЛ рдкреНрд░рд╕реНрддреБрдд рдХрд░ рд░рд╣реА рд╣реВрдБ, рдЖрд╢рд╛ рд╣реИ рдХреА рдпрд╣ рдЬрд╛рдирдХрд╛рд░реА рд╕рд╛рдереА рдШреБрдордХреНрдХрдбрд╝реЛрдВ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рд▓рд╛рднрджрд╛рдпрдХ рд╕рд┐рджреНрдз рд╣реЛрдЧреА, рдЕрдЧрд░ рдРрд╕рд╛ рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ рддреЛ рдореИрдВ рд╕рдордЭреВрдВрдЧреА рдХреА рдореЗрд░рд╛ рдкреНрд░рдпрд╛рд╕ рдЕрд░реНрдердкреВрд░реНрдг рд░рд╣рд╛.
рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╢реБрд░реВ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд╕реЗ рдкрд╣рд▓реЗ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рд╕рдореНрдмрдВрдзрд┐рдд рдирд┐рдореНрдирд▓рд┐рдЦрд┐рдд рд╕рднреА рдорд╣рддреНрд╡рдкреВрд░реНрдг рдкрд╣рд▓реБрдУрдВ рдкрд░ рдЧреМрд░ рдХрд░ рд▓реЗрдВ рддрд╛рдХрд┐ рдЖрдкрдХрд╛ рд╕рдлрд╝рд░ рдЙрд░реНрджреВ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛ рд╕рдлрд╝рд░ рд╣реА рд░рд╣реЗ, рдЕрдВрдЧреНрд░реЗрдЬреА рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛ рд╕рдлрд╝рд░ (suffer) рди рдмрди рдЬрд╛рдП.

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Pachmarhi – In HeavenтАЩs Abode (Trek 2)

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he points in this trek mostly included temple caves and shrines. I was greatly exhilarated because i will be surrounded by mysticism and divinity of Mahadev Shiva for the whole day. Mahadev is a great source of inspiration ,he is a yogi and a warrior bestowed with great powers.
Jatashankar is a cave temple.One has to go deep into the ravine about 200-400 meters with the help of narrow stairways laid down supported by enormous rocks on both sides.These are sedimentary rocks mainly sandstone thus having loose gravel.In simpler words if one throws a sandstone it breaks.

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