Cities

इंदौर – मध्य प्रदेश का कोहिनूर / ट्रेज़र आईलेंड में सैर सपाटा

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ट्रेज़र आईलेंड के मुख्य आकर्षणों में Max Retail, PVR, McDonalds, Pizza Hut आदि हैं, और ये सब मध्य प्रदेश में सबसे पहले यहीं यानी इंदौर के ट्रेज़र आईलेंड में ही शुरू हुए. हर बजट को सूट करती हुई शौपिंग के लिए इंदौर में ट्रेज़र आईलेंड से बढ़कर और कोई जगह नहीं है. इंदौर के युवाओं की तो यह जगह पहली पसंद है. लैंडमार्क ग्रुप ने भारत में अपने पहले रिटेल स्टोर की शुरुआत ट्रेज़र आईलेंड इंदौर से ही की थी. यह मॉल नॉएडा तथा गुडगाँव के मॉल्स की टक्कर का है. सभी उम्दा ब्रांड्स के शोरूम्स से सजे धजे इस मॉल में स्टेट ऑफ़ आर्ट एस्केलेटर्स भी लगे हैं. यह इंदौर ही नहीं समूचे मध्य प्रदेश का सबसे बड़ा मॉल है. इंदौर के लोगों के लिए तो ट्रेज़र आईलेंड किसी टूरिस्ट स्पॉट से कम नहीं है.

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Self-Drive trip across Thailand (7 days, 2000 kms): Part-2 Preparing for the trip

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Thailand packages are tediously limited to Bangkok and Pattaya (that’s how they are bundled up by travel agents here); and for the more desirous ones, add-ons are Phuket or Krabi. Ditto, while discussing Thailand with colleagues who have visited it, all they had on offer were superficials limited to these destination. And here is what we observed – Bangkok, where we spent maximum time was the most uninspiring despite all its glitzy malls, tourist spots, shopping centers, et al and Pattaya, which we drove across, did not appear much different. Actually, both the places had ‘TOURISTY – NOT AUTHENTIC’ tag imprinted bolder than the fonts here for any discerning traveler to see. Our best memories of the country extend beyond (and almost exclude) these two places.

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Panch Prayag, Joshimath, Auli – All the Way to Badrinath – Part I of II

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Next day morning, we got our breakfast packed and headed for Joshimath at around 8 a.m. It was a calculated four-hour drive from Rudraprayag. The hills were getting more and more rugged as we travelled farther and farther and more of stark, stony beauty of the Himalayas unfolded. The next stopover was at Karnaprayag. Karnaprayag is about 174 kms from Rishikesh and about 32 kms from Rudraprayag. It is again the divine meeting point of the geographically important green Pindar River with the religiously important brown and muddy Alakananda River. It is believed that here the mighty Karna had performed his penance and attained his indestructible powers from his father, the Sun God. We stretched our legs and after a brief stint of photography session, we continued heading towards Joshimath via the same NH 58.

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ऐसे पहुंचे हम मुंबई !

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हमें पश्चिम एक्सप्रेस पकड़नी थी जो रात्रि 10 बज कर 45 मिनट के लगभग नई दिल्ली स्टेशन पर अवतरित हुई। प्लेटफार्म पर लगे हुए चार्ट में पुष्टि करके हमने अपनी कोच में जाकर सामान वगैरा शायिका के नीचे ठीक से लगाया, रेलवे की हिदायत का अनुपालन करते हुए चेन से भी बांधा। मित्रों-संबंधियों को हार्दिक धन्यवाद देकर विदा किया, गाड़ी चलने पर वस़्त्रादि बदल कर लेट गये। बाहर अंधकार का साम्राज्य था, मिडिल बर्थ खोली जा चुकी थीं अतः नीचे वाली बर्थ पर सिर्फ लेटा ही जा सकता था, तब भी दोनों बच्चों को वही नीचे की बर्थ चाहिये थीं ताकि खिड़की से बाहर के दृश्य देखते रह सकें। पता नहीं दोनों कितनी देर तक खिड़की से बाहर अंधेरे में आंख गड़ाये बैठे रहे होंगे। अर्द्धरात्रि में चल टिकट परीक्षक ने दर्शन दिये। नींद से उठकर उनको स्थिति स्पष्ट की और एक टिकट के लिये बकाया किराये हेतु रसीद बनाने के लिये कहा। उन्होंने जुर्माने सहित जितनी राशि मांगी, दे दी। हमें नींद आ रही थी अतः फिर सो गये परन्तु इस शोषण को देखकर मन में एक असंतोष बना रहता है और जब भी ऐसा अवसर पुनः आता है, यही मनस्थिति होती है।

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बैशाखी नगर कीर्तन

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पंजाबी दुनिया के हर हिस्से में बसते हैं. भारत के बाद कैनेडा ऐसा देश है जहाँ बहुगिनती पंजाबी रहते हैं. इनकी खास बात है यह अपनी अलग पहचान, रीती रिवाज और धर्म कायम रखते हैं. बैशाखी खालसा पंथ की स्थापना के रूप में मनाया जाता हैं.

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Alluring Amsterdam – Part 4

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Day 4 – our last day in the alluring city had to be spent well and the time had to be best utilized. So, we put on our thinking cap and chalked out a plan. We wanted to close the trip with something nice and different as an experience. So, we chose the Heineken Experience !!

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Summer Vacation – a wonderful run through NH-2 from the Ghats of Varanasi to Home – Part II

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I went to check whether they washed the car or not, as promised yesterday. The outer body of the car looks like we just finished, sorry ‘Won’ the cross-country rally…several layers of dust all around the body and required a considerable amount of time and efforts to bring it back to its’ original colour. The security guard was of immense help and cleaned the car within next half an hour.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 5 (Final)

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But me and my camera was not having any desire of sleeping as I wanted to capture the beautiful Teesta river in my eyes as well in the camera lens. The views from the bus window were amazing. Early morning, cloudy weather, green high mountains and flowing Teesta; I could not ask more from the Nature. I clicked endless photographs. After some time it started raining which made the surrounding more beautiful. Around 7.30 we stopped in the middle near a small tea shop just near the banks of the Teesta. It was a great experience to have tea on the banks of Teesta while is was raining outside.

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Heart of Kolkata – Experiencing the Rich Heritage

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Kolkata(originally known as Calcutta), capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, former capital of India, is one of the 6 metros of India. Also known as the cultural capital of India, sometimes city of joy, city of festivals, Calcutta as a city still depicts as a true cultural, political, festive and an antique city in India. Almost 300 years old, Calcutta has really grown with ages and diversities, and is currently trying to compete head to head with other metros in India in terms of development too.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 4

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The very first place to visit was Tashi View Point. It was around a distance of 7 km from our hotel. It is an observation point at an altitude of 6000 ft developed be erstwhile king of Sikkim, Tashi Namgyal. On clear days in early morning, this is the best place in Gangtok to view the mighty Mount Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. One final destination still remained to visit and it was Ban Jhakhri Falls. It is a theme park surrounded by lush green forest on the outskirts of Gangtok.

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