travel

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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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 3

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Vehicles are not allowed on MG Marg like in most Mall Roads in any hill station. A large sign board welcomed us at MG Marg. We were completely stunned after witnessing MG Marg, the feeling was kind of a European city. Gangtok administration has developed and maintained it in very good manner. It has been divided into two lanes, one lane for one side walking. And the divider is not a typical road divider. A large number of beautiful plants with flowers give the feeling of a green belt to the divider. On both sides of divider, benches have been placed so that people can sit and enjoy their time with no hurry. I didn’t have an experience of this kind of setup before.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 2

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Very soon we hit the Sevoke town and surroundings change dramatically. For first time we saw mighty Teesta river as it was flowing on right side of the road. On left side of the road were hills. The view was very beautiful and everybody in the bus was astonished. It was hard to believe the change of surroundings so sudden. As the bus was moving towards Gangtok on scenic NH 31A, we were enjoying the green hills, Teesta river running side by side and also the beautiful rainy weather.

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Hundred in Gangtok – Part 1

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What could be the meaning of the title of this post Hundred in Gangtok ? This is about visiting Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, in a group of around 100 persons one year back in May 2011. At sharp 2:00 the train started its journey at the right time. The mood inside the coach was like we were in some party. There were different activities happening in different compartments – people were playing cards, watching movies on laptops, senior persons were talking about politics and nation.

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Nainital

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Twilight is dancing on the lake water. All the myriad reflections of life are alive. The sun is receding behind the mountains.┬а There are no more clouds in the sky. I wish for a starry night. Soon the last boatmen will oar his way back; his mind will be occupied by his earnings of the day. How much is sufficient, how much is luxury? In the end, weтАЩll all be Capitol Cinema тАУ alone, old, dead.

My favorite bench near the band house is unoccupied. I scurry my way to it. The gurudwara, the oaks and the local salesmen stand tall. They have lived lives here, they are living lives hereтАж

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Srirangapatna – Mysore Trip Part 2

Srirangapatna – Mysore Trip Part 2

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Mysore is the Karnataka’s second biggest city. It was the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyar dynasty and is considered the cultural capital of the state. It is also known as the City of Palaces. From what we saw, Mysore appeared to be a clean and well planned city with a heritage feel and quaint charm to it. Here are the places we visited

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Vaishno Devi Yatra – A Pilgrim’s Progress

Vaishno Devi Yatra – A Pilgrim’s Progress

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Even appointments with gods come with privilege. A pilgrim with VIP pass could bypass all number and answer his/her calling with a privilege which a poor barefoot pilgrim couldnтАЩt even dream of. An Amitabh Bachhan has more easy access to god than a mere тАЬNikhil ChandraтАЭ. Perhaps gold is a precious metal even among godsтАжwho knows why the world is the way it is.

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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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Of Seven Capitals and New Delhi: Chapter III – Mehrauli

Of Seven Capitals and New Delhi: Chapter III – Mehrauli

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The urge to talk about Mehrauli Archaeological Park is literally irresistible now. After weeks of traveling and researching over the internet and books, I could not but wonder whether this is the most architecturally and historically rich places in the world. Turning the pages of history brings alive every alley and stone of Mehrauli area with a vigor which I had never ever imagined in wildest of my dreams as I passed through these streets over last several years I have been in Delhi.

Mehrauli is the site of plethora of monuments, so much so that a sense of history and legends pervade every lane and even stones, for here lived kings, sultans, generals, warriors, saints and monks. Prehistoric tales associate Mehrauli with the descendents of the Pandavas. Later it saw the building of Lal Kot, a bastion of the first real city of Delhi whose archaeological proof could be found. Then it became the dominion of legendary Rajput warrior prince Pritviraj indelibly ingrained in Hindu courtly love tradition. Qila Rai Pithora was witness to the glory of Prithviraj Chauhan who was later defeated in Second Battle of Tarain by Ghauri, whereupon the latterтАЩs death, his slave Qutubdin Aibak made Mehrauli his capital and the Sultans and emperors who followed him ruled from there.

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From the Editor – The Age of the Gadgets

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All of these are very practical solutions to most of the issues faced by travellers. But what about the romance of travelling? Do we lose out on the adventure part of Ghumakkari if we carry such gadgets around? I guess yes to an extent. While a kindle may be practical, it can never replace the comfort of curling up with a book. And while plugging in earphones and listening to music privately will take care of boredome, can it ever replace the enriching discussions you can have with your fellow passengers?

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