Chikmagalur
It’s not often that a smuggling legend becomes the most important historic and natural lineage to a destiantion. But that’s exactly what happened when a 17th century Sufi pilgrim, Baba Budangiri, tucked away seven seeds of coffee in his belt, when returning from Mecca. He came back and sprung them on the fertile hills of […]
Temple Trips Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is home to a wealth of temples, both ancient and modern, living and archaeological. Temple bells, incense, flowers, holy rivers and throngs of devotees characterize many temples in Chhattisgarh, a land of the devout. In others, the centuries have done their job, leaving behind just the essence of spirituality amid ruins and ancient carvings. […]
Summer Holidays
Contributed to the Summer Holidays Lonely Planet Guidebook for suggestions to take a break during the summers. n this book we have tried to represent the best holiday destinations from all over India, some short and convenient, some long and ambitious. It thereby allows you to choose the holiday best suited to your family needs, depending […]
Filmi Escapes
Contributed to the Filmi Escapes Lonely Planet Guidebook that takes the traveller through a Bollywood trail in different parts of the country. This is a first-time book for India! How often we must’ve wanted to travel to every place we’ve seen in the movies. The Ladakh of Aamir and Kareena in 3 Idiots, the Kasauli of […]
Best Escapes Hills
Contributed to the Best Escapes Hills book for regions in the South of India. The valleys, deserts and palm-lined beaches are all well and good, but it can get hot down there. India’s princes and British colonials long used cool mountain towns as refuges from the heat and today the hill stations still have lush forests […]
Lonely Planet India
Supported the Lonely Planet, UK team to re-assess and pen the ‘Srinagar and surrounding areas’ section, after the areas were inundated in the floods of 2014. The sections are part of the Lonely Planet India book for 2015-16. #1 best-selling guide to India * Lonely Planet India is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on […]
Spiritual Trips
Uttar Pradesh offers unrivalled opportunities for the spiritual travellers with more then a handful of destinations focussed around strong divine ties. Be it the Buddha circuit from Sarnath in the east to Kushinagar and Shrawasti bordering Nepal or the Sangam of the rivers Yamuna, Ganga and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the state caters to […]
Agra & Braj
The irony of the two distinct Hindu and Muslim vibes of the Braj and Agra circuit of Uttar Pradesh are unavoidable as you hop between monuments and temples. Even though the two regions are segregated by thousands of years, the undertone is inimitable. However, this observation is only limited to the general ambience of the […]
Food Guide
Good food is close to divinity. In Varanasi and places around, you are closer to heaven, not only because of the spiritual legacy of the region, but the mouth-watering local food. Like the region itself, the food here is a fusion of generous flavours, unabashedly rich creamy dishes and characterized by a myriad regional variations. […]
Filmi Escapes
Major Bollywood filmmakers have gravitated towards Uttar Pradesh for more than five decades, drawing from its history, culture and atmospheric locales to create celluloid history. Fortunately for the traveller, many of these destinations that have been immortalised on film are within easy reach, offering plenty in the way of sightseeing, eating and shopping too. Octopussy […]
Travel Safe With Lonely Planet
Twitter Chat: Meet Supriya Sehgal, who has been willingly getting lost for the past 11 years on her solo travels, but managed to curb her vagabondish ways to create Lonely Planet travel guides that kept her on the road for 250 days last year. She also contributes to national and international publications and scripts TV shows, documentaries, […]
Festival Of The Month: Surajkund Crafts Mela
Even though the wintery fog of Delhi’s February engulfed the stalls, the bright colours pierced through the haze to establish the vibrant labyrinth that sprawled in front of us. This was back in the year 2000. I remember walking into the gates of Surajkund Mela with three other friends and staying wide-eyed the entire day. […]