Tracing the Origins of Madhubani Paintings in Bihar

It gave us a form, a way to express ourselves,” says Godavari Devi, remembering a time gone by. I am sitting in the modest living room of her home in the small, quiet hamlet of Ranti, near Madhubani town, while she regales us with tales from her travels as a National Award-winning Madhubani artist. Behind…

The Sonepur Mela: Of Elephants & Tantriks

Down to the river. It is pitch black as I stumble out of my tent and join the stream of humanity resolutely making their way towards the river in the inky darkness.  It was only 5 am, but already the streets were lined with vendors selling everything from packets of flowers to hot milky tea….

Why travelling in Bihar is a challenge. (And no, it’s not about safety!)

The first question most people ask us after a trip, when we’re back after weeks on the road, tired, sometimes a little bedraggled and always with mounds of laundry, is ‘how was it’. And the answer, almost always is a spontaneous ‘great’, followed by stories of people and bus rides, yummy food and stunning monuments,…

What to do if you find yourself in Patna!

Ok, so we have to admit, Patna is not your typical dream destination. However, on our recent journey through Bihar, we ended up spending four days in Patna and managed to find enough to keep busy. While the state is slowly shedding its negative image and we felt quite safe, infrastructure development has a long…

Finding Buddha in Bihar

Tracing the path of the Buddha from the spiritual home of the faith in vibrant Bodhgaya to the crumbling Kesariya Stupa in the dusty plains of north Bihar.

Bumming around in Bihar!

Join us on our journey around Bihar following in the footsteps of the Buddha, visiting the Sonepur cattle fair & exploring the art villages of Madhubani.