Indians of African Origin? We first came across the story of the Siddis a few years ago in an article that spoke about a community of African descent living in pockets of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The article referred a people who came to India centuries ago, as slaves, traders or warriors, and fought for…
Category: History
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.
5 things (we bet) you didn’t know about Goa!
The origins of Pav, Catholic Brahmins and other interesting things we bet you didnt know about Goa.
A little slice of life in Fort Kochi
We came to Fort Kochi a bit tired and bedraggled after a wonderful, but strenuous 13 day journey along the River Nila (which we will tell you about soon!), with the idea of just spending a couple of days relaxing and lazing before returning home to Bombay. But the moment we reached this quaint little corner…
Magical Mandu: Central India’s Afghan heritage & a love story for the ages
Perched high up in the Vindhyas, Mandu was once the bastion of dynasties from the Afghans to the Uzbeks & was also the scene of one of the more poignant love stories of its time.
Nagaland’s unknown World War II heroes
Intertwined with the history of World War II is that of the Naga hills and its people. We seek out the few surviving Naga veterans to hear their accounts of the great war.
Orchha: The Land Of Gods and Kings
It was only February but the days were already getting warm, making the tall glass of cool, sweet pomegranate juice I was greedily gulping down, all the more refreshing. We were in the market square of Orchha chatting with Deendayal, who runs a local guesthouse and sweet shop, about getting a taxi to Chanderi, which…
The 5(ish) Minute Guide to Gwalior.. and Around: Part II
The city of Gwalior, in a history spanning centuries, has fallen in the path of many empires from its early hindu kings to the Tomar Rajputs, the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals and eventually the Scindias. All of these rulers left their mark on the city leaving it with a rich heritage of art, architecture, music and…
Punjab’s Princely Past, Part II: A Moorish Mosque in Punjab
Over a century ago a young flamenco dancer caught the eye of a well traveled and intellectual young Indian prince and against all odds ended up marrying him. The fascinating story of Anita Delgado, a barely literate Spaniard and daughter of a cafe owner, is well documented, and is the stuff that fairy tales are…
Punjab’s Princely Past, Part I: Of Posh Palaces & The Patiala Peg
India is teeming with history, from the magnificent forts in Rajasthan and the ornate mansions in Chettinad, to the Mughal palaces in parts of the north, each one more royal than the other. When we think of royal history we largely think of UP and Rajasthan or Delhi and Hyderabad, and perhaps to the more…
Tripping on India: 5 Proposed UNESCO World Heritage Sites to Visit
A list of our favourite proposed Unesco World Heritage Sites. Check them out before the tours descend.
Khuldabad, Aurangzeb and the Ethiopian who tormented the Mughals
Our driving trip around Maharashtra found us exploring the UNESCO world heritage caves of Ajanta and Ellora, along with the towering Daulatabad Fort, one of the few forts in Maharashtra not attributed to the Marathas. Having climbed Daulatabad, we headed in search of Aurangzeb’s tomb, which was en route to the Ellora Caves. Tucked away…