A haven for geologists, naturalists, ecologists, historians and the curious, Lonar Crater and lake has a little something for everyone.
Tag: off the beaten track
The Patan Patola
Patola saris have adorned women of royalty for centuries, but today they are a dying art. Difficult to create in this form, Patola saris today are being made by new age looms and in some place even machines; Mr Salvi is rueful as he tells us this. There is some hope though as Mr. Salvi says that his nephew is being mentored to take over the family tradition, and so Patola will survive, in this family at least, for another generation.
The Old Man and the Dungeon
15 kms from Mysore lies the town of Srirangapatna, the old capital of the legendary warrior king, Tipu Sultan. Despite its past as one of the great capitals of South India, Srirangapatna is today a town in anywhere India. The old fort walls stand cheek to jowl with concrete boxes of the new India, with…
38 days into our Southern Sojourn
We are 38 days into our travels around South India, and in Coorg, Karnataka. Staying at the lovely Berry Lane homestay, with a cook we’d love to steal and take back home, we are spending time walking the spice and coffee estates and wandering in the forests. We have learnt many things about travelling in…
Theyyam, the Dance of the Gods.
All around is there is silence, even the coconut trees are waiting. The drummers begin, creating a tempo that increases quickly, whipping themselves and the air around into a frenzy. The ‘god’ then appears and begins his dance, moving around in circles, at once quickly and then slower, swinging his sword in slow deliberate movements.
Kolukkumalai; The Road that isn’t & The Highest Tea Estate in the world.
Perched high up in the Nilgiri’s and straddling the Tamil Nadu – Kerala border is the British era Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, the highest organic tea gardens in the world.
The Forgotten Chettiars…
But the red dust and eerie silence is quietly watched over by some of the largest, most beautiful, stately mansions one has ever seen. They fill this village, and all the others in the region, reminiscent of a bygone era, when the rich and enterprising Chettiar community, financiers of the royals, lived like kings.
From Tharangambadi to Tranquebar.
Just ahead of the market is the old Landporten, the stone gate which marks the entry into the old town. Making our way through the massive arch and onto the cobblestoned main street the scene subtly changes. As the humdrum of the market fades away and one looks around the quaint streets and the old pillared mansions, the small churches and open skied traditional tamil homes with a hint of a European touch, a certain calm descends and time slows down just a little bit.
You know you’re in Arunachal when …
Even after a gruelling 8 hour journey on ‘non’ roads you’re ever so slightly disappointed to have reached your destination because the drives are just so damn beautiful. Rats and Silkworms are a legitimate source of protein! Really. Everybody you see carries a sword. Everywhere! You can’t pass a street corner without seeing a bunch…
The endless road to Tawang
You remember the lush greenery that was your constant companion, the strange ferns, cacti and trees, the shocking pink wildflowers, the mist that turned 11am into darkness, and the massive mountains that go on forever. You remember the constant feeling of awe and more than a little bit of fear that only nature can inspire