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    WAY BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH

    March 8, 2019 - By 

    It has been a while since I returned from my second Kaafila experience. Both my trips were planned around the Kalinjar Fort. Now, you must be wondering where is Kalinjar and what is Kaafila?? Kalinjar Fort sits on the border between Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) and Madhya Pradesh (Central India) of present-day India. You may not have heard about it! If you are presuming Kalinjar to be one more on the long list of Forts and Palaces of India, you will be pleasantly intrigued!!!    Kalinjar is no ordinary place. I say that because not many people visit Kalinjar. Then…

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    Purani Dilli ka Khana – A Culinary Adventure through Old Delhi

    January 16, 2019 - By 

    Chomping past Chandni Chowk has always been in my wishlist. So, when we were invited by India City Walks (ICW) to experience one of their food walks, I jumped at the opportunity. My colleague Mr. Somesh seemed equally excited (He has contributed the images in this blog). Shravan, from ICW, met us at Red fort parking, introduced us to Hitesh – our walk leader. Quite ironic for such a slender guy to lead a food walk. I have a good metabolism he said! He briefly took us through the history of different dynasties of Shahjanabad and it’s influences on what…

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    KHADI – A FABRIC OF INDIA’S FREEDOM MOVEMENT

    December 27, 2018 - By 

    “If we have the ‘khadi spirit’ in us, we would surround ourselves with simplicity in every walk of life”. – Mahatma Gandhi. I discovered this simplicity when I visited Magan Sangrahalaya, Maganwadi in Wardha. Gandhiji lived in Maganwadi, Wardha for two years, after his departure from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Magan Sangrahalaya is the only museum started by Gandhiji. Today the museum houses several interesting sections including an exhibition on the rare belongings of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum also hosts a gallery on various types of Charkhas (spinning wheels) for making yarn out of cotton and verities of hand spun…

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    The Leopards & Shepherds of Bera

    April 24, 2018 - By 

    This story is long overdue but the scenes are still fresh in my mind. All I need is to press the memory button and it all unfolds in front of me. I had been hearing about leopards of Bera for a long time. But until you reach there you have no idea of the experience. I have known Shatrunjay Pratap for many years now. He is a connoisseur of Indian wine. Having completed a special degree in wine culture form UC Davis in California, he returned to India and worked in Sula vineyards in Nashik. But I suppose his heart…

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    Ladakh: On the Snow Leopard Trail

    January 15, 2018 - By 

    I flew into Leh, the capital of Ladakh in the last week of November when winter’s chill had set in.  The Indus river snaked its way across the sleepy town, and the Zanskar range created a jagged horizon against picture perfect skies.After a couple of days’ acclimatization to Leh’s altitude of 13,500 ft above mean sea level, we set off northwestwards for Ulley – our destination to track the elusive snow leopard.On our three hour drive through the Leh valley towards the ridges, we came across many

  • Of Reigns, Religions & Ruins
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    Of Reigns, Religions & Ruins: Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal

    January 8, 2018 - By 

    We drove through Hubli in Karnataka, a dusty, decrepit town with faded shop signs and half-forgotten civic works – the ruins of the industrial age. Hubli’s bleak residential complexes gave way to some spectacular geology and we found ourselves in a ravine fringed by red sandstone crags. We had reached our destination, Badami, known for its ruins of the Chalukya dynasty that ruled parts of south India from the 6th – 12th CE. Badami with the nearby towns of Aihole and Pattadakal are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcasing a blend of architecture from the north and south…

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    Cruising the Sunderbans – a travelogue by Mohan

    November 15, 2017 - By 

    Common ki Pied – dakho ?!!  A travelogue on the Sunderbans by Mohan Common ki Pied – dakho ?!!  asked our boatman Manoj to our Naturalist Samar when he spotted a Kingfisher as we cruised the waterways of Sunderbans. Queried with authority, it surprised me that the boatman should know the bird and the species. What blew my mind was the ability of both Manoj and Samar to spot the smallest of birds from the distance of our boat. Sunderbans is home to 6 species of Kingfishers or Machranga (as called in Bengali). And I call them the “Super Six of Sunderbans”.…

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    Predator Diaries: Pench National Park

    September 18, 2017 - By 

    On my first safari, and the month had just turned December. A chilly and cold morning and within less than five minutes a jungle cat was sighted. It disappeared into the tall grass and then further into the woods. Later on the in the day, a jackal trotted along without a care in the world. Amongst all this, of course, I must mention the multiple numbers of white eye buzzard who had made the woodland their stronghold. When I look back now, I must say that the impatient part of me hoped for the tiger lurking around the corner waiting…

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    Trailing Vines and Wine Trails

    January 29, 2017 - By 

    We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine… – Eduardo Galeano Imagine, then the immortality of tasting over 15 different wines in less than 24 hours? But I’m getting ahead of myself, before the immortality, lay a 5-hour journey across a highway under construction. I was heading, not towards the famed vineyards of California or Beaujolais, but in the direction of Nashik, a city a few hours away from the bustle of Mumbai (165 kilometres) and Pune (160 kilometres), in Maharashtra, India. India seems like a rather unusual destination for a wine trail yet…

  • 48 Hours in Jaipur | Pink City of India
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    48 Hours in Jaipur

    January 15, 2017 - By 

    There’s so much to see, do and experience across cities in India – yet, some cities with a well-known landmark or more, are often visited for just a day or two. Is it still possible to squeeze in all the interesting sights and sounds of a city? At Travel Scope, we think so…and we’re starting a new feature on how to make the most of your few hours in cities across India. We’ve already covered 48 hours in Agra in a previous blog feature, now here’s how to dash across Jaipur without missing out its highlights! DAY 1 Start your…