Weekend breaks from Delhi for october !!!

After a full month of no long weekends and with festivities round the corner, most of the people would now be planning for vacations, weekend getaways for October. Some of them would have planned long back and some as usual would be bag packers, who are still waiting for their chutti to be sanctioned.

I’m also quite one of them, as I’ve been listing places since last two weeks but still can’t finalise because of that “chutti” factor. My friend has been teasing me for that and finally she gave me the idea of sharing the list of places with others, so that they can atleast benefit from that.

So here I’m to put down my list of options for weekend getaways from Delhi. Alaknanda, Chamba, Binsar, Surajgarh, Kuchaman & Gwalior are few selected destinations of many.

Alaknanda - As the season for rafting has already begun and the water is slightly less chilly so this seems to be the best time. A 4hr drive from Haridwar will take one to Rudraprayag which is generally the start point. From here one would raft past the Temple Rapids, the town of Srinagar, Maletha beach, Devprayag till one of the lower ghats. Besides rafting one the Badrinath temple, sited at a breathtaking altitude of 11,268 ft on the banks of the Alaknanda is surely the heaven within reach. Several thermal springs — Tapta Kund, Narad Kund and Surya Kund, associated with remedial and religious significance are also scattered around the region.

Binsar: Just 30kms from Almora, are the beautiful, quiet and peaceful Binsar in the Kumaon Hills, always ready to soothe the city jaded soul. Far from the maddening crowd that has invaded most of the hill stations in the north, one can safely head to Binsar for its scenic vistas and tranquil environs. Binsar is perched on top of the Jhandi Dhar hills and completely surrounded by dense forests. Oak, rhododendron, pine and deodar grow in abundance here, which not only refreshes but also gives the tired souls a mesmeric relief. Binsar is a wildlife sanctuary that may be termed as a goldmine for birdwatchers.

Chamba: Away from the din of Mussoorie, Chamba is a quiet getaway that offers 360 degree views of the Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 1600m above sea level, this haven in the Garhwal Himalayas serves as a junction to the destinations located in the higher reaches. Best suited for those looking for a slice of nature and great views in peaceful environs, Chamba is the place to be. One can reach Chamba in about 7-8 hrs from Delhi via Hardwar, Rishikesh and Narendranagar. (Uttarakhand, 80 km from Dehradun)

Surajgarh: Situated in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, 150kms from Gurgaon, Surajgarh derives its name from the 18th century fortified Palace Surajgarh. The name literally means 'The Castle of The Sun'.

The fortified palace spread over 4 acres is lovingly restored and has been converted into a heritage hotel. There is plenty to do in Surajgarh. Visit painted havelis in the Shekhwati region known as an open-air art gallery. Kajra, famous of its havelis is just 5 kilometers away. Go shopping, as Surajgarh is famed for Laak bangles. Enjoy countryside views setting on a camel or cart.

Kuchaman - Around 145-km drive from Jaipur to the Nagaur district till Kuchaman covers strategic sites such as the white fields of marble in Makrana and Kishengarh – famed for it miniature paintings. The place is named after the Kuchaman fort, which used to be a popular trade route 1200 years back.Towering parapets, numerous balconies, ten gates, various defenses and its sheer vantage of height have made it one of the most formidable and unconquerable bastions through time. Besides the fort, the Sambar lake, the Meena Bazar and the bustling colorful people all over the streets are surely a traveler’s delight.

Gwalior - A historical city, lies around 320kms from Delhi. At the heart of Gwalior is its fortress – Gwalior Fort, built by Raja Man Singh Tomar, which is reputed to be the one of the most invincible forts of India. The fort is often refered as the Gibraltar of India overlooks the city. The new city consists of three large areas, called Lashkar, Morar and Gwalior. In the east of the city are two magnificent examples of early Mughal architecture. One is mausoleum of, 16th century Sufi saint Ghous Mohammed, and another is tomb of Mian Tansen, a great singer and one of the 'Nine Jewels' of Emperor Akbar's court, which are worth visits. If time permits, one could visit the grand Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the style of the 'Palais de Versailles' in France combines Tuscan, Italian and Corinthian styles of architecture. Rich in cultural heritage and architectural marvels, Gwalior has the added advantage of it's proximity to Agra, the city of Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, the city of great temples and Delhi, the national capital.

So why wait, just pack your bags and get set go!

Pushkar Fair - Colorful Desert

It was yet another year, when I so wanted to visit the Pushkar Fair, which I’d heard about so much.
To add on to my untamed enthusiasm, I discovered that the last few days of the fair would fall on weekend. I had already decided to go to Pushkar, but was only waiting if I could persuade any of my friend for trip company. The saying, when you have will, you have the way was so very true for me. I was sitting in office on Friday afternoon when I got to know that my old friend was also contemplating to go. Thanks to all modern technology which lets you connect instantly and get such pleasant surprises!

Pushkar, one of the oldest cities of India is the only pilgrim for the Brahma devotees. It is famous for the extravagant, flamboyant Pushkar Fair. The fair brings alive the glorious tradition of Rajasthan and the roaring enthusiasm of fair participants as well as visitors makes it a lifetime experience. It’s the only fair which attracts unbelievable amount of foreign tourists.

The sheer excitement to see colorful desert, we drove the whole night and landed up at a small hotel, as all hotels were either occupied or pre-booked. The best place to stay is the RTDC Tourist Village because of its proximity to the fair ground, as during the fair vehicle movements are restricted.

Besides this, budget hotels, deluxe hotels and heritage hotels like Pushkar palace or Sarovar are also available, but all need to be pre-booked if you come during the fair. But this didn’t bother us much as we were meant to stay out mostly. By 4.30am, the desert was already awake and people have started for the fair ground to put up their stalls and get ready for the day’s festivities.

We started our day by visiting the Pushkar Lake, one of the foremost places to see. The lake has a mythological significance and is surrounded by temples. The Jagat Pita Brahma Temple-only one in India is of utmost importance to pilgrims is also situated here.

Our next attraction, was the Pushkar Camel Fair - one of the largest in India and the only one of its kind in the entire world, which is held every year during kartik purnima. During the fair, lakhs of people from rural India as well as foreigners flock to Pushkar. From a mere 14,000 to a massive 200,000! This is how the population of Pushkar swells during the Pushkar Fair. According to lonely planet -"Its truly a feast for the eyes.

The festival hosts around 50,000 camels which are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. The show goes on for a whole week as travellers continue to join in the fun, which includes a number of cultural competitions. Colourfully dressed devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus and tourists crowds, decorated camels, cattles, the exotic delicacies, the vivid stalls, competitions, the spectacular fair ground, exotic food makes it a lifetime experience. The entire desert looks so full of life, colorful and vibrant.

The fair has loads of activities like camel ridding, shooting, wheel rides etc along with a huge shopper’s corner. From here one can buy showpieces like armours, swords or the colorful rajasthani pagdi’s, clothes, accessories, etc. There’s enough activities and hustle bustle to keep one engaged. Within the fair, are stalls/tents serving authentic rajasthani food. The mouth-watering kormas cooked in pure ghee, the sumptuous gatte-ki-sabzi, papad ki sabzi and the famous dal-bati-churma are any food lover’s delight.

Each day brought different folk dances and music of Rajasthan, performers delivering live shows to the roaring and applauding crowds. The entire experience lived up to the spirit of festivities and was colorful beyong our thoughts!

50 photographs win in Freeze Frame

Oktatabyebye.com, India’s most popular online travel community today announced the winners of the India’s first ever publicly-polled Travel Photography Contest. With 21,000 votes and ranks, 4,500 registrations from across the country and 2,200 entries across categories, Freeze Frame was India’s first and largest publicly-polled online photo contest. The winners were chosen on the basis of popular ratings received for their respective photographs, followed by ratings from a panel of expert judges including Gustasp Irani, Ashok Dilwali and Peter Graffin.

The contest created a ripple effect with partners like Fuji, Epson and PicSquare receiving a huge inflow of traffic to their sites. Winners from the five categories – Wildlife, Portraits, Bye-Bye Moments, Landscape and Videos – will receive prizes ranging from high end Fuji cameras to Epson photo printers, Holiday packages and Air Tickets.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Parthasarathi Mandal, Business Head Oktatabyebye.com said, “At Oktatabyebye.com, we are committed to providing the most relevant, detailed and user-generated travel information possible to both travel enthusiasts and travel shoppers. Freeze Frame was our effort to provide our members the opportunity to share and rank their favorite travel photographs. The credit for the success of the contest goes to the active participation by all the members, and their efforts to recognize the best photographs in each category.”

The winners of the first prize in the contest, in each category are as under:
Wildlife: Aditya Singh
Portraits: Partha Pal
Bye-Bye Moments: Sudipto Das
Landscape: Sunil Agarwal
Videos: Ashoke Singhi

Sourced From: Vox Public Relations

Shillong - 'Scotland of the East'

In an effort to not get bored during a week’s stay at Guwahati, my cousin Priya and me planned a trip to Shillong. While planning for the trip, little did I know how romantic the city of Meghalaya was. By the time we were ready to go, I’d already heard a lot about the city and tried to visualize it throughout the 3hr drive from Guwahati to Shillong.

The capital of Meghalaya (one of the seven sisters - Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh), Shillong lies on the eastern part of the state, perched at an altitude of 1,520 meters (4,990 feet) above sea level. The Umshyrpi and the Umkhra rivers, which finally merge and form the Umiam River, water it. The city derives its name from “Leishyllong”—the Superpower or God who is believed to reside on the Shillong peak, overlooking the city.

It was 10 in the morning, still 45minutes more to reach Shillong and we could already feel the romance in the air. Lying in the cradle of the tall pine conifers and pineapple shrubs, the city’s undulating terrain, the surrounding hills and the abundant greenery was absolutely captivating.

By the time we finally got into our room at the Hotel Pinewood, Priya was tired and wanted to catch up on her sleep. So I left her on her own and freshened up to take a stroll. I walked down the street behind my hotel which took me to a junction where, one road led to the market, the Police Bazar and the other led to the Ward’s Lake, a popular garden with a lake. I took a while to look around and started walking down the lane which would take me to Ward’s Lake.

I passed by the lake’s gate and kept walking leisurely surrounded by a green blanket. I was so enthralled with the lush green mountains and the seemingly low clouds, that I lost account of time. At one of the precarious road turns, I couldn’t help but stand still and cherish the scenic beauty, the distant houses, food stalls which were looking like toy houses.
By time time I returned to hotel, it was 2.00pm and priya had already booked a guide to take us the around the city. I was quite tired by now, so pushed the sightseeing tour to next morning. For the evening we planned to visit the market and the Ward’s Lake, where we did good 1hr boating.

The evenings don quite early here, so is the dinner. We weren’t hungry when dinner was getting served as we’d already gorged on the famous sumptuous momos at Shillong restaurant. We slept in early, so that we could start our touring early next morning.

We were quite lucky to have been able to see the Shillong peak, an ideal picnic spot, 10 km. from the city on a clear day. The breath-taking height, a part view of Bangladesh and the panoramic view of the country side from here made it clear to us why Shillong is also popularly referred to as “Scotland of the East”. From here we moved on to the Sohpetbneng Peak, set against the backdrop of a sacred forest. This 'Navel of Heaven' as per Khasi mythology is a heavenly peak which offers to fill the spiritual void and emptiness, to those who seek and desire solace and peace of mind.

From here we moved to Cherrapunjee (Sohra), 56 km from Shillong, situated in one of the rainiest rain-belt in the world, 1,300 m above sea level. It was a pleasant drive to see the roaring water falls leaping into deep gorges, including the famed Nohsngithiang falls. We kept sitting on a rock near the falls and captured the beauty in our cameras. The charismatic town is also famous for its limestone caves and orange honey. It also has the oldest Presbyterian Church and also an establishment of the Ramkrishna Mission.

By the time we returned, it was dark. So we planned to go to Elephant Falls the next morning. 12 km on the outskirts of the city, the mountain stream descends through two successive falls set in dells of fern covered rocks. From there we moved to Umiam Khwan (Barapani), where we indulged in some water sports. Barapani also offers sports like water skiing, water scooter etc and trekking routes. As we got tired enough, so we could only go shopping in the evening, where we got some really good leather chappals and bags for ourselves at unbelievably cheap rates.

We were so fascinated by the alluring scenic beauty that we decide to spend a day more and just relax. Though there were some more places to visit like the Lady Hydari Park, a popular charming tourist draw with an adjacent mini zoo, the State Museum and several falls like Spread Eagle Falls, Sweet Falls, Crinoline Falls and the Bishop & Beadon Falls, but we wanted to spent the day relaxing and knowing the place a little more.

Before coming, we’d heard of live bands which perform locally and of the typical Meghalaya food. So we decided to hunt for live bands if any performing and went looking for food with local flavour as without it the trip is always incomplete. We were successful only in the search of local food. Besides the famous momos, the Meghalayan cuisine is heavily tilted in favour of meat, particularly pork. Jadoh - a spicy dish of rice and pork is eaten almost any time. Here fish also is a favorite dish for many. The appetizing chicken clear soup followed by steamed rice and mutton cooked with bamboo shoots was simply awesome!

After the meal my tummy was gratified but my mind was still longing to stay on in the place of amazing hide-outs. The trip was just refreshing. But we’d to return, so we hopped into our car and kept gazing at the pristine beauty till the time I could and reinforced my belief that nature inspires!

Weekend Getaway: Mussoorie

Mussoorie, popularly known as the queen of hills is unmistakably one of the most blissful hill stations of India. Just around 300 kms from Delhi, the city week.

Once you are there, you can either relax and enjoy the breathtaking view of valley while sipping a cup of coffee or start discovering mussoorie. The city of Mussoorie is dotted with Hotels and lodges of various quality & pricing, but prior booking is must during peak season. Tried and tested ones are Jaypee Residency Manor, The Green Castle and the The Country Inn with valley facing rooms.

For sight seeing, you can start with a dip at the Kempty Falls, or the Mussoorie Lake. From there you can have a romantic drive till the Yamuna Pool, where river Yamuna gushes amidst the Doon Valley. Later in the day one can take the cable-car/ walk till gun-hill / head to the Camel-back loop. The evening can be reserved for shopping at the Mall Road or visit the temples & monastaries around.

Other attractions for the romance lovers are the Landour road, the Lal Tibba - Sister’s Bazaar area. It's the place to feel the nature while enjoying a cool, serene walk and passing by the homes of Ruskin Bond and Victor Bannerjee. For the adventure lovers, there's plethora of activities like para gliding, trekking, river rafting. While for the shoppers, there's both expensive & cheap export surplus stuff available in the market.

Among the offbeat attractions, are the nearby places like Dhanolty, Shahasra Dhara, Ponta Sahib and some more for which you would need another day's time. Everytime you visit, you will keep discovering the Queen of Hills.

Without good food the trip remains imcomplete. There are plenty of food joints and also the hotels offer some sumptous dishes. Though for local food lovers the place might be a little dissapointment these days as it's difficult to find the spicy Garwali food - the local cuisine. If one can, Garwali chicken, Dal Tadkas are must haves. The spicy appetizing dishes are definitely a food lovers' delight. Besides this, the yummy Veg Maggi near Kempty Falls is a treat by itself.

Driving 300kms isn't that very difficult. If you haven't visited the place yet, plan it for the next weekend!