Welcome to the varied landscapes of India, my dear friends starting with the loftiest mountain range in the world called the Himalayas in the North to the grasslands of India in the South of Himalayan foothills, also spread across parts of central & western India.
We also have two big deserts in India.
A sandy, yellow desert called the Thar Desert/The Great Indian Desert in the North Western State of Rajasthan.
Then a salty desert or White Desert called the Great Rann of Kutch located in the western state of Gujarat.
The gorgeous backwaters of India are mostly found in the South Western state of India called Kerala.
Similarly the lush green tea gardens at Munnar is also located in the state of Kerala in South India.
The coastal areas with its gorgeous beaches spread in the West, East & South of India can be explored all round the year for some adventurous & fun filled activities.
Happy weekend, my dear friends & see you soon ๐ ๐ค
In the topmost video clip, I can be seen walking at Kumbhalgarh Fort along with my husband while in the bottom most video clip, our wonderful guide can be seen talking to my husband, explaining about the glorious history of this place.
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Some very interesting facts about this place:
* The wall at Kumbhalgarh Fort stretches over 36 kilometers, second only to Great Wall of China.
* This Fort was built by Rana Kumbha, a ruler of the Mewar region in the North Western State of Rajasthan, India.
* The wall has never been breached.
* It served as a refuge for the rulers of Mewar.
* There are 360 temples in that area.
* The Fort has seven gates.
* The Fort is surrounded by a Wildlife Sanctuary.
* A spectacular light & sound show is held every evening in the complex depicting the history of the place.
Ever ventured into the countryside away from the concrete jungle of the city & town, away from dust & pollution, away from competition & rat race?
If not, then you must visit the villages of India. India is a land with varied landscapes dotted with hills, rivers, seas & oceans, backwaters, sandy & salty deserts, fields & farmland and forests too. In fact there's so much to explore!!
Another gorgeous village of India. This one is located in the eastern part of the country where the staple diet of the locals is rice & fish, hence glimpses of paddy fields & fisherman.
This is how an Indian village looks like - grandma sitting in the courtyard; smiling faces of children coz they are genuinely happy & not just posing for the camera; huts with pet animals roaming freely; muddy tracks with greenery all around.
Also, you would be able to spot some very hardworking women; children & cattle venturing into the nearby forest and of course simple & meaningful activities like watching the sunrise, sunset or perhaps counting the birds flying by. Way better than those unstoppable video games played by our children most of the time.
Jaipur, the gorgeous city where everything comes alive
Pink City of Jaipur: The Capital of Rajasthan, India
Welcome to the old city of Jaipur located in the northwestern state of Rajasthan in India.
Here all the royal, traditional buildings and even the entire marketplace is painted in a dusky pink shade.
It all started in the year 1876 during the rule of Maharaja/King Sawai Ram Singh when every house, palace & building was painted in pink to welcome Queen Victoria & her husband, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales.
Pink colour is also known as the colour of hospitality.
Gorgeous beaches; finger licking seafood; dotted with temples & churches; covered with a carpet of greenery; known for its festivals, carnivals and the hospitality of the locals - all this & much more can be found in Goa, the smallest State of India which lies on the southwestern coast of this country.
Goa was a Portuguese colony for centuries, from about 1510 until 1961 bringing along Portuguese influence, Christianity & European culture to this state. The official language here is Konkani.
This video clip shows Kharvi dance being performed by the fishing community of Goa. The fishermen are overjoyed after a good catch at the sea. Hence they are celebrating with their families. Enjoy ๐
People enjoy this festival by throwing dry colourful powders called gulal as well as coloured water on each other followed by feasting on delicious delicacies.
This lovely singer here is following our camel cart just as we are entering into the Thar Desert, Rajasthan in India. He is a Manganiar/Singer from Rajasthan.
In fact the Manganiars are a Muslim community who belong to the Thar desert. They are trained in singing and playing instruments from a very young age. The folk songs sung by them are passed down from generation to generation.
As of now, we are enjoying this performance thoroughly.
Life's quite like a journey on a train - at each station or junction of our lives, we make new friends while some others leave us unnoticed.
The journey is throughout dotted with meetings, greetings, goodbyes & farewells.
Let us all travel together on this amazing Tumblr journey, my dear friends creating some very beautiful memories before we reach our respective destinations.
This is one such magical drink which will warm you up if you feel cold; cool you down if you feel warm; add to your happiness if you are happy; cheer you up if you are sad.
At A Tea Parlour in Hyderabad, India
You guessed it right - tea is just not a beverage; it is an emotion that rules every mood, house, office, canteen, occasion - be it a condolence meet; someone's marriage; kitty party; spicy gossip; breakup; proposal or a get together.
Mint Tea
Masala Chai/Spiced Tea with Samosa (Triangular Pastry)
Whatever be the tea we are consuming (spiced or mint tea), meetings do become warmer & conversations juicer. Agree?
So, till we meet again on Friday over a cup of tea from yet another destination, keep smiling & see you soon ๐ค
I remember going on school excursions & then when I grew up, visited forts & palaces from the college hostel. Each & everytime I had something unique as in experiences to share with my near & dear ones.
In those days there wasnโt any mobile or for that matter social media. The easiest thing would be to get hold of a postcard with a picture of that place; adjacent to it, there would be a blank space to pen down some precious memories of my travels & post the same to my loved ones. Similarly my parents & friends would send me postcards from their respective travel destinations.
Every Tuesday & Friday postcards & letters of the hostelites would be neatly placed on a table in the dining hall. I would wait for those two days of the week to pick up my postcards from the small table in one corner of the hall.
It was indeed the most exciting & enjoyable activity for me back then.
As I continue to travel to palaces, forts, cities, villages, seas, hills, mountains & valleys, I plan to send a virtual postcard every Tuesday & Friday to my lovely readers & that's a promise.
Of course nothing will ever replace the warmth of a handwritten letter.
Let there be a scribble about the beautiful sunset by the sea; a cloud passing over a mountain; interesting shells found on shores in some faraway land; some adventure; unknown custom; a remote village; a festival.....in fact the list is literally endless.
Most of the time I do not have a planned itinerary. Hence I do not know where I am heading to till the last moment, yet I am somehow sure you are coming with me, wonโt you?
So until we meet this Tuesday, keep smiling & take care, my dear friends ๐