It was an “inner calling” that goaded archaeologist Padma Shri KK Muhammed to restore and rebuild the ancient Bateshwar Group of Temples when he first saw the crumbling ruins of the 9th-century temple complex. Located near Morena, about 40 km from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, the temple complex with over 200 Shiva and Vishnu temples built by the Gurjara Pratihara Dynasty had fallen like a pack of cards, flattened probably due to an earthquake, and were lying like that for centuries with entwined roots of trees engulfing the scattered fragments. But the bigger challenge said KK Muhammed Sir, in ..read more

There is an old-world charm that radiates from every stone wall in Poland. Stone benches take me on a melodious tour in Warsaw. There are dragons and mermaids everywhere. I see stars with Copernicus, the astronomer while I waltz around with Chopin, the composer. There are murders inside cathedrals while cobblers become heroes. I am hopping from one city to another, soaking in the atmosphere at the Old Towns here, which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Old Towns in Poland are more than just historic, they are oozing with charm and are destinations by themselves and are the key places to ..read more

It’s a warm day but adding to the warmth are my hosts, Dinesh and Radha Bai Katare as they prepare a simple but delicious lunch of Dal Paniya. While the dal is being cooked separately, the couple with their extended family sit around the fire, cooking the paniya , for all of us. The round bread made out of corn flour is sandwiched between leaves of the local aak or madar ( sodom apple) and then roasted on the fire.  Sipping a glass of local chaas or buttermilk, I am fascinated as Radha, with her nimble fingers, tosses the bread back and forth until the leaves are burnt and the bread turns ..read more

Croatia is a top destination for travelers looking to explore Europe’s natural beauty. Discover the best Croatia national parks and start planning your trip. Explore the best of Croatia National Parks Croatia is the perfect place to go if you want to get away from it all. It’s a beautiful country with a rich culture and history, but it’s also got an incredible natural landscape that will blow your mind. The country is known for its natural beauty—think mountains and beaches—and it’s easy to see why: there are hundreds of miles of coastline along the Adriatic Sea, as well as stunning landscapes ..read more

” Almost every region in Odisha has a village called Gopalpur and we are not even talking about the famous Gopalpur by the Sea. But this Gopalpur in Jajpur District is famous for the Gopalpur tussar, ” says our guide Sumanta ji as we walk around the idyllic village. The musical strains echo through the dusty lanes of the village. It’s windy as the trees sway to the rhythm, the leaves rustle against each other and the sun is a little kind as I walk past brightly painted homes with murals on the walls. A young woman clad in a bright red saree shyly poses for me with the background of her artwork ..read more

Some destinations are forever on your bucket list. And Morocco for me is one of them. Just before the pandemic hit the world, I had plans of visiting Morocco with my husband and we did quite a bit of research, including planning seven days Morocco itinerary from Casablanca to Marrakesh. Our Morocco in seven days itinerary included not just the famous blue city of  Chefchaouen but also tours of the spectacular Sahara Desert. Planning and collaborating with Morocco Travelling, I thought that I will write this post so that it might help anyone who would like to explore Morrocco as well. The ..read more

It’s dark and nippy and as my eyes get used to the shadows of the dense undergrowth and the outlines of the clusters of tall grass standing as sentinels in the wilderness, I suddenly see a pair of eyes boring into mine amidst a clearing in the clump of bushes. I switch on my flashlight to see the life-like eyes of Waghoba, the deified tiger looking upon me with a solemn stare. I realize that I am standing on hallowed ground. This is the shrine of Waghoba, the tiger or Wagh who is worshipped by the Gonds in the tribal heartland around Tadoba National Park. “You will find many stone figurines of ..read more

I am in the land of Mowgli at Pench National Park.  The woods are dark and deep and the forests are wrapped in a dense fog of mystery. My date with the jungle begins in the wee hours before dawn. Century-old trees stand as guardians of the forests. As the first light of dawn seeps in through the lattice of leaves, the forest reveals itself, painted in shades of greens, yellows, reds, and browns.  Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book comes alive in the moist teak and dry deciduous forests with clumps of trees like mahua, palash,  sal, neem, and a plethora of fruit trees beside a smatter ..read more

” You just missed a jungle owlet, ” says the naturalist Vishal Sharma, as I enter the portals of the Pench Tree Lodge by Pugdundee Safaris, one of the award-winning resorts in Pench Tiger Reserve.  It is late evening and the night sky has already enveloped the landscape. It’s dark and nippy and  I can hear it hooting amidst the serpentine shadows of the branches as I look around to see a dense canopy surrounding us. I wonder how he knew that owls have always been my favourite birds ever since I started birdwatching a decade ago. Ironically it was the birds that had beckoned me to the ..read more

Rocks and ravines, canyons and cliffs, waterfalls and valleys, forts and stupas, pre-historic art, and artisans – there are so many tourist places to visit near Varanasi beyond temples and rivers, ghats, and gullies. There are rugged terrains that hold many secrets. Rocks that tell a story through art. Sacred stupas and silent sculptures add to the hallowed land. Formidable forts, lost ruins, and ancient monasteries create a tableau of stories. If you are looking for heritage and offbeat places around Varanasi, then here are five fascinating places to visit near Varanasi that you can explore ..read more