TRAVEL GOALS IN INDIA

Since I was a kid, i like to wander around places. It excites me each time to visit a place, it doesnt matter even if I have visited it before. I feel the adrenaline rush, i not only find peace in traveling but you get a lot of things to know and to learn, whether you are in your 20s or your 80s you never stop learning. The more you travel, the more you get addicted to learn something new each day.

Well in my engineering days, I wrote down a bucket list of the places I have to visit in India and in the other parts of the world. In this blog you will be seeing the one’s in India which might be in your list as well or you might add a few.

1. Scuba Diving in the Andaman Islands.

Who doesn’t want to watch the wonderful aquatic world and its creatures. In the sea so deep that you don’t hear the chaos of this raging world. What the Andamans do have to offer is clear, warm water with very high marine biodiversity, making it a very attractive dive destination. In short, for one kickass experience under water andamans is the best place.

2. Camping under the stars in Thar desert.

Sitting around a bonfire in the desert on a moonless night, it won’t take long before the ghost stories begins, thats how typical nights with friends goes by. I always wondered as a kid what makes the night sky so beautiful and yet most of us care a lot less about it. The universe is our home for which the sky is the rooftop. What’s more beautiful than a sleeping under the night sky ?

3. Roopkund Trek Himalayas

Roopkund, locally known as the mystery lake, is a high altitude glacial lake and lies in the lap of Trishul massif. It is famous for hundreds of skeletons found at the edge of the lake. This trek is recommended only for experienced trekkers as the level of difficulty lies beyond moderate.

4. Manali to Ladakh on bike.

A ride to ladakh, all the bike lovers will definitely have this on their bucket list. To get a view of the blissful nature and to experience the breathtaking moments that the ride gives.

5. Backpack across the Northeast

The seven sisters in the north east India are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Though it is definitely difficult to cover all the places in one go, one can plan for a trip of minimum 10 days to see most part of the North east.

6. Explore Varanasi

Varanasi also known as Banaras or kashi is in the banks of river Ganga. It’s the country’s spiritual capital. It is one of the oldest living city in the world. One needs to explore Varanasi atleast once as knowledge, philosophy, culture, devotion to Gods, Indian arts and crafts have all flourished here for centuries. 

7. Fly high Goa

Goa, the party capital of the country is known for its brilliant beaches , ranging from popular stretches at Baga and Palolem to those in laid-back fishing villages such as Agonda. , scrumptious food and Portuguese heritage. Check out the must do things in Goa.

Gumbaz: A day in Tipu’s Tomb

Srirangapatnam, which was the fortress of Tipu Sultan is also the place which holds his tomb. It is situated at a distance of 18km from Mysore. It was built in 1784 AD by Tipu for his parents. Later in 1799 AD, Tipu himself was buried when he was defeated. Gumbaz has tomb of Hyder Ali, father of Tipu Sultan in the centre, while the tombs of his mother Fatima Begam and himself are located on both the sides. With a height of about 20 metres, the structure stands majestically. Along with being historically important, these tombs are boast of excellent architecture. It is a great example of Indo-Islamic architecture.

The Gumbaz is built in Bijapur style and consists of a dome placed on a cubical structure, with ornamental railings and turrets decorated with finals which are spherical shaped. The dome is supported by 36 black granite pillars, and has an east facing entrance. Built in Persian style of architecture, Gumbaz captivates everyone. Surrounded by beautiful garden named as Lalbagh Garden, the imposing structure of Gumbaz is seen in the middle on an elevated platform. The walls have been painted in tiger stripes, which is popularly associated with Tipu Sultan.

Gumbaz timings and entry fees

Vistors timing is from 8 a.m to 6.30 p.m everyday and there is no entrance fee but one needs to pay a parking fees of 30/- to park the vehicles in the stand.

Reaching Gumbaz

Gumbaz is well connected with the rest of the country. One can reach srirangapatnam, via road or rail. Located at a distance of 18km from mysore and 180km from bengaluru, Srirangapatnam also holds the summer palace of Tipu. Many private and government buses run to and fro the city. But the most preferred mode is via road. Once you reach the town, you can take an autorickshaw to the tomb. One can also take the city buses to the Gumbaz.

7 FUN THINGS IN GOA TO ADD TO YOUR BUCKET LIST RIGHT AWAY

Goa – India’s pocket sized paradise is the hotspot for tourist all over the world. The breezy beaches, the yummy food, never ending night life are some reasons for Goa to be one of the must visit place. I visited Goa during my fourth semester holidays which is two years back from now and it was a memorable one and i so want to go back there again. Here we look at the 10 things to be doing in GOA

1. Go watch the Dolphins

Dolphin sighting is one of the most wonderful offbeat things to do in goa. Not many people know about this activity and its often ignored. The cruises start from Fort aguada, Sinquerim or Panaji jetty. If allowed you can also take a dip and play with this lovely creatures only if the adequate safety arrangements are made.

  • Sail across the Arabian Sea for a 2 hour dolphin-watching trip and spy the majestic creature in their natural habitat.  
  • Keep your camera close by as you cruise to Sinquerim beach in North Goa and look out for playful dolphins and other aquatic creatures. 
  • Price would be around 500/- per person.

2. Enjoy the night life in Baga beach

Baga beach being one of the most busiest beach in goa is famous for sun bathing and the night life with a number of bars and pubs around the beach. Thousands of tourists and locals flock here when the sun sets. Dont forget to shop at the flea market and enjoy some delicious food in some of the best restaurants like Cafe Mambos, Titos etc.,

3. Chapora river houseboats

When we talk of Goa, houseboats usually do not come to our minds, What could be more relaxing than spending a day or two on a houseboat, drifting along the backwaters of Goa? Watch traditional fishing done by local fishermen and enjoy the catch of the day right from the water to your dining table on board one of these quaint vessels.Baking in the sun while you enjoy the scenic beauty is a moment worth capturing in your camera. The abundant palm trees, emerald river bank, Goan villages and the majestic churches along with birds of different species are a sight one cannot miss and it is definitely surreal.

The houseboat will sail west in the direction of Arabian Sea and then north towards Morjim Beach where you can take a quick swim or splash in the pristine waters. If you are lucky enough then spotting dolphins on the way will surely make your day blissful.

Price per person would be around 2500/-

4. Water sports at Calungutte

Calungutte, a place for all the water sport lovers.A hub for tourists, this place is famous for the clutch of restaurants (such as Infantaria and Souza Lobo).

  • Here, you are introduced to a vivacious set of some of the most sought after adventure water sports in Goa.
  • A two-hour complete entertainment cum fun package has a boat ride, banana ride, bump ride, jet ski, parasailing and much more.
  • Timings: Normally from 9.30 a.m to 5.30 p.m
  • Price per person would be around 1500/-

5. Go ocean trekking in Arambol beach

All of us are familiar with hill and mountain treks, but one offbeat thing to experience in Goa is the ocean trek. There are quite a few secluded areas of Goa that one can discover through these treks. Trekking through green groves, right by the vast endless ocean is altogether a different experience. One can enjoy an ocean trek at Arambol beach in Goa.

6. Hot air balloon rides

Chandor a village in south goa where one can experience this offbeat yet romantic experience.One would be accompanied by the pilot in the wicker basket of the hot air balloon. The balloon rides can accommodate up to 10 people, but one can also book for a private tour with their special someone! A great idea to propose someone eh ?

As you gently leave the Earth, you’ll be amazed at how light the balloon feels. During the flight you have unobstructed 360-degree views, allowing for breathtaking photographs.The pilot will explore a variety of altitudes, up to 2,500 feet in the air for a marvelous overview of romantic experiences in Goa.

Timing: 6.30 a.m to 8.00 a.m everyday

7. The silent party

Starting at 9 pm and going on till the early morning it is one party that you dont wanna miss, the concept is daring and innovative. Wireless headphones connect you and everyone there to the music so the party can stay as loud as and as long as you like without making a sound!

Price is around 800/- per person

The Silent Noise

MYSORE DASARA – NAMMA NADAHABBA

No other person can describe this festival better than a MYSOReIAN himself. Well, the city of mysore has a tradition of celebrating this festival with grandeur. It is a 10 day festival, starting with navarathri and the last day being vijayadashami.

It was the day when goddess Chamundeshwari killed Mahishasura. Mahishasura is the demon whose slaying by the goddess gave this city its name ‘MYSORE’. The books says the festivities were observed by the vijayanagar kings in the 15th century.

This festival is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. Every year thousands of tourists visit this historical city to take part in the festivities of Dasara. This festivities included a special durbar (royal assembly), it was during the reign of krishnaraja Wadeyar III the tradition of special durbar was started. After the passing of Srikanta Wadeyar, this tradition has been continued by placing the royal sword.

The main attraction of the ten day dasara is that the whole city of Mysore is illuminated including the all famous Mysore Palace with as many as 100,000 light bulbs. Another major attraction during Dasara is the Dasara exhibition which is held in the exhibition grounds opposite to the Mysore Palace .Various religious and cultural programs are performed in the palace premises. In fact on all 10 days various music and dance concerts, sports and other cultural activities are held in the city. Special event targeted at the youth is the Yuva Dasara which hosts the concerts of popular celebrities. Visit Mysore Dasara website for more.

On the last day, the traditional Dasara procession (locally known as Jumboo Savari) is held on the streets of Mysore city, starting at 2.45 p.m from the Mysore Palace and ending in Bannimantap. The main attraction of this procession is the idol of the Goddess Chamundeshwari which is placed on a golden mantapa (which is around 750 kilograms of gold) on the top of a decorated elephant which is accompanied by colourful floats and cultural troupes. This idol is worshiped by the royal couple and other invitees before it is taken around in the procession. Check out the Dasara procession of 2019.

Later at night, there will be a torch light parade in the grounds of Bannimantap. Laser show, motorbike stunts, fireworks are some highlights of the show. The link to Torch Light parade of 2019 is available here.

Sightseeing Tours

  • You can get the breathtaking aerial view of mysore by taking a short 10 minutes helicopter ride from the Lalith Mahal Palace between 9 a.m to 5 p.m. It costs around 2000/- per person.
  • You can also try out the open air bus tour covering most of the top attractions of Mysore which was started recently last year.
  • If you want to roam around the city on your own, you can try the public bicycle share system called Trin Trin .
  • You can also check out Gully Tours for daily tours around Mysore.

BACKPACK TO BEACH-FUL FRENCH RETREAT

 After  four long years of engineering our plan of visiting pondi was on. Well, most south Indians prefer to call it Pondi than Pondicherry or Puducherry.  In the middle of all our final semester chaos  we made time to walk under the sun in the beaches of this beautiful union teriitory.  For one of those times, when you want to experience the calm of a beach, Pondicherry is just the place. Located around 156 kms from Chennai, Pondicherry is one of the seven Union Territories of India. Also known as the French Capital of India, the place is famous for its pristine and untouched beaches, cheap liquor and the French architecture.

Travel

From Bangalore, you have two options available:

  • Train at 21.50 PM (11005) which reach Pondicherry early in the morning
  • Multiple buses available on Redbus, KSRTC.  Please make sure you choose a Volvo Multi-axle

Many state road transport buses are available from Chennai and Bangalore to reach Puducherry. From Chennai, one can get a bus from CMBT in Koyambedu (100 INR) or from Guindy. The East Coast Road(ECR) from Chennai to Puducherry runs along the sea route and is very scenic.

GETTING AROUND PONDI

We reached pondi early in the morning and we booked a house to stay near French colony. The price was pretty reasonable.

The best way to explore Puducherry and its nearby areas is by renting out a cycle or a motorcycle. There are plenty of rental outlets on Mission street and MG road. The price range from 200-700 INR/day depending on the vehicle. An original ID proof and an advance amount (around INR 1000) is needed to be paid. Auto rickshaws are also an option but they are comparatively more expensive.  

As said, we took rental bikes to roam around the city. The town is well planned and hence its quite easy to move around. You can see all must visit places in a day however I am certain that won’t do justice to such astounding spots. Additionally, the town offers probably the most stunning sunrises in the nation from the immense breadth of Bay of Bengal.

FRENCH COLONY

 We first wanted to give a look at the villas and bungalows built on French architecture in the French colony. This is also one of the places to enjoy night life of Pondicherry. There are many good eating and drinking places here famous for their sea food menu. The best way is to park your vehicle at one street go through a stroll in the colony. It’s all covered with trees. The variety of colours and the design of the buildings in itself is quite mesmerizing. Added bonus you have the rock beach just at the end of the colony.

CHUNAMBUR BOAT HOUSE

After French colony we took a long ride to the The Chunnambar Boat House, run by the Pondicherry Tourism, is situated on the Cuddalore Main Road, around 7.5-8 Kms from the city centre. It is situated on the banks of the Chunnambar backwaters. It has a boat house where one can get boat rides in big passenger boats or speedboats. The boats take you to mouth of the backwater where you have the Paradise Island Resort. The beach here is very good and ideal for swimming or sunbathing.There are also other entertainment like horse rides, ATV rides and Ski jets.

The boathouse has a large paid parking and an entry fee to enter the boat house area. The boat rides are charged extra, depending on the mode and number of people. They also advertise overnight stays in their various Tree Houses and House Boats. 

They close by 5 pm, so it is better to leave for the place in the morning. The visit should take you around 2-3 hours, depending on the activities you take up.

AUROVILLE

After having lunch in a nearby restaurant it was time to visit the famous auroville. There are brilliant coffee shops, restaurants and places to shop also in this area and the entire village is full of greenery so even riding around is fun.Definitely visit the visitors’ centre here where you will get all the information about the town.

After looking around the place we headed straight to the auroville beach to see the mesmerizing sunset and took the rest of the day to look around the city.

From here the next stop was Chennai which is just three hours away and there are plenty of AC, Non-AC buses available from the Pondicherry bus stand . Oh and if you’re going on this route (to Chennai), remember to take a bus which goes via the ECR (East Coast Road) and take a seat on the right (when you move northwards towards Chennai). The view of the beach and the coconut trees just make the entire journey beautiful.

The Golden Residence

Let me begin with some basics, When I say Mysore, what comes to your mind first? I guess its the structures and the palaces or the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival. But what if i say its more than this, yes it lends its name to various forms arts and culture like Mysore Dasara, Mysore Painting; dishes like the sweet dish Mysore Pak, Mysore masala dosa, brands like Mysore Sandal Soap, Mysore Ink, styles and cosmetics like Mysore Peta (a traditional silk turban) and the Mysore Silk sarees, et cetera. Mysore served as the capital city of the Kingdom of Mysore for nearly six centuries, from 1399 until 1956. The Kingdom was ruled by the Wadiyar dynasty, with a brief period of interregnum in the 1760s and 70s when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were in power. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan usurped power through military might and ruled Mysore from 1761 to 1799. Their colluding with the French thoroughly alarmed the East India Company, which ultimately defeated Tipu and restored the Wadiyars to the throne, albeit with a serious caveat. Large parts of the Kingdom had to be ceded to the English, and what remained became in effects a British dependency, with a Chief Commissioner, a.k.a. “resident” dictating much of the King’s decisions. The cultural ambiance and achievements of Mysore earned it the sobriquet Cultural Capital of Karnataka.  

Mysore is a major tourist destination in its own right and serves as a base for other tourist attractions in the vicinity. The city receives large number of tourists during the 10-day Dasara festival. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Amba Vilas Palace, or Mysore Palace, is the centre of the Dasara festivities.The land on which the palace now stands was originally known as puragiri (literally, citadel), and is now known as the Old Fort. Yaduraya built the first palace inside the Old Fort in the 14th century, which was demolished and constructed multiple times. The original complex was destroyed by fire and a new palace was commissioned by the Queen-Regent and designed by the English architect Henry Irwin in 1897. The overall design is a combination of Hindu, Islamic, Indo-Saracenic and Moorish styles, which for the first time in India, used cast iron columns and roof frames. If you look closely, you will find Gothic arches, Rajput windows, Islamic domes and minarets and Hindu temple-like ornamentation, all in the same building.

The kings of Mysore were devotees of Goddess Chamundi, hence the palace’s facing the Chamundi Hills.

The palace houses two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting halls of the royal court) and incorporates an array of courtyards, gardens, and buildings.

The palace has three entrances: the East Gate (the front gate, opened only during the Dasara and for dignitaries), the South Entrance (for public), and the West Entrance (usually opened only during the Dasara). In addition, there are numerous secret tunnels from the palace cellar leading to Srirangapatna, other palaces, and confidential areas. The best view of the Palace is from the east gate. There are three major exclusive temple buildings within the Old Fort, and about 18 inside the palace heart building.  Around the Palace are also eight bronze tigers, which look like they are ready to pounce.Inside the palace, there is a museum, containing relics from the royal family. 

Mysore Palace is illuminated with more than 90,000 lights, which is a sight to behold. Entry during this time is not permitted, but photography from outside is allowed.