A Bohemian rhapsody
As the setting sun glimmers on the baroque cathedral at the Old Town Square at Jicin, a local guide dressed as a Medieval Duke comes forward with a flourish. He regales the tourists with the heroic tales of the Duke…
Shimmering on the Silk Route
For travelphiles who grew up on a steady diet of Silk Route lore, perhaps the most famous trading route in history evokes the romance of adventure. While Uzbekistan gets the prize for variety, neighbouring Kazakhstan has some little-known destinations, which…
More Indians than ever are going on holiday abroad—so where are they heading and why?
The story is similar for British visas. Many people in India, as well as other applicants, feel the process is too harsh and can be humiliating. Endless amounts of paperwork are required, including bank statements and invitation letters, and rejections are often…
Pride and patrimony
Is coexistence of man and animal possible when there is a deep-rooted respect for nature? The Maldhari tribe of Gir know the answer. When the Maldhari cattle herders came to Gir from Pakistan, they were given a place to live…
One man is an Island
Majuli has been screaming for attention. It is the world’s largest inhabited river island and a melting pot of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite, and indigenous tribal cultures, and famous for its 22 satras (monastic centres) introduced in the 15th century. Ravaged by…
Haunting tales on historic streets of Georgetown in Washington DC
The US is gearing up to get a new President. Anticipation and anxiety is building up in Washington DC. However, pause for a minute and see if the number 2024 is divisible by 20. No this isn’t a math challenge,…
A house for Ms Pearl S Buck
Manicured gardens and green lawns, historic stone archways, and a rustic greenhouse spread across 68 picturesque acres in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, US, create the backdrop for the 1825 farmhouse that was the home of Pulitzer prize-winning author Pearl S Buck…
Inside outside in Spain’s Cordoba
Geraniums, roses, palm trees, azahar (orange blossom) and bright bougainvillea bob their heads in terracotta pots. The scent of jasmine lingers in the air, as the bright palettes of colour contrasting sharply against the backdrop of whitewashed houses and blue…
Swachh Sikkim Village
Cleanliness begins at home. In 2017, Dawa Choden Bhutia, the panchayat president of Phadamchen village in Sikkim, assembled 17 women to form a group called Swachhata Sahayogi, a name that literally translates to “sanitation assistants”. Together these women decided to…
Malappuram to the Mountains: Afeedha’s fearless solo journey
When she received her acceptance letter and moved to Delhi for her studies, Afeedha took every opportunity to travel. She visited Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab multiple times with her friends. But despite the joy of exploring new places, something…
Hospitably Ethnic by the Sea
In the scenic coastal village of Dombe near Karnataka’s Byndoor, a homestay comes alive in the wee hours of the morning. Greater coucals and Rufous Treepie hop around, alighting high above on the red Mangalore tiled-roof of the villa. A…
Crouching tiger at hidden Rukhad
A jungle hare caught in the headlight of safari jeeps stops momentarily to rear up on its hind legs to glare straight into the low beam; then continues to hop across the road. A thousand stars glitter overhead in the…
Where conservation meets culinary delight at PCF
Imagine waking up to the cacophony of peacocks and the faint sound of waves crashing on sand. The weather is already humid, but the tall coconut trees around offer respite. The tiny hamlet of Kumta, 30 km away from the…
The Island that César built
A vast expanse of wasteland, rugged and hostile, filled with colours of the earth—black, grey, red, brown, with a smattering of green—creates the textural kaleidoscope called Timanfaya National Park. A protected natural area located on the island of Lanzarote in…
Fort runner
To grab a fantastic view, visitors have to climb up a cobblestone path made of hundreds of steps and cross the seven gates or pols—Ganesh Pol, Andheri Pol, Navlakha Pol, Hathi Pol, Satpol, Suraj Pol and Delhi Pol. The tigers…
All quiet in Clovelly
Charming historic houses cling to the wooded hillside, lining the steep cobbled street that snakes down the hill to the traditional fishing harbour on the coast. In the distance, the stunning seascape beckons: myriad shades of blue, green, and grey…
The tracks of wars past
The first official photograph ever of a tank in action is at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on September 15, 1916. A Mark I tank with a steering tail at the rear of the vehicle. These were lumbering machines and only…
Up above the world
Right at the start, a few guests want to give up. But instructor Adnan eggs them on, escorting each participant, from the top of the cliff to the first landing. Participants secure their waist harness to the rope, then grip…
The ladle of the exile
India has few destination restaurants. Naar, a cozy, 16-cover one-of-a-kind restaurant in a tiny village near Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh, is one. The mountains cast a spell on Kashmir-born maverick chef and restaurateur Prateek Sadhu, who, after working with the…
Words worth
The Daunt bookstore almost diverts attention from the substantial collection of volumes it is stocked with. Situated on a quiet road in Marylebone, a London suburb, it was formerly an Edwardian antiquarian bookshop. That ambience has been retained: a gorgeous…
Guerrillas in the midst of Barcelona
Make no mistake, Barcelona is a walking city. And only by doing so do you let the city unveil an element of surprise at every turn. But summertime in Barcelona is motorcycling season, much like it is across the rest…
On Picasso’s trail in Malaga
Walking the narrow cobblestone streets with houses with green shutters on either side, is the two-storeyed Ataneo De Malaga on Calle Compania, which used to be the School of Fine Arts, where Picasso’s father taught technical drawing. He and his…
Calling on Armenia’s Van Gogh
As you sit down with Armenian painter Lusik Aguletsi’s family—the artist was often called the Van Gogh of Armenia—sipping warm mountain tea, the room becomes filled with conversations, memories and stories of a woman who has left an indelible mark…
Watch and wait
Sleep early, wake up early” is the motto of the enthusiastic guides at the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Punctuality is a virtue, being at the right place at the right time. Jungle life is most vocal and active…
Going, going, gone
Garima Sinha, a 32-year-old marketing professional and avid traveller from Noida, made an unusual decision during her visit to Canada last year. Instead of following the typical tourist route, she ventured to Churchill in Manitoba, a remote town famously known…
A tale between two countries
One of the oldest cities in Scandinavia and home to the world’s oldest amusement park, Copenhagen has a plethora of adventures for the discerning traveller. But there lies a hidden gem: the charming islet of Hven, a secret oasis waiting…
Sharp surge in Indians travelling abroad, UAE and Thailand remain top destinations
The report also stated that international travel search volumes remain relatively steady across all seasons, with December being the most active month for international travel searches. Further, interest in luxury travel is rising among Indians, with a 10% growth in…
Time stands still in Schiltach
A group of Spanish tourists is engrossed in admiring a timber-crafted house in the town of Schiltach located in the Black Forest in Germany. Their guide draws their attention to the façade which has wooden ornamentation on it. The wooden…
Of Pinocchio and Holy Relics
Walking through the narrow alleys and cobblestoned lanes of the town, one comes across patrician homes of traders and stately half-timbered buildings that once held corn and grain to protect the town in case of a siege. Most of these…
Heeding the call of Shiva
“Har har Mahadev… Har Har Mahadev…” Each time you feel it is impossible to take another step forward on the hard road to Rudranath temple, nestled inside dense rhododendron forests and mountain pastures, Lord Shiva is there to help. Your…
Awaiting a golden moment
In 1765, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia defeated Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Battle of Amritsar and established the Katra Ahluwalia, a self-sufficient, small neighbourhood. “Such neighbourhoods were a common feature in the city,” says heritage architect Gurmeet Rai. Like…
The other side of Nepal
A striking pagoda with cantilevered wooden roofs, towers above Bhaktapur, a royal city in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Close by is an Indian-style temple whose statues of deities are carved in stone. Nepal is a staple on the Indian tourist…
From forts to culinary delights in Sri Lanka’s coastal town
Building it up: Galle’s British and Dutch colonial architecture exhibit similar order and symmetry. The Dutch, adept in masonry, favoured stone and brick over the British wooden bungalows. Their architectural adaptations are visible in tropical locations featuring broad eaves, internal…
Payana Museum showcases 50 years of vintage car collection
A drive to Srirangapatna that sits along the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway is a car metaphor. You pass a big building whose façade resembles a car tyre. Hard to miss. This newly opened Payana car museum is an epiphany of auto buff…
Moda Goa Museum: House of memories
I’m a big dreamer who made most of my dreams come true. One dream was to give back to Goa… what this wonderful state has given us as a legacy. A legacy of great culture, kaleidoscope diversity and formidable ancient…
The Jeju rock show
A teenager wearing black shorts and a pink T-shirt is about to start hiking to the peak of the scenic Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone. Standing at the base, entry ticket in hand, she looks up at Seongsan, located on the…
The French silk route
Travelling to Lyon from Paris is taking a two-hour train ride to the Medieval Ages. Of course with a soupcon of intrigue. The Old Town in Lyon’s 5th arrondissement, built at the foot of a hill is freeze-framed in the…
Unfazed by tourists, masters of the jungle
Tiger lore at the reserve includes stories about how Maya, the current queen of Tadoba, learned to deal with gawping tourists when she was a cub and prowled the jungle with mother Nira. Now she imparts that lesson insouciantly to…
A modern haven with a nostalgic railway twist
The hotel is designed by Singaporean DP Architects, who strove to highlight the brand’s history in a modern, appealing manner. “The façade constitutes an aluminium screen which is a modern interpretation of railway sleepers, and the tower curtain wall has…
Dune by the yurt
Back at the camp, a leisurely camel safari awaits. At a giant communal yurt made specifically for guests to feast together, sumptuous meals are served. Gastronomy enthusiasts can choose from authentic Uzbek specialities such as plov, manty and shashlik (the…
The Two Moors Way: Coast-to-coast
Steep craggy cliffs climb skyward, puffed-up clouds scatter through the sky, and the wind thrusts you onto the thin, coastal path. The view at the end of the cliff-top walk seems like the end of the world: infinite sea and…
Restoration of Fort Barwara: Past forward
In early spring when the sun peeks out from behind the Aravalli range looming over the Chauth Ka Barwara village, the mountain is framed perfectly by the window of the five-ft-thick and 20-ft-tall wall of 700-year-old Fort Barwara. The sunlight…
A ruinous good time
Interestingly, ruin pubs have a short history—they are only two decades old. In the 20th century, Budapest’s Jewish Quarter was the site of a Jewish ghetto. World War II and the Cold War saw the area fall into ruin, populated…
The Temple Scientists
Back to the roots’ is the ethos of Ezha, which in Malayalam means ‘thread’. Three women conservation architects Swathy Subramanian, Savita Rajan and Ritu Sara Thomas weaved a thread from the wefts of community and legacy at the Karnikara mandapam…
Travellers Without Borders
The Northeast of India, and its neighbour Myanmar aka Burma is knitted with secret forest routes and sprawling grasslands. Borders did not exist until British imperials tired from war left drawing borders as casually as a kindergarten child would scrawl…
Realm of thrones
Egypt’s illustrious history is the protagonist in a one-of-a-kind drama that unfolds within the thick walls of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Centrally located on the edge of Maidan Al-Tahrir (Tahrir Square), the first purpose-built museum in the country, has…
Up above the world so high
Taking a walk means diffrent things in different places. Insta Reels show off the thrill of climbing creaky ladders along the Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail in Meghalaya; the real marvel is the ingenious engineering of these walkways crafted from bamboo and…
Village of healing
A sunflower field catches your eye as you drive towards Shilimb village in Maharashtra. The vibrant yellow of the flowers, swaying in the breeze, soaking in the sunlight against the backdrop of a clear blue sky resembles a painting. A…
Hyderabad’s ‘Palash ki Talaash’ walk celebrates nature’s wonders
She adds, “Its unique keel petal requires birds to make an effort to reach the hidden nectar, thus aiding pollination. They are practically the first blooms of ‘Vasantha’ with generous amounts of nectar, therefore a key supporter of biodiversity in…
Discover Japan’s serene cherry blossom havens
As winter fades away and spring approaches, Japan eagerly awaits the annual delight of cherry blossoms, or sakura, unfurling their delicate petals across the landscape. For countless travel enthusiasts, the dream of experiencing Japan’s iconic ‘hanami’ (flower viewing) comes alive…
Pangot in Uttarakhand haven for birdwatchers and nature lovers
A little detour from the main Ramnagar-Nainital road changes the perspective completely. The drive to Pangot, the quieter cousin of buzzing Nainital, is marked with thinning traffic and breathtaking mountain views. The calming sound of wind blowing between tall pine…
Discover motoring nirvana while drifting across the great Scandinavian freeze
The Art of Drifting Drifting may have been popularised in mainstream media by neon-bathed visions of Tokyo’s underground racing scene, but it was discovered here in Finland, along with a popular but tricky rally driving manoeuvre called the ‘Scandinavian flick’….
Castle Royale
During the Mughal Empire and British colonial period, Gujarat’s Saurashtra region was divided into about 200 princely states and jagirs (fiefdoms). The medieval rulers lived in castle-like structures called darbargadh, which had exquisite stonework and woodcarving, open courtyards, residential and…
Rail travel at bullet speeds
High-speed trains have revolutionised surface transportation, let alone railways around the world. A high-speed rail (HSR) network utilises trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, through an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. Commonly,…
Eat your way through Mussoorie and Landour!
Situated amidst the lush hills of Uttarakhand, Mussoorie and Landour stand as quintessential hill stations, offering not just breathtaking views but also a rich culinary experiences. Among the many delights that these towns feature, the vibrant café culture stands out…
Words’ worth in Wales
Hay-on-Wye wasn’t always known as the ‘town of books’. Bookseller Richard Booth, the self-proclaimed ‘King of Hay’, opened the first second-hand bookshop, The Old Fire Station, here in 1962; since then, books have become the lifeblood of the small market…
Shikar Royale
The thrill of chancing on a wild cat from the open jeep keeps one alert at all times. What might be that ruffle in the distance, the slight movement in the grass, or that faint hint of a pugmark in…
Kingdom of Quiet
Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the winding pebbled brooks and the ever-smiling faces will stay a long time with…
Jungle nook at Estate Plavu in Kerala’s Wayanad district
Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally, in the lap of nature. Which is exactly what this home in EstatePlavu…
Taking a walk in the woods at Spain
How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins of the islands lend them unique, pitch-black sands. You could try your hand…
Warrior deluxe: A set-up straight out of the 17th-century Maratha era
At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad and Visapur—loom large. Lohagad had been the proud conquest of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj….
Exotic sights, good food & slew of activities
Enter the Food Court, the barbecued smell of kebabs, aromatics, and other dishes will make you feel hungry. The silent sea adds a touch of serenity to this luxurious dining experience. The rooms were spacious, with a comfortable queen-size bed,…
Three wellness spots to rejuvenate mind, body and soul
Hua Hin – Rewire your system in Hua Hin, Thailand’s wellness epicentre. Hua Hin, which was once a fishing village, has evolved through time into a crucial detox resort. It is a well-liked destination for individuals looking for a wellness-focused vacation…
Radisson hotel group expands its presence in Jammu & Kashmir
The location is easily accessible by road from the Mandi Bus Station and Srinagar International Airport, depending on the time of year and traffic. The roomy, contemporary suites at the hotel are built for comfort and convenience, and all of…
Tips to make your concert experience worth it
Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly the year of the stadium concert. After three years of watching everything online, music…
The going gets greener in Sri Lanka
For a country roughly the size of Tasmania in Australia, Sri Lanka has a surprising number of ecosystems. The island may be synonymous with beaches and temples, but there is a longer list of all that it has to offer….
The Monks who embalmed themselves
No meat. No alcohol. Also forbidden were ‘Ten Cereals,’ consisting of rice, wheat, soybeans, adzuki beans, black sesame seeds, barnyard grass, millet, foxtail millet, buckwheat and corn. For mokujikigyo, Shingon monks would muck about local forests for tree roots, nuts, bark,…
The Swiss life; a journey into the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum
Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. Spread over an area of 66 hectares, it’s a place where you will…
Of Potters and Tigers; explore Saj in the Forest
The property also arranges for drives around the picturesque Kohka Lake and backwater safaris, besides visits to Pachdhar, a village of over 100 kumhars or potters, a couple of kilometres from the resort. As Sajendra Prajapati proceeds to mould the…
Here’s what to do and where to go in the city of lights
Then there are over a century-old luxury department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps that have history written all over them. The latter, which opened in 1865, was one of the first few buildings in Paris to get electricity. Home to…
Dagshai Jail Museum tells stories of confinement and solitude
Following the latter, the jail was visited by its most famous resident, Mahatma Gandhi, who voluntarily spent the night here to show solidarity with the Irish cause. His VIP jail cell was the only one to have two rooms, a…
Magic Mushrooms
But the high price of the product inhibits a scale-up. “The cost is five times that of thermocol. Besides, thermocol is quicker to make. The growth of the mushrooms cannot be expedited to less than seven days—they will become cancerous….
Emerging from the Shadows
Technological innovations and modern entertainment in the 20th century, however, ushered in profound changes, making much of indigenous entertainment irrelevant or restricted to government tableaux. Two-time National Award-winning artist Dr Dalavai Kullayappa hailing from this GI-tagged artistic hamlet is trying to…
Nupur Tron: Forging an East-West connect
Exiles can be long if they have a cause. Nupur Tron, founder and director of ‘Foundation Frison Horta’ in Brussels, Belgium, has a cause fired by passion. She is an Indian woman in a foreign land, using European legacy, heritage and aesthetics to…
Filling in on art in Philly
“One of the things that makes the art and culture scene in Philadelphia so wonderful is the variety,” says Irene Baker, author of 100 Things to Do in Philadelphia and Unique Eats & Eateries of Philadelphia. Walk down the Midtown…
Journey to Turkestan- the second Mecca of the East
It is a scenic drive to Turkestan from Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan, about 680 km from Almaty, the country’s largest city. The sepia landscape is stark and generally unpeopled, with camel caravans lumbering along. Turkestan, the spiritual centre of Kazakhstan…
Starting at the Finnish line
Watching the northern lights is like seeing a miracle unfold. It’s as if the cosmos is dancing and a superpower up there is trying to tell you something. After minutes of pitch darkness, the sky suddenly lights up. First, there is a…
A Bonn sonata: A collection of crippled villages in West Germany
B for Bonn. B for Boring. So it has been said of West Germany’s former capital city, about which A local politician once famously sniped that “the best thing about Bonn is the train to Munich”. Compared to the vibrant,…
Dive deep into churches and churchkhela at Kutaisi in Georgia
Kutaisi is surrounded by UNESCO sites, monasteries and caves. Gelati monastery, founded in 1106, used to be home to an academy of scholars and has brightly coloured Byzantine-style frescoes—there’s one significant one of King David the Builder, who heralded Georgia’s…
Travelling in the magical land
Straight out of our mindscape of fairyland. Live in a mushroom shaped cave, shop for groceries from a bigger one, watch a multi-coloured sunset, in the evening, walk around moon face, and then suddenly, the ancient cave walls swaddle you…
Nurla: A stopover in no man’s land
Alongside a murmuring brook, a gentle uphill trail dissolves from a brown, muddy one to a path flanked by willows, fields of peas and barley, and fruit-laden apricot trees. There is not a soul in sight, but the worked fields and…
Notes from Ground Ziro
The last decade has seen some talented global artists play at the festival such as Prateek Kuhad, Peter Cat Recording Company, Lee Ranaldo, Acid Mothers Temple, Rabbi Shergill and Steve Shelley among others. This year, the stars of the Ziro…
Rising like a Phoenix
About 10 km away from the memorial is Nyamirambo, one of Kigali’s oldest neighbourhoods, dominated by Muslim traders speaking Swahili, who initially came here from Tanzania. Amid barber shops and tiny beauty parlours, street-side restaurants serving local delicacies such as…
The ways of water in Switzerland
Sitting on the northern tip of Lake Zurich and bound by the River Limmat, the city offers easy access to nature right within urban limits. It’s not just the lively waterfronts and green spaces that buzz with activity, it’s the…
Prussian pomp and splendour in Germany's Potsdam
Famous as the site of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when the UK, US and the Soviet Union decided the fate of Germany after World War II, there’s more to this tiny cosmopolitan town than just history. Founded around the…
Call of the Wild
Tipai has an osmotic relationship with nature, and at times the guest can be forgiven for wondering whether they are indoors or outdoors. The dense thickets and little water bodies partially hidden by ochre green wild grass look like they…
Chasing serenity in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg
One of the best things to do in Sindhudurg is to go fort-hopping—the Nivati fort, also built by Shivaji, is hardly 10 km from the sea-fort. It is perched on a cliff near lush paddy fields and mango orchards, which…
Hurrah to Hygge in Denmark’s Aarhus
Are the Danes happier than the rest of the world? Perhaps; Denmark consistently ranks among the top 3 in the World Happiness Report. The Danes credit the higher rating to having achieved work-life balance by focusing on leisure, family, solitude,…
A walk in wonderland
Long walks along winding roads, gabled colonial bungalows and magnificent churches, quaint cafés and bakeries drawing people in with the wafting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and cake… Landour, a cantonment settlement next to the hill station Mussoorie, has its obvious…
Divinity’s new dimension
A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Siddipet, 100 km from Hyderabad, is teeming with crowds, thanks to it being the auspicious Karthika maasam (month of Karthik). But it’s no ordinary temple. The garbha gudis (sanctum sanctorum) have been made using 3D…
Pride and patrimony
Uttarakhand’s most revered city—Haridwar—is surprisingly a case study in art and architecture. Aside from the temples and ashrams that dot the town, there are age-old havelis and ancestral bungalows that whisper secrets of its antique past. Most of them have striking…
Taking stock of Stockholm
When in Stockholm, set stock by Swedish design. It pervades everything and every place—the cafes and museums, the castles and parks, the streets, metro stations, and even public toilets. Characterised by a minimal, clean approach that combines form and functionality, Swedish…
Phu Quoc Island: Isle be there
At Ham Ninh fishing village, you can watch locals go about their sepia-tinted lives. Enjoy the irresistible aroma wafting from dishes being rustled up by the women in their thatched-roof houses. The industrious boatmen, meanwhile, will be repairing their boats…
Souq it up in Cairo
Fabric stores have a whimsical marketing strategy; their owners will always be found outside, calling out to passersby holding out a few samples of merchandise. Though they are mostly counterfeit Egyptian cotton, the designs are attractive. As in any large…
Dharamkot diaries
With peaceful mountains around, fast Internet and restaurants serving multi-cuisine food, there are many who have already made Dharamkot their mountain abode. A few kilometres away is the famous Gallu Devi temple, also the starting point for the popular Triund…
Been here, dune that
The 6,000-plus crowd which thronged the confluence of music, art and wellness over the course of three heady days in the middle of India’s western desert could not get enough of it. “As we celebrate the third year of our…
Toasty Warm in Tbilisi
Don’t miss the Orbeliani Baths, the iconic blue-tiled bathhouse, which is known for its stunning Persian-inspired architecture and looks like a mosque. For a more luxe experience, head to the Tbilisi Balneological Spa Resort, dating back to 1938, housed in…
Toasty Warm in Tbilisi- The New Indian Express
Express News Service In Abanotubani, the old Bath District of Tbilisi under the imposing Narikala fortress where the air has a rotten egg odour, children clamber on the brick cupolas of the cluster of subterranean bath houses with filigreed glass…
Been here, dune that- The New Indian Express
Express News Service The walls of the battle-hardened 17th-century Alsisar Mahal in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, came alive with spectacular 3D projections as thousands of music lovers danced, swayed and banged heads to the beats of pulsating music. In the twilight setting,…
Dharamkot diaries- The New Indian Express
Express News Service As the winter fog descends on the north Indian plains, it’s time for a quick getaway to the hills. McLeodganj, a suburb of Dharamshala in Himachal’s Kangra district, always tops the list of winter destinations in the…
Souq it up in Cairo- The New Indian Express
Express News Service The Al Azhar Mosque in the heart of Cairo, Egypt, with its twin minarets reaching for the sky proudly straddles Islamic Cairo, surveying one of the world’s oldest cities. It is also the site of the world’s…
Finding Method in Madness- The New Indian Express
Express News Service People were last seen as subjects in artist Sameer Kulavoor’s works in 2020. They appeared in You’re All Caught Up, an exhibition that looked at our obsession with social media. Since then, his works have seen a marked…
The King of Queens- The New Indian Express
Express News Service A high-speed chase is underway in a lush green field as eight uniformed riders, astride majestic horses, confidently manoeuvre its length and breadth. Their weapons of choice are large mallets with which they dexterously aim to hit a…
Ode to Oraon- The New Indian Express
Express News Service As the setting sun paints the sky in swathes of orange on a rather hot day in Jamshedpur, Sumanti Devi Bhagat is busy giving final touches to a canvas. Her hands move deftly as she creates a festival…
Field Day in Finland- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Holding hand-made paper baskets in one hand and a farming tool called cultivator in the other, Finnish forager Anna Nyman guides a group of tourists to Helsinki’s 10-sqkm Central Park. As the dew drops shine on the green, orange…
Camping with the Changpas- The New Indian Express
Express News Service As soon as the clock strikes 5.30 in the evening, the scenic village of Kharnak, nestled in the sprawling Tibetan Plateau of Ladakh, comes to life. Hundreds of sheep, yaks, goats, and a few dogs and shepherds,…
Kingdom of Quiet- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Blue should be the national colour of Bhutan. The clear skies in the backdrop of virgin pine-forested mountains are a sight to behold. The crisp air, the winding pebbled brooks and the ever-smiling faces will stay a…
A set-up straight out of the 17th-century Maratha era- The New Indian Express
Express News Service At The Chavni, the soft golden hue of the setting sun welcomes guests to the high tea area, set against the backdrop of the Sahyadris. Two forts—Lohagad and Visapur—loom large. Lohagad had been the proud conquest of…
Jungle nook at Estate Plavu in Kerala’s Wayanad district- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Green trees as far as the eye can see. Blue skies an expansive canopy above. The sound of birdsong. The purity of air. Talk about living, literally, in the lap of nature. Which is exactly what this…
Taking a walk in the woods at Spain- The New Indian Express
Express News Service How do you spend an afternoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain? You could grab your towel and head to one of the many beaches. The volcanic origins of the islands lend them unique, pitch-black sands. You could…
Exotic sights, good food & slew of activities- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Admirers of the ocean and avid travellers alike, we bring you good news! There is now a luxury cruise liner operating between Chennai and Sri Lanka. Indulge in the luxury the Cordelia cruise, the first vessel to…
Three wellness spots to rejuvenate mind, body and soul- The New Indian Express
By Express News Service What exactly does a wellness trip involve? Is it going to yoga retreats, or indulging in spa treatments? These wellness getaways guarantee a genuinely therapeutic experience for the body and mind. Awaji- On Awaji, Japan’s health…
Radisson hotel group expands its presence in Jammu & Kashmir- The New Indian Express
By Express News Service Visitors to Jammu and Kashmir have more luxury options now. The latest to join the existing holiday destinations in J&K is Radisson Hotel Sonamarg. The group has increased its footprint in the state of Jammu &…
The Monks who embalmed themselves- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Sokushinbutsu shrines of Buddhist monks who transformed themselves into mummies while alive can be seen around Mount Yudono in northern Japan. Pilgrims believe they will rise to save mankind when the time comes. The search for salvation…
Tips to make your concert experience worth it- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Concerts have always been big business, but with people traversing oceans for their favourite artistes, music shows have become a key draw for travellers. And 2023 is clearly the year of the stadium concert. After three years of watching…
The Swiss life; a journey into the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Where did old farmhouses, stables, bakehouses or barns in Switzerland, which were replaced by modern buildings, go? They were dismantled and rebuilt at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. Spread over an area of 66 hectares, it’s a place…
Of Potters and Tigers; explore Saj in the Forest – The New Indian Express
Express News Service The fresh jungle air in Pench National Park carries with it the smell of teakwood trees and the sounds of birds. This park in Madhya Pradesh is said to have inspired author Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book….
Here’s what to do and where to go in the city of lights – The New Indian Express
Express News Service Paris conjures up images of romance, Mona Lisa’s smile, the iconic Eiffel Tower, charming cafes and delicious croissants… But look beyond to discover a different facet of the ‘City of Light’. Since the Netflix show, Emily in Paris,…
Dagshai Jail Museum tells stories of confinement and solitude- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Walking through the tree-lined hillside of the army cantonment of Dagshai in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, one comes across lush pine forests, winding roads and quaint cafes—features characteristic of a quintessential hill station. In the midst of this…
Magic Mushrooms- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Bio entrepreneur Arpit Dhupar lives in Delhi. Sometime in 2019, a year before the clouds of Covid-19 spread its wings, he was watching his three-year-old nephew paint a cityscape. To his shock, the skies were grey, instead of…
Emerging from the Shadows- The New Indian Express
Express News Service In the quaint village of Nimmalakunta, in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, there lives a small guild of painters and performers engaged in preserving a dying tradition, Tholu Bommalata, or ‘the dance of leather puppets’. It dates…
Woman at Work- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Exiles can be long if they have a cause. Nupur Tron, founder and director of ‘Foundation Frison Horta’ in Brussels, Belgium, has a cause fired by passion. She is an Indian woman in a foreign land, using European legacy, heritage…
Filling in on art in Philly- The New Indian Express
Express News Service There’s more to Philadelphia than the famous Philly cheesesteak. Pennsylvania’s most populous city is the cradle of art. Its public murals—the city is recognised as the Mural Capital of the World—make it nothing short of an open-air…
Journey to Turkestan- the second Mecca of the East- The New Indian Express
Express News Service It is a scenic drive to Turkestan from Shymkent in Southern Kazakhstan, about 680 km from Almaty, the country’s largest city. The sepia landscape is stark and generally unpeopled, with camel caravans lumbering along. Turkestan, the spiritual…
Isle be there- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Phu Quoc Island seems to exist in a palm-fringed haze. Nestling along the Gulf of Thailand in south Vietnam, and voted by Time magazine as one of the world’s most amazing islands, its dazzling white beaches and…
Starting at the Finnish line – The New Indian Express
Express News Service Watching the northern lights is like seeing a miracle unfold. It’s as if the cosmos is dancing and a superpower up there is trying to tell you something. After minutes of pitch darkness, the sky suddenly lights up….
A collection of crippled villages in West Germany- The New Indian Express
Express News Service B for Bonn. B for Boring. So it has been said of West Germany’s former capital city, about which A local politician once famously sniped that “the best thing about Bonn is the train to Munich”. Compared…
Dive deep into churches and churchkhela at Kutaisi in Georgia- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Thirty golden figures mounted on blue mosaic pedestals in the middle of a traffic island form the majestic Colchis fountain, the showstopper of the city of Kutaisi in Western Georgia. Modelled on ancient artefacts—from lions and deer…
Travelling in the magical land- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Recently, I made a trip to Turkey. I share some of my impressions of travelling in the magical land. GAZIANTEP There is music. Not the kind we are used to but the body picks up its rhythm…
Nurla: A stopover in no man’s land- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Alongside a murmuring brook, a gentle uphill trail dissolves from a brown, muddy one to a path flanked by willows, fields of peas and barley, and fruit-laden apricot trees. There is not a soul in sight, but the…
Rising like a Phoenix- The New Indian Express
Express News Service History whispers from every corner of the densely populated Kigali in Rwanda, Africa. It was under the German rule, Belgians and the Rwandan kings, before becoming the capital of independent Rwanda in 1962. A visit to the…
Notes from Ground Ziro- The New Indian Express
Express News Service The hills were alive with the sounds of music. There was Australian rock-punk band Mannequin Death Squad, getting people to bang heads, and Farhan Akhtar belted out Bollywood hits like Zinda from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Sindbad…
The ways of water in Switzerland- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Switzerland’s most populous city and its economic centre—Zurich—is best known for banking and business. Most travellers whizz in and out of Zurich Airport, but linger a little longer and you’ll find that the city goes from work…
Prussian pomp and splendour in Germany’s Potsdam- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Famous as the site of the Potsdam Conference in 1945, when the UK, US and the Soviet Union decided the fate of Germany after World War II, there’s more to this tiny cosmopolitan town than just history….
Call of the Wild- The New Indian Express
Express News Service It is wild out there, but there are times when the boundaries seem to blur between the indoors and the outdoors. During the day, the tall grasses and trees surrounding an ethnically stylish collection of forest villas…
Divinity’s new dimension- The New Indian Express
Express News Service A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Siddipet, 100 km from Hyderabad, is teeming with crowds, thanks to it being the auspicious Karthika maasam (month of Karthik). But it’s no ordinary temple. The garbha gudis (sanctum sanctorum) have been…
Taking stock of Stockholm- The New Indian Express
Express News Service When in Stockholm, set stock by Swedish design. It pervades everything and every place—the cafes and museums, the castles and parks, the streets, metro stations, and even public toilets. Characterised by a minimal, clean approach that combines form…
Pride and patrimony- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Uttarakhand’s most revered city—Haridwar—is surprisingly a case study in art and architecture. Aside from the temples and ashrams that dot the town, there are age-old havelis and ancestral bungalows that whisper secrets of its antique past. Most of…
Chasing serenity in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Some 150 km from the cacophony of Goa, lies Sindhudurg in Maharashtra. The serene coastal district is not only home to the 17th-century sea fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji, but also lush green forest, tranquil beaches, hiking…
Hurrah to Hygge in Denmark’s Aarhus- The New Indian Express
Express News Service Are the Danes happier than the rest of the world? Perhaps; Denmark consistently ranks among the top 3 in the World Happiness Report. The Danes credit the higher rating to having achieved work-life balance by focusing on…
A walk in wonderland – The New Indian Express
Express News Service Long walks along winding roads, gabled colonial bungalows and magnificent churches, quaint cafés and bakeries drawing people in with the wafting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and cake… Landour, a cantonment settlement next to the hill station Mussoorie,…