STOWE GARDEN,BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.

by Rejith

Woke up hesitantly early in the morning lacking any particular path of thoughts about what to do on last lazy Saturday. Weather too bad to go outside-too overcast and nearly zero degree outside.Anyway after having the morning routine,I did just went through National Trust directory to find out a place to visit not far from my home.Flipped though a few pages and spotted Stowe garden which is only about 25 miles from here. Started my car at 9.30 and driving though a mixture of A and B type roads reached Stowe at 10.30.Showed my NT card and entered the garden.At the gate the volunteer greeted and helped me with route map,but declined as I am already familiar. Stowe garden was created by , Lord Cobham, who set the gardens out to reveal his beliefs about the politics and morality of the day. Which path will you choose - Vice, Virtue or Liberty? Surely it is a heaven on earth.

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The trip to Ghanteshwari.

by Sourav Chakraborty

It was on a chilly winter morning in the month of December 2014, when I along with my batch mates were on our way for picnic to one of the most alluring tourist spots of western Odisha. The name of that place was Ghanteshwari. It falls under Sambalpur district of Odisha. The place was very much famed for the trees where bells were tied, and those bells did the job of a navigation unit by alerting nearby seafarers. Along the way to the temple of the main deity, you'll find a small collection of shops selling antique items. The items are world famous for their design. We were quite fortunate that on the very date of our journey it rained heavily. Some people might have said it spoiled our trip but we were the ones who always wanted something unexpected from everything and that was what exactly we were getting. The heavy rain made the beguiling place even more enthralling. The rain gave new energy to the already lively green lands which made us feel closer to Mother Nature. We had some fine food served there by the local hotels. The population out there is quite friendly who'll always refer to you as "BHAI” meaning “BROTHER”. The USP of the place is its location itself. I had a great time with my batch mates and I can assure a memorable trip to all those who plan a planned or unplanned trip to Ghanteshwari.

Odisha is filled with beautiful beaches, fascinating waterfalls, lovely lakes and even has hot water springs that are reputed for their healing abilities along with the famous temples. Share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog on eChutti and generate a travelogue to share your trip memories with friends and family. Find a travel buddy to travel together and make your journey memorable.

The Madman of Palakkad

by Akshay

It is a famous tourist destination and pilgrim place. There is a temple on the top of this hill. It is a serene and beauteous piece of nature in located at Naduvattam Palakkad district in Kerala.

The hill has 500 feet's of height and has the area around 300 acres. 'RayiraNellur mala' was dwelling place of NARANATH the madis 8 km far from Valanchery town.

It is believed that Naranath was rolling up the stone to the top of this hill and when he reaches top, he used to push the stone down to the valley. On reaching the top he used to roll them down and had burst out to laughter. It is said that he had done it by realising statue of Naranath, the mad at the south-west corner on the hill peak. It is the result of architect called Surendra Krishnan.

Along with the 18 feet height statue there is a symbol of the huge stone, which he rolled up to the hill. He was one of the members of 'Parayi Petta Panthirukulam (Pantheerukulam) - The 12 issues of Parayi' Family. I got to know about this place from my family relatives of Palakkad. My brother took me to the place, I truly enjoyed alot . So if you're visiting Palakkad in kerala then make a time to visit this historic place.

have you been to such an amazing unxplored places? Share it with other travellers on travel blog and travel club.

Life Beyond The Sail

by Sreeraj

I never knew the call of open waves can be so enchanting, until I was offered a chance to get out on the water yesterday. An experience that we had never anticipated to happen, came towards us in a sail boat made by Mr. Joe Nejedly, the president of Sailing Club of Cochin and the former World Championship sailor who can be called the godfather of Sailing sport in Kerala. A jovial person with an immense passion for sailing and the love to share his sailing experiences.

It was during one of such loose talks that he asked us whether we would like to go on a sail. He might have read the answers from our faces because he called out to Mr. Joseph who was going out for a sail, to take us for a short voyage. The white double-hulled boats with multi-coloured sail, was designed by Mr. Joe himself, to ensure that it gives the secure feeling that you wouldn't fall off the vessel that easily. This boat called GO-Cat (named after his grandsons) provides adequate safety to beginners learning the basics of sailing.

Wearing the life jacket, thrilled about the experience we stepped on the sail boat escaping the familiar feeling of solid ground beneath our feet. We sat at the back leaning on the square platform that connects the two hulls, so that the main sail can be maneuvered easily according to the direction of the wind without injuring our head.

“There’s something romantic of being in command of your own boat with the vast water body stretched out in front of you, and that’s where these experiences come in” Mr. Joseph started sharing his experiences in sailing and explaining the maneuvering process as the wind steered us away from the shore.

An ex-software engineer, Mr. Joseph had been sailing here for three years. And the experience he had was evident in the ease with which he managed to steer the sail to catch up with the unpredictable wind.

The feeling of being able to harness the power of the wind, something that is bestowed to us by nature, to sail, was indeed a great feeling. Mr. Joe encourages people to leave their mobile phones behind. So that there is no interference of hustle and bustle of city life while floating with the swaying backwaters. I felt as if I was becoming part of the serene backwaters, experiencing her moods and allowing her to influence me with her divine charm.

As we went deeper the waters were offering a breath-taking view. Joel preferred to get hands on the sail, while I just sat back and relaxed as the experienced skipper along with his new trainee took care of it all. We spent almost 45 minutes floating in the swaying waters, along with the tips and stories of sailing from Mr. Joseph. “We may not be able to control the wind, but we can always direct the sail. Remember that young sailors” said Mr. Joseph merrily as we were pulling the boat to the shore. But it was only after we left the place that I realized the depth of his words, the advice about life he had to give, simple yet profound "We can’t control the wind, but we can direct the sail!

There are some memories in life while travelling that you can't forget. Share those memories with other travellers on eChutti travel blog page and help them to plan a trip to make such memories.

by Ishan Hendre

Location- Avalabetta, near Bangalore, Karnataka.

Date taken- 4/10/15

After a disappointing experience upon reaching Skandagiri, where we weren’t allowed to go ahead with our trek by officials, we decided to go to drive up to Avalabetta. (A hilltop 90km from Bangalore) This was a beautiful midnight drive with friends, which is otherwise a lovely early morning drive as enjoyed by most people. The dark night, thunderstorm, overgrown foliage and the narrow road coiling to the top gave the drive an uncanny tinge. We reached the top at around 3 am, and began our return at 7 after sunrise. The darkness on our way up didn’t allow us a single glimpse of the landscape, amen also to the dreamy early morning fog that enveloped us. So we had no clue about what surrounded us, our return held the mesmerizing revelation of the landscape.

Share your most amazing travel experience or a photo on travel blog with other members. Join Bangalore Travel Club to know more such amazing places aroun bangalore to explore.

Mera Mumbai Meri Jaan

by Akshay

My travel resolution of 2016 is to live & explore the place where I born!

YEH MUMBAI MERI JAAN AOUR JAHAN!

Mumbai is like a NewYork of Our india, it’s the city of Dreams & the city which never sleeps. It depicts the place that is always up and about, a city with a spirit of gold and a determination to never say die, even in the wake of terrorist attacks and natural calamities. Mumbai boasts of a population of about 100 million. There is an extensive network of flights from Mumbai’s Sahar (International) and Santa Cruz (Domestic) airports. International and domestic flights connect it to almost all major cities. Trains are available from all major stations of India. The Intra city trains are the fastest and the best way of commuting through the city. Bus services both inter and intra city are equally efficient.

We Mumbaikars represent the true spirit of India as this city is a crucible of people from different religions, caste and communities. Representative of the “never say die” spirit, these people are full of life and vigour Food is the highlight of this city. Chaupati beach offers one a wide variety of street food ranging from bhelpuri (puffed rice mixed with onions, chillies and sauces), panipuri (puffed puris filled with sprouts and potatoes), vada pav (a deep fried cutlet made of potatoes in a round shaped bread) and paw bhaji (vegetables eaten with round shaped bread). Desserts of this place include chikki, srikhand, puran poli and shira.

The home of the Indian Film Industry, one has to visit the Gateway Of India, the central attraction of the city, important because this is where the British left Independent India As per my observations if you’re living in India then there things which would be mutual among every indian that is FOOD,BOLLYWOOD & CRICKET. so in case if anyone doesn’t like Bollywood then he must be in love with food or cricket. Mumbai is famous in these three things food which kind of variety we don’t have it in our Mumbai ,main thing you must be having enough money to taste every variety.

Directly or indirectly money matters, your life will ditch if you are not rich! That’s the main reason why Mumbai doesn’t sleep people now to earn & they know how much money should be used where and for what. I had visited 27 historical places in Mumbai still few are remaining. There are many cities in India which are developing up few of them like surat & bangalore etc but still Mumbai is like a king of cities in India.

Love your hometown and never explored it more as you want. Share your thoughts about your hometown on travel blogs. Want to know about New York of India — MUMBAI? JOin Mumbai travel club and get to know more about the city from travellers.

TRAVEL WITH BEAR GRYLLS IN A LONE ISLAND

by ABHISHEK

MY TRAVELLING RESOLUTION-

TRAVEL WITH BEAR GRYLLS IN A LONE ISLAND Bear Grylls, apparently the host of Man vs. Wild TV show on Discovery Channel, is an ex US army person, trained thoroughly to compete against any challenging conditions offered by the mother earth. Seeing him take on any situation in any life threatening circumstances is really mind blowing. I have been a benevolent and crazy fan of him since my childhood. From the age of 15 till now, around 6 years, I have been watching this daredevil and he is till date unmatched and at the top.

One of the extraordinary things about him I love is his daring and never giving up attitude. I remember him falling from a helicopter and breaking his back into 3 pieces, my heart got sunk that time. But after a mere 1 year my hero was back into action. Bear Grylls can survive in any tough situation be it the hot Sahara Desert or the freezing Alaska. He has survived even in the dense forests of Africa and has also encountered the Avalanche. His tactics can seem very weird and insane sometimes. He eats animals without even cooking them and sometimes he even drinks his own urine to keep up the hydration levels. He jumps from high mountains into the river and how fascinating it is that he never fails in any of his attempts.

I want to have an experience of traveling with Bear Grylls, enough of watching him on television. I wish to see him perform live. I wish to work with him, and survive difficult situations. Commemorating his thoughts and mind set would be so great.

My travel resolution for 2016 is to learn surviving alone in a lone island with Bear Grylls. I have seen him do that many a times on television, but it’s time now I get some hands on experience. I would learn how to defend, evolve and grow myself in challenging situations. I would also talk to him about his life and journey he has had till now. It would very fascinating to hear him live.

Being in the island alone with Bear Grylls, I get goosebumps imaging the whole scenario. He would teach me how to catch fishes and climb trees to get food. He would tell me about the kinds of animals to be aware of and how to tackle any worse case scenario. I would also learn how to make small houses from wood and ignite fire to keep myself warm.

Learning to keep myself hydrated as well as cook something eatable would also be something I would learn. Finally I would acquire complete knowledge of how to built a raft and escape from the lone island. I have seen the recent episodes, in which Bear Grylls is taking along some new people in his journey for survival. I really hope to get a chance to travel with him.

You too have a such a dream to travel with the one you adore and respect? Share your travel resolutions in echutti travel blogs.

THAT ADRENALINE RUSH

by Surbhi Arvind

Do you ever just wake up and realise that your soul needs a vacation, just a few days out of your monotonous routine and the unwanted honking and shrieking that your city has to offer? Well, that happens with me pretty much all the time. But little can we always put our wishful plans into action. But sometimes, when God and just about everything around you conspires to put your thoughts into action, that is when you realise how thankful and lucky you are and how unimaginably exciting the next few days are going to be. 

On one such day in April last year, my dad realised that our not so happening daily routines are taking a toll on us, and that is when he decided to take us on a road trip to Rishikesh for the ever so famous white water rafting. The land of the mighty Ganga, not so far away from Delhi, but far enough to let the soul breathe some fresh air. so we packed our bags and were soon on our way, in the car, singing crazy songs at the top of our voice and clicking pictures, obviously. Road trips with family are always exciting. Halfway through our journey to Rishikesh, we took a stop at Cheetal Grand Resort to gorge on some scrumptious sandwiches, parathas, french fries and an all time favourite cold coffee. 

It took us about two more hours to reach Rishikesh, and throughout our way, we saw a lot of billboards displaying the Flying Fox Adventure Sports advertisements. The very attention seeking adventure sports prompted us to give it a try and we soon reached their office. In no time, we were thrilled for what was going to be our very first bungee jumping experience. EVER. a little more wait post the form filling formalities, and there I was, at the bungee bridge constructed 85 meters, right above the beautifully curving river Ganga. Looking at all those people going before me sure sent chills down my spine, seeing their scared faces and hesitation to fall free, but everything inside me boosted me up with excitement and courage that I never knew I had. That is when I knew this was going to be the best experience of my life so far, something that was going to do me proud of myself.

Standing at that high bridge, with the winds resonating their best wishes in my ears, I chose to go, before my siblings. That is how accelerated I was. Taking in that beautiful view of the river, waiting for me down there, the hills talking to me in a language that only I could decipher at that time, it was my "DO OR DIE" moment. And I obviously don't plan to die so soon. Standing there at the edge, I knew I had to let go of everything that has ever held me back and just LET GO. It was in that moment I realised how liberating this feeling of just letting it all go is. 

My whole world changed with that one jump. every atom of me was proud of me. I never knew I had it in me to do something so thrilling, that gives you all the rush and chills at the same time, making it hard for you to believe that you just did something like that. That inexplicable feeling only seemed to grow with every passing moment. I may not have done something so big to achieve a gallantry award, just an "I'VE GOT GUTS" certificate from Flying Fox, but this sure was a proud moment for me. That experience, combined with so much more, taught me that travel is the best teacher one needs, to pass this journey of life with flying colours.  Everything that I ever need to learn about life is there, in the beautiful views, the natural tints of pinks and greens, the less travelled paths, in facing the unknown. 

I feel, to TRAVEL is the most enlivening thing one could bless their soul with. people always talk about how they would narrate their love stories to their kids. But I would rather tell tales of my travels, of just how beautiful our planet is, that our mothers might be the best cooks for us in the whole world,  but there are so many hands out there that can add a magical taste to a simple pre-flavoured bowl of Maggi noodles, which are best enjoyed at chilly hill stations. 

A zeal to discover, a boundless mind, a heart capable of giving and receiving equally, a pair of legs to map the most mesmerising yet untrodden paths. all this, and we will have a fortune full of memories, a proof that we are actually "living" life and not just barely "existing". It's the breathtaking views, that can always take away our blues. And that is why I want to travel the world, till kingdom comes. 

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Internship In Ahmedabad At IIM

by Sai Sunder Naidu Varudu

“Winter School 3.0” sounds boring, right??

What if I tell you Winter School 3.0 at one the best management institute in India,

IIM-Ahmedabad?

Well it doesn’t end here!! Learning new things on education and policies from the best professors of India, who are the official policy makers for the government of India. Am I grabbing your attention, “Very Well” There is lot more to this experience than only learning new things on policies. I got selected for Winter School 3.0 along with three other lovely people from my university. I was always involved into social welfare and wanted to bring out a change in the way people think, which would act as an impetus in the development of education system in India. I took an evening flight from Madurai. I had a changeover of flight in Chennai. Alas!! My flight got delayed by 2hrs. I reached Ahmedabad Airport at 10:30 pm and waited for two other participants at the airport, with whom I had to go to the IIM hostel. After one hour of conversations with them, I realized I had made friends who were like me and will certainly be there for lifetime. Excitement was at its peak when we were nearing IIM-A in Uber Cab and “there it comes”, yelled Yashwant, an IT student from IIIT, Hyderabad. A huge IIM Gate opened and we entered into a hub of professionals who had a different and an innovative thinking for everything. The way they interacted, the way they handled themselves in different situations certainly spoke and verified the fact that IIM-A certainly produces one of the best professionals in the industry. I was allotted a room in advance and the best part was, all three of us were roommates. We couldn’t be allotted IIM Hostels as they were under renovation. We were therefore, sent to the empty faculty houses. After reaching there, we found that we had 6 other roommates. We stood transfixed at the entrance wondering how will we manage to stay in a small flat along with 7 others. It was just two hours after which we were there, taking a forward stride together as we set off on IIM-A sightseeing journey at 2 am. It was indeed challenge walking in IIM campus where every time pigeon shit falls just like raindrops. We had the best tea of IIM from Ramesh Da, who happens to be the famous chai waala of IIM-A. As the sun rose and birds started to chirp, our red eyes forced us to sleep for one hour, well that was the time we had before our event began. It was the most difficult effort for all of us to wake up that day. Our event began sharp at 9 am. Initially we had thought that it is going to be nothing short of the bombardment of lectures but indeed it was a blessing. The professors who came to talk to us were so experienced and the way they interacted with us was so motivational that we didn’t even move an inch as we sat there, learning about the changes with need to be brought up in social policies which would benefit the poor and improve the literacy rate. Classes continued to 7 in the evening with different professors giving us an insight on the social changes and Education system of India. These classes along with many activities were conducted during this event for the next 5 days. After classes, each day, we used to go on the city exploring mission. This was certainly one of the best experience for me. There was a lot more to learn, other than the social arena. There were participants from different parts of India. Participants happened to be students, teachers, NGO heads with age group ranging from 20 to 60. Imagine the diversity in thinking! There were interactive sessions happening, where we clearly saw the innovative thoughts and ideas flowing by. I made many friends over there and learn many things about their cultures and professions. We were told to do a slum survey one day where we had to go to a slum where there were people, who were forcefully shifted from the river front 15 years ago, where their primary way of earning money was fishing. After being shifted they were also forced to work in a waste management industry where waste was burnt. This industry happened to be at a walking distance from the slum. The foul smell, adding to the fact that the water which was being supplied to the household was of terrible quality and also the sanitation system was poor, we were the only ones complaining about all these things. It seemed as if the voices had given up. After having a conversation with them, I realized that all they wanted was the support of the people and nothing else. They did not except monetary support or anything of its kind. They wanted us to support them and speak on their behalf for their lost rights. I met a 100-year-old lady, who danced with joy when I started to click her photo. I imagined, we, modern generation, expect more out of everything and there lies an old lady, who stays alone, being happy and contented with what she has. I literally froze when one lady, despite knowing that I had come for slum survey and couldn’t do much for them, came and told me, “Beta, tum ache se padai karna. Mera beta ko mein pada nhi pai. Padai aaj kal sabse jaada mehetvapurna he aur aap humare bete jaise ho aur mera aashirwad humesha aapke saath rahega”. The lady meant that she couldn’t teach her son due to financial and personal reasons but education is the most important thing and I am like her son and her blessing are always with me. That whole day, after returning from the slum, the lady’s words reverberated in my ears as I stood there helpless despite knowing their sufferings.

“BE HAPPY AND CONTENTED WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND ALWAYS WISH GOOD FOR OTHERS” is what I learnt from a lady who knew much more than me and became my motivator. From making friends, to the wonderful lectures by the IIM Professors and a wonderful organizing committee consisting of IIM Students, From Travelling Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to having street food at Manek Chowk and the best delicacies at the mess of this eye-catching institute, From learning more about education systems and policies to get the basic life lessons from individuals , Every minute thing I did in IIM-A can be elaborated as I can proudly say I got an opportunity which was totally worth it and was the best experience I ever had where I learnt to become a responsible individual before anything else.Share such stories on eChutti travel blogs. 

Connect with tourists travelling to the same destination on eChutti. Make friends with travel buddies in your city. Share your trip experience by creating your own travel blog on eChutti and generate a travelogue to share your trip memories with friends and family

Exploring at Antargange

by Kavya

After a busy week wanted to have a break from routine. I started searching on Bangalore Mountaineering club website for the list of treks they were planning for the weekend. Trekking, cave exploration, rock climbing at Antargange attracted my eyes. None of my friends were interested in it; finally I decided to go solo. I quickly booked and started packing my bag. Next day had woke up at 4:00 am after getting ready, quickly ran down the street to catch an auto, it was a lazy Sunday morning (cold too) , finally could get one. After a reaching the pickup point, lot of questions came to my mind — would it be interesting, would it be boring, will I be able to make friends. I was in a state dilemma — both excited and nervous. Pick up arrived, (7:00 am) got into the bus I found a seat and sat down. Soon I could make lot of friends most of them were also solo travellers. Then we stopped for breakfast to my surprise every one of us choose idly vada (Nothing could be so light and strengthy for a trek). We reached the base camp- Antargange Kolar Karnataka at 10:00 am. After a quick introduction and warm up we started trekking. Location was beautiful with lush green trees. We had lot steps to climb and we reached a temple, took a break. Place was filled be naughty monkeys. (11:00 am)Now started the real trek. We had to climb lot of rocks, it took us around 1 hour to reach the caves we were tired as it was hot and sunny now. Took a break and started cave exploration, it was interesting and had lot of twists and turns. The coordinators were highly trained, knowledgeable, skilled, friendly, patient which made it easy for us to explore caves. I fell down lot of time since it was dark inside. But the team was amazing, they helped me and encouraged me.We need to be fit and flexible to get into and get out of caves.(12:00 pm) Finally reached the peak had some chit chatting and enjoyed the spectacular view from the peak. Later we started climbing down it took us around one hour. After an hour we stopped for lunch at around 2:30 pm. All of us were hungry. Most of us ordered North Indian talli. After a fulfilling lunch we started back to Bangalore. It was difficult to say bye the others. With a promise to be in touch we left to our respective homes. I did learn a lot from this trek. It was a great experience.

Plan a trip or join trekking planned by other tour organisers in trekking clubs of your city. You can find your travel partner from your city to travel with you.

A Visit To Taj

by Rohit Lal

It was a beautiful morning with the sun glaring in my eyes and the first thought that came into my mind was “Get Set and Go for The Taj”. As my exams got over just a day before, we made a plan to visit the most marvelous monument: “The Taj Mahal”. The Taj Mahal is located on the banks of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India and was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal way back in 1648.

We had whole family trip with my aunt and nephew altogether. So, we started early in the morning so that we can get the tickets and save ourselves from the “never ending queues” at the ticket counters. We booked a taxi and started at 8 am in the morning. As, cars or buses aren't allowed within a 500 meter radius, as a measure to control pollution, so we decided to take a walk and finally reached  the southern gate of the Taj at around 9 am.

As we proceed further, we were astounded by the enormous walls made of red stone guarding the main structure from 3 sides and then there is “The Great Gate” aka “Darwaza I rauza”. It was a huge gate and this idea drives me crazy as how did they build such huge structures when nobody ever thought of a thing like skyscrapers. On stepping inside, we were stuck for a moment by the mesmerizing view of the Taj. It seemed like the time stopped and our legs got frozen by the ravishing view of the fountains of the ”Charbagh” , aka , “The Gardens” and the marvelous white marble structure behind the them. I wished to stand there whole day and not to take a step forward, but just as I thought about it, I heard a voice from behind insisting me to move forward. I looked back and there was the security guard. So, we moved on further, gazing through the beautiful gardens and reached the counter for placing the shoes/sandals. As shoes are not allowed inside the white marble structure yet you can buy shoe covers if you do love wearing your shoes that much :-).

It was noon by now and the sun was scorching due to which, the white marble on which we were walking was extremely hot. We were literally running to find any shade to stand and rest. Yet, it was an amazing experience running all over the place with blazing feet. As we moved on, we came to know about some of the exciting things about Taj Mahal.

It took 22 years and about 20,000 people to build this amazing structure. The Taj Mahal is one the world’s most symmetric structures with its four sides being perfectly identical. The four minarets were built slightly tilted outside to prevent them from falling on the main mausoleum, in case of any natural calamity like earthquake. One place where it fails to show symmetry is the size of the tomb of the Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal having the male tomb is larger than the female one. The calligraphy inscribed on the walls of Taj by Amanat Khan contains verses and passages from the holy book of “Quran” in Thuluth script.

It took us around three and a half hours to cover the whole monument, taking pictures in every possible posture and then we came out of the monument. On our way back, we saw several Souvenir shops selling key rings, books, miniature models. I also bought one miniature Taj as a Souvenir of my visit at a very reasonable price of 150 rupees. It was overall a very beautiful experience visiting Taj and now I understand why million of visitors come every year, why it is considered in the “Seven Wonders of the World list”, why it is a national heritage.

If you’re in India, and haven’t seen the Taj, you literally haven’t seen anything. So, what are you waiting for? Plan a trip, arrange for tickets and go for it!Bored of travelling solo? No worries. eChutti will help you to find travel partner based on your needs.

My Road Trip From Chennai to Pondicherry

by aniket

I had never thought of going to South India in my life.But I forcefully went to Chennai to my friends place as my exams were over.I reached Chennai at 4 o clock in the morning.My friend was there at the station.As we met each other,the first thing that my friend said was “we’ll be leaving for Pondicherry after sometime” .. I was tired,and I told him we will leave tomorrow. We reached at his place,during the whole journey from station to his place my friend somehow convinced me for the road trip. I was too tired and was totally not in a mood for a long long bike ride all the way to Pondicherry. I asked my friend that is the condition of the bike okay,he smiled and replied that we’ll be going in a car,ahh!! When I heard that i was very happy,because I thought I can sleep in the car. .

Our breakfast was over,and now it was time to leave.My friend was on the driving seat and I was beside him. We left from Chennai and as soon as we were in the highway,the first thing was the roads. The roads are so well maintained and are soo big.The scenic beauty,we could see the sea sometimes from the road. My eyes we wide open,I felt energetic that time. My friend and I we had a bath in the sea it was near to a small village. The people over there used to catch fish to feed themselves and there family,and they also sold them for money.As their was a communication problem so we didn’t wait there for long. We reached Pondicherry,it took 3 hrs or maybe 3 n a half hour. . Roadways in South India is very good. People who love to go for rides and long drives will definitely love this trip.Pondicherry is a nice place. There are many places over there which you will fall in love with.

Plan a road trip using eChutti trip planner, invite travel buddies to go on a long drive. Just publish your road trip itinerary and share it in travel clubs. Find travel partner on echutti if your travelling solo.

Around the tellus in Khajjiar

by ABHA RIBIAWALA

I was very close to the signature page of my diary and since it was the last week of October I was anticipating I would not have to run for stationary before the new year eve.With calculated amount of coffee in my drawer I lay still surfing YouTube when my mood is disrupted by a not so frequent call.I received a warm call from home and no sooner had I learnt the recent chalking of our Himachal trip being scheduled than I had pulled out the coffee jar into the dustbin.Well,cozy family time was and will always be preferred over solitary comfort confined to the corners of my single bed and laptop .So without further adieu ,bags were packed and enthusiasm was geared for the trip that promised loads to us and a bucketful to me in particular.

I would particularly like to throw light on a part of my Himachal excursion which attracted me the most. After a journey of about 8 hours from Manali ,in the 12 seater bus that we had taken along for our trip, we happened to reach Dalhousie at 8:30 pm. It did not take much long to find a decent hotel to spend a couple of days. Yes, that is what local tour guides in Dalhousie say: A stay of 2 days is sufficient to explore this place to the fullest. Two main spots to visit here are Kalatop & Kalatop forest and Khajjiar. This mesmerizing scenic beauty became a favourite shooting spot of Bollywood. Many Hindi films, including 1942: A Love Story, Vinashak, Gadar, 2013: Lootera(at Kalatop), were filmed here. Having taken refuge at Hotel The Spring, we started feeling the pang of hunger. The freshly cooked delicious hot meal served at this hour of night could not be a better alleviation for our tired bodies. The pleasure in traveling consists of the obstacles, the fatigue. What charm can anyone find in an excursion where he finds all the ease and comfort he can enjoy in his own home. Amidst the jam-packed bus, we were all set to head-start our day and long lost stories from past that were being served with spice and gossip. A short drive of 45 minutes had put us in the considerable heartbeat of Himachal which locally goes by the name of Khajjiar. Guarded with an endless stretch of cliffs and mountains,aesthetically essenced with screeping conifers,with a soil that blessed almost every plantation and a sky who would call for Shakespeare to vividify what it conveyed,Khajjiar did an absolute justice to being the Switzerland for India.

My surroundings had engulfed my attention to an extent that google had to be my guide .It mesmerised me to be in a circular 5 km region that concentrated into itself the entire vitality of the area.Like other aesthetic wonders of Himachal that accounted to 9.75% of tourism GDP, Khajjiar had it’s own drop-beat to discover .Willy blazer,vice chancellor and head of chancery for Switzerland had rightly labelled Khajjiar as one of its minions like the rest 160 places in the world likely.But unlike the previous places loaded with traditions and mouthwatering cuisines,this tiny saucer shaped plateau within the lush meadows had not much to offer .The high altitude and scarce transportation benefits offered us less on flavour cravings.Nevertheless,negating economic drawbacks,the adventurous quotient of Khajjiar was breathtaking.

I have been a witness to jaw-dropping ventures of soaring on a sky-scraping ride that could nauseate even the healthiest for a moment.Looked and felt dangerously magical to move up and down a tower with a crazy velocity and unprecedented pattern.The next moment of recovery has so much in store beyond imagination.That was my n numbered attempt to ride a horse. Yes, I cant remember the count because for a traveller like me,riding on a horse’s back is not a prodigious activity. Yet, walking just sucked away my adrenaline and enthusiasm, so with a strong resolution and a promise from a trainer to keep me from death,I ranged at a relatively higher speed ,across the borders of the greenery through the forest and the pillar like trees.I admit hurting my bones and pelvis seamlessly the next morning but I presume for a college student benched for 6 hrs in a row,this was an out-of-the-box attempt which I proudly confirm to encounter voluntarily again. The horses had galloped ,and with it taken away my every remaining ounce of energy when i noticed rabbits on my mother’s head.It was seated like a crown prince in front of the camera,synchronised with the beaming smile of my mother.I made sure I was the next in this joint family venture where everyone posed as an ardent rodent lover.

Though it seems stupid and inarticulate to mature audience but being the age that the place and company demand has been my asset.I love to try the smallest of details,however insignificant just to fill in the pages of exciting life I have .The rabbits followed flower baskets and shimmery pahari costumes and that brings me to the best part of trips and making memories; “photographs”.They relate and convey.They bridge almost every gap over the years and between the clans irrespective of how weird and untidy it seemed when it got clicked.Crooked faces,jocular actions everything summed up in a 5X7 span of paper that portrays almost the whole of who we were and now relatively.Well ,literally,gathering dozens of those personified sketches is worth the wait and the pain. Just when the sun reached it’s pinnacle before it could set for the day and settle all the hustle,making the calm as quite and peaceful as William Wordsworth describes it to be,it was time for me to reflect upon what not was yet done enough to make myself a better appreciator of the great.Evidently,we had concluded to the aura of the most beautiful set of lives and hives explored. Khajjiar had taken just a plan and gifted a lifetime.places big or small,hunky dory or downtrodden,never fail to surprise because they are not divided by mentalities but just some invisible borders that travellers like us are oblivious to. Indeed, Mountains are the beginning and the end of all the natural scenery.

Plan a trip to grassy meadow Khajjiar called “Mini Switzerland of India” ad enjoy the grassy medows and dense forests. Don’t forget to share your travel experience in travel blogs.

Kobji Dubiye Khawa- Wrist-Deep in Food

by Mehuli Saha Ray

Kolkata is slowly and very steadily emerging as a food lover’s paradise. It has a plethora of cuisines to offer, with new restaurants popping up in the city every other day. There are restaurants I’ve given a try, there are restaurants I’ve given a miss, and restaurants I’ve repeatedly gone back to every time I have had a craving for something delectable. This blog is for the third kind of restaurants, and some not-so-famous places, which hold a special corner in my heart and often, my entire stomach. Growing up in Kolkata, my first introduction to good food was through the lip-smacking dishes my grandmothers would prepare, a skill which my parents, aunts and uncles have all inherited. Being in a joint family, there was one thing my classmates had always been jealous of- the Sunday spread at my place. So I have to begin there. There may be many places, like 6 Ballygunge Place, and Saptapadi, which offer amazing Bengali fare. But at that fare, we could all eat lunch and dinner for a week (okay, I may be exaggerating a bit), and having a family full of food enthusiasts meant you never needed to look for restaurants serving Bengali cuisine. Some of the dishes that would forever be etched in my memory would be my thakuma’s ‘Shukto’, ‘Bhaapa Ilish’, ‘Mochar Ghonto’, ‘Kosha Mangsho’, ‘Chingri’r Malaai-Curry’, ‘Paayesh’. Why I mention these very difficult, jaw breaking names? Because justice will not be done to them if these were translated into English, which most people here would not understand, and a food crawl in Kolkata is incomplete without a visit to the house of a Bengali acquaintance and devouring these. Though, I must mention, Bengal is laced with the Ghoti-Bangal divide from the football maidan to the food plates, so you probably will not get Ilish Bhapa and Chingri’r Malai Curry in the same house. Surviving in Kolkata as a student is really easy too. No matter how broke you are, you’ll always have very delicious food to munch on. You’ll get phuchka, ghugni, churmur, jhaal-muri, shingara, kochuri, along with dosas, momos, dhoklas and pav bhaajis at every street corner. It’s a pocket friendly way to explore the entire of the country’s best street food. My most favourite street food would be phuchkas, at any street corner (not for the ones who are picky about hygiene) and Kolkata Kathi Rolls, especially the one available at Nizam’s. They might be available by that name across the country now, but they are all quite tasteless clones of these beauties. Kolkata is a meat lover’s paradise too. There are various steak joints and burger places which will leave you craving for more, like Chilli’s, Mocambo, Peter Cat, etc, besides the American food chains. But here, the potato emerges as the almighty. The proof of that is in the Kolkata style biriyani. The addition of aloo can really make all the difference, and it has triggered fights here, over which restaurant serves the best biriyani- Arsalan or Aminia, or if Lucknow or Hyderabad’s biriyani even comes close to the taste of our biriyani. Perhaps the best biriyani I have tasted is at a friend’s house, though Mumtaz mashi refuses to open a restaurant anytime soon. But biriyani doesn’t just start fights, it has started love stories too, one of them being my own. There are more biriyani lovers here than perhaps the entire nation put together. Speaking of influenced eating, the second most favourite cuisine adapted by Bengalis is Chinese. The Chinese here is far from authentic, for which you’d have to go to places like Mainland China or Chowman, and in its lesser known cousins through China Town near Tyangra, you’ll find Chinese (and Tibetan, Thai, and other Oriental cuisines which Bengalis tend to confuse often) best suited to the Bengali’s overly-sweetened taste buds. Mentioning sweet and Bengalis in the same sentence, it would be a cardinal sin if I didn’t mention that some of the best sweets in the world are available here. One of my friends, who recently came from Canada during her vacations, complained to me that their panna cota does not match up to our mishit doi. If you’re not diabetic yet, Kolkata’s roshogolla, various types of sandesh, mishit doi, mihidana, roshbhora, roshomolayi, malpoya, lyangcha, and I don’t know where to end this particular list, will definitely make you so. As if inventing the roshogolla (not rasgulla, please!) was not enough, we have also come up with baked roshogolla as a way to make the goodness better! There are lots of other things which you’d get in Bengal. It’s a culmination of cultures; of very sweet people, all living to eat. Come to Bengal, and we will show you how to eat “kobji dubiye” (dipped till the wrist).

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Hudson Café-Grand feast at humble prices

by bharti deegwal

There has never been a dearth of eating options in the area surrounding the DU North Campus. But it’s not very often when a standalone café makes a mark and sticks to its great reputation, even as new cafes keep coming up. Hudson Café captured my fancy for this reason.When I saw the queue of people waiting, I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, it made me look forward to my meal here even more! Although the area isn’t too big, this café is a happy place. You see perky colored furniture with a vintage finish, colorful wall art and a beautiful red chandelier, looking majestic yet quirky, right in the center. I think that red chandelier captures the spirit of the place perfectly. We were famished so we knew we would be able to try a few things here. Started with the Chocolate malt shake and Chocolate brownie & cookies shake for our kinda sweet beginnings. The malt used in the shake was sheer brilliance. That richness in taste was unsurpassable. The chocolate brownie and cookie shake, on the other hand, was a chunky shake with a very rich taste and creamy texture.The White sauce pasta with garlic bread was very delicious.The richness of cream, cheese and butter filled the palate and it was quite evident of the quality ingredients being used.

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