TRAVEL TO MAA CHINNAMASTIKA TEMPLE

by Gyanchand kumar

 Last month i had visited along with my family members to a famous temple in the state of jharkhand,india.the famous place is callled as rajrappa. this temple hosts the idol of maa chinnamastika. this temple is dedicated to goddess chinnamastika is a hindu pilgrimage which is located at ramgarh district of jharkhand. the place attracts devotees all parts from bihar, jharkhand,west bengal.this temple is located at rajrappa, 42 k.m. away from my hometown hazaribagh along nh-23 in the ramgarh district of jharkhand.rajarappa is also a tourist attraction. it is situated on a hillock at the confluence of the damodar and bhera(bhairavi)rivers near the rajrappa falls.the temple enshrines the goddess chinnamastika (the beheaded goddess kali),one of the ten forms of the goddess durga. in our vedas and puranas it has been recognized as an ancient and strong source of shakti. the statue shows the goddess holding her own head in her left hand and her head drinking the blood oozing out of her neck. many smalller temples have been built around the main temple such as the temples of ashtamatrika & dakshina kali.a large number of pilgrims arrive here through out the year. large congregation of people takes place here during the full moon and new moon nights.owing to religious importance of the place.it is also popular among the disciples for marriage and ritual of mundane or shaving the head. vehicle owners come here to get blessings for the new vehicles as they believe that the first worship of vehicles here multiple the life of vehicles and brings luck to the owners . in the month of january a special fare is heldon the festival of makar sankranti and attended by lakhs of people. there are famous lodges and hotels are situated for tourist’s accommodation. one of the famous lodge is madhuban.which gives 24*7 hours service to customer. the main moto of the hotel is customer satisfaction. the nearest airport is ranchi airport jharkhand which is at distance of 40 k.m. from the temple. i would like to say that the visitors should visit this famous spot once in their life time to fulfil their wishes and must enjoy the environment.maa chinnamastika temple:- last month i had visited along with my family members to a famous temple in the state of jharkhand,india.the famous place is callled as rajrappa. this temple hosts the idol of maa chinnamastika. this temple is dedicated to goddess chinnamastika is a hindu pilgrimage which is located at ramgarh district of jharkhand. the place attracts devotees all parts from bihar, jharkhand,west bengal.this temple is located at rajrappa, 42 k.m. away from my hometown hazaribagh along nh-23 in the ramgarh district of jharkhand.rajarappa is also a tourist attraction. it is situated on a hillock at the confluence of the damodar and bhera(bhairavi)rivers near the rajrappa falls.the temple enshrines the goddess chinnamastika (the beheaded goddess kali),one of the ten forms of the goddess durga. in our vedas and puranas it has been recognized as an ancient and strong source of shakti. the statue shows the goddess holding her own head in her left hand and her head drinking the blood oozing out of her neck. many smalller temples have been built around the main temple such as the temples of ashtamatrika & dakshina kali.a large number of pilgrims arrive here through out the year. large congregation of people takes place here during the full moon and new moon nights.owing to religious importance of the place.it is also popular among the disciples for marriage and ritual of mundane or shaving the head. vehicle owners come here to get blessings for the new vehicles as they believe that the first worship of vehicles here multiple the life of vehicles and brings luck to the owners . in the month of january a special fare is heldon the festival of makar sankranti and attended by lakhs of people. there are famous lodges and hotels are situated for tourist’s accommodation. one of the famous lodge is madhuban.which gives 24*7 hours service to customer. the main moto of the hotel is customer satisfaction. the nearest airport is ranchi airport jharkhand which is at distance of 40 k.m. from the temple. i would like to say that the visitors should visit this famous spot once in their life time to fulfil their wishes and must enjoy the environment.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The City of stories

by Neha Prasad

Not that i have never enjoyed Goa earlier but it has so much to serve for the travelers at their every visit. It's like a piece of dessert,a giant one, which can be of your favourite appetites. Not even a year has passed now and my craving to visit this ancient town has popped-up all over again. This time it would be more precise because all that i have got missed, i shall explore it without any failure. Resolutions to discover the undiscovered should be the goal. One picturesque destination with every possible requirements you would perhaps need, is Goa. What you think you would miss? The very first step of yours till you go off-board, will leave an imprint over your memory which you will definitely cherish till the last breathe. Talk about the seamless Goan roads which will lead you to beautiful boundless beaches or talk about the crazy crowd you would encounter at every food junctions you stop. Stretched from "Mapusa to Panjim", everything you experience, would be one of it's kind. Those memories are so sharp that this year my visit would definitely be for minimum ten days in which i can at least enjoy few of the ancient serenity i missed on my last trip. I visited few beautiful churches, antiquated in their form, but what i missed is the Portugal story behind every painting carved there. With all pride, standing on the list of one of the ancient cities, Goa offers us so much to know about it's roots and the cultures we can never feel amidst our social city lives. Not only to the old symbolic churches and towers Goa is confined to, but it brings you so many other attractions, one of the top most being the mouthwatering food. Sea-food typically cooked in Goan style would leave you speechless and this time again my day-break would be at some shacks with some soul-tempting deliciously cooked lobsters. All those wrecked walls along the roadside, made out of ancient red bricks would particularly remind you of the former Portugal existence. Apart from all those historical dramas, yearly Goa-Carnival brings festivity all around the city. Four days of celebrations in Christian style which concludes with one huge colorful parade is one of my most awaited events this 2016. Best time after December is February when enthusiasm is at its peak to celebrate the happiness and togetherness, i am all set to fulfill my cravings. Goa is a city of endless stories and hidden realities, some are mind soothing and some are spine-chilling but whatever it gives, will be indelible.

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Darjeeling- The Queen of The Himalayas

by DEBDORSHI MALAKAR

On 26th December, 2016, I was supposed to fly to Bangalore to meet my sister. However, things changed quickly, and I somehow ended up in Darjeeling along with my entire family. We took the train on 25th night. Darjeeling is just an overnight journey from my home town, Kolkata. We reached there around 11 AM and checked in to Hotel Belleveu, which is right at the centre of the famous Mall Road. After having lunch, we headed to Lebong Tea Estate, which was a 1 hour drive from our hotel. The Manager who is a friend of my father, greeted us and showed us the entire production process of tea. After that we returned back to Darjeeling and had snacks at the famous restaurant " Keventers". Darjeeling is mainly famous for two restaurants-' Keventers' for its sausages and 'Glenarys' for its pastries and desserts. We obviously didn't miss out on either of them. 

The next day we departed from our hotel at 4AM for ' Tiger Hill', also known as ' Sunset Point'. Although we were shivering, but it totally worth it when we were able to see the peak of ' Kanchenjungha'. We returned back and then visited the ' Kali Temple'. It was a steep climb to the top of the temple, but it offers a spectacular view of the entire region. The rest of the day was spent in shopping and trying out the local delicacies like momos and the famous ' Darjeeling Tea'. 

Finally, it was time to back to to our daily lives. It was difficult to bid goodbye to the mountains and return to the crowded streets of Kolkata. But then life goes on.....

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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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Luggage packed for Hyderbad!

by Sirishty Thakur

I was watching this beautiful sunset then suddenly my friends came up with a plan of Hyderbad. We had a word with a travel agent. He made a plan according to our budget. After a week of shopping and planing (girls),we were off to Hyderbad. We sat on our volvo (Shimla-Delhi.) We were having fun off-road. The bus stopped at a station and we saw Cafe Coffee Day and went inside to drink a hot cup of coffee. We reached our destination, Indira Gandhi International Airport. We had our flight from Delhi to Hyderbad at 6 a.m. So we were waiting. We hunted all the food station in the airport. We went to our flight and were relaxed. When we opened our eyes we were in Hyderbad. Out all tiredness went and we made plan to go to Wonderla. We went to hotel, The Grand Plaza. After refreshing ourselves, we booked a taxi and went to Wonderla. We took all the rides. Some of the rides were daring. After that we went to Hussain Lake and it was beautiful. The Budha statue looked amazingly fantastic at night. Next morning we went to Ramoji Film City which was an amazing experience! All the movie sets were superb and gratifying. After that we saw a ride and took that too! We made a plan to go and visit Salar Jung museum where we gained knowledge and were keen. Next day we went to see Charminar and bought lovely Hyderbadi bangels for our lovely mothers. After that we went to Golkonda fort. We saw many historic things which were mind blowing. Finally we thought of shopping! We went to City Central Mall and shopped. The very next day we went back. The trip was memorable and I saw another beautiful part of India.

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A trip to Sikkim

by Parismita Gogoi

A TRIP TO PARADISE OF BOTANISTS- SIKKIM

   

Have you ever imagined walking through the snowfall and never be tired of it? Have you ever fallen in love with the cold and the snow that covers the beautiful landscape? Have you ever seen so many colours and the prettiest of flowers, all in the same place? Or have you ever wanted to come out at night to eat ice creams with your girlfriends without the feeling of insecurity to haunt you? Make it a dream come true by visiting the attractively mesmerizing hill station-Sikkim-which will leave you awestruck with its magnificent beauty and would soothe your eyes as you surrender yourself to its spellbinding greenery!  In a world of mental and physical pressure, Sikkim could be an appropriately suitable escape from the pollution of cities and judging eyes of your neighbours or colleagues and family members.

Sikkim is a North Eastern state of India, bordered by Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. It is also known as a “brother” among the “seven sisters” of North East India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya- yet other places which would leave you breathless). The state has a dramatic landscape which ranges from India’s highest mountain, Kangchenjunga (8,586 m) to the landscape of Yumthang Valley with its beautiful spring flowers. For nature lovers, Sikkim is a must-to-visit place as it is home to glaciers, alpine meadows and thousands of varieties of wildflowers. The state has a rich history of kings and lords and monarchs ruling over it. It also has a history of freedom fighters and revolutionists fighting for the rights and justice of the state and its people. This is one place which many tourists like to visit for some peace and to spend some quality time to with their loved one. One such plan was made by my family in the winter of 2014. It was a four day trip with a family of my father’s friend. This trip was one of the best things that happened to me in the fall of 2014. The place is etched in my heart and mind and will always remind me of the splendid journey I had. Sikkim is not just a place, it is a feeling! Go climb the mountains, ride the Yak through the snowy paths and explore its mouth-watering dishes!

Here are some of the best places you can visit in Sikkim and Gangtok (Directly from my travel journal to your laptop screens)-

   

Day 1- The excitement of “changing landscape”!

We took a train from Tinsukia (in Assam, since I am from Assam) to New Jalpaiguri Station (NJP) in West Bengal (which took us two days and one night). From there we went towards Sikkim. My father’s friend, who stays in Sikkim, came to pick us up from the train station. It took us around 5 hours to reach our booked destination. On our way we stopped at a Dhaba to have lunch (the name of which I don’t remember now, but all I could remember is that there was this cute dog who kept on coming towards me and sticking closer to my legs). I remember how exciting it was when we kept moving upwards towards Sikkim. It was a change from plains to mountains. The tress became denser and greener, the roads became narrow and we were more frequently encountered by the Teesta River which became distinctively clear as we went higher. On reaching Sikkim we went to Mahatma Gandhi Marg (MG Marg) which is a Gangtok tourism road. This area is free of litter, smoke and vehicles, and is a pedestrian zone only. Locals would immediately ask you to stop smoking if they find your smoking in this area.

In the evening we took a local tour of M.G. Marg and later had dinner at on the rooftop of the hotel we were staying at, called, Hotel Golden Pagoda. They have a beautiful Dinner hall. From the rooftops one could see the mountains and little lights shining from them. The best time to visit MG Marg is in December when the “Gangtok Annual Food and Culture Festival” takes place (when many different food stalls are set up at the Titanic Park in MG Marg). While there are various restaurants and cafes in this road, some of them are very well popular among the tourist. They include:

• PUB25- A popular pub which plays some truly amazing music. The service is very well as its staffs are very attentive. You can also entertain yourself by reading the funny anecdotes about beer and drinking attached to the walls of the restaurant.
• Baker’s Cafe- They serves some yummy pastries, patties, momos and other snack items. Do not forget to try its coffee!
• Golden Dragon- It has a lovely dinning environment and spectacular market view. We went there for breakfast, but the food was so good that we went back for lunch and dinner.
• Chopsticks- It has a scene of a family restaurant. The service is welcoming and warm. It’s a very good place for a proper family dinner.
• Allen’s Kitchen-If you want to listen to some lovely music with some delicious food on your table, than you should visit Allen’s Kitchen in MG Marg. This restaurant provides a wide variety of food. Also, the owner, himself, takes care of customers so personally.

   

DAY 2- EXPLORING THE LOCAL BEAUTY

The next day after a warm breakfast we decided to go for a local tour of the area. We heard a lot about Rumtek Monastery in Gangtok and so we made sure it is the first place we visit in Sikkim. We booked a cab from MG Marg to Rumtek Monastery, which took us around 30 minutes. Rumtek Monastery, also known as Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetian Buddhist temple. Once you are at the base gate of the monastery you realise that it is true of all the facts told about it. From the base gate it requires an uphill walk (about 15 minutes) to reach to the main monastery. This monastery is one of the largest monasteries in Sikkim and has a unique infrastructure, which resembles the infrastructure of the original one in Tibet. This monastery has one of the finest architectures in the world. Once you visit this place, you get a sense of peace about yourself as you just let the silence surround you. Also, there are vantage points from where you get to see some beautiful sites of the whole Gangtok!

After a two hours stay in Rumtek monastery, we came down to the town and I had thupka(a local soup dish) for lunch. We toured around MG Marg the whole evening as it is a very convenient place for evening walk and shopping. The place is very clean and is a paved street with shops lining both the sides. There are benches fixed throughout the road where you can sit down and talk when you are tired of walking. If you get hungry, there are ample of options you can rely upon. The whole street is lined with restaurants, bars and cafe. In the evening, we went for some shopping and ate some amazing local street foods (the names of which I don’t remember). After a long day we came to our hotel rooms and freshen up for one-amazing-night. At around 8pm we all got dressed up for dinner and went to Allen’s Kitchen where we were served some amazing starters, beverages and sweet dishes.

DAY 3- A TOUR TO 3,753 METRES HEIGHT

The next day we backpacked for Lake Tsomgo also known as Changu Lake which is located at an elevation of 3,753 metre. The Lake is associated with many myths and legends and is referred to it by the Sikkimese as “sacred”. The Lake is covered with snow in winters. On our way to the lake, there was an instant change in the scenes and temperature. Soon we realised that the streets were covered with snow and we were driving through the clouds! We stopped our cars for a while and clicked some photos and experienced the much awaited snow fall. The landscape was covered with snow, even the houses and shops (though it was very sparsely populated). The place had a beauty of its own. The cold was freezing but satisfying. I still remember a story that my father told us which still fascinates me. It goes something like: A long time ago the mountains had wings and would fly away to anywhere they wanted and would settle there. The people went through a lot of trouble for this behaviour of the mountains. They complained to Lord Vishnu, the regulator of the Universe. Lord Vishu decided to cut off the wings of the mountains so that they can settle in one place. Though today the mountains cannot fly, but the love of the mountain and its wings was eternal. Therefore, the cut- out wings took the form of clouds and still hovers near the mountains.

After playing for a while in the snow we started off to descend from the mountains. On our way back we stopped at a shop where we ate hot soup and tea. It was the best combination in the cold weather. On our way back we stopped at Gonjang Monastery which is as beautiful as a mystery! I would strongly recommend a visit to this monastery and pray for the good will of one’s loved ones.

       

DAY 4- LACHUNG, LACHEN AND YUMTHANG VALLEY

Most part of our Day 4 was in the villages of Lachung, Lachen and Yumthang Valley. Visiting these villages is a onetime experience. There was thick snow in the mountains and we spend much time playing in the snow. From there we made our way to the “zero point” where we got a spectacular view! Standing in this point one can understand about “God’s creation”. This is a place where you are so close to nature and you get a sense of belonging and acceptance that you wish to stay a little longer and than a little more. But then your father calls you back to the car because it’s already time for you to leave, and as you leave you become so emotional because you know you are going to miss this place. All the way back to hotel all I can think about how much I was going to miss this place, and it was indeed a magical experience.

Thus the last day of the trip came to an end. Soon I found myself backpacking to leave for my home. But Alas! That one trip left me with so much of emotional attachment with the place and with such peace and tranquillity in my mind! It is true that “Wonders do come in small packages!” and thus to witness this you must visit the second smallest State in India-Sikkim- and let its prismatic beauty and mesmeric charm work wonders with you!

Here I have attached some photos of my trip to Sikkim:

Way to Tsomgo Lake

Its beautiful scenery (way to Lachung)

Wearing Sikkim’s traditional dress known as “The Kho”

June is a wonderful time to be in Sikkim. While most of your trip should move as per plan, you should always be prepared for surprises.  For more info join traveller club and find your trip partner on eChutti. 

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.

Venturesome Solace in Palampur

by Toshita

Being a person who has been brought up in the plains, mountains have always amazed me putting forth their beauty in a strange and bewitching way. So, when we planned a trip to Palampur, my instant reply was ‘YES’, after all, it was a hill station and the best part, it was decided that we’d travel by bus (there is something amazingly different about road trips).

A little introduction before we enter the trip:

‘We’ stands for 16 people from an office in Noida who planned a trip to get away from work for 3 days. 

The trip was planned for 29th of Jan 2016. We left Noida at 11 pm with all the enthusiasm we could’ve collected. Everyone was a rockstar and songs motivated us even more, you know, Punjabi songs have vivacity at their core. Anyway, so we started our journey and our first stop was 'Murthal Dhaba' in Haryana. We were really too lethargic to go inside the dhaba, so we got food packed and started our journey again (Yummy paratha and other add-ons like butter even further added to our Punjabi mood). It was almost 2 am when we had our dinner and within an hour everyone (of course, we had a few night owls with us so everyone is not an apt word but almost everyone) was asleep. It was around 6 when we woke up, it was drizzling and it was marvelous, we were surrounded by trees, nature and a wonderful breeze. Time flew by, it was around 10 am when we stopped at a small tea stall to stretch our legs and have our 1st tea. After the tea break, we resumed our journey. It was around 1 pm when we reached Palampur situated in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. A person from the hotel came to receive us and our bus began to follow his car. After a while, we were amid the mountains wondering why the bus has stopped !!

Well, we were told that we had to walk further to reach the hotel. We sadly came down and after looking at the view, we were all delighted. It was really amazing as if it had everything that one can possibly dream of about peace, beauty and nature. River, mountains, valley, trees… just fabulous. We had to walk 1 km (or so) to reach the resort and the path was just beautiful. But the resort was even more beautiful.

Tired we ran to choose our rooms and the room that I stayed in had this enchanting view from the window. It really felt that I was witnessing a beautiful creation of mother nature. Mesmerised, we had our lunch and then went to the Beas river flowing nearby. Although we were mesmerised enough, but the cold water compelled us to sit on the rocks and just dip our legs in the water.

We had to go for trekking so we returned to the hotel and got ready to leave. It was already 4 pm. We went to a temple which is known for being “Kuldevi’s temple”, and then took a road (a narrow path in fact) nearby for trekking (or just walking into the mountains without any motive). It was getting dark hence, we decided to stop walking and come back. It was around 8 pm when we reached the hotel, it was dark enough to use flashlights of our phones while walking back and it was cold enough to arrange a campfire and so we got a campfire. Antakshari, dance, talks and stories made the time fly and even the staff there enjoyed with us and told us several horror story (it really felt as if we were part of a horror movie).

Well, the best thing about the night was the clear sky with millions of stars and the beautiful moon. The dark sky filled with stars has its own attraction. Something that we miss in the metropolitan cities. It was around 2 that everyone went to sleep. We had to wake up at 8 am next day for going to Bir for paragliding. You know what is the best thing about paragliding ?? The time when a vehicle (a van, in our case) takes you to a height (literally height) that you never imagined being at and you see people jumping from that height, you shiver inside but can’t tell anyone as the people around you are your friends who’ll certainly make fun of you (although they’ll make fun afterwards as even they’ll be feeling same at that point in time). But the most beautiful thing about paragliding is the feeling of being stable amid cold breeze with nothing but a few wires holding you. It’s just amazing when you look down and everything looks so small, so worthless and so different.

After paragliding, we had lunch and went to a monastery. The monastery was quiet as they are usually and the peace that was being planted inside us can’t be compared with anything else. The seats for people to pray, the incense stick with this captivating fragrance and the solitude, everything was just perfect to make you feel closer to nature.

It was around 4.30 pm so we didn’t have much time to roam around. We also stopped by a tea garden (Only for having some clicks, after all, even that is important ߘ ) We came back at the same time i.e. 8 pm and had campfire again with a few more stories, songs, dances and dinner. We left Palampur at 10 am the next day, but we really wanted to be there a few more days, even discussed shifting our office amidst mountain and valley. Well, we reached Noida around 11 pm but the beauty that place had still remained within us and we still want to go there whenever time and circumstances permit.

Palampur Hill Station is one of the most visited Hill Stations in Himachal Pradesh. Explore various travel related information about Palampur in travel club or travel forum.